Pick a laptop to suit your needs
If you’ve looked at the flyers for the large electronics stores lately, you may have noticed that buying a laptop computer is as complex as buying a car.
There are a myriad of options and sizes, and even colors. Performance and specifications can be daunting. Add in a fast-talking, spec-spouting salesperson and the process can be downright frightening. It doesn’t have to be that way though, so here’s a helpful guide for smart laptop shoppers.
Let’s start with the basics. Laptops are computers that are mobile versions of desktop computers. While you once had to compromise on speed and performance when switching to a laptop, that’s not the case anymore. Desktop computers now use laptop microprocessors thanks to a breakthrough by Intel in its mobile processor line. You still pay a premium for a laptop – up to one third more – because components are smaller and power and heat have to be carefully managed.
Form factor
Despite all the complex geeky specifications, start your laptop search based on size and weight because that influences price and performance. There are four families you’ll be looking at and choosing from.
- Ultra portables: These lean, mean, petite machines are light (under 4 lbs) and ideal for the frequent traveller. They tend not to have onboard DVD drives. These attach separately. Keyboards are also smaller and screen sizes measure 12 inches or less diagonally. Example: Lenovo ThinkPad X Series
at Lenovo.com
.
- Slim portables: This new generation of laptops appeal to the business crowd. They are slim and light (3 to 5 lbs) but have full size keyboards and nice 13-inch or larger screens. Example: Look for the XPS M1330 model via this link » XPS Notebooks
at Dell.com
.
- Budget portables: These budget laptops weigh in at 5 to 7 lbs. While heavier, they can still be beautiful in aesthetics and trim in price. Example: Toshiba Satellite A200
at ToshibaDirect.com
.
- Media Center portables: These are also called desktop replacements because they have 17-inch screens and great audio systems. Although hefty at 7 to 10 lbs, they are designed to double as entertainment systems with built-in TV recorders and robust DVD playback. Example: Toshiba Qosmio G35-AV660
at ToshibaDirect.com
.
Performance
Microprocessors, the brains of a computer, have drastically improved. Once you rated the performance of a CPU (central processing unit, a.k.a. the microprocessor) by the size of its GHz number. Today, those numbers have shrunk because. of a new chip design. Don’t be fooled, you’re getting more performance. This is because these new CPUs have two “cores” or processing brains. These cores share the workload. So you get two brains in one.
From Intel, multi-core CPUs come in two key lines: Core and Core 2. The latter is newer and better and faster. Most people who want performance will be looking at a computer with the Core 2 Duo processor, a CPU with two fast cores. You may also see this advertised as Centrino Duo. That’s a Core 2 Duo processor with specially engineered wireless connection and control chips to optimize battery life.
While Intel is the reigning king in mobile processors, you might encounter an AMD Turion or Athlon processor. The Turion is AMD’s premium mobile CPU. These dual –core processors are found in budget and mid-market machines. They are competent processors, but you buy them for price not ultra-fast performance.
Memory and hard drive
RAM is computer memory. It’s where all the work gets done. You’ll want a minimum of 512 MB of RAM in your laptop. Aim for 1 GB and preferably 2 GB if you want a workhorse.
A hard drive is the storage disk where data is kept and the larger the better. Note that speed of the drive improves file access. You’ll see hard drives with 5400 rpm speed rating and 7200 rpm. The latter is zippier and will allow the system to open large files faster.
You may see an option for a solid-state hard drive. Solid-state drives have no moving parts and use the same storage technology as those data cards that go in digital cameras. Solid-state drives also tend to be smaller than their magnetic, spinning counterparts, up to 64 GB, and more expensive. It’s early days for the technology, but it’s also the future.
Brand names
Reigning champs in laptop brands include Toshiba, Sony
and Lenovo
(which purchased IBM’s ThinkPad division). Dell once offered laptops with a cheap feel, but its new lines – available in multiple colors — are turning heads, especially the XPS M1330 via this link » XPS Notebooks
. HP
(Hewlett Packard) has also polished its laptop offerings and are a viable option over the incumbents. Also look at LG which has a handsome new line. Apple
has arguably the largest sex appeal, leading the market place in looks and geek credibility.
PC or Mac?
You may be interested in dumping your Windows computer in favor of a Mac, and for good reason. Apple systems are gorgeous, more stable, more secure, and as quick as their PC counterparts. Still, choosing Mac or PC comes down to personal choice. Put your hands on one to see if you like the way they work. (Personally I can’t stand the interface, but many of my geeky colleagues love it.) On the downside, gamers should steer clear of Apple. Business people who need to use specialized programs should also steer clear. The library of programs for Apple computers, relative to PCs, is still limited, though there are enough software titles around to sate most needs. Prices are competitive, so laptop users who want nothing complicated and limited customization may want to jump on the Apple cart.
Which Windows?
Microsoft has released a new operating system called Windows Vista which has received mixed reviews. It has a lovely interface and it’s speedier to find your files. It’s also more secure from Internet nasties than Windows XP. However, Vista is power-hungry, not compatible with many older add-on devices and often coughs on software designed for XP. Conservative shoppers may want to pass on Vista or wait until Microsoft issues its first service pack, which will repair some its shortcomings. Service Pack 1, as it is called, is expected in early 2008.
Screen and video technology
One option you might consider for your laptop screen is LED TFT. (TFT is LCD technology.) The backlight on these screens is generated by LED (or light emitting diode) lights. It’s the same technology used in bulb-less holiday lights. LED technology in laptop screens is brighter and more power-efficient for only a small premium in price.
For those who choose a Windows Vista laptop, be sure to ask about the video adapter. This is the internal device that generates what you see on-screen. It has its own memory called Video RAM or VRAM. Vista owners will want a minimum of 128 GB of VRAM to run their operating system, and – ideally – a video adapter with 256 GB or 512 GB for great video performance. Some systems come with “integrated video” meaning the CPU shares memory with the video adapter. That, unfortunately, slows the performance down.
Other considerations
Average battery life on a laptop is two to three hours, but half that when you use a wireless Internet connection (included on all laptops these days). Consider an extended or extra battery if it is offered if you fly frequently and want to use your computer in the air.
You can also opt for high- definition DVD drives these days. There are two standards: HD DVD and Blu-ray. It’s VHS vs. Beta all over again. And one is going to lose. So, if the salesperson offers you either of these as a DVD drive in your laptop, pass. You’ll pay a premium and there’s 50/50 chance you get stuck with the loser technology.
Price
Finally, expect to pay between $700 and $3,000 for your laptop. Smaller, lighter and faster push the price up. You should be able to get a great system in the $1,500 to $2,000 range. If you push past the $2,000 mark, you’ll be in lock-step with coolest geeks on the block and your faster, leaner machine will last you longer than its budget counterparts.
