DiscountLaptops.com Buyer's Guide

What kind of laptop should I buy?

In order to choose the right laptop, you'll need to figure out how you are going to want to use it, which will help you find the one with the right features at the right price. Look through these profiles to see which one matches your individual needs.

Home Users

More and more often, home PC users are turning to laptops and notebooks as their primary machines. Laptops offer an advantage for the home in the fact that they can offer similar performance and features as a desktop PC, yet can be moved around the house as needed. Almost any laptop will work for typical home use, though there are two types that are especially suited for it: desktop replacements, which are packed with features, and midsize laptops, which are budget-friendly without sacrificing usability.

Key Features for Home Users:

Students

Students, as well as others on a tight budget, should look for a laptop that delivers the most value for the price. Students need a notebook that, in particular, is light and small enough to carry around on campus but rugged enough to withstand the travel.

Key Features for Students:

  • CPUs: Intel Core Duo, Intel Core 2 Duo, AMD Turion 64, AMD Turion 64 X2
  • 1GB or more memory (RAM)
  • Big hard drive to store music and files
  • DVD burner for class projects and backups
  • Wireless and wired networking

Frequent Travelers

Size and weight are the two most critical factors in choosing a new laptop if you spend a lot of time on the road — even if it means sacrificing a little bit on features and performance. Ultraportables, the smallest and lightest laptops, weigh less than four pounds and are no thicker than a typical spiral-bound notepad.

Key Features for Travelers:

  • CPUs: AMD Turion 64, AMD Turion 64 X2, Intel Core Solo, Intel Core Duo,
  • At least 1GB of memory (RAM)
  • A 13-inch display or smaller
  • Extended battery life for long flights
  • Wireless and wired networking

Business Power Users

You need a well-balanced system if you rely on the same laptop at work, on the road, and at home. Additionally, it has to be able to deliver the performance to keep up with a wide range of applications.

Key Features for Business Users

Gamer or Multimedia Author

For some uses, you need a true desktop replacement. This gives you the portability of a laptop without having to sacrifice the features that you expect to see on a desktop. Whether you're designing web sites, editing movies or mowing down monsters, your laptop will need plenty of RAM, a powerful processor, great graphics and a healthy hard drive.

Key Features for Gamers and Multimedia Authors