Guide to buying a Laptop 1
PROCESSOR Look for a model powered by Intel's Pentium M processor, which provides good battery life, strong performance, and cool running temperatures. Save a little by opting for lower clock speeds, such as 1.5GHz. Celeron processors are much cheaper and will help reduce cost, laptop heat, and prolong battery life; however you pay a big price in performance. Don’t by a full scale desktop processor (P4 or Athlon) unless you’re not traveling with the desktop. While these processors are much faster then the pervious two they also drain battery life quickly. Upgrade: Expect to pay about $75 for every 100MHz-increment upgrade of Pentium M processors.
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MEMORY Adequate RAM is crucial for fast performance, especially when running multiple apps. Opt for at least 512MB of high-speed DDR SDRAM. Although 512MB of RAM is recommended, if you will be using your laptop in place of a desktop, or for stationary in a house, then 1024MB RAM is recommended. Upgrade: Each additional 256MB of DDR memory will cost roughly $70.
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GRAPHICS When choosing a thin-and-light, portability should be a priority. Though many Pentium M-based laptops have robust 3D-graphics chips, save some cash by opting for less-expensive integrated graphics.
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HARD DRIVE For hard drive size there are many options. Those looking for a laptop for portability stay in the 40-60GB range (It will also save you some money). While those of us looking to do music, videos, and other various uses opt for 60GB or larger. Most laptop hard drives today all run at 5,400rpm. Upgrade: Each additional 20GB of storage will cost about $65.
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OPTICAL DRIVES Most thin-and-light laptops ship standard with versatile DVD/CD-RW combo drives (although DVD±RW drives are becoming more popular), which should satisfy the needs of most users. If burning DVDs on the road is a must, choose a multiformat DVD±RW drive. Upgrade: Expect to pay about $140 to upgrade to DVD±RW from a DVD/CD-RW combo drive.
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CASE A laptop chassis more than 1.5 inches thick or heavier than 7 pounds (without AC adapter) exceeds the bounds of the thin-and-light class.
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WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY Integrated 802.11 wireless networking (Wi-Fi) is an essential feature. Almost every single laptop today has integrated wireless. If given the choice between internal b or g, always go with the g (b is being phased out). If you’re looking to use your laptop wirelessly in your home and don’t already have a wireless router, expect to pay about $80 for one in addition to your laptop.
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SCREEN Panoramic wide-screen displays, previously available only in larger desktop replacements, are now available in lighter systems. To watch DVD movies in letterbox style or view multiple documents at once, go with a high-resolution 15.4-inch wide-format TFT. Upgrade: A UXGA screen will cost about $100 more than XGA.