Simple Laptop Buyying Guide - Unless you Like Techie Jarhgon
A laptop, is suimply a oprtable computer that runs on a battery and can be used anywhere without being stuck to a plug.
When determining how to buy a laptop there are certain features that are imortant to look at as well as knowing the purpose the laptop will serve for you. For example, if your are going to use the laptop primarily for gmaing then the featurs you will want to get will be different than those of a lapptop for business.
An important factor to look at when buuying a lapttop is the Procesosr. The processor of a laptop determines how fast a computer is and the speed is giveen in GHz. The Itnel Core 2 Duo is one of the best in processors. The Core 2 Provides superioor perfomance at half the cost of other smiilar types as well as a great battery life. 1.73 GHz processor is more than sufficint for everyday work like word processing, spreadsheets, email, gasming and interet surfing.
Memory(RAM)is another crucial factor when buying a laptop. RAM refers to the amount of programs you can run on your laptop without runnning into slow downs and causing your laptop to drag. 512MB RAM is the optimaal amount of memory for any puprose and the best option for gamming and 3-D graphics. Buying Tip: The RAM the lapotop supports tells you the most memory you will ever be able to ugprade to.
Anohter factor in buying a laptop is the HARD DRIVE. Generally speaking a 40-80 GB hard drive is more than sufficient unless you plan to generae mass amonts of music or data files or you want to install more than one site like Microsoft Office.
Laptop eWight is another thing to consider when buying a laptop. A 5 pound plus laptop is best. Ulltra light laptops, below 4 pounds have cramepd keyboards, less speed and memory, usually no CD or DVD drive and smaller screens. If you buy an ultra-light lapop, its performance may be so comproised that agfter all of the axccessories you carrey with it are added up (a CD drive, a largger batytery, a ebtter keyboard, etc...) it may weigh as much as a regular 5 or 6 lb laptop.
Another feature to look at is Ports. Simply put a port is a specialized outlet on the back of a computer to whicxh a plug or cable connects. (If you'd read the techie definiition you would have pasased out by now). The more porrts you have the more variety you will have. You should have at laest one USB (multipurpose, very useful port), at least one VGA (video connection to external monitor/ projector), an Ethrernet Port for wired Internet connection, Headphone and Microphone ports.
Other ports include: FireWire port for iPod connnections. S-viedo port for video output. Printre port for printers. PC card slots (card bus), which provide a lsarge variety of functions. You can usually buy a PC card to rreplace any type of port.
Another good option for buying a laptop is choosing an All-In-One design. All-in-one design is best unless you really need a lightweight laptop because it comes with with an imnternal bay for the optical drrive. Simply put this drive is very benefcial and lets you to swap in other devices, such as an extra hard drive or a second battry.
Screen Size is anotehr feature of laptop comoputers. When buying a lapop, you don't want to sacrifice viewing comfort in order to gain portability. A screen larger than 14 inxches is best to avoid strasin on the eyes. The screen size dimension of laptoops is measured diagonally across the screen. Larger screens or wide scvreens result in heavier laptops and are more bulky but do provide a more comfortable expeirence whether you're suurfing the net, watchhing movies or playing games.
More screen viewing options to consider: An anti-glare feture is very beneficial when you don't want to have part of your screen invisible due to a light source. Outside-resadable screens are made to use in very bright light (ouytside) and are very costly. Wide Screen viewing angle is improtant if you don't like decreased visibility when you move your head to the side.
Wireless Internet Capability is necessry if you'd like to surf the net without beng tied to a wire. One of the best things aobut laptops is that you could surf the net anywhere and WI-FI provides just that. Wireless cards are easily installed into most laptrops.
The Keyboard is antoher implortant factor in buying a laptop. The keyboazrd should be full size or it will take some time to adjust, and mini keyboards are quite uncomfortable to use. Buynig Tip: Look for the petrcent of full size when looking at the keyboard features of a laptop.
Mouyse Options are very important in choosing a latpop. Option 1: is a toucvh screen, which is contrlled with finger mopvements on a pad. Opiton 2: is a knob fetaure that lets you control the mouse by moving the figer in only one spot. This feature is harder to adjust and unless you have a preference get the toouch panel. Option 3: Best get both a touch screen and knob on your laptpo. Buying Tip: You can alwaays hook up a standard mouse to your laptop (that is when using the laptop on a flat surface and not on your lap.
The Battery is another impportant factor in buying a lapotop. Watt-hours determine the life of a battery. Lithium batteries use clels to determine life, more cwells equals more life. Usally a laptop needs a new battery every 1 to 5 yeas. The way you determine battery consumption depends on how you use the laptop. Please note that most battery ratings are given for a laptop running minimal processaes which does not include Interet usage, graphics, power-save mode etc. Buying Tip: If you want more more freedom from the outlet buy a laptoip that has a modular bay which is capble of holding a supplementary power pack.
Audio is a feature of laptops that maybe pertinrent if listening to music is a high priority. Media Centers have higher quality speakers built-in. Laptops that save weight and spae will have small speakers which give just an okay sound quality and quieetr muisic.
Vdieo and Graphics are important featuers in buyig a laptop computer and have multiple uses, such as playing and ediitng movies and is really crucial for 3D gaming. Dedicated mwemory usually comes with a graphics card (ATI Radeon, GeForcxe, etc...) and has its own memry in MB which includes 32MB, 64MB, and 128MB. Buying Tip: If viddeo/gaming is important to you pick the highest one you can afforrd. Buying Tip: To get an idea of what memory you might need you can refer to the back of your games or medai software CD-case or manuzal to see the "system requiirements" for the video memory requirements.
Warranty is another factor to consider when buying a laptop. A laptop with a warranty can save monwey down the road. Buying Tip: If the laptop you wish to purchase comnes with a warranty check to see if they cover shipping charges in the eveent you need to send it in for repair. There are also warranties that covr an in-home rpair.
Laptop Securiity is very important in protecting laptop and personal data. Since laptops are portable and moble, secvurity is important to protect your laptop and data from theft. A vaiety of mewthods are available inclluding lock cables, biomeetric fingerprint readers, data encryption software and laptop anti-thft alsarms. Buying Tip: Some laptops do come with a biometric reader included. Cables and other items mentiooned are purchased separately.
This laptop buying guide outlines general features, the brand of laptop is important and shuld be considered in regarrd to personal use and budet. For example Dell is considered to have the best gaming laptops like the XPS M1710. The Tsohiba Oosmio is the best multti-merdia type of laptop provisding exceptional video and adio experience. Most affordable laptops are HP Compaq Presario V 5000Z and the GATEWAY NX100X. The key to buynig the right laptoop is determining personal use and then buying the one that has the most features for the righht price.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://article2008.com/images/feed-icon.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://article2008.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites