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21: What's it made of?
Most laptop cases are
still made from molded plastic, but you can find some encased in metal,
which dissipates heat better. Look for models made from light, strong
metal alloys. If you're in the market for a desktop replacement, check
that the case has adequate ventilation for the powerful (and
hot-running) components inside.
22: Fixed or swappable
Less-expensive notebooks
have fixed drives, meaning the optical and hard drives can't be
removed. Some, though, have a swappable-drive bay, letting you change
out an optical drive for a hard drive or extra battery--or just a
spacer module so you can shed some travel weight.
23: Are you the Tablet type?
Comparable in size
and weight to ultraportable notebooks, tablet PCs occupy a different
niche. They're available in two basic designs: Convertibles, which have
displays that swivel and fold flat facing outwards, and slates, which
have no attached keyboards. (Some slates offer optional wired or
wireless keyboards.) All Tablet PCs use a special version of Windows XP
that works in tandem with the display for navigating and entering data
using a stylus. Until recently, these units were primarily used in
specialised fields, such as health care, insurance, and real estate,
but sexier models with new software are slowly reaching a broader
audience.
24: Going for the perfect drive
Optical drives
of all kinds are available for laptops--from basic DVD/CD-RW combo drives to
double-layer DVD±RWs. We like DVD writer drives for notebooks;
they burn CDs and play both CDs and DVDs. If you want to splurge, a DVD
recorder is handy for backing up as much as 8.5GB of important files at
a time.
25: Don't forget to shop for Apples
It's no
secret Apple makes some phenomenal notebooks. If you're considering
one, make sure all the specialty software apps you need to run are
available for the Mac platform. Also, factor in what's required to
incorporate your new Mac into your home network.
Brian Bennett also contributed to this article.
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