Before Buying A Laptop- A Clearcut Laptop Guide For The Novice

What Laptop Should I Buy?

2013-10-27T20:26:00.004-07:00

Have you ever come to the cross roads where making the right buying decision became a real pain in the ass.

I have...

And you tried to make a determined buying decision only to find yourself moving in a circle not knowing what right choice to make.

A Little short story Long ago...

There was a time I wanted to buy a gadget I loved so much and waited to obtain ,I Worked , saved and finally I had the money to purchase my hearts desire.Then there I was standing at the roadside store where I wanted to make the purchase but I froze when I saw the Gadget but not only one brand, and not only one design ,and not only one size but zillions of them all attractive and sweetly saying to me 'buy me' ,overwhelmed, I couldn't make a single clear decision so turned around and went straight home...defeated!

But I learned One Big Lesson

Make a Plan Before You Buy...

You must have been In the same rut like I was and that's why you are here reading this all important blog to help you sort out things especially now that you want to buy that so adorable laptop.Its a good thing, and I think I can help you.Before we commence you need to answer some real fog clearing questions to help define what your need really is and then I'll go ahead to make some suggestions based on 12 years of laptop buying experience which you can apply successfully.

As competing computer companies these days seem to effortlessly churn out hordes of amazing laptops all coming in different shapes, sizes ,and heartthrobing break-the-bank designs and faster than one can draw out money from the pocket, visiting a laptop showroom can definitely become a terrible decision nightmare

Now the Question

Now lets answer some questions Shall we...
Question NO.1

What Brand Of laptop Did You Have In Mind?

Of course you must have had a particular brand in mind which you must have come across somewhere maybe on TV commercials,magazines or on the Internet.FYI there are various named brand of laptops you can choose from Starting from the major laptop computer producing companies listed below

DELL
SONY
HP
FUJITSU
APPLE
TOSHIBA
ASUS
LENOVO
FUJITSU
ACER

You can choose from any of the above name brand laptops and get a bang for your bucks.They all produce top notch high end and budget targeted laptop systems which you can avail yourself and buy.Now lets commence to answer the next vital question on the rung. chances are that by the time we're through with this simple exercise you'll have a better clear decision making experience.Enter question number two.

Question NO.2

What Do You Want To Use The laptop for?

What do you want to use the laptop for... is it

For Gaming?
For Productivity and extension of your office?
For photo music and video editing?
For convenience and its aesthetics?

Or ,if you are like me you want it to add some kind of pizzazz to the way you look and work.one thing is certain there must be an underlying reason why you need it and that reason is the safest guide for you to follow.Now if You are a game fanatic and chose gaming then you need a laptop that features high end graphics card, fast processor,large memory storage,long hour battery,and wide screen with high resolution for sharp crisp display.I'm going to give you some specs which you can take note of when you want to shop for a gaming laptop.

Gaming laptop specification

High-end graphics card- NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX660M 2GB with DirectX® 11
Cpu/Chipset- 3^rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3630QM (2.40GHz 6MB Cache)
Lcd Display size-15.6"-17" LED backlit HD display (1366x768)
Ram Capacity 6GB (DDR3)
Harddisk Capacity-HDD: 750GB (5,400 rpm)
Up to 5 hours (6-cell battery power.)
6 to 8 high speed USB ports

To help you out more checkout the following high end gaming laptops from ASUS,LENOVO,ALIENWARE and the o! juicy APPLE

ASUS- G750JXDB71gaming laptop

LENOVO-IDEAPADY580 gaming laptop

ALIEN WARE-17

Apple MacBook PRO Retina display

For Basic Productivity and Office Work

You need a laptop with good graphic s ,fast processor, 80GB of storage,2GB Volatile Memory(RAM) Wide screen for viewing spread sheets ,and lasting battery features for doing office work as well as for surfing the internet.

Productivity Laptops Specification

Processor - 2.4GHz core i 3 processor Intel i3-2350M
hard disk capacity- 350-500 GB of memory space
RAM-2GB at least
Integrated speakers with surround system
17inch wide screen display
light weight about 4.4 pounds

an example of A VERY good productivity laptop is

HP ENVY

For Sound,video and photo editing purposes

You need High end graphics card,high quality sound card system,lots and lots of memory due to sound and video files WHICH are often large and can eat a lot of memory space.Photo editing also requires a high end graphics card plus crisp high resolution HD lcd display to accurately display high resolution pixels.

