Laptops for Travel

Okay, so you've decided to buy a laptop because of the convenience of its portability. Keep in mind that there are many laptops on the market, and you will need to review their specs carefully in order to know if it will suit your particular needs. For instance, there are laptops that fit into the category of desktop replacements, which usually contain everything that a normal desktop PC might have and more, however because of their weight, it would not be a practical choice for travelers. Following are a few quick tips to consider when shopping for your laptop.

If this computer will be just for traveling and as a secondary computer, you may be able to get away with less memory in consideration for other features you may need instead. This could save you money – just something to think about.

The physical size of the laptop is one of the most important things to consider if you will be traveling often. You may want to look into a laptop that is categorized as an ultra portable. Ultra portable laptops usually weigh less than 4 pounds. Remember that the heavier the laptop is, the more cumbersome it may be when traveling with other luggage. The average weight of most laptops is approximately 6 pounds, but some of the larger laptops can weigh up to 10 pounds or more, which would make traveling with them very inconvenient.

One necessity when traveling with your laptop may be Internet access. Look at laptops equipped with Wi-Fi capabilities. Many of the newer laptops are now equipped with Bluetooth capabilities.

Processing speed is a major consideration and I would suggest buying a laptop with the fastest processing speed you can afford. If you're doing any sort of multimedia tasking, look for at least 2.0 GHz.

When checking out RAM, I would suggest a minimum of 512 MB. If you plan to store large amount of music or photos you will need more RAM, and if doing any gaming, you’ll need a video card with at least 32 MB of RAM. As far as the hard drive, most people can get by on 20 GB to 40 GB. If you work with spreadsheets, digital photo or video files, consider more.

Battery life is a very important consideration when traveling with your computer. Most laptops use lithium-ion batteries for the longest charge. Keep in mind that if you use high processing speeds and large amounts of RAM, your battery life will be affected. If it is in your budget, you may want to consider purchasing an extra battery.

While were on the subject of battery life, screen size and resolution are a factor. Screen resolutions range from 800 x 600 pixels to 1600 x 1200. You will need to remember that the larger the screen, and the higher the resolution, the quicker the juice will be drained from your battery.

CD and DVD drives are another choice you will need to make. Do you really need one installed on your computer, or will an external drive to plug-in only when necessary serve your purpose? Remember, this may add unnecessary weight to your computer.

Last, whether you plan to purchase your laptop computer through an online company, or a store, be sure to check them out in person first. Check out the display models to see if you are comfortable with such attributes as the weight, display, processing speed and keyboard size. Keyboard size can really vary on the smaller laptops and trying it out in person, can really make a difference. You will be happy with your purchase if you take the time to decide what you really need, do your research and compare prices.