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Hi, This is my guide on basic laptop features new buyers might want to know about. This guide excludes performance features on major parts (CPU, RAM, HDD/SDD, GPU).
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A typical notebook has about 20 to 30 types of different features making it difficult to determine which one is better or fits your needs. Keep reading to check what features are available.
[Screen]
- Widescreen or Standard : Almost all current notebooks feature a widescreen aspect than the previous dominating 4:3 ratio screen.
- Brightscreen or Regular : Many current notebooks come with some type of bright screen feature that has shows higher contrast (clearer images) than the regular LCD screen. Some of these bright screens may have more reflection.
- LCD or LED : LED back-lit screens [recent] have clearly more advantages over the widely-used LCD screens that are lit by flourescent lamps. LED screens are brighter, thinner and lighter. (For this reason, LEDs are expected to replace regular laptop LCDs in 2-3 years) Viewing screens in daylight have become more comfortable with LED screens. There is a slightly higher cost for LED screens but may be well worth it.
- Screen Resolution : Most widescreen laptops from 12.1" to 15.4" feature a 1280x800 pixel screen size (resolution) as standard. There are some higher resolutions such as 1440x900 or 1680x1050 for larger screen estate and more advanced (larger) screens sport a full 1080p HD resolution at 1920x1080.[recent] All higher resolutions come with a price premium.
- Glossy or Matte :Some screens have a glossy finish to it which provides higher contrast. However, these screens show reflections and fingerprints better which can sometimes be annoying. LED screens can provide high contrast without the gloss.
[Biometric (Fingerprint) Scanner]
With a fingerprint reader on your laptop, you can register fingerprints to replace typing in your passwords. You can swipe your finger to log into Windows or other websites that require a typed password. With all the different kind of passwords you need to memorize, and with the frequent use of them, this security feature can be quite convenient.
[Hard Disk Drive]
Shock Protection : Recent laptop hard drives come with a drop protection feature that detects the fall of the hard drive (or laptop) and parks the drive's heads before it hits the floor to minimize data loss.[recent]
[USB Ports]
All laptops should have a minimum of 2 USB 2.0 ports. Depending on your use, 3 or more may be better if you plan to use a lot of USB devices simultaneously. Personally I have found 2 to be good enough.
The most used USB device is probably the mouse. Following that can be USB compatible electronics (such as MP3 players), USB flash drives, external hard drives, number keypads, video tuners/capture devices, audio recording interfaces and much, much more. Think what types of USB devices you expect to connect simultaneously and ensure you have enough ports. You can purchase a USB hub if you are short, but it's always better to limit the number of devices you need to carry.
Check the port locations and see how close they are. There could be a problem if you have USB devices that overlap with other USB ports.
[IEEE 1394 (FireWire/i.Link) Port]
IEEE 1394 (I'll call it FireWire) ports are probably most used to capture digital video from a FireWire compatible camcorder. If you plan to capture video and edit it on your laptop, you should have one available. Most laptops supply a 4 pin connector as opposed to the 6 pin that is normally found on desktops. Newer laptops may support the upcoming FireWire 800 standard which has twice the capacity over the current FireWire 400.
[Video Output]
All laptops will have one or more of the following options.
- VGA Out : This is the most widely available external port to connect to a larger monitor, projector or HDTV.
- DVI Out : Alternative to the VGA out, this works with a monitor or HDTV that has DVI inputs. Otherwise an adapter is needed.
- S-Video Out : Some laptops have a s-video out port to connect directly to a standard definition TV. This can come in handy when a projector or HDTV is not available. (note: due to resolution limitations, using a regular SDTV is not recommended for computer use)
- HDMI Out : Advanced laptops are equipped with a HDMI-out port to connect to your HDTV. This is currently a premium feature but may become standard as HDTVs are more adopted.
- DisplayPort[recent] : Developed to replace VGA/DVI connectors, this compact, royaly-free interface is present on some laptops. The popularity of HDMI seems to be slowering the adoption of this interface.
[Audio Jacks / Volume Control]
All laptops should have a headphone out and microphone in a mini-jack format. Laptop headphone output quality is normally decent. The microphone input is best suited and mostly used for basic voice communication (desktop computer mics and headset mics). If you want to make cleaner, professional sounding recordings, an external USB digital audio interface equipped with a professional microphone is required.
Some laptops (such as many Toshiba laptops) have an external volume control dial which is convenient to adjust the audio on the fly. Without this, you need to make a few clicks with your finger pad or use a combination of a function keys to adjust the volume.
[Built-in Speakers]
Built-in speakers in laptops normally don't sound good due to the limited space in which they are installed. This goes for brand name speakers as well. A good headset should better provide the sound quality you need.
[Built-in Microphone]
All laptops have a mic input jack. However, there are some that have a built-in mic and there are many that don't. If you voice chat a lot or use VoIP software, having an integrated mic is very convenient compared to a separate mic with cord hassle. Voice qualtiy on a separate mic is probably better, but built-in mics are decent enough for voice communciation.
[Optical Drive (CD/DVD/Blu-ray Drive)]
The standard optical drive is a CD/DVD combo drive that can burn both CDs and DVDs (both DVD-R and DVD+R). Some lower cost laptops may leave out DVD burning capabilities and some ultraportable laptops are not equipped with an optical drive for size/weight reasons. In this case, a separate external USB optical drive is needed to read or burn CD/DVDs.
Advanced laptops are equipped with a Blu-ray reader/writer.[recent] This will come at a premium price as the cost of Blu-ray drives are relatively high at the moment. Once the price drops down, all major laptops will eventually support Blu-ray drives which are also compatible with standard CDs and DVDs.
