The world is fast moving on to laptops from desktop computers. And we get thousands of queries as to which laptop to buy or what laptop would be the best. Well, for most of it, you can log on to Tech2 to check out the latest reviews and suggestions for laptops. But with so many laptop companies and new variants launched every day, it’s almost an impossible task to choose the 'perfect' one for you. Besides, unlike other products, laptops in India have different configurations as compared to an exactly similar model of the same company but in a different country like the US. So it wouldn’t be all that helpful to look at the review of a laptop on the internet which is reviewed in a different country. Remember most popular brands like HP, Dell, Acer, Toshiba sell all over the world.

So to combat all the mental agony and help you make a safe decision, we make you the expert yourself! In the following article we show you simple steps, with which you can narrow down the best laptop in just a couple of minutes.

Please note that the steps are in no order of importance since the criteria for selection may differ from person to person.

Step 1: Processor
This is the aspect to which most of us place the greatest importance. For general computing needs such as web surfing, email, using word and excel, listening to music and watching movies, even a Celeron processor from Intel or Sempron from AMD is good enough. however if you work entails processor intensive tasks like encoding a movie or playing 3D games or maybe rendering a image, you would require a powerful processor.


The best processor lineup is the Core 2 Duo series. Its predecessor the Core Duo series is also very able and most of the laptops in the Rs. 50,000 range that boast of Intel dual core processor will surely be a Core Duo instead of Core 2 Duo. The eternal question remains - what’s the difference ? Well, Core 2 Duo is slightly faster in general applications but you will see a considerable improvement in performance, more to the tune of 10 to 20% in 3D applications and media encoding tasks. That’s the reason why most big manufacturers like Dell and HP use a Core Duo processor in their mainstream laptops, those that come up to Rs. 50,000 laptops. And use a Core 2 Duo processors in their powerful desktop replacements laptops that cost above Rs. 70,000. So if your budget's to the tune of Rs. 50,000 don’t go scurrying around for a Core 2 Duo processor in the name of having the latest processor which unnecessarily adds to your cost (Dell gives you the option of going for a Core 2 Duo processor in their mainstream 640M and 6400 series but with a minimum upgrade cost of Rs. 5,000). Please note, if you're budget is around Rs. 40,000, it is better to go for a laptop powered by AMD’s mobile processors, most preferably the Turion 64 (MK-36). In fact Dell, which was so very pro-Intel, until recently, has only AMD processors for their entry level Inspiron laptops.