www.netbooknews.com Our gang checks out the upcoming 11.6-inch AMD Fusion powered Lenovo ThinkPad X120e laptop over at CES 2011.
Keywords: thinkpad, thinkpad x120e, lenovo, amd fusion, laptops, laptop, notebooks, notebook, ces, ces 2011, minipcpro
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Lenovo is a great brand name manufacturer of laptops. You will be hard pressed to find laptop models from Lenovo which are of inferior quality. In this article, we will take a look at the Lenovo X300 laptop, one of the latest models to be released by Lenovo.
1. Overview
The first thing you notice about the Lenovo X300? Its price. At 00 street, it is certainly not a cheap laptop. However, it goes head-to-head with the Apple MacBook Air in terms of weight- except that it has all the sensible, solid computing features a business traveler would need.
A few other things about the X300 - it comes with an integrated WWAN modem, a GPS chip, and a next-generation WiMax wireless chip. You also get standard 802.11n wireless, and the machine comes with Bluetooth 2.0.
2. Design
The Lenovo X300 comes in with measurements of 9 x 12 x 0.9 inches. That makes it thicker than the MacBook Air - however, once you consider the features in the X300, you'll realize what engineering went on behind the machine.
Besides a built-in optical drive, a 13.3-inch display and a full-size keyboard, you also get a magnesium alloy composite chassis (a common feature in all ThinkPads).
The Lenovo X300 also comes with a 64GB SSD (solid-state drive). Now that SSD is the reaons why the laptop is priced at a premium. You get speed with an SSD drive, but the storage capacity suffers because the price-per-megabyte for a SSD is simply too high.
3. Display
The 13.3-inch display screen has a 1440 x 900 resolution, which is unprecedented in almost every other ultraportable. Most other laptops come with a 1280 x 800 resolution.
3. Keyboard and Other Controls
The full-size keyboard on the Lenovo X300 is great for typing on. If you've used ThinkPads before, you will find the X300 keyboard to be right there in terms of comfort. You also get a TrackPoint pointing stick and a slightly compressed touchpad.
4. Ports and Connections
The Lenovo X300 comes with three USB 2.0 ports, but it lacks a Firewire and S-Video port. You have one VGA-out (unlike the ASUS U6S which has a HDMI port). All in all, those ports are more than enough for the business user.
5. Battery Life
The X300 is one of the longest lasting laptops I've seen. It provides, using its low-voltage CPU, over 5 hours of battery life. In comparison, the MacBook Air gave only around 3 hours. The machine is also PC Magazine GreenTech Approved for its power efficiency.
6. Shortcomings
The Lenovo X300 does not have many shortcomings - perhaps the only outstanding one would be the presence of the SSD. Instead of the pricey SSD, I feel that I could live with a bulkier laptop (with a conventional hard drive), plus all the other features found in the X300.
Conclusion
The Lenovo X300 is a powerhouse in terms of mobile computing. With its feature set, it will be a long time before a business traveler looks for another laptop. The only gripe is the pricey 64GB SSD - but if you or your company can overlook this, the Lenovo X300 is simply one of the best business laptops around.
Purchasing a laptop is such a daunting task. With all the laptop brands and models out in the market today, it will take you several months to pick which laptop is best for you. The flood of information can make things a lot more complicated. That is why, most often than not, we choose laptops that we thought are perfect, only to discover that it is a total mismatch to our needs and lifestyle. Choosing the perfect laptop brand will really entail plenty of time and effort.
If you are looking for the best, try looking into the best laptop brands of this year, as chosen by consumers and critics. Here is a brief list of the best and top selling laptop brands out in the market today:
1. Apple
Apple is undeniably the best and most innovative brands in the world of technology. It has developed the most lightweight notebooks and laptops, the best software programs for graphic design, the most innovative handheld gadgets, and more. Their three premium product lines include the Macbook, Macbook Pro and Macbook Air. Although quite expensive, they offer a great experience rendered to the user.
2. HP / Compaq
HP is a trusted name and highly distinguished for its wide array of products that caters to different segments of the market. There is always an HP laptop for you, no matter your social income, taste or preference. They have high end, middle end and low end products for everyone.