[PCMCIA (PC Card) Slot]
PC Card slots are being replaced by the newer ExpressCard slots. Many devices that once required PC slots are now built-in and therefore usage is quite low for PC Cards. Purchase a laptop with an ExpressCard slot which, due to the design, can support a wider range of devices.
[ExpressCard Slots[recent]]
Recent notebook computers are equipped with ExpressCard/34 or L-shaped ExpressCard/54 slots. The numbers detail the size of the slots (34mm or 54mm) and 34 type cards can fit into the 54 type slots, but not vice versa.
Instead of going through a controller, such as with the case for PC Cards, ExpressCard devices are connected directly to the system bus and therefore are able to run much faster. With this speed you can use it for an extra external display card, SSD adapter, docking port and much more.
[Webcam]
Having an integrated webcam is convenient for video chats. The typical 1 to 2 megapixel resolution on a laptop is probably best suited for online video chatting such as Skype or MSN Messenger.
[Bluetooth]
Not all laptops support Bluetooth but many do. If you have a Bluetooth device you need to connect to your computer, such as a Bluetooth PDA or phone to sync data, you will need this feature. Wireless Bluetooth uses extra battery power and is normally turned off to conserve battery and due to the higher prices of headsets and mice, it is not so popularly used. The best use of Bluetooth I find is to connect to an external GPS device to use your laptop for map/navigation purposes.
[Wireless LAN Adapter]
All laptops these days are equipped with built-in wireless LAN. Most laptops support the basic wireless-G (802.11 b/g) standard and are now more adopting wireless-N[recent] (802.11 b/g/n). If you can, purchase one that supports the 802.11 b/g/n standard. (802.11b up to 11 Mbps, 802.11g up to 54 Mbps, 802.11n (draft) up to 300 Mbps)
[Modem Port]
If you live in a remote location or need to visit a country where broadband Internet is not available, a phone line modem may be the only way to connect to the Internet. Many may not use this port at all, but it can be indispensable in certain places.
[LAN Port]
In the business world, a wired connection is considered much more reliable than a wireless connection that is susceptible to interference any time. Also, in places where a wireless connection is not available, the wired LAN line may be your only connection. While the 10/100Mbps port can be fast enough, choose a 10/100/1000Mbps supporting model when you can.
[Laptop Style and Design]
Color and style is becoming more popular in laptops as major manufacturers (such as HP, Dell and Lenovo) supply different colors and etched designs[recent] to individuals who are tired of the plain black/silver/white tones of most laptops. This may come at a little more cost, but if you wish to stand out it may be well worth it.
[Flash Memory Card Reader]
Most laptops these days are equipped with memory card slots. Many carry a single 4 or 5-in-1 slot that supports SD, MMC, MS and MS Pro cards and some larger ones add an extra CF card slot. With the popularity of flash memory cards, a built-in card reader is a lot more convenient than carrying around an external USB card reader.
[Battery Life]
Check the laptop's stated battery life before you purchase it. Some laptops may come with a cheaper, shorter life 3 or 4-cell battery life as opposed to a 6-cell. Checking the battery capacity (in mAh) also may help. More realistic battery life information can be obtained by going through notebook reviews. Additional batteries are available but they add extra weight and are normally expensive.
[Notebook Warranty]
A 1 year parts and labor warranty is standard for laptops. Anything under the standard should be second thought as it could mean quality control problems and/or poor support.
Extended Warranty : In many cases, extended warranty is not worth the extra price. Laptop prices have come down to a more comfortable level, laptop components seem more stable than in the past, and it is normally data loss that causes serious problems (which can be minimized by periodic backups). However, if you use your laptop in a harsh environment and you know the chances of your laptop getting out of order is high, carefully consider getting an extra warranty with accidental coverage.
[Built-in WWAN Internet (HSDPA or EV-DO)]
Some ultraportable laptops have mobile phone network based wireless Internet capabilities built into the system. Carrier company and service can be limited so check into the details and fees when making a purchase. If it's not built-in, don't worry, as there are usb dongles or PC Card/ExpressCard adapters you can choose for the carrier you want.
[eSATA Port (External SATA)[recent]]
External SATA or eSATA ports allow you to connect external SATA devices (such as external HDDs) to your laptop at higher speeds (up to 3000Mbps) than USB 2.0 or FireWire. Power is not supplied on a eSATA port (until power-over-eSATA is available) and a separate eSATA cable is required. (cannot use internal SATA cables)
[Keyboard]
Keyboard touch varies by laptop. Some people prefer a comfortable keyboard with good feedback while some others can adjust to any type of keyboard. If keyboard touch is a priority, make sure you try out the keyboard in person.
Back-lit Keyboards [recent] : Recently, more laptops are adopting back-lit keyboards. You may think that the LCD screen is bright enough to see your keyboard at night, but the keyboard is viewable only when tilting the screen down and back up to see your screen again. If you occasionally use your laptop in the dark when other people are sleeping, this is a very convenient feature.
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There could be some features or aspects left out but I hope this helps... Let me know what you think or leave a reply if there's anything more that needs to be added! (note: please do not use this content as if your own without permission)
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Nice post. Very informative. Keep it up.
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Do laptops come with TV tuners these days? Maybe I'm missing out on that...
thanks for the suggestion!
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Nice guide~! +1
I think you're also missing DVI in the video output.
You may also want to briefly mention the different types of HDD such as SSD, and the relationship between HDD capacity and speed.
Other features that may/may not be worth mentioning are backlit keyboards (Apple/alienware/dell), built-in ionizer (Asus) and TV tuners as ultimus mentioned. -
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Excellent Guide! Thanks for posting this for people to read, I really liked this piece! Very informative.
Basic Laptop Feature Guide (excluding performance parts)
Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by ultimus, Oct 3, 2008.
