June 9th, 2008 at 09:56pm
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Most notebooks use 2.5” sized hard drives, which are smaller in capacity than desktop hard drives. At this time, the largest 2.5” hard drives just coming onto the market were 320 gigabytes. However, for most people, hard drives of 120-160 GB are large enough. The Laptop Buyers Guide thinks it wise to buy as much space as you can afford as the size of operating systems and software is always expanding. This is especially true if you plan on using the laptop for music and digital photos. One new option included in top-priced notebooks is solid-state storage; that is, hard drives that use the same flash memory chip technology that used in a USB thumb drive or camera memory card. These hard drives can provide significantly better battery life and reliability, but they are extraordinarily expensive. As a result, if you get a notebook with one of these drives, you’ll have to accept a much smaller capacity in the interest of price – usually either 32GB or 64GB. This is VERY new and VERY expensive option.
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June 9th, 2008 at 09:56pm
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Memory’s something that you can’t really have too much of. Software programs demand a plethora of memory to run well. Although Windows XP program says it requires 512 MB, this amount of memory will provide just okay performance. The Laptop Buyers guide suggest you buy as much memory as you can afford.
Most notebooks use standard notebook-sized DDR2 memory (DDR2 is a type of memory). You will see laptop memory referred to in geek talk as SO-DIMMs. The memory is accessible via a flap on the bottom of the notebook, so adding more later is easy even for a novice to do.
Buyer Beware: Typically there are only two of these DDR2 slots, so pay attention to the how the memory is configured. Many companies will ship laptops with one gig of memory, but it is configured in two 512-MB (about a total of 1 gigabyte) sticks, which takes up both memory receptacles and leaves you fewer options to add more memory.
Insider’s tip: You can usually specify that the company ship the computer with one stick, which contains more memory (2-GB). Another option is to upgrade to two bigger sticks to replace the two smaller ones when placing your order.
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June 9th, 2008 at 09:55pm
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It can be frustrating to be halfway through watching a movie on your laptop and then your battery dies and — whoops — there’s no outlet. Lithium ion batteries have made this scenario less common, but unfortunately, battery life is still less than desirable due to the new powerful processor chips.
Insider’s tip: Manufacturers greatly overestimate battery life. If it says six hours, think two hours, depending on the kind of work you are doing. If you need to do large amounts the of work without access to a wall outlet, the Laptop Buyers Guide recommends you consider buying an extra battery.
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June 9th, 2008 at 09:55pm
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There are two main players in the processor industry: Intel and AMD. There two basic categories of processor chips: low-powered ones that give maximum battery life but operate more slowly, and high-powered ones for maximum performance but shorter battery life. As of May 2008, most notebook manufacturers were using Intel Dual Core processors for the middle to high-end laptops.
Recommendation: Because Intel is leading the industry with their Dual Core Processors, The Laptop Buyers Guides recommends that for the money, you can’t beat Intel processors.
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June 9th, 2008 at 09:54pm
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Buying a name brand laptop will not necessarily mean that you are getting a good computer. Engineering is the key to a quality laptop, which typically can’t be done by lesser known manufacturers or by the brand name company’s budget models. Since all the parts are packed into a very small space with virtually no ventilation, laptops suffer from “Death Valley” heat. Even the major brands are prone to poor design in their budget models.
Recommendation: For a well-designed laptop computer, expect to pay $900 to $2500. I would not pay less than $700.
What brand is best? HP is now the number one seller of personal computers with Dell not far behind. Some other well-respected PC makers include Toshiba, Lenovo (which purchased IBM’s notebook division), Sony, Acer, Panasonic and Fujitsu and Apple.
Recommendation: The Laptop Buyers Guide recommends visiting three Web sites of the companies listed above. Use the worksheet included with the bonus materials to compare specifications and price. You really can’t go wrong if you don’t buy the lowest price version from any of the companies listed above.
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June 9th, 2008 at 09:54pm
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The more you pay the better quality graphics you will get. Both ATI and NVIDIA offer a wide range of graphics chips for laptops so it’s easy to find one that fits your needs. Make sure you actually need that level of graphics as you can spend an extra $500 on graphics if you get a high-end workstation notebook.
Recommendation: The Laptop Buyers Guide has no preference for either ATI or NVIDIA. We have owned many cards from each company and have always been happy with both.
