Laptops, also called notebook computers by manufactures, are battery operated or AC powered computers. These are smaller than a briefcase in size and can be conveniently used when traveling. They weigh less than 5 pounds and are about 3 inches or less in thickness. Laptop computers have displays that use thin-screen technology, that are brighter and give better views at different angles. They are much clearer in view, than the STN or dual-scan screen. There are several different ways in which you can perform the scrolling function using a mouse in a laptop. It may have features like touch pad, the trackball and the pointing stick. There is a serial port that can be used to attach the normal mouse. A laptop also provides features like PC card slots. Just as in the case of desktop computers, laptop computers also have CD-ROM versatile disc drives. This makes laptops useful for businessmen, students and just about anybody. The convenience to carry ones personal computer around makes purchasing a laptop an attractive deal. Also, people with space constraint prefer laptops that do not need elaborate setups to keep. But before you make a purchase, make sure you go through the best laptop deals. So, how to get the best deal for laptops? The following pointers will guide you in finding the most attractive deal for yourself. Do I Need a Laptop or Desktop? It is always better to weigh your needs before deciding if you need a laptop or desktop. There are many advantages of a laptop computer over a desktop computer. The main advantage of a laptop is mobility and compact size. The laptops hardware configuration is less adaptable, although it can be connected to additional external peripherals with the help of the numerous I/O ports. Thus, if you have less space and need your computer 24/7, then laptop is a better option over desktop computers. Also, if you are a frequent flier or traveler, then buying a laptop will prove to be an intelligent move. This is because you can carry your important documents, presentations, mail and surf the Internet on your laptop, wherever you are. Those looking to replace their home desktops with something less space consuming, yet powerful and feature-packed as the desktop can find many laptops that fits their bill. So, once you are sure you are looking for a laptop, you will find the following tips to be a useful read. How to Get the Best Laptop Deal? When thinking of getting the best out of your investment, it is important you first jot down the features you are looking for. This will ensure you do not get things that you don't need and leave out the most essential requirement for your daily use. Thus, look for laptops giving you maximum features with an attractive price tag. The brain of a computer is its processor. The frequency (MHz/GHz) plays an important role in the execution speed of a laptop. There are a variety of processors available in the market. Take a review of the different types of processors that are available, before you go for the buy. Check out their frequency and be aware of facts, like whether the processor that is embedded in your laptop is a 32 bit processor or 64 bit processor. Another factor to be kept in mind during a laptop deal, is the size of Random Access Memory, commonly known as RAM. The RAM has a considerable effect on the performance of a laptop. The RAM is the primary memory of any computer system and hence the larger the amount of memory in the RAM of your computer, the better the performance. Speak to an engineer or a friend with good knowledge about the technical components of a laptop. He/she may be able to guide you better regarding the processors, RAM size, hard disk and other networking abilities of a laptop that may come handy for you. The hard drive is very important factor to consider during a laptop deal, as this is where the memory is stored, unlike RAM which is volatile. The capacity of a hard drive is expressed in gigabytes and shows the amount of data that can be saved by the user. You should consider that the performance related to its spindle speed, as a weak performance can damage the system. The size of the screen is the next feature that you need to take care of, when going for the best computer deals. Laptops usually have a flat screen and have Thin Film transistor technology. This means that each pixel is controlled individually and the resultant display has improved fluidity. Inches are used to describe the screen size and the corresponding diagonal length. The display format is 4 units wide and 3 units high (4:3). If you wish to view videos on your laptop computer, then settle for the best laptop deals offering 15:10 display formats. Frequent fliers may find economy seats do not allow their 15 inch laptop screen to fully open. Thus, they may think about going in for a mini-laptop. In laptop computer deals, consider the specialized graphics chip that comes embedded in the computer motherboard. This is necessary as you cannot change it once you close your laptop deal, that is, after purchasing your machine. A graphics card is useful during video visualization, manipulation, video games, 3D applications, etc. If you are totally into animation or gaming, then choose the best graphics card before making your choice during laptop computer deals. Most laptops come along with built-in Wi-Fi facility. Laptops can be easily connected to Wi-Fi zones and wireless