You can use the Gaming Laptop specifications above to have an idea of what features to expect

For convenience and aesthetics consider ultra slim portable light weight
laptops and that's where Apple and HP come First position!But good things don't come cheap I Wish they were, honestly so to speak but the're not.The moment they become cheap they lose out a lot of goodies in them or a weasel compromise will be put to full force,anyways...

Now, on to the last but most important million dollar question well.well well and here it is .

Question NO.3

Do you Have the green bill to Buy your Dream Laptop?

If you do then maybe you should eh buy me some coffee will ya whatcha think?but if you don't then you need to make plans on how to buy a laptop that you can afford. Some of the Laptops mentioned above are indeed expensive.but some can be found on 100 hot Laptop Prices real cheap

Finally you made it to the end! congratulations!Now take a pen and a paper tuck yourself away in the closet and make a plan considering BRAND,USABILITY,Pizzaz,AND BUDGET and like I did Don't forget to make a PLAN first off, it is that important.

LAPTOPs Versions and Their Performances

2012-06-22T10:47:00.000-07:00

'All laptops are not created equal some are higher than the others' this is why you need to determine what your computing demands are since Laptops companies produce different capabilities of laptops to meet up to different consumers requirements.This simply means that all laptops are not the same in terms of processor type, speed ,hardisk capacity,ram size,no. of USB ports,screen size resolution and all those features.

ENTER DELL's Latitude

OK, lets commence to analyse some specifications to help you make more better choice before you buy a laptop.Dell is a
major computer producing company ,and they make kinds of computers to tailored to serve each consumer based on his computing needs .Among their productions include computers and laptops that are called Latitude.

The Dell Latitude Laptops/computer is targeted for business use.IF you want to use your laptop to run a basic Productivity business this is the way to go. Dell latitude E7240 is a typical business class Notebook and bears an 86% high performance rating that's a whooping 4.5star.HOWEVER,IT IS way too expensive for its features and don't expect an awesome display screen if you are a photoeditor

Dell Latitude laptops/computers are also built to Dell's RoadReady specification which includes a durable magnesium-alloy casing (though budget versions D500 and E5000-series Latitudes are mainly plastic casing), internal metal frames and Strike Zone shock protection in case the computer is dropped on a hard surface

**HP's PAViLiON SERIES (g6)**

Hewlet packard is another company that make computers too and they have the HP Pavillion range of Personal laptops and computers include the g6 series which is known to be a very powerful system in terms of overall desireable laptop performance.HP laptops are popularly known for their Hot flashy design and come in different sizes ranging from 20.1"(HDX9000) inches to 8.9"inches(MINI 1000 MI)

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2012-06-19T15:28:00.001-07:00

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Laptop Detailed Checklist

2012-03-31T11:50:00.000-07:00

Presenting The Information You Need...

Before You Buy Laptop Computer Guide ...Quick...Reviews...Summary... Become An Educated Buyer & Save hard earned bucks Computer technology is changing so fast it is sometimes very hard for the average consumer to keep up. New products and systems are coming on stream at such a blistering pace even some die-hard techies are probably falling behind...

With this thought in mind, here's a whole checklist of quick, fast facts you might want to consider before you buy your next computer. Some are very common basic computer facts you probably already know; while others deal with more recent technologies and products that you should check or be aware of before you buy your new Laptop. Remember, an educated buyer will always get the best deal by knowing exactly what you want in your laptop and discarding the things you don't need or will never use. Prepare yourself before you enter that laptop store or shop online for your next laptop/ PC and save yourself some money. Use This Fast Checklist Before Buying A New Laptop:

What Type of Processor? -

This is the brand and type of processor included in your system, such as Intel Core 2, AMD Phenom... this is the heart of your laptop; also called the CPU (Central Processing Unit) and it runs your computer, performing tasks and running calculations. You must also check your laptop processor speed - which is measured in Megahertz (MHz) or Gigahertz (GHZ) and determines how fast your computer can perform tasks. Usually, Handy Checklist For Buying A New Computer or Laptop (Don't Enter That Computer Store Without It!) the higher the processor speed, the faster your CPU will perform. Remember, one GHz is equal to 1000 MHz. Many machines now have Duo or even Quad processors to achieve maximum performance.

You should also check your Processor's Cache - this is the amount of memory you have in your Laptop for short term storage during processing. A lot of cache will allow you to work and process bigger and more complex files without crashing your system.

