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By Sanford Brooks Shopping for a laptop computer (or any computer for that matter) can be a daunting task. As a consumer and potential computer owner, a myriad of questions may be running through your mind. Firstly you must be an educated consumer. That means you are going to have to do some homework in preparation before you commit yourself to making your purchase. If you have purchased a computer in the past, then this task may be a little easier. Still, it is a wise decision to educate yourself on what the computer market has to offer to narrow down your selection. Hopefully, this article will assist you in doing just that.
When you first begin to compare the variety of laptops on the market, you should get fundamental information on what the manufacturers' have to offer. If you don’t have a particular preference to a specific brand, by making a wide range of laptop comparisons, you can spot the best deals from the widest selections of notebook computers. The most important starting point in laptop comparisons is to look at what you will be using the laptop for. This is very crucial. If you don’t have a clearly defined idea as to the specific task the computer will be ultimately used for, this can make your final purchasing decision rather difficult. Divide the laptop into the most common categories. The most basic of these are small and corporate business, education and lastly home. Although home and education may fall under the same application. Economically speaking, you will get the most value for your money by choosing a laptop that best suits your computing needs whether it is for personal or business applications. If you’re shopping for a laptop on a budget, inexpensive laptops offer respectable performance at entry-level prices. Now, these laptops may not be the thinnest or the most powerful kids on the block, but you will find that they are surprisingly affordable to allow you access to mobile computing. An inexpensive computer offers the best of both worlds to those that lead a busy lifestyle and are always on the go. If you need the laptop for business applications, it is reasonable to expect that you would pay a little bit more for something that is thin and light. You might also be looking for something that has wireless LAN capabilities and Intel Centrino technology. If you’re buying a laptop for a small business or home use, it doesn’t make sense to pay for all the extra fancy bells and whistles. The money saved can allow you the option to judge whether you might want to purchase a DVD / RW burner or a new graphics card at some point in the future. The inexpensive laptop computer categories are low-end, brand new and refurbished from a dealer or one that is uncertified second hand. The following information should put you on the right track towards making your purchase. 
Dell Laptop 
Apple Power Book Small Businesses - Best APPLICATIONSmall businesses require affordable and powerful laptops that make computing easier and more efficient. An all-in-one computer package that includes all necessary external devices or upgrades is the most suitable for many a new or an established small business. - IBM ThinkPad R32 2658 (Pentium 4-M, 1.8 GHz, 14.1 in. display, 256 MB RAM, DVD-ROM)
- Apple PowerBook G4 (1 GHz, 17 in. display, 512 MB RAM, CD-RW/DVD-R combo)
- Dell – Inspiron 700M 755 (2.0GHz, 2MB Cache, 400MHz FSB 256 MB shared DDR SDRAM standard, upgradable to 2 GB maximum
 SDRAM Configuration: SO DIMM slots one user-accessible)
Corporate Businesses - Best APPLICATION For a larger corporation, these laptops have wireless technology that enables a mobile workforce to compete in business with the maximum of efficiency. A good starting point includes a flexible design, Wi-Fi technology and an extended life battery. This is a must have for the corporate buyer. - IBM ThinkPad R32 2658 (Pentium 4-M, 1.8 GHz, 14.1 in. display, 256 MB RAM, DVD-ROM)
IBM ThinkPad R32 2658 (Pentium 4-M, 1.8 GHz, 14.1 in. display, 256 MB RAM, DVD-ROM) - Apple PowerBook G4 (1 GHz, 17 in. display, 512 MB RAM, CD-RW/DVD-R combo)
Apple PowerBook G4 (1 GHz, 17 in. display, 512 MB RAM, CD-RW/DVD-R combo) - Dell – Inspiron 9200 (Intel Pentium M 725, 17" Ultra Sharp Wide Screen Display, 128MB ATI’s Radeon 9700, 256MB at 333 MHz (2X256MB), 8X DVD-ROM Drive)
Dell – Inspiron 9200 (Intel Pentium M 725, 17" Ultra Sharp Wide Screen Display, 128MB ATI’s Radeon 9700, 256MB at 333 MHz (2X256MB), 8X DVD-ROM Drive) Education – Best APPLICATION Again here, the Education and Home categories can cross over one another. Pay attention to the specific tasks for which the computer is intended. For people who have children and would like a laptop to be an educational tool, these models will more than fill this requirement. Remember, keep in mind the software that will be running on this machine. - IBM ThinkPad R31 2656 (Celeron, 1.13 GHz, 14.1 in. display, 128 MB RAM, CD-ROM)
