The Google Chrome OS Cr-48 Notebook is in the testing phase. This laptop is similar to the Apple Macbook, but it is a little bit heavier than is expected. The clickpad is set up differently than the usual laptop set up. A one finger tap will be recognized as a left click, whereas a two finger tap is recognized as a right click. The scroll is activated with two fingers. There are no function keys or Caps Lock keys. There is only one USB port on the side, no either net port, so you will have to surf the net with a Wi-Fi connection only. It does have Cloud capabilities so you will never have to worry about losing the important documents. The Google notebook is in the very early stages of its development.

The Acer Aspire AS7741Z-4643 is an inexpensive laptop. It has a 17-inch screen, which is a bigger screen than most laptops come with. This laptop boasts a 3GB memory with 250GB hard drive all while operating the Windows 7 Home Premium edition. It weighs in between 6.4 and 7.2 pounds and could function as a desktop replacement model. The key board features island style keys with tight hinges and a sturdy frame. The clickpad is larger than most laptops. You have an option to use a mouse and turn the clickpad off. This laptop is priced below $500.

The Asus N53SV Notebook is perfect for the gamers. IT has 8192MB and a 500GB Hard Drive with a 14 inch screen. This case has a smudge proof coating, which keeps it clean looking. This laptop has plenty of ports for your use and even a blue ray disc drive. There is an Ethernet adapter, a wireless network adapter, and even a Bluetooth connection. The keyboard is crammed, but there is a number keypad, which can be useful when you are attempting to enter information into spreadsheets. The clickpad is submerged, so you can easily distinguish it from the rest of the surface area. This laptop has a better sound quality than you will have on most Asus laptops. The battery life is almost 4 1/2hours in idle mode, 2 hours and 40 minutes when you are surfing, and 2 hours and 20 minutes when you are watching a DVD. Overall, this is a good laptop for the price tag.

This coming year will show us more technology for less money. The more value the consumer can get for less money the more likely the consumer will purchase the product. Some of the new laptops coming out will show us better connectivity with more ports and a longer battery life for everyday use. Consumers are always looking for a longer battery life, better connectivity, faster speed, a larger screen, and a lighter, more portable weight. The easier a laptop is to carry around the more likely the consumer will take it everywhere. The more ports available on the sides of the laptop, the more likely a consumer will purchase it.

With some careful shopping you can find one that suits your child’s needs, fits within your budget, and has the power to run all the newest applications. The first place you want to go are the online consumer reports sites - they will provide general feedback from consumers like you on trustworthy brands and models. Unfortunately, for the most part, the models listed on those sites will be a generation older than the current models. This is due to the fact that those sites rely on consumer feedback, and there is very little consumer feedback for the cutting edge technology that is emerging. However, they are a good place to start to get a general understanding of brands to look for and brands to avoid.

The next thing you want to do is weigh the options for the best type of laptop. From the most portable to least portable they are – netbook (such as Acer Aspire One) compact laptop (Apple AirBook, or Sony Z series), balanced laptop (Apple MacBook or HP G62t) or the “desk-top replacement” model (Apple MacBook Pro or HP Pavilion DV6z).

If the primary purpose of the laptop will be internet use I would suggest a netbook, however they are very limited when it comes to upgradability, and you will need an external DVD player since because of the size of the device it is impossible to put on in the netbook. You can get a good deal if you find one of these small laptops for sale. If the primary purpose will be some internet, some word processing and maybe some light gaming then the compact or so called “balanced” laptops are the way to go. The compact and the balanced models are slightly less powerful than the “desktop replacement” but they provide enough power to get most things done, usually all ship with a DVD burner and have relatively good upgradability. If the laptop is going to be used for graphic manipulation, video editing, gaming or other data intense projects then go with the “Desk top replacement” these laptops tend to be larger, but pack a big punch when it comes to what they can do, most have cutting edge processors as well as powerful graphics chips and great upgradability. A look at some gaming laptop reviews can get you started.

Now that you have decided which kind to buy, go to your local electronics store and play with them. Ignore most things the clerks tell you, nine times out of ten the people working at the stores will have a mandate to sell a certain model and that may not be the model you want to buy. Ask questions, look for their big sales on laptops, don’t be afraid to really test one of the floor models, and let you child play with it too. A thourough laptop comparison will save you money and time. Remember this is going to be a computer that travels with your child, make sure it feels sturdy, and has a good warranty. Most of all, make sure you like it, there is no sense in spending money on a laptop that may do everything you want, but you dislike the screen or feel of the keyboard. Have fun!

