Things to Consider When Buying A Laptop

1) Primary Functionality

A favorite mantra of mine to any who are considering which laptop to purchase is asking yourself: What are you planning to use the computer for? The answer to this question in many ways dictates the direction to focus your computer buying attention. Are you planning on gaming or just tooling around the Internet? Is it for the kids' homework, or is it something that needs a bit more power to do some video editing? A computer bought for the kids' homework may only need a low end (basic) processor, while something for gaming would call for a far more powerful processor. 

2) Who Made What?

Most of the laptops sold today are actually made by a handful of Taiwanese companies. The top five companies (Quanta, Compal, Wistron, Inventec, and Asus) actually manufacturer over 85% of all laptops sold worldwide. All the top tier computer “manufacturers” (for example: Acer, Apple, Dell, HP/Compaq, Gateway, Fujitsu, Lenovo, Sony, Toshiba, etc.) generally are not really “manufacturing” laptops  but rather contracting one or more of these companies to manufacturer their laptops for them.

 3) Faster, Higher, Stronger

With the delicate balance of performance and pocketbook to keep in mind, the three BIG things that will determine your laptops performance out of the gate will be: processor, memory, and video. Other things will affect it as well, but these seem to be the “big three.”

• Processors

The CPU and you 

When it comes to processors, a general rule of thumb is to buy the fastest that you can afford. There's also the question of how many cores you should get. Entry level these days is dual core, which will suit most people just fine. There are also triple-core and quad-core processors out there, but keep in mind that not all applications take advantage of this extra power. Some video-encoding applications, 3D applications and games will use them or a gamer. It'll likely be worth investing in a dual core ,if you mainly just browse the internet.
You have a lot of options, so below are the basics.
High performance
Intel Core i7
Now in its second generation (and about to enter its third), Intel holds the fastest chips in the mobile space. As the performance part, Core i7 is often paired with a discrete graphics processing unit (GPU).
AMD's strategy in the CPU world seems to be changing; it no longer competes at the high end.
Mainstream performance
Core i5
Available in dual- and quad-core configurations, as well as low-voltage variants, the Core i5 is the workhorse of the industry, filling many a fine mainstream laptop. Just make sure that you pick up a second-generation part, easily identifiable by the model number starting with a two. It'll usually come with Intel HD graphics, although it's often paired with a discrete graphics card from AMD or Nvidia, as well.
AMD A8
A quad-core part, the A8's performance falls somewhere between Intel's dual-core Core i3 and Core i5, depending on the clock speed.
Budget
Core i3
Now in its second generation, these dual-core processors are almost exclusively paired with Intel HD Graphics, and are for those who only do the basics: word processing, image viewing, music listening and internet browsing. It's a small step above the processors below, and is usually what we consider as being the minimum for hassle-free computing.
Intel Pentium and Celeron; AMD A6, A4
These are low-performance machines that tend to be used in sub-AU$700, 14-inch to 15.6-inch laptops, primarily to keep the cost down. If you're on a strict budget and have modest needs, then these may do the job for you.
Low power, low performance
Intel Atom, AMD C series, AMD E series
These tend to be used in the 8.9- to 11.6-inch space, in laptops often incorrectly termed "netbooks" — a phrase that is actually reserved for laptops featuring Intel's Atom CPU.
These are generally low-power, very low-performance chips best suited to basic internet browsing and office tasks.
While Atom really hasn't progressed much in the performance stakes in the past year, AMD's competing E series does provide a much better computing experience at the budget end.

• Memory

Having enough memory is vital to system performance, and lots of RAM lets you run more applications simultaneously. Sufficient RAM is also necessary for graphics work, image editing and video editing, and is crucial for 3D gaming. This is especially true in notebooks, because notebook graphics processors frequently have little or no memory of their own, and share the main system's RAM.
Here's an easy way to determine how much you need:
512MB: generally fine if you're running a Linux variant on something small like a netbook, but really, this is far too little for today's uses.
1GB: adequate for running a number of basic programs at once, but you may find that your machine struggles quite a bit with modern apps and operating systems.
2GB: entry level. This will be fine for office work and basic internet browsing, and will get you by for most basic tasks.
4GB or more: recommended! Good for 3D gaming, graphics work and video editing. Keep in mind that if you hit the 4GB point, you'll need to run a 64-bit operating system to take advantage of all the memory — a 32-bit one won't be able to access it all. Make sure to check that you're getting a 64-bit version of Windows before you buy.

• Video

With the introduction of Intel HD Graphics on Core i3 processors and above, the bar has now been raised enough for integrated graphics to suit most peoples' needs. If you want to play games, though, you'll need a dedicated GPU — try to grab something with 512MB to 1GB of video RAM. Larger video memory does tend to be paired with higher performing cards, it's not the thing that's primarily responsible for the performance increase.

Few other pointers on what you'll need to consider before buying a laptop.

 1. Weight

Notebooks divided into five categories by weight, with some overlap: netbooks (usually less than 1kg), ultraportables (1.5kg-2kg), thin and lights , mainstream models (2kg-4kg) .

 

2. The  great outdoors

Sunlight is not ideal for computing — specifically, for seeing the screen. If you want to work outdoors, you'll need to hunt for a matte screen. While some have matte, most come with glossy screens, maximizing reflections and making it hard to see anything when outside.
As a general rule of thumb, most business laptops still come with matte screens, and some laptops, like the MacBook Pro 15, have matte options if you're willing to pay a little more.

