Monday, December 15, 2008

Shopping Tips for a Laptop


The most highly evolved species of computer, the laptop computer allows you to work without being tethered to an office. Portability and good performance make notebook PCs an essential part of the daily lives of millions, from college students to business travelers. Even the least-expensive of today's laptops are better equipped than they have ever been, and may be all you need for everyday work.

If you've ever shopped for a notebook, you know that the factors to consider go far beyond performance and connections. Notebook buyers have to mull such additional variables as size, weight, screen dimensions, battery life, and keyboard quality--plus options such as built-in wireless.

If you want more time away from an outlet, buy a higher-capacity supplementary battery when you purchase the notebook, or buy a notebook that has a modular bay capable of holding a supplementary power pack.
A screen larger than 12.1 inches eases eyestrain. Unless you're really pinching pennies, bigger is better.

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 eraser head pointing device, some notebooks include both. If you buy one of these, make sure that it provides two sets of mouse buttons--one for the touchpad and the other for the eraser head--so you don't have to stretch to reach.

Many notebooks now come with two or more USB 2.0 ports, useful for connecting more of the latest peripherals.
Unless you need a lightweight notebook, 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.

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