LAPTOP BUYING GUIDE

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LAPTOP BUYING GUIDE

Budget laptop (under $500)is perfect for browsing the Web, composing documents, viewing photos and basic photo editing.

First we’ll look at the processor. For under $500, you'll see mostly Intel Pentium processors. Avoid any laptop that still has a Celeron chip.

The Pentium chip model numbering scheme is confusing. You'll see prefixes like P, T, SU and B. What do these mean?

The P- and T-series Pentiums are older, rebranded Core 2 Duo processors. They will work for basic tasks.

Steer clear of the SU chips. Those are single-core chips.

The B-series chips are based on the latest Intel Sandy Bridge architecture. So, they have similarities with the powerful Core i5 and i7 processors. Finding a laptop with the B-series is your best bet.

You'll also see some AMD chips. Turion II is fine, as are chips in the Athlon II and Phenom II families.

Avoid the Sempron, AMD's budget chip.

AMD also has a new series of chips called the A series. This is its latest chip that competes with Intel's Sandy Bridge chips. You may occasionally find one of these on a sub-$500 laptop. That would be a good choice as well as a good buy.

Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit is the standard OS on almost any new laptop. You really don't need anything else at this price level. So, that's an easy choice.

At the minimum, get 2GB of RAM. More new laptops are shipping with 3GB or 4GB. Getting 4GB would be a real help. It will make multi-tasking much smoother and will keep your new machine from seeming outdated so quickly.

You'll want to choose a computer with a DVD burner. These will enable you to create both DVDs and CDs. You will want to be able to burn DVDs for standalone players and create a music CD for your car.

A wireless system is essential. Use Wi-Fi hotspots at libraries, airports and other public locations.

·         Screen size is important

·         keyboard size.

·         Built-in webcams

·         Better speakers

·         250GB to 500GB drives.

·         3 pounds to 6 pounds

Mid-range laptop ($500 to $900)

The most modern mid-range processors are the Intel Core i5 and the AMD A-series. You may see other processors in this price range, such as the Core i3 or AMD Phenom II. However, those are older or slower models. If you’re paying this much, hold out for the better choice.

For the best performance, make sure the Core i5 is a second generation model. This will provide the fastest speeds and smoothest video playback. How do you know a Core i5 is second generation? Look at the model number. The newer ones will have a number in the 2000 range, such as the Core i5 2410M (the "M" stands for mobile).

Mobile i5 processors are dual core. So, the only real choice you’ll need to make regards processor speed. The i5 2410M is 2.3 gigahertz; the i5 2520 is 2.5 gigahertz. In general, a higher number is better.

However, you really won't notice a .2 gigahertz difference. The 2410M will work just fine, plus it's more common. Base your final laptop-purchasing decision on other factors not this.

What about AMD's A-series processors? There are three levels of A-series processors, the A4, A6 and A8. The A4 is a dual-core processor, like the mobile Core i5. The A6 and A8 are quad-core processors like the Core i7. The only exception is the A6-3500; it has three cores.

In terms of pure processing power, the A-series can't match the Core i5. It also isn't as energy efficient.

That's because the A-series is based off AMD's older Phenom II processor.

The A-series does have two strong points, however. The A6 and A8 have more cores than the Core i5. So, they will be better at multitasking, if that is important to you.

More importantly, AMD doesn't just make processors; it also makes top-notch graphics cards. That's the technology it has put into the A-series graphics unit.

For video playback and laptop gaming, the A-series takes the cake. The A8 in particular really flies. If you want a mid-range gaming and multimedia system for the road, that's your choice.

Otherwise, I would stick with the Core i5. It's all-around the better processor. You will find it a bit snappier when opening programs or when performing processor-intensive tasks. Plus, your battery life will be a bit better.

Aside from the processor, mid-range laptop specifications are very similar. You'll find that most have 4GB of RAM and similar hard drive sizes. The majority will run Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. Again, your decision will be determined by things like screen size and weight.

Asus U46E-BAL5's ($699.99 Best Buy)

·         Core i5 processor

·         8GB of RAM

·         Hard drive750GB (5,400rpm)

·         WiDi 2.0 and WiMAX

·         USB 3.0 port graphics chip Wireless Display 2.0 USB 3.0

·         14-inch widescreen

·         Weighs 4.9 pounds

·         1.3-megapixel webcam

·         1,366-by-768 pixels

1.       Users dreaming of beaming their audio and video to an HDTV set, however, will find that Intel's Wireless Display (WiDi) is not supported. Neither is watching Blu-ray movies, since the optical drive is a generic dual-layer DVD±RW.

