Laptop Computers

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Laptop computers  are increasingly popular as they come down in price and offer more and more features, including becoming lighter in weight and have longer-lasting battery power.  As laptop computer performance improves, these mobile devices are rivalling their desktop  cousins.
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Increased competition has meant computer companies such as  Dell,  HP,  Toshiba,  and Apple,  have been forced to lower prices and offer greater flexibility in laptop design specifications. Whether you use your laptop to download music or photographs, or just simply to check your e-mail, you can custom-order a laptop to suit your specific needs. The latest notebooks are sleek, light and powerful machines that offer high performance, some of which are on par with desktop computers. Essentially, some newer laptops are being marketed as desktop replacements with built-in Wi-Fi offering greater mobility. Set-up a home wireless network  and your laptop stays connected to the Internet as you move from the living room to the kitchen to the bedroom. You are no longer restricted to the study desk to access your favourite celebrity gossip Web sites. So plant yourself on the comfy lounge, snack on your favourite food and surf the Internet to your hearts' content.

Features to Consider

Major computer brands:

The best approach is to concentrate on your needs and not get bogged down by the details. Make a list of features that are critical to your everyday and future needs. The things you'll need to consider include: physical size  (weight), screen size  and features, processor speed,  RAM,  keyboard,  power source  (battery life), ports,  wireless,  CD/DVD,  and warranty. 

Dimensions, Weight and Portability

  • Some level of portability is important to you if you are considering getting a laptop.
  • Does your laptop tag along with you everywhere?
    • If you only carry it around occasionally, look for a laptop that doubles as a desktop.
    • Performance might be more important to you than portability.
    • If you are a road warrior, you want something light weight and a slim.
  • Laptop screens range in size from 8 -17 inches and all feature LCD (Liquid Crystal Displays).
    • 8 -12 inches is best suited for frequent travellers.
    • 14 -17 inches is a good for home use / desktop replacement.
  • Generally, a smaller screen correlates with a lighter weight laptop, but this isn't always the case. Carefully look at the specs of a model to be sure. Also make sure that total weight includes the battery.
    • 1kg - 2kg - is ideal weight for a travelling laptop.
    • 2kg - 4kg - majority of the desktop replacement (home use) notebooks weigh more since they pack the performance punch of faster chipsets, larger hard drives and super sized RAM.
  • You can always hook up an external monitor,  keyboard  and mouse  to make your laptop feel more like a desktop while you're at home.
  • Remember that thickness and weight are going to factor into the portability of the laptop.
  • Keep in mind that the weight of the laptop itself is not the only weight you carry. Power cords, travel mice, and external CD drives can weigh down even the most sleek notebook computer.
  • Invest in a quality laptop bag to protect your computer and safeguard your shoulders from muscle strain and fatigue.

Hard Drive Size

  • Music, video games, videos, and photos take up lots of space. If you want to be able to tote all your photos and music invest in a larger hard drive.
  • If you only need to travel with essential documents then you can get a slimmer computer with a smaller drive.
  • Even the smallest laptops come with around 40 GB of memory, which can accommodate most of the media on your computer.
  • For more information on hard drives, check out the computer specs guide.

RAM (Random Access Memory)

  • Large amounts of RAM are important if you use a number of applications simultaneously -- 512 MB of RAM is more than enough for basic computing and 1 GB of RAM or higher will have you jumping for joy while playing high speed and intense video games.
  • The basics of RAM are covered in the computer specs guide.

Chip Speed (CPU)

  • The Intel Pentium M is a mobile computer processor with efficient power consumption, but lacks integrated wireless capabilities. On the other hand, the Intel Centrino is essentially the Pentium M processor with built-in wireless functions.
  • If you want modest speeds, wireless and efficient battery use, think Centrino. If you want a heavier, battery draining yet fast machine, think Mobile Pentium 4.
  • Apple has also jumped on board the Intel chipset train with 2006 models coming equipped with Intel. However Apple has opted out of displaying the chipmakers logo on its product, as most PC notebooks do.
  • For the basics of CPUs, check out the computer specs guide.

Number of Ports

  • Your needs really depend on how many external devices you will be running of your laptop.
  • Devices that will need ports are printers,  digital cameras,  MP3 Players,  scanners,  PDAs,  Computer Mice,  keyboards and monitors. 
  • Useful ports include: USB, FireWire, serial, PS/2, a headphone/speaker jack, a PC slot (especially if you plan to use a wireless Internet card) and ethernet jack.
  • Certain types of ports, such as USB, can be expanded by the use of a hub.
    • A USB hub  can support up to 127 devices, but you probably won't need that many USB ports.

