*Sombra*
We are wanting to replace our fried desktop PC (R.I.P.) with a laptop. Unfortunately we know nothing about laptops and I feel like the more I research the topic, the more confused I get!
I have read and heard good things about HP and Asus. Not so good about Dell. Have heard that Toshiba and Acer are OK but not great. Sony seems overpriced. Never had a Mac, so not particularly interested in that brand.
Am I getting the right information? The salesmen (kids, actually) at Best Buy are gaga for Asus, I suspect because it is considered the best for gaming?
I don't need a gaming computer. I need something for internet browsing, email, etc. In other words, a computer that will get a LOT of daily use by 3 family members, but not HARD use.
What features are most important and worth paying for?
Which brand(s) are considered good?
Which brand(s) to avoid?
Reliability, speed, and value for the $ are my main concerns. Tech support is a consideration too. I'm not locked into a particular price point, but don't want to overspend for features I don't need. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated ... as you can see, I need all the help I can get!
Thanks.
Answer
When buying a laptop, always look for the following specifications:
Processor
Video chipset
RAM
Expandability
Operating System
Hard disk size
Battery life
Video screen size (resolution)
Wireless networking
DVD/CD/Blu-Ray options
Webcam availability
You can find detailed computer specifications directly on the manufacturerâs website (hp.com, Toshiba.com, dell.com, etc.)
Obviously, the deciding factor, all things being equal, is the price, warranty, plus the manufacturerâs and/or sellerâs reputation. User reviews are also useful to gauge how popular or unpopular a laptop is.
Processor â The most current processors as of this writing are the Intel i3, i5 and i7, that just came out around January 2010. The higher the processor number, the faster it is, but also, the more expensive. I3 processors are great for casual to power users. The i5 is kind of the best choice if you also do some gaming and power usage (development, video creation), although the i3 is also great for those too. For hard-core users (developers, gamers and such) the i7 is the best choice.
Video chipset - Regardless of the processor, consider obtaining a video card if you plan to do hard-core gaming. A mobile Intel chipset with shared memory (it takes part of your RAM to operate) is usually enough for casual to power users but not for intense 3d games (Fallout, Bioshock, etc.). An Nvidia (or similar) video card with 512Mb to 1Gb of dedicated memory is what you should consider for hard-core gaming.
RAM â Current laptops have a minimum of 3Gb of RAM. But the recommended is to have at least 4Gb.
Expandability â Your laptopâs memory should be expandable beyond 3-4Gb. 8Gb or more of maximum memory expandability should last you a long time.
Operating System â Windows 7 is the latest OS. You should obtain the 64-bit edition. To take advantage of faster and more efficient applications. Also if you decide to expand your RAM later, 64-bit allows expansion beyond 4Gb, whereas 32-bit limits you to a maximum of 3Gb of RAM. Windows Home Premium (32 and 64-bit) is enough for casual to most power users. Windows 7 Ultimate is the choice for hard-core users, but is also much more expensive.
Hard Disk size â The more hard disk space, the more storage will be available for photos, videos, programs and overall data. A hard disk with 250-320Gb is ok for casual use, but 500Gb is kind of the latest trend. Thereâs always the option of buying external storage, but remember that people buy laptops for portability, and you donât want to carry an external drive with you too soon.
Battery life â The most common are the six-cell batteries, which last about 2-3 hours under optimal conditions of use. If you require a longer battery life, you can obtain an 8-12 cell battery, which will give you additional hours of use but will also add bulk to your laptop as they are also larger in size.
Video screen size â They come between 10â to 20â (inches). A larger screen offers the best resolution, but also makes for a larger laptop.
Wireless networking â To make a laptop truly portable, you will need wireless connectivity. The laptop should be capable of connecting to a wireless b/g/n network. Older laptops are only capable of b/g wireless. Obviously, you will also require a wireless router to connect to a wireless network.
DVD/CD/Blu-Ray options (Optical drive) â It should include at least a DVD/RW (read writable) to allow you to play DVD movies, read music and data CDs and create your own data DVDs / CDs. Blu-Ray drives are nice to have but they are pricier obviously.
Webcam availabilityâ A must for those Youtube, Facebook fans, or for anyone who wants to communicate face to face through the Internet.
Your selected laptop may be fast, but consider other external factors that may affect the overall performance:
Internet connection â You may have a super laptop, but it wonât help if you are still using dial-up to browse the Internet.
Older programs â Programs designed for older operating systems may affect your computerâs performance. Look for the latest software upgrades on the Internet.
Too many background programs â The Yahoo, Google, AVG antivirus, Norton toolbars are great, but too many of these types of applications slow your computer down. Be careful and choose only the options that you need when installing new applications to avoid overloading your computerâs memory with unnecessary programs.
When buying a laptop, always look for the following specifications:
Processor
Video chipset
RAM
Expandability
Operating System
Hard disk size
Battery life
Video screen size (resolution)
Wireless networking
DVD/CD/Blu-Ray options
Webcam availability
You can find detailed computer specifications directly on the manufacturerâs website (hp.com, Toshiba.com, dell.com, etc.)
