Shopping For Laptops – 4 Important Features

Shopping for many is a real stress reliever. Sometimes, people go shopping just to get out of the house, without any real purpose in mind. Some people do not like to shop, and shopping for them is a dreaded chore that they want to get over with as soon as possible. Going shopping is a fun outing for many people, and sometimes people will just look around and not buy a thing. But, for many shopping is more of a means to an end and they are there to buy something specific.

When shopping for technical machinery, such as laptops it is good to have a plan of action, it is best to plan ahead and do the research prior to buying. It is best to know the features of the laptop that you want to buy and the models that fit your budget.

4 Important Laptop Features

For laptops, as other computers certain technological features are crucial in getting the right machine the first time

Processor: The processor of a laptop determines how fast a computer is and the speed is given in GHz. Today the best processor is the Intel Core 2 Duo; also AMD processors perform well for most laptop uses and functions. If you get a laptop with an inferior processor its performance will be hindered and in a couple of years you will have to swap it out for a newer one.

RAM Memory: RAM memory refers to the amount of programs you can run on your laptops without running into slow downs and causing the computer to drag, crash and freeze up. While for most tasks 512MB of RAM is sufficient, it is far better to get 1GB of RAM. 1GB will allow for much more diversity of running programs and is optimal for video watching, music file storage, 3-D graphics and gaming. Most people who get 512MB wind having to upgrade eventually to 1GB anyway so it is better to get it from the start.

All-in-one design: Unless you really need to buy a lightweight laptop, choose one with an internal bay for the optical drive. Simply put this drive lets you to swap in other devices, such as an extra hard drive or a second battery and is invaluable for diversity of laptop uses.

Screen size: The screen size dimension of laptops is measured diagonally across the screen. With laptops you do not want to sacrifice viewing comfort in order to gain portability. A screen larger than 14 inches is best to avoid strain on the eyes. Larger screens or wide screens result in heavier laptops and are more bulky but do provide a more comfortable experience whether you're surfing the net, gaming or watching movies.

It is important to look at brand names and models, as there is such diversity in prices for the very similar features and functions. Cheap laptops deals can be found online and avoiding retail stores can save shoppers lots of money.