So you've made up your mind. It's time that your old computer (desktop or the
old notebook) or the computers being used by people in your organization need to
be replaced. Well, we just hope it's not a case of your computer hanging in the
middle of a presentation or something similarly catastrophic and embarrassing
that made you realize this! One can see many products available in the market
but finding the right notebook according to one's requirements, from the
gallimaufry of available brands, is difficult for sure. A little background
check on the available products and figuring out what's right for you and what's
not, goes a long way in taking the right decision; even though innards of a
computer is something you have no clue about. This buying guide presents a
detailed walkthrough on the available technologies and components that you
should carefully scrutinize before you take the plunge.
Identify your real needs
There is no such thing as a 'good for all' product out there. Different
people use computers differently. For example, an animator or a mechanical
engineer would want a machine that would run visual graphics or maybe AutoCAD
designs smoothly and without any lags. This would require high-end graphic
accelerators and more RAM. On the other hand, a marketing executive would want
easy connectivity to Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth and a greater variety of display
ports, to facilitate seamless connectivity with projectors and display screens.
This would also enable easy Internet access and allow connectivity with all
kinds of peripheral devices such as printers, phones, digital cameras etc, both
wired and wirelessly. Other pertinent questions could be: is the new laptop
going replace your current desktop? Are you going to be- carrying it around
frequently? If you need to carry your notebook around a lot, then weight and
battery backup are the key factors to watch out for.
Have you ever noticed that notebooks with somewhat similar specs vary in
price from vendor to vendor? Even though the reason behind this is chiefly brand
positioning, it's vital to know if there's more to it than meets the eye. It's
always good to do a little research on different prices on products by different
manufacturers that suit your requirements.
Check for support
No matter how sturdy a notebook you might buy, still with passage of time
you could face problems such as virus attacks to OS or disk crashes and other
not so pleasant things. Just check on support provided by different vendors. See
if the warranty is onsite or if the manufacturer expects you to carry it to the
service center. Also enquire whether the service is restricted to the hardware
only or for the OS and other apps that it comes pre-loaded with. Find out how
much does the vendor charge for each visit after the product is past its
warranty and how much time do they take to respond.
You could be better off checking with your peers on the efficiency of support
by a particular vendor. Before buying, ask the vendor about the type of warranty
and not just its period. Is it on-site or carry-in? Does the warranty cover both
parts and labor charges if something goes wrong with the product?
Also whether there are options of extended warranties and insurance available
for your purchase? Most of this information can also be found on the vendor's
website.
Deciphering platform and processor names
Most people confuse the name of the platform or technology a notebook is
based on, with the processor it contains. While, Intel's Centrino technology
comprises of a particular combination of CPU, mainboard chipset and wireless
network interface, to improve performance, battery life and provide broad
wireless network interoperability for systems equipped with these technologies.
There are a number of other such platforms from Intel: the Napa platform
(released in 2006) that comes with the Centrino logo; the Santa Rosa platform,
introduced first in 2007 and comes with a Centrino vPro logo; Intel's offering
for 2008 is the fifth generation Montevina platform that comes with a Centrino 2
or a Centrino2 vPro logo. These platforms boast a second generation Intel Core 2
Duo (code named Penryn) 45nm processor with clock speeds ranging from 2.26GHz to
3.06GHz, the mobile chipset offers RAM support for DDR2-667, DDR2-800, DDR3-800,
DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333 SODIMM and NAND flash-memory based caching, branded as
Intel Turbo Memory, along with Gigabit Ethernet LAN controllers 82567LM and
82567LF. For display, HDMI, DVI and VGA standards are supported, while for
wireless networking these platforms are Wi-Fi and WiMax ready.
BlueRay compatible optical |
Puma is the latest offering from AMD and consists of AMD's third generation
64 bit Turion dual core processor, a new mobile chipset, ATI Radeon graphics
card, wireless IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n mini PCIe Wi-Fi adaptor and other features
like hybrid hard drive support. Notebooks based on the Puma platform should be
available soon.
A little shiny sticker on your notebook tells about the processor make. If
you compare a computer with a car, then the processor does exactly what an
engine does for a car. Now the key question is what kind of performance are you
looking for? Computer processors have evolved immensely in the past few years
due to the advancements in semiconductor technology. The latest offerings are
dual core and quad core processors. A Dual core refers to a CPU that includes
two complete execution cores per physical processor. It combines two processors
and their caches, and cache controllers onto a single integrated circuit
(silicon chip). Since each core has its own cache, the OS has sufficient
resources to handle intensive tasks in parallel, which provides a noticeable
improvement while multitasking. Similarly, a quad core processor has four cores
instead of two and as you can well imagine by now, it is supposed to double the
processing speed as compared to a dual core processor.