3. Dell
For high end gadgets at an affordable price, opt for Dell. Dell is the perfect choice for business and work, as well as for personal uses. The best laptops from Dell are Mini Net, Inspiron and Studio XPS for personal or home use. The Dell Precision and Latitude series are perfect for business use.
4. Toshiba
Toshiba prides itself for its high quality monitors, outstanding features, stylish designs and unparalleled laptop performance. Toshiba provides the most reliable laptops and notebooks in the world. Its best laptops include the Toshiba Satellite, Satellite Pro, Tecra, mini Notebook, Portege and Qosimo.
5. Sony
Sony is known for its premium features, assorted designs and multiple functions. Sony is recognized around the glove for its distinctive personality and the high end products it always develops. The Sonly laptop series are: Sony Vaio W Series, Vaio TT Series, Vaio Z Series, Vaio SR Series, Vaio CS Series, Vaio BZ Series, Vaio NW Series, Vaio FW Series and the Vaio AW Series. Each series cater to various segments of the market. In the laptop domain, there is no doubt that Sony is very much in demand.
6. Asus
Asus is a fairly new Taiwanese company that has exploded in popularity in 2009. Their Asus UL series is one of the best ultra slim laptops released. Moreover, Asus laptops have astounding battery life of up to 11.5 hours! They sometimes come in HD LED backlit display, tons of RAM and spacious hard disk space. Best of all, Asus laptops are rather affordable!
The Best Laptop Brands on the Market TodayRecently, in the world of laptops, there seems to be a major push to replace traditional Hard Disk Drives HDDs with the newer and speedier Solid State Drives SSDs. This issue presents a challenging question for future laptop buyers and especially for those considering buying a gaming laptop.
Which data storage system should you go with?
Now, SSDs or Solid State Drives are not new, they have been around since the 70's but were mainly used in niche applications in the past. Only recently have computer makers been utilizing SSDs for their machines, especially in laptops. Will these flash drives replace one of the last hold-outs of movable parts in data storage -- the hard disk drive?
What is a Hard Drive?
Most computer users are familiar with Hard Disk Drives since they are presently found in most computers and laptops. An HHD stores data on rotating magnetic platters which have different speeds, that's why you often see 5400rpm and 7200rpm associated with Hard Drives. Data is written to and read from these platters by a block of read/write heads, which are controlled by a micro-controller.
Since your information can be stored in different parts on a Hard Drive, the time needed to get and retrieve data can significantly vary. Keep in mind, these devices are movable mechanical parts so they are prone to all the problems associated with moving parts and can sometimes fail, i.e. crash. Most of us have been there, done that!
What is a Solid State Drive?
Now SSD is an entirely different creature from a Hard Disk Drive. Solid State Drives uses a flash memory chip managed by a micro-controller to store its data. The major thing to remember, SSD usually have slow write times but have very quick read times. Since most users read rather than write information, SSDs can be much faster than HDDs.
In addition, SSDs have no moving components so they are more durable and much quieter than traditional HHDs. Plus, you can use less power consumption and there are less problems with vibrations interfering with ongoing operations.
What you have probably already guessed by now, SSDs are perfectly suited for laptops and smaller devices such as netbooks. The growing popularity of these very handy portable machines has pushed SSDs to the forefront of computer technology. Our need for speed has always been insatiable, but so too, has our need to make things smaller and sleeker.
SSDs are better suited for these devices and all major laptop makers such as Dell, Apple, HP, Levono... have all lately begun to deliver laptops with SSDs. Toshiba, which is one of the world's largest semiconductor manufacturers, has also started producing laptops with SSDs. They also invented NAND flash memory, these chips are commonly used in different memory cards such as SmartMedia and CompactFlash. Again, the major advantages being the faster access times, lighter weight, less power consumption, more resistant to impact and much more durability.
Another trend where we see SSDs taking hold is in the netbook market. This is a relatively new trend since the netbook was only launched by Asustek in the fall 2007 with its first Eee PC. Other laptop makers such as Lenovo, MSI, HP, Dell... have all followed along and jumped on this very popular and growing sector of the laptop industry.
