CNET laptop buying guide
What kind of laptop is right for me?
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The CNET editors' guide to laptops clues you in to what you need to know, from finding the type of notebook that fits your lifestyle to all of the latest trends.
What kind of laptop is right for me?
To choose the right notebook--one with the right set of features at the right price--you'll need to figure out how you'll want to use your machine. Match your needs to one of these user profiles to get started.
User types: Home user | Student | Frequent flier | Business power user | Multimedia author or gamer
Home user
Home users are increasingly turning to notebooks as their primary PCs; they like that laptops can offer similar performance and features to those of a desktop PC and can be easily moved from room to room. Though of course almost any notebook will do for typical home use, there are two types of notebooks most suitable for home users: midsize notebooks, which tend to be budget-friendly, and desktop replacements, which are usually packed with features.Key features
| AMD Turion 64, AMD Turion 64 X2, Intel Core Duo, or Intel Core 2 Duo |
| At least 1GB of memory |
| Large hard drive for storing digital photos and video |
| 14.1-inch display or larger |
| Fixed or swappable DVD burner |
| Wired and wireless networking |
| Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium or Apple Mac OS X |
Student
Students and others on a tight budget should look for a laptop that delivers the most bang for the buck. In particular, students need a notebook that is small and light enough to lug back and forth across campus but rugged enough to withstand bouncing around in a backpack.Key features
| AMD Turion 64, AMD Turion 64 X2, Intel Core Duo, or Intel Core 2 Duo |
| At least 1GB of memory |
| Big hard drive to hold all those MP3s |
| DVD burner for backups and class projects |
| Wired and wireless networking for network-equipped classrooms and dorm rooms |
| Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium or Apple Mac OS X |
Frequent flier
If you spend a lot of time on the road, size and weight are the two most critical factors in choosing a new notebook--even if it means sacrificing a little on performance and features. The smallest and lightest notebooks, ultraportables, weigh less than four pounds and are no thicker than a spiral-bound notebook.Key features
| AMD Turion 64, AMD Turion 64 X2, Intel Core Solo, or Intel Core Duo |
| At least 1GB of memory |
| A 13.3-inch display or smaller |
| Wired and wireless networking |
| Extended battery for those cross-country flights |
| Media slice or external CD-RW/DVD drive |
| Port replicator for the desk |
| Microsoft Windows Vista Business |
Business power user
If you rely on the same notebook at work, at home, and on the road, you need a well-balanced system. And it has to deliver the performance to keep up with a wide range of applications. A thin-and-light is just the ticket.Key features
| AMD Turion 64 X2 or Intel Core 2 Duo |
| At least 1GB of memory, preferably 2GB for Windows Vista |
| Midsize hard drive |
| A 14-inch or 15.4-inch display |
| Dual-layer DVD burner |
| Wired and wireless networking |
| Extra battery |
| Microsoft Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate |
Multimedia author or gamer
If you demand more from a notebook, you'll need a true desktop replacement. Whether you're designing a Web site, editing home movies, or mowing down aliens, your notebook will demand a powerful processor, plenty of memory, great graphics, and a healthy hard drive.Key features
| AMD Turion 64 X2, Intel Core 2 Duo, or Intel Core 2 Extreme |
| 2GB or more of memory |
| A 15.4-inch display or larger |
| Advanced graphics card with 256MB or 512MB of its own memory or dual SLI graphics |
| The largest and fastest hard drive available |
| Dual-layer DVD burner, possibly HD-DVD or Blu-Ray compatible |
| Multimedia connectors, such as S-Video, HDMI, FireWire, S/PDIF |
| External keyboard and mouse |
| Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate, or Apple Mac OS X |
How do I find the right fit for a laptop?
The CNET editors' guide to laptops clues you in to what you need to know, from finding the type of notebook that fits your lifestyle to all of the latest trends.
How do I find the right fit?
Laptops come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, each with its own set of pros and cons. While the smallest laptops are the most portable (and often the coolest-looking), they also have smaller keyboards and displays, fewer features, and slower performance than their bulkier brethren. Conversely, more full-featured laptops are generally more difficult to carry and take up more space on your desk and in your bag.
Until they make the perfect laptop, you'll have to sacrifice something, so think about what's most important to you--computing power, a complete set of features, long battery life, good looks, a small form factor, or a low price. Take a look below to learn more about what each type of laptop has to offer.
