Variety isn't only the spice of life, it's the reality of the laptop marketplace. For every computing need and budget, there are often four or five models elbowing each other aside for your attention.
In 2011's crop of new laptop computers, you'll increasingly find built-in web cameras at lower price points and lighter weight builds that use aluminum casing and, in some instances, high-tech carbon fiber to make the computers easier to lug around.
Laptop makers wage a perpetual war to boost processing power while not burning down the battery. As you load your laptop with faster and more robust processors, they run hot and run down your power supply. Fortunately, new graphic engines that can more efficiently handle visual processing not only improve performance (i.e. how fast it takes you to do things) but keeps the battery humming along for longer.
Keep in Mind: Before you buy your new laptop, keep a few things in mind.
Screen Size: Pay attention to the type of and quality of the display - just because it says "HD" doesn't mean it's sporting a 1920 x 1080 resolution screen (in fact, most laptops don't). Also, matte screens are easier to view in brighter light, while those with higher contrast ratios and brightness will provide a more pleasing visual experience.
Processing Power: The brains and brawn of any laptop (or computer, for that matter) is the computer processing unit, or CPU. So how fast of a CPU do you need?
That depends, of course, on what you want to do. Basic word processing, web surfing, email checking, and social networking isn't terribly taxing on your system, so processors offering 1GHz or more of CPU performance should suffice. If you're into watching movies, playing video games or doing any video or photo editing and image management on the road, you'll need considerably more processing punch (in the 2GHz-plus range).
Memory: Depending on the version of Windows your laptop runs, you may only need 4GB of RAM (32-bit versions of Windows 7 can only support 4GB). If you have a higher performance laptop with a 64-bit version of Windows, you can step up to higher memory capacities (you're also future-proofed to handle new 64-bit software programs).
Hard drive storage is another matter. It's relatively cheap (and getting cheaper) so bulking up isn't a bad idea. Besides, if you buy a generously-sized hard drive, it makes a good back-up for files (like digital images or videos) that you're also saving on a desktop hard drive. Newer Solid State Drives (SSDs) use the same flash memory found in digital camera memory cards in place of a hard drive. They're lighter weight, drain less battery power and load faster than a hard drive but they're also more expensive and can't offer the large storage capacities found on hard drives.
Models worth considering
Apple's MacBook Air line has turned heads for its ultra-slim profile and performance specs. The Air uses flash memory - not a spinning hard drive - for memory. That not only makes the Air lighter (hence the name) than traditional hard drive-based laptops, but it enables the air to start up nearly instantly. The downside is that you won't get the same kind of storage capacity as you would with a comparably priced notebook that uses a hard drive.
The Apple MacBook Air MC503LL sports a 13.3-inch LED backlit display with a resolution of 1440 x 900. It boasts a 1.8GHZ Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 2GB of memory and a 128GB flash drive. It's as light as a netbook at 2.9lbs and just .68-inches at its thickest point. It includes Boot Camp, which allows you to run the Windows operating system if you don't want to run Apples' Mac OS Snow Leopard. With the included battery you can squeeze up to seven hours of computing life. The 13.3-inch Mac Air retails for $1,449.
Asus Zenbook UX31E
One of the emerging trends in the notebook space is the so called Ultrabook, a very lightweight yet powerful notebook that targets the MacBook Air space, and a nice example of one is the Asus Zenbook UX31E ($1,099.99). The device is slim at two thirds of an inch, light at less than 3 pounds, and comes with a seven-hour battery life.
It is powered by an Intel 1.7GHz i5-2557M processor with 3MB of L3 cache and 4GB of DDR3 SDRAM system memory and runs Microsoft’s Windows 7 Home Premium operating system. The 13..3-inch display is capable of 1600 x 900 native resolution and the notebook has a 128GB hard drive.