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Notebooks are increasingly equipped with one touch buttons to control multimedia. Some are also equipped with one touch buttons to access email, open your web browser and switch on/off Wi-Fi & Bluetooth. |
On the other hand AMD processors for notebooks come under the name Turion X2
ultra dual core and Turion. AMD's Athlon 64 X2 dual core processors provide more
affordable dual core processing capabilities.
Which OS?
Some entry level laptops come loaded with a free version of Linux but if the
notebook doesn't come preloaded with an operating system then you will have to
shell out some more money to buy a licensed copy of the operating system. Or if
you are comfortable with Linux then you can even get a copy of any Linux distro
you like and save money in the bargain.
For Windows lovers, most notebooks come pre-loaded with one or the other
version of Vista. You can choose from Enterprise, Business, Home Basic, Home
Premium and Ultimate, depending on whether you want it for office or home usage.
Vista Business and Enterprise editions have extra features to support enterprise
network connectivity.
The Apple Mac books come loaded with their proprietary Mac OS. But that's not
the limit. You can even get Windows XP or Vista running on them with the help of
software called Bootcamp, which lets you dual boot between MAC OS or Windows
Vista/XP.
Why a Graphics Card?
If you are going to use applications that are graphically intense or you are
a gaming freak, then you need a powerful graphics card within your notebook.
Most laptop manufacturers provide either an NVIDIA or an AMD card. A graphics
card takes away the load from the CPU, thereby reducing the compromises made on
CPU performance while running graphics intense apps.
Another important parameter to be checked is the amount of video memory
available on board. Notebooks use a part of the main memory as the video memory
which can be adjusted in the notebook's BIOS. However the maximum amount of main
memory that can be allocated as video memory varies for notebooks. If this
memory is not enough then you should search for notebooks that have dedicated
memory for graphics.
Hard drives and Safe Storage
Storage capacity in notebook hard drives these days range between 160GB to
320GB, and are available at RPM speeds ranging from 5400rpm to 7200rpm. A higher
RPM value provides faster data access from the hard drive, thereby giving better
performance. Make sure that you buy the right capacity up front as upgrading the
hard drive could be a problem in some models.
Besides capacity and rpm, another critical aspect to check is the kind of
protection a notebook provides to its hard drive. Does it come equipped with a
shock absorber for the hard disk? Whenever a notebook senses vibrations, it
removes the head from the main media of the HDD and waits at a safer place until
the sensor stops sensing vibrations. So, the hard drive is less vulnerable to
damage than when it is not in operation. Check whether your notebook provides
this feature.
How much RAM?
Most notebooks these days come with two RAM slots unlike desktops that have
four. It is better to have only one of the slots filled to keep room for future
expansion. For instance, if a notebook has 1 GB RAM then it's better to have a
single 1 GB RAM module instead of two 512 MB modules.
Notebooks these days offer RAM from 512 MB to 4 GB. The popular DDR2 RAMs
come in speeds of 400MHz, 533MHz, 677MHz and 800MHz, while the newer DDR3 RAMs
have speeds as high as 1333 MHz.
Connectivity Options
Make sure that the laptop you buy has sufficient input/output ports and even
if it's an ultra-light notebook, there's no compromise on the essential ports.
As a thumb rule, you should have at least three USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire, a
VGA out, S-Video out, Ethernet (RJ-45), modem (RJ11), headphone (line-out) and
microphone ports. Even the smallest laptops with a 12.1 inch display should have
these for seamless connectivity with other peripheral devices.
Almost all notebooks today have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support. Connectivity
options, both wireless and wired, form an important part of a notebook. Make
sure that your notebook is compatible with the latest IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n
standards for wireless LAN communication. 802.11n is a new multi-streaming
modulation technique and notebooks based on its proprietary pre-draft versions
are being sold.
Battery backup
A good battery backup is essential if you are perennially on the move.
Battery backups of most notebooks vary between 2.5 to 5 hours. Notebooks
generally have a power management system of their own that helps in achieving
better battery backups by intelligently reducing the brightness of the LCD or by
switching the notebook to sleep mode, when kept idle for sometime. Most
notebooks come with a 6-cell Li-ion which can be upgraded to a 9-cell or higher
option at an additional cost.
Screen size and weight
Notebooks are available in different screen sizes ranging from 12.1” to 17”
widescreens. The weight of a notebook is in direct proportion to the screen
size. Another important point is that the weight mentioned by the vendor is the
weight of the laptop alone without the carry bag, adaptor and other accessories
that are essential for you. Also when buying a widescreen notebook, check for
its compatibility with external display devices such as a projector or a
monitor.
