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Buying a Laptop: Beginners Guide

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Publisher: petrica

Date added: 12 Apr 2009

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SO YOU want to buy a new laptop, but dont know where to start?

Dropping prices and increasing power have made laptops, also known as notebooks, a popular alternative to regular desktop PCs.

As with any big purchase, you
ll need to ask yourself a series of questions to help make your decision.

Mac or PC?
Most
laptops run a version of Microsoft
s Windows operating system (OS) -
either XP or Vista. However, you can also purchase Apple Macbooks,
which run OSX.

If you want to run Windows programs on a Mac,
you will have to install special software. Although Macbooks are often
more expensive than similar Windows laptops, they have a reputation for
being built with high-quality components.

If you
re used to
one type of OS, it
s generally easier to stay with it rather than
re-learn a new interface. That is, unless you want to.

Notebook or netbook?
One type of laptop that has really taken off over the last few years is the netbook.
Netbooks, which usually run on Windows or a custom Linux-based OS, are
significantly smaller than normal laptops and are also less powerful.

Their
size and appealing price tags mean that they are often a great choice
for students or anyone who needs to lug their notebook around on a
daily basis and only wants to carry out simple tasks like word
processing and browsing the internet.

Screen size and weight
You
may want a smaller screen if you plan to do a lot of lugging around, or
a larger one if you want more room to watch movies or open extra
windows.

A 15-inch (measured diagonally) screen means the
notebook will be heavy, but you will be able to view a lot more
programs on the screen at once. You should look for a 13- or 12-inch
screen if you want a laptop that will be easy to carry.

Ask
how much a laptop weighs and even test out the weight yourself. Weight
is very important for laptops because you will be carrying it around.
Don’t forget to check the combined weight of the laptop and its power
supply.

How fast does it go?
Laptop speed can come down to two factors: CPU and RAM.

The
CPU is the computer
s brain and it makes a big difference to a laptop’s
performance. For the best performance look for a laptop that has a
dual-core CPU, as this is equipped to carry out multiple tasks at once.

The memory, or RAM, is the space where all your programs will
be loaded. A general rule of thumb is the more RAM you have, the more
programs you can load.

Anything around 2GB of RAM should be
sufficient for most tasks. If you have to use memory-hungry
applications (for example design software), then look at laptops with
3-4GB of memory.

How much can it hold?
Hard
drive storage determines how many programs, music files, documents,
videos and emails you will be able to store. The bigger the hard drive
size, the more you can store.

For the typical user we
recommend at least 200GB of hard drive space. But keep in mind that you
can always add external storage to backup all your precious photos,
videos and music.

Media options
Nearly
all laptops now come with a DVD burner, even budget laptops that cost
less than $1000. Some very small laptops may supply a burner as an
external unit that needs to be plugged into the laptop. In some cases
the external DVD burner is an optional extra.

With a DVD
burner you can burn CDs as well as DVDs. Blu-ray combo drives are also
becoming popular. These allow you to play the new Blu-ray movie format,
as well as burn CDs and DVDs.

How can I get connected?
For
the internet, most laptops these days have built-in WiFi reception,
which will save you from buying extra equipment later on – although you
will still need a base station to transmit the wireless signal. For

wired
networks Gigabit Ethernet is the fastest kind of connection
available.
If you have lots of extra devices, you will need
multiple USB ports to connect everything. A FireWire port is necessary
if you want to use your computer to transfer video from a DV camcorder.

New laptops will generally have an ExpressCard slot, which is a
rectangular slot on the side of the laptop. The high-speed ExpressCard
interface can be used to plug in devices such as 3G data cards or even
a digital TV tuner.

Battery life
Generally
laptops have a battery that can last anywhere between 1.5 to 4 hours,
depending on the type of programs you use on it. If you plan to be on
the road and away from a power outlet, make sure your laptop has
sufficient battery life to handle your computing tasks, or consider
buying an extra battery.

Software
Nearly
all laptops come with an operating system (OS) preinstalled. On PC
laptops, the OS is usually Windows Vista; on Apple, it
s OSX 10.5
Leopard.

Laptops should also come with software for burning
discs and watching movies; the brand of laptop you buy will determine
exactly what this software is. Some laptops may also include office
application software, games, antivirus or educational software.

Find out what software is included before you make the purchase.

PRICE CHECKLIST: What you should get for your money

• <$500
If
your budget is under $500 then consider getting a netbook. It will be
much slower than a regular laptop, because of a weaker CPU and less RAM
(about 1GB). It will also have a smaller hard drive (16GB-160GB), and a
much smaller screen.

• $1000-$1500
For
$1000-$1500 you should look for a laptop with a 15-inch screen, an
Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive and a DVD burner.
If you want to spend less than $1000 be prepared to get a slower CPU,
such as an Intel Celeron or AMD Athlon X2, and a smaller hard drive
(probably around 160GB). You
re also more likely to get a laptop with a
less powerful graphics system, so it won
t be as good for games.

• $1500-$1800
For
$1500-$1800 you should be able get a laptop with strong specifications
such as a 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, 4GB RAM, 320GB hard drive and
an ATI Mobility Radeon HD3450 graphics adapter. Apple Macbooks start at
about $1500.

If you are willing to shell out even more you can
get a laptop with a Blu-ray player and a 500GB hard drive, or a
powerful graphics card for playing the latest games.