NotebookReview.com Guide To Buying A Notebook Online

by Dustin Sklavos

If you're a technology enthusiast like I am, custom ordering a laptop online is like some kind of bizarre but highly enjoyable game. It's a balancing act, but it's also like getting to go to the toy store and pick out what you want to take home.

However, if you're reading this you're not like me. In fact, if you're reading anything on NotebookReview.com it probably means you're looking for help while trying to purchase a new laptop. Don't worry ... you're not alone. When most people go to order a laptop online, the smorgasboard of options turns into a nightmare. Is a faster processor worth the extra $25? What about the one that's $50 more? Do I need the GeForce graphics card or is the Intel thingy acceptable?

The problem gets compounded by well-meaning but clueless shoppers. It's okay if you're one of those people. Companies spend large amounts of money on advertising every year so that when you go to buy a laptop you say things like, "It must have Intel!" "I'm gonna have a lot of programs so I need a big hard drive!" And so on. My job here is to keep you from making expensive mistakes and arm you with the information you require to make an informed decision in how you custom build your new notebook. In fact, some of this advice will even help you if you decide to purchase a pre-configured notebook online or at a local retail store.

I'll go through each of the major components and try to give you the best advice I can.

PROCESSOR
The reality is that most programs these days outside of games aren't going to tax the processor that much. That's why, for the vast majority of users, even just the brand of processor - AMD or Intel - isn't going to matter. Still, there are a couple of major recommendations to make here.

First, if extreme battery life is going to be important to you, take AMD's processors out of the equation. At the the time of this writing, AMD's mobile processors have lackluster battery life compared to their Intel equivalents. If your laptop is going to spend the vast majority of its life plugged in, then AMD becomes a solid choice for people on a budget who don't need a lot out of their computer.

Second, with the importance of battery life and thus buying an Intel processor, you're actually going to want to pursue Intel's mid-range. These processors are characterized by a "P" prefix on the model number instead of a "T." Power consumption on these is moderately lower and can help extend battery life.

Third, just buy a dual core processor. Don't buy a Celeron, don't buy a Sempron. Intel and AMD both have inexpensive dual core processors on the market.

Now you need to decide how much power you require. If you're going to be doing serious multimedia work, like video editing, motion graphics, and so on, consider spending more on the processor. You'll want a Core 2 Duo or even Quad, depending on the price. At this juncture you also need to decide how much you're willing to spend on the processor and adjust accordingly. Typically there's a massive difference in price between the most expensive processor and the next one on the list, and I'll save you some grief: it's not worth it.

When looking at the more minor differences - say a $50 difference between one processor and another that's at least 200MHz faster - it's going to be up to you. Remember, there's nothing necessarily wrong with choosing a middle-of-the-road processor.

I am, however, going to make an odd recommendation at the end here: if you plan on gaming on your laptop on a seriously low budget, rule out Intel processors. While the processor itself is faster, the less expensive graphics options for Intel processors (the integrated graphics) are vastly inferior to offerings for AMD processors.

MEMORY (RAM)
This is an easy one. The average PC user will seldom need more than 2GB of memory; media buffs and gamers may want to look at 4GB, though even regular users won't exactly be hurting if they make this bump. Do not bother with 3GB. And some manufacturers will offer 8GB at an obscenely high price - don't bother.

The price of upgrading memory direct from the manufacturer can often be absurdly high. Apple in particular tends to charge unreasonably high prices in this category. It's at this point that you as a consumer should know the following:

1. Memory is often much cheaper to order online separately.
   and
2. It's also extraordinarily easy to install and/or upgrade memory.

The overwhelming majority of modern laptops make it easy to upgrade memory yourself without voiding the warranty, and doing so is a five minute job at most. Odds are the user manual will even tell you how.

So unless the manufacturer has some kind of special deal on a free memory upgrade, avoid upgrading through the manufacturer and just buy the memory through an online retailer like NewEgg.com or Amazon.com.

OPERATING SYSTEM
This is another easy one. First of all, until the arrival of Windows 7, you're stuck with Windows Vista. While I've railed against it in the past, honestly, a modern installation of Windows Vista is pretty nice and certainly the most stable operating system I've ever used ... even more than Windows XP.