Built-in Wireless Ethernet/Bluetooth Compatibility

  • Wi-Fi hotspots are popping up in places such as cafes, fast food establishments and motels across Australia. To take advantage of Wi-Fi convenience, you might want to seriously consider choosing a notebook that comes with built in Wi-Fi capabilities.
  • If your notebook does not have a built-in wireless card, make sure it has the correct PC card slot to support an external wireless card. This will give you the option to add a wireless card in the future if you opt not to get one right away.
  • Wi-Fi is especially handy for students and travellers -- many campuses and airports are adding wireless Internet access to common areas. Major hotels are adding in-room high-speed wireless access for a per day fee.
  • Bluetooth  is a great feature to have built in to your laptop. It is becoming more and more common these days as Bluetooth devices are flooding the market.
    • Wireless devices with Bluetooth can easily be paired to transfer data or pictures between devices.
    • Many wireless mice and keyboards are now Bluetooth enabled allowing a direct connection with your computer without the use of a port.
  • Intel Centrino technology is a chipset by Intel which supports wireless capabilities. It also helps conserve battery life, which is drained by continuous wireless Internet usage.

CD/DVD Drive

  • Increasingly the traditional CD-ROM drives are being replaced by CD/DVD-R/RW drives, which give you the ability to burn CDs and DVDs, as well as read/play them.
  • The most important thing to think about is the drive speed, which is measured as 8x, 16x, 32x, etc. The higher the number, the faster it will transfer files from your computer to blank media or transfer files from media to your computer.
    • Divide the playing time by the drive speed for an approximation of the time it takes to burn a disc.
    • A 24x drive can burn an 80 minute music CD in a little over three minutes -- it takes a 4x drive about 20 minutes to do the same.
  • You probably won't need a floppy drive, since few people uses floppies any more.
    • If you need to transport small files, you might want to look into a flash drive instead.
  • A lot of ultra-light notebooks only have external CD drives to keep their weight down. This option is not for everyone.
    • If you think you will frequently need a disc drive, say for watching movies on the go, you are better off with an internal drive rather than having to lug around an external drive. In the long run, an external drive will be less convenient and weigh more than you think.
  • Drives that mention dual-layer or double-layer ability have the capacity to access two separate layers on the DVD. This doubles the storage capacity of the disk to about 8.5 GB.
  • Drives that can play and record DVDs are more expensive than drives that can only read and burn CDs.

Battery Life

  • The majority of the laptop battery is used by the processor, the screen, wireless networking cards, drives such as the hard drive, CD-ROM and DVD-ROM, and other peripherals.
  • Most models claim to provide up to 6 hours of wireless free productivity. Realize that most provide around half or less as the battery begins to age.
  • Most laptop batteries are lithium-ion cell (aka. Li-ion), which holds roughly twice the capacity of the older nickel-cadmium battery. Lithium-ion technology can hold a lot of power, but its exotic materials make it expensive.
  • If you know that you'll be on the go without an electrical outlet, look for a model that has excellent battery life and lots of power-saving options.
  • Keep in mind that certain activities, like watching a DVD, eat up a lot of battery life.
  • Many companies sell spare batteries for their laptops. If you travel a lot or plan to watch a lot of personal in-flight movies, you should buy one.
  • Sony VAIO  laptops are known for their long-lasting batteries.

Warranty

  • Laptop warranties can be tricky. Always read and re-read the fine print. Understand and know before you buy your laptop what kind of repair service you are entitled to under the warranty.
  • Majority of laptop warranties cover hardware problems, such as defective keyboards, monitor problems, issues with internal components not resulting from owner misuse.
  • A laptop warranty will generally cover the cost of parts and labour for a repair.
  • Be careful, as opening the case or breaking a seal can lead to void a warranty. Also, the warranty doesn't cover theft, damage or breakage caused by the owner.
  • Most warranties have a one year term, and sometimes the option to extend for an additional fee.

Laptop Categories

Ultraportable 

Thin and Light 

Home Laptop 

  • Home laptops still offer some portability, but have larger screens and can weight up to 5kgs or more. These machines are sometimes referred to as "desktop replacements" because the can offer all the features as a desktop machine, but are handier because with Wi-Fi technology they can be moved and used in all parts of a typical house. Heavier notebook models tend to cost less than lighter ones.
  • Fujitsu N3520,  Acer 4222LMi,  Sony VAIO VGNFJ76GP,  Toshiba Satellite Pro A100,  Dell Inspiron 9400,  Apple MacBook 

Gaming 

Tablet PCs 

Buyer's snapshot

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Other considerations

  • Not ready to take the plunge in either direction? Take a deep breath and check out the desktop vs. laptop debate.
  • Not sure whether your loyalties tilt towards a Mac or a PC? Read this.

Related Products

Related Products

Travel mouse 

Wireless Cards 

Laptop bags and cases 

Laptop Batteries 

Wi-Fi Finders 

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