What to Consider Before Buying a Laptop?
The first and most important question facing you as a laptop buyer is what you will be doing with it.
DECIDE YOUR LAPTOP : PC or Mac?
With the respective companies’ new operating systems on the way – Microsoft’s Windows 7 and Apple’s OS X "Snow Leopard" – the Mac vs. PC battle won’t be over any time soon.
Key Components in a Laptop
CPU/Processor
This is where all of the essential calculations take place, and therefore it has a significant effect on almost everything you do on the computer.
RAM Memory
RAM stands for Random Access Memory. Some tasks require huge amounts of RAM, like photo and video editing, but having lots of applications open at the same time (multitasking)
Hard Drive
There are two types of storage devices for your laptop the conventional hard drive with spinning platters, and the Solid-State Drive (SSD). SSDs are much faster, completely silent, and consume less power than traditional hard drives. Graphics Card
The graphics card, or GPU, is the single most important component if you want to play any modern games.
ATI or Nvidia
The most common size is around 15 inches. A 14 to 15-inch laptop is usually a reasonable compromise between portability and performance.
Mainstream/Desktop Replacement Laptops
Ultraportable
Lightweight, thin and ultraportable laptops (excluding netbooks) are designed for mobility
from the ground up. Screen sizes range from 11” to 13” and the components are custom
made to reduce weight and prolong battery life.
By netbooks we refer to small, 7” to 10” laptops with less powerful hardware, intended for light usage such as web surfing and simple office tasks.
Dedicated gaming laptops are usually quite large and heavy, with a 17” or even larger screen.