如何购买笔记本电脑 How to buy a laptop文档格式.docx

1、May 30, 2013 by nhinkle. 30 comments Tis the season: as family and friends head off to college, the requests for laptop recommendations start rolling in. Its a semi-annual tradition for me to blog about my recommendations, so lets get started! If you havent seen my 3 part series on “choosing a compu

2、ter for college”, check those posts out for some good background info thats mostly still relevant: Computers and College Part I: How do I choose? Computers and College Part II: Saving Money Computers and College Part III: Protecting Your ComputerSince I wrote those articles in 2011, the computing la

3、ndscape has shifted dramatically towards tablets, slates, and a plethora of weird hybrid devices. Ill be splitting up my recommendations into several categories: primary laptops, for students who plan to have a single laptop for all their needs; primary tablets, for students who plan to have a lapto

4、p-grade tablet as their primary device; and companion devices, for students who plan to have a desktop or desktop replacement, but want a small, light, and cheaper device for carrying around campus.What category works best for you is a personal choice, but most students I know have a primary laptop,

5、 and a few have companion devices like Android tablets or iPads. I expect that having a primary tablet will become more popular though as touch hardware improves and becomes more economical.General adviceRegardless of what mobile computing device you choose, here are the most important factors to co

6、nsider for an academic environment: Intel is releasing its new Haswell series of processors this summer, and has announced battery life improvements around 50% compared to current-generation Ivy Bridge processors. Once these are released, new laptops will have much better battery life and performanc

7、e, and previous-generation laptops will come down in price. So: if you can afford to wait until later this summer to buy your laptop, you probably should! With college comes a .edu email address. Use it to your advantage: you should be getting at least 10% off on any laptop purchases. All major comp

8、anies have student discounts, here are links to a few: Dell Academic Discount Apple Education Store Lenovo Student Discount and Lenovo Barnes and Noble discount （10-20% cheaper, requires a free account） Microsoft Student Store HP Academy （I recommend against buying HP laptops see more info below） Co

9、nsider a refurbished computer. Dell, Lenovo, and Apple all have online “outlet” stores where you can get refurbished computers in brand-new condition with a full warranty, often for several hundred dollars off the normal price. These are computers that were returned unused （or barely used）. For exam

10、ple, an X1 Carbon can be had for $870 from the Lenovo Outlet, vs. $1200 new. Get a computer that will last. Its better to spend more money up front and not have to replace your laptop in two years when it breaks. Im lookin at you, HP. Weight and size matter more than you realize.Your classes will be

11、 far apart, your books will be heavy, and in some lecture hallsyour desks may be as small as a sheet of paper. The students I know who have heavy laptops rarely bring them to class, and complain bitterly when they do have to. Those of us with light laptops bring them everywhere. The number one regre

12、t Ive heard with laptop purchases is “its too heavy/large”. Dont get anything over 5 pounds, and shoot for around 3-4lbs if you can. I wouldnt suggest a laptop any larger than 14, and if youre considering such a large laptop, try one out in person first if at all possible. Look up third-party review

13、s to figure out the real battery life. Nothings worse than running out of battery half way through a three hour class. If you can get an extended battery, do. A larger battery adds weight, but a power adapter can weight just as much if not more （and is bulky too）. Get the highest resolution screen a

14、vailable that you can afford.A higher resolution means there are more pixels on the screen, making everything look smoother and making it possible to fit more windows on the screen at once. This makes it a lot easier to work on assignments when you can put two windows next to each other comfortably.

15、 Get a dual-band wireless card. The nomenclature is pretty variable here, but look for anything that says “dual band”, “5 GHz”, or supports “802.11a” or “wireless N b/g/n/a“. Most universities will have a 5GHz wireless N network, which will experience less congestion and interference than the standa

16、rd 2.4GHz spectrum. This option may cost extra, but I assure you its worth it: in a crowded lecture hall, it can mean the difference between no internet at all and being able to browse whatever resources you need. In a dorm it can mean the difference between DSL speeds and speeds over 100 Mbps. Dont

17、 pay money for antivirus software. There are plenty of free options, and if you get a computer with Windows 8 itll have antivirus software built in. Dont buy Microsoft Office, Adobe products, or any other “add on” software when you order your laptop. This type of software is typically available with

