need advice on what to look for when shopping for laptops

Hi I am considering buying a laptop but all the specs are confusing and I would love some help. I am trying to start a business myself and a laptop would really come in handy. I am wanting to look during the boxing week sales and stuff to get the best deal. I am looking at using it for documents and also a program called Streets and Trips that we use to help us find our way in cities we are unfamiliar with. I might use it to play some music or a movie but not wanting to use it for games or anything. so basically documents and stuff mostly.
an hdmi thing would be nice to hook it to a tv but that might make it more to get one right?



The streets and trips software requirements are this
Streets & Trips system requirements
To use Microsoft Streets & Trips 2011, you will need:

• Windows 7 with 1 GB RAM, Windows Vista with 1 GB RAM, Windows Server 2008 with 512 MB RAM, or Windows XP with 256 MB RAM (64-bit versions of Windows XP and Windows Server excluded); service packs for operating systems recommended.
• Available hard-disk space: 1.8 GB.
• For installation: DVD-ROM drive or high-speed Internet access.
• Super VGA (1024 X 768) or higher-resolution monitor.
• Microsoft Mouse, Microsoft IntelliMouse, or compatible pointing device.

Additional items or services are required to use certain features:

• For Voice Output: any of the operating systems listed in the above system requirements and a compatible sound card.
• Microsoft compatible email software such as Microsoft Office Outlook is required to use Send to Mobile and Send To as attachment; Office Outlook 2007 or Office Outlook 2010 is required to use Send To as picture.
• Broadband Internet service recommended for certain features, which may require payment of a separate fee to an Internet service provider; local and/or long-distance telephone toll charges may apply.
• GPS functionality requires a GPS device that supports NMEA 2.0 or later and an available USB port.
• Certain features require Internet Explorer. If not present, Internet Explorer will be installed but will not displace your primary browser.

So can anyone help me? how much ram and how big a hard drive and what about the ghz and all the stuff that I don't know what it is? lol I feel a little over my head and could use some advice on what size of stuff I should have and what isn't needed and stuff. thanks. :)

Most laptops in the $400-$600 should be fine for your apps. Except netbooks, most laptops come with at least 4 GB of RAM, several hundred GB of HDD, 1366x768 resolution (more for most 17.3 inch laptops). 14 inch or larger....for DVD drives. Only select number of 13.3 inch laptops have DVD drives....otherwise, you would need to buy an external DVD burner (~$30-$40). Look for CPUs like i3 or i5 or AMD A6-3400M for best future proofing. Look for HDMI if you want to connect to a HDTV easily. I would avoid most AMD CPUs EXCLUDING the A6-3400M or A8-3500M....since they are known as battery hogs. i3-xxxM and i5-xxxM are first gen CPUs. i3-2xxxM andn i5-2xxxM are the newer second gen CPUs (x = number) and are preferred.

Asus is the brand that has the best laptop reliability (consumer grade). Toshiba is good too. HP is the worst. Acer and Gateway are near the bottom (better than HP). Sony, Lenovo and Dell in the middle. For business laptops, Lenovo and Dell are good brands....even HP business laptops are good.

Dave

thanks so much for all the info!!! I appreciate it soooooooo much!!!!

Source.ca Boxing Sale: Gateway 15.6" Laptop with Intel second gen i3-2330M, 4GB RAM, 640GB HD, Win 7 - $399.98

Best Buy Boxing Sale: Acer 15.6" Laptop with Intel second gen i5-2430M, 6GB RAM, 1TB Hard Drive - $449.99

Both are good deals, but not worth lining up IMO. Not the best brands either. The Acer with the i5 and bigger HDD is a better deal of the two IMO....I paid an extra $50 to upgrade my CPU from an i3 to an i5 on my Lenovo Thinkpad in July 2011.

Dave

Also you should look at dual core or quad core.
this means that multiple things can run at once.

You might no think that is important but processes that run are not necessarily run by you. Eg, if your virus program is running a check while you are using office then that is 2 processes. if you do not get a dual core or quad core then only one thing can run at once and this is when people find computers very slow.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by myintuition

Also you should look at dual core or quad core.
this means that multiple things can run at once.

You might no think that is important but processes that run are not necessarily run by you. Eg, if your virus program is running a check while you are using office then that is 2 processes. if you do not get a dual core or quad core then only one thing can run at once and this is when people find computers very slow.

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AMD A6 and A8 are quad core...but are typically slower than dual cores i3 and i5. See http://www.notebookcheck.net for rankings. In the $500 range laptops, A6 powered laptops have better graphics (usually Radeon HD6520G or better) for light gaming. Second gen i3 and i5 rely on the slower Intel HD3000 graphics.....good for apps, but not so for gaming. Moderate gaming laptops typically start in the $600-$800 range.....heavy gamers are over $1000-$1200.

Dave

Thanks everyone for their advice on this thread!
What do people think about the following deal?

Staples:
$398 Toshiba 15.6" intel i3 370 M dual core processor 4GB RAM 500 GB HD

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kschott

Thanks everyone for their advice on this thread!
What do people think about the following deal?

Staples:
$398 Toshiba 15.6" intel i3 370 M dual core processor 4GB RAM 500 GB HD

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Not hot IMO. Not sure what graphics....likely integrated? Expect a much better price during Boxing Day/Week sale....around $300-$325....$350 max.