Do not buy Windows Vista Home Basic, Business, or Ultimate. Home Basic is too stripped down; Business and Ultimate are going to offer features you're not likely to need, and Business may even remove features you might have used. This pretty much leaves you with Home Premium.

If you're running 4GB of memory, choose the 64-bit version of Windows Vista and not the 32-bit. 64-bit Windows Vista is designed to handle large amounts of memory.

STORAGE
This is a matter of preference and it must be dealt with on three fronts: capacity, speed, and SSD vs. hard disk.

First, in terms of capacity, if you're just storing programs, documents, and pictures, you probably won't need more than 160GB of space. If you're going to be storing/editing video, max out the capacity.

Second, in terms of speed you're looking at either 5400rpm or 7200rpm. While I personally think 5400rpm drives are too slow, most users aren't going to need the snappier performance of a 7200rpm one, and the premium you pay for a 7200rpm drive may not be worth it. If you're doing multimedia work, though, just get the 7200rpm. The drive is the biggest performance bottleneck you're going to run up against, so you might as well make it as fast as possible.

Finally, Solid State Drives (SSDs), are starting to become increasingly popular for laptop users. These are still prohibitively expensive, but they're the fastest storage you can buy and can survive impacts and vibration that would destroy a standard hard disk drive. The big problems with SSDs are the high price and mediocre capacity at the time of this writing. If you simply must have the fastest computer you can get, you can upgrade to a SSD, but that's going to be an expensive mistake for the vast majority of users.

OPTICAL DRIVE
Here's another easy one. First, the drive should be able to write DVDs, period. DVDs are still one of the best ways to back up your stuff, so that ability is fairly essential.

Second, are you planning on watching Blu-ray movies? You are? Then get the Blu-ray drive. If you're not, don't bother.

And finally, LabelFlash and LightScribe are cute accessories that let you use the drive to actually write an image to the top of the disc if you use special discs. They're usually only about a $10 premium, so I tend to fork it over, but if money's tight don't bother. I can't remember the last time I've used LightScribe, and I've never had a LabelFlash drive, so there you go.

SCREEN/DISPLAY
This is one of the trickier ones. Honestly, choosing a display should be easy, but it's not.

First, if it's possible to get an LED-backlit screen, consider doing so. The expense is usually about $100 extra, but the picture will be much brighter and LED-backlighting notably reduces the power consumption of the screen, which is typically the most power-hungry component in the laptop.

Second, resolution. This basically defines the number of pixels wide by tall the screen has; the higher the resolution, the smaller the text will be, but the more you can fit on your desktop. Now my eyesight is pretty bad, so I typically go for the lowest resolution screen available for the laptop I buy, but if you've got pretty great eyesight you may be happier with a higher resolution one. So let's look at the "pros" and "cons" here.

Reasons to go for lower resolution: If you have poor eyesight, if you're not going to be doing anything too complicated with the laptop, or if you're going to be gaming on it. This last one is going to generate some complaints and comments, I know it, but games look better at the native resolution of the laptop screen, and mobile graphics often don't have the horsepower to drive games at higher resolutions. This results in having to play the games at a lower resolution than native, which gives you a less attractive, scaled-up image.

Reasons to go for high resolution: if you have excellent eyesight, if you're going to be doing media work or any other work that may require a wealth of desktop space.

GRAPHICS
First of all, if you're going to do any gaming on your laptop, rule out Intel graphics as an option. Performance of Intel's graphics is dismal. You should be looking at either a Nvidia GeForce or an ATI Radeon. And remember, what you order, you're stuck with. You can't just try and save bread on buying Intel graphics now and upgrade later; you can't upgrade. Let me repeat this, because this is probably the most irritating thing to continuously pop up on the forums here: You cannot upgrade your laptop graphics. The only laptops that can be upgraded are the laptops purchased by people who don't need to read this article. You cannot upgrade your laptop graphics.

So, if you're gaming, or think you might game in the future, choose an ATI Radeon or Nvidia GeForce graphics card. If the manufacturer doesn't offer either of these as an option for your laptop, find a different laptop to order.