 

3. Finger fitting

As notebooks shrink in size, so do their keyboards. If possible, try some simple typing exercises before you buy it. Pay particular attention to the space bar, Shift, Ctrl and Backspace/Delete keys. Be sure that all are in good locations for your hand size and typing style.
Keep an eye out for backlit keyboards, as well — these help immensely when typing in dim light.

 

4. Touchy, touchy

Computing today relies a lot on mousing. Test the notebook's input device for comfort and responsiveness. Some touch pads include extra features, such as a dedicated area for scrolling, or multi-touch capability.

 

5. Get connected

Make sure that you have enough ports on your laptop — at a minimum, look for two USB ports (although three to four is better). If you'd like to use a digital camcorder with your notebook, you may need a FireWire (IEEE 1394) port. Connecting a monitor will require a VGA port at minimum (if you'll be giving presentations, a VGA port is also where you'll connect a projector), but for extra image quality look for a DVI, HDMI or DisplayPort connector in addition to this. A lot of PC laptops these days also have a combined USB and eSATA port — eSATA allows faster connections to external hard drives, provided that your external hard drive supports it.
These days, there are two newer ports doing the rounds — USB 3.0 (often indicated by a blue USB port or an "SS" symbol above the port) and Thunderbolt. USB 3.0 can offer significantly better speeds than USB 2.0 (up to 254MBps in our tests so far), providing that what you're plugging in is capable of those speeds.

 

6. Go wireless

Integrated wireless networking (Wi-Fi) has become an indispensable feature. Most notebooks ship with a variant of 802.11n these days, although some (such as netbooks) still use 802.11g. Public hotspots typically use 802.11g; fortunately, 802.11n is backwards compatible, along with 802.11b.
Most mainstream laptops come with 2.4GHz 802.11n, whereas the premium ones come with both 2.4GHz and 5GHz. The difference: 2.4GHz has greater range, but lesser throughput. It also has more chance of interference, either from your neighbour's Wi-Fi or from other implements that use the 2.4GHz spectrum, like microwaves and cordless phones.
5GHz has less chance of interference and higher throughput, but has smaller range. Your wireless router will also need to support it for you to take advantage of it.

 

7. Power without the plug

While you might have a two- or three-year warranty on your laptop, your battery is generally only covered for one year.
Two specs to look for in laptop batteries are capacity (measured in milliamp hours, or mAh) and the number of cells. Typical batteries have an mAh rating of between 2000mAh and 6000mAh; higher is better. Cells are the actual compartments where power is produced, and can range from four to 12; the more the better.
Some laptops don't have easily swappable batteries, in an attempt to cut down on physical size and to lengthen battery life. Be aware of this — and when your battery dies, you may need to take your laptop in for a service rather than simply swapping the battery out yourself.
On the other hand, some can take a second battery, either by replacing the optical drive or by placing a shim on the bottom. Check your accessories before you buy.

 

8. Tiny, tinny sound

Laptops are notorious for having terrible speakers. While a lot of laptops these days are including some version of Dolby, THX, Beats or other sort of "branded" sound, this is done in software, and often paired with such tiny speakers that it doesn't make that much of a difference.
You can even get speakers powered by USB if you want something portable that doesn't require a power point.

 

9. Going for the perfect drive

Notebook hard drives tend to start at the 320 GB point, and work their way up to 1TB in size. If you have a choice, select a drive with a rotational speed of 7200rpm instead of 5400rpm. The faster it spins, the faster you'll get your files.
Solid state drives (SSDs) are also an option, bringing significantly faster sequential and random read and write speeds, and a much higher cost as a result.
We like DVD±RW drives for notebooks; they burn and play both DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray is a good choice if you're a movie buff, but make sure that your notebook can display a Full HD resolution (at least 1920x1080, usually only seen on desktop replacements), or can at least output the video to a screen that can — otherwise, you'll lose the benefits of all of that clarity.

 

10. When good notebooks go bad

Every notebook is susceptible to accidents and system failures. Keep an eye open for longer than usual warranties, and check to see if the manufacturer offers an international warranty rather than local — particularly useful for travellers.
We recommend, if available, paying for a good three-year warranty with express service. Try getting it direct from the manufacturer rather than dealing with in-store warranty extensions.

 

11. Essential accessories

These include a laptop bag, an extra battery, a mouse, keyboard, software for office work, internet security and system maintenance. You may even want to consider an external hard drive for backup.

 

12. What's it made of?

Most laptop cases are still made from moulded plastic, but you can find some encased in metal, which dissipates heat better. Look for models made from light, strong metal alloys. Check that the case has adequate ventilation for the powerful and hot-running components inside.

 

13. 32- or 64-bit?

Most vendors should be selling laptops today with Windows 7 64-bit, with only business laptops being the exception for compatibility reasons. If the choice is presented to you, you'll want a 64-bit version of Windows, as the 32-bit version can't address 4GB RAM or greater.

 

14. Are you an Apple person?

Perhaps you've been curious about Apple' MacBooks — just be aware that if you were previously a Windows user, you'll need all new software to go with that Mac purchase, and the transition might be a little daunting.
Also be aware that Apple's extended warranty option, called Apple Care, can be quite expensive. We recommend you do purchase Apple Care so you're covered for a longer period of time — just be prepared for the price hike.