Mary Harboe
05.11.07
Buying a Laptop
Laptops are continually decreasing in price. But a cheap laptop isn’t necessarily a good laptop. The 699€ laptop offered at the local electronic super store may not be the best value after all.
First you must know exactly what you are getting for that 699€ price. It will be to your benefit if you learn the basic components that are in a laptop and know what your needs and requirements will be. There is no need to over buy but more important you don’t want to put out 699€ (which is still a sizable amount) and then find out if you had put in a bit more you would have been much better off.
Laptops, in contrast to Tower PCs, are not upgradable (except for memory) so it is important to buy well (enough muscle) from the outset.
Most Laptops now have Vista as the new OS (operating system). Vista comes in 5 different versions, Home basic, Home Premium, Business, Ultimate. Vista requires more muscle in a laptop to get the full advantage of the software than does XP. (especially if you have Premium, Business or Ultimate) So keep this in mind.
Ensure that the laptop you buy meets your computing needs by carefully considering these 10 factors before making a purchase.
So lets start with the muscle of a laptop.
1: CPU (Central Processing Unit)
Laptop models advertised at attractive prices often don’t have very potent CPUs. When selecting a portable computer, buy the strongest CPU you can afford. Fail to do so, and you could end up with a PC that takes seven to eight minutes to fully boot into Windows, provides minimal battery life, and can’t reasonably power the applications you use.
Intel Core 2 Duo CPU is a potent CPU that’s the favorite of many road warriors. 2.0 Ghz or higher
(Intel Core 2 Duo processors have two processing cores – or computing “brains” – that can handle multiple tasks in less time while consuming less power. This means cooler, sleeker and smaller systems. These processors also deliver improved performance for videos, gaming and multimedia activities – especially when running multiple applications simultaneously.)
These Core 2 Duo CPUs perform exceptionally well. In addition to packing considerable processing power, these chips use less energy (resulting in improved battery life) and generate less heat than previous Pentium CPUs. Laptops featuring these chips (2.0 GHz and higher) should meet most users’ computing needs for the next three or four years (the timeframe in which accountants amortize information technology assets).
2: RAM - Memory
Many Windows Vista laptops are marketed as having a full 1 GB of RAM. While 1 GB of RAM works well for most Windows XP installations, it typically isn’t enough to enable a Vista system to work smoothly. Any user planning to run multiple applications simultaneously on a Windows Vista laptop should consider loading the notebook with 2 GB of RAM.
While most users don’t think of themselves as power users, 2 GB of RAM should be the norm for individuals planning to maintain multiple Office application windows while surfing the Internet and checking e-mail. Anyone planning to edit digital photographs or play more advanced games on a Vista system should also upgrade to 2 GB of RAM.
3: Video Card
Video performance is notoriously shortchanged on laptop computers. This is especially true for 600€ notebooks frequently featured on the front covers of electronics and office supply store circulars.
Windows Vista operating systems, in particular, require potent video cards to maximize the system’s many new features (including its resource-demanding Aero interface, translucent menus, and Flip 3D technologies).
When preparing to purchase a laptop computer, consider selecting a model with at least 128 MB of onboard RAM. If you plan to run video production software, or games, you should upgrade to video adapters with 256 MB of RAM.
4: Ports
Many users assume that any modern laptop computer has numerous USB ports, as well as VGA, analog (hook laptop up to a projector or television) DVI, (Digital video interface) Those same users may learn a painful lesson; increasingly, in another effort at managing costs, laptop manufacturers are reducing the number of ports found on their PCs.
Budget notebook computers often ship with only a pair of USB ports, with no DVI ports and only a single VGA port (if a video port is even included). When purchasing a laptop, review the model’s technical specifications and make sure that the chassis includes the ports you require. While most PCs now include integrated wired NICs, they don’t always have PCMIA Card slots, so that’s an additional factor to consider before purchasing a new unit.
5: Screen Size
Carefully review your monitor needs before ordering a new notebook. You may think that a 17-inch widescreen display is just what you need. Ultimately, that may prove to be too big.
Think about how you’ll be using the laptop. If the computer will truly be used most often on the road, placing the notebook in a protective case, lugging it onto a cramped airplane, removing it for baggage inspectors, carrying it into a meeting room, and transporting it wherever else you go is made exponentially more difficult for each inch of display size beyond 12 inches.
Models with 12-inch displays are much easier to carry through doorways, into tight airline seats, and in coffee shops. They’re also much lighter. A 15-inch display is also a good compromise.
If your laptop will see only occasional travel, a larger model may be just what you need. But if not, consider purchasing a 12-inch model. You can always mate it to a 22-inch widescreen on your desk. Just be sure the laptop offers the correct ports to do so, as described in item 4.
6: Integrated Wireless: 802.11g, (newer version 802.11n, faster)
There should almost be a rule that any laptop sold today include an integrated 802.11g wireless (WiFi) adapter. But of course there is no rule, and not all models include one.
Make sure that the laptop you’re considering includes the WiFi technology you use. For many, that will soon mean that the laptop includes integrated 802.11n compatibility.
Not to be overlooked though is an integrated modem. This will enable you to use a dial up connection when necessary and may be very useful if no WiFi is available.
7: Integrated Bluetooth
Integrated Bluetooth technology used to be a luxury in laptops. Most users associate Bluetooth now with the wireless hands-free headsets used with cellular telephones, but Bluetooth is also growing in importance when it comes to connecting handheld devices to laptops.
Bluetooth technology enables synchronizing cell phone contacts, e-mail, calendars, and tasks lists wirelessly with a laptop. The same Bluetooth technology can also be used to add a wireless mouse to a notebook.
8: Track Pad
Most every laptop now comes equipped with a track pad mouse and corresponding click buttons. Some models include a simple track pad, while others include a track pad and an integrated pointer (usually nestled between the G and H keys). These so-called pencil-eraser pointers have long been popular. The “pencil-eraser” is the favorite of many mobile users.
Review the model you’re preparing to buy to confirm that you find its track pad agreeable. Even if you plan to use an external mouse, there are times when you’ll be without it and the track pad is all you’ll have.
9: Battery Life
Battery life is a critical consideration but not a deal breaker.
Try to buy a laptop that includes a 12-cell battery (if available) instead of a standard six- or nine-cell battery. Bigger batteries almost always last longer, which is usually a key factor for mobile professionals traveling by air.
Just be aware that the larger cell batteries often have a greater footprint. In other words, they could violate a notebook’s aesthetic look. But no one ever said functionality doesn’t come at a price.
10. Firewire
A single port for digital video and audio connections. (projectors, digital camcorders, digital dvd recorders.) Currently same speed as a usb 2 ports but a new standard is coming out which will be double the speed. (Important for digital camcorder users.)
