Tips Before Purchasing a Laptop
Nicholas McGill | Purchase | Monday March 30 2009Overview:
1. Look up recommended/best performance specifications for the OS.
2. The touch, the feel, of cotton keyboard and trackpad when shopping for a laptop.
3. The heat is on-Consider it as an issue
4. Always go 4 industry leaders in hardware
5. 7200 RPM or bust
6. Bring a Picky Person Who Talks a lot With you.
7. Hell Day Visualization is A Must
In Detail:
1. Look up recommended/best performance specifications for the operating system (OS).
With Apple- They aren’t big on letting computers out of their doors that are underpowered, but certainly think of the rule of 2.
Microsoft recommends 1 Gig of RAM, 1GHZ CPU= Complete and utter lie! Firing up Windows with a gig of RAM is like driving a VW bug full of fat people up the Grape Vine, it is not going to be a fast or a pleasant experience. Go for 2GB MINIMUM of RAM, 2GHZ Intel (not AMD) Processor. Realize the more you compromise on this rule- the slower things will be, and the longer repairs will take and therefore more costly if you have a software issue.
THE RULE OF 2 = 2 Gigs 2 GHZ INTEL CORE 2 Processor. 2 gigabytes of ram 2 gigahertz of a dual (meaning 2) core processor. This of course will soon give way to the rule of 3. I will update the lingo as the world turns.
2. The touch, the feel, of cotton keyboard and trackpad when shopping for a laptop.
Pick it up, shake the display model, piss off Best Buy Employees. Find out how solid it is by feel. You should no cheap, by the rattle and airy feeling it makes. The squeaks and give of a casing too.
3. The heat is on-Consider it as an issue
If heat is an issue and if you consider throwing this laptop on your lap then it almost certainly is, feel the bottom of display computers. Even the new Macbooks are unbearably hot, so consider netbook if it is going on your lap most of the time.
4. Always go 4 industry leaders in hardware
Guess who makes better parts (more likely to run faster, smoother, more solid and reliable)? Don’t Know? I’ll tell you.
Right now, Nvidia, Intel, OCZ, CORSAIR, Western Digital, beats AMD, ATI and many of the others. Stick with these guys and you won’t inherit extra burdens and bugs.
5. 7200 RPM or bust
Most laptops have cheaper, slower hard drives. ALWAYS hold out for the models w/ 7200 RPM hard drives. They’re faster= You’re faster.
6. Bring a Picky Person Who Talks a lot With you.
Someone with class/refined taste, who prefers the finer things can spot genuine care and value in a product design and in a blind taste test, are more likely to find the better product by initial look and feel assessments. If you are in a retail store they can use their super powers to ceaselessly nag the sales staff leaving you to play and investigate. Also, these under-appreciated picky, style police can help you consider different angles you did not even consider.
7. Hell Day Visualization is A Must
Imagine the worst work day or returning home from the worst day and you need to use your computer. Try to imagine you @ your bitchiest, crabbiest moment, and imagine what would bug you about that laptop choice. If it could be used without falling victim to your frustrations on your worst day, chances are it’s a good buy- if you have already assessed the previous tips.
