A buyer’s guide to laptops, netbooks, tablets and eReaders
Introduction
In today’s fast-paced world of wireless internet, smartphones and social media, gone are the days when a computer tied you to a desk. Laptops are now smaller, lighter, funkier and more fun than ever!
So whether you want a top-of-the-range Macbook for editing movies, updating your blog or accessing your pictures, music and videos wherever you are, or a lightweight netbook to surf the web from your local coffee bar, there’s something out there for you whatever your budget.
Choosing a Laptop
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Size: Size matters, so work out exactly what you want from your laptop. If you’re going to be carrying it around or travelling abroad with it, portability is crucial. But if you’re using it more for music production, video editing or web design, you need something with a big enough screen and the right peripherals.
Laptop specs will include the model’s vital statistics in terms of width, depth and height to give you an accurate picture of its size. Remember smaller laptops and netbooks will have smaller screens and keyboards, so be sure you are willing to compromise in exchange for greater portability.
Netbooks can weigh as little as a 1kg but this figure can increase dramatically for a big laptop – up to 3kg for a large widescreen model. Accessories such as chargers and external drives will also add to the total weight, so think carefully about what you’ll need – particularly if airline baggage weight restrictions are likely to be involved.
Processor: The processor – or CPU (Central Processing Unit) – is the brain of your computer. Its speed is measured in gigahertz (GHz) and bigger is generally better. Everyday users might be happy with 1.8GHz, but true technophiles, gamers and anyone doing lots of downloading or video editing will probably want a bit more oomph.
A dual core processor does what it says on the tin – there are two processors on one chip. That means you should be able to watch an HD YouTube video while you’re waiting for your latest iTunes movie purchase to download.
Memory – RAM vs HDD: RAM (Random Access Memory) processes and stores the data the computer uses while it’s busy working. If you’ve got a turbo-charged processer you’ll need to make sure it’s matched by the right amount of RAM – you wouldn’t put a V8 in a go-cart! RAM is measured in GB (gigabytes) – at least 1GB is essential, 2GB puts you into fun zone and 3GB should have you powering along at full speed (for a few years at least).
By contrast, the size of your hard-disk won’t affect your laptop’s speed much but it will dictate how much you can store inside it. Images, movies, music and other files take up a lot of space – more than ever now that HD and 3D formats are becoming more popular.
So if you’ve got a music collection to rival Zane Lowe’s or are planning to store lots of HD video, make sure you go for a laptop with as big a hard drive as you can afford – at least 250GB. But if you’re only going to use your laptop for surfing the web, storage space is less important.
Optical disc drives: The majority of laptops come with a CD/DVD drive to play music or films on. Most can write to CD and DVD discs as well, which is vital for backing up content and burning media to disc.
At the top-end of the market, some laptops now include a Blu-ray player for watching high-definition movies. Ultra-swanky BD-RW drives also allow you to record onto blank discs. These are still rare and you’ll need to fork out if you want one, but you’ll be the envy of the geek squad.
Operating system and software: Apple or PC? It’s a debate that’s separated families, divided couples and sparked hours of student union bar debate. There’s only one way to decide… FIGHT!
Apples and PCs both have fiercely loyal followers who will argue the pros and cons until the end of time. But at the end of the day it’s down to personal choice. Apple computers are generally considered slick, sexy and user-friendly while PCs are said to be more robust, flexible and open. PCs tend to be considerably less expensive.
New PC laptops now come pre-installed with Microsoft’s latest operating system, Windows 7, although some may still be supplied with Vista or the even earlier XP – both of which had their critics. By contrast, Apple laptops will largely come with own brand software such as the awesomely named OSX Snow Leopard.
Battery: There’s nothing worse than your laptop battery dying three quarters of the way through your favourite movie. A good battery should last at least five hours – seven would be more useful. But be mindful – some laptop functions use considerably more power than others.
Touchpad: Most laptops are fitted with a touchpad which is used in place of a mouse for navigating the screen. They can take some getting used to but are ultimately more portable. If you get the chance, have a play with different models to find a touchpad that suits you. There’s usually plenty of scope to add peripherals like a wireless mouse, an audio preamp or a massive widescreen monitor if you tend to use your laptop at home as well as on the move.
Connectivity: If you love your gadgets and want to use your laptop as a central hub for your smartphone, mp3 player and digital camera, you’ll need plenty of USB ports. Many laptops now also come with a built-in card reader as well.
Nearly all laptops will come with built-in WiFi to automatically hook you up to the web wherever you roam. If that’s not enough, there are plenty of dongles on the market which will allow you to surf the web almost anywhere using a mobile phone signal.
Screen and graphics: To gamers and movie buffs, a decent size screen and top-notch graphics card will be right at the top of the wishlist.
Laptops normally come with 11 – 17 inch screens – measured from the top corner to the opposite bottom corner just like a TV. A 15-inch display is generally considered standard and the 16:9 widescreen ratio is becoming ubiquitous. You can use your laptop to watch DVDs, Blu-ray DVDs or stream movies if it comes with a VGA or HDMI output, allowing you to connect it to an external monitor or telly.
