If you want to buy a laptop (which is sometimes called a notebook), then there are several questions you need to answer before making your purchase. You should definitely know (1) what you need, (2) what you want, and (3) what you’re getting. Here are some things you should consider before finalizing your selection.
The processor is to a computer as an engine is to a car. It runs the whole system, it gets really hot, and if it isn’t powerful enough, you’re not going to get very far. A lot of laptops have dual-core processors now (this means that there are technically two processors operating together), but you still want to look at the number of GHz each processor works with. The higher the GHz, the more powerful the computer, especially if you have multiple processors. If you’re just typing up documents, you probably don’t need a really powerful processor; that would be like putting the engine of a Lamborghini in a compact car. It would just cost extra. But even worse, you don’t want to have too little power for a laptop designed to run the hottest new games, because a heavy-duty pickup truck can’t tow very much if it’s using the engine from an economy sedan.
Once you’ve settled your processor speed, you need to figure out the battery life of your computer. The more power you use, the faster your battery will run down, so if you’re not using your laptop for very much, a smaller battery is okay. But if you’re running 3D graphics editing software on your laptop, then you’re going to need a lot more battery power, maybe even an extra battery, or you’ll spend most of your time plugged into a wall.
Memory is another important thing to consider. No matter how fast your processor is, your laptop’s memory is what feeds the processor information. You don’t want to bottleneck the information superhighway, do you? This again depends on your usage, but a minimum laptop these days should have at least 1GB of “RAM”.
The hard drive is your storage space. How much room does it have? How much room do you need? Are we talking a six-car garage, or only a backyard storage shed? Again, this depends on what you’ll be using the laptop for.
How often are you going to use CDs or DVDs? Do you need to burn your own CDs and DVDs? Laptops have a lot of options when it comes to optical disc drives, so make sure you know what you want before you buy. You can get a plain CD reader, a CD burner, a DVD reader (which may or may not burn CDs), a DVD burner (which will definitely burn CDs as well), or even a Blu-ray player.
Two more aspects go hand-in-hand: screen size and video display. 15.4″ is a pretty standard, low-cost screen size for laptops these days, but 17″ is getting more and more common. You also need to decide whether you want a glossy or matte screen – that is, do you want the screen reflective and great for picture clarity, or a little dimmer and readable in direct light?
Do you need good sound quality? If you’re playing a lot of music, you might want powerful speakers – but it might also be cheaper to get external speakers or headphones.
A warranty is also an important factor to consider. Almost every new laptop comes with at least a 1-year warranty. It might be worth it to go the extra mile and add in the second or even third year on the warranty, because you don’t want it to break 14 months in, and then you’re stuck with buying a new one. Used laptops don’t always come with warranties, but if they’re refurbished, the seller will often offer a warranty for at least a few months. It would be a good idea to take it where you can get it.
There are a lot of things to consider before you can buy a laptop. Answer these questions for yourself and you’ll be that many steps closer to owning your very own portable, versatile computing device.