Unfortunately, shopping for a laptop PC can be far more complicated than shopping for a desktop. With so many shapes, sizes, and features to choose from, you’ll need to set aside plenty of time for research. If you’re not sure where to start, take a look at the following features and decide what’s most important to you.

Weight, Size, and Durability

First, you must decide which type of laptop will best suit your needs: ultra-portable; thin-and-light; midsize; and desktop replacement. The lightest and smallest laptops are known as ultra-portables. These are designed for business travelers who need to take their computers with them wherever they go. Although these PCs are extremely compact and portable, there are a few drawbacks: smaller keyboards, fewer features, weaker performance, and very high cost. Nonetheless, this is the way to go if you spend a lot of time on the road. 

If you’re looking for the best combination of portability, features, performance, and cost, then a thin-and-light laptop is the perfect choice for you. It’s no wonder these have become the hottest category of laptops. Unlike ultra-portables, they have a decent sized keyboard, a larger hard drive, and a built-in optical drive. With these do-it-all laptops, you can leave the office behind without missing a beat.

Midsize laptops, or mainstream laptops, are typically the least expensive because they’re not designed for a specific purpose. Instead, they give you everything you need to perform basic operations, including online communication and home entertainment. Although they’re smaller than desktop replacements, they generally aren’t recommended for travel.

Desktop replacements may be the largest and heaviest type of laptop, but they offer the most features and the best performance. Desktop replacements can be used for multimedia authoring, serious gaming, and even high-level digital audio/video work.

Processor and Memory

As with any computer, the CPU (central processing unit) is the brain of the system and the most important decision you must make. The faster the processor’s clock speed, which is measured in gigahertz (GHz), the faster it will perform. On average, normal users should have at least 2 GHz of processor speed.

Memory, or RAM (random-access memory), is temporary storage that provides the working space for your computer to operate. As a general rule, the amount of memory you’ll need depends on the applications you’ll be using. Also, you might benefit in the long run by choosing a laptop with easy-to-access memory slots. This allows you to upgrade memory so you can hang on to your laptop for much longer.

Drives

The size of your hard drive depends on how much data you want to store. The average user will only need a 20GB or 30GB drive, unless you plan on storing thousands of pictures or hundreds of movies. But remember, capacity alone does not make a good hard drive—rotational speed is just as important. The faster the disk spins, the better your laptop will perform.

Unless you’re on a strict budget, you should choose a laptop with a CD and/or DVD drive.  Nowadays, some laptops offer DVD-rewritable drives that can store up to 4.7 GB. But if you don’t need to store huge files, opt for the less expensive CD-ROM drive.

External drives offer additional storage and media options which plug directly into your laptop’s USB connectors. Also known as flash drives, external hard drives allow you to transfer large amounts of data, and they come in various shapes and sizes.

Screen Size

In most cases, screen sizes range from 11-17 inches (measured diagonally). If you value portability, then smaller is usually a better choice, since size affects the laptop’s overall weight. But remember, smaller screens might cause your eyes some discomfort. We suggest going to your local computer shop and testing out various comfort levels.    

Battery Life

For the most part, your laptop should have about 3-5 hours of battery life. But with all the peripherals these days like DVD-RW drives, video-out ports, and USB ports, battery life shouldn’t be a huge concern.

When all’s said and done, weigh your options and try to get the most features for your money. Remember, you’ll probably want to save some money in reserve to buy anti-virus software too.

Prices of LCD monitors have dropped significantly in recent years, but that doesn’t mean the quality has too. Today, you can purchase a low-price monitor without sacrificing features, performance, and screen size. In fact, most LCD monitors offer stunning image quality, style, portability, and space-saving convenience. However, there are certain key features that make LCD monitors different from one another. The following are some important factors to consider when evaluating an LCD monitor:

Size/Weight—For the most part, this depends on two different factors: the space available to you and what you commonly use your monitor for. It goes without saying that if you intend to use your computer for graphic intensive work like fashion designing or 3D animation, then having a large monitor would make more sense.

Resolution—For the sharpest, cleanest image quality, choose only those with the highest number of pixels. But make sure you are comfortable with an LCD’s native resolution before you buy it.

Pixel-Response Rate—The pixel-response rate, also known as response time, is the minimum time necessary to change a pixel’s color or brightness. The time is expressed in milliseconds, and the longer it takes, the slower the monitor’s reactions. Everyone’s preferences on response times are different. If you play a lot of games, it would be worthwhile to invest in one with a much faster response time. However, most people who aren’t gamers cannot tell the difference.

Viewing Angle—The physical structure of LCD pixels can cause a shift in the brightness and color of images if you view them from an angle. Take manufacturer’s specifications with a grain of salt and make your own observations if possible. Also, it’s important to understand that viewing-angle issues become more critical as panel size increases.

Monitor Inputs–  The type of inputs found on an LCD monitor dictate the flexibility and multi-use capabilities of the monitor. Some models have both types of input but only accept a signal through one at a time, whereas others can electronically switch between the two.

Buying the right monitor for you is a very personal experience and it requires time to research and evaluate the various models. People have differences on how they angle the monitor, the level of ambient lighting, and some just have different design tastes than others. The trick is to strike the perfect balance between price and functionality, and the best way to begin is to find exactly what your needs are. Hopefully, you now have enough information to make an educated decision.