Choosing a computer

Tim Danton, editor of PC Pro

Walk into any good computer store, declare yourself a potential purchaser of a computer, and the first question to leap off any good salesperson's lips should be: "what do you want to do with it?"

So, what do you want to do? If it's just type up documents in Microsoft Word, browse the internet and manage your email then you only need a basic notebook. Don't get sucked in by enthusiastic sales talk of dual-core processors and gigabytes of memory: you're more likely to want something light you can carry with you.

Here we provide a guide to all the most important decisions you'll have to make when buying a notebook. Just always bear in mind "what do I want to do?"

Decision 1: laptop or PC

The laptop (or notebook, as they're often called) is the weapon of choice for almost every modern student. They can travel with you around the country, to lectures and back, or just from your bedroom to the kitchen table. They cost more than a PC, but not that much: you can pick up a perfectly good notebook for less than £500. So unless you have a very good reason to choose a desktop PC - a limited budget, the desire to play the latest games, or you can only fall asleep to the sound of whirring fans - then you should buy a laptop.

Decision 2: the processor and battery life

These days, most people should be happy with the speed of even the cheapest processor. As long it's made by Intel or AMD, and it's in a new laptop, it will be fast enough. Of greater concern is how much battery life you'll get out of your new machine. If this is a priority, look out for Intel Pentium M and Intel Core processors: these are specifically designed for notebooks, and most notebooks with them inside will offer at least three hours of life away from the mains. Often, they're marked by an Intel Centrino Mobile Technology logo, which means they're also wireless (see Decision 9, below).

Decision 3: the memory

Often confused with the hard disk, memory is in fact entirely different. Usually measured in terms of megabytes (MB for short), it restricts how many things a laptop can do at once: if you only choose 256MB, which is the minimum any respectable modern computer comes with, you're probably best off running just one or two programs at any one time. Most people should choose 512MB; you can buy more, but you'd need to be quite a heavyweight computer user to really benefit from it.

Decision 4: the hard disk

The hard disk stores all the documents you create and save: your spreadsheets, your digital photos, your dissertation. None of these will swallow up a huge amount of space, which means that even the smallest hard disk around - hard disk size is measured in gigabytes, or GB - will be ample. They typically start at 40GB, and a larger disk will only be a necessity if you intend to build up a big collection of music files or record TV. However, it's tricky to upgrade notebook hard disks, so you'll never regret having a larger hard disk.

Decision 5: the optical drive

This is the generic name for the drive that can read and write to discs like CDs and DVDs. Most people should be quite happy with a so-called combo drive: these can read CDs and DVDs, and also write files to a recordable CD (a CD-R or CD-RW disc). A DVD writer - sometimes called a DVD burner or DVD re-writer - can also write files to a recordable DVD, which is very handy when it comes to writing massive files or if you want to make a copy of your entire hard disk.

Decision 6: weight

If you're going to be lugging your laptop around campus, weight matters. Anything heavier than 3.5kg should be considered as a stay-at-home machine, and ideally you should aim for a machine that weighs 2.5kg or less. The lighter a laptop, though, the more likely it is that it will cost more: a happy compromise between value and weight is often to be found somewhere between 2.5kg and 3kg.

Decision 7: screen size and resolution

Unless you have a very good reason, don't spend too much time thinking about screen size. Most average people with average vision should be very happy with a 14 to 15-inch screen that has a resolution between 1,024 x 768 (the number of "dots" across by the number up) and 1,400 x 1,050. If you're a spreadsheet fanatic then consider a larger screen with a higher resolution, and if you're offered a notebook with a widescreen (that is, a 16:10 or 16:9 aspect ratio rather than the more standard 4:3) then don't be put off. It just gives you an extra bit of viewing area to the side, and is a more a natural choice if you want to watch DVD movies on your laptop too.

Decision 8: gaming

People who play games are some of the few who should consider a PC rather than a laptop: it's far, far easier to upgrade a graphics card (the component that feeds the image to the monitor) in a PC than it is in a laptop. And the rate at which new graphics processors appear is simply phenomenal, meaning the graphics chip inside your laptop is likely to become outdated very quickly.

Decision 9: wireless

Once considered a luxury, almost all new notebooks now include a built-in wireless adaptor. Whenever you're in an area with a wireless network, often called a hotspot, This lets you connect to the internet without needing to hook up cables (although note that some wireless networks are private, or you have to pay for access, such as at BT Openzone hotspots). You can save money by opting for a notebook without wireless, but we don't recommend this - even if you don't need wireless right now, it's likely to come in useful in the future.

Decision 10: mail order or retail

Most PCs and notebooks sold in the UK are bought direct from the manufacturer. Why? Because you tend to buy more cutting-edge components, and often get more for your money, if you cut out the middle man. The disadvantage is that you don't get the chance to lay your hands on the machine until you've paid your money, and you'll have to wait several days for it to arrive. If you're looking for instant satisfaction, retail stores like PC World and John Lewis are good options. It's always worth doing your research, though, by reading reviews in respected computer magazines - chief among them PC Pro, of course.

Tim Danton is editor of PC Pro, the UK's most respected - and biggest selling - monthly computer magazine. Subscriptions: visit www.pcpro.co.uk