Sizes: Ultraportable | Thin-and-light | Midsize | Desktop replacement | Tablet PC
Ultraportable
The smallest, most lightweight laptops are called ultraportables. Their compact form factor is crucial for people who need to have their PC with them all the time, especially frequent business travelers. What you gain in portability, however, you usually give up in terms of weaker performance, smaller keyboards and displays, and fewer features. And what's more, ultraportable laptops almost always carry a premium price tag. Still, a compact, lightweight profile can make all the difference if you spend a lot of time on the road. |  |
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| • | Weight: 4 pounds or less | |
| • | Size: Less than 1 inch thick | |
| • | Display: Smaller than 14 inches (diagonal) | |
| • | Processor: Slower, low-voltage mobile processors; some dual-core CPUs | |
| • | Features: Fewer ports and connections; 60GB to 120GB hard drive | |
| • | Networking: LAN, modem, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (optional), WWAN (optional) | |
| • | Other things to note: Small keyboard and touch pad; may lack an internal optical drive | |
| • | Price range: Start at $1,100; fully loaded $2,000 and up | |
Thin-and-light
A thin-and-light offers the optimal combination of portability, performance, features, and cost. Power-tuned mobile processors deliver enough power to keep you working smoothly, and unlike ultraportables, most thin-and-lights have a more reasonably sized keyboard and display, a larger hard drive, and a built-in optical drive. Yes, they're more expensive than slightly larger, heavier midsize laptops, but if you need maximum productivity in a portable package, this is the best choice. | |
| • | Weight: 4 to 6 pounds |
| • | Size: Approximately 1 inch thick |
| • | Display: 12 to 14 inches (diagonal), probably wide screen |
| • | Processor: Midrange-to-fast dual-core processors |
| • | Features: Most ports and connections; 80GB to 120GB hard drive; optical drive |
| • | Networking: LAN, modem, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (optional), WWAN (optional) |
| • | Other things to note: Small keyboard and touch pad |
| • | Price range: Start at $800; fully loaded $1,500 and up |
Midsize (aka mainstream)
Not all midsize laptops are inexpensive, but most inexpensive laptops are midsize. Why? Whereas a desktop replacement is designed to deliver high performance and a thin-and-light is optimized for portability, the typical midsize laptop isn't specialized. Rather, a midsize laptop gives you everything you need for basic computing (word processing, storing digital photos), home entertainment (burning CDs, watching DVDs), and online communication (e-mail and Web surfing). Slightly smaller than desktop replacements and with limited battery life, midsize laptops aren't particularly well suited for regular travel. | |
| • | Weight: 6 to 8 pounds |
| • | Size: More than 1 inch thick |
| • | Display: 14 to 15.4 inches (diagonal), possibly wide screen |
| • | Processor: Slow/budget AMD Sempron or Intel Celeron, midrange AMD Turion 64 or Intel Core Duo, or fast Turion 64 X2 or Core 2 Duo processors |
| • | Features: Most ports and connections; 60GB to 100GB hard drive; DVD burner; memory card reader; decent software package |
| • | Networking: LAN, modem, Wi-Fi |
| • | Other things to note: May be less attractively designed; may suffer from mediocre performance and battery life |
| • | Price range: Start at $500; fully loaded $900 and up |
Desktop replacement
The largest and heaviest type of laptop, desktop replacements are designed to deliver the power and features you'd get from a desktop PC. Too bulky for anything but room-to-room travel within a house or an office, desktop replacements typically offer the best performance, the largest screens and keyboards, and the most complete set of features available on a laptop. Popular among home and business users, these systems can deliver enough computing muscle for serious gaming, multimedia authoring, and even high-level digital audio and video work. | |
| • | Weight: 7.5 pounds or more |
| • | Size: More than 1 inch thick |
| • | Display: 17 to 20 inches (diagonal) |
| • | Processor: Fast dual-core processors |
| • | Features: Wide array of ports and connections; 80GB to 240GB hard drive space; double-layer DVD burner |
| • | Networking: LAN, modem, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (optional) |
| • | Other things to note: Large keyboard, separate number pad, large touch pad; batteries not designed for lengthy mobile use. |
| • | Price range: Start at $1,000; fully loaded $1,500 and up |
Tablet PC
Usually comparable in size and weight to ultraportable or thin-and-light laptops, tablets let you take handwritten notes and navigate menus, documents, and Web pages using a stylus directly on the screen. The most common type is the convertible tablet, which looks much like traditional a laptop but has a display that swivels 180 degrees and folds flat over the keyboard. (Some manufacturers are incorporating this type of tablet functionality into larger midsize and thin-and-light laptops.) Slate tablets, on the other hand, lack keyboards--they're all screen. The smallest tablets, ultramobile PCs, bridge the gap between PDA and ultraportable, with 7-inch touch-screen displays and enhanced media player features. Once only the tool of specialized industries, tablets are gaining a wider audience, thanks to their portability, flexibility, and wow factor. | |
| • | Weight: Usually 4 pounds or less, with some slates weighing as little as 2 pounds; UMPCs weigh less than 2 pounds; some larger laptops incorporate tablet functionality |
| • | Size: Less than 1 inch thick |
| • | Display: 12 inches (diagonal) or smaller digitized display |
| • | Processor: Moderate mobile processors |
| • | Features: Fewer ports and connections; 30GB to 60GB hard drive |
| • | Networking: LAN, modem, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (optional), WWAN (optional) |
| • | Other things to note: Microsoft Windows Vista OS; handwriting recognition software |
| • | Price range: Start at $1,000; superior models go for closer to $2,000 |
What are my laptop cpu, screen, and memory options?
