Technology Zone

[Nightmar149]

Affordable, Well-Built Laptops Running Windows XP

What you should mainly look for in a laptop is its Processor Speed (Most are 1.5 GHz to 2.5 GHz Dual-Core Processors, the more GHz the better), and the Memory or RAM (Usually 1-3 Gigabytes, more is better). I recommend a laptop to have at least a 2.0 GHz Dual-Core Processor, like all the ones listed below, and I recommend 2 Gigabytes of RAM or more per laptop (which some contain below). You also have to look at the Operating Systems. Windows XP uses fewer resources than Windows Vista, and is more capable of utilizing the full potential of the laptop processor. Windows Vista uses more resources than necessary, and slows the computer down quite a bit, but has a beautiful and very versatile user-interface system – far easier than in Windows XP. But I do recommend XP for laptops, mainly because some laptops don’t have the amount of RAM needed to run Vista effectively. 1GB of RAM memory is not enough for a Vista user, especially with an integrated video card using up some of that precious memory. However for XP, 1 GB of RAM memory is plenty. Of course you can upgrade the memory accordingly; however it is just easier to stick to Windows XP. Also, you need to see if the laptop comes with a WLAN Card (Wireless Internet Card), and has enough hard drive space (160 GB or above preferably). With all of these combined, you can pick out the best laptop for yourself. Note that there are different monitor sizes, however if you are looking for something compact and lightweight, the choice for you is a 15.4” monitor. There are some other little things you have to consider when purchasing a laptop. Mice that use the USB input system can be purchased separately, instead of using the pad which takes a lot of getting used to, and is far more difficult to use quickly than a regular mouse. And one last tip: Speakers on laptops are generally borderline horrible, so headphones and/or outside speakers are recommended. But this quick guide pretty much gives you a quick idea of what to look for in a laptop that is efficient, cheap, and well worth your money.

Newegg.com - Acer Extensa EX5620-6716 NoteBook Intel Core 2 Duo T5750(2.00GHz) 15.4" Wide XGA 3GB Memory DDR2 667 160GB HDD DVD Super Multi Intel GMA X3100 - Laptops / Notebooks

Newegg.com - TOSHIBA Satellite Pro L300-EZ1004X NoteBook Intel Core 2 Duo T5870(2.00GHz) 15.4" Wide XGA 1GB Memory DDR2 667 160GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi Intel GMA X3100 - Laptops / Notebooks

Newegg.com - TOSHIBA Satellite Pro L300D-EZ1002X NoteBook AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-60(2.00GHz) 15.4" Wide XGA 1GB Memory DDR2 667 120GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi ATI Radeon X1250 IGP - Laptops / Notebooks

Newegg.com - TOSHIBA Satellite Pro L300D-EZ1003X NoteBook AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-62(2.10GHz) 15.4" Wide XGA 2GB Memory DDR2 667 160GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi ATI Radeon X1250 IGP - Laptops / Notebooks

[Satan]

You forgot to talk/copy paste about graphic cards.

[Hangender]

Graphics cards actually doesn't matter on laptop. My philosophy has always been if you are going to buy a gaming laptop, it won't be cheap and it's better to buy a desktop instead.

[Satan]

Meh, you can always get a vista laptop with BETTER specs(Dual-Core is getting old) and downgrade to XP, it'll run smoothly.