18、huge student discounts either online or through your campus bookstore. Also, software you buy with your computer is non-transferable, while software you buy separately can be reinstalled on a different computer if you switch machines in the future.Specific recommendationsPrimary laptopsIn my mind, t

19、here are really just two camps when it comes to laptops for college: ThinkPads and MacBooks. Ill mention a few other options, but hear me out first: youre （hopefully） going to be in college for about 4 years. Youre going to be spending a significant amount of money on your laptop, and youre going to

20、 be using it daily for years. You want something that lasts. I made the mistake of getting an HP laptop for college, and not only did it die in less than 2 years, butevery single person I know who got similar HP laptops had various problems. Three years later I only know 2 people whose HP laptops ar

21、e still working at all, and there were about 20 of us who had similar laptops freshman year.Both ThinkPads and MacBooks are known for their quality, and with student discounts can be reasonably affordable. You still might pay a little more up front, but youll spend more money long-term if you have t

22、o replace your laptop sophomore year not to mention the hassle of having your laptop die during finals week. Im telling you this from experience, folks.If you do go for a different brand, try to get their business line if at all possible for example, choose Dells Latitude series over their Inspirons

23、, or HPs ProBooks over their Pavilions. Business-grade laptops may not be as shiny, but they are much more durable.For both ThinkPads and Macbooks you have two categories to choose from: thin and light ultrabooks, and heavier machines with more processing power. Ultrabooks tend to be more expensive

24、and less upgradable, but are desirable for their weight and size. With Macs the larger computers arent upgradable these days either, so it really comes down to what your needs are in terms of processing power.ThinkPad T430 （from $680）The T430 is on the heavier side for a 14 laptop, but is one of the

25、 most versatile laptops you can get. Weighing in at 4.6 lbs （5 with the 9 cell battery）, it has a full-power processor and many user-upgradable parts. Key features and specifications include: Full-power Ivy BridgeIntel processors, from a 3.3 GHz Core-i5 up to a 3.5 GHz Core-i7 One easy-access RAM sl

26、ot （with a second slot under the keyboard）. The default configuration comes with a single 4GB memory module, and its easy （and cheaper!） to add your own second module after purchase. SATA3 2.5 hard drive slot, which is also easy to access and upgrade to an SSD （which is cheaper than preconfiguring a

27、n SSD）. UltraBay which can support a DVD writer （default）, or a second full-size 2.5 hard drive. mSATA/mini PCI-E slot which can be used foreither a WWAN mobile internet module or an mSATA SSD Intel HD 4000 graphics, or Nvidia NVS 5400M switchable graphics Webcam, optional backlit keyboard, Mini Dis

28、playport, VGA, USB 3.0, SD card reader, optional fingerprint reader Optional 1600900 （default 1366768） display this is a highly recommended upgrade! 6 cell or 9 cell battery Various wireless options make sure to get the Intel Centrino 6205 or 6300 to get support for 5GHz networksFull tech specsThink

29、Pad X230 （from $760）The X230 has similar specifications to the T430, but is smaller （12.5） andsignificantlylighter at 2.96 pounds. It also has a full powered processor and is user-upgradable. This is probably the most customizable and upgradable laptop in this size range. Additional options include:

30、 Full-power Ivy Bridge Intel processors, from a 2.4 GHz Core-i3, 3.1 GHz Core-i5, up to a 3.6 GHz Core-i7 Two easy-access RAM slots. Default configuration comes with a single 4GB memory module. SATA3 2.5 hard drive slot No DVD or ultrabay slot mSATA/mini PCI-E slot, which can be used for Intel HD 40

31、00 graphics Webcam, optional backlit keyboard, Mini DisplayPort, VBA, USB 3.0, SD card reader, optional fingerprint reader Only 1366768 screen, but thereis an IPS display option. IPS screens have much better viewing angles and colors. This is a highly recommended upgrade! 3, 6, or 9 cell battery Various wireless options -make sure to get the Intel Centrino 6205 or 6300 to get support for 5GHz networksThinkPad X1 Carbon （from $1200）The X1 Carbon is the Ultrabook of ThinkPads, and is one of the nicest machines you can get. At 2.9