Want to Buy Laptop ?

What kind of laptop?

Budget models. These have slower processors and lower screen quality than others, but they are suitable for routine work. For general computing such as word-processing, e-mail, and Web browsing, a budget computer should be more than sufficient. Budget models also have the speed and storage capacity needed for photo editing, a limited music library, and even rudimentary video editing.

Workhorse models. These have faster processors, and all drives are built in so you won't need external attachments. They're not lightweight or battery-efficient enough for frequent travelers. Workhorse laptop computers cost a few hundred dollars more than budget machines, but are faster, more versatile, and upgradeable. Today's workhorse laptops can even handle most games and multimedia applications, and most are equipped with a DVD burner to facilitate creating home video DVDs.

There's another reason to opt for a workhorse computer over a budget model: upgradeability. Programs are fatter than ever. A single game, for instance, can consume 4 gigabytes or more of hard-drive space. And if you download music or video clips on a regular basis and don't transfer the content onto CDs, DVDs, or a portable device, you'll eventually fill a budget model's 40- or 60-GB hard drive.

Slim-and-light models. These are designed for travelers. They can be less than an inch thick and weight as little as two or three pounds. They generally require an external drive to read DVDs or burn CDs. An external docking station or port expander can simplify connecting to devices at home.

Tablet-style. These sit in your hands like a clipboard and have handwriting-recognition software. A few can convert to a "normal" laptop with a keyboard.

Buy preconfigured or DIY?

Dell and Gateway pioneered the notion that every computer can be tailored to an individual buyer's needs, much like choosing the options for a car. This configure-to-order model is now common practice for laptops as well as desktops.

You can also purchase a preconfigured computer off the shelf. (You can do the same online if you opt for the default choices of equipment the manufacturer offers.) That's fine if you don't have very strict requirements for how a laptop is outfitted or if you want to take advantage of an attractive sale.

Configure-to-order menus show you all the options and let you see how a change in one affects the overall price. You may decide to use a less-expensive processor, for example, but spend more for wireless capability or better graphics. Configure-to-order will often give you choices you won't get if you buy off the shelf. And configure-to-order means less chance of overlooking important details.

Shopping for an off-the-shelf package deal isn't as easy as it sounds. Deciding between a computer that has, say more memory or a faster hard drive can give you a headache. And retailers aren't always clear about what's really included. Our readers report higher PC-shopping satisfaction with online purchases.


If you buy off the shelf

• Look at our recommended configuration for the type of laptop you want as a starting point. Decide which additional features you want so that you can hunt for packages that approximate your needs.

• Use a shopping bot. Both Shopping.com and Bizrate.com allow you to compare prices at stores and Web sites. When we shopped for a particular preconfigured computer with many of our workhorse features, Shopping.com prices ranged from $785 to $900. The bots also calculate tax and shipping costs, which in our case ranged from zero to $88.

• When prices are close, consider a retailer on other important attributes.


If you customize

• Buy directly from the manufacturer. Retail Web site/mail-order operations in our Ratings (available to subscribers) scored well as a whole, but they don't customize the brand-name computers in our Ratings. Several brick-and-mortar retailers do let you customize some brands, but didn't rate as well overall as manufacturers. We can't say whether customer satisfaction with manufacturers extends to direct-sell kiosks, which makers like Dell and Hewlett-Packard have in some retail locations.

• Track prices. They bounce around as promotional offers come and go. Recently we compared identically configured models from Dell; the same model that cost $1,736 in July cost just $1,299 two months later. Two days later, however, the price rose to $1,325.