Purchasing a home or business laptop can be a confusing and sometimes frightening experience. Below is a listing of help and tips when considering purchasing a laptop computer.

What to look for


When purchasing a laptop, you likely have a general idea of what you want or how you want to use it. Below is a list of the various components found in most laptops today and recommendations and tips when considering any of these components.

Battery usage


Determine how long the battery is expected to last under regular use. Many manufacturers indicate a battery usage time, but this may be at the lowest possible settings; ensure the manufacturer clarifies what the normal battery usage life is when using the portable computer in all power modes.


Display


While most laptops include a VGA, HDMI, or DisplayPort for connecting an external monitor, the laptop's display is an important consideration. When looking at the display, ensure it is large enough for your needs. If the price is not the most important consideration for you, we highly recommend purchasing a laptop with at least a 15" or 17" display size. If the price is a concern, we suggest looking for a laptop with a 13" or smaller display size.

Complete buying tip information on Flat-Panel or LCD solutions can be found on our flat-panel buying tips page.

Drives


Drives are sometimes overlooked when considering a portable computer but can be an important consideration. Portable computers can come with various drive configurations, for example:

One drive bay with a DVD-ROM or DVD writer drive. If you do not plan to write data to a DVD, the basic DVD-ROM drive is adequate. However, if you want to save data to a DVD, make sure the laptop includes a DVD writer, often listed as a DVD-RW drive.

No drive bay allows a laptop to be light and utilize external drives instead of internal drives. Pay close attention to the price of these laptops. While it may appear to be a portable solution, many manufacturers charge you an additional price for the external drives, which are often needed.

You may also want to consider different media solutions. For example, all laptops include one or more USB ports for USB flash drives or external hard drives. Having a laptop with at least two USB ports is beneficial, allowing you to connect a wireless mouse and USB flash drive or external hard drive at the same time.


Hard drive


Hard drives have and always will be an important consideration when purchasing a new portable computer. Like a standard computer, the hard drive is the destination of all your files and information, and if that drive becomes full, that drive must be replaced, or an external drive needs to be connected to the laptop. When looking at the hard drive space, look for a laptop with the maximum hard drive size to give you more storage space long term.


Complete buying tip information on hard drives is on our hard drive buying tips page.

Lock


Does the laptop include any locking system? If yes, what locking system is included? This can be important if you are on the road or frequently use the laptop in public places.

Memory


Memory is and will be an important consideration when looking at purchasing a laptop. Determine the amount of memory included in the laptop, and verify if there are one or more empty memory slots for adding more memory in the future. The more memory the laptop has or can support, the faster and more efficient the laptop can perform for many use cases.


Complete buying tip information on computer memory is on our memory buying tips page.

Modem


While less commonly used today, if a modem is required for Internet connectivity, ensure the laptop has a PC Card slot. Current laptops rarely include a modem, so you need to purchase a PCMCIA modem and connect it to the laptop using the PC Card slot.

Complete buying tips and information on modems are on our modem buying tips page.

Network Card


If a network connection is required, ensure a network port is available on the laptop. Today, nearly all laptops have a network port built-in and available to use for Internet connectivity.

Complete buying tips and information on network cards are on our network card buying tips page.

Processor


The computer processor is always an important consideration when purchasing a laptop. Today, with multiple processor manufacturers, it may be more confusing and more cost-efficient to look at the different processors available.

Complete buying tips and information on computer processors are on our CPU buying tips page.

Sound card


All laptops today have a sound card integrated into the motherboard. However, that sound card often only provides basic sound capabilities and quality. If you want a more advanced sound card that increases the number of speakers that can be used and improves the sound quality, you need to purchase a PCMCIA or external sound card. To use a PCMCIA sound card, make sure the laptop has a PC Card slot.

For most users, the basic sound card included in a laptop is sufficient, but the sound volume is not very loud. Consider purchasing headphones to hear sounds more clearly, especially if listening to music or videos on the laptop.


Weight


Weight is another important consideration when considering a laptop. The lighter the laptop, the easier it is to carry, especially when carrying it for a long time. Check each laptop's weight and try to find the lightest laptop that has the features you want.

Video card


Video cards are becoming an essential factor when purchasing a laptop. While this may surprise some, a video card can make or break a laptop for playing games. Most games today require additional video memory and special video modes, such as OpenGL. A video card with little video memory or without these video modes cannot play the more advanced, graphically intensive games.

Most lower-priced laptops include basic video cards and are not capable of playing many games. To play games on the laptop, look for a laptop with an NVIDIA GeForce, AMD Radeon, or similar video card. Those video cards make it possible to play most video games on a laptop.

Complete buying tips and information on video cards are on our video card buying tips page.