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| FORUMS |
ELECTRONICS FORUMS  Get real-world advice from others about choosing a new computer, printer, peripherals, etc. |
Important features Laptop & notebook computers
Laptops generally come with a single- or dual-core processor. Cheaper laptops come with a single-core processor such as the Intel Celeron or AMD Sempron, which are fine for basic Web browsing and e-mail. For those with greater needs, dual-core processors such as the Intel Core 2 Duo and AMD Turion 64 X2 are recommended.
Laptops come with a 60- to 250-gigabyte hard drive and 512 megabytes or more of random-access memory (RAM). We recommend at least 1GB.
Laptops use a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. In Consumer Reports tests, a normal battery provided two to nearly five hours of continuous use when running office applications. (Laptops go into sleep mode when used intermittently, extending the time between charges.) You can lengthen battery life if you dim the display, turn off wireless devices when not needed, and use only basic applications. Playing a DVD movie uses more battery power than other functions, but most laptops should be able to play one through to the end. Many laptops can accept an "extended" battery, adding size and weight but giving as much as twice the battery life.
A laptop's keyboard can be quite different from that of a desktop computer. The keys themselves might be full-sized (generally only lightweight models pare them down), but they might not feel as solid. Some laptops have extra buttons to expedite your access to e-mail or a Web browser, or to control DVD playback. You can attach a USB keyboard, which you might find easier to use.
A 14- to 15-inch display, measured diagonally, should suit most people. Displays that are 17 inches are becoming more common. A resolution of 1,280x800 (WXGA) pixels (picture elements) or more is better than 1,024x768 (XGA) for viewing the fine detail in photographs or video, but it might shrink objects on the screen. You can use settings in Windows to make them larger. Most models are offered with a display that has a glossy surface instead of a matte one. Those look better in bright ambient light as long as you avoid direct reflections. Try to view the screen in bright light before buying. A "wide aspect" display (WXGA or WSXGA) fits wide-screen DVD movies better.
A new display technology called LED-backlit LCD is making its way into laptops. It's supposed to be more power-efficient and provide a brighter picture.
Most laptops use a small touchpad in place of a mouse-you slide your finger across it to move the cursor. You can also program the pad to respond to a "tap" as a "click," or to scroll as you sweep your index finger along the pad's right edge. An alternative system uses a pointing stick the size of a pencil eraser in the middle of the keyboard. You can attach a USB mouse or trackball, if you prefer.
Laptops usually include at least one PC-card or Expresscard slot for expansion. You might add a wireless-network card or a cellular modem if those are not built in.
Some laptops offer a connection for a docking station, a $100 to $200 base that makes it easy to connect an external monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, network, and power in one step.
Most laptops let you attach those devices anyway, without the docking station. At least two USB ports, for easy hookup of, say, a printer, digital camera, or scanner, is standard. A wired network (Ethernet) port is common, as is a FireWire port for digital-video transfer. An internal wireless-network (Wi-Fi) adapter is standard. Another option is an internal Bluetooth wireless adapter to link to a cell phone or another laptop.
A growing number of laptops include fingerprint scanners for security and as a convenient alternative to typing a password when logging in.
For backing up files or transferring them to other computers, you can use a USB memory drive (about $20 and up), which fits on a keychain and holds as much data as a CD-R, or save files on a writeable CD or camera-memory card. The small speakers built into laptops often sound tinny. Headphones or external speakers deliver much better sound.
Laptops generally come with a single- or dual-core processor. Cheaper laptops come with a single-core processor such as the Intel Celeron or AMD Sempron, which are fine for basic Web browsing and e-mail. For those with greater needs, dual-core processors such as the Intel Core 2 Duo and AMD Turion 64 X2 are recommended.
Laptops come with a 60- to 250-gigabyte hard drive and 512 megabytes or more of random-access memory (RAM). We recommend at least 1GB.
Laptops use a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. In Consumer Reports tests, a normal battery provided two to nearly five hours of continuous use when running office applications. (Laptops go into sleep mode when used intermittently, extending the time between charges.) You can lengthen battery life if you dim the display, turn off wireless devices when not needed, and use only basic applications. Playing a DVD movie uses more battery power than other functions, but most laptops should be able to play one through to the end. Many laptops can accept an "extended" battery, adding size and weight but giving as much as twice the battery life.
A laptop's keyboard can be quite different from that of a desktop computer. The keys themselves might be full-sized (generally only lightweight models pare them down), but they might not feel as solid. Some laptops have extra buttons to expedite your access to e-mail or a Web browser, or to control DVD playback. You can attach a USB keyboard, which you might find easier to use.
A 14- to 15-inch display, measured diagonally, should suit most people. Displays that are 17 inches are becoming more common. A resolution of 1,280x800 (WXGA) pixels (picture elements) or more is better than 1,024x768 (XGA) for viewing the fine detail in photographs or video, but it might shrink objects on the screen. You can use settings in Windows to make them larger. Most models are offered with a display that has a glossy surface instead of a matte one. Those look better in bright ambient light as long as you avoid direct reflections. Try to view the screen in bright light before buying. A "wide aspect" display (WXGA or WSXGA) fits wide-screen DVD movies better.
A new display technology called LED-backlit LCD is making its way into laptops. It's supposed to be more power-efficient and provide a brighter picture.
Most laptops use a small touchpad in place of a mouse-you slide your finger across it to move the cursor. You can also program the pad to respond to a "tap" as a "click," or to scroll as you sweep your index finger along the pad's right edge. An alternative system uses a pointing stick the size of a pencil eraser in the middle of the keyboard. You can attach a USB mouse or trackball, if you prefer.
Laptops usually include at least one PC-card or Expresscard slot for expansion. You might add a wireless-network card or a cellular modem if those are not built in.
Some laptops offer a connection for a docking station, a $100 to $200 base that makes it easy to connect an external monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, network, and power in one step.
Most laptops let you attach those devices anyway, without the docking station. At least two USB ports, for easy hookup of, say, a printer, digital camera, or scanner, is standard. A wired network (Ethernet) port is common, as is a FireWire port for digital-video transfer. An internal wireless-network (Wi-Fi) adapter is standard. Another option is an internal Bluetooth wireless adapter to link to a cell phone or another laptop.
A growing number of laptops include fingerprint scanners for security and as a convenient alternative to typing a password when logging in.
For backing up files or transferring them to other computers, you can use a USB memory drive (about $20 and up), which fits on a keychain and holds as much data as a CD-R, or save files on a writeable CD or camera-memory card. The small speakers built into laptops often sound tinny. Headphones or external speakers deliver much better sound.
