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Laptops these days have become very, very powerful and can accomplish everything most modern day desktop computers can. And at less than 1/10th the size of a traditional desktop computer! So here's what we suggest - junk that desktop and upgrade to a brand new home laptop.
You've never been so spoilt for choices when picking a home laptop, also known as a multimedia laptop, so here are a few things to look out for when you're out there...
The first is screen size. You're not worried about carrying these laptops around, so why settle for a tiny screen? Go with a laptop that has a 16 or 17" screen, or even bigger, if you want. If you need to carry around your laptop a lot, then go for a netbook instead.
Second is keyboard comfort. Most of these home laptops come with spacious keyboards that even have a numeric keypad in it for those who'll be doing a lot of accounting at home. Use the keyboard and see if it's comfortable for you and offers you that roomy, 'desktop' feel.
Third, look for a faster processor, more RAM and more hard drive space. This is a given. Laptops with high-end Core i5 or higher CPUs, 4GB of ram at least, and 320 to 500GB of space are a good starting point... or maybe even the end point for most users.
And last but not the least, look at the connectivity options. HDMI, eSATA, memory card ports, FireWire if required, and ample USB ports. You'll probably be plugging in a lot of stuff into your home laptop - your TV, your sound system, your camera/MP3 players, external storage and what not - so ensure all ports are present.
-Now one thing you don't need to worry about too much is the battery life. Since these laptops are going to be at home all the time, they'll be plugged into the mains and as such don't need an obscene amount of battery backup like 10 hours or whatever. Most of these powerhouse laptops will not go beyond 3-5 hours of regular use and that's just fine for a home laptop.
There are too many laptops in the market that will pass this checklist, but here are some of our recommendations from popular brands:
Dell Studio series
The Studio series from Dell has some great laptops for home use. Take the Studio 15 for example. It's got a high-definition 15.6-inch screen, a good Core i3 CPU, 4GB memory and 320GB storage space. It even has a high-performance ATi graphics system with 1GB of dedicated memory.
There's an HDMI and eSATA port, in addition to plenty of USB ports, so all your devices are going to plug into it. And it isn't expensive at all. It costs around Rs. 42,000. For higher end models, look at the XPS series, which has a model with a 16-inch screen.
HP Pavillion DV6 series
The HP DV6 range is a great multimedia laptop series. It's a powerhouse with a Core i5 CPU and enough memory and storage space for anything you need to do with it. It's got a bright, big display - great for watching movies - and a spacious keyboard that even has a numeric keypad, so you won't miss your desktop at all.
It's loaded with ports all over, including HDMI and FireWire, so it's fully compatible with anything you throw at it. The price? A reasonable Rs. 50,000.
MacBook Pro 17"
Add a little swank to your place by getting the new MacBook Pro! You might end up spending more time in front of its 17-inch screen than your TV! Macs are always very well stocked in specifications so you don't need to worry about speed or storage.
It runs Mac OS X and you can also run Windows on it. The price is a bit on the higher side - around Rs. 1.3 lakh, but you are getting a MacBook Pro, which is really like the Mercedes of laptops out there!
These are just a few of the good home laptop options in the market today. You'll find more options as you go exploring. And when you finalize on one, do come back and leave a comment telling us what you picked and why.
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