The Cost Of SSDs Are Higher
One of the major obstacles to using SSDs has to be cost. SSDs are more expensive than HHDs but prices will eventually fall as production costs decreases. However, for now there is a marked different and many laptop buyers will go with the cheaper HHDs.
Another related issue is the amount of memory SSDs can support. Because of the cost, many of the present day SSDs have comparably low storage amounts in order to keep the overall cost of a device down. However, we are now seeing larger SSDs which support 64 GB, 128 GB and 512 GB of memory. We even have one SSD drive which can store 1 TB (Terabyte) of data produced by PureSilicon.
Another thing to consider, with SSDs you don't need cache since system caches are usually made to solve hard drive performance problems. This can be a way to save money on future devices since cache is expensive.
The Future of SSDs
The real future of SSDs have to be realized in the growing popularity of ultra-portable devices like netbooks, mini-laptops and the like. The SSD is perfectly suited for these kinds of portable devices and as consumer demand grows stronger, the future of SSDs looks very promising indeed.
Another market for SSDs has to be in gaming laptops, which are ideally suited because gamers use their machines mainly to read rather than write data. Plus, gaming laptops and gamers want the best possible performance at whatever cost; they don't mind spending the big bucks if they can get top performances in return.
Major gaming specialists such as Alienware, do offer the option of SSDs in many of their laptops and even in some desktop machines. Other gaming laptop makers are following in the same direction. As with any technology there is a lag time before the old is replaced with the new. The traditional hard drives will be around for quite some time yet, but its days may just be numbered.
For the laptop buyer, which type of drive you finally choose will mainly depend on the purpose of your new device. If you're looking for a quiet, long lasting, speedy netbook that can take more than a few hard knocks, then you should be looking at a SSD equipped machine. If you want a traditional desktop computer or a desktop replacement laptop, then you can save money by going with an HDD equipped device, these have worked perfectly fine for years and will be around for some time in the future. Of course, if you're into gaming laptops and want a state-of-the-art machine, then a Solid State Drive may be your best option, assuming money is no object.
Gaming Laptops - Will Solid State Drives Replace Hard Drives?Some great laptop models for women are the X 2 Stylebook (the stylebook weighs about 3.9 pounds and is available in a large range of colors such as white, silver, pink, black, green and blue), Tulip E Go and Sony VAIO VGN T-350 (weighs 3.1 pounds). These laptops are very popular with women professional not just because they look extremely stylish and elegant but also because the technology used to make them is the very best. Some companies have gone as far as designing keyboards that can be used easily by women with long fingernails.
Companies that make laptops for women usually offer them in a larger range of colors than laptops targeted at male customers. One of the most popular laptop colors for women is pink. Pink is a feminine color and symbolizes a fun and effervescent personality. The top pink laptops currently in the market are Sony VAIO Netbook, Disney Netpal by ASUS, Lenovo S 10-2, Asus Eee PC 1005HA, Toshiba Mini NB205, Samsung N130 and HP Mini 110 - 1150 SA. You can choose from various shades of pink from hot pink ones to pale ones. Pink laptops are a hot favorite with women from all age groups - from teenage girls to more mature young at heart women.
It has been observed that women usually are more appreciative of smaller laptops. This is because the small design is easy to carry and store. These mini laptops are popularly known as netbooks. They have a very compact design (screen measures around 7 to 10 inches) and are lightweight. This makes them easier to carry than conventional laptops. The netbooks that are currently leading the mini laptop market are Assus Eee PC Netbook, HP Mini Netbook, Dell Inspiron Mini Netbook, Samsung Netbook and Sony VAIO Netbook. Mini laptops have a very good battery life and don't need to be charged very often. These sleek and slim laptops can even fit inside a handbag making them ideal for working women.
Pink Laptops For WomenIf you've been away from general society for a while, maybe you've gone on an extended trip overseas or something, you may not have noticed that more and more people these days are using computers. Compared to only a few years ago, when personal computers were considered a luxury, they are used today by pretty much everybody in every situation. In this article you'll learn a few reasons why you should own the most popular kind of computer today.
