6 Things to Consider When Buying a Laptop

When looking to purchase a laptop, you're never without plenty of options. But, which one is right for you? While it's important to know your needs when choosing a portable computer, it's also essential to understand what features you should even consider when shopping. The features below are the 6 most important when choosing a laptop for business or personal use.

1. Weight

Laptops vary in weight. The lighter it is, the smaller the screen and keyboard probably are. If you're a business traveler, a light computer can be your saving grace. Keep in mind that you will have to lug this machine all over the airport, to and from clients' offices. Be sure to pay attention to this feature, but also understand that you'll have to purchase a bag to put it in too. This will add weight, but depending on the type you choose, you can evenly distribute the weight or even find one on wheels. Ideally, you'll want to purchase a laptop that weighs between 4-6 pounds.

2. Screen Size

Screen size is very appealing to those looking to purchase a new laptop. Models now include wide screen and HD capabilities which seem like a good idea. However, you must remember that the bigger the screen, the heavier it will likely be. Of course, the size of the screen will depend on the type of work you will be doing. If your work relies heavily on spreadsheets and graphics, a larger screen would be ideal. If you're using it mostly for email, Internet and documents, a smaller screen will work just fine. Either way, 12 inches and bigger should get the job done.

3. CPU (Central Processing Unit)

There are certain industry standards for CPU's, but they all perform differently. Depending on the speed of the processor, it could be the difference between good and poor battery life, taking 4 or 8 minutes to boot, or it could have trouble handling your applications. Below are the different types of processor and the way they rate in performance and battery life (based on this review by CNET):

• AMD Turion 64: Good battery life, mediocre performance
• AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual Core: Good battery life, a little better than mediocre performance
• Intel Celeron M: Poor battery life, poor performance
• Intel Core 2: Extremely poor battery life, excellent performance
• Intel Core 2 Duo: Excellent battery life, excellent performance
• Intel Core Duo: Excellent battery life, great performance
• Intel Core Solo: Decent battery life, mediocre performance
• Intel Pentium M: Good battery life, mediocre performance
• Mobile AMD Sempron: Poor battery life, poor performance

Of course, the type of processor you need will depend on the type of job you do. The speed will also vary between processors. The more applications you run on your computer at any given time slows your computer operations down. The favorite among most techies is the Intel Core 2 Duo. This actually has two processors that handle your needs with ease. I would not suggest purchasing any laptop that is slower than 2GHz.

4. Networking

If you're choosing a laptop to accompany you on your business trips, networking is an essential component. If you want to connect to the web when you're away from the office, you must be sure the laptop has WiFi capabilities. WiFi enables you to connect to a network without an Ethernet cord. It's nearly impossible for you to find a place to plug in while you're at the airport, so insist on wireless internet technology.

5. Hard Drive

Before deciding on the size of your hard drive, determine what information you will be storing on it. A typical hard drive these days is anywhere from 60 - 80GB, but larger ones are available. If you're saving mostly spreadsheets, documents and emails, you should be fine with a 60 - 80GB hard drive. If you're downloading a lot of large files including music, you'll want to bump it up. Of course, the larger the hard drive the more money you'll spend.

6. Memory

The amount of memory your laptop has will determine how many applications you can have open at one time and how easily you can maneuver through them. Most laptops have at least 1GB of RAM; however, those laptops typically come with Windows Vista already loaded onto them. This causes an issue because it isn't enough for Vista to run properly. When purchasing a new laptop, many people recommend purchasing 2GB of RAM in order for the operating system to run smoothly. This will help with running several applications as well as editing digital photos and for video gaming too.

For most of us, shopping for a laptop is a big purchase decision. They aren't cheap so if you have questions that are specific to the job you do and what you will be using the laptop for, ask the sales associates in the store. They usually have a wealth of knowledge and as long as they aren't paid commission, they probably won't try to up sell you into something you don't need. Use these tips in conjunction with seriously evaluating your needs to find the best laptop for your business.