Laptops buying guide

Laptops - also known as notebooks and portable computers - are portable versions of desktop PCs. Light and streamlined, they offer enormous freedom and flexibility and can be taken anywhere and used any time, running on battery power. View our range of laptops.

Key buying decisions

Windows laptop or Apple Mac?

The operating system is the basic software that controls many of the computer's functions, and also acts as an interface between the user and the microprocessor. There is a perennial debate over whether it is better to purchase an Apple Macintosh ('Mac') laptop (known as a MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air) or a PC-based laptop running Microsoft's 'Windows' operating system. Both systems have their strengths and weaknesses, and both have their fans.

Today every new Mac lets you install Windows (if you own a copy) and run it at native speeds. So if you love the design of Apple laptops, but are comfortable using Windows you can enjoy the best of both worlds. And with Windows 8 boasting slick graphics and ease of use, you could argue that Windows has become ever more ‘Mac’-like.

Processor

The Central Processing Unit (CPU or 'processor') is the 'brain' of the computer that drives and controls all its functions. There are a number of different processors. PC users have the choice of chips from a number of manufacturers.

Market leader Intel offers the Celeron processor, or the Intel Core processor which is designed to cope better with running multiple applications. Other, equivalent chips are supplied by AMD - the high-power Turion. Apple computers use the Intel Core Duo family of processors.

So which one’s better out of AMD and Intel? Both processors will perform perfectly well with most everyday tasks, with the equivalent AMD chip being cheaper, which normally helps lower the overall cost of the laptop. However, if you’re serious about audio and video editing, it’s worth investing in a model with the quieter Intel chip.

Memory

You will need to consider the amount of hard disc space your laptop will need, and the amount of Random Access Memory (RAM).

Hard drive

This is the space where programs, files, data and documents are stored. Hard discs come in different sizes, measured in gigabytes (GB). Aim to buy at least 320GB of hard drive space, the more the better, particularly if you will be using programs that use a lot of disc space, such as images or MP3 files.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

Also known as 'on-board' memory - RAM is used for processing and storing the data that the computer is currently working with. To operate efficiently a computer must have sufficient RAM otherwise it will run too slowly. RAM is measured in mega- and gigabytes (MB and GB), with a gigabyte being a 1000 megabytes; 2GB should suffice for most applications or tasks.

Disc drive

Your laptop will be fitted with one or more of the following types of disc drives:

CD-ROM drive – Will read CDs containing new computer programs, as well as playing music. The drives operate at different speeds.
CD-RW drive - 'Writes to' (records onto) a blank CD, as well as reading it. Useful for recording music from MP3 files or CDs, subject to copyright.
DVD ROM drive - A format which stores higher data storage capacity than a CD-ROM drive - up to 4.7 gigabytes of data. Plays films as well as reading CDs.
DVD-RW drive - 'Writes to' (records onto) a blank DVD, as well as reading it. Useful for burning home movies to DVD.
BD ROM drive - Reads Blu-ray discs containing high definition video or data. Will nearly always play and write to CD and DVD media too
BD-RW drive - 'Writes to' (records onto) a blank Blu-ray disc, as well as reading it. Useful for burning high definiton home movies to Blu-ray disc. Will nearly always play and write to CD and DVD media too.

Other points to consider

Wireless networking

Laptops with Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) technology allow you to access broadband internet wirelessly around your home (requires a wireless router). There are also an increasing amount of public ‘Wi-Fi hotspots’ that provide access while you’re out and about.

Battery power

Laptops are powered by a special rechargeable battery, as well as the mains. Fully charged a battery can last anywhere between 2 - 7 hours depending on what tasks the computer is performing. If you will be on the move a lot you should consider buying one with a longer life (if available) or invest in a spare battery.

Ports

In order to be able to connect and communicate with other devices and to send and receive various types of information, a laptop needs a number of input and output channels, known as ports. There are a number of different types of port:

VGA out – used to connect your laptop to your compatible TV.
HDMI out - used to connect your laptop to your compatible TV.
USB (Universal Serial Bus) – The most common method of connecting printers, scanners and other USB peripherals like digital cameras and hand held computers.
Firewire/IEEE 1394 - A very fast method of file transfer, much quicker than even USB speeds. To make use of this, both your computer and accessory will need a Firewire/IEEE 1394 port. This is essential when transferring video images to and from digital camcorders.

Display

Laptops come with an integral LCD display screen. Sizes range from 12 to 17 inches.

