The laptop quote checklist: what to ask before you pay

Start with three everyday questions

What will you do on the computer? Where will you use it? What is your total budget including the extras? Write down the actual apps or course software you need. A person mainly using documents and calls has different needs from someone editing long videos or working in a design package.

If a school or employer requires a particular application, ask for its supported operating systems and recommended hardware. Check whether you need the desktop version, an offline workflow, a plug-in or a licence. Being able to open a website does not prove that every work task will run.

Compare the exact configuration

• Full model and processor name, including generation or model number.
• Installed RAM, whether it can be upgraded, and the maximum the exact model supports.
• Storage capacity and drive type, with any upgrade or data transfer cost.
• Screen size, resolution and whether it is touch enabled.
• Condition, actual unit photos for a used device, and any known faults.
• Included charger, its rating, keyboard layout, and ports you will need.

Ask for the complete amount in KES

A useful quote separates the computer, any upgrades, software, adapters, delivery and other charges. Ask whether tax is included and request the applicable invoice. Confirm the quoted amount and how long the offer remains valid before payment.

For a desktop, check whether the price covers only the system unit or also the monitor, keyboard and mouse. For a laptop, a dock, HDMI adapter or replacement charger can change the cost of a usable setup. Compare the total for the setup you need.

Know which details are still being checked

In this catalogue, a guide price is an estimate for the representative configuration. A confirmed price has been marked as checked by staff. Availability is shown separately: a listed price is not a stock reservation. Ask the team to confirm the exact unit, current total and delivery plan.

Reference photos show the kind of product. Actual-item photos should show the unit being sold. If the listing does not establish battery health, a particular port, an included licence or a warranty term, treat it as a question to resolve before ordering.

A message you can use

Keep the written quote and the final receipt together. At handover, compare the received computer with those details and test your essential tasks while you can raise any mismatch promptly.

Please quote the exact model and processor, RAM and SSD, condition, battery health if used, included charger, warranty terms, final KES amount including tax and delivery, and when I can inspect or receive it. My main apps are __ and my total budget is __.