You paid attention to how fastare digital technologies developing? Another twenty (yes that there twenty, ten!) Years ago, a home computer for most Russians remained a hard-to-be realized dream. Today the situation is quite different. It's not a problem to buy a computer. The problem is to choose a computer. Yes, not simple (stationary), but a mobile, compact, convenient and fashionable laptop. And how to choose a laptop, for example, for home or for study, or for work? Is there any difference between laptops designed for "targeted" use or just like a home computer? What to look for when buying? How to make a good choice? We will try to find answers to all these questions.
Purpose of the laptop
The starting point for choosing a laptop should beits, so-called, purpose. That is, what you need it for: as a home computer, as an assistant in studies, as a business tool or as a "gaming station." Let's start in order. Laptop for home use. Thanks to modern advanced models, a compact laptop can easily replace a stationary home computer. In addition to compactness, the laptop as a "home computer" has a number of advantages. Firstly, it is mobile, and it is easy to transfer it from room to room, take it with you to the country or to the trip. Secondly, he does not need special furniture. Thirdly, he does not need additional equipment with sound speakers or a web camera. And this is not all: if you want, you can find a bunch of pluses. So if you solve the problem, how to choose a laptop for your home, then pay attention to the following options:
- diagonal screen, which should be large, with a ratio of sixteen to nine (this will allow you to easily watch HD movies);
- drive Blu-ray (a drive for reading and writing disks of various formats);
- the amount of hard disk that should be sufficient to store photo and video archives;
- video card with high performance;
- connector for connecting external multimedia devices (TV, video equipment): HDMI, S-Video, DVI.
Laptop for study. A small and compact laptop, or rather a netbook - is already an inseparable part of the image of a modern student. Such a laptop-baby can easily fit into a backpack and a ladies' bag. Student netbook should be equipped with a USB flash drive connector, a large storage disk for training materials, a Wi-Fi module for Internet connection, an integrated camera and a microphone. The laptop for work acts as an auxiliary tool of business. It is necessary for business trips and business trips, for displaying presentations and storing documents. In this version, not so much technical characteristics as the appearance of the laptop are important. First, it should be easy, so as not to weight your gait and not to pull your arms and shoulders (remember the posture!). Secondly, it should be stylish enough, that is strict and effective simultaneously, to emphasize your status and add pluses to the business image. So choose a laptop no heavier than three kilograms, with a memory of at least two gigabytes (2 GB), with a large screen and a Wi-Fi module. Laptop for the gamer. This is also a kind of working tool, which must have high performance and excellent video quality. As a gaming station, a notebook with a dual- or quad-core processor and a memory capacity (operational) of four to eight gigabytes is suitable. In addition, it should have a large enough hard drive (hard disk) to accommodate modern and fairly "heavy" games. The diagonal of the monitor should be no less (or better than) seventeen inches, and dual graphics cards with SLI-connectors, support for DirectX 10 and memory of at least two hundred fifty-six gigabytes. These are all general requirements for a laptop, depending on what you plan to buy it for. But when choosing it is also necessary to understand the main technical characteristics of the computer and the requirements that it must meet: screen, processor, hard disk volume, keyboard and so on and so on. Let us dwell on them in more detail.
Laptop screen and form factor
Mobility of the laptop is its obvious dignity. However, not all models are ideally compact. If, for example, the laptop is small and fits neatly in the bag, then it has a screen with a small diagonal, and on such a screen it is not very convenient to watch movies. How to choose the golden mean? The basic requirements for the screen are resolution, contrast and brightness. The brightness should be maximum for a laptop designer, photographer and gamer. For home use a laptop with a medium-brightness screen is suitable, for students and office workers a notebook model with a not very bright display is suitable. The inertiality of the screen affects the ability of the "traceless" fast movement of objects on the screen. This option is important for watching movies, video games, working with large volumes of texts and a long time on the Internet. The size of the screen affects the weight of the laptop. So choose yourself: either a heavy laptop with a large screen, or a light model with a smaller screen. Form factor. The proportions of the screen for most laptops are standard. Typically, this ratio is four to three (4: 3) or sixteen to nine (16: 9). The greatest demand (and popularity) are models with a widescreen screen. It is believed that it is more convenient for working and watching movies. On some notebook models, the screen turns one hundred and eighty degrees and completely drops to the keyboard. As a result, the laptop is transformed into a tablet computer without a keyboard. Models-transformers are convenient in that they can be used both as a regular laptop and as a tablet. This feature is important for those to whom the keyboard is often not needed or even hinders, such as during drawing. 
Processor and amount of RAM
The processor is the electronic brain. Its performance and memory capacity depends on the performance of the notebook. The more powerful the processor, the more programs you can run simultaneously, and the faster the applications will work. The power of the processor is expressed in the number of cores, cache memory and power consumption. The main characteristic is the number of cores. To work with text, office applications and "freezes" on the Internet, one core is enough. To work with graphics, video and photos, as well as for games, you need a processor with two cores (dual-core). Cache memory is an intermediary between the processor and the computer's main memory, which affects its performance. It can be the first and second level and is designated, respectively, "L1" or "L2". The higher the level, the higher the productivity. Operative memory of modern models of laptops is sufficient for storing and viewing films, working with texts and office applications and communicating on the Internet. For all this, a minimum of one gigabyte of RAM is enough. To work with graphics (for example, with "Photoshop"), this memory will not be enough, so to perform resource-intensive tasks you need a memory of two to four gigabytes. Well, if you are an enthusiastic person, you will most likely need a laptop with "perspective" RAM, that is, with the possibility of increasing its volume to four (and more) gigabytes.
