For individuals or businesses, renting a laptop makes as much sense as buying a new one. In many cases, renting can be even more practical than purchasing. New laptops tend to be expensive, while rented ones are easy to purchase and maintain. Renting a laptop is fairly straightforward. However, new renters often make certain mistakes that leave them with a device they cannot use or something they do not like.

Renting outdated, beat-up laptops
Many buyers do not check how old and used up the various software and hardware components of rented laptops are while choosing them online or at rental stores. They only look at the processor speeds before deciding to spend their money renting one. 

An easy and effective way to avoid renting an outdated laptop is to check the processor generation. Companies that make processors release successive variants of each model over the years. So, the latest generation will likely be newer and support advanced software and hardware elements. It is okay if a rental service only offers older-generation laptop processors. But the rental price should be reasonable in this scenario.

The laptops also need to be in decent-to-good shape. Rented laptops tend to be graded from A to F, with A-rated models being the best and F-rated ones the most beat up and used. People renting laptops must purchase A-rated models only for maximum efficiency and ease of use.

Renting laptops with the wrong screen size/resolution
Screen resolution is an underrated aspect of laptops in today’s day and age. However, it is a key factor that should influence a person’s buying decision. People should select a screen resolution based on what they plan to do with the device. Basic computing functions like internet surfing or creating and sending documents do not require a high-end screen resolution. On the other hand, complex tasks like CAD creation, gaming, and executing complex software require the screen resolution to be higher and the display to be richer. Certain operations even require installing a dedicated video card in the device to maximize screen resolution.

Overall, a moderate screen size ranging from 15 to 17 inches will be sufficient for most day-to-day tasks that one may perform on their laptop. Individuals should not forget that the higher their screen resolution, the costlier their rented laptop will be. So, one must zero in on the type of screen they need for their laptop only after setting a budget.

Getting laptops that have been serviced incorrectly between rentals
A laptop that has been rented several times needs to be serviced just as many times, if not more. Each user who rents a given laptop deploys it for various tasks that take away its overall power and efficiency and gradually make it more and more beat up. This is why servicing is a non-negotiable factor for people looking to rent laptops. It usually involves visual inspection and optimization, software and hardware updation, and exterior look enhancement, among other things.

Simple things like checking whether the OS has been updated with time and whether all the factory updates are installed improve the quality of any rented laptop. So, people must never skip this step.

Not understanding and defining requirements correctly
One must know the exact reason they are renting a given laptop before going ahead and putting their money down. A person renting a laptop for domestic purposes can get a model with minimal to moderate specifications. But if someone is renting the device for learning or business purposes, it makes sense to have high-end specifications.

Understanding the reason for renting a laptop can help people choose the right model. It can also help them create a budget and plan accordingly.

Not researching the rental service
Many people visit whichever rental store they know or have heard about to rent a laptop for themselves. This is a big mistake as it can cause someone to be cheated. For instance, they may get a substandard product, get a model with little to no previous software updates, be overcharged, or get something that will not last long or perform the tasks they want.

One should check a rental service’s online ratings and reviews before getting a laptop from them. Additionally, people should ask their family members, neighbors, work colleagues, and friends if they have used the services of a given company before renting a laptop from them.

Renting a laptop with inadequate connectivity
A laptop should be able to connect to any Wi-Fi or mobile network. If it cannot, it is more or less useless. Nearly all operations in today’s day and age are done online. So, one must check and confirm whether the laptop they are renting can connect to the internet, Bluetooth devices, and other virtually-connected devices. The laptop must also be able to connect freely with wireless devices like mice, keyboards, printers, and scanners.

These are only a few mistakes people should avoid when renting a laptop. Some other mistakes include not considering software and data requirements and not providing proper KYC documentation to the rental service. These errors might cause the user unnecessary trouble in the future.