Despite the quickly growing popularity of hand held devices with increasingly complicated functions, the laptop computer is still the machine of choice for those who want to get some serious work done. Sure, smart phones, net pads and think pads are becoming more popular, but laptops are still preferred, according to sales statistics, and in this article you'll learn a couple reasons why. There's never been a better time than now to buy a new laptop.
The first, and obvious reason is portability. Laptops today are so small, compact, and lightweight, you can slip them into your shoulder bag and not even notice the difference. No matter where you go today, you can see people using laptops everywhere. Coffee shops, airports, libraries, even on park benches, people are opening up their machines and getting some work done.
One more great reason own one of these is that more and more places today are offering wireless Internet connectivity, or WiFi. Many cities today have free WiFi all throughout the city, and almost every coffee shop you'll find today has some kind of service plan, either a monthly, or a pay as you go plan. Some smart phones today even come with the ability to provide connectivity wherever you go, so as long as you have coverage for your phone, you'll be able to hook up your computer to the Internet, even if you are in the middle of the desert.
Additionally, the prices of these computers have dropped significantly in recent years. It wasn't too long ago where you'd expect to pay one or two thousand dollars for a decent machine. Now, most machines with sufficient operating power can be bought for four or five hundred dollars. Of course, if you're doing memory or processor intense work such as video editing, you can expect to pay a little bit more.
Whatever your reasons for wanting to get a personal computer, you can be sure to find exactly what you are looking for today. They are lightweight and compact, you can go online pretty much anywhere, and they are cheaper than ever. Once you get one, you'll be glad you did, and you'll wonder how you ever got along without one.
Top Reasons To Purchase A Laptop ComputerBack in the early nineties, I was in college. Miami Hurricanes was the best football team in the NCAA. Dan Marino was still the quarterback for the Miami Dolphins. Windows just came out. Students rarely require extensive use of a computer. Except those in the engineering and computer courses, of course. We had programming assignments that require constant use of computers. While there were ample terminals over at the computer lab, it was not conducive for me since I live off campus. Don't really want to stay too late in the computer lab.
Thus, I bought myself a 286 machine. Shared the cost with another student friend. Yes, we both didn't have to stay cooped up in the college computer room to complete our computer assignments. We did it all at home. Many of the other computer students also bought their own computers to enable them to complete their assignments at home. Basically, back then, students rely on computers at home. Notebooks? Yeah, it's the paper kind which we write on with pens and pencils.
Fast forward to the present day. The year 2008 saw the emergence of a new breed of notebook computers. ASUS was the first to bring about the Eee PC. A notebook which is small in many ways - price, size, weight, and features. It was the first sub USD0 notebook.
The other hardware vendors stayed away from the market. However, they kept a close look at it and paid attention to the market growth. Before you know it, many more hardware players joined in the bandwagon as the market for the sub USD0 machines boomed tremendously. Today, we see the big players like HP and Lenovo making their presence felt in this fast growing market segment better know now netbook. Low cost netbooks have made its way into the main stream and making headlines.
A student's life these days require that they are equipped with a computer. Assignments are now basically done on computers. No more passing of a handwritten documents. Everything needs to be neatly done in a word processor, spreadsheet, or presentation.
Today, we see students carrying laptops and notebooks everywhere in their college campus. How many of them can really afford a full fledge notebook? I'd say many can't afford one. To those parents who've sacrificed to get a notebook for their children in college, I absolutely bow my head to you. I know it's a big sacrifice, especially in Malaysia, where I live. The minimum cost of a basic low end notebook is about MYR2500. That's a lot of money for most parents over here in Malaysia.
This brings me to the first and probably the most important reason why the low cost netbooks make for the best lap tops for college students.
1. Low Cost
A basic netbook, currently costs around USD0. That translates to about MYR1300 in the Malaysian market. This means, parents and college students could save about MYR1000 if they get themselves one of these low cost netbooks instead of a regular notebook.
That's a huge savings. For parents who've got two children in college, they can basically get two netbooks for the same price of a single basic low end notebook. Thanks to these cheap netbooks, more students can now own a computer. If only they can somehow bring it even lower. How about below MYR1000? That would mean, a sub USD0. I do think it's possible. Maybe in a couple of years or so.
