Select a Full System, Rather than Merely a Processor
Every processor on the market can handle the basics, such as Web browsing and email, so concentrate on your system’s other components first. If you buy a system that boasts an incredibly fast processor, but has a small hard drive, you will be handicapped with tasks such as video editing.

Go for at Least a Half a Gig of RAM
With the Windows XP operating systems (home and professional) you’re going to need at 512MB of DDR RAM for your OS to work smoothly. Be wary of systems with slots for twin 256MB modules - instead select a single 512MB module. The dual 256’s cost less, but you’ll have a problem if you upgrade down the road - you may wind u throwing away memory (and as you know, memories aren’t something you want to throw away!).

Go for Broke with the Hard Drive - It’s an Important Investment
Most folks can be satisfied with virtually any good hard drive on the market, regardless of size. However, tasks such as television recording and video editing will eat up huge chunks of your drive very quickly and leave you wanting for more. If you make a poor decision in this regard, it’s not the end of the world, though; most systems have room to add another hard drive if you discover you need more storage. It’s a good idea, though, to go for the biggest hard drive you can afford.

Integration is Important!
No, we’re not talking about a Supreme Court decision; we’re on the topic of integrated networking. If you buy a PC that include integrated networking as well as USB and FireWire ports often sport more PCI slots you can use for other upgrades.

DVD - Get a Rewritable Drive
The great news here is that DVD-rewritable drives are amazingly cheap and they can write CD-RWs as well. The fastest models on the market now write to write-once media at awesome 16X speed!

Look for Slots You Can Easily Reach
It’s great to have special slots that accommodate flash memory. However, if they’re out of reach on the back of the case, or near the bottom, they’re be a chore to reach - especially if you want to keep your PC on the floor. Front slots are ideal.

Screen Size - 14.1 is Great!
If you’re going to go for one of the wider screen notebooks, make sure you can tackle the additional size and weight you’ll encounter. If you can sacrifice those elements of portability, go for a screen larger than 14.1-inches - DVD viewing is sensational and you can look at multiple documents. However, we’re found that 14.1-inches is easy on the eyes and the chassis that supports this display size is usually light and portable. 15-inch screens present amazing possibilities, though, so you might want to check out our industry leading selection of notebooks to choose the best one to suit your style.

Be Wise When Selecting an Optical Drive
If all you need to do is back up your digital data or burn MP3s, a standard CD-RW drive will meet your needs. However, if you spend a bit more money you should purchase a notebook with a DVD burner. What’s better than being able to customize DVDs? It will be money well spent.

Hard Drives - Bigger is Better
Hard drive storage sizes run smaller for notebooks, for obvious reasons, but make sure you select at least 40GB. That’s because music and video files take up lots of space, and today’s laptops are great for enjoying the full spectrum of multimedia entertainment. We have a huge selection of notebooks that sport ample hard drives of 40GB and much more. Consider how much music you’ll be listening to and how much video you may want to store and choose accordingly - but again, try not to go below 40GB.

It’s Good to Go Wireless
Mobility is so much more mobile with wireless capability. If you buy one of our many notebooks with built-in 802.11 wireless, you’ll avoid the inconvenience of having to use a wireless PC card anytime you want to get on the Internet.

The Advantages of an Extra Battery
You got your notebook because it’s mobile, but there’s nothing mobile about a computer whose batteries have run out of juice and you have to wait for them to recharge before taking it on the road again. So, buy an extra battery - it’s an expense that’s well worth it. This is especially vital if you travel often or enjoy working away from a power outlet. You’ll find a huge choice of notebook batteries on our web pages, some of which last as long as 8 hours.

Media Card Slots - Check for Compatibility with Your Camera
Be sure your printer’s memory card reader will support the formats your camera uses, otherwise you won’t be able to use it.

Plug & Play with Your Camera
Check your camera to see if it supports Pict-Bridge, because if it does, you’ll be well served to get a printer that does as well. That’s because, with Pict-Bridge compatibility you will not need a PC in order to print photos from your camera - a USB cable will work perfectly.

Go for a Height Adjustable Model
We highly recommend height adjustable monitor. If you have a screen that rotates from side to side, you can share it easily with others. And if it pivots from landscape to portrate mode, you’ll save the hassle of scrolling.

Bigger is Better!
The bigger the screen, usually means the higher the resolution. That means better looking images. A wide screen monitor handles spreadsheets with ease and offers an aspect ratio that’s ideal for watching movies.

Go for a Fast Response Time - 12 ms is great!
The faster your response time, the smoother your video movements. 16ms is great for most programs; for the basics, 25ms works fine. If you’re a gamer or a DVD buff, go for the fastest response time possible, currently 12ms.