Now what if the manufacturer has multiple options, multiple Radeons and/or GeForces? Spend as much as you're comfortable with. This is usually a good place to stretch that budget if you're a gamer. You usually can't go wrong with more graphics power.

You remember back in the processor section when I mentioned gamers on a budget should go AMD? The integrated graphics typically available with AMD processors tend to have enough horsepower to run most modern games at low settings, so if you're on a seriously tight budget, this is something to consider. The Radeon HD 3100/3200/3300 - and the GeForces - are good choices for the frugal gamer.

NETWORKING
There are three things to look at here: wireless networking, Bluetooth, and actual wireless internet access (3G, etc.)

For wireless networking, you'll want to spend up for an Intel adaptor on Intel-based laptops. From there, you might as well go for wireless-n as it typically isn't a major expense. On AMD laptops, just spend up for wireless-n for the sake of futureproofing.

As far as Bluetooth is concerned, I typically add the upgrade since it's only about $10 and it means you can purchase a Bluetooth mouse that doesn't require a receiver and just syncs with the laptop itself. And finally, Bluetooth can be used to communicate with your Bluetooth-enabled phone. Typically your phone's manufacturer will offer software that lets you manage the files on your Bluetooth phone, so that's something to consider.

And finally, wireless internet access via Verizon or 3G. That's going to be your call, since these upgrades also require subscriptions.

Keep in mind that all of these can be upgraded later with a USB dongle, so if your budget is tight you can always go for the cheapest one and just buy a USB adapter later and use that.

WARRANTY
This is the tricky part. I don't spring for extended warranties as a general rule, but you may want to consider one. This is entirely a matter of personal preference and how much you want to spend for peace of mind. Most manufacturers maintain a one year limited parts and labor warranty standard, and you pay to upgrade it to add more years or better tech support.

So you have to decide if you want what amounts to an insurance policy on your laptop. No one will fault you if you decide to live without, but if you think you may need it or just want the peace of mind, there's no shame in springing for it either.

CONCLUSION
So here we are, at the end of it. Of course, this isn't all there is to ordering a laptop online; manufacturers will try to convince you to buy all kinds of extras, like printers, carrying bags, mice, monitors, and so on, but that's all stuff you can get elsewhere and likely get for less money.

I hope I've managed to simplify the buying process for you. It's one of those unfortunate situations where in the process of trying to make things more consumer-friendly, it can get needlessly complicated and even daunting. Most consumers don't know the difference between a Pentium Dual-Core and a Core 2 Duo and most don't need to; it's one of those bizarre things that's been the status quo but is of utterly no use to most computer users. All of the major manufacturers are guilty of putting a wide range of parts on the market that honestly are so incrementally different that it's often not even worth the trouble trying to figure them out.

There's one last piece of advice I have for you: If you need a laptop now then buy a laptop now. Don't wait. The next big change in technology is always going to be around the corner. If you wait for the next thing you're going to wait forever. There's always going to be something that will come out and make you wish you waited, and that's just the nature of modern technology. If you need it, just buy it.

 

Holy crap! This is an amazing article for anyone who is looking for a new notebook. It should be plastered all over the "What Should I Buy" forum! Great job, as always, Pulp.

 

Solid advice, Pulp. Solid. You managed to keep it short and simple while touching on all the essentials. Nice work.

 

I learned something important from this thread. It saved me a ton, since I didn't vouch for an extended warranty. Perhaps a mention of credit card extensions on warranties would be a nice addition. I know it saved me.

 

If Pulp wants to post it over there I will make it a sticky

 

Thank you very much for saying this, though I do expect the question to keep resurfacing

 

Well done.

 

Nice. I especially like that you give your advice after reviewing pros and cons of various options. Novice buyers often end up still being clueless after reading objective guideline that just lists pros and cons. Besides, I agree with most of your advices.

I guess you can add an endless list of things to consider to your guide, but I wish you also give some advice on size and weight. After all, your guide is for online buyers who often have not seen the laptop that they are about to buy. (Well, I guess the best advice for that matter is "Check out the offline store near you".)

 

Nice, can there be a link or a "Notebook guide" as a hot link?