2. Light Weight
I am very familiar to the burden of having to carry a notebook around day in and day out. Yes, I am a notebook backpacker, and proud of it too. Every once in a while, I would have to like do some spring cleaning of my notebook backpack. Yes, after a few weeks, it'd be filled with papers and notes which I don't really refer to nor do I actually have a need for them. They are just there in the backpack, piling up after so many days at work.
The backpack alone, with the required paddings and what nots weighs handsomely. Add a notebook (3kg), a group of CDs and DVDs (0.5kg), and the above mentioned load of paperwork, I'd say I'm carrying around a good 5kg to 6kg of weight on my shoulder every single day.
At first, you don't really notice the heaviness of that 5kg. After a while, your shoulders and your back starts to ache and you begin to wonder why. Only then do you realize that it's probably caused by the sheer weight of that extra 5kg which you have to carry around daily.
The netbooks of today weighs in at about 1.5kg. Some would probably weigh more depending on the battery it's installed with. Not a lot more, however. A netbook with a 6 cell battery weighs in at about slightly less than 2kg. Still way better than a standard notebook.
College students, especially the ladies, would certainly benefit from the netbooks being light weight. Being as light as they are currently, college students can surely carry them around as they commute around the college campus from one class to another. No worries of a shoulder or back pain as the netbooks are very light indeed.
3. Small Footprint
When sitting in a lecture hall, there really is not much space for a college student to use. The seats are normally equipped with a small flexible table. Setting up a standard 14inch or 15inch notebook on these small table tops would be a hassle. There will not be any room left for anything other than the notebook.
Here lies the beauty of a netbook. Netbooks are size at a mere 10inch, some even smaller. They just fit in nicely for a lecture hall environment. Set one up on that small flexible table, and you probably would have a tiny bit of space left to put anything small. A small Post It Notes perhaps? An MP3 recorder perhaps?
The sheer small size also means that the netbook need not be carried in a notebook backpack. Ladies can probably just dump the tiny unit into their handbags. Of course, it's not going to fit if they use those tiny little handbags that really can't fit anything but their facial makeover items.
A standard (is there such a thing) coach handbag will certainly fit a 10inch netbook nicely. No one would even suspect that there is computer in the handbag.
4. Communication Features
Almost all netbooks currently are configured with a handsome lot of communication features. It's got speakers, cameras, wifi, and bluetooth for a start. These components are already good enough to allow users to communicate with ease over the internet.
Social networking? Chatting space? Skype? Yahoo Messenger? Google Chat? FaceBook? MySpace? Video conferencing? Just name it. Even the most basic low cost netbook is more than capable of allowing its' users to utilize all the above mentioned communication channel. That is why a netbook, even the most basic ones are already more than capable to allow college students to communicate with their peers from wherever they are.
5. Style
Have you seen these low cost netbooks? Don't they look awesome? One thing is for sure, the manufacturers are really putting in their effort to make these tiny units look exceptionally good. The finishing they've put on these netbooks are simply pleasing to the eyes. A true eye candy, I might say so myself. They come in multiple choice of colors. You name it, they come in orange, blue, red, yellow, gray, black, green, and many more.
Now wouldn't you agree that the low cost netbook makes for the best lap tops notebook computer for college students? I certainly think so. Why not? Well, of course, its not going to be suitable for all college assignments. As long as the student understands the limitation of the Atom CPU, it would be just dandy. Surely they can't expect the small netbook to be capable of rendering 3D motion graphics for them. It would also not be suitable to compile really complex engineering calculations and large programming compilation jobs.
I'd say that netbooks will be the must have gadget for college students pretty soon, if not already. You wouldn't be cool without one.
5 Reasons Why a Low Cost Netbook is the Best Lap Top Notebook Computer For College StudentsComputers are the backbone of today's world. A lot of functions are being executed on computer systems and their uses have increased significantly in the recent times. With phenomenal developments taking place, the shapes, sizes and designs of computers have also changed. Now one can find portable computers also which can be carried anywhere. Considering these factors, the computer market is growing with a rapid speed.
The portable and movable computers are the need of the world today. Not only the business world but the common households are the places where laptops are being used. These have given a new dimension to the businesses today. Such devices allow people to work on important projects anywhere and anytime. The lighter and smaller notebooks are quite popular among all sections of society. Students, teenagers, adults or busy housewives, everyone wants to have a lighter and portable computer for him or her.