networks, from any place in your home or public places connected to Wi-Fi terminal. If you have an advanced need of multimedia, like digital video manipulation, connecting a digital camera or an mp3 player, then you should consider the laptops performance and number of I/O ports available. Just as in the case of desktop computers, check out what is the type of CD/DVD drive that the laptop is offering. If it is a combo drive, then you can read and write CDs in your laptop, but you cannot write data into DVDs. However, the laptops that are available in the market, mostly have the facilities for reading and writing CDs as well as DVDs. Do ask about this point when you go for the laptop deal. You should consider the ergonomics of the keyboard and pointing while choosing the best laptop deals. The keyboard should be comfortable to use and should not have cluttered keys. Many people don't take care of this fact, but believe me it is one important points when you want to buy a laptop. The weight of a laptop also should be taken into consideration during the laptop deals. You should also understand the type of battery offered. Avoid using laptops with NiCAD (Nickel Cadmium) batteries. There are other batteries like NiMH (Nickel/ Hybrid Metal), Li-Ion (Lithium/ Ion) batteries and Li-Polymer (Lithium Polymer) battery. The Li-Ion batteries are reasonably priced and the Li-Polymers takes long time to charge up and have a shorter life. Look for batteries that have up to 4 hours life. Businessmen, students, researchers as well as gamers all have different requirements. So, look for laptops that contain features that match your work needs. When making a sale, ask for docking stations, used to connect the laptop computer to the keyboard, mouse, screen, etc. Before you settle for a deal, you should also consider the audio/video input/output, network connectivity, fan speed, Bluetooth connectivity, integrated live webcams with mic, software and other factors. Many laptop manufacturers manufacture laptops with built-in Bluetooth technology or/and infra-red facility. Check out if these features are available in the laptops you are thinking to buy. Where to Get the Best Deals for Laptops? Today, one has the world at the fingertips when it comes to looking for information. Surf the Internet and look for laptops offered by different companies. Dell, Sony, Samsung, HP, Lenovo, Acer, Toshiba, and many other brands offer laptops with varying features and price tag. Narrow down on the brands that offer deals along with features that matches your need. This will help prepare you to answer the queries of the salesperson when actually shopping for a best deal. It will also help prevent you from getting a bad deal. Shop around and look for laptop shops that offer you laptops at a better deal. Speak to friends and family and take their opinion regarding various dealers. Their past-experience with a particular dealer will help you find those who offer genuine deals as well as good after service. Apart from visiting shops in your locality, you could also try online shopping. Online shopping gets you many freebies and discounts. Try Froogle to get information related to laptops, deals and other useful links. Compare various online web stores and compare the best laptop deals and prices. If you go in for online shopping, make sure you check if the store offers warranties, return policy, after service deals as well as customer ratings. Many online sites as well as local dealers offer refurbished laptops. These laptops are sold at a reduced price. If you are on a tight budget and are looking for a feature-packed laptop, you never know you find the one you need on the refurbished deal. However, make sure the dealer, online or local, is genuine and provides you with a valid bill, return policy as well as other warranties. Many times stolen goods are sold as refurbished items. Do pour into your newspapers for coupons, deals as well as discounts offered on laptops. This will help you save a lot of money when purchasing a laptop. And never ever forget to ask for discounts or freebies from your local dealer. You never know you get a heavy discount or special deal from the vendor. To Summarize... You should shop around for the best laptop deals offered in the market. Carry out a thorough research on the Internet and ask people who use laptop computers, regarding the laptop deals in the market. Visit shops that are well-known and have a good name in the market. Always ask for discounts and free accessories, like laptop bags, offered by many manufactures. Never forget signing up for a warranty deal. This is very important as laptops are very expensive and if you need to change or replace any part, you can claim it from the manufacturer. IBM, Apple computers, Compaq, Dell, Toshiba, HP and Acer are some of the laptop computers manufacturers that work in this field. There are many dealers that offer many freebies along with a laptop. Try to get the best freebie deal available. Never make a laptop computer deal in hurry. Take ample time and choose the best laptop deal offered, not only in financial terms but in the performance factor as well. Both laptops and desktop PC's have their own pros and cons. Visit a dealer with proper information, your requirements and a pre-planned budget, and try get the best deal in the market. Hope this laptop buying guide proves to be of help to you.