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October 15, 2002
Nothing But Notebooks (con'td)
A Notebook Buyer's Guide
With so many sizes, brands, and configurations to consider, purchasing a laptop can be daunting. Here's a rundown of the components most important for school use.
Speed and memory. A laptop's most important chip is the processor, or CPU (central processing unit). In general, any processor running at 700 MHz or higher is sufficient for typical classroom tasks such as word processing, spreadsheets, and Web surfing. A minimum of 128MB of memory is needed, but it's worth spending more to get 256MB for speedier performance. It's also possible to get by with a 10GB hard drive, but we suggest considering budget laptops that offer 20GB or more.
Display. Notebooks today all come with sharp, high-resolution liquid crystal displays. Active matrix is an LCD technology that gives better side-angle viewing. In order for text and graphics to be seen comfortably at the preferred Windows resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels, screens need to be 14 inches or larger.
Optical Drives. Laptops with fixed optical drives are generally less expensive than those with swappable drive bays. However, in buying a budget model, don't settle for anything less than a CD-R/RW drive, which enables the machine to read CD-ROMS and burn CD-Rs and CD-RWs, and eliminates the need for a bulky floppy disk drive.
Battery. Beware of vendors' estimates on battery life. The estimated life usually applies when power-saving features are enabled-namely dimmed screens, slowed CPU, dormant drives, and no Internet connection. Batteries last significantly less time during standard usage.
Connectivity. All notebooks today have built-in 56-Kbps modems, and integrated Ethernet connections are fast becoming a standard feature as well. If you plan to use wireless networking for connecting to the Internet, look for laptops with built-in antennas.
Weight. In terms of size, there are three main classes of laptops. The lighter machines run between 2.5 to four pounds, while the heavyweights are between six and eight pounds. The lightest laptops, while easy to tote around, lack internal drives and generally have slower processing speeds. The heaviest machines, which cost the most, have all the bells and whistles and are meant as a desktop replacement. In general, laptops in the mid-range-four to six pounds-fit the needs of the classroom at an affordable price.
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