Choosing a Laptop Computer

Other Stuff (RAM, Hard Disk, Networking... etc.)

RAM and hard disk space are obviously important factors in how well a machine does its job. But it's hard to find a new machine these days with less than a gigabyte of RAM installed or hundred gig's of disk space, which I would think should get most people started. More is always better of course (at least up to the point where you have all you can use) but these are also the two components of a typical laptop that are most readily field upgradable. So if you were looking for places to cut a few corners, this might be one.

Other nice-to-haves to look for are a firewire (a.k.a, IEEE 1394) port, preferably full-size, and a stereo line level audio input (we hear they're coming back). You may plan on using a outboard USB or firewire device for audio acquisition but it's always nice to have options. Most of the other things that used to be extra-cost options in a laptop computer now come as standard equipment. Any machine you buy is going to come with an ethernet port, probably wireless networking and maybe bluetooth as well. Anyway those things can also be added later as USB peripherals or PC cards if necessary.

Manufacturer

What's in a name? That depends a lot on what stands behind it, I guess. I usually build my own desktop computers (and fix them myself when they break) but laptop computers are made out of a lot more purpose built parts, with a lot fewer pieces that you can walk into Radio Shack and buy. With laptops you need to worry a little more about warranty service and the manufacturer's ability to support you in the field. Dell, HP or IBM (to name a few) may charge more for a given hardware configuration than JoeCo (apologies to Joe if there really is a JoeCo) but if something goes pop inside, is that going to mean the difference between sending the machine in for a new mobo or tossing it in the nearest dumpster and buying a new one? Enquiring minds want to know (ideally before buying).

Another consideration is that a company building a bajillion laptops a year is going to be better able to offer such niceties as docking stations, car/airplane power adapters and other goodies than someone making a few hundred machines here and there, or even a few thousand. There's also more incentive for third parties to build compatible accessories and components such as memory modules. I'm not necessarily trying to sell the idea of a name brand computer, just saying do your homework and consider all your options before dropping that kind of coin on a lesser known quantity.

If you're spending your own money and trying to squeeze every possible cent out of your computer budget, you might want to consider looking for a blow-out on last year's model from a name brand manufacturer, as opposed to a faster machine from a second tier company. Brute CPU clock speed is actually among the least important factors in overall machine performance (within limits) but often can come at the highest premium in price. Refurbished machines are another possibility when pinching pennies, but consider that someone sent them back for a reason and there aren't all that many things you can really repair on a laptop after the fact, so that can be kind hit or miss. A used machine might actually be a better option if you happen to know the computer works fine and the owner is just trading up.

Personally, I would want to look at any of those options before buying a spanky new low end machine. Smaart, by design, is a pig of a program with a pretty voracious appetite for CPU, RAM and graphics processing. It has to be, to do what it does and as computers become more powerful, people always seem to want to do more with them. So it pays to do your homework and do a little shopping around when buying one. Not only will you improve your Smaart-using experience in the near term, this will also help to maximize the useful lifespan of your new machine in the longer run.