 

Something should be said about writing Blu-Ray discs. Since Blu-Ray discs can support up to 50GB, low capacity SSDs or HDDs probably won't be sufficient to create the temp files necessary to complete a disc. So you would probably want to opt for a higher capacity HDD.

 

Great guide with very useful, important information...especially for those who are new to notebook/laptop computers! This is the kind of information that I was searching for when I found NBR almost two years ago! It's detailed, but not overwhelming and written in a way that anyone can understand.

Ordering a new laptop is very exciting, but it nerve-wrecking, too (at least for me). It reminds me of how my parents would order a new car every 5-6 years with exactly the options/colors/engine that they wanted. They were always happy with each car because it was to their exact specifications...and they were willing to wait 6-8 weeks for their new Oldsmobile (there's no accounting for taste...and it was the 70s and 80s) to be built rather than settling for one on the lot.

Ordering a laptop is much the same- you may have to wait a bit longer than buying a retail-spec system from a local electronics retailer. But in the long run, you'll be much happier if you determine exactly what you need/want and order a system that will fit you best!

 

Great article . . . I wish there were more of this kind of articles on other products . . . .

I really like being able to find information on products on the internet. It makes purchasing stuff a lot more fun, and you get an idea of what its going to be outside specification sheets. Helps me not regret the purchase (or regret less), too

 

Do mention how there's no point necessarily going for more vram on low-mid range cards. short of the 9800m series, no card can use more than 256 mb of ram.

Otherwise a pretty decent guide. Some example laptops with example upgrades would be a very nice icing on top of this cake.

 

When I posted my earlier message, I had only skimmed over the article. I've re-read it now and have some comments to add:

PROCESSOR- I don't agree that any dual-core these days will do. Several different sources (Cnet, LAPTOP Magazine, PassMark) have demonstrated that Intel's entry-level Pentium-Dual Core (T4200) can meet or exceed AMD's high-end processors (Turion Ultra ZM-series) in most performance tests. Now that the Pentium Dual Core (T4200) and Core 2 Duo (T6400-up) are based on Penryn architecture, they are faster, cooler and more energy efficient. AMD processors have abysmal battery life and they tend to generate more heat than the Intel models.

AMD used to be the budget pick, but today there are Intel-based models for very similar prices. For the same price, an Intel processor is a no-brainer.

GRAPHICS- I agree than the ATI 3100/3200 integrated graphics are much better performers than the Intel GMA 4500MHD for gamers. The best solution for gamers continues to be a dedicated graphics card. I wouldn't saddle myself with an AMD processor just to get the superior integrated graphics. Perhaps it makes sense for the penny-penching gamer who doesn't do a lot of multi-tasking otherwise and doesn't care about battery life, but otherwise....stick with Intel and upgrade to a dedicated GPU if you need it!

SCREEN/DISPLAY- I think it would be very helpful to briefly explain the current transition from 16:10 to 16:9 aspect ratio displays. Discussing specific, common resolutions 1280x800, 1440x900, 1900x1200, 1366x768 and 1920x1080 could also be very useful.

LED-backlit displays- many models, including some low-end/budget systems, have standard LED-backlit displays now. The Dell Inspiron 1545, Dell Studio 1537, Vostro 1720, Latitude E4200/E4300 and E6400/E6500, and most Precision models have standard LED displays. The Lenovo IdeaPad U330, Y430, Y450, Y530 and Y650 have LED displays standard. The ThinkPad X200s/X301, SL-series, R-series and T-series have LED displays either standard of available for a small charge ($25 or so). Those are by no means all-inclusive, just making the point that LED-backlit displays are becoming standard on more laptops all the time.

MEMORY- I don't agree that all users should "not bother" with 3GB. It makes sense in some situations, especially with a 32-bit O/S and if the cost of upgrading to 3GB is cheaper than upgrading to 4GB after the purchase.

Kudos for advising to avoid paying as much as $100 or more to upgrade from 2GB to 4GB of RAM. It can be done after the purchse for as little as $40 (or less if you luck out and find a great sale).

WARRANTY- In general, extended warranties rarely pay off. Consumer Reports advises against them. Extended warranties have a profit margin of over 95%! That means that 5% or less of income from extended warranties is used to pay claims on said warranties!

