Buying a new notebook is an exciting time. As something we use more and more to perform a variety of tasks, a good computer can make all the difference to our productivity, media enjoyment and general stress levels. While they’ll all look far sleeker and more powerful than your current model though, actually picking the best one can be difficult when you see the sea of different numbers and features. How do you know what you need and how do you know what all those numbers mean? Well look no further, for below are the key features you need to look out for
Processor: The Processor, or CPU (Central Processing Unit), is really the powerhouse of your notebook. This number is the one that indicates how many programmes your PC can run at once and whether or not it will be able to handle top end games etc. As a general rule anything around 2GHZ should see you through, with faster processors only really necessary for those who like to take multi-tasking to the extreme or who want to be able to play the latest games as they come out.
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Hard drive: Your hard drive is the internal memory that you use to store all of your personal files and programme files. Some hard drives now go higher than a terabyte, but for most of us 40GB is probably sufficient to store all of your music, films and programmes and still have plenty of room left over.
RAM: RAM, or ‘Random Access Memory’, is kind of the ‘short term memory’ of your computer and is where it stores temporary information useful for the running of programmes. This is one of the few features that notebooks actually allow you to upgrade later on, but a good starting point is 4GB to be on the safe side if you’re running Windows Vista.
Software: Check which software comes included and how this impacts the price. If you’re getting a PC then Windows Vista is the latest operating system and anything older is fast becoming obsolete. Microsoft Office isn’t usually included these days so enquire as to whether you get any form of word processing package.
Screen: The size of your screen is really a matter of personal preference and while larger screen are more cumbersome they will also provide a better image for watching films. The screen should be HD (High Definition) to give you the clearest resolution to enjoy watching DVDs in.
Graphics Card: A high end graphics card will enable you to play the latest computer games and will also ensure all your other programmes look good too.
WiFi: These days notebook computers should come with a wireless internet adaptor built in as standard. This will allow you to access your e-mail on holiday, in the Library and anywhere else without having to invest in an additional external device.
Media Card Reader: A media card reader will greatly improve your computer’s compatibility with a number of devices such as phones, cameras and PDAs. With SDXC cards as large as a terabyte on the horizon it could also offer a good opportunity to seamlessly increase your computer’s storage capacity.
