8 Things to Consider when Buying a Laptop Computer

1. The ports. You should ensure that laptop has many USB ports for devices for example printer, mouse, flash drive, digital camera, etc. If your laptop doesn’t come with lots of USB ports, you will require an USB hub. If you plan to connect your laptop to a TV, you will require an s-video port.

2. CD/DVD. Mostly laptops appear with a CD writer\DVD reader drive. If you desire to copy DVDs, you will require a DVD writer drive. At this time the maximum speed for burning a DVD is 16X.

3. The hard drive. The speed of hard drive is measured in rpm or Rotations per Minute. Try to locate a laptop that has 4200rpm or 5400rpm. A laptop with 40 Gigabytes is adequate for an average person.

4. The memory. Your laptop should have at least 1 GB of memory. However, you can find a notebook with 512 MB and work with Windows XP. You should leave a laptop with only 256 MB of memory.

5. The processor. You can select between Intel and AMD. At the moment, Intel has the better processor for a laptop called the Core 2 Duo. The speed of processors is measured in Gigahertz. The larger the number, the quicker the processor is. There are also Dual-Core processors. It means they can process two things all at once. As a result, the power of the processor is doubled.

6. Size. You should select a smaller screen if you carry your laptop lots. Usually a 14.1 inch screen is considered small. A 17 inch screen is considered big. A 17 inch screen is heavier and consumes extra battery life. You can find a 15 inch or a 15.4 inch.

7. The warranty. Every laptop computer should come with one year warranty from the maker covering only faulty equipment. You can also find an extensive warranty covering any accidents you may have.

8. The brand. Average brand of laptop is Dell, HP, Gateway, Acer and Compaq. The best brand of laptops is Sony, Toshiba, Alienware and IBM-Lenovo.