How to Use AI to Choose a New Phone or Laptop

Buying a new phone or laptop should be exciting, but it often turns into hours of comparison sites, confusing specs and reviews that disagree. It’s easy to overspend on features you’ll never use, or save money and end up with something painfully slow. And when a gadget breaks a few months later, many people don’t know what their rights are.

AI is a helpful shopping companion. It can translate jargon like RAM, refresh rate and processor names into plain English, help you work out what you need based on how you’ll actually use the device, and compare shortlisted models side by side. It can be out of date on prices and new releases, so always check current details with retailers and reviews. This guide takes about 45 minutes.

What you’ll need

• A clear sense of how you use your current phone or laptop
• Your budget, including accessories, cases or software
• Links to or specs for a few models you’re considering
• An AI chatbot and about 45 minutes

Step-by-step: choose a phone or laptop with AI

1. Describe how you’ll use it. Be specific: video calls, spreadsheets, photo editing, gaming, school work, taking photos of the kids, or mostly messages and maps. Ask the AI what that means for specs (prompt 1).
2. Learn the jargon that matters. Ask the AI to explain the handful of specs that matter for you, such as storage, memory, battery life, screen size and weight. Ignore the rest.
3. Decide on your must-haves. Write down three non-negotiables, such as all-day battery, a good camera or a lightweight body.
4. Build a shortlist from current sources. Use recent reviews and retailer pages to pick three models. Paste their specs in and ask for a comparison (prompt 2).
5. Consider refurbished or last year’s model. Ask the AI about the trade-offs. Often you’ll get most of the performance for much less.
6. Check the total cost. Contracts, cases, chargers, software subscriptions and insurance add up. Ask the AI to help compare a SIM-free phone plus SIM-only deal against a contract (prompt 3).
7. Know your rights before you buy. Check the returns policy and warranty. If something goes wrong, the Consumer Rights Act gives you rights against the retailer, and AI can help you draft a clear message (prompt 4).

Copy-paste prompts

1. What do I actually need?

I'm buying a new [PHONE / LAPTOP]. I mainly use it for [USES]. My budget is [AMOUNT]. What annoys me about my current one: [ISSUES]. I [DO / DON'T] care about [BRAND, OPERATING SYSTEM, ETC.].
Explain in plain English which specs matter for me and roughly what to look for in each, which specs I can ignore, and the common traps that make people overspend. Don't recommend specific models, as your information may be out of date.

2. Compare my shortlist

Here are the specs for three models I'm considering: [PASTE SPECS AND PRICES].
My priorities are [PRIORITIES]. Compare them in a table in plain English, highlight the meaningful differences for how I'll use it, and tell me which questions I should check in recent reviews before deciding.

3. Contract or SIM-free?

I'm comparing a phone contract of [MONTHLY COST] for [MONTHS] months with [UPFRONT COST] upfront, against buying the phone for [PRICE] and a SIM-only deal at [MONTHLY COST].
Work out the total cost of each over the contract length and what happens afterwards. Show your working and list anything else I should consider.

4. Something’s gone wrong

I bought a [DEVICE] from [RETAILER] on [DATE] for [PRICE]. The problem is [FAULT]. I've tried [WHAT YOU'VE TRIED].
Draft a polite, firm message to the retailer asking for a repair, replacement or refund, mentioning my rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 in general terms. Keep it short and include what I'd like to happen next.

Recommended tools

• ChatGPT: good for explaining specs and drafting messages.
• Claude: handy for comparing long spec sheets.
• Gemini: useful if you’re researching with Google Search.
• Grok: quick for back-and-forth questions while you shop.
• Up-to-date reviews: trusted tech reviews and Which? for testing results.

Tips and mistakes to avoid

• AI can be out of date. New models launch constantly. Check current prices and reviews.
• Buy for your real life. A powerful gaming laptop is wasted on email and browsing.
• Check storage carefully. Running out of space is one of the most common frustrations.
• Mind the weight. If you’ll carry it every day, weight and battery life matter a lot.
• Look at software updates. Find out how many years of security updates the device will get.
• Keep receipts and boxes. It makes returns much easier.
• Know where to get help. Citizens Advice has clear guidance if something goes wrong with a purchase.

FAQ

Is refurbished worth it?

Often, yes, especially from reputable sellers with a warranty. Check the grade, battery health and returns policy.

How much RAM or storage do I need?

It depends on your use. Prompt 1 will help you work it out, and recent reviews will tell you what’s comfortable for current models.

Can I return something I’ve just changed my mind about?

Online purchases usually come with a cooling-off period, but in-shop returns for a change of mind depend on the shop’s policy. Check before buying.

I'm buying a new [PHONE / LAPTOP]. I mainly use it for [USES]. My budget is [AMOUNT]. What annoys me about my current one: [ISSUES]. I [DO / DON'T] care about [BRAND, OPERATING SYSTEM, ETC.].
Explain in plain English which specs matter for me and roughly what to look for in each, which specs I can ignore, and the common traps that make people overspend. Don't recommend specific models, as your information may be out of date.

Related guides

• How to use AI to deal with tech support (and actually get it fixed)
• How to use AI to cut your household bills
• How to use AI to write a complaint letter that gets results

Reference: Citizens Advice: Something’s gone wrong with a purchase