Hi Mudnuri,
I've helped lots of my friends pick out laptops -- I know it is very bewildering. Don't worry too much about all the numbers and unfamiliar terminology you'll see when shopping for a laptop -- most of it is not going to be important for you, considering that you just need a basic notebook. Here are some things to consider.
1. If you just use stuff like word, excel, internet, etc, then you really do not need a laptop with fancy specs! Do not worry about processor type/speed, unless you have a bunch of money to burn! Any processor on the market will be more than adequate for you (that is assuming you do no gaming or specialized graphics work).
2. Make sure you have enough RAM -- 512 is ok and 1 gig is better, and increasing RAM on a laptop is very cheap.
3. Think about how often you will be carting the laptop around, how often you will be using it, and where. If you are like me, you'll take it to class, coffeeshops, etc, and maybe occasionally on an airplane. This means you will want something as lightweight as possible. Laptop manufacturers often classify this kind of laptop as "thin and light". A laptop that weighs 5 or 6 pounds is really easy to carry around -- don't make the mistake of getting one of those fancy 'multimedia' ones designed to watch dvds on -- they can weigh upwards of 10 pounds! It often costs more to get a lighter-weight laptop but believe me it will be totally worth it.
4. Screen size: go to
best buy or somewhere and look at models with a 12-inch screen. Do you think you can stand looking at this size of screen for hours on end?? Some people can, some (like me) can't. A 14- or 15- inch screen is often a lot easier on the eyes. Remember, though, there is a trade-off between weight and screen size. It is possible to get alightweight, large-screened notebook, but it will cost a bit extra.
5. Software package: you'll probably want something that comes with microsoft office. Microsoft also sells something called "microsoft works" which has word in it but no excel, powerpoint, etc. Some comps come with another word processor -- I think wordperfect. That could be fine, too, depending on what you prefer. Just stay away from laptops that come with no office software, because it is very expensive to buy later.
6. Wireless, etc: Almost all laptops will come with a wireless card, an ethernet card (for plugging in for high-speed internet like on campus), and a regular modem of some sort. I wouldn't worry about what type of wireless, etc. They're all going to be adequate for your needs.
7. Hard drive: this depends -- you might be one of those people who really doesn't produce or store any documents except word docs. And who doesn't need much software or any games -- in this case, really even the smallest hard drive will do. However ... increasing hard drive space is cheap, so I'd tend to recommend a bigger one if possible (80 gigs+), since it's hard to predict what kind of stuff you might need to store on your comp in the future (music downloads??)
8. Warantee: this is an important one. What if the laptop dies two or three years down the line? Even if one part goes out, it's usually not worth the money to fix it. Laptops are a bit less reliable than desktops, and require skilled technicians to fix. Lesson: get the biggest warantee!!!! Some manufacturers will let you get a 3, 4, or 5- year warantee. GET IT! If they offer "on site service" and/or "accident protection" and you can afford it, GET IT TOO! It will be worth it for the longevity of the laptop and peace of mind.
7. Manufacturer: This is really up to you, depending on what kind of deal you can get. I often recommend Dells because you can get a really good deal, usually, as well as a great 4-year onsite warantee. Also check out whether your school has a deal with dell (most do -- call or visit the campus book/computer store to find out). This iwll let you save up to 12 percent, as well as get other special deals. My gf saved something like 600 dollars on her laptop because of this. Other great laptops are manufactured by IBM and Sony. HP, Gateway, and Toshiba make slightly less nice but decent laptops. Mail-order (thru the dell site, etc) rather than going into somehwere like best buy will usually save you a lot of money.
Sorry that's long, but I hope its helpful. PM me if you have other questions or have picked out a model and want me to look at it! Good luck!
We have a wireless network set up at home so I store all my pictures on the desk top that is hiding in the closet but I work on everything from this one!