The invention of internet technologies has given another boost to the portable computers market. People can access to the world of internet by connecting their laptops with data card or mobile phones. This connectivity feature helps users to execute the important works even while they are traveling. The lowering prices have also helped in the expansion of the notebooks industry. Another important benefit of using these is the less noise produced by them. At the same time, less power is required to run a notebook than to run a desktop. The picture quality is also better in this case.
Different websites and portals are the best places to shop. One can find different varieties of laptops online. The dedicated portals give many benefits to the customers so that they can attract maximum traffic to their site. While shopping for these, one should look for high quality Micro Processor, RAM and Operating system. The speed and storage capacity of hard disk are the other features that make the difference. The cheap laptops are also available on different websites which give satisfying facilities to the users. These may not score well in terms of design and colour combination, but the operating capabilities are of world class.
Many portals give the facility to compare laptops brands launched by different manufacturers. This exercise gives a detailed idea about the advantages and disadvantages of different models available in the markets. Currently, the best laptops are being produced by HP, Lenovo, Toshiba, Acer, Compaq, etc. These companies are pioneer in the industry and have produced many attractive portable computers. The notebooks are not only used for professional purposes but they are meant for various entertainment purposes also. Watching movies, listening to songs, capturing pictures and making movies are some of such works.
The best laptops are those which are light in weight, have high resolution screen and fast processing speed. Today, one can have the movable computers which provide mammoth hard disk space of 160 GB and processing speed of 2 GHz. These are normally operated on a single battery which gives three hours as back-up time. Many other features have been added recently such as face recognition system, web camera, touch screen, DVD writer, etc. These features give a wonderful experience to the users to work on such electronic devices.
In order to capture larger market share, a stiff competition is going among different manufacturers. Each of them is claiming to give some or the other benefits to the customers. For example, Toshiba boasts of providing the sleek laptops. HP is not far behind and has introduced some amazing and stylish products. The sound quality and durability of HP products are unmatchable. Acer provides cheap laptops to the medium class buyers. Dell computers have also produced some wonderful notebooks in the markets worldwide and the N-series portable computers are getting huge demands. Overall, it can be seen that all types of such devices are being developed so that the customers could get what they want. The future of movable computers industry seems to be more promising and exciting.
Laptops are Ruling the World TodayBuying a laptop computer that will suit your specific needs usually takes some serious time and research. The important thing to keep in mind is that different users needs different notebooks. The very first thing you need to do is to carefully think about what you'll be using your new laptop computer for. Once you now this you will have less problems finding the right model.
Here are eight things to consider when buying a laptop computer:
1. The ports. You should make sure that laptop has lots of USB ports for devices such as printer, mouse, flash drive, digital camera, etc. If your laptop does not come with many USB ports, you will need an USB hub. If you plan to connect your laptop to a TV, you will need an s-video port.
2. CD/DVD. Most of laptops come with a CD writer and DVD reader drive. If you want to copy DVDs, you will need a DVD writer drive. At this time the maximum speed for burning a DVD is 16X.
3. The hard drive. The speed of hard drive is measured in rpm or Rotations per Minute. Try to find a laptop that has 4200rpm or 5400rpm. A laptop with 40 Gigabytes is sufficient for an average person.
4. The memory. Your laptop should have at least 1 GB of memory. However, you can get a notebook with 512 MB and work with Windows XP. You should avoid a laptop with only 256 MB of memory.
5. The processor. You can choose between Intel and AMD. At the moment, Intel has the best processor for a laptop called the Core 2 Duo. The speed of processors is measured in Gigahertz. The bigger the number, the faster the processor is. There are also Dual-Core processors. It means they can process two things at the same time. As a result, the power of the processor is doubled.
6. Size. You should choose a smaller screen if you carry your laptop a lot. Typically a 14.1 inch screen is considered small. A 17 inch screen is considered big. A 17 inch screen is heavier and use up more battery life. You can get a 15 inch or a 15.4 inch.
7. The warranty. Each laptop computer should come with one year warranty from the manufacturer covering only defective equipment. You can also get an extended warranty covering any accidents you may have.
