How to choose a laptop can be quite a daunting question when there are so many choices out there. There are many factors one needs to consider in order to purchase the correct one that meets your needs. Salesmen and advertisers will often try and push you to make a decision by confusing you with facts figures. To the lay person gigahertz gigabytes, RAM and processor power are all terms that can seem confusing, when all you want is a laptop that will do the things you want it to do. If you know all about the technical elements then most likely you wouldn’t be reading this article to help you choose a laptop anyway, and so what follows is a practical guide to get you the best product for whatever it is you want your laptop to do.

First it is important to remember that technology changes very fast, and so when budgeting for a laptop you should look at getting the best computer you can afford at the time. Be wary of extremely cheap deals, as often the cheap laptops are retailers getting rid of stock to make way for better models. You may find yourself stuck with a laptop that will be outdated in no time at all if you go with the super cheap option.

This is particularly true with Windows based products, Apple laptops tend to have a longer shelf life due the way Apple’s upgrades are usually backwards compatible. However if you know a computer expert who can get inside and upgrade hardware then a PC type computer is much easier to work on in this way.

When choosing a laptop, before you even enter the store is list out all the things you want you laptop to do. Do you just use it to check email and write a few letters, and search the web? Are you a gamer or are there particular software applications you need to run for business, or creative products? How much are going to travel with your laptop? These are all important things to consider.

There are two major types of Laptop. You will either go the Apple route or the PC route. This should be your first decision before looking at the specifics. If you are going to be using your laptop for work then it would be wise to see what products the company you work for uses. If they use both then look at your specific department, as you will want to be sure that any specific programs are available for your choice of laptop. Don’t worry about Microsoft office though, as this software is available for both Apple and PC computers and will be compatible with each other.

If your workplace is not an issue and you are purchasing for yourself then look at your list of needs. If you are going to working with a design and creative applications or video work then most likely the Apple route will be the best choice. Be careful though as there are some art and design programs that are only PC based so before rushing in check out your exact software requirements.

If you are looking at business and finance applications beyond the type for normal household accounting then there will be far more products for the PC. If you are into gaming then you will have greater choice of products on the PC. If you are completely techno phobic and want something that works out of the box with little chance of going wrong then Apple computers have the upper hand. If all you want is to send email, surf the net and write letters and do basic household tasks than either option has no discernible difference.Perhaps Apple products will be slightly easier to use in the beginning, but in the end both computers will perform these types of things with no problems.

So now you have looked at your requirements and you have decided on which route fits your situation best. Now it is time to look at the specifics. If you are a gamer or you use design intensive or video processing software you will need to choose a computer with as high quality sound, video and graphics capabilities as possible.

In order to run these applications you will need a computer with large memory. Do not get this confused with hard drive space. That is storage, not memory. The memory is the amount of space the computer has to store temporary information in order to complete a task. This is denoted in the size of the RAM. The bigger the number the more memory it has.

For these operations you will also want a fast processor. This is defined in terms of gigahertz. Again, the bigger the number is, the faster the processor works. Do not compare the speeds of Apple processors to PC processors. Apple computers are configured differently to PCs and so although apple computers may have a lower gigahertz figure you cannot compare processor speeds this way. Only make like for like comparisons- PCs with other PCs and Apple with other Apple products.

You should choose the largest hard drive that you can afford as you will be surprised how quickly you fill this up. With the introduction of solid-state drives, you now have another choice. They tend to be more expensive, and at this point regular drives are bigger, but a solid-state drive has no moving parts. If you travel a lot a solid-state drive is far less likely to get damaged in transit. Also if look at the speed of the drive (for regular drives). For gamers and video processing you want to get the fastest drive possible. This will be defined in terms of RPM. The higher the RPM the faster the discs in the drive spin.

Laptops are designed to travel, but often nowadays people use them as desktop replacements and only move them around the house. If you do travel a lot though then size and weight will be an important consideration. If you fly you may find that a 17″ laptop doesn’t fit on the seat tray in most aircraft and you would be better off with something a little smaller. If however you will use your laptop at home, especially if you use it to watch video, use applications to edit video, or have multiple work windows open then it may be beneficial to have a larger screen.

If you travel then Wi-Fi access will be important as you will be able to access the Internet whilst traveling. It is actually very difficult to find a laptop that does not have Wi-Fi these days anyway, but it as well to check and be sure.

Finally check all the peripherals you will be using. You will need multiple USB ports and card slots if you are using multiple devices. If you will be using external screens then make sure it has the correct video outputs, especially if you are looking to output to your TV at home. When figuring out how to choose a laptop there are many things to take into account.. Out there will be products that meet your needs and those that will nowhere near be right for you.

Do not rush the decision, when going to a store go in armed with all the information so you can ask the right questions. Above all shop at a place where the sale staff know what they are talking about. Many stores sell laptops, from general electronic stores, department stores, even grocery stores and discount warehouse type stores. Computers are highly specialized and so you will be wise to not only choose the right laptop for you, but to choose the right place to purchase your laptop, and that would be a retailer that specializes in computers.

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