Laptop Computer Buying Guide (Screen Size, Hard Disk Space, Memory and Other Features)

Are you thinking to buy a new or used laptop and are confused how to choose the best laptop? What are the things that you must know before buying a laptop? What questions I must ask before buying a laptop?

Here I explain things you must know before buying a laptop:

Most laptops weigh between 1 - 2 kgs. Some of the newer models are slim and stylish and are very light-weight. Before buying a laptop, you must ask yourself as to where are you going to use it.

Are you going to use too often in your home? If yes, then you won’t mind getting a heavier one. Most of these heavier and bulkier laptops are loaded with new features and loaded with all kinds of features that you may need.

Are you going to use it in the office? If yes, get a laptop of medium weight because you will have to carry it to the office and back.

Are you always moving with your laptop? If yes, buy a thinner, lighter laptop that will fit into your office bag or briefcase.

Size of a laptop normally depends on the size of its screen. The smaller the screen size, the smaller will be the laptop. Most common laptop screen sizes are: 8.4, 12.1, 13.3, and 14.4 inches. For ease and convenience of work, I recommend to have a moderate to larger screen size. I have a laptop with small screen size from IBM but had to replace it because I was finding it uncomfortable to work with. Also the keyboard was smaller and uncomfortable.

A touchpad is a substitute for a desktop mouse. It is a square touch-sensitive surface located below the space bar of a laptop keyboard. In order to mode the cursor, you have to move your finger around this surface. It does the same work as a normal computer mouse. However, it is not easy to play the latest hard-core games using touchpad. New users may find it difficult to use but may get used to it soon. The touchpad is considered an input device for a laptop. 

When you go to buy a laptop, just use the touchpad and use it for minutes and make sure how it works. Most of them work fine.

Pointing Stick / Rubberized Nipple are another input devices used with a laptop. This tiny rubber dot (normally red in colour) is normally located between the G, H, and B keys, and it responds to pressure from your finger.

It works more or less like a joystick. You can move the cursor in the direction you want by moving the pointing stick to that direction. However, new users may not find it easy but once you get used to it, you may start liking it.

When you go to buy a laptop, make sure it has a pointing stick if your want.

Batteries of a laptop are one of its most important parts and you should proper attention when you buy a laptop battery or a laptop. These batteries are the UPS of a laptop. A good battery, once charged or recharged can give several hours of power supply to the laptop so that your work doesn’t get interrupted when the power goes off or when you are on the move where there is no power supply.

When buying a laptop, make sure to check how many hours the battery will run. You always want a battery that lasts long. Don’t you?

There are mainly 3 types of laptop batteries:

Li+: Li+ or Lithium-ion laptop batteriesare most common among laptop users. Lithium-ion has not yet fully matured and is being improved continuously. A lithium-ion battery provides 300-500 discharge/charge cycles. The best lithium-ion laptop batteries are those with a high milliampere and high voltage measurements. These batteries are considered good and safe.

NiMH: NiMH or Nickel Metal-Hydride laptop batteries are cheaper as compared to their counterparts. However these batteries do not last too long and need frequent recharge.

NiCad: NiCad or Nickel Cadmium laptop batteries are not reliable and trusted. These are considered the worst laptop batteries with lowest lasting and very frequent recharge.

Conclusion: When buying a laptop, make sure it has a Li+ or lithium-ion battery. If you get a battery better than this because of technological advancement in the near future, go for it.

At present, there are 2 types of laptop displays available in the market:active-matrix or a.k.a. (Thin-Film Transistor or TFT) and passive-matrix or dual-scan.

Active-Matrix (TFT) Display: Active-Matrix or TFT Laptop displays are more expensive than Passive-Matrix display. These display offer clear and sharp picture and video quality. These are the top favorites and most preferred laptop displays. Watching movies, 3D and graphics, hard-core games, all demand active-matrix display.

Passive-Matrix (Dual-Scan): These laptop displays use older technology and are cheaper than TFT. These are not as good as TFT and the video and image quality is not so good. These are good for people who work mostly with word processing, or excel or other such software. It is not recommended for video, graphics and hard-core gaming.

When you go to buy a laptop, prefer a TFT display. Move your finger across the touchpad to move the cursor across the screen. If the cursor disappears very fast while moving, the display is passive-matrix, and if you can track and keep your eye on the cursor, it is an active-matrix display.

All laptops have almost the same keyboard.

For your own comfort, you may use the laptop for few minutes and type something and see if you feel comfortable with it.

If you feel comfortable, go for it.

If want to buy a laptop that you can carry almost anywhere, go for a strong and shock-resistant one. It should have a shock-resistant hard drive mounts so that you don’t lose your data even if the laptop falls accidentally. . Durable and tougher laptops are specifically designed to protect your laptop from bumpy rides, crashes and accidents.

1. CD-Drive, DVD-Drive.
2. USP Ports.
3. External Mouse.
4. In-built microphone and camera.
5. RAM.
6. Hard Drive Size.
7. Operating System.
8. Software you may need.
9. Card Reader.
10. Internet Access.