Obviously, the deciding factor, all things being equal, is the price, warranty, plus the manufacturerâs and/or sellerâs reputation. User reviews are also useful to gauge how popular or unpopular a laptop is.
Processor â The most current processors as of this writing are the Intel i3, i5 and i7, that just came out around January 2010. The higher the processor number, the faster it is, but also, the more expensive. I3 processors are great for casual to power users. The i5 is kind of the best choice if you also do some gaming and power usage (development, video creation), although the i3 is also great for those too. For hard-core users (developers, gamers and such) the i7 is the best choice.
Video chipset - Regardless of the processor, consider obtaining a video card if you plan to do hard-core gaming. A mobile Intel chipset with shared memory (it takes part of your RAM to operate) is usually enough for casual to power users but not for intense 3d games (Fallout, Bioshock, etc.). An Nvidia (or similar) video card with 512Mb to 1Gb of dedicated memory is what you should consider for hard-core gaming.
RAM â Current laptops have a minimum of 3Gb of RAM. But the recommended is to have at least 4Gb.
Expandability â Your laptopâs memory should be expandable beyond 3-4Gb. 8Gb or more of maximum memory expandability should last you a long time.
Operating System â Windows 7 is the latest OS. You should obtain the 64-bit edition. To take advantage of faster and more efficient applications. Also if you decide to expand your RAM later, 64-bit allows expansion beyond 4Gb, whereas 32-bit limits you to a maximum of 3Gb of RAM. Windows Home Premium (32 and 64-bit) is enough for casual to most power users. Windows 7 Ultimate is the choice for hard-core users, but is also much more expensive.
Hard Disk size â The more hard disk space, the more storage will be available for photos, videos, programs and overall data. A hard disk with 250-320Gb is ok for casual use, but 500Gb is kind of the latest trend. Thereâs always the option of buying external storage, but remember that people buy laptops for portability, and you donât want to carry an external drive with you too soon.
Battery life â The most common are the six-cell batteries, which last about 2-3 hours under optimal conditions of use. If you require a longer battery life, you can obtain an 8-12 cell battery, which will give you additional hours of use but will also add bulk to your laptop as they are also larger in size.
Video screen size â They come between 10â to 20â (inches). A larger screen offers the best resolution, but also makes for a larger laptop.
Wireless networking â To make a laptop truly portable, you will need wireless connectivity. The laptop should be capable of connecting to a wireless b/g/n network. Older laptops are only capable of b/g wireless. Obviously, you will also require a wireless router to connect to a wireless network.
DVD/CD/Blu-Ray options (Optical drive) â It should include at least a DVD/RW (read writable) to allow you to play DVD movies, read music and data CDs and create your own data DVDs / CDs. Blu-Ray drives are nice to have but they are pricier obviously.
Webcam availabilityâ A must for those Youtube, Facebook fans, or for anyone who wants to communicate face to face through the Internet.
Your selected laptop may be fast, but consider other external factors that may affect the overall performance:
Internet connection â You may have a super laptop, but it wonât help if you are still using dial-up to browse the Internet.
Older programs â Programs designed for older operating systems may affect your computerâs performance. Look for the latest software upgrades on the Internet.
Too many background programs â The Yahoo, Google, AVG antivirus, Norton toolbars are great, but too many of these types of applications slow your computer down. Be careful and choose only the options that you need when installing new applications to avoid overloading your computerâs memory with unnecessary programs.
Gaming Laptop?
Anonymous
Which laptop has the best graphic card and battery life? I will be using it as a "gaming laptop" to take on long trips.
Answer
It's hard to find the right balance of Graphics Card power VS Battery Life, getting more out of one generally means losing out on the other.
If you're looking for a small laptop for long trips then i'd also have to recommend the Dell XPS m1330, it's a decent laptop for gaming and has a good battery life depending on what you're doing.
Now if you really want to blow you're socks off you should go with the Killer Notebook's Executioner SR, the battery life ain't so hot BUT it's easily the best value for money with it's massive screen and powerful graphics card. There's also the Killer Notebooks Odachi which is coming out sometime this month that sports Dual nVidia GeForce Go 7950 GTX in SLi configuration if you're really into having a bleeding edge gaming laptop ;)
But then again if you'll be using the laptop for "long trips" the Killer Notebook options, although awesome, will never last more than an hour off mains power so it might be best to stick with the Dell m1330 (on average 3 hours depending on what you're doing) :)
It's hard to find the right balance of Graphics Card power VS Battery Life, getting more out of one generally means losing out on the other.
If you're looking for a small laptop for long trips then i'd also have to recommend the Dell XPS m1330, it's a decent laptop for gaming and has a good battery life depending on what you're doing.
Now if you really want to blow you're socks off you should go with the Killer Notebook's Executioner SR, the battery life ain't so hot BUT it's easily the best value for money with it's massive screen and powerful graphics card. There's also the Killer Notebooks Odachi which is coming out sometime this month that sports Dual nVidia GeForce Go 7950 GTX in SLi configuration if you're really into having a bleeding edge gaming laptop ;)
But then again if you'll be using the laptop for "long trips" the Killer Notebook options, although awesome, will never last more than an hour off mains power so it might be best to stick with the Dell m1330 (on average 3 hours depending on what you're doing) :)
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
