People ask me this question a lot. “What’s the best laptop” A better question is “What’s the best laptop for me”? Laptops are trickier to buy than desktop machines because they are not very customizable, so you should get the right machine for you and your needs.

Things you should think about are

• The keyboard and trackpad – are they comfortable? Do  I need a 10 key number pad on the device?
• The screen – how large do I want it?
• Battery life – how long should it last?
• Weight – how light do I need it?
• Will I be using it as a desktop replacement?
• What is my budget?

As a rule of thumb, you can have a large screen, long battery life, lots of processing power, and light weight but you will pay a lot for it.
If you’re not a gamer, consider getting less processing power and maybe even a little heavier. You could save a few hundred dollars.

On the other end of the spectrum if you need a light powerful computer with a small screen you will still pay a lot for it. Miniaturization is expensive.
An alternative is a netbook. If you have modest needs and want a miniature machine,  a netbook will work just fine, and with the savings you could get an iPad… just saying….

For more information here is a good buyer’s guide for portable computers
How to Pick the Perfect Laptop via Lifehacker

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