Need Help Deciding?

More and more, home computer users are choosing notebook computers as their primary PCs.   What’s attractive about laptops is that they offer similar performance and features to those of a desktop PC but can be easily moved from room to room and easily put away when not in use.  The two best choices for home users are midsize notebooks, which tend to be budget-friendly, and desktop replacements, which cost more but are usually faster and packed with features.

Laptops come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, each with its own set of pros and cons. While the smallest laptops are the most portable and usually the coolest-looking, they also have smaller keyboards and displays, fewer features, and slower performance than larger models.  On the other hand, more full-featured laptops weigh more and may be a bit bulkier to carry and take up more space on your desk and in your carrying bag. Until the perfect laptop comes along, keep in mind that you may have to sacrifice some things to get what you want, so think about what's most important to you computing power, a complete set of features, long battery life, great looks, a small form factor, or a low price.  So let’s take a look at the different kinds of notebook computers available today.

First, there’s the so-called Ultraportable.  The smallest, most lightweight laptops are called ultraportables. Their compact form factor is really attractive to people that need to have their notebook computers with them all the time, like frequent business travelers. What you gain in portability will cost you in terms of weaker performance, smaller keyboards and displays, and fewer features. And of course ultraportable laptops almost always carry a premium price tag. Still, a compact, lightweight profile can make all the difference if you fancy yourself a road warrior. Ultraportable notebooks usually weigh in at 4 lbs or less, are an inch thick, and in some cases even thinner.  The screen varies from 5 inches all the way to 12 or even 14 inches.  Most feature anywhere from 80 to 120GB of hard drive space, an optical drive (CD or DVD), USB, modem, Broadband cable, and in some cases Firewire ports are included, as are built-in WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities.  Prices range from about $1,000  to $2,000 or so.

Next you have with I call the “thin and lightweight” notebooks, which I think offers the best combination of portability, performance, features, and cost.  Unlike ultraportables, most thin-and-lights have larger keyboards and displays, a larger hard drive, and a built-in optical drive. Yes, they're more expensive than slightly larger, heavier midsize laptops, but if you are looking for maximum productivity in a portable package, this is a choice you need to take a long look at.Thin and lightweight notebooks usually weigh in at somewhere between 4 and 6 Lbs and are close to 1 inch thick.  Displays vary between 12  to 14 inches, and in come cases come with wide-screen displays.  They are equipped with anything from midrange to fast dual core processors, come with up to 120 GB of hard drive, optical drives, the usual ports, Bluetooth and wireless built-in,  Prices usually range from $800 to $1400 or so fully loaded.