How Much RAM? -

Random Access Memory is temporary memory your computer uses to run applications and data on your operating system. Generally the more RAM you have, the faster your computer will run. You need at least 256MB for Windows XP and Mac OS X. You need at least 1 Gig of RAM for Windows Vista but 2 Gigs or more will make it run smoother. However, 32-bit Operating Systems ONLY recognizes up to 3GB of RAM, while you need 64-bit systems to take full advantage of 4GB of RAM.

Hard Drive Speed and Capacity? -

Your hard drive is your computer's primary storage area where your data and files are stored. Most hard drives are now quite large at 100GB - 300GB or more. You might also want to check the rotational speed - a 7,200rpm hard drive is faster than a 5,400rpm model. How fast the disk spins will also determine the performance level of your computer or laptop. Many people also prefer a SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Architecture) hard drive. It was developed by a whole group of companies including Seagate, Intel, Maxtor, Dell and others. SATA transmits data in a serially (in a single stream) as opposed to PATA or Parallel ATA which is commonly referred to as an IDE hard drive

Graphics Card? -

Your graphics card or video card handles all your computer graphics, visuals and videos. Some laptops systems have a motherboard chipset that handles your graphics, while other systems use a separate graphics card. Which card you decide for your system will largely depend upon what you're using your computer for... if you want to do video gaming or handle large high-resolution graphics then you will want a dedicated video card which will run faster and perform better than integrated graphics.

Most new video cards use AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) which is a dedicated connection that comes in different speeds - 2X 4X and 8X.
To play video games and run complex multi-media applications you will need a high speed AGP 8X video card with at least 128MB or more of dedicated memory. Most gamers prefer high-end Graphics Cards from NVIDIA or ATI. To achieve maximum performance two or more graphics cards can be connected in a SLI configuration.

Dedicated Video Memory - This dedicated video memory is separate from your main system memory. In many computers the main memory is shared or integrated to help supplement your system's memory when it's needed. In others systems it is completely dedicated memory. Still others use a hybrid of both technologies. Shared Video Memory - The portion of your system's memory that's shared to the graphics chipset to perform tasks like 3D gaming. Video Memory - Shows how much total video memory is available to the video chipset/card - both dedicated and shared.

Pre-loaded Operating System? -

What kind of OS (Operating System) is pre-installed on your computer. Usually this will be Windows XP or Windows Vista. There are different versions of Vista such as: Windows Vista Home Basic... Similar to Windows XP Home Edition and intended for simple home use and budget buyers. The Windows Aero theme and translucent effects not included with this edition.

Windows Vista Home Premium... Similar to Windows XP Media Center Edition with support for more advanced multimedia and entertainment features. Includes support for premium games, mobile and tablet PC, Network Projector, Windows Aero, Touch Screen, and has auxiliary display (via Windows Side Show) support. Windows Vista Business... Similar to Windows XP Professional and targeted towards the business market. Includes all the features of Home Premium except for Windows Media Center and related technologies.

Windows Vista Enterprise... A more robust version of the Business edition. (Microsoft Windows NT 6.0.6000.0) Includes multilingual user interface, BitLocker Drive Encryption & UNIX application support. This version is not available thru retail or OEM channels.

Windows Vista Ultimate ... Combines all the features of Home Premium and Enterprise editions. Many computer users like to keep using Windows XP or install it. This is simply done, however - some current laptops/PCs won't accept XP so check this out BEFORE you buy your machine. Intel Centrino - This is a platform promoted by Intel which covers mainboard chipset, mobile CPU and wireless network interface in laptop designs. Intel's Core Duo processor offers dual-core performance while keeping the power consumption low. Intel Centrino 2 - Fifth-generation Centrino Platform (codename Montevina) which supports Penryn Core 2 Duo processors.

update WINDOWS 8 Is now Available and also comes preloaded in latest laptop brands

What Optical Drives? -

These are removable drives that write and read data using lasers. Common ones include CD ROM, DVD ROM, CD R/RW and DVD R/RW drives. The speed at which these optical drives work is measured in "150kb per second" units. Factors of "x" are used such as 4X, 8X... remember that DVD drives can use both DVDs and CDs.

