Seeing how it is getting closer to school year and more threads are being posted up about what laptop to get or laptop comparison threads I figured that making one megathread would organize it all together and provide useful information in the original post.



Disclaimer: I'm not a pro at computers but have some knowledge. Perhaps other members on MI can also drop in useful tips and I can post it up in the OP. Flame wars between Mac and PC will not be tolerated, pure discussion and comparison is allowed.

Edit: Since an original purpose of this thread was to throw all the info into one thread was frowned upon, be sure to search macinsiders/google for more info. This thread is simply for convenience of information all in one space.

Chad has made a guide 3 years back but is a bit outdated. You can check it here.
http://www.macinsiders.com/showthrea...3.html?t=22113

1)Budget
This is the underlying foundation to your purchase. How much are you willing to blow? The amount of funding determines the amount of things you can get with your computer such as more hard drive space, better processor, RAM and better graphics cards. Usually the most important components when looking for a computer (to me) is the processor to determine the processing speed and video card to see how high quality you can display things. These two components are usually the most expensive in a computer.

2) Desktop or Laptop?
The first question that comes to mind is with your money, should I buy a desktop or laptop? The concept of having a laptop for university as a "must" has become a standard but not necessarily true. Laptops do have their uses on campus but many people outweigh these benefits. The most important part is determining what kind of user you are. These are merely categories I have created and suggestions to what you should get
i) Light User
Your overall activities on the computer does not require much processing. The primary functions you use are work based programs, music, Internet browsing (email, Youtube, Facebook) and watching shows/movies. If you are bored, you may play some games that don't require much. The choice of laptop or desktop is yours but users of this type will commonly choose laptop.
ii)Medium User
A step up from the light user with more pc-consuming interests. You may play some higher graphics intense games from time to time or do more media related things such as video processing a few times or Photoshop. If you don't mind lower graphics on more demanding games and do video conversions when it is required, then a laptop with a dedicated graphics card would suffice. If these settings are not to your liking, refer to Power User
iii) Power User
Everything from Light and Medium User holds except you want the maximum capabilities for everything you do. You want to play on High settings for all video games. You do a lot of file editing. You want to duel screen multitask or see things on a wider screen. Desktop is the best choice for you. If you are concerned about not being able to study at the library with your friends, just get a netbook/cheap laptop.
But what about gaming laptops? Gaming laptops were marketed to be more portable powerhouses. The only problem is that they are usually overpriced compared to desktop versions, very power intensive (battery probably won't last long) and you may run into heat issues due to poor laptop design and more "difficult" maintenance.

3) Getting the best laptop for your money
So you settled on getting a laptop. How do I know I'm getting the best product for my money? Short answer is, you're not. There are so many laptop models and websites out there it is impossible to compare all aspects to money. It is usually cheaper to buy online. Stores like Future Shop and Best Buy are usually your first stop, but often sell PCs at a higher price. However some models (mostly basic) can be really cheap. Some other good options to check first are Canada Computers, Newegg, and Tiger Direct. When you are browsing and find some you "like" in your price range, I would just compare the graphics / processor ratings just to distinguish which laptop is "better". Find the processor/graphics card name and then compare them to these websites. I would recommend to browse around for a week at least before finalizing your purchases
http://www.notebookcheck.net /Mobil....2436.0. html
http://www.notebookcheck.net /Mobil...ist.844.0.html
Any hard drive size is fine. You should have an external anyways to back things up. 4GB ram is kind of the minimum standard on laptops these days.

4) Other things to consider about a laptop
i)Weight
You don't want to be carrying a brick. Larger batteries, larger screen size, larger motherboards, etc all account for weight affecting portability and size. Usually higher end laptops are heavier
ii) Battery Life
You want batteries to last as long as possible. Keep in mind the more powerful your graphics card and video processor is, the more power it will consume meaning shorter battery life. Also, the battery technology can't keep up with the power consumption of hardware. Important note is battery quality degenerates over the years. If the battery life isn't that great that's ok. You should always have a charger on you in case your battery is low. When studying in library, BRING A POWER BAR POSSIBLY EXTENSION CORD TOO, not every table has outlets -__-
iii) Screen size
How much do you want to see? Some people are ok with tiny screens (netbooks) which are ultra portable but I can barely see anything. My standard is minimum 15". Another option at home is to hook your laptop up to a monitor with a VGA cable (or just use a desktop)
iv) USB Ports
How many do you have? Many devices are usb dependent. Having more usb ports is always a perk. If it comes as USB 3.0 then great since hardware is slowly transitioning to USB 3.0
v) Optical Drive
Obviously you're going to have a CD drive. Do you watch Blu-Rays? If so, make sure your optical drive is Blu-Ray compatible
vi) Built in webcam/mic
Usually the laptop mic/webcam is really bad. Low megapixel, poor microphone quality (echoey). Most people just use the built in one. If you want an upgrade, go to your local PC store for an HD webcam with built in mic or USB microphone or a headset.