8. The brand. Average brand of laptop is Dell, HP, Gateway, Acer and Compaq. The better brand of laptops is Sony, Toshiba, Alienware and IBM-Lenovo.
8 Things to Consider back Buying a Laptop ComputerThinking about getting a new laptop or even your first laptop? Buying a laptop is an important decision and before you buy online you need to establish the primary purpose of your laptop as this will dictate the specifications you need.
While you may consider that all laptops are roughly the same one look at the range of prices will convince you otherwise. There is a definite danger that you will pay too much for a high performance or ultra portable laptop that you really don't need or pay too little and end up with a laptop that's not capable of performing your everyday tasks or fit for purpose. By having an idea of how you will use your laptop and ideally what programmes you will want to run, you will be closer to making an informed decision on the right model for you.
The following are 5 key questions you should ask yourself before looking at the various laptops on offer:
1. How portable does it need to be?
This will dictate size and weight considerations but also battery life.
2. Will I be storing lots of large files such as images, music and video?
This will determine how important the size of the hard drive is in your decision.
3. Do I want to load specialist software on my laptop such as Photoshop?
This will have implications for the processor speed and the amount of RAM you require.
4. Will it be used for entertainment purposes?
Large screen sizes, dedicated graphics cards and the quality of speakers will become important as well as the type of optical drive the laptop has.
5. How much can money can I afford to spend?
Budget constraints will dictate where you may have to compromise on features and performance.
Buying a Laptop - 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Start LookingI went looking for the lightest notebook computer the other day and after a couple hours of searching I was getting pretty frustrated. "Ultalight notebook computer", "light weight notebook computer" - I kept trying different approaches.
What I found was a lot of old machines - 1, 2, even 3 years old. And a ton of spam websites that took my search keys and created a dynamic page. That left going to the manufacturers and looking at actual product specs to see who actually has the lightest notebook computer. Fortunately I finally found a list to start from so here they are - the light weights.
The Fujitsu LifeBook Q2010 weighs in at 2.2 pounds with a 12.1 inch screen. Unfortunately it has a 1.2Ghz processor and a 30 GB hard drive though it comes with XP Pro and a DVD writer.
The Dell Latitude D420 also has a 12.1 inch screen and is significantly less expensive but again 1.2 GHz and a slow (4200rpm) 30 GB HD and it weighs around 3 pounds. It also comes with 512MB of DDR2-533 SDRAM on an integrated DIMM. The upgrade to 1GB or to 1.5GB is reasonable, but the 2GB configuration costs an extra 00 (probably because it requires a 1.5GB DIMM).
The Sony VAIO VGNTX750PB weighs 2.76 pounds. it has a smaller screen (11.1 inches) than some of the others, a 1.2 GHz processor, but it includes an 80GB hard drive and a DVD+-RW dual layer combo Drive. The memory is upgradeable to 1.5 GB.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X60 at 3.3 pounds has a 1.66GHz Core Duo, a 12.1 inch screen and a 60 GB hard drive. The memory is theoretically upgradeable to 4GB, but it has no optical drive. You need to get a ThinkPad X6 Ultrabase to add a CD or DVD drive. That kind of hampers its mobile uses.
The Averatec AV2260, weighing in at 4 pounds, comes with a 1.8 GHz AMD Turion 64 Mobile, a 12.1 inch screen, 1GB installed DDR-SDRAM, an 80GB hard drive and a DVD+-RW Dual Layer Combination Drive. So it's a little like an overweight Sony on steroids. It's also the least expensive of the six lightweights. The others run from around 00 to over 00 depending on the seller and configuration.
Though slightly heavier at 4.4 pounds, the HP Compaq nc6400 is unusual in having a 14.1 inch Wide XGA screen. It comes with a 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo Processor, 1GB of DDR2 SDRAM, a 60GB hard drive and a DVD/CDRW Drive. The lowest price I saw in a quick search, was 59.99. Most of the models I saw were being advertised with 80GB drives and DVD+-RW/DVD-RAM optical drives, rather than the 60GB and DVD/CDRW drives.
