What laptop to purchase?
In choosing a laptop (or desktop for that matter), there are a number of highly personal preference decisions that must be made. No two people are going to want the exact same specifications, so this is more of a "what to think about" doc than a "what you should get" doc.
Laptops are generally more expensive for similar hardware compared to a desktop. If you have chosen to purchase a laptop, you most likely have decided you have a need for mobility of your computer is more important than price or power.
Picking the hardware
Price
- First decision should be what your price range is. Do not spend more than you can afford. There are many great deals out there if you watch for sales and deals.
Type
- There are a number of different mobile platforms out there. There are desktop-replacements (15"+ screen laptops), average size (14"), ultra-mobile (12-13"), and netbooks (10" and smaller). There are also tablets and other touch screen options. Make sure you understand the limitations of the hardware for each. In general, the smaller the hardware, the slower the processor, the slower and smaller the drive, the smaller the max memory, and the greater the average price. The best price/performance ratio tends to be in the 14" size, but there are exceptions.
Usage
- You will need to decide what your priority for this computer will be. If gaming is a requirement, you will spend a little more and will require a fair amount of memory, processor power, hard drive speed, and video quality. These things all add up. If you are not into gaming, than you can save quite a bit on some of these specs.
Platform
- Linux, Mac or Windows. You should be able to pick which ever you prefer, but realize that some may require some costs above the purchase price, or may require more knowledge and expertise. Much of the software you would need as a CS major is cheap or free. On the other hand, some of it may only run on Windows. If you decided to run Linux or Mac, you may need to setup a virtual machine in which you would load Windows. This does add some requirements for memory and disk, as well as may require some more knowledge to setup and administer. Price wise, Macs tend to be the most expensive for similar hardware, and has the least amount of options.
Processor
- Processors come in a number of different options. Power savings, while slower, are generally the norm in the smallest laptops, including netbooks (will usually be less than 2GHz). The standard for everything else can range from dual cores to quad cores. Anything greater than 2GHz for these is good.
Memory
- This will depend on needs, life expectancy of the computer and the platform you choose. If you will be running Mac or Linux, you should expect to have 3GB of memory or more, as some will be dedicated to the virtual machine running Windows for some software. For all other situations, 2GB should be plenty. Anything less may make the machine seem unusable in as software demands increase over the years.
Hard drive
- Size isn't usually as important as speed. Small computers tend to have slower drives. The one exception may be with Solid State drives (very expensive and small in quantity). 5400 speed drives are common in smaller computers. 7200 speed drives will give you noticeable speed difference over time over a 5400, so it may be worth the upgrade where possible. Large harddrives may be nice for storage, but remember that you should match that storage with external backup.
Wireless
- 802.11b is standard in most locations, and many cards come with a/b/g combo. A new standard that is coming out is 802.11n. If b/n is available, it couldn't hurt to have.
Warranty
- Warranty is a personal preference. If you are looking to get it, make sure you understand what it covers. On a laptop, it is easy to drop it or spill liquids. Some warrantees cover this, others may require an Accidental plan. Don't spend the money on one until you fully understand it.
Software
- As long as you are a CS major, most of the software you will need it free (through MSDNAA) or cheap (through WISC) once classes start. This should allow you to use what ever system works best for you while keeping costs down.