Optical drive
A CD/DVD writer is being offered with all current models. In case you buy a
laptop that doesn't have it, you always attach a USB/FireWire based drive. These
days Blu-ray format for high-def video is making the headlines. Some of the
high-end notebooks come equipped with a Blu-ray drive and some of the vendors
offer it as an option to buyers at extra cost. The added capacity that Blu-ray
(25GB per layer) discs offer over standard DVDs (4.7 GB per layer) can be an
advantage for those who want their notebooks to be future ready.
Web camera
Integrated web cams are very popular and common in mid level and even entry
level notebooks, given the popularity of instant messaging and voice
conferencing. You can also use them for taking pictures and recording videos.
Check the resolution of the camera on board, the higher the resolution the
better the picture quality. Also having an integrated microphone helps avoid the
irritating headset.
Accessories
Your laptop might come with a few accessories and a carry bag for sure.
Having the right laptop accessories available can make life much easier while
traveling. A wide range of laptop accessories is available in the market but the
ones that can be useful for almost everybody are notebook security cables to
protect from theft; portable storage devices; laptop power adaptors to charge
batteries on the go, headsets and microphones. Other products include portable
printers, wireless laptop mice, presentation devices, etc.
Knee fryers
A good thermal management system is responsible for controlling the amount
of heat that a laptop would dissipate. After continuous working, some part or
the other of a notebook gets heated up, be it a keyboard, the bottom of the
notebook or even the touchpad. If you're not looking to get your knees fried
then buy a notebook that has heat vents on the sides rather than the bottom.
Security/data recovery
Most notebooks have a feature or two for security and privacy. These could
be TPM (trusted platform module), biometric fingerprint or face recognition and
HDD security. As the name suggests the finger print or face recognition system
stores the image of the finger or the face of the authorized user, which is used
to authenticate access to the notebook. These features can also be applied to
individual files/folders on a notebook. Some notebooks also have a one touch
data recovery button for retrieving lost data.
Watchout for these |
Battery: Upgrading to a 9 cell or higher battery can be very useful for people on the go as it increases the power backup. Most manufacturers provide consumers with an option of a bigger battery at an additional cost.
Ultraportables: These are notebook
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1 lakh plus : Lenovo ThinkPad X300
Quick Specs |
Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo L7100 1.2 GHz, 2GB DDR2 RAM, 64GB of SSD, 13.3” back-lit LED screen, Web cam with mic, Ultra thin DVD +RW Price: Rs 1,44,900 (3 yr warranty) Contact: Lenovo India. Tel: 1800-425-3336, Email: buy@in.lenovo.com |
This ultra-light notebook from the ThinkPad lineage is for business users who
demand everything from their notebook, yet want to travel light. With a weight
of about 1.5 Kgs and thickness equaling that of an actual paper notebook, it's
surprising how Lenovo has managed to make X300 so thin without excluding
anything. Looks wise, it's bland with no gimmicks; but is sturdy and when it
comes to features it has all packed in to meet the requirements of a business
user. It has an integrated webcam with microphone and stereo speakers, and on
top of that it also features an ultrathin DVD writer. It has a 1.6 GHz Intel
Core 2 Duo with 2 GB RAM and boasts of a Solid State Drive (SSD), which brings
down the weight and power consumption but restricts the capacity at present to a
mere 64 GB. While low HDD capacity might be a drawback, the light weight and
performance boost because of SSD more than make up for it. Being a ThinkPad
protégé, it features both a touchpad and a TrackPoint. For connectivity it has
Gbe, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and for security there's a fingerprint scanner. X300
managed to score 3300 in PC Mark and 448 in 3D Mark, which is acceptable for its
size and intended usage. Being ultra light, its battery gave an astounding
backup of 3 hrs 52 mins. However, at this price, it's more suited to the elite
business class fliers wanting to keep their baggage light.
Apple MacBook Pro
Quick Specs |
Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo T9300 2.5 GHz, 2 GB RAM, 120 GB of HDD, 15.4” screen, NVIDIA GeFORCE 8600M GT graphics card, Multi-touch trackpad Price: Rs 89,200 (1 yr warranty) Contact: Apple India, Tel: 1800-425-4646, Email: indiasales@mac.com |
The MacBook Pro is a power performer, based on Intel's new 45 nm 2.5 GHz
Penryn processor. For high graphics capabilities there's an NVIDIA GeForce 8600M
GT graphics card bundled into the smart and sleek aluminum chassis, which
reflects the craftsmanship put in by Apple. Once you open the lid housing the
15.4” backlit LED screen and iSight camera; a full-sized backlit keypad, stereo
speakers, a single button touchpad greets your sight. It has a slot DVD drive
and 2 USB ports. It was the only notebook we received that had both FireWire 400
and 800 ports. The ambient light sensor illuminates keypad and adjusts screen
brightness. For Windows users, getting attuned to Mac would require time. The
touchpad enables multitouch inputs- in Mac OS you can use three fingers to zoom
in and out, rotate and scroll, whereby in Windows two fingers can be used for
scrolling. We used BootCamp to load Windows Vista and run our benchmarks. For PC
Mark it gave an excellent score of 5923 while for 3D Mark it achieved an
astonishing high score of 4447. It gave a battery life of about 2 hrs 30 min.