The CNET editors' guide to laptops clues you in to what you need to know, from finding the type of notebook that fits your lifestyle to all of the latest trends.
What are my cpu, screen, and memory options?
Notebook specs vary widely depending on what you need to get out of your portable computer. Manufacturers make trade-offs--slower processors allow for smaller batteries, for instance--so it's important to know what you'll have to sacrifice to get the notebook of your dreams. Many vendors offer configuration choices when you buy your notebook. We've broken out the most important specs so that you understand your choices.
Options: Processor | Memory | Display size
Processor
Sometimes referred to as the CPU, or central processing unit, the processor is the brains of the computer. It's the most important chip in a notebook, and it has power-management features that extend battery life. Notebooks use a variety of processor types depending on their focus. The chart below shows all of the laptop processors currently available from AMD and Intel; in practice, most manufacturers offer laptop configurations using only a handful of the most recent chips.Note that this chart shows only the relative performance and battery life of each processor within the product lines of AMD and Intel. The rankings are not based on independent test results, and the actual performance and battery life of a laptop will depend on many factors, including the display, the size of the battery, and the optimizations made by the manufacturer. The only way to accurately gauge performance and battery life is through hands-on reviews based on objective labs tests.
Processor |
Notebook type |
Performance |
Battery life |
Price |
| AMD Turion 64 | All types |   |
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| AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual Core | All types | |
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| Intel Celeron M | Ultraportable, thin-and-light and mainstream | |
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| Intel Core 2 Extreme | Desktop replacement | |
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| Intel Core 2 Duo | All types | |
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| Intel Core Duo | All types | |
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| Intel Core Solo | Ultraportable and thin-and-light | |
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| Intel Pentium M | Ultraportable, thin-and-light and mainstream | |
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| Mobile AMD Sempron | Thin-and-light and mainstream | |
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Memory
Every computer comes with a certain amount of physical memory, usually referred to as main memory or RAM (random-access memory). Computers store currently running applications and data in this area. To find out how much memory you'll need, take into account your operating system and the applications that you plan to use. A general rule of thumb: You'll want at least 1GB (though 2GB is preferable) for Windows Vista or Mac OS X and 512MB for all other Windows and Mac operating systems.If you're planning to hang on to your notebook for a long time, look for a laptop with easy-to-access memory slots, as memory is typically one of the first specs you'll want to upgrade.
Display size
Unlike traditional desktop CRT (cathode-ray tube) monitors, notebooks ship with thin, liquid-crystal displays (LCDs). Notebook LCDs range in size from 10.6 inches (diagonal) to 20 inches; display size is a key factor in the laptop's overall weight. For comfortable viewing at the preferred Windows resolution of 1,024x768, most people like 14.1-inch or larger LCDs.Notebook LCDs once varied widely in brightness, color, and sharpness, but today, you'll find much better quality across the board. Unfortunately, when it comes to LCDs, the specs reveal little about actual picture quality, so if you're picky about screens, compare some at your local dealer. The latest in notebook display technology incorporates LED backlights; currently found on only a few models, backlit LED displays can be brighter, thinner, less power-hungry and more expensive than traditional LCDs.
What type of laptop drives do I need?
The CNET editors' guide to laptops clues you in to what you need to know, from finding the type of notebook that fits your lifestyle to all of the latest trends.
What types of drives do I need?
First, decide how big of a hard drive you need; this will depend on how much data you store. After that, determine what you'll use your notebook for. Will you be tackling the most basic computing tasks, or do you plan to make your own DVD movies?
Drives: Hard drive | CD and DVD drives | Swappable vs. fixed drives | External drives
Hard drive
A notebook hard drive removed from the system.
CD and DVD drives
Unless you're going budget, don't settle for anything less than a CD-RW drive.
Swappable vs. fixed
Here is a media module slipping into a swappable drive. Fixed drives won't let you remove the module.
External drives
This is an external drive tethered to a Sony notebook.
