Laptop buying guide

There are many things that you should look for when looking for a laptop or pc. First, think about the main purpose of the laptop. A laptop that is used for gaming will need to be much more powerful than a laptop that is used soley for internet browsing. Below are some of the criteria you should consider when buying a laptop

Size

Laptops range in size from desktop replacements with 17 inch screens all the way down to ultra mobile personal computers (UMPCs) that have screens of 9 inches or smaller. Potential buyers that want their laptop to be very mobile and do not need a lot of processing power should consider a UMPC. Those who want to do photo editing, video editing, or gaming should consider a laptop that has a large screen for multimedia tasks.

Memory

Most laptops come with 2 or more gigabytes of memory. Having more memory speeds up most computer tasks and enables more programs to be run at once. Memory is especially important for photo and video editing.

CPU

Many laptops use standard desktop processors; others use specialized mobile processors. Powerful processors will have more speed and power but will result in more power consumption. Most mobile processors skimp on performance but have extremely good battery life.

Ports

Laptops vary widely in the types of ports that they contain. A user with a lot of peripherals will want to have a wide-variety of ports, including USB and firewire.

Warranty

Check with the manufacturer of the notebook before buying one. Most laptops come with a one-year warranty on all hardware, but the terms may vary. This can influence your buying decision if you think that there is a high likely-hood of breakage.