Purchasing your own laptop is investing in a device that will provide you with a lot of conveniences. There are a variety of alternatives in the market that you can choose from. Looking for the perfect choice that will suit your needs and purposes, you will have the ability to maximize your productivity and be more active in accomplishing your numerous tasks..
First of all, you have to know what a laptop or a notebook computer is. Simply put, it is a compact device that weighs around 3 to 7 lbs and performs a variety of system applications. It has the same functionality as a desktop computer but offers more appeal because of its mobility and lightweight. It features LCD screen and keyboard combined in a single device that allows you to achieve productivity and adaptability by bringing it anywhere you want.
Finding the Laptop that Fits You
There are several categories that a laptop can fall under. Familiarizing yourself with these different classifications can help you reach the most applicable choice for the model you will be putting your money in.
1. Netbook
Netbook is a small portable computer and usually has a 9 inch or 10 inch screen, weighing about 2 to 3 lbs. It is relatively on the inexpensive side of the market with prices around $500 or less.
Currently, netbooks are the hottest thing to hit laptops since the touch pad, but they are not advisable to use as a primary computer because it can perform limited tasks. They are not good for much more than surfing the web, checking email, working on office documents, and a bit of multimedia playing because they run on less powerful processors.
Most netbooks are powered by an Intel Atom or AMD CPU, which is a low voltage, single-core CPU for extended battery life. New latest netbooks in 2010 will run for 10-14 hours on a single charge. This is an achievement and standard unimaginable in just the recent past.
They usually have no internal optical drive. They also have added networking features such as LAN, modem, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and WWAN whereas the last two are optional.
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2. Ultraportable (Ultrathin)
If netbooks are preferable as a secondary computer, the ultraportable can be used as a primary system because of the additional features that they have against the former. If your needs require you to bring along a somehow reliable primary computer in your constant traveling, then getting your hands on an ultraportable will certainly be a good purchase for you.
Ultraportables are extremely light with small keyboards and screens. Most come with a screen size (diagonal) of 12 inch or less, weigh 4 lbs or less and without optical drives.
Ultraportable features the new Intel consumer ultralow-voltage (CULV) processors which are available in both single core and dual core version are somewhat more powerful than the Atom processor, but cost only slightly higher than the Atom CPU.
Prices range typically from $600 – $800. If you want something better and would like to avail of a more advantageous package, you can find offerings at the cost $2000 up.
While you can surely experience the gains in portability and mobility with the ultraportable, you have to be aware that these systems have several limitations that are due to their compact nature. Using this type of laptop computer, you are likely to work with a less powerful performance and limited space for the keyboard and the display. They have limited ports and connectivity.
3. Thin-and-Light
For portability and performance integrated, thin and light laptops are the best choices. With their common features of a 4 to 6 lbs weight and 13.3 to 14.1 inches display screen, you will find that the devices under this category are generally comfortable to use and has more capabilities than netbooks and ultraportables.
Thin-and-light laptop computers are characterized by a reasonably larger keyboard that allows you to work in convenience and with more space. They also exhibit bigger screen displays and a CD/DVD drive while still offering great portability and battery life.
If you want to enjoy more comfort and more features with a laptop computer, going for the lightweight and practical thin-and-light model is the practical solution that you should favor.
4. Mainstream (Midsize)
Mainstreams are the most common type of laptop and a popular choice with lucrative features including word processing, home entertainment, and online functionalities.
They are slightly bigger than thin-and-lights and weigh about 6 to 8 lbs. with a 14 or 15 inch screen. Generally, the mainstream laptop will provide performance and features equal to thin-and-lights, but with more peripheral connections and a slightly lower price. Mainstream Prices is Typically $700 – $900.
They can appear less attractive and a bit bulky than other models. They also have a relatively shorter battery life as compared to other classes. You can choose from quite a number of processors ranging from slow ones (AMD Sempron or Intel Celeron) to the medium alternatives (AMD Turion 64 or Intel Core Duo) up to the fast choices (AMD Turion 64 X2, Intel Core 2 Duo, and New Intel Core i5 and Core i7). They come with internal CD/DVD drive and memory card reader.
5. Desktop Replacement
Equipped with mobility but with heavier frames are desktop replacements. They offer larger dimensions and can be a bit difficult to carry around. They sport massive appearances with a weight of 7 lbs up and screen size of 17 inches, or in some cases 19 or 20 inches.
As per system capacity, desktop replacements can be very reliable. They can measure up to the functionality of a desktop computer (hence for the name, desktop replacements.)
While desktop replacements are integrated with fast dual core processors, up to a quad-core Core 2 Quad or the new, more powerful Intel Core i7 processor, they are bulky, tend to be very hot, and have poor battery performance. Despite the disadvantages offered by this type, you can accomplish a lot because of its multifunctional system, numerous ports and connections, large hard disk space, and optical disc drive.
Popular among home and business users, these systems can deliver enough computing muscle for serious gaming, multimedia authoring, and even high-level digital audio and video work.
Because it is highly capable of performing various tasks, it is priced considerably higher at $1000 and above.
6. Tablet PC
Tablet PCs are widely known and popular for their portability, flexibility and unique features. Tablet PCs share the same lightweight and compact features to an ultraportable, but tablets allow for the use of a stylus directly on the screen making it more practical and easy to navigate.
Tablet PCs have two different types: the convertible tablet and the slate tablet. The convertible tablet has a traditional look, which is not very different from the regular laptops you see nowadays. But unlike the normal laptops, they have the capability to rotate the screen up to 180° to provide for easier folding on top of their built-in keyboards.
Slate tablets, on the other hand, do not have keyboards. They are equipped with full touch screen displays that make it flexible, portable, and extremely popular.
The usual weight of tablet PCs is at the average of 4 lbs or less which may differ depending on the size and the model of the unit. They are also very compact and sport less than an inch of thickness. They are equipped with handwriting recognition software and costs around $500. Other models with superior capabilities can range up to $2000.
Apart from the larger display and touch screen features, they generally have the same setbacks as ultraportables and netbooks.
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