Buying a laptop is quite a bit more involved than choosing a desktop machine.
By nature, laptop computers tend to be a great deal more idiosyncratic than desktop PCs, so choosing the right one is a great deal more subjective. In other words, you'll really want to scrutinize the feel of the keyboard, the size and weight of the machine, the screen, the battery life and even the packaging, as well as the price.
Naturally, you'll want to look at Web sites such as
PC Magazine or
CNET and the like to see their evaluations. Use these as guides, then do your own hands test and see how you feel about a particular machine. Here are some things to consider:
Keyboards have their own characteristics, and everyone has their preference as to what feels right. You'll want to check out the keyboard and play with the touchpad, pointer, etc. I have never found a built-in pointing device that I could use as well as a traditional mouse, and most of my colleagues concur. So you'll have to settle on what you can manipulate the best. If you're not comfortable with the feel, find one that you like.
Size and weight can be a big issue. If you travel a lot, you'll want an ultraportable. If you're choosing a replacement for a desktop, weight is not such a big factor. Some machines weigh up to 7 pounds, but you can find good ones in the 3- to 5-pound category.
Screen size and type is just as important as the feel of the keyboard. The easiest thing to do is run down to a computer store and see if the screen is easy on your eyes. The best screens utilize TFT, or Thin Film Transistor, technology, a.k.a. "Active Matrix," and that's what I'd suggest purchasing. Keep in mind, however, that screen size is directly related to weight. The bigger the screen, the heavier the machine. I learned this lesson the hard way.
Battery life varies quite a bit. If you travel on airplanes often, you'll probably want a machine that will run three hours or more.
Prices vary. You can spend $3,000 or more for a fully loaded box, but for me the sweet spot is between $1,000 and $2,000.
The upshot is to choose a quality manufacturer that looks and feels right to you. Ask questions about service, too. Chances are you'll have to send your machine to the mainland for servicing, so find out what the various policies are.
One last tip: For those who travel a great deal, pay special attention to the carrying case you buy for your laptop. Get one that enables you to easily remove your computer. Every airport I've been to in the past year and a half requires you to take the laptop out of the bag and run it through the scanner separately, so you may as well make it easy on yourself and the people behind you in the security line.
| Sleek Compaq 610c edges far less costly ThinkPad R40 I started by looking at the reviews and narrowed down my decisions to two manufacturers that have consistently produced world class technology - IBM and Compaq. I then looked at two reasonably priced, no frills models that would work for a home business or even a student.
After several weeks test driving them, here are the results.
The IBM ThinkPad R40 weighs about 6 pounds, starts at $849 with a mobile Celeron processor, 128MB of RAM, a 13.3-inch screen, and a 20GB hard drive. Naturally you can load up on more expensive options, such as a faster processor and a 15-inch display. Though inexpensive, it had classic IBM features - great keyboard, excellent screen, CD-ROM and ergonomically placed mouse pad and pointer. In no time at all I was comfortable with the feel (except of course, for the pointer). One thing I really like was its great battery life (more than 3 hours). This is an asset you normally find on higher priced machines.
What didn't I like? I would have also preferred a larger screen to the 13.3 inch model that IBM sent me. In summation, it's not a racehorse compared to the higher end models that IBM produces but it got the job done - Internet access, word processing and some light database work.
For a small business or a student I'd recommend it.
The Compaq 610c was love at first sight. This is a sleek, no-nonsense laptop with an excellent screen, great ergonomics and a built-in 802.11b wireless receiver. I liked the keyboard in particular, it had a light, crisp touch. Priced at $1,825 it came with a 40-gig drive and 2 gigahertz Pentium 4 mobile microprocessor. Battery life was excellent and there was a great "meter" on the desktop that advises you exactly how much time you have before the battery runs out. I got about three hours of continuous use, which is excellent.
The Compaq was powerful enough to let me utilize the machine as a desktop replacement and light enough - at about 6 pounds - to allow for carrying the machine home every night without breaking my back. I also liked the fact that this machine comes only with the OS installed. Since I already have most of the programs I'm going to use, I didn't have to buy software. This is one machine I'd buy for my own use and highly recommend. |
Oceanic Time Warner Cable's Community Website