Screen Size & Type? -

Display size and type on your laptop or computer. Most screens are now LCD but not all. Check the resolution of your display as follows: 1600×1200 UXGA, 1400×1050 SXGA+, wide screens like 1280×720 WXGA, 1680×1050 WSXGA+ and 1920×1200 WUXGA. TFT Active Matrix Display - TFT stands for thin-film transistors and many high-end notebook computers use (TFT) active matrix liquid crystal displays. Most notebooks have LCD (liquid crystal display) screens - this is different from your desktop CRT (cathode-ray tube) monitor but most people are familiar with LCD displays since they are commonly found in digital cameras and video recorders. Native Screen Resolution - Refers to fixed pixel displays such as LCD, DLP and Plasma TVs. Native resolution is the fixed pixel display resolution, such as 1920 x 1080 (interlaced or progressive scan) for HD or High Definition TV.

Sound Card -

Also known as an audio card is an independent expansion that controls Input/output of audio signals. Important component for multimedia applications such as video gaming, music composition... TV Tuner - Lets your computer tune TV or HDTV signals so that you can watch live television thru your PC. FireWire (IEEE 1394) - Firewire is a high speed port for large and fast transfer of data - used with hard drives, video cameras and scanners. Ethernet Port - This lets you connect your computer to a wired ethernet network. (Group of computers working together.) Integrated Bluetooth - Bluetooth is a standard wireless networking system which lets you connect wirelessly to your computer's peripherals such as mouse, keyboards, headsets, printers... Integrated WiFi - Integrated Wifi gives you wireless network access. HDCP Compliant - HDCP compliance assures that the digital outputs on the computer are secure and the HDCP copy protection system is supported. Audio Output - Audio output whether mono, stereo or surround and showing how many channels can be output. Digital Input - Digital inputs lets multi-channel digital audio outputs to be streamed. Digital Output - A digital output allows for multi-channel digital audio output. Integrated Microphone - An integrated microphone lets you record audio into your computer. Microphone Input - A connection for a standard stereo microphone. Speaker Wattage - Total wattage output of your speakers, sometimes listed as peak power or total power depending on the speaker's maker.

Card Reader -

This is used for reading memory cards. Component output - This enables analog HD signals to be shown by your PC on a compatible display. Composite Output - This shows whether or not your system supports composite video connections. DVI Output - Provides a connector for DVI panels. E-SATA - Is a high speed data port mainly used for connecting E-SATA hard drives. HDMI - Whether or not your system supports HDMI connectivity - important for High Definition playback/visuals. Keyboard -

Input device for your computer - if you're buying a laptop, check to see if it's a full size standard keyboard. Touchpad -

An input device commonly found on notebook computers. Along with other input devices such as the Track Stick, Keyboards, and mouse. Modem -

A device which allows you to transmit data over phone lines. A fax modem lets you transmit to another fax modem or fax machine. Mouse - An input device which uses hand movements and a corresponding screen cursor. Remote - Some computers now have remote controls... handy if you use your computer for watching TV or DVDs. S-Video Output - This supports S-video connections. USB 2.0 -

Check your laptop's system's USB 2.0 ports which are used for connecting USB (USB 1.0, 1.1 and 2.0) devices. VGA Output - A connector for VGA (Video Graphics Array) panels Webcam -

A webcam is a simple camera that records or transmits images to your computer.

Available AGP Slots? - These are used to install AGP expansion Cards.

Available Hard Drive Bays?

- This is an open slot inside your system where you can install extra components such as optical or hard drives. Often referred to as an expansion bay. These come in two sizes - floppy drive (3.5 inches) and CD drive 5.25 inches and can handle any device that is the same size.

Available Memory Slots? -

Tells you how many Memory Slots you have in your system. Usually you can upgrade your RAM if there are slots available. Available Optical Bays? - For installing Optical Drives like the DVD drive. Available

PCI Slots? -

These are available expansion slots for special cards such as video or network cards... to increase the performance or capabilities of your PC. Available PCI-E Slots? - Available Slots to install PCI-E expansion Cards. PCI-Express - Peripheral Component Interconnect Express, aka PCI-E is a computer expansion card interface format that was introduced in 2004 by Intel. Unlike the other PC expansion interfaces, PCI Express uses point-to-point serial links/lanes instead of a bus. There are different versions - such as x16, x1 which will be followed with x4 and x8.