Dave

Thanks David Y

Sorry no advice. I'm actually looking for a laptop and came across this post. :) I want it more for home computing and not business stuff. I was thinking of something under $400.00. More for email, web surfing, photos, music, skype. Not into gaming

$499 for a 15.6 inch Lenovo Thinkpad Edge E520 with i5-2430M, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB HDD, webcam, BT, etc.

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX36606

Pretty good deal IMO...I have the 14 inch version, E420....mine didn't have a webcam or BT. Better quality than most consumer laptops in it's price range.....in between consumer and business level. Only an average display at best.

Dave

Quote:

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Originally Posted by toban

Sorry no advice. I'm actually looking for a laptop and came across this post. :) I want it more for home computing and not business stuff. I was thinking of something under $400.00. More for email, web surfing, photos, music, skype. Not into gaming

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$349

http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/produ.../10188772.aspx

$299 Refurb

http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/produ.../10185926.aspx
Dave

Here's real advice.

1. Buy By Brand

Brands to avoid

HP. Horrible reliability record going back to the days when they were Compaq, which took over HP and destroyed the company.

Acer: 5 years, they were a low end brand. Their marketing has convinced people otherwise, but nothing has changed. Low build quality and absolutely the cheapest, worst keyboards in the laptop world. There is a good reason that for the same specs, they are always cheaper than other major companies.

Gateway: Acer's low end line. The concept of a low end Acer is hard to imagine, but it does exist since they bought out Gateway.

E-machines: the worst laptops available.

Apple: ridiculous overpriced so that Apple can maintain their 30% profit margin. They are also the a totalitarian regime - they control what you can buy and the price of everything. It's a monopoly. It's always good to avoid monopolies. The Apple store is the greatest spy network on plane earth. In contrast, the PC world is wide open and excellent free software is widely available. (Check the Gizmo site, for example.)

Best are Asus and Lenovo. However, Lenovo loads your computer with tones of useless, annoying junk. Toshiba and Dell are middling.

2. Buy in a store, not online

Companies know that a lot of people buy on line and know people can count (4 gb vs 6 gb) so they cheap out on the other things that can't be quantified, like keyboards and build quality. These things matter.

I wouldn't spend $500-$1000 on something I could test personally first. I also always want a place to come back to if there is a problem. Example: The Source sold me a machine as new. When I got home, I discovered that it was obviously used. I just went back and returned it. No shipping and no hassles.

3. Don't Fixate On CPU. Memory counts

Don't become fixated with CPU power. If you surf the web and keep lots of windows open, for example, memory is more important than CPU power. In the Web world, your connection speed is the bottleneck, not your CPU. In large applications, memory is also more important than CPU.

4. Read the fine print

Companies try to hide the warts in the fine print to fool less knowledgeable buyers. For example:

The memory should be DDR3, not DDR2
The CPU number matters. There is a huge difference between an i3 370M and i3 2120i. There’s a big difference between an AMD 3400 and 3400M. The best i3 is better than the worst i5

Quote:

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Originally Posted by yorick

Here's real advice.

1. Buy By Brand

Brands to avoid

HP. Horrible reliability record going back to the days when they were Compaq, which took over HP and destroyed the company.

Acer: 5 years, they were a low end brand. Their marketing has convinced people otherwise, but nothing has changed. Low build quality and absolutely the cheapest, worst keyboards in the laptop world. There is a good reason that for the same specs, they are always cheaper than other major companies.

Gateway: Acer's low end line. The concept of a low end Acer is hard to imagine, but it does exist since they bought out Gateway.

E-machines: the worst laptops available.

Apple: ridiculous overpriced so that Apple can maintain their 30% profit margin. They are also the a totalitarian regime - they control what you can buy and the price of everything. It's a monopoly. It's always good to avoid monopolies. The Apple store is the greatest spy network on plane earth. In contrast, the PC world is wide open and excellent free software is widely available. (Check the Gizmo site, for example.)

Best are Asus and Lenovo. However, Lenovo loads your computer with tones of useless, annoying junk. Toshiba and Dell are middling.

2. Buy in a store, not online

Companies know that a lot of people buy on line and know people can count (4 gb vs 6 gb) so they cheap out on the other things that can't be quantified, like keyboards and build quality. These things matter.

I wouldn't spend $500-$1000 on something I could test personally first. I also always want a place to come back to if there is a problem. Example: The Source sold me a machine as new. When I got home, I discovered that it was obviously used. I just went back and returned it. No shipping and no hassles.

3. Don't Fixate On CPU. Memory counts

Don't become fixated with CPU power. If you surf the web and keep lots of windows open, for example, memory is more important than CPU power. In the Web world, your connection speed is the bottleneck, not your CPU. In large applications, memory is also more important than CPU.

4. Read the fine print

Companies try to hide the warts in the fine print to fool less knowledgeable buyers. For example:

The memory should be DDR3, not DDR2
The CPU number matters. There is a huge difference between an i3 370M and i3 2120i. There’s a big difference between an AMD 3400 and 3400M. The best i3 is better than the worst i5

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Thanks for the advices! I own a HP laptop and I have to say it's really good IMO. I had a toshiba and it lasted about a year. I guess it depends on each customer/computer. When I shop for a laptop, I always check the specs I need first then I go by price. I find that a lot of seller try to sell you a expensive laptop but it doesn't have the specs I need or don't need.