Holiday Gift Guide to Laptop Features

Laptops have become a universal accessory for modern life and the decision to buy one is very simple. It is the process of choosing the right brand and model, however, that can take some serious time and research. You need to make sure that you invest in a laptop that will best fulfill your computing needs, whether it be to run your business, organize your family’s digital photos, or browsing the Internet and social media. The brands and models are endless this shopping season, from Mac Pro to Toshiba laptops, and the choices can be overwhelming.

This holiday season, make sure you do your research before throwing down hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on your or your loved one’s digital future. Check out this laptop holiday gift guide of features in order to become a properly-informed laptop shopper.

Size and Weight

The size and weight of a laptop is obviously important, but beware of laptops that offer light weight and size that skimp you on performance. While shopping, make sure to pick a laptop up and see if it is something you are willing to carry around. There are now laptops available that are ultralight, ultra-thin, and still perform up to anyone’s savvy standards.

Processors (CPU)

These days, dual-core processors are standard and help any busy user with everyday multi-tasking duties. Processors will, however, vary depending upon the size and purpose of the laptop, and will directly impact the performance and battery life of the computer.

Memory (RAM)

When shopping for the right Mac Pro, Dell, or Toshiba laptop, make sure you check out the maximum memory its system can handle, as well as the amount that is already installed. Another useful tidbit to find out is whether a memory upgrade can be done by yourself or it it has to be done by a technician. The minimum amount of memory should be 2GB, with the ability to upgrade to 4GB for improved performance.

Display

A laptop’s video capabilities are determined by its display and video processor. Display is defined by screen size and resolution, which usually correlate: the larger the display, the higher the resolution. The video processor determines the performance of the computer with complex graphics and hi-def video. Wide screens are now a standard, but impact the portability of the laptop. You may have to trade off between display and video quality with portability, but there are still great Mac Pro laptops available that can give you the best of both worlds.

Drives

Hard drives determine the amount of storage space you need. When shopping for a laptop, you will find that drive size is fairly straight forward and will impact performance. Optical drives will play an important role if you are shopping for a PC, such as a Dell Inspiron, Acer Aspire, or Toshiba laptop.

Battery Life

What good is a laptop if it is constantly charging? Find the manufacturer’s listed battery life for their standard battery. You should look for a laptop with at least two hours of life under normal conditions. There are several Toshiba laptops available that are eco-consciously engineered with power-saving options and equip with ultra-low voltage processing, and qualified as Energy Star 5.0. And they charge will they sleep.

Warranty

Laptops live a portable life, and thus take tons of abuse. Make sure you get a minimum one year warranty from the manufacturer. If you have the option of a three-year warranty, it will cost more, but is a solid investment.

Don’t make an expensive laptop purchase without knowing what you need first. Use this buyer’s guide to laptop features to inform yourself before you invest this holiday season.

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Victoria Perez ink jet printer With a singular focus on shopping, Shopping.com offers shoppers easy-to-use search tools, engaging content and time saving navigation, along with millions of unbiased product and merchant reviews from the Epinions community, all in one place.