Archive for the ‘laptops’ Category

As components keep improving, today’s powerful laptops can go keyboard-to-keyboard with many full-size desktops. This may be good news for buyers, but it complicates the selection process.

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We break notebooks down into five categories by weight, with some overlap: netbooks (usually less than 1.5kg), ultraportables (1.5kg-2kg), thin-and-lights (1kg-2kg), mainstream models (2kg-4kg) and desktop replacements (generally 4kg or heavier).

Netbooks were the hottest thing around two years ago, but now they’re old hat — mostly because more comfortable and powerful 10-inch to 12-inch laptops can be had for affordable prices. These days, you can pick one up for under AU$300, but we’d advise you to steer clear; there are simply better options and experiences available now.

Ultraportables have had their line blurred recently. This category contains two types of laptops, although their screen sizes are invariably 10-12 inches. The first type is small, powerful and hideously expensive — the sort of machine that a CEO carries around. They’re usually well appointed with ports, and occasionally a manufacturer even manages to jam an optical drive into its petite frame. The second type is a netbook-killer; while it’s generally not a powerful machine, it offers a much better experience than a netbook, and can generally be found for around AU$800. It won’t be as featured as the first type of ultraportable, but it’s usually enough for a lot of people.

The thin-and-light category has had the most upheaval in the last year, in part due to trying to compete with tablets. Where thin-and-light used to be a compromise in performance so that you could get enough thinness to shove one in a manila envelope, thanks to Intel’s Core 2 series 2 processors, they’re now excellent performers, too. Ranging from 13- to 15-inches, the MacBook Air and Samsung’s Series 9 personify this category, although the former is still running on an older Core 2 Duo chip.

Mainstream laptops are like budget desktops: they’re good for general tasks, but won’t win any contests for their performance or features. Although they don’t qualify as thin or light, they still offer some portability. With 14-inch or larger screens, a standard selection of ports and big keyboards, they’re suitable for everyday use.

If you want desktop power, you need a desktop replacement. With screen sizes of 15- to 17-inches, weight as heavy as 6-kilograms and average battery life of less than three hours, these behemoths are not for people on the go. They can accommodate a wide range of performance parts, however, and are just right for power users of all kinds.

The CPU and you

When it comes to processors, a general rule of thumb is to buy the fastest that you can afford. Problem is, it’s not all just about speed these days. A GHz from one family of CPUs doesn’t equal a GHz from another.

There’s also the question of how many cores you should get. Entry level these days is dual-core, which will suit most people just fine. There’s also triple-core and quad-core processors out there, but keep in mind that not all applications take advantage of this extra power. Some video encoding applications, 3D applications and games will use them, though, so if you’re a content production maniac or a gamer, it’ll likely be worth investing in a quad-core machine. If you mainly just browse the internet, dual-core is perfectly fine.

You have a lot of options, so below are the basics.

High performance

Intel Core i7
Now in its second generation, Intel holds the fastest chips in the mobile space. As the performance part, Core i7 is often paired with a discrete (Graphics Processing Unit) GPU.

Keep an eye out, though — some are dual-core, some are quad-core and some are low-voltage chips (meaning lower performance, but also much longer battery life).

AMD doesn’t yet compete in this arena, and it looks like it won’t, for a while yet.

Mainstream performance

Core i5
Available in dual- and quad-core configurations, as well as low-voltage variants, the Core i5 is the workhorse of the industry, filling many a fine mainstream laptop. Just make sure you pick up a second-generation part, easily identifiable by the model number starting with a two. It’ll usually come with Intel HD graphics, although it’s often paired with a discrete graphics card from AMD or Nvidia, as well.

AMD Phenom II
Coming in dual-, triple- and quad-core flavours, AMD’s Phenom II covers the gamut from budget to mainstream performance, and is usually paired with AMD’s own discrete graphics.

With its A-series processors coming soon with powerful embedded graphics (codenamed Llano), AMD is shifting gears to provide more GPU power over CPU, with a large focus on power saving. We look forward to seeing what Llano can do when it gets here.