2.       Two USB 2.0 ports VGA port at the rear On the left are HDMI and Ethernet ports, a third USB 2.0 and lone USB 3.0 port, and an SD/MMC/MS/MS Pro memory-card slot.

·         4Gb of RAM TO 3GB of RAM

·         Triple-core AMD Phenom II processor

·         DVD-writer

·         2.26GHz Intel Core i3-350M processor

·         an Intel Core i5-2557M processor

·         2-megapixel Webcam and microphone

·         1366-by-768-pixel LED screen

·         802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi

·         Optional Bluetooth and 3G connectivity

·         Fingerprint reader

·         DVD Dual-Layer Recordable drive (8X)

·         Adding Bluetooth connectivity costs $20, and adding 3G is another $150.

·         USB 2.0 ports and an eSATA/USB combo port, an ethernet port, an ExpressCard slot, a DisplayPort, and a 5-in-1 memory card reader

http://www.cpu-world.com/index.html





http://www.tomshardware.com/

San-Ai, Inventec and Quanta

The largest calculator producer, San-Ai, was established by capital from a textile firm and technicians from the electronics parts industry. Two spin-offs from San-Ai, Inventec and Quanta became two leading notebook computer makers in the 1990s.

·       Taiwan External Trade Development Council News

·       Taiwan’s largest PC companies include Acer Inc., the world’s second-largest computer maker

·       Asustek Computer -ASUS became the fifth-largest global PC brand

·       MSI

·       Taiwan also has the world’s largest contract manufacturers in the PC business, including Quanta Computer, Compal Electronics and Inventec. Compal led sales growth of the contract manufacturers in the first quarter with a 98% jump to NT$216.6 billion.

The netbook draws from the one laptop per child (OLPC) initiative to make PCs affordable to a wider range of students around the world. The OLPC’s aim is to narrow the digital divide, defined as the gap between people with effective access to digital and information technology and those with very limited or no access at all.

OLPC project (One Laptop Per Child) Indonesia PT Elevo Technologies (ETI) is the first company in Indonesia that will lead to the presence of consumer laptops for Rp 1 million.

There are two types of plans netbook will be released in August 2010, namely Netbook Elevo R7 (7-inch screen) is sold at Rp998.000 and 'Elevo R10 (10-inch screen)' on sale at a price Rp1.398.000.

Do not have to wait for the which recommend Professor Negroponte of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, to get a laptop with prices around 100 dollars. Indonesian companies were now able to provide the laptop with the cheapest price. To get prices as cheap as it also does not need to buy up thousands or even millions of units of units as required in the OLPC program in the beginning. Buy one unit could be a price for it. believe? "We've managed to get the formula right for the price of netbook that fits in the pockets of the Indonesian people. This is a huge leap in our IT industry. This is a dream comes true!" Borton said Liew, Marketing Director of PT ETI, in a release received Kompas.com.

R7 Elevo

7-inch screen (800 x 480)

ARM9 533MHz processor

WiFi 802.11b/g

OS Original Windows CE 6.0 or Android

Memory 128 MB

2GB Nand Flash

2-in-one SD Card

2 USB Port, Keyboard

Touch Pad, USB to VGA (Optional)

USB to Ethernet (Optional)

R10 Elevo

10-inch screen (1024 x 600)

ARM9 533MHz processor

WiFi 802.11b/g

OS Original Windows CE 6.0 or Android

Memory 128 MB

2GB Nand Flash

2-in-one SD Card

2 USB Port,

Chiclet Keyboard,

 Touch Pad,

Built-in Camera 1.3 Mpx

Built-in Stereo Speakers

Earphone Jack in/out,

RJ 45 Ethernet LAN, USB to VGA (Optional)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN LAPTOP

Powerful processors

Discrete graphics

500GB hard drive that runs at the faster 7,200rpm speed (typical drives run at 5,400rpm). 320GB or larger 7,200rpm HDD

Either a 17- or a 15-inch screen that runs at a high native resolution is suggested

You should also look for plenty of RAM--up to 8GB is ideal: 4GB-8GB of RAM

The gamer Intel's Core 2 Quad and Core i7 CPUs are recommended for 3D gaming, as is a top-of-the-line discrete GPU, such as Nvidia's GeForce N260.

The home user Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 250GB or larger hard drive, and a DVD burner. What to look for: 2GB to 4GB of RAM; 250GB or larger HDD; 14- to 16-inch display; DVD burning optical drive.

