Guide to Buying a Laptop
The Laptops are the products that were recommended for their use to a set of users so that business. Despite this categorization, now in discount computer devices are located a few $100 that allow you to have all the functionality that we are used to having fixed locations in the home. In order to make the right choice.
It is useful to understand what are our needs, so you will not find us with a feature-rich product, but we will not use. In this sense, it is necessary to understand what is the difference between a normal laptop and a netbook, up to the most modern Ultrabook. Let’s see what parameters are to be taken into consideration for a purchase wisely and quality, not to mention your wallet and our needs.
Table of Contents
Specifications or Weight?
The first choice (or junction) will be to understand what we want from our laptop: portability or functionality. On the basis of this choice, we have to make the first screening of the products, we will understand if you have to replace a fixed location, or must always come around with us.
Of course nowadays there are users who do not give up computing power (useful for running the latest games or use graphics suite), but at the same time tend to increase the overall weight of the laptop .. or for those who work needs to monitor the small size (then the device will connect to a projector) and will use it to write with word, excel or show tables. In any case, we can divide these products into 3 categories :
Netbooks : are reduced size Laptops, weighing less than a kilogram and with a diagonal screen from about 9 to 12 inches. Have a thickness of a few centimeters and a technical essential, to keep the price as low as possible.
Laptops : a wide range of laptops with screens from 13 to 17 inches and a price that can range from about $399 to $699. And components of last generation to ease the burden on the cost and a full sheet total and average performance. Their weight ranges from a kilogram to two kilograms.
Ultrabook : Intel strongly desired to have an average of laptops with 13-inch, wall thickness from 1-2 inches and weight that revolves around a kilogram. Particularly well in terms of aesthetics and structural (with metallic finish), mountain-sheets evolved and are priced almost fixed around $1,000.
What use will it have?
In this case, we have to be very careful, because this choice can be crucial with regard to the choice of our laptop. Depending on the use that we have to do there will be a product that will meet our needs:
Users Common : if we are part of this category, then we will need a laptop that can replace a fixed location, but does not replace it entirely. Often we will use it around the house, perhaps using Wi-Fi (inevitable then the integrated Wi-Fi module) to navigate or maybe the cool of the garden to write a letter in Word. The processor does not need to be powerful (even just 1 GHz or 1.5 GHz), while the included 1GB of RAM might be enough.
Students : use your laptop will be focused on navigation (research or otherwise), word processing text or the use of the spreadsheet, and to finish a movie in the company of a friend. Better a screen of medium size, 13-inch and a long-lasting battery, a laptop for high-school students and an Ultrabook for the University are the best choices, to take advantage of dual core processors and 4GB of RAM.
For those Traveling : best if the weight and size remain low, because we will use it to send email, surf and presentations. A good screen resolution possibility in HD and Widescreen (15 thumbs up) if you prefer to view multimedia content or an ultra-compact if you want to minimize the clutter.
Professionals : in this case, we are talking about people who need not to regret the stationary left at home, whether you do or graphics, they need to run software such as Oracle or server versions of the operating systems. The weight and size will not be a problem (although the size of the monitor), while the focus will be on the amount of RAMs (up from 4GB), the capacity and speed of the hard disk or even better SSD (Solid-State State Disk), the processor (up from 2 GHz, preferably quad core and 64-bit). The video card in the case of graphics or animations, with 1GB of RAM owns and computing power equal to a mid-range that is located on a desktop computer.
Gamers : Here we enter the end of the dream laptop, with performance very similar to those that could be obtained with a fixed position of the medium / high – high. The Ram strictly from a minimum of 8 Gigabytes, possibly high-performance and response, the processor is a quad core at least 2 GHZ, 1GB video card and a high-performance (DDR2 or DDR3) proprietary and that as far as the performance is similar to those of a fixed level of medium / high.
The Processor
The choice of processor is not to be underestimated, because according to this, we will have different consumption and specific weights of the various portable. Here, too, we’ll have to see what will be our choice: battery life, monstrous power, and portability of the device.
The two major manufacturers of processors, both for fixed and mobile are: Intel and AMD. Both Intel and AMD have decided to differentiate their product categories, creating three bands use to better delineate the possible choices. Now we will see in detail the specific uses.