Budget

Core i3
Now in its second generation, these dual-core processors are almost exclusively paired with Intel HD Graphics, and are for those who only do the basics: word processing, image viewing, music listening and internet browsing. It’s a small step above the processors below, and is usually what we consider as being the minimum for hassle-free computing.

Intel Pentium and Celeron; AMD Athlon X2 and Turion
These are low-performance machines that tend to be used in sub-AU$600 14-inch to 15-inch laptops, primarily to keep the cost down. If you’re on a strict budget and have modest needs, these may do the job for you.

Low power, low performance

Intel Atom, AMD C series, AMD E series
These tend to be used in the 8.9- to 13-inch space, in laptops often incorrectly termed “netbooks” — a phrase that is actually reserved for laptops featuring Intel’s Atom CPU, which is up to 10-inches in size. Nonetheless, all are very low-power, very low-performance chips, best suited to basic internet and office tasks. Their primary mission is to keep devices tiny and portable, and, as such, they make great secondary or travel laptops.

Atom is found in most netbooks, but AMD’s processors significantly outperform it, and have better graphics to boot. If you need cheap but small, we’d go AMD here.

The (not-so) great outdoors

Sunlight is not ideal for computing — specifically, for seeing the screen. If you want to work outdoors, you have options, but most consumer models have what are known as transmissive screens. These screens are lit from behind, and despite what you’ve seen in the commercials, they’re virtually invisible on a bright, sunny day. Reflective LCDs, which light the screen’s pixels from the front and reflect polarised light from the environment, are much better for outdoor work, but their screens look dim indoors. What’s more, they’re mostly reserved for vertical-market notebook models, and are pretty tough to come by. It doesn’t help that most consumer laptops these days come with glossy screens, making reflections a pain! If you’re going to be working outdoors, make sure that there’s a matte option for your screen.

(Credit: Corsair)

Mind your memory

Having enough memory is vital to system performance, and lots of RAM lets you run more applications simultaneously. Sufficient RAM is also necessary for graphics work, image editing and video editing, and is crucial for 3D gaming. This is especially true in notebooks, because notebook graphics processors frequently have little or no memory of their own, and share the main system RAM.

Adding RAM is an easy way to boost performance, but first make sure that the notebook’s memory sockets are accessible. (They’re usually under a panel on the bottom of the system.) Here’s an easy way to determine how much you need:

512MB: generally fine if you’re running a Linux variant on something small like an Eee PC, but really, this is far too little for today’s uses.

1GB: adequate for running a number of basic programs at once, but you may find that your machine struggles quite a bit with modern apps and operating systems.

2GB: entry level. This will be fine for office work and internet browsing, and will get you by for most basic tasks.

4GB or more: recommended! Good for 3D gaming, graphics work and video editing. Keep in mind that if you hit the 4GB point, you’ll need to run a 64-bit operating system to take advantage of all of the memory — a 32-bit one won’t be able to access it all. Make sure to check that you’re getting a 64-bit version of Windows before you buy.

Finger fitting

As notebooks shrink in size, so do their keyboards. If possible, try some simple typing exercises before you buy it. The smaller the keyboard, the more creative the vendor may have gotten with key size and placement. Pay particular attention to the space bar, Shift, Ctrl and Backspace/Delete keys. Be sure that all are in a good location for your hand size and typing style.

Touchy, touchy

Computing today relies a lot on mousing. With a notebook, all you get is a touchpad or pointing stick. Unless you plan on travelling with a mouse, test the notebook’s input device for comfort and responsiveness. Some touchpads include extra features, such as a dedicated area for scrolling, or multi-touch capability. We’ve never been big fans of those little pointing sticks tucked in the middle of the keyboard, because precision is tough and the little nubs wear off, requiring replacement.

Vying for video RAM

With the introduction of Intel HD Graphics on Core i3 processors and above, the bar has now been raised enough for integrated graphics to suit most peoples’ needs. If you want to play games, though, you’ll need a dedicated GPU — try to grab something with 512MB to 1GB of video RAM. Ignore the salesman that insists that video memory is an indication of performance; while larger video memory does tend to be paired with higher performing cards, it’s not the thing that’s primarily responsible for the performance increase.