What is SLI? -

SLI stands for "Scalable Link Interface". Of interest mostly to Gamers and Gaming machines, NVIDIA SLI technology lets you use a couple of graphics cards together with PCI Express X16. Basically, SLI will speed up graphics on a single monitor by deploying two graphics cards. An alternative system would be ATI's CrossFire which is an SLI-like configuration using 'Master' and 'Slave' cards to combine two Radeon GPUs for improved and faster graphics. Power Supply - Shows the wattage of your installed power supply. Battery Life - The Lithium ion battery is the major type of battery found in most notebook computers because they have a longer battery life than regular batteries. Laptop batteries can be 4-cell, 6-cell, 9-cell... if long battery life is important to you - get the highest numbered cell battery. Also, it might be wise to purchase a second battery if you do a lot of traveling or 'in-the-field' work. Removable Storage - Lets you read/write data to and from a removable floppy disk. Not used much anymore but still handy for troubleshooting or quick file transfers.

Pre-loaded Software? -

Always check to see what software is pre-loaded on your computer system. This software will use up your system's resources... you can always remove these programs after you have bought your system to free up space. System Bus - Your System Bus is measured in MHz ((megahertz) and is the path which connects all your computer components to the processor. Obviously, the higher your bus speed, the faster your system will process information. English/French Software - Compatible with both English and French. Some systems will have French Kits, mainly for the Canadian marketplace.

Laptop Size -

Size is more important when buying a laptop. Check the size and weight of your laptop system - some desktop replacement laptops weight more than 10 pounds and are not really portable.

Check Warranty for Labor & Parts?-

You must check the length of your warranty for Labor & Parts - how many years is each covered? Extended Warranty? - Many manufacturers and retail stores will try to sell you extended warranties on any computer system you're considering. These warranties can be expensive so it is up to the individual buyer whether or not to purchase them. It will depend upon your own resources but if you're buying an expensive unit going with an extended warranty is a real option - especially when you consider replacement costs and the "peace of mind" such things supposedly brings.

What Laptop to Buy? -

Unless vanity is your thing or you have a serious "keeping up with the Joneses" complex - you should only buy a laptop to meet your needs. Ask yourself what you will be using your computer for? If it's for simple email tasks or surfing the web - you don't need a big expensive machine with all the costy extras. If you're into video gaming or editing large video/graphic files you may need a more expensive fast computer with high-end quality graphics. In other words,before you buy laptops, choose the computer or laptop that will take care of your needs and tasks. Save your money by buying only what you need. Where to Buy your Computer? - More and more computer buyers are ordering their systems online - either directly from the manufacturer or from online retail merchants.

GOING WITH AN ONLINE PURCHASE

The main benefits of going with an online purchase are: (1) you're dealing directly with the maker, (2) you can configure your computer or laptop from the comfort of your own home, (3) you can often take advantage of special online discounts and deals... the main disadvantage is you can't physically see and handle the computer system you're buying. For this reason many buyers like buying their systems at their local computer store, where despite sometimes pushy salespeople who are usually working on commission - it does give you the chance to test-run the computer you're considering. It also gives you the chance to ask questions about the computer or laptop you're buying. Regardless of the route you take - Happy buying! This before you buy Laptop Buying Checklist was brought to you by jayzlegend

Before Buying A Laptop- A Clearcut Laptop Guide For The Novice

What Laptop Should I Buy?

Have you ever come to the cross roads where making the right buying decision became a real pain in the ass. I have...

And you tried to make a determined buying decision only to find yourself moving in a circle not knowing what right choice to make.

What Brand Of laptop Did You Have In Mind?

For Basic Productivity and Office Work

LAPTOPs Versions and Their Performances

ENTER DELL's Latitude

HP's PAViLiON SERIES (g6)

Latest Airtel 10mb Free Browsing Cheats For April/May 2012

Laptop Detailed Checklist

What Type of Processor? -

How Much RAM? -

Hard Drive Speed and Capacity? -

Graphics Card? -

Pre-loaded Operating System? -

update WINDOWS 8 Is now Available and also comes preloaded in latest laptop brands

What Optical Drives? -

Screen Size & Type? -

Card Reader -

Available Hard Drive Bays?

Available Memory Slots? -

PCI Slots? -

What is SLI? -

Pre-loaded Software? -

Laptop Size -

Check Warranty for Labor & Parts?-

Have you ever come to the cross roads where making the right buying decision became a real pain in the ass.

I have...

**HP's PAViLiON SERIES (g6)**