Modem

With the increase in WiFi availability both through public ‘hot spots’ and broadband routers in the home, Netbooks and some laptops are increasingly omitting this feature. So if having an integral ‘dial up’ modem is important to you, please check the specification before you buy.

An integral laptop modem allows data to be transmitted over phone lines via a conventional jack plug. It sends and receives data and connects to the internet for email and net browsing.

Sound cards and speakers

Most laptops are equipped with sound cards and speakers so they can play CDs. However, audio quality is often poorer than that of a desktop computer and it may be worth purchasing a set of external computer loudspeakers.

Carrying case

Laptops are more fragile than desktop computers and can be easily knocked or dropped. A carrying case, normally sold as an extra, provides much-needed protection and is a worthwhile investment. The case should ideally be padded and waterproof and have space for accessories such as discs and cables.

Mouse

Instead of a traditional mouse, laptops are fitted with an integral 'input device' - a trackball, trackpoint or touch-pad - together with buttons mirroring the functions of the right and left buttons on a mouse. Some people prefer to buy a conventional mouse as well; check your laptop has a spare USB port to enable you to plug it in.

Minimum requirements?

For every day use of a laptop for browsing the web, sending and receiving emails and writing letters, the following specification will be more than enough:

1.6GHz processor and above
13" display and above
DVD-RW drive
2GB of RAM memory

320GB of hard drive space
2x USB ports
Microsoft Office Starter

How much money should you spend on a laptop?

The decision will mainly hinge upon what you intend to do with it. For word-processing, spreadsheets and internet use, an entry-level or mid-priced model will normally suffice. If you'll be running heavy-duty graphics programs, or playing computer games, then you'll need more memory and disc space, and a faster processor, which means a higher-priced machine.

Bear in mind that a more expensive laptop will be more likely to run the latest software, and that a cheaper model may need replacing more frequently. Laptops cost more than equivalent desktop computers; clearly, you will get the most benefit from the extra investment if portability is an important factor for you.

Our range of netbooks

Netbooks
Designed with travel in mind, netbooks are significantly smaller and lighter than regular laptops, making them easy to carry around in a small bag or by hand. They’re a much cheaper option, and incredibly easy to use thanks to the simplicity of the pre-installed software, but are primarily designed for browsing the internet and emailing

Ultrabooks
Ultrabooks are designed for reduced size and weight, and extended battery life without compromising performance. It uses low-power Intel processors with integrated graphics, solid-state drives for responsiveness, and unibody chassis to fit larger batteries into smaller cases.

Media streaming

Watch movies
Stream favourite DVDs and downloaded movies from your PC to your big-screen TV in the living room.

Internet radio
Choose from a huge number of internet radio stations. Access them via remote control from the comfort of your armchair.

Listen to entire music playlists
Free up the music on your PC and listen to it in the living room via the TV’s sound system. Browse your music collection by cover art. Display album covers on TV, as you would on your MP3 player.

Watch a family slideshow
Access your entire digital photo library and view all your pictures on TV.

Glossary

Athlon: a high-power microprocessor, made by AMD.

Atom: a type of processor made by Intel and usually found in Netbooks.

Backup: keeping a copy of files and software on rewriteable DVDs/CDs, USB flash devices or external hard drives. Because computers are not infallible, it’s good practice to safeguard your work.

BD (Blu-ray) drive: a drive that can read Blu-ray discs containing high definition video or data. Will normally be able to read video or data DVDs as well as audio or data CDs. With a storage capacity of up to 50 gigabytes (GB) of information, Blu-rays discs can store much more data than a DVD. Many BD drives can also write (record) to Blu-ray, DVD or CD media.

Bay: receptacle for storage systems, such as DVD and other drives.

BD-R disc: a Blu-ray disc that can have data writen to it just once.

BD-RE disc: a Blu-ray disc that can be written to and erased and re-recorded multiple times

BIOS (Basic Input/Output System): the BIOS is a version of ROM used in start-up procedures when the computer is first switched on.

Bluetooth: allows you to connect compatible devices wirelessly, such as keyboards and headsets.

Caching: for storing frequently used data in fast RAM connected directly to the CPU.

Compact disc (CD) drive: storage drive for reading CD-ROMs. Comes in a variety of speeds represented as multiples of X, where X = maximum speed of the drive.

CD-R disc: a CD disc that can have data written to it just once.

CD-RW Disc: a CD disc that can be written to, erased and re-recorded multiple times.

