TH answered a Formspring question for me, and his answer was so in-depth, and so helpful that I thought it warranted an entire post. I realize this post probably would be more helpful right before Christmas or right before school starts, but hopefully you’ll bookmark it if you think it’s information that will help you out in the future. Aren’t I lucky to have such a smarty-pants living with me?

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1.       Brand: unlike desktops (where everything is easily replaceable), brand matters here. E.g. if keyboard keys start falling out you can’t just buy a new keyboard. The most sturdy laptop I’ve ever had was IBM/Lenovo, and I’m a huge fan despite how ugly they are. Dell, HP/Compaq and Toshiba are in the middle quality bracket. I’ve had multiple bad experiences with Gateways – they are not made to last. I haven’t tested Acer, so this is a wildcard for me. Also not sure about Sony, and even if they are quality the price premium is steep.

2.       Processor (CPU): Intel is the way to go on the normal-to-higher end, although if you are really price conscious AMD can outperform on the lower end. The two things to pay attention to are computing power and Thermal Design Power (TDP). For computing power, go to http://www.cpubenchmark.net/ to compare the rating for the specific laptops you are considering. Don’t buy too much into the marketing names (e.g. Core i3 vs. Turion II Neo), because even within each line the performance can vary by 2 times or more. So you’ll have to get the specific CPU model (e.g. Core i3-330UM) and check its benchmark. Most likely, you’ll be comparing multiple core i3/i5 CPUs to figure out how much premium you’re willing to pay for the extra power. The guys at CPUbenchmark.com even have a “bang-for-buck” comparisons to make your life easier. The second thing to consider here is TDP – the lower, the better. Try to stay below 20W, because past that it feels like you have a lightbulb on your lap. Also, the lower this number is the longer the battery will last (or the battery will be smaller/lighter, so you win either way). All this said, if you want a laptop that needs horsepower (e.g. for Photoshop), go with core i3/i5. If you just need a laptop as an addition to your desktop for mobility (net surfing, occasional movie, etc.), consider a cheap “net-top” with Intel Atom or an AMD processor with low TDP.

3.       Graphics processor (GPU): this one is a bit more tricky because there aren’t as many benchmarks. And unless you get a really high-end laptop, you’re not going to have much choice here. Unless you plan on gaming or watching high-def movies, don’t worry about it. Otherwise, google the card name and “games” or “1080p playback” and see what people are saying.

4.       RAM: for a desktop-replacement laptop, 4GB is a must. For a net-top, 2GB is plenty (you can even get away with 1GB).

5.       Hard drive (HDD): buy as much as you need, and keep in mind that you can get an external drive for cheaper if you have a lot of data to store. Solid-state drives (SSDs) are a lot faster that regular hard drives, but they are a lot more pricey as well and generally smaller in capacity. I have an SSD in my laptop, and to me it’s worth the speed increase (which is very significant), but the price tag is steep.

6.       Screen: LCD vs. LED is the battle today. For a laptop, the premium for an LED actually makes sense – it’s brighter and uses less power, so it’s probably worth a premium of $50-100. But don’t stress if you get an LCD laptop – many of them look great and the battery lasts long.

7.       Putting it all together: decide whether you want a top shelf, middle shelf, or a bottom shelf laptop, and then start lurking on http://www.dealsofamerica.com/cheap-laptop-deals.php (or a site of your choice). You’ll become familiar with all the options pretty soon, and when a great deal comes along you can snatch it right up.

And because I think some of you will ask, he has a Masters in Information Systems from the Marriott School of Management at BYU. He knows a thing or two about computers. :)

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