A slot for all reasons

Like a PCI-Express slot in a desktop, an ExpressCard slot provides expansion opportunities. Additional USB, FireWire, SATA and Ethernet ports, sound cards, wireless cards and TV tuners are all available in ExpressCard format. It comes in two sizes — 54 and 34, representing how many millimetres wide they are. Both sizes end in a 34mm connection, with the 54mm end of the bigger card used to store extra circuitry. As such, an ExpressCard 34 will fit into a 54 slot, but not vice versa.

Business laptops may still have the older PC Card (or PCMCIA) instead of ExpressCard. PC Cards and slots come in three sizes: Type I, II and III. Type I cards are normally used for memory, Type II for input/output devices and Type III for mass storage and firewalls.

Get connected

Make sure that you have enough ports on your laptop — at a minimum, look for two USB ports. If you’d like to use a digital camcorder with your notebook, you may need a FireWire (IEEE 1394) port. Connecting a monitor will require a VGA port at minimum (if you’ll be giving presentations, a VGA port is also where you’ll connect a projector), but for extra image quality look for a DVI, HDMI or DisplayPort connector in addition to this. A lot of PC laptops these days also have a combined USB and eSATA port — eSATA allows faster connections to external hard drives, provided that your external hard drive supports it.

Go wireless

Integrated wireless networking (Wi-Fi) has become an indispensable feature. Most notebooks ship with a variant of 802.11n these days, although some (such as netbooks) still use 802.11g. Public hotspots typically use 802.11g; fortunately, 802.11n is backwards-compatible, along with 802.11b.

Most mainstream laptops come with 2.4GHz 802.11n, whereas the premium ones come with both 2.4GHz and 5GHz. The difference: 2.4GHz has greater range, but lesser throughput. It also has more chance of interference, either from your neighbour’s Wi-Fi or from other implements that use the 2.4GHz spectrum, like microwaves and cordless phones.

5GHz has less chance of interference and higher throughput, but has smaller range. Your wireless router will also need to support it for you to take advantage of it.

Power without the plug

While you might have a two- or three-year warranty on your laptop, your battery is generally only covered for one year.

Two specs to look for in laptop batteries are capacity (measured in milliamp hours, or mAh) and the number of cells. Typical batteries have a mAh rating between 2000mAh and 6000mAh; higher is better. Cells are the actual compartments where power is produced, and can range from four to 12; the more the better. Keep in mind, though, that this may cause the battery pack to stick out from your laptop in potentially awkward positions.

Some laptops don’t have easily swappable batteries, in an attempt to cut down on size. Be aware of this — and when your battery dies, you may need to take your laptop in for a service rather than simply swapping the battery out yourself.

On the other hand, some can take a second battery, either by replacing the optical drive or by placing a shim on the bottom. Check your accessories before you buy.

What’s in a name?

Intel has phased out its incredibly well marketed Centrino brand, opting to present consumers with the simpler Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 performance tiers.

AMD has yet to follow suit, though. Its Vision platform comes in four varieties: Vision, Vision Premium, Vision Ultimate and Vision Black. The difference is in the components — the straight Vision includes integrated graphics, with the other platforms providing increasingly powerful CPUs and discrete GPUs.

Vision is the entry-level platform, Vision Premium is the mainstream, Vision Ultimate is for content creators and Vision Black is intended for high-performance applications, such as gaming. It’s more marketing than spec, as there are no hard and fast rules for the certification — short of it being AMD only.

You’ll also see some AMD “Fusion” stickers around — this simply means that the laptop is using AMD’s newer processors, which has both a GPU and a CPU in the one package.

Tiny, tinny sound

Notebooks are notorious for having terrible speakers. Our recommendation: get a good set of headphones, or a stereo or three-piece speaker set. You can even get speakers powered by USB if you want something portable that doesn’t require a power point.

A lot of laptops these days are including some version of Dolby surround, or attempting to emulate surround sound using just the two speakers included. It’s generally better than the standard sound, but not magnificently so. If you want real surround sound, either find a laptop with optical audio-out (usually desktop replacements), or, if you’ve got an ExpressCard slot, you can add in Creative’s X-Fi Xtreme Audio Notebook with optional Speaker Docking Module for up to 7.1 sound.