Acer Aspire AS5560-Sb613
Entry-level system computer makers come and go but Acer has been an established player for years and systems like its Acer Aspire AS5560-Sb613 ($536.99) are a reason why it has stayed in the gam. This notebook features a 15.6-inch CineCrystal LED backlit display. It is powered by a 1.5GHz AMD A8-3500 dual core processor with 4GB of DDR3 RAM and a AMD Radeon HD 6620G graphics processor. The notebook has a 500GB hard drive, Windows 7 Home Premium, and comes with a set of additional features including a DVD burner, Wi-Fi, integrated web cam, microphone, and speakers.
Sony VAIO F23 VPCF23EFX
Looking for a notebook computer that can be an engine to develop and display multimedia? Try the Sony VAIO F23 VPCF23EFX, a powerful, flexible system that carries a $1,129 price. Start with the large, 16.4-inch backlit display with high definition 1920x1080 resolution, and continue with easy connectivity to external HDTV or HDMI-compliant displays. It is powered by a quad-core 2.2GHz Intel i7-2670M with 4GB of DDR3 RAM and a NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M graphics card with 1GB of dedicated RAM for powerful, fast graphics performance. For storage it has a 500GB hard drive as well as a CD/DVD burner.
It comes with a range of other software besides Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, including Sony Vegas Movie Studio for the creation of videos, Sound Forge the enables you to capture and manipulate live performances, and ACID Music Studio for the creation of original music.
Toshiba Qosmio F755-3D350
Yes the 3D in the Toshiba Qosmio F755-3D350’s ($1,740) title does stand for 3D! The powerful notebook computer delivers 3D viewing without the need for 3D glasses, freeing the user from the fear of losing the glasses. The system features a 2.2GHz quad core Intel Core i7-2670QM processor with 6MB of L3 cache, 6GB DDR3 memory and for the important graphics subsystem a Nvida GeForce GT 540M featuring 1GB of GDDR3 discrete graphics memory . It has a 15.6-inch backlit TFT LCD display that has a 1366 x 768 high definition 3D resolution r a 1920 x 1080 2D resolution. It includes a 750GB hard drive and a Blu-ray Disc Re-writeable (BD-RE) and DVD SuperMulti drive.
Aside from the high end graphics capabilities it has all of the features that a user could want on a notebook including the fast USB 3.0 port. HDMI port, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Web cam and microphone as well as 1GB Ethernet support.
All-in-One Alternatives
If you're looking at a laptop simply because you're short on space, consider an all-in-one PC (or Mac!) as an alternative. These PCs aren't meant to travel, but they pack better performance than a laptop while ditching the cumbersome tower. They typically come with a wireless mouse, keyboard, and Wi Fi to cut the cord clutter.
Apple has been a long-time player in the all-in-one space and it provides powerful systems combined with superb displays such as the Apple iMac 21.5 inch All-in-one ($1,120.00). The computer is powered by a 2.5GHz Intel i5 Quad-Core processor with 4GB of memory. The computer has a 500GB hard drive as well as a full-size wireless keyboard.
The 21.5-inch TFT backlit LED display has a 1920 x 1080 resolution and a AMD Radeon HD graphics processor and with a 16:9 aspect ratio it mirrors what is provided by a HDTV. While it has the usual assortment of USB and other ports Apple also brings the Thunderbolt port that features 2 10-Gbps data channels for data transfer that's up to 20 times faster than USB 2.0.
Want more than a simply all-in-one? How about one that includes a touch screen such as the HP TouchSmart 610-1130F Desktop PC ($939.99)? Highlighted by its 23-inch Touch-enabled widescreen HD LED display it has a 1920 x 1080 resolution supported by an Intel HD Graphics chipset and has a speedy response time when used as a touch screen at 14ms.
While the screen might be the flashy component the computer does not lack in processing power or storage. Powered by a 3.1 GHz Intel i3-2100 processor with 4GB memory that is expandable to 16GB it also has a 750GB hard drive. Other system features include an adjustable web cam and integrated microphone, wireless keyboard and wireless mouse as well as an array of ports and expansion slots.
