*OH HO Shalini ji Aiye Aiye, yeah lejiye aapka laptop taiyaar hai….
Uff OOO Yeah Nahi voh
Jab Vahi speed vahi capability Kam Dam mein Mile, Toh Koi Yeh Kyun Le?Voh na le?
Man Gaye…
Kise?
Aap ki nazaar or Laptop Dono Ko!
Shaliniiiiiiiiiii Get up! I am telling you for the last time!*
Thus started my morning:-
1. I woke up with dad screaming to wake me up and
- Why was my dream in terms of the Nirma Advertisement. (Come on! U remember it don’t you?)
This dream was courtesy to my weeks of hunting for a laptop and watching Zee TV!
Well getting back to serious business. And yes this is serious because you are researching and looking to spend anything between $600 to$3000. I don’t know about you but I am going to be spending that kind of money I am going to put in a lot of research.
I am starting with the presumption that you do know that you want a laptop and have looked into the functionality of the same in your life.
Enough of presumptions, here is my list that will hopefully help you buy a laptop that is useful to you.
There are three parts to buying the laptop
The physical Laptop
External factors to consider like Brand reputation, After sales support etc
What to look out for, pirated software
I am concentrating only on the physical aspects of the Laptop
Here’s my checklist. Hope it helps you choose a laptop suited to your needs. (This list is not in order of importance…It is in the order that I REMEMBER in)
Size and weight.
Notebooks come in many shapes and sizes. The weight of the notebook alone—ranges from 2.2 pounds to 10 pounds, and an average laptop will be around the 6 pounds range. The travel weight, which includes added components such as an external AC adapter and an external optical drive, usually adds anywhere from half a pound to a pound. If you are going to travel a LOT then make sure you get a laptop that is really light.
Hard Drive
Like a standard computer the hard drive will be the destination of all your files and information and if that drive is to become full that drive will need to be replaced or another drive will need to be added to the computer. When looking at the space of the hard drive, always get the maximum size hard drives considering you will eventually always run out of space. So dont hesitate to invest a little more hard drive space.
Memory
Memory is and has always been an important consideration, determine the amount of memory included in the computer as well as verify if that memory can be upgraded in the future. The more memory the computer the more efficient the computer will run. Buying a system with 1GB of memory is going to be very expensive, for normal use I recommend at least 512MB of memory in order to ensure that the Microsoft Windows XP operating system will run properly.
Processor
There are so many processors out there that you should really look into what you need and which processors suits you best. Some processors are:
Intel offers various chips for notebooks, but its most capable mobile processor is the one-year-old Pentium M. When a Pentium M is paired with an Intel chipset and wireless module, the umbrella technology is called Centrino. Still on the market is the older Mobile Intel Pentium III, though this type of chip does not perform as well as a Pentium M at a given clock speed.
Intel’s biggest competitor, AMD, has the fastest CPU for notebooks, the Mobile AMD Athlon 64. This processor performs great. (I have this kind of processor- AMD Athlon XPM 300+)(Works Great!)
Battery Usage
A very important consideration for any user is the need to have a working laptop on the road. Verify when purchasing a portable computer how long the battery lasts. Ensure that the manufacturer clarifies what the standard battery usage life is when using the portable computer in all power modes.
Display
When looking at the display ensure it is large enough for your needs. A very easy method of reducing the cost of the laptop is to reduce the size of the screen, unless price is an very important consideration we highly suggest that you purchase a laptop with at least a 12’ or lager LCD and recommend an LCD size of 14’
Drives
Floppy disks are on their way out so don’t waste your money on buying that option. Also consider the option of a DVD+R/RW or CD-R/RW drive as opposed to a CD-ROM drive.
Ports
A typical notebook has two ports, though three or four is ideal, especially if one port is on the side or near the front of the notebook. In addition, a system may have a FireWire(IEEE 1394) port, whose value has been diminished somewhat by the equally speedy USB 2.0.
Keyboard
Your notebook keyboard should be as comfortable as the desktop keyboard you’re used to using. The smallest notebooks—ultraportables—include keyboards have small keyboards and if you have big hands then MAY GOD GIVE YOU TONS OF PATIENCE!. So before you buy ensure that you are comfortable with the key board.
Pointing device. Your choices are a pointing stick, a touch pad, or both. If you have to choose one, try both of them first. *And consider buying a mouse, which you can plug in and use when you’re not traveling.,
Operating system
Budget notebooks come bundled with Windows XP Home Edition. Most businesses require Windows XP Professional Edition because of its added networking and security features. Even some home users can benefit from Win XP Pro, though it adds about$75 to$100 to a system’s cost.
Software
Notebooks often include software with varying degrees of value. Sometimes you can get discounts on additional software when you buy a notebook. Check for deals on Microsoft Office.
IMPORTANT! When purchasing a computer ensure it comes with legal software. Ensure that if the software requires a license or registration number that it was included with the computer. An example of software that includes these certificates is Microsoft Office and Windows.
Warranties
One-year warranties on parts and labor are common, but you’ll have to get your notebook back to the dealer or manufacturer. For an extra charge you can increase the warranty to two or three years. No-fault warranties are also available, meaning that you’re covered even if the damage is your fault—if you drop your notebook, for example. (Very useful if you are Butter fingered like I am)
So that was my list.
Hey now that you read this review and are so tech literate, why don’t you leave a comment and tell me just how much you know.
Love and Prayers
Shalini