So, where to begin my search, what should I look for and how will I know what is the best laptop brand for my needs? I think you need to evaluate a series of questions about yourself and your computer usage to begin narrowing down the number of options. There are at least a few hundred choices, but you can quickly narrow it down once you know the following: *Apple/Mac or PC? *10-12 inch, 14-16 inch, or 17-19 inch? *Gaming or heavy video editing? *Speed and memory? *Price? *Brand? *Deals? Let’s walk through each one and by the end you should have a good sense of a few solid choices.

Apple computers are known for being slick, simple to use, beautifully designed, great for video editors, and generally expensive. PCs are known for being technically adaptable, fast, great for business, and generally affordable. Those are stereotypes that have begun changing over the years but still generally hold true.

The next major decision is size. Smaller 10-12 inch computers, also known as netbooks, make great portable devices. They work best as a secondary computer for use in web browsing, notetaking, and general work on the go. Medium sized 14-16 inch laptops are ideal for general use and can be either portable or used as a stationary computer. The screen is large enough to be comfortable but not so large as to be cumbersome. Larger 17-19 inch screens are beautiful and functional but not so portable. They’re best for graphic designers, gamers, and those who want a sleep alternative to a desktop computer that they can still unplug and pack into a suitcase.

Gaming and heavy video editing requires special features. For one, speed is a primary concern, so you’ll need a top of the line processor with lots of RAM (random access memory). You’ll also need a high end graphics card. Gaming usually happens on PCs, but video editing tends to happen on Apples.

As for speed, even those not doing heavy gaming or editing may want a zippy device which can handle multiple programs and windows running at the same time. If you tend to do 15 things at once, make sure that you opt for a faster chip with more RAM. If you are more of a simple web-browser and occasional document writer, you’ll be fine with less.

More costs more. Price is where all of these options come together. Apple is more expensive. Better chips, graphic cards, and more RAM are all more expensive. If you’re looking for the best laptop deal, a cheap 10 inch computer with full capabilities can be had for $300 dollars. An average, fully loaded 15 inch computer could be had for $700 if its a PC and $1200 if it’s an Apple. A high end, large screen gaming/graphics/business laptop could run into the $2500-4000 range. Brand choice is partly a matter of preference and partly a matter of reputation. Apples are known for being well made, so there is no concern there. PC brands with the best reputation are HP and Dell laptops, followed by Toshiba, Sony, and Acer. A newer company ASUS has been making neat devices that many people like.

Whatever brand you buy, try it out in person to see how it feels. Laptops are a very personal device and you need to like using it. Deals and checking out popular laptops for sale are the final concern. Like cars, laptops will come down in price before the next year’s new models come in. The worst time to buy a laptop is typically around the holidays or when students are going back to school. That’s when everyone buys one. A good idea is to select a few models that suit your needs and shop around for prices over a month or two. When a big sale on laptops pops up, take advantage of it. If you follow all of these tips, your laptop purchase should be a successful one.

Final thoughts: only buy the software you need. Great anti-virus software is available *free* online. Try AVG, Malware Bytes, and CC Cleaner. Microsoft Office-like applications can be had for *free* in the open source Open Office suite. Most insurance is not a great buy. The first year is always covered by warranty, and laptops rarely last more than 3 or 4. Just take good care of it and you should be ok. Good luck!

The first is from Walmart where you can find quite a few popular laptops for sale. The brand is eMachines, it has a 10.1” screen, eM350-2074 Netbook PC with Intel Atom N450 Processor and Windows XP Home operating system. The price of this laptop is $258.00. With this laptop you have a 1GB system memory, which allows you to do all the basics such as surfing the internet, emailing and storing documents. You can store 106,000 photos, 45,000 songs or 84 hours of HD video. This model comes equipped with Wi-Fi, and an ethernet connection. This model also boasts a 1.3 megapixel webcam, Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 (60 day trial), a 60 day trial of Norton Security and a four hour battery life. It weighs about four and a half pounds and if you order Site to Store you get free shipping.

