What To Look For In a Laptop Computer

Once only a tool for the traveling business professional, laptop computers have become a mainstay for computer users who seek the full features of a desktop with the ease of portability. With the myriad models, makers and types of laptops on the market, choosing the right one is a matter of finding your needs and pairing it to the machine that best fits them. Here are some tips to help choose the right laptop.

Student
A student typically wants a portable laptop at a low price. Fortunately, there are a plethora of low-cost, portable laptops on the market that a student can carry to class, surf the net, and write papers with. Many new netbook models can be obtained for well under $500. A netbook is a stripped down laptop that can be a great option for students. A good rule of thumb is to look for a computer with at least 1 gigabyte (GB) of RAM, 160 GB or more hard drive, and a display 13 inches or smaller.

Photographer or Videographer
Photographers or videographers have demanding needs for their laptop computers. Being able to quickly upload, edit, and burn media containing their video and photos are high priorities. For years, photographers and videographers have counted on Macs, and today is no different as the 15 and 17 inch Macbook pro is the laptop of choice for many photo professionals. Options to look for are a 15 to 17 inch screen, up to 8 GM of RAM and a large 500 GB hard drive that runs faster than 7,200rpm for speedy storage.

Business Traveler
Business travelers spend a good deal of their time on the road. Because of that, they will want a laptop that has the performance a desktop, with the durability to handle the road. Additionally, a business traveler is going to want to have security and management tools that will make their IT departments happy. Lenovo’s ThinkPad is a popular laptop that has business travelers in mind, with features such as Intel’s vPro platform and software and hardware components that work alongside your operating system.

Home User
A home user is someone who doesn’t fit in one of the other categories. Their needs are going to be diverse including watching videos online, uploading and sharing photos, listening to music, and working on word processing programs. While the system will typically stay stationary, it may be carried to various locations around the house or occasionally be taken on trips. For this reason, it is important to get a versatile laptop that has between 2 and 4 GB of RAM, 250 GB or larger hard drive, a display that is between 14 and 16 inches and a DVD burning optical drive. These specs will enable the user to do everything they need without spending too much money. A HP laptop can fit the job perfectly as they have a number models that can fit the bill.

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