Laptop Computers (also know as Notebook computers) are becoming increasingly popular these days. In fact the total sales of laptops has overtaken that of desktops recently. The main reason for the wide acceptance and use of laptops is mainly because of the fast falling prices.
Till recently laptops were considerably costlier than desktop computers. On top of this, the price/performance ratio of laptops were much higher. With the rapid progress in IC technology, the premium for miniaturisation has come down and this has resulted in lowering of the prices for notebooks.
Now-a-days a laptop can perform all the functions of a desktop. In addition, a laptop provides mobility. Many first time computer buyers are therefore considering going straight to laptops instead of first buying a desktop system. Many people who want to upgrade their desktops might now consider buying a laptop instead.
Popular Laptop Brands
When buying a laptop, it is good to do some comparison shopping to find a good deal. The first step is to make a shortlist of the companies that you are considering. The leading laptop manufacturers today are Dell, HP, Fujitsu, Apple, Toshiba and Sony.
Prepare a List of Features
Once you have gone through the details of some of the laptops, you can make a list of the features that you expect from the laptop. Some of the features that you should consider are portability, screen size, processor, battery life, heat produced, human interface design, multimedia capabilities, networking capabiliets, etc.
Ease of Laptop Use
One important aspect of notebooks that many people overlook is the ease of use of the keyboard and touchpad/trackpoint. You should definitely try typing on the keyboard of the laptop and using the touchpad before deciding on a laptop. Another very important part of the evaluation of the laptop is to see how much heat the laptop produces under normal operation. Some people realize too late that it is difficult for them to really place the notebook on their laps as the amount of heat generated almost burns your thighs. Not only should the heat generated at the bottom be a criteria, one should also look to see if the place where the wrist will rest is excessively hot. Some of the laptops have the hard disks under the area where you would keep your wrist. This can cause an uncomfortable feeling when typing on the laptop.
Screen Size and Resolution
Do pay attention to the resolution and screen size of the laptop. The resolution is expressed in pixels (say 1600 x 1200 pixels). The higher the resolution (or the number of pixels), the sharper will be the image. In addition to the resolution, screens can vary in sharpness, clarity and ease on the eyes. Check out the laptop in bright as well as dimly lit conditions to make sure that you are satisfied with the screen.
Networking Options
Most of the laptops these days come with wireless connectivity options. In addition to wired ethernet ports, these laptops have Wi-Fi antennae built into them. There are also many options available for Wifi including 802.11a, b and g. Though the most popular now is 802.11g, you might want to consider a laptop that also has 11a. 11a has a wider spectrum in the 5GHz range that is much cleaner when compared to the 2.4GHz where 11g operates. If you really need the best wireless option, make sure that the laptop has an Atheros chipset for the wireless. In addition to Wifi, having Bluetooth and Infrared options are also useful. As for the wired connections, make sure that the laptop has atleast 2 USB ports, one ethernet port, one phone line in (RS-232) and one firewire port.
Multimedia and Gaming Capabilities
If you plan to use the laptop for multimedia or gaming purposes, make sure that it has the necessary processor power and features. For multimedia, you should have a DVD/CD drive with read and write capabilities. In addition also look at the power of the built in speakers. If you plan to connect the laptop to a TV for viewing downloaded movies, you need to have an S-video output from the laptop. This is the only way you can currently watch movies from say Amazon Unbox and Cinemanow sites.
Fingerprint scanners
Some laptops also come with biometric devices. These are fingerprint scanners that can use your fingerprint instead of password to log on to the computer as well as different internet and email sites. Fujitsu and IBM (now Lenovo) are the pioneers in this field.
Miscellaneous Considerations
Some other things to keep in mind are: the sound the laptop fan produces, option to upgrade memory in the future, anti-theft device, additional battery and docking device.
Dell Laptops
If you plan to buy a Dell laptop, there are some coupons that are available that can help you save some money. The main types of Dell laptops are Inspiron, Latitude, Precision and XPS. Usually there are dell coupons avialable for Inspiron laptops that can save you up to 30%. You might also be interested in Dell Small Business Coupons or Dell Canada Coupons.
HP Laptops
You can buy either Pavilion Laptops or Presario (formerly Compaq) Laptops from HP. There are some hp deals that can save you money when buying HP laptop computers. HP laptop coupons are rare and if you come across any, take advantage of it if possible.
