Best Notebook Computers
Notebooks and laptops now sell more than desktop computers. With an ever-increasing market for notebooks globally, manufacturers try their best to bring out models that they feel will help them get a bigger market share as far as sales are concerned. This is the reason there are so many good notebook computers available out there. While buying one, you should check out the specifications and accordingly choose one that will best suit your specific needs. Let us have a look at the best notebook computers in the market, which will help you get a better idea and decide which one will be most suited for your own needs.
Choosing the Best Notebook
A few parameters have to be considered before choosing the top rated laptops. Although the look and layout plays a major role, one should not pass judgment of the best notebook solely on the basis of looks, because after all, one should never judge a book by its cover! So here are a few parameters to look out for.
- Cost: The cost of electronic items tend to fluctuate. So, decide beforehand the amount that you are willing to spend on the notebook computer. There will always be a high-end and high-performance computer in the market, but what's the point if you are not able to afford it?
- Processor: The speed of the processor plays an important role in the final performance output. Like the engine of a car, the CPU (central processing unit) is the engine of a computer. Also, processors have a variety of speeds (like 2.4GHz, 2.6GHz, 2.8GHz etc.) Unnecessarily high-speed processors are not needed for daily activities, such as listening to music and watching movies. High speed processors (Quad Core) should be chosen if you plan on doing activities that require high processing speeds, like programming or setting up a server.
- RAM: The word 'RAM' is an acronym for Random Access Memory. It is the primary memory of the notebook computer. RAM should be as high as possible. Although this is a replaceable part and has a certain capacity to be upgraded, its upgradation is a costly affair.
- Motherboard: Choosing the computer motherboard is also very important because it is the circuit mechanism on which all your internal components are going to rest. Think of it as a communication medium. The better the medium, the faster the message received (Email vs traditional mail).
- Hard Disk Drive: Also known as HDD, it is the secondary storage of the notebook computer. It is the area where the operating system resides when the notebook computer is switched off. A hard drive is like a closet or a basement. You never know when you might need the extra storage space.
- Operating System: There are different types of operating systems. Selecting an operating system (OS) for your computer is a crucial decision. It is through an OS that you are going to interact with the notebook computer. Windows-based OSs have a history of being user-friendly, MAC OSs are known for their efficiency, while open source flavors of Linux are cost-free.
- Battery: Notebook computers are designed for people who are frequent travelers. So, it makes sense to have a good battery backup. Battery of the best notebooks last for a long time.
Now, it's time to know about laptop accessories.
- USB Flash Drive: A typical accessory that one must always have with a laptop is a USB flash drive. It's a portable secondary storage device. Whenever you are on the move and feel the need to exchange data, a USB flash drive is the best option. It's reliable and fast.
- A Laptop Bag: Notebook computers are meant to be traveled with. The best laptop bag is that which is comfortable as well as attractive.
- USB Lamp: It is a lamp which is connected to the USB port of the notebook computer. The illumination that this lamp provides is only meant for the keyboard. This accessory is handy if you are working at night.
- A Mouse: Touch pads or pressure pads have a tendency to be unreliable at times. Also, if you are a first time user of the notebook computer, use a normal mouse till you get used to the pressure pad.
| Notebook Model | Specifications | Price (approx.) |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Z570 | 15.6-inch display, Intel Core i5-2410M processor, 750GB hard drive, 8GB RAM, 2-megapixel webcam. | $1,250 |
| Acer S3 | 13.3-inch display, Intel Core i5-2467M processor, 320GB hard drive, 4GB RAM, 1.3-megapixel webcam. | $900 |
| Dell XPS 15 | 15.6-inch display, Intel Core i5-460M processor, 500GB hard drive, 6GB RAM, 2-megapixel webcam. | $1,000 |
| Toshiba NB550D | 10.1-inch display, AMD Fusion C50 processor, 250GB hard drive, 1GB RAM, 0.3-megapixel webcam. | $450 |
| Apple MacBook Pro | 15-inch display, Intel Dual Core i7 processor, 750GB hard drive, 4GB RAM, FaceTime-enabled HD camera. | $2,200 |
| HP Pavilion G4 | 14-inch display, AMD Athlon II Dual-Core processor, 320GB hard drive, 3GB RAM, HP Webcam with integrated digital microphone. | $400 |
| HP Pavilion dv6t | 15.6-inch display, Intel Core i5-2410m processor, 640GB hard drive, 6GB RAM, HP TrueVision HD Webcam. | $800 |
| Samsung NF310 | 10.1-inch display, Intel Atom 1.5GHz N550 dual core processor, 250GB hard drive, 1GB RAM, 0.3-megapixel webcam. | $400 |
| Dell Alienware M17x (Gaming) | 17-inch display, Intel Core2 17-940XM processor, 512GB hard drive, 8GB RAM, in-built webcam. | $1,800 |
| ASUS G74SX | 17.3-inch display, Intel Core2 17-2630QM processor, 2 x 750GB hard drive, 12GB RAM, 2-megapixel webcam. | $1,750 |
The above factors should be taken into account while selecting the best notebook. As already mentioned, check the specifications of the notebooks that you like, and then only narrow down onto one of them which suits your needs and budget properly.
