In 2008, unit shipments of notebook PCs outpaced sales of desktop PCs for the first time, and for good reason. With their fast dual-core processors, large screens, spacious hard drives and various connectivity options, today's laptops don't exact many feature compromises and still give you the freedom to work where and when you want.
Better still, prices continue to drop: A well-equipped business portable can be had for around $800, and $1,400 will get you a model with almost all the bells and whistles. You also have more varied choices than ever, with 16-inch screens available in larger machines and a new class of ultra-compact, ultra-affordable netbooks designed to be take-everywhere Internet/e-mail companions.
Here we offer guidance on the type, components and features to consider when selecting your next laptop, as well as some of our current favorite entries in each category.
Select Your Size: Bantamweight to HeavyweightBefore you start thinking about the specs of your notebook, you first have to decide which category of machine — determined by its weight and screen size — best fits your needs and working style. Display sizes range from a somewhat cramped eight inches to a behemoth 18.4 inches (with stops at nearly every size in between), while weights range from less than three pounds to almost nine pounds.
Netbooks are the smallest laptops. Designed to be Internet companions (hence the name) for checking e-mail and surfing the Web while on the go, they are small and light enough (typically 2.5 to three pounds) to toss in a bag and have with you all the time. The smallest netbooks have eight-inch or nine-inch LCDs, which means you'll have to scroll both horizontally and vertically to see all of a Web page or document...
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