Central Processing Unit (CPU): also known as the microprocessor, the CPU is the brain of any computer, controlling all functions and actions. Its speed is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz), respectively millions or billions of cycles per second. The faster the CPU, the quicker the machine.

Core Duo/ 2 Duo: a high-power microprocessor, made by Intel.

Digital Video Disc (DVD) drive: a drive that can read DVDs as well as audio CDs and software CD-ROMs. With a storage capacity of up to 4.7 gigabytes (GB) of information, DVDs can store much more data than a CD-ROM. The majority of DVD drives nowadays will also write to DVD-R, DVD-RW, CD-R and CD-RW discs.

Email: see Internet/email

Gigabyte (GB): standard data measurement unit. One gigabyte contains 1,024 megabytes

Gigahertz: gigahertz (GHz) are used to express the speed of a central processing unit (CPU). 1 gigahertz equals 1000 megahertz (MHz). CPU speeds are increasing as technology improves; faster units have now reached speeds of over 2GHz.

Graphics (or video) card: the card that allows your computer to communicate with your monitor, the video card has its own dedicated memory and is directly responsible for calculating the colour, position and size of all objects on the screen. 3D cards are often a pre-requisite for many of today's best-selling games. Some computers come with a video card already incorporated into the mother card

Hard drive: the computer's central storage system built into the computer. The bigger the hard drive, the more applications can be stored.

MacBook: Apple Macintosh laptop, equivalent to iMac or MacPro desktop computer.

Internet/email: a network that enables computers to be connected together in a 'web'. With access to the internet you can access data from anywhere in the world for the price of a domestic phone call. The same technology facilitates email (electronic mail), typed messages that can be routed to any email address anywhere in the world almost instantaneously. Emails can also incorporate photos, audio recordings or video.

Keyboard: text input device that converts data into computer-readable format. Used in conjunction with a mouse.

Megabyte (MB): standard data measurement unit. One megabyte contains 1,048,576 bytes.

Microprocessor: also known as the central processing unit (CPU), the microprocessor is the central 'brain' of the computer, controlling all functions and actions. Its speed is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz), respectively millions or billions of cycles per second. The faster the microprocessor, the quicker the machine.

Modem (Modulator/Demodulator): a communication device via which the computer transmits and receives data over analogue telephone lines. Used for sending and receiving email and to browse and download information from the internet.

Motherboard: site of all of the internal circuitry for the system. The motherboard is the main circuit board inside the desktop computer, to which all other internal components connect. While it is not an element that can usually be specified, it is important to check it will support any necessary upgrades, such as a faster microprocessor and/or has space for additional cards.

Mouse: a small, hand-operated device that provides users with an intuitive way of moving the cursor and selecting areas of text.

Netbook: a light, compact, highly portable and generally inexpensive way to use the internet and email. While not boasting the higher spec of a laptop, a Netbook’s WiFi functionality makes for easy access of the internet while travelling.

Operating System (OS): the software handling the computer's basic functions.

PC (personal computer): desktop 'IBM-compatible' computer - not an Apple Macintosh.

Ports: the physical connection points that allows external devices such as printers and scanners to be linked to the computer.

Random Access Memory (RAM) also known as 'on-board' memory: temporary workspace where the computer holds the data it is currently processing. The higher the amount of RAM, the more and larger the applications that can be run simultaneously. Measured in megabytes (MB).

Read-Only Memory (ROM): permanent memory storage for data that does not change.

Resolution: this is measured by the number of pixels - the tiny dots that make up the overall picture. The greater the pixel count, the higher the resolution and the sharper the display. The size of monitor and resolution you will need will depend on what you will use the computer for. Anyone intending to spend any significant amount of time on the internet should aim for a 15" screen and a resolution of at least 1024 x 768 - increasingly the standard for web pages.

Sound Card: the card that generates the computer's audio capability producing all the sounds required for audio tracks, games and so on.

Turion: a type of processor made by AMD.

USB port: an interface that allows a host computer to be connected to any compatible device e.g. mouse, joystick, scanner, digital camera, printer, personal media player, flash drive, and external hard drive.

Video (or graphics) card: the card that allows your computer to communicate with your monitor, the video card has its own dedicated memory and is directly responsible for calculating the colour, position and size of all object on the screen. 3D cards are often a pre-requisite for many of today's best-selling games. Some computers come with a video card already incorporated into the mother card.

Virtual memory: the part of a hard disc used to store data on a temporary basis and swap it in and out of RAM as required.