One would be tempted to play games, but platform support would limit that and to
counter that Windows will have to be loaded using Boot Camp. MacBook Pro with
such graphics capabilities is meant for professionals who use graphic intensive
applications of multimedia, animation, or designing.
UMPCs
Asus R2E
Quick Specs |
Specs: Intel Mobile 945GM processor, 1GB RAM, 80 GB HDD, Webcam Price: Rs 64990 (2 yr warranty) Contact: ASUS Technology, Mumbai, Tel: 67668800 Email: media_india@asus.com |
The Asus R2E is another UMPC that comes with a rather strange design--Its
screen and keyboard are separate from each other. Moreover, the keyboard can be
folded into half, and when you open it, a flimsy lock prevents it from closing.
In fact, a user could accidentally try to close it before unlocking and actually
break the lock. The screen has a stand at the rear to hold it in place while you
work.
The UMPC runs on a 800 MHz Intel Mobile 945GM processor with 1 GB RAM and 80
GB hard disk. You have lots of options to navigate through it. For one, the 7”
TFT screen offers a max resolution of upto 1024x600 and is touch-enabled;
secondly toward the right is a pointer, which acts as your on-screen mouse by
default. For additional mouse options, there are dedicated keys for navigation.
It also has a 1.3 MP cam with in-built mic, a biometric fingerprint reader, a
memory card reader, audio jacks, two USB 2.0 and a mini-USB port, and an
Ethernet port.
Similarly, connectivity is handled by an 802.11 b/g wireless receiver and
Bluetooth. Thanks to its ultra mobile nature, it also has a GPS receiver, and
also 3.5G. Considering the price, and the features offered it is slightly on the
costlier side.
Fujitsu Lifebook U2010
Quick Specs |
Specs: Intel Atom CPU Z530 @ 1.86 GHz, 1 GB of RAM, 50 GB HDD,Web cam Price: Yet to be declared Contact: Fujitsu PC, Gurgaon. Tel: 014-4705100, Email: mansi.saxena@in.fujitsu.com |
The Lifebook U2010 is one of the latest ultra portables that features Intel's
latest Atom processor clocked at 1.6 GHz. It has a 50 GB hard and 1 GB RAM. Plus
it has a rotational touchscreen, which let's you use it as a Tablet PC. The LCD
touchscreen panel offers a resolution of 1280x800. The UMPC comes with Vista
Home Premium pre-installed. While it works just like a regular PC, it has its
share of woes. The screen is so small that you really have to strain your eyes
to read anything. Even if you were to press the button and zoom into the screen,
you'll have a hard time typing anything on the tiny keyboard.
You could use it in Tablet mode using the stylus on the touchscreen, but then
again, you need a lot of precision to point and click at the right spot on the
screen.
Vista Home Edition we received with it ran very slow, and keys on its
keyboard were so small that we invariably ended up making mistakes while trying
to type anything. The tiny device is quite feature rich though, with built-in
WLAN, 3.5G, fingerprint scanner, and Bluetooth. It also incorporates GPS for
navigational purposes.
HCL MiLeap V02
Quick Specs |
Specs: Intel 800 MHz Ultra Mobile Processor, 1GB RAM, 80 GB HDD, Web cam Price: Rs 34990 (1 yr warranty) Contact: HCL Infosystems. Tel: 9818989875, Email: product.lab@hcl.in |
The MiLeap is HCL's very own ultra-portable Tablet PC offering that packs a
moderate amount of punch and can prove to be a very useful companion for
professionals on a strict budget. Its main list of features include: a 800 MHz
Ultra Mobile Processor, 7” LED back lit Touch Screen panel with a max resolution
of 1024x600, 80 GB HDD, 1GB RAM, VGA-out, SD/MS card reader, and 1.3 MP webcam.
The machine comes with Vista Home Premium pre-installed with Aero turned ON
by default. Although it deals with the heavy aero effects fairly well, but it
runs best with the display settings set to Vista Basic.
As expected, the keys are not big so it does take a little time to get used
to them, and so do the other features, just as in the LifeBook.
To the left of the display, we have the pointer button which basically acts
as your on-screen mouse, and a D-pad. To the right, there is a customizable
launcher shortcut button, a shutter button for taking instant pictures using the
web camera, buttons for controlling the brightness and screen rotation,
dedicated buttons for scrolling up and down, and finally, the usual left and
right clicks.