What do I need to stay connected on my laptop?
The CNET editors' guide to laptops clues you in to what you need to know, from finding the type of notebook that fits your lifestyle to all of the latest trends.
What do I need to stay connected?
To send and receive e-mail, browse the Web, and share files or printers, your notebook must be able to connect to a network or the Internet. This is usually done via a modem, an Ethernet hookup, or a wireless connection (either WLAN or WWAN). But your notebook has additional connectivity needs, too. Notebooks include a variety of ports, or connectors that physically link to and communicate with different kinds of equipment, including digital cameras and external monitors.
If you can't find the port you want, you can usually buy a port replicator or a docking station that adds connectors. These notebook-expansion options tend to be pricey, however, so you're generally better off buying a notebook that has everything that you'll need out of the box. Find out about each type of connection below.
Get connected: PC Cards and ExpressCards | Networking options | Other ports and connectors
PC Cards and ExpressCards
The PC Card, a credit card-shaped device that plugs into a slot on your notebook, can provide a number of connection types--modems, USB connections (say, for your digital camcorder), and wireless WAN radios are all available in PC Card form. PC Cards are handy because they're easy to upgrade and because you can buy third-party PC Card solutions after you purchase your notebooks. However, most notebooks come with only one or two Type II PC Card slots, forcing you to limit the number of PC Cards you can add. |
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| The Proxim Orinoco World PC Card (left) and the Linksys WPC300N dual-band wireless adapter (right) are two examples of PC Card wireless adapters with antennas that extend beyond the edge of the notebook. | ||
ExpressCards are the next generation of the PC Card. Smaller than existing PC Cards, ExpressCards promise data-transfer rates that are twice as fast, which means the cards can be used for high-bandwidth interfaces, such as Gigabit Ethernet ports and HDTV tuners. The standard is still relatively new, so there aren't many ExpressCard modules on the market today; however, most current laptops include an ExpressCard slot for future use. If you know you'll want to add some of these high-bandwidth functions to your laptop after you buy it, consider a system that supports the new standard.
Networking options
Though the standard is being phased out, most notebooks still come with a 56Kbps-modem (RJ-11) connection, and virtually all include Ethernet (RJ-45) or even faster Gigabit Ethernet connections. Almost all notebooks also include built-in antennas for wireless networking (802.11, or Wi-Fi) so that you can access wireless hot spots. If you choose a notebook with networking built in, consult our wireless network buying guide to learn the difference between the networking standards that are currently on the market, including 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, and draft 802.11n.If your travels regularly take you beyond the reach of Wi-Fi hot spots, you may want to consider spending a little extra for a notebook with a built-in WWAN card. These systems let you tap in to a cellular provider's data network. They can be incredibly useful when connectivity is spotty, but the technology has its downsides: data plans still tend to be pricey; throughput speeds, while improving, are still slower than most high-speed Internet; and your built-in cellular card can work with only one cellular provider.
Depending on the model you choose, you may also have the option (often for an additional cost) of ordering a Bluetooth adapter in your laptop. This will let you connect your laptop to other Bluetooth-enabled devices (such as a printer, a cell phone, or a PDA) that are in close range.
If your notebook doesn't include any of the above network adapters, it's fairly easy to find PC Cards that get the job done.
Other ports and connectors
Most notebooks have a VGA port for an external monitor, Ethernet and modem jacks, headphone and microphone jacks, and two to three (or more) USB ports for connecting an external keyboard and mouse, drives, digital cameras, and MP3 players. For home use, you may want any variety of A/V connections, such as S-Video, DVI, or S/PDIF output, and a FireWire port for capturing and editing digital video or hooking up an external storage drive.What laptop accessories do I need?
The CNET editors' guide to laptops clues you in to what you need to know, from finding the type of notebook that fits your lifestyle to all of the latest trends.
What accessories do I need?
If you haven't accessorized your notebook, you haven't lived. Here are some of the best ways to do it.
Accessories: Docking station or port replicator | Laptop bag | Extra battery | External drives | Mouse and keyboard
Docking station or port replicator
Lenovo's port replicator works for many different ThinkPad notebooks.
A port replicator, on the other hand, is a smaller, stripped-down version of a docking station that mainly features--as you might guess--ports, such as USB or S-Video. A port replicator can range from the size of a box of toothpaste to just shy of docking-station stature. When you're on the road, a port replicator is a convenient way to increase your connectivity.
Laptop bag
A solid notebook carrying case is worth the extra money.
Extra battery
It sometimes helps to have an extra battery.
External drives
This is an external drive hooked via a cable to a Sony notebook.
Mouse and keyboard
Wireless keyboard and mouse for home use.