If you MUST have one, consider a business laptop. For example, on the Dell Inspiron 15- upgrading to a 2-yr warranty costs $170 and 3-years is another $209! That's a total of $379 to get 3-years of coverage instead of 1-year. On the similarly priced Dell Vostro 1520, a 2-year upgrade is only $59 and 3-years is only $40 more, making the total $99 to go from 1-year to 3-years! Most Dell Latitudes (except E5400/E5500) has standard 3-yr warranties as do Dell Precision models.

There are also companies such as ASUS who warranty their laptops for 2-years instead of the more common 1-year warranty. ASUS also includes 1-year of Accident Damage Coverage standard! Toshiba warranties all Satellite Pro S300/S300M models for 2-years also.

 

you did not mention advantage and disadvantage of each company!
its imp. to mention unknown good brands like CLEVO (sager-prostar)

 

Very bad and over generalized if you ask me. Plus biases...

 

What about the advantages and disadvantages of of quad core

 

It needs to be heavily generalized the way I've done it to reach the audience I'm trying to speak to.

Average users/buyers will be intimidated by too much information or too many choices. This isn't a dig at them or a lack of intelligence so much as they may approach buying a computer the way I might approach buying a car: I really don't care what knobs and doohickeys it has, I only want enough information to make a good enough decision.

 

I agree that offering this information in the most generalized form will make it useful to the novice NBR user! There are some areas that require more detail than others. Personal biases that aren't substantiated in some reasonable way shouldn't be included in this type of guide.

I also don't believe that specific brands of laptops should be mentioned as good or bad, just give the facts and leave it at that. The only brand bias I support is when discussing Intel vs. AMD...but only because there are numerous sources that support Intel processors as being better performers, more energy efficient and generating less heat.

 

Some specifics would probably help here....your statement is rather vague/over-generalized, too...

 

For me, the first step in buying a new notebook is to make a list of the features I want.

The next step is is make a table listing the hardware and then enter the details of possible notebooks into that table. This helps to methodically undertake an evaluation and weed out any contenders that looks good lack one or more basic requirements.

The one area where I disagree with the guide is on the graphics selection. "Any games" needs to be sub-divided. Dedicated GPUs are desirable for games involving 3D graphics but there are plenty of games which do not. And with the latest Intel integrated GPU getting into the same performance range as the Geforce 7600 of not so many years ago, it will handle the older games which work with that GPU. Even netbooks can play some games.

The downside of having a dedicated GPU is that it will invariably eat more power (hence shorter battery life) and create more heat (so more fan noise) even if the graphics capabilities are not being used. So if battery run time is an important purchasing criterion, think Intel integrated graphics. A few notebooks have both integrated and dedicated GPUs so that their owners can have it both ways.

John

 

This was very detailed. I loved the fact that not only did it address the home user, but included the animators and gamers. I have a request. Can an article be written like this that tackles tablet notebooks?

 

Thanks for a very useful, clearly written article. I need to buy a new laptop and this is going to help me decide. I have been buying IBM (now Lenovo) for over 12 years. Each time the hard drive dies within 2 years. I used to buy them because they offered global servicing and my business meant that I travelled constantly. Now I am more sedentary, so something with a longer life would be great.

 

The only minor thing i have a very very small issue with is the mention of "if you have an intel system spend up for the intel wifi card". I understand why this is there, as hp tends to use those horrible broadcom chips, and im sure other companies like the dell wifi cards are lacking compared to intel. However, there are certain companies that offer the atheros card which is better than the intel option, im thinking primarily of asus, which is why none of their notebooks in some time have been "centrino". oh well, good advice overall because at least the intel card isnt terrible like some of the ones you can get, but there are a few exceptions.

 

I have actually seen test results that favored a Dell 1510-N wireless card over the comparable Intel 5100AGN, the Dell was faster. I've had no issues, to date, with Dell's Broadcom chips.

Do some vendors use the Atheros "N" wireless cards with Intel processors? I've only seen them paired with AMD chips (Toshiba). '

Apparently, some folks have similar feelings about Atheros b/g wireless cards to the ones you mention for Broadcom. I know that Toshiba uses them in a lot of their low-end AMD-based systems...HP may also, since they're the other manufacturer that offers a lot of AMD-based products...