It’s not just size that matters

If you ignore the tiny flash-based drives that come in between 4GB and 32GB, notebook hard drives tend to start at the 320GB point these days, although ultraportables mostly stay around the 160GB to 250GB mark. Currently, 1TB is the highest available capacity for notebook drives. If you have a choice, select a drive with a rotational speed of 7200rpm instead of 5400rpm. The faster it spins, the faster you’ll get your files.

Solid State Drives (SSDs) are also an option, bringing significantly faster sequential and random read and write speeds, and a much higher cost as a result. Disappointingly, most manufacturers won’t tell you what brand SSD that they put in their laptops, and not all are created equal — so you’re better off buying after-market so that you can ensure you’ll receive an Intel or SandForce drive.

Modern conveniences

Keep an eye out for bonuses like sleep-and-charge USB ports (ports that will power devices while your laptop sleeps), multi-format card readers, USB 3.0 ports (they can be identified either by a blue tongue or an “SS” logo above the port) and backlit keyboards. They can all make a difference as to how easy-to-use your laptop is!

Is it pretty?

Just because the laptop on the shop shelf may look a little dour, doesn’t mean that there aren’t options. Many models these days sell in different colours, and Dell, for instance, even has a huge range of swappable back covers available for sale for certain laptops.

Connect the docks

A docking station quickly turns your notebook into a desktop. You connect your peripherals (monitor, keyboard, mouse and serial devices) to the dock, which stays at your desk. Simply attach the notebook to the dock, and you instantly get the conveniences of a desktop without having to unplug everything when it’s time to go. Most manufacturers offer docks designed to go with their notebooks, while third-party docks, such as the Logitech Alto Cordless and Belkin High Speed Docking Station, are also available.

Another advantage of a docking station is its inclusion of legacy ports that many newer notebooks leave out, such as parallel, serial and PS/2 ports. If you don’t need all of the features of a dock, but could still use the extra connectivity, check whether the notebook maker offers a port replicator, which is basically a pared-down version of a dock.

When good notebooks go bad

Every notebook is susceptible to accidents and system failures. We recommend paying for a good three-year warranty with express service. If you can afford it, get coverage for damage caused by spills, drops, electrical surges or any other accident.

Essential accessories

When pricing a notebook, set aside cash for important extras. These include a laptop bag, an extra battery, a mouse and keyboard and software for office work, internet security and system maintenance. You may even want to consider an external hard drive for backup.

What’s it made of?

Most laptop cases are still made from moulded plastic, but you can find some encased in metal, which dissipates heat better. Look for models made from light, strong metal alloys. If you’re in the market for a desktop replacement, check that the case has adequate ventilation for the powerful (and hot-running) components inside.

Fixed or swappable

Less-expensive notebooks have fixed drives, meaning that the optical and hard drives can’t be removed. Some, though, have a swappable drive bay, letting you change out an optical drive for a hard drive or extra battery — or just a spacer module, so that you can shed some travel weight.

Are you the tablet type?

Before the iPad, tablets meant something entirely different.

Comparable in size and weight to ultraportable notebooks, tablet PCs occupy a different niche, allowing the full productivity of a Windows machine, as opposed to the content consumption focus of Android and iOS tablets.

They’re available in two basic designs: convertibles, which are laptops that have displays that swivel and fold flat facing outwards; and slates, which have no attached keyboards, but can be connected easily enough to one.

Going for the perfect drive

Whilst they are diminishing in importance these days, optical drives of all kinds are available for laptops — from basic CD ROM units to Blu-ray/DVD±RW combos. We like DVD±RW drives for notebooks; they burn and play both DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray is a good choice if you’re a movie buff, but make sure that your notebook can display a Full HD resolution (at least 1920×1080, usually only seen on desktop replacements), or can at least output the video to a screen that can — otherwise, you’ll lose the benefits of all of that clarity.

32- or 64-bit?

Most vendors should be selling laptops today with Windows 7 64-bit, with only business laptops being the exception for compatibility reasons. If the choice is presented to you, you’ll want a 64-bit version of Windows, as the 32-bit version can’t address 4GB RAM or greater.

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