IBM ThinkPad R31 2656 (Celeron, 1.13 GHz, 14.1 in. display, 128 MB RAM, CD-ROM)- Apple iBook (700 MHz, 14.1 in. display, 256 MB RAM, CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo)
Apple iBook (700 MHz, 14.1 in. display, 256 MB RAM, CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo)- Dell – Inspiron 9200 (Intel Pentium M 725, 17" Ultra Sharp Wide Screen Display, 128MB ATI’s Radeon 9700, 256MB at 333 MHz (2X256MB), 8X DVD-ROM Drive)
Home – Best APPLICATIONA home laptop would not necessarily require the processing speed for high-end gaming. The same would also apply for a high-end sound card. Home applications would probably include bookkeeping and household finances, online banking, word processing and general surfing of the Internet for research or entertainment. A mid-range multimedia system would be sufficient. The display has excellent clarity. The system is lightweight, stylish in design and very compact. Unfortunately, but is to be expected, the monitor has a tendency to easily get dirty. For people on the go from home to office, who seek an elegant sleek design, then this is the notebook for you. This is also ideal as a desktop replacement to enable the user to have the laptop handy any time you wish. One might find a screen of 12.1" to be rather small for those who would like to watch DVD movies or play the latest intense-action games, however if you are looking for incredible performance with convenience then this is the best choice for the consumer. The display is quite pleasing. - IBM ThinkPad R40 2681 (Celeron, 1.8 GHz, 14.1 in. display, 128 MB RAM, CD-ROM)
- Apple iBook (800 MHz, 14.1 in. display, 256 MB RAM, CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo)
- Dell Inspiron 700M (Intel Pentium M 725, 12.1" Wide Screen Crystal Clear WXGA Display, 256MB at 333 MHz Shared 2 DDR Memory, 8X DVD-ROM Drive)
This comparison basically sums up all the important key aspects of a laptop in which each specific group could best be utilized. Other considerations might be display size of the screen and its overall weight and footprint (the size that is taken up on a surface, desk etc). At some point you might find yourself becoming bogged down with small details. These details might influence your decision from purchasing one laptop over another. If you stick to a clearly defined goal as to what the laptop will ultimately be used for, then you won’t go too far astray in making an informed decision. Look into battery life and inquire if a warranty comes with the battery. To eliminate the huge number of options available to you, a laptop comparison should be used as a tool to justify the purchase of the one laptop that best suits your computing needs and in doing so eliminates the need for further research. Due to the large selection of laptop computers on the market, I have selected only IBM, Apple and Dell computers. You will find that the structure of this comparison can apply to other makes and models of laptop computers. I will part with one last bit of advice. Don’t rush towards making your purchase. Take your time, there is no need to hurry. In taking the time to make some careful preparation and in being an informed consumer, you will ultimately be rewarded with a satisfying purchase that will serve you well for the next several years. I bid you happy shopping. ** December 2004 saw the sale of IBM’s personal computer business to China’s Lenovo Group. An agreement was signed with China’s computer giant for 1.25 billion dollars (U.S.). The purchase means that the Lenovo Group will be the third largest worldwide personal computer manufacturer with an estimated annual revenue potentially exceeding 10 billion dollars (U.S.). The agreement states that Lenovo will obtain all of IBM’s laptop / desktop computer, marketing, research and development global business. Also, Lenovo is permitted to use the IBM brand including the "Think" trademarks for a period of up to 5 years. In a press release, IBM said that after the acquisition, the volume of Lenovo’s personal computer business would reach 11.9 million units, based upon its 2003 results. This means that Lenovo will account for 8 per cent of the market share for the world.
Apparently IBM has had good reason to back out of the personal computer market. Initially, IBM’s computers were globally well received. Unfortunately now they earn little profit and tend to lose money. Odd considering that at it’s highest point it earned IBM 11 billion dollars (U.S.). Not to worry though, IBM’s financial profile is still sound.
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