Quick Guide to Buying a Student Laptop
Learn the Lingo
- Centrino Centrino Intel's collection of technologies, including a CPU and wireless technology.
- Core 2 Duo Core 2 Duo Intel's latest CPU, the current performance leader; part of Centrino.
- Wi-Fi Wi-Fi Wireless networking with a range of a few hundred feet; part of Centrino.
- Wireless broadband Wireless broadband A built-in technology allowing high-speed access on the cell phone network.
- TFT TFT A thin film transistor; also known as an LCD.
- HDMI HDMI High-Definition Multimedia Interface provides a single-cable digital connection for both video and audio.
- HD DVD HD DVD High-definition DVD; now appearing in a few laptops, these discs have a capacity of up to 30GB but are read-only for now.
- DL DVD DL DVD Dual-layer DVD; this optical format has a capacity of 8.5GB.
- Blu-ray Blu-ray The other HD optical standard, many notebook Blu-ray drives now let you save your own data to discs up to 50GB in capacity.
- ExpressCard ExpressCard An update to the PC Card format, the thick business-card-sized slot used for some peripherals.
The Basics
There are 4 main types of laptops :
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Ultralight
Pros: Extreme portability, designed for long battery life
Cons: Minimal power, very expensive, less durable
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Tablet
Pros: Swiveling touch screen, good for note-taking; compact
Cons: Limited power; generally expensive; designed mainly for business, not students
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Budget/Mainstream
Pros: Best prices, good power, lots of features
Cons: Less portable, beware of stripped-down models
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Desktop Replacement
Pros: Extreme power, biggest screen, best for gamers
Cons: Terrible battery life, expensive, not at all portable
What Matters Most
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- Screen Size
- The bigger the screen, the more you'll enjoy using it and the more efficient you'll be, but bigger screens mean heavier loads, shorter battery life, and a bigger price tag.
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- CPU and RAM
- These three specs are the core of your laptop: Get an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU and 1GB of RAM at a minimum. If you plan on doing any gaming, you'll want a real graphics card from Nvidia or ATI, not "integrated" graphics.
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- Battery Life
- Most notebooks will get you through a 90-minute class, but few offer battery life beyond a couple of hours. Invest in spare batteries and tweak your system to save power when you're unplugged.
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- Price
- It doesn't make sense to shell out big time for a starter notebook. See if your school offers discounts or rebates on certain models, consider buying refurbished, and get a warranty if you're prone to taking spills in the quad.
Dig Deeper
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