Intel : can still be found on the market ranges ” Intel Core “, ” Intel Pentium ” and ” Intel Celeron “. The band is made up of Celeron processors who care costs, consumption and are sensitive to the heating of the laptop. They are useful for both browse, download, email or even use the Office suite (or in the case of Open Office). In any case, we can listen to music or watch a DVD movie. The version Pentium (also dual core) is good for what looks consumption but still provides a discrete power calculation, both to run programs in multitasking both for mobile computing.
We can do any daily task without running the risk of running out of power. The core band represents everything (or almost) that a person may want from a laptop, but that tends to resemble as far as performance to a fixed location. We will deal with processors useful for mobile gaming, with two cores on the same silicon wafer (also in extreme) and that can run next-generation games, HD video and much more. Currently, the processors that are all the rage are those of the third-generation i3, i5 and i7 processors with Intel i7 Extreme peak. For professional use. Intel Atom is the range of processors for netbooks, low-power, cost and power consumption.
AMD : there are three bands as ” Turion “, ” Athlon 64 ” and ” Sempron “. The version Sempron is designed to economic systems, that use the battery in a smart way, that do not heat but that allow to perform the chores of all days. The band is in ” Athlon 64 “, also dual-core version, plays the same role of the Intel counterpart, ie. We can use the various suites available, or watch a DVD movie or listen to music.
Thanks to the power of 64-bit and dual core, multitasking will be a different experience from the usual. The last band, that high performance is ” Turion “. In this case, dual-core, 64-bit (also in ultra), allow to give a new dimension to the game in motion, without neglecting the computing power for other tasks, the use of graphics programs, or watching movie in high definition. Currently, the technology side of the notebook (AMD Vision) processors accelerated start at E1 and E2 involving the lower end, then go up to A4, A6, A8 up to the top of the range A10.
Accessories Standard
A portable, is not only done by the processor, monitor, or ram, but also other devices that allow you to expand the use and if not chosen wisely, could considerably limit the use of:
Hard Drive : This is a very important component, because they reside in the operating system and software installed by us. Generally, one opts for a product of 120 giga (for Netbooks) up, as the proportion price megabytes, is significantly decreased. Depending on the application you must have a bigger hard drive with an interface for faster connection (serial ata and serial ata 2) and a rotation and access more (at least 7200 rpm). Some allow you to mount two devices in raid mode.
SSD : Solid State Disk is the memory that does not include mechanical components as flash and therefore particularly suitable for those looking for performance, quiet operation, speed and use without too many worries in mobility (bumps and drops). Of course it costs more and has capacity cuts of less than one disk drive HDD.
RAM : given how recently the programs and operating systems have become voracious memory, and how much the price has dropped considerably, this should never miss. Today we will find laptops that mountain from 2 to 16 gigs of ram, and some devices using high-speed and high access. Indispensable if you are used to play or hold a variety of memory-resident programs.
DVD and Blu Ray : now no longer make sense to talk about players or cd burner, since both devices are on the market that treats the DVD, the new format of the Sony Blu Ray. At this point, aside from the Blu Ray, each player / DVD burner is the same (of course not in the eyes of those who want to limit performance even on this side), while the Blu-ray, might still be time to wait.
Ports : if you want an expandable computer, it is best that there are various on-board USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 as well as FireWire. It would not hurt if the notebook included a memory card reader in order to download the videos made with digital cameras and camcorders. The Apple notebooks were the first to mount the fast Thunderbolt interface that offers transfer speed of the optical fiber (but still has a few compatible devices).
Monitor : monitors the speech is to be taken with a grain of salt. The larger, the larger the size and weight. You should always choose according to needs and requirements. The dimensions out there, you go from 8 inches of Asus EEPC Netbook up to 19 inch widescreen models.
Networking: the choice usually falls always on network adapters 10/100 (depending on your needs it is preferable to a 10/100), the module Bluetooth to connect your cell phone so you do not have problems, the Wi-Fi connection to the wireless network.
Graphics Card: in this case, if the use does not require the use of special software or video games, then it’s a good video card with shared RAM and without any particular ambitions 3D (although you can enjoy movies in high definition protected). In the case of graphic or video games, then you need to aim for a product that is close to the devices mounted on the fixed positions of the highest level.
Product prices and availability are subject to change. Any price and availablility information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of any products.