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June 9th, 2008 at 09:53pm
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The size and weight of the laptop relate directly to what you are going to be using the computer for. For example, if you are an air warrior or Starbucks junkie, you’ll want the smallest 10” to 13’’ ultra lightweight (4 to 6 lbs) laptop. To make these laptops smaller and lighter manufacturers often omit DVD drives, which means you have to carry the drive around with you and that can be a pain.
On the other hand, if photo editing and creating videos is your cup of tea, then Laptop Buyers Guide suggests you look at the 17’’ monster (9 to 12 lbs) laptops, which means you’ll be a lot less likely to lug this Goliath to the coffee shop or local park. Larger laptops have more features built in and typically offer better sound and video output, while costing you less for more computing power. 17’’ laptops are also a popular choice for gamers.
Recommendation: The 15’’ laptops are probably the most popular as they are a compromise between the two extremes, giving users a very portable (6 to 8 lbs) but powerful machine at a reasonable price.
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June 9th, 2008 at 09:52pm
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Laptop screens range in size from 13” screens that are built for portability all the way up to gigantic 17” screens that require regular gym workouts to lug around.
When shopping for laptops you will see terms like SVGA, WXGA, and UXGA. If you are interested, read the explanations below.
Recommendation: Don’t pay too much attention to the WXGA stuff; Laptop Buyers Guide suggests to go to a big-box store to look at the screens in person. This will make the decision much easier. Many screens are glossy now, which makes the screen colors vibrant but also makes glare much worse. This glare can really become annoying if you plan on being outside a lot. It really comes down to personal preference
SVGA (Super Video Graphics Display)
Standards support the display of 16 million colors, but the number of colors that can be displayed simultaneously is limited by the amount of video memory. The greater number of colors, or the higher the resolution, the more video memory will be required. However, since it is a shared resource, reducing one will allow an increase in the other.
WXGA (Wide Extended Graphics Array)
This type of resolution can vary depending on the size of the screen. WXGA basically means wide screen, the proportion ratio is 16:9 or 16:10 versus the more box like 4:3 proportion ratio of a standard laptop. If you’re a movie fanatic who wishes you could watch that great DVD collection while on the road/plane/lunch break, then Laptop Buyers Guide suggest you take a look at laptop computers with this type of screen. There are variations on this such as WSXGA or WUXGA, which are wide screen versions with higher resolution.
UXGA (Ultra Extended Graphics Array)
This is a resolution of 1600×1200. This is featured on mainly high-end laptops that have medium to large screens (15.4” or greater). Like SXGA+ this resolution allows you to see more of the screen at once, an advantage for viewing spreadsheets or editing large photos, etc.
Recommendation: Typically, for a 15” widescreen, a good resolution is 1440×900 pixels, while for a 13.3” screen, about 1280×800 pixels is a good size. If you will be working with high-definition video, a 17” notebook with a resolution of 1920×1200 is a great benefit, though most models will use a 1680×1050 display or thereabouts.
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June 9th, 2008 at 09:00pm
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Recommendation: The best option for most people is the DVD-RW drive, as it is an affordable component and will provide burning options right up to recordable DVD. Drives capable of burning double layer discs are mostly useful for people wanting to copy DVD movies.
All notebooks now come with wireless capability so you can connect to a home network without having to plug in a network cable.
Many laptops these days are equipped with Web cams, small cameras imbedded in the top of the screen. Although you may not use it, it won’t cost much to add ($40 to $80) and it’s nice to have the option. Now companies like Skype, a free to low-cost Internet phone service, supports these Web cams, making it easy to make a video call. Smile!
Replacing a cracked LCD display screen can cost $1,000 to $1,500, so Laptop Buyers Guide suggests make sure you have some form of insurance on your notebook. Some manufacturers provide an “all inclusive” warranty program that even covers accidental damage.
Also, check the manufacturer’s turnaround time and onsite options for local repair places. If there is any question, you can always call a sales representative or ask via live Web chat. When your notebook fails, the last thing you want is to have to send it away to a repair center for weeks.
Recommendation: To be safe Laptop Buyers Guide suggests that you have a three-year warranty instead of a measly one-year warranty. In my experience, a lot of things can and do go wrong with laptops. It’s worth it — even if you have to pay extra.
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