Hard Drive Capacity
The volume of the hard disk (hard drive) determinesthe amount of information that can fit on the laptop: programs, texts, pictures, movies, photos, music and everything else. For a home computer you need a laptop with a disk capacity of at least two hundred and fifty gigabytes, to work with office programs - about one hundred and sixty gigabytes, to work with graphics and for games you will need at least four hundred gigabytes. Well, if your laptop will only perform the role of a "window" on the Internet, it's sufficient to have a volume of up to 100 gigabytes to its hard drive.
Video card
How to choose the right laptop in accordance withthis characteristic? According to this characteristic of the graphics system, all modern laptops can only be of two kinds: with an integrated graphics card or with an additional installed. Laptops with built-in video card in the process of using their own memory, and they are designed for students, students, office workers. Tasks that are easily handled by such a laptop - work with text, travel to the Internet, virtual communication. Notebooks with built-in video card are compact enough and do not weigh much. To work in graphics programs, processing photos, games and quality movies, you need a laptop with a separate (discrete) video card. Its advantage is that it is provided with its own, dedicated memory. Advantages of such a card in quality, thoroughness and speed of image transmission. Screens of laptops with a separate video card display real colors, the picture on them changes more dynamically, and the fine details are carefully traced.
Keyboard
Unlike stationary computers, wherekeyboard - external and replaceable device, all models of the laptop have built-in keyboards. Therefore, after you purchase a mobile computer, you will not be able to change the keyboard. Therefore, when choosing a laptop, you need to pay attention to this important element of the device. First of all, look at how clearly and contrastfully the letters and signs on the keys are drawn, whether the Latin font differs from the Cyrillic alphabet well. Pay attention to the usual arrangement of buttons - it should not be very different from the standard one, otherwise you will have to retrain and get used to the new order of keys. Minor differences will still be (especially on compact models) so choose an option in which you would not be embarrassed. Check the keys for "free play" - whether there are any sticking or popping out. Try typing some text. Everything is fine? Then choose this model (if, of course, everything else suits you too). 
Cursor control
Touchpad that replaces the laptopmouse, called the touchpad (touchpad). Moving on it with your finger, you make the cursor move on the screen. Instead of a touchpad on the laptop can a small joystick (trackpoint), which is located directly on the keyboard between the keys. The touchpad is considered a more convenient device than the joystick due to its ease of use and direct analogy of the control with the mouse. Pay attention to the location of the touchpad - most preferably, it is located just below the space bar, and not strictly in the center of the stand. In addition to an alternative mouse in the form of a touchpad or joystick, most laptops are equipped with a small mouse. If the mouse is not included in the kit, then you can always buy it.
Network connectivity
Probably (except mobility and compactness)the ability to access the network anywhere and anytime is the main feature of the laptop. The more wired and wireless Internet connections you can make from a laptop, the more communicative value it represents. In addition to connecting an optical cable (for example, in an apartment) to any laptop, you can connect a modem with a mobile Internet (for example, in the country or on the road). In addition, any laptop model (regardless of class) is equipped with a Wi-Fi module. What does it mean? This means that in any cafe, restaurant, hotel or institution where there is a Wi-Fi network, you can use the Internet from your laptop for free or for a small fee. In addition to the Wi-Fi module in the laptop, there is another very useful option (option). This is the Bluetooth module (bluetooth). With this module, you can very quickly go online through a mobile phone, transfer (also to your phone) music, photos or videos, and organize all your contacts. The rapidly developing WiMax technology is not yet very common in laptops. WiMax is an advanced analogue of Wi-Fi, which allows you to connect to a wireless network with more (six to ten kilometers) distances and anywhere in the world, and also provides high speed Internet. So if you have a need for a permanent outlet to the network using a laptop, and your lifestyle is mobile, then this option in your laptop will not be superfluous.
Battery
This is one of the defining characteristics when choosinglaptop. Because the battery capacity depends on the amount of time that it can work without recharging. The standard time for the vast majority of laptops, when they run on battery - two or two and a half hours. For a home laptop this time more than enough, given that the source of recharging (electrical outlet) is literally at hand and in every room. But if you often use a laptop outside your home or travel a lot on business trips, then you need a "long-playing" rechargeable battery. With this battery, the laptop can work without recharging for five to ten hours in a row. So pay attention to the capacity of the laptop battery, so that at the most inopportune moment you would not have to frantically look for an outlet.
Additional features and equipment
In addition to the main characteristics of the laptop(processor performance, RAM and hard disk size, screen size) it is worth considering the additional features that most models have. Virtually all modern laptops have a built-in webcam and microphone (except for economy-class models). Therefore, they can be attributed to the elements of mandatory equipment. Moreover, the bulk of buyers and does not consider models without a camera and a microphone. It is important to pay attention to the number of pixels in the camera and the power (volume) of the microphone. To almost mandatory include a headphone jack and an HDMI output (video and audio). One more addition is a drive (drive for reading disks). Pay attention to which drive on the laptop: read-only or writeable. In portable models it is, as a rule, only "reading" drives. And for some models it can be external, that is, connected only if necessary. So keep in mind when choosing not only the main parameters of the laptop, but also nice additions. In general, in order to find the answer to the question "how to choose the right laptop", determine, first of all, with what you need it for. Believe that manufacturers take into account the features of laptops used for different purposes and areas. Therefore, the seller will ask you why you are going to buy a laptop and will offer the most suitable models. And you will only have to choose the optimal equipment, with which you will certainly cope! We advise you to read:
