Buying Guide

Notebook buying guide from http://www.which-laptop.com.au/

Notebook buying guides

Laptops come in a variety of sizes, ranging from ultra-portable devices that can easily fit in a purse to desktop replacements featuring 17 inch or larger screens. The first thing you should think about when buying a new notebook is what you’ll be using it for the most. If you’re a person who’s on the move and values mobility, then a smaller notebook with a high battery life should be on the top of your list. On the other hand, if you want mobility, but also the power to run more demanding software, then you should probably look at 15 inch notebook with relatively balanced features. If you want a notebook that can run all of the latest PC software games without having to buy a desktop tower, then the 17 inch and larger laptops with the latest in dedicated video cards may interest you.

Laptops under the 13 inch mark are geared towards portability, using only the most efficient hardware available for the sake of long battery life. Battery life is usually strong, ranging from 4 to 7 hours on a single charge depending on the laptop. The vast majority of these laptops at this size will use Intel’s GMA series onboard graphics, known for providing the best basic graphics performance, but inadequate for most gaming and 3D software. Another problem is that size constraints keep most, if not all dedicated video cards out of these notebooks.

15 inch notebooks bridge a gap between the performance of a 17 inch or larger laptop and the battery life of smaller laptops. Loaded with the latest in processor technology, these machines do not suffer the constraints faced by smaller laptops. This means that dedicated graphics cards such as the nVidia 9600M can be fitted. These cards do not have to rely on system memory and often perform much better than their onboard counterparts. Battery life varies from 2 to 4 hours depending on settings. These laptops are still relatively portable, although they are noticeably heavier than their smaller counterparts.

The biggest laptops are the 17 inch models, sometimes known as desktop replacements. This is because these machines can potentially replace a well-equipped PC tower by virtue of their equipped features. Some of these machines come with the best in dual and even quad-core processor technology, as well as dual video graphics cards and larger hard drives. The main drawback to these machines is the lack of portability due to their sheer size and weight.