OS and CPU

• Your CPU or processor is the engine and your operating system (OS) is the steering wheel of your computer, guiding you through programs and tasks with ease. With a friendly and attractive OS user interface, computing is instantly less daunting. While the OS keeps you entertained, the CPU maintains the processes of the OS and your applications, processing all the necessary data. Windows 7 and Windows Vista are the two newest operating systems, but a lot of PC users still use Windows XP. There are many processors on the market and you must check the specifications before deciding on a laptop. Windows supports the use of processors made by Intel and AMD.
  
  

RAM and Hard Drive

• Your laptop cannot operate without RAM and disk space. The newest laptops come with up to 3TB of disk space and up to 12GB of RAM. Memory and hard disk space work together; memory is for the applications and files being used at any one time on your computer, while hard drive space is for long-term storage of programs and files. Slow memory will slow all of your tasks and eventually stall your computer, usually when you are trying to keep several programs open at once.
  
  

External Features

• The ports and connectivity options in a laptop are definitely important and should match your needs. Your laptop will need several USB ports, as well as an Ethernet port, video outputs and wireless connectivity. These features may not seem like a necessity, but many of them are standard fare for all laptops and you never know when you'll need them.
  
  

Power and Battery

• A great convenience of the laptop form factor is even when you unplug it, you can continue to work on it for several hours without it needing to be recharged. Look for a laptop with a long battery life and know what tasks consume the most power. For example, if you have a three-hour battery, you probably won't make it through a long flight while watching movies on your laptop. But, if you turn down your screen brightness and do word processing instead, you can make your battery last longer. Also, the more processing power your computer has, the more energy it burns, so be sure your computer is conserving energy when the cord is unplugged.