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I recently came a across an interesting article on just this subject on a site called "lifehacker", entitled "How to Buy the Perfect Laptop." Check it out -- it's a good read and will clue you in to a lot of the features in new computers that may be of interest to you. It's a good article, especially in addressing the many considerations as to size, batteries, portability, technical considerations, and so on, but it leaves out what I consider to be the 2 most important factors in choosing ANY PC these days, laptop or desktop.
And they are:
1) How Long Will It Last? Not As Long As You Think! Power = Longevity.
2) Do You Need the Extended Factory Warranty? You May! Can You Do Without Your Computer for More than a Couple of Days?
What do I mean by Power = Longevity? Well, chances are you've had an older computer and noticed that over time it had increasing difficulty in keeping up -- surfing the web, doing day-to-day tasks, multi-tasking, that sort of thing. If it had been more powerful, it would have been useful to you longer and lasted longer. There is a big difference in power and performance between CPUs like the latest Intel Core i7s, and their lesser siblings the Core i3s, as well as AMD CPUs which are less powerful. You cannot choose a new machine for its ability to run in today's environment; you have to think about the years ahead, too. Also the pace of change has ramped up -- that single core Pentium 4 running XP may have lasted you for 7 years. I guarantee you that no current Ultrabook with its mid-range processor will do the same. Buy the most powerful machine you can afford -- you won't regret it.
All arguments about whether paying for factory warranties are "Good Value" or not aside, the real question is -- Can You Do Without Your Computer for a Long Time While it is Being Fixed? If the answer is YES, then, no, you do not need the extended warranty. If the answer is NO, well then, you DO NEED the Extended Warranty. From the Factory. If you depend on your machine for daily use and you cannot just switch to an alternate computer, the first-tier manufacturer (Dell, HP, Lenovo, Toshiba) warranty and service with in-home and on-site repair will get you back up and running within a couple of days. Non factory warranties usually won't. Do not buy that 3rd party warranty! Even if you buy a major brand laptop from Best Buy or some other retailer, you can still buy an extended warranty from the maker. Just call up HP or Dell and give them you invoice info, model and serial number, and the will be happy to sell you one.
Various statistics gathering organizations report something around 1/3 of new computers, be they laptop or desktop, need some kind of repair in the 1st 3 years of their existence. Even if it's less than that, it's enough that you HAVE to Consider the Potential Problem of Being Without your Computer.
Another important thing, and this is touched on in the LIFEHACKER article, if you can, choose a laptop with a user removable hard drive*, and back it up, preferably to a 2-1/2" laptop compatible mirror with disk cloning software. That way, if your disk goes permanently South, you have an instantly bootable SYA** solution.
Also, about the Apple vs PC thing -- and religious arguments aside -- Apple makes great computers. But! Apple makes EXPENSIVE computers, and they are as much as double or more the cost of PCs (laptops and desktops) of equivalent power. If you like your Macbook Pro or Air, fine, but don't kid yourself about what you are paying for it, just go in peace and worship at the altar of your choice ...
Also Number 2: Remember your computer is not an iPhone or like one, although someday it may be!, and you aren't going to be changing it every year for the new model or whenever your contract is up with Verizon. You might want something that will last a while. You are going to keep it for the long haul, right?
You aren't? OK. Never mind ...
~Ted
* Go the the manufacturer's website and download the PDF of the manual -- it'll be there and it will say!
**SYA, it's like CYA, only it's saved, not just covered.
Pillow Credit: gizmodo -- http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2009/05/this_is_the_best_laptop_in_the_world_or_at_least_the_softest-2/
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