How to pick right laptop?
You have used your desktop for so long and you know you have to change it. Only the other day you saw your friend Krishna use the latest laptop at his home and decided that you too should buy one. After you’ve looked up at all the ads and the offers in the newspapers, you only became more confused as to which make and model you should buy. Those tempting ads of free printers, web cameras and more may lead you into buying the wrong one. Here are a few questions you can answer before you make your choice…
1. What monitor screen size do you want? If you are used to a large-sized screen desktop, then you probably will like to go for a big monitor screen sized one for your laptop. Though the standard screen size for laptops is 15”, there are companies like Dell and Toshiba in the market offering 19” or even 20” sized monitors. If you plan to use 2 windows at a time, a wide screen monitor should be necessary. You can even watch your favourite action movies on the wide screen. So number 1 priority is SCREEN SIZE.
Note: 15.4 size monitors are the most popular ones.
2. What kind of CPU do you want? It is a difficult choice to make because there are so many options these days in the market with new ones being added every year. Intel and AMD are two processors that most systems use. You could do well to go in for Intel Duo Core as it is supposed to be amongst the most powerful of processors. So priority number 2 is CPU.
Note: Go for Core 2 Duo. When you buy a computer, always think in future context. Future applications will command more power from system.
3. How much Memory do you need? You always need more memory. It settles how quickly and efficiently your work will be done. You should at least have 1 GB Ram before you upgrade after you insert more data into your laptop. Also find out how much memory your laptop can take. This is important when you upgrade. So priority 3 will be MEMORY.
Suggestion: 2 GB is good if you want to buy Windows 7 based laptops.
4. How much storage capacity do you need? Because all your files, folders, software and applications will be stored on the hard disk. Choose the biggest hard disk taking into consideration the price. They range from 250-450 GB hard disk drives. Also check for the speed of the hard disk while operations are going on. With high speed the laptop performs better. Most hard disks reach 5000 to 7000 RPMS. So priority 4 should be HARD DISK.
5. Will you be happy with a heavy weighted laptop? Choose one you are comfortable with. Carefully check the size of the keyboard. See if all the functions you use normally are present in the laptop you want to buy. You cannot change the laptop’s keyboard like you would for a desktop. Try out the keyboard and see if you are comfortable with it. So priority 5 is WEIGHT.
6. How many ports does this laptop have? Check if it has at least 3 USB ports. Apart from the external mouse you may need to connect to many devices like cell phones, digital cameras, mp3 players and more. So priority 6 should be SLOTS OR PORTS.
7. Does your laptop have the Wi-Fi facility? Can it be connected to a wireless network? A wireless data card will help you being free from being wired all the time. Does the laptop have Bluetooth? So priority 7 should be WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY.
8. Does the laptop have optical drives in it? An optical drive like a DVD-player can help you burn any data and even back up files to be kept in security should there be a problem of files being lost. Priority 8 is OPTICAL DRIVES.
9. How long do the batteries in this laptop last? A long life battery injected laptop will help you when you are travelling. Maybe while travelling you may find it difficult to connect your laptop to an AC power source. Priority 9 should be BATTERY LIFE.
Finally, it is up to you to take a decision on the price you are willing to pay for this laptop. You may have to use it for years to come. Selecting one with all these features should be your priority even if you have to pay a little more.
Pick good laptop that meets your future requirements and within your budget.
In India, HP, Dell, Lenova, Sony, Toshiba and Acer are top laptop companies. HP has more than 30% market share while Dell has good reputation among corporate customers. Sony and Toshiba are for top end users while Apple is for niche customers.
If you want “Value for money” laptops, buy from Indian manufacturers.