USB ports (three to four minimum)USB 3.0, which offers faster transfer speeds and greater connectivity bandwidth than USB 2.0 The port is usually colored in blue or has the letters "SS" (Super Speed) labeled next to it. Look for a laptop with one of the USB ports doubling as an eSATA port, so you can expand storage capacity when the internal hard drive isn't roomy enough

Although VGA is still the most common way to present PowerPoint slides on a big screen, technologies like DisplayPort and HDMI are better equipped to stream high-quality videos and audio

HDMI port or DisplayPort Aside from 802.11 Wi-Fi, Mobile Broadband (3G), and Bluetooth, wireless technologies

Intel's Wireless Display 2.0, or WiDi 2.0 DVD burner A Webcam video conferencing A media card reader digital photography HDMI port

Intel's Atom or Dual Core Processors *Netbooks with AMD processors often offer higher performance (with lower battery life), 2GB to 4GB of memory, and Windows 7 Home Premium.

Second Generation (codenamed Sandy Bridge) Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 are currently the most popular processor brands and have the benefits of both power and battery efficiency. *Intel also has quad-core Core i7s for laptops, which are ideal for performance enthusiasts and avid gamers. AMD has its own triple- and quad-core processors as well, called Phenoms.

http://www.pcmag.com

Acer Aspire 5349-2635

1,366 by 768 resolution

802.11n Wi-Fi

Bluetooth is missing, as is Intel's Wireless Display (WiDi)

Two USB 2.0 ports USB 3.0 port

Other ports include VGA, HDMI, and Fast (100Mbps) rather than Gigabit (1000Mbps) Ethernet

320GB, 5,400-rpm hard drive is formatted as a single 282GB C: partition plus a hidden recovery partition; the former has about 250GB free

Processor Name

Operating System

Processor Speed

RAM

 Weight

Screen Size

 Native Resolution

 Graphics Card

 Graphics Memory

 Storage Capacity (as Tested) Rotation

 Speed

Networking Options

 Primary Optical Drive

Wireless Display Capability (WiDi) WiM

Low Priced Models Laptops from

 www.laptopmag.comGigabyte

M2432 Dell Vostro V131 Gateway NV55C54u Review Dell Inspiron 14z (Budget 2011) Review HP Pavilion g4 Acer Aspire One 722 Dell Inspiron 15 (M5030) Samsung Chromebook Series 5 Asus Eee PC 1015B Asus Eee PC 1215B Toshiba Satellite A665-S5176 HP Mini 1103 MSI X370 HP Pavilion dm1z MSI CR650 Acer Aspire One D255 Acer Aspire One D260 (Dual-Core) Sony VAIO YB Series Toshiba Satellite C655D Toshiba mini NB505 Lenovo ThinkPad X120e Samsung NF310 ASUS Eee PC 1015PN HP Pavilion dm3t (2010)

http://www.logicbuy.com/



or on/off s drive Sources (Firm)




Toshiba Mini NB305- 410BN $399
The NB305
1.66GHz Intel Atom 450
1GB of RAM
250GB hard drive Windows 7 Starter

NET Editors' Review
Want it (20)Got it (7)Had it (0)CNET Editors' Rating
4.0 stars Excellent
Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
Design: 8.0
Features: 7.0
Performance: 7.0
Battery life: 9.0
Service and support: 7.0
Reviewed by: Scott Stein
Reviewed on: 02/04/2010
Edited by: Dan Ackerman The good: Great battery life; large touch pad; improved speakers, bulge-free battery; sleep-and-charge USB port.
The bad: The keyboard, while wide, has awkwardly sized keys for touch-typing; some Netbooks offer HD displays for the same price.
The bottom line: With a new Atom processor and a tweaked design, the Toshiba Mini NB305-N410BN is an improvement over the already excellent NB205, at a price that's identical.
Review: The world of cheap, ubiquitous, and nearly identical Netbooks has been a stable and predictable landscape for a while now, and hasn't gotten any less predictable with the launch of Intel's next generation of Atom processors. Whereas Netbooks used to run Windows XP, have N270 processors, and 1GB RAM/160GB hard drive as standards, now Netbooks run Windows 7 Starter, have N450 processors, and have 1GB RAM/250GB hard-drive configurations, with occasional variations.
Those variations--extra RAM, better resolution or larger screens, larger batteries, and keyboard designs--define how much any Netbook is worth. The Toshiba Mini NB305-N410 is, by ... Expand full review»
The world of cheap, ubiquitous, and nearly identical Netbooks has been a stable and predictable landscape for a while now, and hasn't gotten any less predictable with the launch of Intel's next generation of Atom processors. Whereas Netbooks used to run Windows XP, have N270 processors, and 1GB RAM/160GB hard drive as standards, now Netbooks run Windows 7 Starter, have N450 processors, and have 1GB RAM/250GB hard-drive configurations, with occasional variations.
Those variations--extra RAM, better resolution or larger screens, larger batteries, and keyboard designs--define how much any Netbook is worth. The Toshiba Mini NB305-N410 is, by most standards, an average Netbook in terms of base features. At $399, it's affordable, but still $100 more than some budget models out there. On the other hand, the advantages when compared against the previous Toshiba Mini NB205 model we reviewed last December are considerable. For the same price, the Mini NB305-N410 has much-improved battery life, thanks to its new N450 Atom processor, plus the battery bulge we always hated about the NB series has been nearly eliminated. Throw in stereo speakers, and the NB305-N410 is a good step up from Toshiba Netbooks of the past, and it's offered at the same exact price point.

