Minimum Requirements for Budget Laptops
As of September 2010
Low-end laptops have gotten to be very inexpensive. Although practically any contemporary laptop will be usable as a web browser, the very lowest of the low sacrifice a lot of performance for only marginal savings. This is a listing of laptop features that I consider to be a low water mark. On any day, you can buy a machine with these specifications for $500. If you’re willing to wait, and pick off a deal, you can get one for $400.
Screen Size (15.4” or larger)
In the $400-500 range, you've pretty much fixed yourself to a 14" or 15" laptop. It's easy enough to find a 15" laptop now days, so you might was well go for it. Typical screen sizes will be reported as 15.4", 15.5" and 15.6", though I suspect they're all exactly the same size.
Processor (Dual-core productivity series--no Celerons or Semprons)
A dual-core processor from either AMD or Intel's productivity series can be had. It's important to hold firm on this option, as there will be no way to upgrade this part later. Here are some good examples of what we're looking for:
- AMD Athlon II M320 (Dual-core)
- AMD Athlon II P320 (Dual-core)
- Intel Pentium T4400 (Dual-core)
- Intel Pentium T4500 (Dual-core)
Stay away from the budget processors -- the Celerons and Semprons. They aren't awful, but it's been my experience that the savings does not justify the performance loss.
Memory (3GB or more)
3GB of memory is a good target for this system. More, of course, would be better, but less is not a deal breaker. Most laptops have two memory slots. If you found a system that had 2GB of memory -- a 1GB module in each slot -- you could replace one of those modules and bring the system up to 3GB for about $40-45. If the system had a single 2GB module in one slot, that same $40-45 would bring your system up to 4GB.
Video
This component will impact the performance of the more demanding games. With a laptop, unfortunately, you don't really have much of a choice. The video is integrated into the laptop's motherboard and cannot be upgraded. Some very swanky laptops have a separate video card, but their upgrade options aren't really that great anyhow. Typical video:
- ATi Mobility Radeon HD 4200
- ATi Mobility Radeon HD 4250
- Intel GMA 4500
There are a ton of options here, so I can't list them all.
Hard Drive (160GB or more)
Most contemporary will have at least a 160GB hard drive. Even a 120GB hard drive would be plenty of space for an avid music collector and conscientious student. I wouldn't be shocked to see laptops in this category with 250GB or 320GB hard drives.
Optical Drives (DVD Burner)
Any available options will be able to read CD and DVDs. Nearly all the laptops in this category will also be able to write (or "burn") CD and DVDs. Although I think it will be a rarity, watch out for a system that cannot also write to discs, as some cheap skate might try to sneak one by.
Wired Network (10/100Mbps or faster)
Even though laptops come with wireless networking, the wired networking, or ethernet, is important. It's unlikely you'll find a system that's slower than 100Mbps (Megabits per second.) You'll sometimes see that written as 10/100Mbps. A step up is the Gigabit or 1000Mbps network. That would be a plus, but need not be a huge factor in your purchase decision.
Wireless Network (Wireless-G or faster)
There are three speeds of networks in common use: "b", "g" and "n" The slowest is "b," and the fastest is "n." A system will be able to operate at a given maximum speed, and any slower speed. So, for instance, if your laptop is wireless "g," you will sometimes seen it written as wireless b/g since it can also operate at "b" speeds. Wireless "n" is often written as wireless b/g/n or wireless g/n. Wireless n would be a bonus to get, but Wireless g is your target.
Webcam (Webcam included)
This is not essential, but it's a good idea to buy a laptop with an integrated webcam. They are not expensive, but add-ons are unwieldy to use, so getting one built-in is smart.
Card Reader (Card Reader included)
As with the webcam, add-on card readers are not expensive, but are cumbersome. It shouldn't be hard to find a system with a built-in card reader.
Battery (6-cell or better)
At least a 6-cell battery is warranted. It's unlikely you'll find something with fewer cells, but having at least six is important if you want more than an hour worth of cord free operation.
Operating System (Windows 7--avoid Windows Vista)
Presuming that you want to run Windows, like most of the rest of the world, there are really only two current choices you'll see:
- Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit)
- Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
The number of bits at the end is the only difference. The advantage to running the 32-bit version is that older programs have a better chance of being compatible with this newer operating system. The advantage to running the 64-bit version is that you'll be able to address more than 4GB of memory. Neither of those situations appears to apply to you, so your choice on this matter is only moot. With everything else being the same, I would go for the 64-bit because it better matches the processor in your system, but that's really just an academic decision.
