Laptop Notebooks

Before you even think about what kind of laptop you want to buy, you should think about what exactly you will be using it for. If you are someone who simply wants a way to check their email or browse through some online shopping, you will most likely not be needing a top of the line expensive machine. For example, I wanted a laptop I could use professionally, (doing word documents, spread sheets, etc) but still could have a lot of fun on, (like playing some games, or watching a movie, or listening to music). But how do you know whether your machine can do any of this? In fact, how can you judge the quality at all? Get ready for a crash course in getting to know computers (I promise, not scary at all!).

Laptop Notebooks

If we look up a computer, laptop or desktop, you should find a listing of the specs, or specifications. This is a list of what the computer is made up of. This is where you will learn what your machine will be capable of.

Memory: No, this doesn't mean what your computer remembers, or the storage capacity, or anything like that. Memory is the amount of programs you can run simultaneously on your computer without it choking up. Any "decent" computer nowadays comes with at least 2 GB (or gigabytes) or memory. 4 GB of memory is superb. If you want to get an idea of how much memory a program uses, hold down the "Ctrl," "Alt," and "Delete" keys simultaneously. you will get a window that pops up that tells you what programs you are using right now. If you click on the "Processes" tab, you will see how much memory those programs are using.
Hard drive: This specification is how much "stuff" your computer can hold. How many files you can save on there, how much music, etc. 250 GB is a decent amount of space, and you can always find solutions to space problems, by having external hard drives and the likes.
Operating System: Not that there is much to discuss here, but it is worth mentioning that if you were to go out right now and buy a notebook laptop, it will most likely come with a Windows Vista operating system. Now, there are those that strongly criticize Vista, but my laptop came with it, and I have had zero problems, and any typical user should share the same experience.

With these simple things under your belt, you should be able to narrow down your computer search, and save yourself from buying something you don't need.

Now, as for brand names, there is a lot of prestige surrounding the "Macbook," and it is also very expensive, so personally I believe that if you don't know whether or not you need a Macbook, definitely think twice before even considering one. It is a terrific piece of equipment, with some very nice perks but completely superfluous if you just want something affordable to check your mail with.

As for other brands, HP and Dell seem to be the two most popular, but, excluding Apple products, the brand name won't tell you nearly as much about the quality of the computer as the specs. Always check the comments about a product before you buy it, and if many people are leaving discouraging notices about the quality of the product they bought, avoid it. I looked up laptops online and checked what other people were saying even though I was buying mine from a Costco (just goes to show you not to discriminate about where you buy your laptop).