Finding a fast laptop computer this holiday shopping season
Posted on 20. Dec, 2011 by Albert Madison in Guides & Tips, Laptops, Laptops
If you’re in the market for a laptop computer this year then you’re in luck, there are literally hundreds of options available to you (if you count custom order machines). However not every laptop will be all that pleasant to use if you require speed. If you want the best shot at getting a new laptop that is fast then you need to pay close attention to the following paragraphs in this post.
Okay for 2011 getting a laptop that will be fast is going to require you spend some money, you’ll need to be comfortable spending around $900 or more if you really want a fast laptop. Now below I’ll out line everything you need to look for in a laptop before you purchase it if speed is what you want, and then I’ll list some actual laptop models that you can purchase now that feature everything necessary for any fast laptop.
What must be included in a fast laptop?
1.) Multi-core processor
The processor or as it’s known in the industry central processing unit (CPU for short) is one of the most important components inside any computer. Without a processor your computer can’t run and with a slow processor your computer will run but at a slow rate. For more speed chip makers AMD and Intel have available multi-core processors that are engineered to give you the most performance possible (for the individual CPU) for all your tasks.
In 2011 the folks at Intel have the best processors for laptops if raw processing speed is what you want. From Intel’s line-up the processors you should aim for include dual-core Intel Core i5 or quad-core Intel Core i7 processors. For dual-core Core i5 chips look for notebooks with processors that have a clock speed of 2.5GHz or greater, and for quad-core Core i7 chips just get any laptop that has a quad-core Intel Core i7 they’re all very fast chips.
In case you’re wondering the clock speed for processors can be used to show just how fast a chip is, the higher the clock speed the faster the chip in most cases. For example a dual-core Intel Core i5 processor clocked at 2.5GHz is faster than a dual-core Core i5 that is clocked at 1.6GHz.
Something else to keep in mind when you buy an Intel Core i5/i7 laptop the processors can perform self overclock that can boost performance when the system detects you need the extra performance. Intel calls the self overclocking technology Turbo Boost, and currently Intel is shipping performance chips with Turbo Boost 2.0 which is even better at automatically overclocking a processor to give you more power.
2.) Dedicated graphics
The consumers have spoken and they want high-definition for TV/Movies and games. To give you the ability to enjoy HD entertainment like Blu-ray movies or PC games you’re going to need dedicated graphics among other things. With dedicated graphics your laptop will be able to provide you the best and most efficient HD experience for Blu-ray’s and PC games.
Normally without dedicated graphics a laptop has to rely very heavily on the CPU and it’s accompanying integrated graphics chip (IGP), this can result in lack luster system performance because resources tend to be allocated at disproportionate levels. A dedicated graphics solution takes away some of the stress that your CPU and IGP would be burdened with.
In the laptop world your dedicated graphics will come courtesy of either AMD/ATI or NVIDIA. Both companies offer great dedicated graphics solutions all-round, but if high-performance for Blu-ray media and/or PC games is what you want there are fewer choices.
From the AMD/ATI camp their best dedicated graphics solutions for laptops include the Radeon HD 6750M, Radeon HD 6770M, Radeon HD 6970M, and Radeon HD 6990M. Over at NVIDIA their best dedicated graphics products for laptops include the GeForce GTX 560M, GeForce GTX 570M, and GeForce GTX 580M. Each of those solutions will do well for PC gaming and HD media playback on your laptop.
If you’re only going to be playing back HD videos and even editing some of your own you’ll only need dedicated graphics solutions like these: GeForce GT 540M, GeForce GT 550M, GeForce GT 555M, Radeon HD 6490M, Radeon HD 6650M, and Radeon HD 6850M.
3.) SSD or option for an SSD
If you’re really serious about having a fast laptop you need a solid state drive (SSD) for your storage drive. An SSD features flash memory modules for storage instead of the traditional spinning disks that bigger hard disk drives (HDD) offer and the flash memory modules offer higher read and write performance than your average HDD.
With an SSD the only real downside is the limited storage capacities you get for your money when compared to HDDs. However for most people an SSD with around 100GB of space is enough for holding the operating system and a bunch of applications. Also some laptops have dual storage bays so you can keep a more spacious HDD and speedy SSD all in one system.
As far as pricing goes you’re going to pay a lot for an SSD if you configure it into a system from one of the major PC vendors (Apple, Dell, HP etc.). On average most vendors that are offering a laptop with a HDD but offer the option for SSD upgrades charge $200+ for the SSD. In all cases the upgrade to an SSD is more expensive than what you would pay if you were to acquire your own SSD and install it into your notebook.
Now when you start to think about adding your own SSD to a laptop you must also be thinking about how upgradable a laptop is. Not all laptops come with bottom panel openings that provide users like yourself with easy access to storage bays. Some manufacturers provide information on their website about upgradablity of their computers, but when in doubt e-mail me or simply use Google (there is usually someone else asking somewhere online about storage upgrades).
4.) 4GB or more of DDR3 RAM
The amount of fast memory/RAM is also something that is very important for a fast laptop. With a good amount of fast RAM you’re able to multi-task without hiccups under almost any work load. If you’re well versed in computer you should already understand how important RAM is in today’s computers. Without plenty of good and fast RAM you’re computing experience in 2011 will be a teeth-pulling, hear tearing experience.
Right now the best RAM you can have installed in a laptop is of the DDR3 variety. Within the DDR3 category of RAM there are different frequency levels, but you don’t have to worry about that most of the DDR3 RAM shipped in laptops today is on the higher-end of the performance spectrum.