If you’re a keen gamer you’ll want to cough up a bit more cash for a dedicated graphics card. Ideally you want one with at least 512MB of memory. Integrated graphics cards are usually fine for most users, although can eat up RAM.
Netbooks: What’s the difference?
Like a Mini Me version of a laptop, a netbook is smaller, more portable, cheaper – but just as much fun!
Weighing in at around 1kg these tiny computers are great for going online. But their smaller screens, keyboards and memory size can be limiting if you want to do much more than surf the web, chat to friends or send emails.
If its portability you’re after, or if you want something to throw in your bag to save you carting that monster Macbook around, a netbook could well be the way to go.
Specification: The key features of a netbook aren’t very different from a laptop – RAM, processor, screen, battery and touchpad – but there are some key differences to consider before making any decision on what you want to buy.
The essentials: Netbooks are small – the question is whether you consider that a help or a hindrance. Be sure to try before you buy if you think you’re going to be using it for long periods of time. The sausage-fingered user might realistically need something bigger for all but the simplest tasks.
Optical drives: Chances are there will be no DVD or CD drive on a netbook – there just isn’t the room. You’ll need to rely on USB ports or downloads when transferring data and you may need to buy an external drive if you want to install programmes from disk or back-up large amounts of data such as photos, music or videos.
Ports: Most netbooks come with three USB ports but as they’re often tightly packed together, bulky USB peripherals may not all fit in at one time.
Gaming: Netbooks tend to have relatively low-spec graphics cards. While that means they’re still plenty good enough for day-to-day tasks, a laptop or desktop PC is probably more appropriate for gaming.
Connectivity: Surfing the web and emailing are what these little devices were made for. Built-in wireless makes them ideal for staying connected wherever you are, but for even faster connectivity keep an eye out for the faster WiFi 802.11n models.
Battery: Just like a laptop, your netbook can of course be plugged into the mains. But for continuous surfing on-the-go, look for models with a decent battery life. A top-end netbook battery should last between six to eight hours depending on usage.
Processor: Intel’s Atom chip is the power behind most netbooks, although AMD’s Neo chip is an alternative.
Storage: Just as with gaming, keen photographers and music fans should also consider the amount of memory they will need. You’ll have less RAM and hard drive storage with a netbook than on a laptop, although most now feature at least 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive. If you want more storage, you may need to consider an external drive which could again affect the unit’s portability – and your wallet.
Other: Netbooks are most resistant to the odd knock than a laptop and also use considerably less power.
Tablets & eReaders
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Unless you’ve been living under a stone, you can’t have escaped the allure of Apple’s iconic iPad. A slick hybrid that fuses the best bits of a laptop and an iPhone, this sexy-looking tablet has quickly become the ultimate in desirable gadgets.
With a large, high-resolution touchscreen, access to hundreds of thousands of apps (applications, as if you didn’t know…) and no keyboard, it instantly turned the ‘tablet’ computer from a quirky concept into the next big thing, with models like the Samsung Galaxy following closely in its wake.
Very much the new kids on the block, tablet computers are still relatively expensive but remain at the cutting edge of technology and offer a new kind of user experience. They’re ideal for surfing the web, emailing, viewing photos and video as well as for reading ebooks and emagazines. Also, the number of apps available increases by the hour!
And let’s face it, they’re just cool.
Tablet features
Soft touch: Tablet computers don’t have a keyboard and instead feature a touchscreen, although some include a digital pen to input text. The iPad also features an ever impressive multi-touch screen, meaning you can touch it in two places at once.
Topsy turvy: Like the iPod Touch, the iPad comes with self-righting screen so you can view content either in landscape or portrait. This has paved the way for some exciting developments in web and online media design.
Connectivity: Like netbooks, tablets come with wireless connectivity meaning you can tap into the World Wide Web wherever it’s available. In the case of the iPad, you can choose either Wifi or both Wifi and 3G. If you’re using the device at home to watch movies, listen to music or play games online, Wifi will probably suffice. If you want to use the iPad wherever you want, you will need a 3G provider and sign up to an iPad tariff which may prove more expensive, but is unlikely to be rendered obsolete any time soon.
Storage: The iPad currently comes with three storage capacities - 16GB, 32GB and 64GB flash drives. The lowest 16GB will suffice if you don’t want to overload your device, but generally speaking the 32GB will provide ample space if you want to work hard and play hard.
What is an eReader?
The eReader is the digital era’s answer to the humble book and set to do for literature what the iPod did for music.
Lightweight and small enough to fit into your bag or pocket, the eReader can contain a library worth of books in a fraction of the size of the average paperback. You can change the font size, read in either landscape or portrait layouts and you won’t be dazzled by sun or bright light as many computer screens are.
Factors to consider include:
Screen size: Standard screen size from top corner to opposite bottom corner is six inches – similar to the average paperback.
Content: Some eReaders are tied to a particular eBook provider – Amazon’s Kindle is the prime example. Others may be tied to Google or Sony so have a look for what will suit your tastes best.
Memory: Around 128MB is standard but some come with an SD card to increase the memory.
Battery life: The humble book is obviously not battery powered so manufacturers have a high standard to live up to. As such, most eReaders will let you read up to 8,000 pages on a single charge. More than enough for several sittings, even if you’re reading the latest Harry Potter book.
