Smartphones with free laptop offer

Getting a free laptop with a mobile phone

Here in the UK we’ve got used to some pretty crazy deals and offers from mobile providers and stores over the years – and the ‘free laptop with mobile phone’ is one of the most unbelievable. 

So what’s the real story behind these packages? Are they the real deal?

The answer is yes and no; and while the name of these deals can be seen as a little misleading that doesn’t mean you’re not going to get a great deal. Below we’ll give you all the details – from what ‘free’ means, to the pitfalls to avoid when searching for the best buy.

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What does ‘free’ really mean?

Let’s get one thing straight from the start: the chances are, your laptop isn’t going to be free – far from it. In the vast majority of free laptop deals, the reality is that you’re going to get a laptop as part of your contract and you won’t have to pay for it up front.

Essentially what this means is that it’s like a hire purchase deal. However, it’s much better because you don’t have to pay interest; in fact, over the length of your contract, the laptop will probably work out cheaper than if you’d bought it separately. So, while not being free, these offers can work out as really great deals.

So, to sum up: you’ll pay either no, or a small, up-front fee. You’ll get your laptop and mobile phone straight away when you sign up; but for that privilege you’ll end up paying quite a large premium each month that will include both the usual monthly fee you’d expect for your mobile phone’s data/calls etc, plus a sum that goes towards the hardware cost of your laptop and mobile.

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So – is this really a good deal for me?

Due to the nature of free laptop with mobile phone deals, whether they’re right for you is situational. There are a lot of variables you need to consider, the most important of which we’ve highlighted below.

On the ‘plus’ side, you’ll tend to find these deals offer the best in both technology and tariff extras. You’re pretty much guaranteed a ‘best in class’ choice of the latest touch screen 3G mobile phones, along with a pretty well specced laptop or netbook. 

Most should also offer unlimited calls, texts and/or data allowance (just look out for those dreaded ‘fair usage’ policies!).

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The possible free laptop pitfalls

Without saying as much, we’ve already covered the fact these mobile phone contracts aren’t the cheapest. You’ll also find these tend to be long (usually two-year) contracts, so as to better spread out those large payments – but also to keep you loyal.

That said, for what you get, you shouldn’t expect cheap – while a bit of loyalty isn’t too much to ask for if you’re getting a brilliant deal! But beyond prices, here are the key traps to avoid:

• What you want – and what you need: When you’re looking through great deals it’s really easy to lose sight of what you started out needing. While that shiny new laptop has great RAM, an amazing screen and awesome graphics – do you really need all that? Do you even need a laptop?! Make sure the deal meets your requirements – but that it doesn’t exceed them at the cost of a large monthly bill you don’t need.
• Do your homework: A big part of finding the right deal is doing your homework. It may sound boring, but doing a little legwork can both save you money and ensure you get the right hardware. Remember that on most contracts you’ll be stuck with this mobile phone and laptop for a few years. Read reviews of both the laptop and smartphone – professional and user reviews – as well as the network, while also checking coverage in your area.
• Deal comparison: Finally, have a good look at the full range of available deals. This is where Broadband Genie comes in – we collate all the deals from the major mobile providers so that you can compare them in one place. Deal comparison is a little time consuming, but we try to make it as painless as possible: order the deals how you see fit and you’ll soon find the contract that gives you exactly what you need, at the right price.
• And finally… Be sure that that long contract and big monthly contract cost is truly viable in your situation. If you move home in the next few years, will the mobile provider you have still fit the bill? And do you really want to still be paying for the same hardware in two years’ time?

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Ready to go - or not?

If you’ve settled on a free laptop with mobile phone deal, the hard part is over – all you need do is click through from here to the provider’s official page and take it from there. 

Broadband Genie is a comparison site, not a store – which is why we’re happy to list all the major deals from the major suppliers.

If you’ve got any more queries, you may want to check out some of the guides listed below – or if you can’t find the particular piece of information you need, feel free to pop into our forums and ask the genie.

• Beginners' guide to smartphones: If you want to know more about the basics of smartphone deals, read our beginners' guide here.
• Smartphone comparison guide (deals): In this guide we take a deeper look at the comparison process by type (PAYG, contract), length, cost and provider.
• Smartphone comparison guide (handsets): If you want more on the hardware side (manufacturers, operating systems and features ), this is the place to head.

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