One of the most important decisions you need to make before buying a laptop is to decide the speed required. If you're using the laptop mainly for word processing or emailing, you don't need as much computing horsepower. In that case, you might want to settle for an AMD Turion or a standard Intel Centrino CPU. If you need to use the laptop for graphics or heavy gaming, then you will certainly want a powerful CPU chip one like the Intel Core 2 Duo.

Learn how to buy the best laptop out there

The next thing you should do when deciding on the best laptop to buy is to consider the display screen. These days, large 17-inch, glossy display screens are becoming more and more common. But ask yourself, do you really need all that glossy eye candy? If you just want a functional, business-based laptop, then consider getting a smaller screen with a matte display.

Another approach I use to eliminate laptops in my purchase is to consider the weight. Most people I know want to buy lightweight laptops. Which is perfectly understandable - who wants to lug a 6 pound machine all over town or all over campus? So it is important for you to consider if weight is an issue for you. If it is, then eliminate those desktop replacement or heavy laptops from your list and concentrate on ultraportables.

Surprising, a lot of folks put a lot of emphasis on laptop keyboards. You may think that a laptop keyboard is pretty standard fare, i.e. there is not much difference between one laptop and the next.
 

The keyboard on the Apple MacBook Pro

Well, I can tell you that the keyboard is the one laptop component that your hands will be touching 90% of the time. So comfort in typing is extremely important. When choosing the best laptop to buy, pay attention to the comfort of the keyboard when you type. Some folks prefer a 'click' sound on the keys (I do), while others prefer a more silent typing experience.

And the final way to check if a laptop is for you? Simple - its the laptop's battery life. Remember, a laptop is useless if it is flat out of juice. Some laptops I know run out of power after 10 minutes of unplugging them from the wall socket. Be very careful and do your research on battery life - choose a laptop that will last at least 3 to 4 hours is possible.