The next model I found was a Dell Latitude D610 laptop which has been refurbished. The price of this laptop is $260.00. This model also has a 14.1” screen, CD burning capabilities, 64MB dedicated RAM, ATI mobility Radeon X300, and brand new the system costs $1940.00. It is a nice, sleek model, and weighs about seven pounds. There are four USB ports, and overall this seems like a really good deal for a tight budget. This Dell laptops model is available on Amazon.com.

The last model that I came across $271.80. This is the Acer AO532H 2223 ATOM N450. This Acer has a 10.1” screen. It has 1GB memory, a 1.66 GHz processing speed, Windows 7 Home Premium which is brand new. It’s hard drive capacity is 160 GB. This laptop also comes with an Integrated Acer Crystal Eye WebCam, an eight hour battery life and it only weighs about three pounds which is great for portability. This system also has WiFi internet capabilities as well as an Ethernet port. In my opinion this would be the best deal simply for the wight and the system specs. This would be a great computer and has more good reviews than bad. This item is currently available on Ebay.com. It also is a newer model with a warranty. I had an Acer a few years ago and the customer service center fixed my computer for free and shipped it back for free as well.

Now that you know a few options that are available for your budget. Keep an eye out for a big sale on laptops at your local electronics store.  I hope you find what works for you and enjoy your new computer.

The first question a laptop shopper should ask is, what will this computer be used for? A laptop that will be used mostly for word processing and business work should have different specifications than one that will be used to play computer games. For ultra-portable word processing, netbooks are a good choice. These small cheap laptops are smaller and cheaper than their bigger cousins, and usually fit into a standard bag for easy transport. They make great cheap laptops for students. Asus, Lenovo, and MSI are established netbook makers whose computers average in the low $200s. A laptop that will be used for graphics-intensive computer games or design, however, should have a larger screen and more memory. Toshiba, Compaq, and Acer all make good computers for less money: a basic Compaq Presario with 2GB memory costs around $299, and similar offerings from Toshiba and Acer are under $400.

The next question to ask is, what specific model should this laptop be? There are only so many ways to build a computer, and many companies offer copies of what is essentially the same computer. To decide between similarly-priced versions of the same thing, consider each company’s reputation for the durability of its products. How long does each company’s laptops typically last? What kind of guarantees do they offer on their products? Can a customer send in their broken laptop for repairs, or are there repair shops conveniently located? Since even expensive computers inevitably have hardware trouble, the laptop you buy may be less important than the service you buy with it.

The third thing to consider is, can a laptop be tested before it is purchased? Even if a laptop is bought online, often the same or similar model can be tested in stores to make sure it will meet the customer’s expectations. Before you order any laptop online, write down the maker and model and then check with local electronics stores to see whether they carry it in stock. Even if you plan to buy it elsewhere, it is worth the time to go and examine a computer in person to see whether you like the design and its performance.

Finally, the last thing to consider when buying a cheap new laptop is how to make it yours! Personalization is important and can make a computer something special, not just a tool. Cheap laptops are often more standardized than more expensive ones, with fewer custom options, so taking advantage of what customization is available can make a huge difference. Don’t like the boring back of your laptop? Consider buying a “skin” or wrap for your computer. Skins come in many colors and designs, from many different companies–some will even allow you to create your own design and have it custom-made. Accessories like skins or wireless mice can make your laptop experience more fun, more productive, and an even better value for your money.

Update: The following review was posted by reader Brandon A.

Recently, I purchased a HP G60-610CA Notebook for around $550 (although, it was on sale for a limited time), and thus far, I have been nothing but 100% pleased with it. It has a sleek and stylish design, great specs (250gb HD, 4gb RAM, 15.6? monitor, built-in webcam, microphone, and other features), and it runs better than I could have ever imagine. The 4 GB of RAM allows me to work on multiple tasks or run several programs all at once without sacrificing any speed or performance. The screen is just the right size (not too big and not too small), the mouse and keyboard both feel natural and are very easy to use, and it’s lightweight enough to have it with you on the go.

You really can’t go wrong with this model. No matter what you plan to do with your notebook, as far as I’m concerned, there’s no better choice than the HP G60-610CA Notebook. I needed a laptop that’s good for basic gaming, browsing the internet, communicating with friends, doing homework, and running high-intensity software, and to date, this one has delivered on all fronts with flying colors. There are other great laptops on the market, but I see no real reason to look any further than this one. Don’t miss out on this fantastic product!

Reader Question: What laptop would you recommend for someone who wanted to buy a cheap laptop?

