How do you know what is the right notebook for you ?

Every month new versions and revisions as well as new technology is released in the world of computers. It’s hard to keep up with the latest trends unless you are an avid reader of some technology websites like Gizmodo or you subscribe to magazines like PC Pro. The average person just wants to pick something that will be within their price range, can perform some simple tasks and move on from there and start using it for the purpose they intended. You don’t need to be “into IT” to be able to pick a suitable notebook, but you do need to know what you need, before you start your search.

Before you start shopping for your notebook, you should have it in your mind as to the purpose for your purchase. Do you know what tasks you will be performing with this computer ? Is this something you will be using for entire days, once a day for a few hours, or once in a while ? Does your notebook need to be particularly mobile ? Generally I would recommend that you go for a simpler model, rather than trying to “future proof” your purchase.

Will your notebook be exposed to extreme conditions, and out doors or will it be in the safety of your home ?

Home Notebook or Business Notebook ?

Are you someone who is purchasing a notebook to perform critical business functions ? Will you likely to need extended battery life so you can prepare that sales pitch while you are on the plane ? Or are you someone who wants to introduce the kids at home to using computers but essentially don’t have the extra room for a dedicated computer room. Depending on the user you may be able to decide on certain trade offs when it comes to purchasing. A home user might not be as interested in battery life, but will require a DVD reader / burner, where for a business user it would be vice-versa.

For business users, service agreements, on-site support would be more critical. And for home users, an extra keyboard or larger display should hold preference. Business notebooks should be more durable and dependable, we wouldn’t recommend going for a “no-name brand” when you are buying. Spending some extra money on a well trusted brand will spare some headaches in the long run.

CPU, RAM, Hard Disk Space ?

At the end of the day you will probably realise that most notebooks have generally the same CPU speeds, that they will have more or less a similar amount of RAM (or you can easily upgrade your RAM and save the cost of the manufacturer charging you for an expensive extra feature) and that Hard Disk space will be comparable.

Notebooks tend to vary when you start to talk about the extras, the numbers of USB ports, the screen resolution (or graphics card), DVI-X  output or HDMI or analog, etc.

Screen Size

Laptops come in a an array of sizes, if you need to stare at a computer all day, screens smaller than 14″ will be tough on your eyes. So those netbooks, like the Asus Clamshell 1008Ha or the DELL Mini 10, with there 10″ displays simply won’t do. There is a broad spectrum of screen sizes, from 10″ to 13″, 14″ , 15″ and 17″. Some of DELLs notebooks come with massive 17.3″ displays (Inspiron 17 and Alienware M17x models).

Larger screen size doesn’t mean that they are specifically better, in fact larger screen size will probably insure that your PC will run on batteries for shorter. One of the most energy intensive parts of your notebooks is its screen.

One final thought when it comes to your laptop, do remember that these devices won’t physically last as long as other house hold appliances. You can expect to get 7-8 years from a washing machine or dryer, but you will be doing well to get 1/2 of that out of your notebook. There are multiple reasons for the short life span : technologies are continuously develop and the minimum specification of today simply won’t be enough in the coming years, to run important programs or operating systems, items like fans and other electrical devices degrade over time, and cause your computer to overheat and ultimately to malfunction.