Obviously the lightest notebook computer in this list is the Fujitsu. If you really want an ultralight notebook computer then you will have to accept some sacrifices. Personally, I think I'd rather have a more capable machine. I also don't like the small screen sizes on the very light notebooks.
As with any computer purchase it's critical that you carefully analyze just what you're going to do with a machine. Lightweight notebooks are nice simply because they're less hassle to lug around, but there compromises involved that may make extra weight a less significant issues. Aside from tending to be more expensive, a light weight notebook computer will almost always have a smaller screen and a more compact keyboard than heavier notebooks. The real question you need to ask yourself isn't "What's the lightest notebook computer?" it's "What's the lightest notebook computer that meets my requirements?"
So What's The Lightest Notebook Computer AnywayMini laptops or netbooks are the new category of laptops, they are designed as a secondary system that you can carry anywhere you go. Their size is a little bigger than a paperback book, they weigh less than 3 pounds and have battery-saving features. Mini laptop displays are about 7 to 10 inches together with about 512MB to 1GB of RAM and a traditional hard drive. Unlike other laptops, netbooks have slower energy saving processors, so games won't run as well.
If you are in the market for a netbook here are some things to look for and watch out for:
First you have to know what you want to use it for and what your budget it. If you are looking for a full featured laptop computer then don't buy a mini laptop or netbook. The processor of a netbook is less powerful than a common laptop, this is to provide longer battery life. Mini laptops are good for doing homework on a word processing program, surfing the internet, working on spreadsheets or other office work and presentations. Buy a netbook with a screen size of 8.9 inch or larger, because if your screen is small the disadvantage is you won't be able to read an entire web page. This is less of a problem if you have a larger screen. Get a 6 cell battery for it will offer you a whole lot more running time compared to the standard 3 cell batter. Aside from the additional cost you may find it a little heavier, but I think the trade-offs are worth it. Try out the keypad first, and see if you're comfortable with it. Also check the software that comes pre-installed. Is it everything you need? Shop around, list all the prices you find and compare them.
Do not load heavy applications on your mini laptop, since they are mini they do not have as much memory compared to normal laptops. It is also important for you to know which operating system is best for your mini laptop. Here is some information of the two most commonly used operating systems on mini laptops.
Linux: It considerably lessens the chance of a malware attack because of its smaller user base. The makers also designed its interface to be as easy as windows. There is just one disadvantage, you might have a hard time installing new programs and may need to do some tinkering in the command line. On the whole Linux is getting easier to use all the time, but I would still say only more computer savvy people should choose it for now.
Windows: This is mainly the most common operating system for mini laptops. This OS is compatible with almost every accessory or software program in the market. But because of their massive market share, they are targeted by malware attacks. So you have to have a strong security program.
Mini laptops are much cheaper compared to a normal laptops. So it is easier for you top find a cheap mini laptop deal online. Today there are lots of trustworthy sites online, and if you are not sure if they can be trusted you could always check reviews of them online.
How to Choose a Mini Laptop Or Netbook ComputerBEAUTIFUL INSIDE AND OUT. The IdeaPad® U400 designer notebook is ultraportable and yet uncompromised, with the performance of the 2nd generation Intel® Core™ i5-2430M processor and an integrated DVD drive. Its minimalist, book-shaped design combines tactile materials like the one-piece, full-aluminum shell and cool-touch palmrest, with smart technologies including the unique Breathable Keyboard that allows air to enter through the keys, so the PC can run cooler on your lap, while Enhanced Experience 2.0 for Windows® 7 with RapidBoot technology starts your PC seconds faster than a typical Windows® 7 PC.
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Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. You can even watch, pause, and rewind TV or record it to watch whenever and wherever you want. For the best entertainment experience, choose a PC with Windows 7.
Simplifies everyday tasks, works the way you want, and makes new things possible.
Windows 7 and Windows Live bring it all together for free. Get the free set of programs that make it simple to create and share amazing photos and movies, organize mail, and stay connected with your closest friends.
Windows Live is available for free at download.live.com.
* Additional hardware may be required. Not available in all countries. (See windows.microsoft.com/products/windows-7/system-requirements/ for more information.)
** Requires a compatible microphone, speakers or headset, webcam, and broadband connection.