Price as reviewed $399
Processor 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N450
Memory 1GB, 800 MHz DDR2
Hard drive 250GB 5,400rpm
Chipset NM10
Graphics Intel GMA 3150
Operating system Windows 7 Starter
Dimensions (WD) 10.5 x 7.6 inches
Height 1.4 inches
Screen size (diagonal) 10.1 inches
System weight / Weight with AC adapter 3.5/2.9 pounds
Category Netbook

Toshiba's Mini NB series of Netbooks has always been one of the strongest in terms of overall construction and design. With an attractive, silver, plastic finish and a bronzed, semi-shiny lid on our Sable Brown version, the NB305-N410BN cuts a professional profile and avoids looking like a toy, even in colors such as royal blue and frost white.
Even better, the battery that used to bulge out the back has now been tucked under the chassis, leaving a slight riser underneath that's barely noticeable. The result is a far more compact body all around and cleaner lines. The NB305 series does include another configuration, the NB305-N310, with a different tapered keyboard, Windows XP, and only a 160GB hard drive. The price on the NB305-N310, however, is only $50 less than the N410 we reviewed. We prefer the N410, but some might prefer Windows XP to the slightly under-featured 32-bit Windows 7 Starter.
Inside, a large rounded hinge houses the power button, centered above the keyboard. Shiny plastic frames the glossy inset 10.1-inch screen, and an integrated Web camera provides decent Web video chat with the included Skype software. The NB305-N410 keyboard is a raised chiclet-style affair, running edge to edge across the Netbook base and making the most of the limited space. The keyboard has a similar feeling to that of the Sony Vaio W, but the keys are larger. Unfortunately, they're a bit wider than they are tall, and are oddly oriented, which is sure to provide some difficulty to touch-typers--the space bar is smaller than normal, and tab keys feel very compressed. The multitouch touch pad is huge by Netbook standards, and the two buttons below are easy to click--more so than on the Toshiba Satellite T100 series.
Below the keyboard, a somewhat absurd array of LED indicator lights display everything from Wi-Fi status to whether the battery's low. Honestly, Toshiba could have whittled down the light array to five key functions, instead of nine.
The 10.1-inch glossy LED-backlit screen on the Mini NB305-N410 has a 1,024x600-pixel native resolution. Though this lower-than-HD-resolution screen is common, there are plenty of Netbooks with 1,366x768-pixel resolution displays, including the Sony Vaio W series. Colors and icons are crisp and bright, offering a better-than-average experience once resolution is forgiven. The NB305's audio has received a welcome bump up from the NB205 series, adding a second speaker for stereo sound. The speakers still lean toward tinny and soft, but they are significantly louder than they were before.

Toshiba Mini NB305-N410BN Average for category [Netbook]
Video VGA-out VGA
Audio Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks headphone/microphone jacks
Data 2 USB 2.0, 1 USB 2.0/sleep and charge, SD card reader 2 USB 2.0, SD card reader
Expansion None None
Networking Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Optical drive None None

Our favorite feature on Toshiba laptops, the sleep-and-charge USB port, is once again included on the Mini NB305-N410BN. Gladly, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi is included, but unfortunately Bluetooth is not. The NB305-N410 can expand its memory from the included 1GB of RAM up to 2GB, but upgrade features beyond that are somewhat limited.
Intel's new Atom N450 processor offers nearly the same level of performance as previous N270/280 Atom processors, and the NB305-N410 therefore doesn't do much more than its predecessor, the NB205. Basic single-process tasks such as Web browsing, light office work, and e-mail are perfect fits for a Netbook such as this, but heavier multitasking and online video viewing will be disappointing. Our Hulu-watching experience ranged from choppy and passable to full-screen stutter that's unbearable, although downloaded video files play relatively well.

Juice box
Mainstream (Avg watts/hour) Toshiba Mini NB305-N410
Toshiba Mini
Asus Eee PC 1018PB-BK801
HP Pavilion dm1z (fall 2011)
Samsung NF310 A01
Asus Eee PC 1015PN-PU17 (black)


Satellite C655D-S5518 $353.99