Other Computer Specifications to Think About
There are a ton of specifications for each notebook computer. Below are a few that might not be the most important, but can still affect your choice. They are battery life, weight, keyboard, mouse/trackpad, other hardware, and included software.
Battery Life: This is how long your notebook will run off a battery if fully charged. This will vary in importance depending on how you intend to use your computer. If it is a substitute to your home computer, then it is less important. If you want to travel a lot, it would be convenient to have the battery last a long time.
Weight: Every notebook will have a different weight, so it is good to try to figure it out. Typically, this will be listed as a specification, but you can simply lift up the computer to see how it feels. The actual size of the notebook will affect the weight, but things that are not so obvious such as battery size and types of hardware included will too. The importance of the weight will have to be determined based on your intended use.
Keyboard: This is where you input data into the laptop. It is important that it feels right under your fingers. Everyone has different tastes, so test out the keyboard before you buy.
Mouse/Trackpad: This is how you move around the pointer on the screen and how you click. Manufacturers have drastically different types. It is worth testing this out extensively, because it can become a big annoyance down the road if it doesn’t work how you would like it to.
Other Hardware: Hardware includes physical things installed into notebooks, such as CD and DVD drives, floppy disk drives, or wireless broadband card slots. Most computers come with a CD/DVD drive, which means it reads CDs and DVDs. It is handy to have a drive that writes CDs (or DVDs if you want to make movies). This is designated by a “RW.” For example, a CD drive that writes CDs will be shows as CD-RW. For DVDs, it is typically shown as DVD±RW.
Included Software: Every notebook will come with some software. The main one is the operating system software, such as Windows or OS X. PC notebooks will have a version of Microsoft Windows, and Macs will have a version of Mac OS X. Additional software included could prove to be a big benefit or just extra. If you want to take pictures and edit them on your notebook, then finding one that comes with good picture editing software would be great. Finding a notebook computer that has a good bundle of software included can save you several hundred dollars.