Laptop Buyers guide, part 3
Important consideration - Installed memory:
The more installed memory your laptop has, the more applications you can run at once, and the better your laptop will perform. Ease of access aside, upgrading memory in a laptop is a bit trickier than with a desktop, so buy as much memory preinstalled as you can afford. Laptops with 512MB or 1GB of RAM are optimal.
Important consideration - Processor:
The CPU determines how quickly a laptop runs applications and performs on-screen tasks. Core 2 Duo processors are good choices for speedy processing.
Important consideration - Screen size:
The specified size of a laptop's LCD screen represents a diagonal measurement. The larger the screen, the higher the maximum resolution and the more information you can view at once. At this point, most laptops are widescreen models; if you want a laptop with a standard-aspect screen you'll have to search a bit, but they are still available.
Somewhat important - Hard-drive size:
The larger the hard drive, the more data you can keep on your laptop. Most people don't need more than 80GB. If you plan to work with spreadsheets, databases, or digital photo or video files, opt for a large drive.
Somewhat important - Expansion bays:
The more expansion bays, the more options you have for switching in new optical drives or other storage drives. However, switching drives takes time. Though high-end ultraportables typically have no extra bays, you can purchase external drives for them.
Somewhat important - Optical drives:
Most manufacturers offer laptops with rewritable DVD drives, which give you the most flexibility. Alternatively, you can purchase a laptop with a DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive, to save money.
Laptop Shopping Tips
Are you ready to buy a laptop? Here are specifications that will fit the needs of the average user.
A 1.73GHz Core Duo processor: For everyday work - word processing, spreadsheets, email - you don't need the latest, greatest processor, but thankfully, with the Core Duo, you get strong performance and great battery life.
512MB or more of memory: Anything less will slow your work.
Supplemental battery: If you want more time away from a power socket, buy a higher-capacity supplementary battery when you purchase the laptop, or buy a laptop that has a modular bay capable of holding a supplementary power pack.
A 14.1in widescreen: A screen larger than 12.1in eases eyestrain. Unless you're really pinching pennies, bigger is better.
A 80GB hard drive: Unless you generate multi-megabyte music or database files, or install more than one office suite, 80GB is plenty of storage space.
Touchpad pointing device: Pointing devices are a matter of taste. Most people, however, find a touchpad easier to use than a pointing stick. For people who can't decide between a touchpad and an eraserhead pointing device, some laptops include both.
Multiple USB ports: Many laptops now come with two or more USB 2.0 ports, useful for connecting more of the latest peripherals.
All-in-one design: Unless you need a lightweight laptop, opt for one with an internal bay for the optical drive. This design enables you to swap in other devices, such as an extra hard drive or a second battery.