The Acer Aspire Timeline laptop has to be the thinnest as well as the lightest laptop with a normal size laptop screen. I know there are those little laptops out there for $300 , but they don’t have the RAM nor the hard drive space as most others. The Timeline comes with three different size screen to chose from. The smallest being 13.3″ and the largest measuring at 15.6″. The Acer Aspire Timeline models are all about once inch think, with the heaviest one weighing only 5.3lbs.

As for the quality of the laptop, it’s just a good as any other brand of laptops out there. The Acer Aspire Timeline has at least 3 GB of RAM as well as 160GB of hard drive. You can have more of each if you want, but if you’re looking for very cheap laptops, you will easily get by with the basic hardware. The lowest price that I’ve found for one of these is $399.

As usual, there are many different ways that you could upgrade the base unit, but it will cost you quite a bit more. If you’re going to be just on the internet, checking emails, or any other of the basic things, the basic unit is more than what you’ll need. If someone who likes to play online games, or some of the those types of game that you need to download on to your laptop, then you will need a little more muscle in your laptop.

Either way this Acer notebook computer is a good laptop for sale and will do what you”ll need it to do. With it being one of the thinnest ones out there, you won”t have a problem carrying it around.

Reviewed April 2010

When netbook was first introduced in 2008, it came with just enough processing power to handle non-CPU extensive tasks such as web browsing, email checking, and document processing. This has however changed over the years. The quality of netbook keeps improving. Netbook manufacturers like Asus, Acer, Dell, and Toshiba continue to release new netbook models with better specs and design over the years. Now it has come to a point where a netbook is almost as capable as a standard laptop — some of them even have enough horse power for gaming and high definition movies playback!

Of course, there are some features that a netbook still cannot compete with a standard laptop. For instance, a netbook is lack of optical drive, having a lower-end CPU, and comes with smaller screen and keyboard. But as a netbook user, I can tell you that these “limitation” actually give some advantages to the netbook. Here’s how:

• Lower-end CPU: Most netbooks today are using the Intel Atom CPU. While it’s not as powerful as the processors that other mainstream computers are using, it’s more energy efficient and thus providing better endurance. The Asus Eee PC 1005PE, one of the netbook with the best endurance, can provide up to 14 hours of battery life!
• Lack of optical drive: There are two benefits for not including an optical drive in a netbook. First, it drives the netbook’s price lower; and second, the netbook is lighter. You can always get an external optical drive when you need it.
• Smaller keyboard and screen: This makes the netbook more portable and incredibly easy to be carried around.

Now comes to the most important question: which netbook is the best? There’s no exact answer for that. Asus is good at creating netbook with great endurance; Toshiba has the best keyboard design; while Acer is well known for their competitive netbook price. In terms of popularity though, Acer does seem to be one step ahead of the rest — affordability is still the most important factor in this era of economic crisis. Just look at some Acer netbook deals online, and you will be surprised by how cheap these mini computers can be!

First, the amount of RAM that the system has is very crucial for its performance. Depending on your needs, RAM can make you or break you. For example, if you plan on loading some games on there or doing things that require precision timing, RAM is a big factor. If you do not have enough of it, it can slow your computer down and even cause it to freeze up. Most software requires that you now have at least one gigabyte of RAM. I would recommend getting at least two to three gigabytes, and most good laptops come with that, or at least have the capabilities for more.

Another key part of buying laptops and notebooks on sale is the processor speed. Many laptops will give you great deals, but have poor processing speeds. Processors do all the computing on your computer. These small chips pack a ton of power. Most are over two gigahertz, but the more the better. You also want to get the newest chips out there since they have the most transistors and work the fastest. This is important to make sure your laptop runs at its peak performance.

Hard drives are also important in your purchase of laptops. Software is becoming extremely large, and many people run tons of programs on their computer at different times. This causes them to need humongous hard drives, many over three hundred gigabytes. Many of them come with this, but many do not, and the price will reflect that.

Of course, if you want the best, laptops on sale might not be the best. However, Newegg has a bunch of laptops on sale that are great and very consumer friendly. The best bang for your buck is the Acer laptop. They are cheap, but very well put together. Asus are not well known by many consumers, but they put the best laptop together for under one thousand dollars.

If you really want to buy a laptop but don’t have a lot of money to spend, search for the best deals on cheap new laptops before you buy the first one you see.