What is a Laptop?

Choosing a laptop that suits your needs is more than simply getting the right specification for the right price. Unlike a desktop PC, you can’t easily add a new screen or keyboard, so it’s best to choose a good one from the start. If you get the chance, go to a superstore and physically test out the machines on offer. What makes a good laptop? It’s the combination of quality components and well thought out design. Here are a few things you need to consider.

Keyboard
The keys on a laptop aren’t as big as those on a desktop PC and, depending on the size of the laptop, you may fi nd the keyboard feels cramped. Keys should be well spaced and solidly mounted. If they rattle when you type, this is a sign of a poor keyboard.

Screen
This needs to be large enough for you to use comfortably, but if weight is an issue, consider opting for a smaller panel. If you want to watch DVDs, opt for a Super-TFT screen, which has a glossy coating, as this is much better for movies.

Quick access buttons
Most laptops have an array of buttons above the keyboard that allow you to instantly start your favourite applications, such as email or internet. You can configure them to your own needs.

Touchpad
Laptops don’t use a mouse; they use a touchpad, which acts in the same way, but is an oblong strip in front of the keyboard. Some laptops use a Pointing Stick, which is a rubber dial set into the keyboard. Both can be tricky at fi rst. You can add a mouse if you don’t like this method, so don’t be too worried about it.

THINK ABOUT:

The inside of a laptop is made up of different components, each working together to run a program, load a web page or play a game. You’ll need a basic idea of what each one is in order to choose the right one for you. On the following pages we’ll go a little deeper into what you want and why. For now, you need to be aware of a few terms:

Hard Drive: This is a disk that physically holds all your photos, music and videos and the larger the capacity the more you can store. Hard drive capacities start at 80GB and can go up to 500GB at present, but we’ve found that 80GB is often more than enough for most people. Larger laptops often hold two hard drives.

Processor: This is the heart of any laptop and processes the data input into a laptop. It’s a chip that is located inside and calculates millions of operations a second. You don’t necessarily have to have the fastest chip, but getting the latest technology means you’ll be able to run tasks faster.

Memory: While the hard drive stores your data, it’s rather slow, so when the CPU needs anything, the data will be loaded into memory. The amount of memory in your laptop will determine how quickly the processor will run. Aim to have at least 1024MB and, if your budget will allow, have more as you’ll really see the difference.

Graphics: There are two types of laptop graphics available – integrated and dedicated – and getting the right one when you buy your laptop is vital, as you can’t upgrade later. Integrated is the cheapest and is intended for running basic functions, so if you want to play games you’ll need to make sure you have a dedicated graphics card.