Buying a laptop computer can be confusing, even if you’re a computer whiz. The rapid changes in technology and all the small details often make finding the best laptop more difficult than expected. Laptops used to be aimed at professional and business people however due to developing technology and falling prices they’re a better alternative to a normal desktop computer and also great for mobile gaming. We’ve put this laptop computer buying guide to advise you on what to look out for when buying laptop computers.
Why buy a laptop?
The main advantage of laptop computers is that you can use them anywhere and be wire free. Even larger gaming laptops are portable enough to move around rather easily. Most laptops can run for more than 2hrs+ on battery whilst those specifically designed for mobile will even give you up to 8 hours. The only drawback of laptops is that they are not very easy to upgrade. It’s for this reason we always say buy the best laptop you can afford at the time.
Laptop Linguo Explained
One of the most confusing aspects when buying laptop computers is the terminology and sometimes products are incorrectly marketed which makes it even more difficult to know if you’re buying the right laptop for you. Check these out:
Technology Plaforms:
Companies like Intel and AMD often package different components to create technology platforms to help market their laptop technology. There always seems to be a lot of confusion here so just to clarify below are the most significant performing platforms in the market today.
Centrino 2 – Also referred to as Montevina, consists of Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, Intel PM45 or Intel GM45 Chipset and Intel 5100 or Intel 5300 Wireless Cards. An important factor to note here is that the processors and chipset have a FSB (Front Side Bus) of 1066MHz only.
Centrino Duo – Also referred to as Santa Rosa, consists of Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, Intel 965PM or Intel 965GM Chipset and Intel 3945ABG or Intel 4965AGN Wireless Cards. An important factor to note here is that the processors and chipset have a FSB (Front Side Bus) of 800MHz only.
Others – Other platforms consist of a mixture different of chipsets, processors and wireless cards from various companies including Intel and AMD though they’re generally found on cheap laptops and are aimed at basic entry level computing.
Processors
The Processor or CPU as its called is the most important part of the laptop computer. There are 3 things to check the processor for which include the Speed (measured in GHz), the FSB (measured in MHz) and the L2 Cache measured in MB. With all of these the higher, the better. Rizeon laptops come with Intel Core 2 Duo processors and generally you should get the best you can at the time if you’re looking for a gaming laptop.
Memory
Memory or RAM is temporary storage used for files running on your laptop computer at any given time. The more ram you have the more programs you can run at the same time. Ram is measured is GB and the minimum is 2GB for gaming laptops. For the best gaming experience look to 3GB or higher.
Hard Drive
This is the permanent storage space on your laptop. If you want to save lots of music and video on your laptop go for a larger size. Hard drives come in a few different speeds and varieties for the best performance.
5400RPM: These are standard laptop drives that offer good speed/power consumption trade off.
7200RPM: These are faster high performance hard drives which are equal to desktop level performance - Great for gaming laptops.
SSD (Solid State Disk): Still a premium technology however offers faster speeds, lower power consumption, lower heat and great reliability due to no moving parts compared to traditional laptop hard drives. If you have the money this is the best option for performance.
Optical Drives
This is the CD/DVD drive. DVD Rewriter or DVD Supermulti drives are rather common on the majority of laptops these days. Other options include Bluray reader, DVD Rewriter combination drives.
Graphics Cards
If you’re looking for a gaming laptop the graphics card is probably the most important component to look for. Nvidia and ATi are the main graphic chips available and differences can be minute. Check out our gaming laptops section for more info. DDR3 memory is technically superior due to lower heat and slightly better performance but it is also the more expensive option and may not be worth the additional cost until prices come down.
Connectivity
You’ll find fewer ports usually found on desktop computers such as USB ports but you’ll also find Bluetooth and Wireless Networking capabilities. Expansion of ports and devices is possible using the PC Card slot. One thing to look out for the video out options like HDMI, VGA or DVI which would be important for big screen gaming or watching DVD’s.
Operating Systems
The majority of laptops will come with Microsoft Windows XP or a variation of Windows Vista. Rizeon also offer Vista 64bit Edition or even no operating system at all. You receive the original installation disk and we don’t install any annoying or useless software (bloatware) for the best experience.
Rizeon’s are ready to perform
Laptops will differ in price and performance however it’s important you see value on a like for like basis. Rizeon’s custom laptops are all based on Intel Centrino platforms for the best mobile experience. You won’t find cheap laptops here but we are focused on providing the best value laptop computers possible. Our custom laptops are focused on being top performers and gaming laptops. Gaming laptops are generally the best laptop computers you can buy as they will generally handle any other intended purpose effortlessly.
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