4C Software & Technology Directory

Laptop prices have gone down considerably over the past few years. As the price of parts and manufacturing has steadily decreased, computer companies have been able to introduce products to the market that are friendly to customers looking to spend as little as possible. But purchasing a “budget” laptop doesn’t mean that you have to settle for second-rate quality. If you know which features are the most important before purchasing a laptop you can get a great deal that meets your needs.

Here are three things you need to look for when comparison shopping for a laptop:

Size of the RAM: Many people think that having the fastest microprocessor (CPU) will lead to blazing fast performance. In reality, the speed of your laptop has more to do with the size of your system memory (RAM) than anything else. If the RAM is too small, your computer will start to drag and crash – especially if you save any large files.

Video Controller: If you plan on watching online videos or playing games on your laptop (and everyone does), you need to have a high-quality video controller. This is the dedicated memory that goes to playing video and other multimedia items. Most “standard” laptops come with a 64MB video controller, but upgrading to a 128MB video controller will mean a big difference in your computer’s overall performance.

USB Ports: If you plan on using a mouse with your laptop, uploading pictures and videos from your camera or storing files on an external hard drive, you’ll need to have plenty of USC ports. Newer laptops should come with USB 2.0 ports, which is the latest USB technology and allow you to upload and download content much faster between USB devices and your computer.