 

First of all, thank you very much for a very useful article -- definitely stickie quality, IMHO.
I do have one question that I've never gotten a clear answer to re independent vs. integrated graphics cards (perhaps becuase I've never asked directly). If I never play games but (1) my son uses photoshop to edit pictures, and (2) I sometimes watch movies on my laptop, incl streaming video from the Internet or an NAS drive -- do I need a separate graphics card -- or is integrated graphics (or a specific model and up of integrated graphics) good enough?

TIA.

 

Not a bad generalized guide, though I dont agree with all of it by any means. Could be a decent sticky in the Dummy Guide Section. Im actually wondering why it wasnt put there to begin with? In fact, I highly recommend it be moved there, theres only one sticky in that forum, and this would be a nice second, as long as its kept up to date.

 

Integrated graphics will be fine for those applications.They are 2D graphics. The dedicated GPUs have additional pipelines for processing 3D images.

John

 

If Vista is the most stable operating system you have ever used then you have not used very many.

2GB is not sufficient for most users especially with Vista. I find Vista mildly bearable only in 64-bit with 4GB of ram or 6 GB on a desktop PC which allows for more/cheaper memory options than a laptop. 3GB does make sense if you are using a 32-bit version of windows since you can't use more than that.

I don't understand why you say rule out Intel processors for gaming since Intel processors do not automatically mean Intel graphics.

I have no idea why you assume people can only use XP or Vista until Windows 7 (aka Vista SP2). You could of course buy a Mac or use Linux.

7200 rpm drive makes everything noticeably faster and I would also use it for games which you don't mention. The 500GB 5400 rpm drives are also pretty fast since they are only two platters. Fastest drive other than SSD is Seagate's 500 GB 7200 rpm drive which is kind of hard to find right now.
You say most users are fine with 160GB. i don't know where you came up with that but then you say SSD's capacity is an issue when they go up to 250 GB and more now.

I would not bother with a Blu-ray drive if you don't have a high screen resolution since you won't see any difference.

There are plenty of ways to make higher screen resolution workable even with poor eyesight. i think you greatly oversimplify the screen resolution issues and options.

Graphics options for gamers is also greatly oversimplified to the point of not being very useful unless you don't already know that integrated graphics are not good for gaming.

Well networking is probably the least helpful part of this article. Nothing about G vs N etc. Saying you can solve any issue with a USB dongle is just odd since most people don;'t want them hanging off their laptop and they ca be problematic in general. Also saying Intel wireless is the way to go when some Intel wireless hardware is known to be problematic is not very helpful. nothing at all about native implementations of wireless software through the OS versus add on software by the manufacturer.

A couple things about extended warranties. There are multiple circumstances where you might want one and they vary in effectiveness depending on who offers them. for example if you depend on your laptop for work and need quick resolution to any issues that might steer you in one direction or another. Also plenty of homeowners/renters insurance offer slightly extra cost riders for computer equipment including laptops that covers damage.

All in all I found this article really not useful at all if not giving poor advice in multiple areas. It could have been kept simple while providing much more useful and realistic information.

 

Photoshop CS 4 makes great use of the graphics card so you do NOT want an integrated graphics card if you are using CS 4. Plenty of other "2D" apps also use the graphics card.

 

allfiredup asus has seemed to use atheros exclusively on all their systems for at least a year or so now. Ive never seen this stated before, but every asus system ive personally looked into, including their intel systems have used atheros.

 

haha, he's obviously talking about the comment before his, the idea about listing companies. Why he didn't use quotes, I can't say.

 

I've been looking to get a new laptop lately, and it has come to my attention that there are very few quadcore laptops around and only a handfull of core i7's.

Will these become more mainstream in the near (1/2-year or so) future or should I wait out the incomming and presumibly lower TDP core i5's? Mainly looking for those cores since I'm doing a multimedia masters and a couple of our programs are properly multithreaded and ofcourse the extra cores might withstand some of the future gaming violence. I'm well aware that with a quadcore or i7 I'll only have enough battery power to get it from wall socket to wall socket before its dry but I' looking for a desktop replacement anyway.