I can personally recommend having at least 4GB of DDR3 RAM in your laptop if you want it to perform well, but having more than 4GB of RAM won’t hurt. Currently most laptop vendors ship their notebooks with at least 4GB of RAM, but in the off-chance you find a laptop with less than 4GB of DDR3 RAM you should know that buying and upgrading the RAM yourself isn’t terribly expensive or difficult (difficulty depends on the particular laptop).
5.) Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and LAN 10/100/1000Mbps networking
Networking is also important for a fast laptop. Considering you’ll probably be spending a lot of time online with your new laptop having fast networking is key to a smooth experience.
For wireless access to the Internet Wi-Fi is your most economical bet, 3G and 4G connections are great too but they can get really expensive and their not always necessary. As far as Wi-Fi connections go you should make sure your new laptop has 802.11 b/g/n support built-in, and if you use Bluetooth for tethering or Wireless mice then you should also make sure Bluetooth 3.0 or 4.0 are support too –normally Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are both offered with laptops.
If you don’t mind getting tied down with a cable in your pursuit for maximum Internet speeds LAN support is a must. With LAN you’ll simply use your laptops given RJ-45 or Ethernet port to get an Internet connection to your machine. If you have high-speed internet using a wired connection will go a long way in providing you with the best possible speeds from your provider.
With networking you’ll probably want to setup your own Wireless network at home that you and other members of your household can have quick access to the Internet using Wi-Fi enabled devices. For a Wireless network you’ll need to get a router, but setting up the actual network isn’t too difficult (just read directions provided with your router or use Google).
Laptop recommendations (in no particular order)
These are only some laptops that I think are great, other good models do exist.
Apple Macbook Pro 15″ – Starts at $1,799
If you want Mac OS X this is your best option for under $2000 if you want a lot of speed.
- Mac OS X Lion 10.7
- 15.4-inch 1440-by-900-pixel LED-backlit glossy display
- 2nd gen. (2.2/3.3 GHz) Intel Core i7-2720QM quad-core processor
- 4GB DDR3 1333MHz RAM
- 500GB 5400-rpm HDD (SSD upgrades start at $200.00 for a 128GB SSD)
- Intel HD Graphics 3000
- AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 512MB GDDR5
- Built-in battery (up to 7 hours accord. to Apple)
HP Envy 15 (late 2011) – Starts at $1,099.99
- Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
- 15.6-inch diagonal HD BrightView LED-backlit Display (1366×768)
- 2nd gen dual-core Intel Core i5-2430M (2.4/3.0 GHz) processor
- Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, LAN 10/100/1000
- 6GB DDR3 1333MHz RAM, 500GB (7200rpm) HDD
- AMD Radeon HD 1GB dedicated graphics
- USB 3.0, HDMI, SD card slot
- built-in HD webcam
- SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support
Sony VAIO F Series – Starts at $999.99
- Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
- 16.4″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) display, LED backlit
- 2nd gen. Intel Core i7-2670QM (2.20 /3.10GHz) quad-core processor
- Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, LAN 10/100/1000
- Other: 4GB DDR3 1333MHz RAM, 500GB (7200rpm) HDD, NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M 1GB graphics, USB 3.0, HDMI, SD card slot, HD webcam and CD/DVD optical drive for reading and burning.
- Bundle available for a limited time that includes a Sony gaming headset, 6GB of RAM and a free download of Battlefield 3 the PC game all for $999.99 (originally priced at $1348.98)
Slimmer laptops that will offer good speed considering their physical sizes, they also include an SSD for storage.
The Apple Macbook Air for 2011 is just as thin as last years model but it's a lot faster.
Apple Macbook Air – Starts at $999 for 11-inch and $1,199 for 13-inch on Apple.com
11-inch model base specs.
- Mac OS X Lion 10.7
- 11.6-inch 1366 by 768 LED-backlit glossy widescreen display
- (1.6/2.3 GHz) dual-core Intel Core i5-2467M processor
- 2GB DDR3 RAM
- 64GB flash storage (SSD)
- Intel HD Graphics 3000
- Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
- Facetime HD webcam
- 2.38 pounds weight, 0.68 inches thick
13-inch model base specs.
- Mac OS X Lion 10.7
- 13.3-inch 1440 by 900 LED-backlit glossy widescreen display
- 1.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor
- 4GB DDR3 RAM
- 128GB flash storage (SSD)
- Intel HD Graphics 3000
- Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
- Facetime HD webcam
- 2.96 pounds, 0.68 inches thick
Asus ZENBOOK laptops are thin and come in 11.6" and 13.3" screen sizes. Image: Asus
Asus Zenbook UX21/UX31 – Prices are as low as $930 for a UX21 and $1,099.00 for a UX31
UX21 base specs.
- Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
- 11.6-inch 1366 by 768 LED-backlit glossy widescreen display
- (1.6/2.3 GHz) dual-core Intel Core i5-2467M processor
- 4GB DDR3 RAM
- 64GB flash storage (SSD)
- Intel HD Graphics 3000
- USB 2.0, USB 3.0, microHDMI, miniVGA
- 0.3MP webcam
- Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
- 2.43 pounds, 0.67 inches thick
UX31 base specs.
- Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
- 13.3-inch 1600 by 900 LED-backlit glossy widescreen display
- (1.7/2.7 GHz) dual-core Intel Core i5-2557M processor
- 4GB DDR3 RAM
- 128GB flash storage (SSD)
- Intel HD Graphics 3000
- USB 2.0, USB 3.0, microHDMI, miniVGA
- 0.3MP webcam
- Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
- 2.87 pounds, 0.71 inches thick
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