5) Mac or PC?
A heavily controversial topic. The underlying fact is Macs are generally more expensive for the hardware they give. Whether it is worth it and other features that Mac offers which I don't know about is up to you. Warning: there are some programs in some programs that work only on windows (Inventor for engineering is the first one that pops up in mind). You can still duel boot OS on a Mac, bootcamp or ask other Mac users how to do get past it.

6) Does branding matter?
At the end of the day, everything is made in China. It comes down to how well it was built and the level of components that come with it. Most likely, every computer will run into a problem eventually. People have their own brand loyalty and can choose to follow their own or listen to others. Mine are Asus, MSI, (Lenovo is ok). I would never get an HP, Acer (people argue about this), Compaq, Toshiba (model dependent) or Dell.

Final Thoughts
Laptops are great in University but not a must. It is good on campus to bring to library and study with your friends but if you study at home a desktop will suffice bringing more power:cost efficiency. You just need a laptop to survive through the years of university. You also don't want to blow your whole wallet on a laptop since hardware prices can drop fast and technology improves quickly over the years.

Reserved for future editing.

Any laptop will do. Simple.

Over the next few posts I will attempt to give a full run down on intel processors: describing the exact features and how to differentiate those features by only looking at the name of the processor. Why is this important? Because the processor is the most important part of your computer and THE HARDEST TO UPGRADE. These posts may be especially useful to those you want a Mac, Dell, lenovo or other Computer that allows you to customize the components within the computer you are buying.

Contents:
i) Distinguishing Performance
ii) Performance features explained
iii) Mobile, Desktop, Extreme, Low Voltage, ULV??
iv) The model number and how to distinguish features by looking at it

Intel divides their processors into performance classes as shown above with Celeron being the lowest and i7 being the highest. Other branding you may here is “Extreme” which is usually a 6-core overlocked i7 and Xeon which is designed for business/server applications. One simple rule: AVOID Celeron and Pentium class computers. The absolute minimum you will want is a core i3. Celeron processors are rebranded i3/i5 processors with manufacturing errors and have significantly lower performance. Pentium processors, as the name suggests, are based on the now antiquated (and low performance) Pentium architecture. A VERY IMPORTANT thing to know about intel processors: The sockets tend to change with every (or every second) generation that comes out. This means you will have to upgrade both the motherboard AND the processor in the future if you want a substantial upgrade in performance! Ie with intel get the BEST processor you can for your budget!

Core i3:
The core i3 is the baseline performance lineup of intel’s modern consumer processors. The i3 processors are typically found in ultra-budget computers. These would include laptops in the $250-$500 range and the occasional desktop. Typically you only want to use these for basic web browsing and a little bit of email and office.

-Dual core (desktop and laptop)
-Hyperthreading (2 threads per core)
-No- turbo boost
-3MB cache
-1.2 – 2.66 GHz clock speed (3.4GHz desktop)


Core i5:
The core i5 processor is intel’s most sold processor and the one that will most likely power your future computer. A core i5 is a substantial upgrade in performance over the core i3 and is still quite inexpensive. These processors are for the mainstream user you don't use ultra-intensive programs like CAD or video editing and still want their computer to be somewhat fast in a few years

-All dual core for laptops; Mostly quad core for Desktops.
-Hyperthreading (yes on latops, limited on desktops)
-turboboost (1.0 and 2.0)
-3MB cache (laptop) ; 3-6MB (desktop)
-1 -2.8 GHz clock speed (3.6 GHz desktop)

Core i7 + Extreme:
The core i7 is the highest performing set of processors available on consumer PCs. Available with all of intel’s technology, large amounts of cache, and higher clock speeds these processors deliver performance…but at a fairly large monetary cost. You typically only need one of these if you want to “futureproof” your laptop, love multimedia, or use power user programs such as video editing or Cad software.

-Mostly Quad core for laptops and desktops. Some dual core on laptops and some hexacores in desktops
-Hyperthreading and turboboost 2.0 in all available.
-4-8MB Cache ; (up to 15 in desktops)
-1.6-3.6 Ghz clock speeds.


So what does that all mean? Most people have no idea what cache or hyperthreading are. Rather they are focused on the number of cores or the clock speed. However getting the best processor for you requires you to understand everything. See the next post for this understanding.

Number of Cores:
The number of cores will tell you how much workload your computer can endure. Ingeneral a quad core processor will have better performance than a dual core. However how much? The problem is many programs still are not efficient at handling anything more than single core. Also if doing basic office and web browsing adding more cores will make little difference. However some processor intensive programs such as games, CAD, and video editing are often good at using everything available. One thing to keep in mind though is that each new operating system (Mac, PC and mobile) has gotten significantly better at handling multi core processors, even for basic applications.

Hyperthreading: The number of threads
Before multicore existed the concept of a single core efficiently handling more than one task was devised: hyper threading. You can think of hyperthreading as a software solution to multicore, which is a hardware solution. While not quite as effective as adding another core, hyperthreading is still very effective and doubles (no matter how many cores you have) the number of tasks a processor can handel at any given moment. In fact hyperthreading is the number one reason to upgrade to a core i7 processor from a core i5 processor when you have a desktop. Hyperthreading is pretty much standard on laptops but is more effective as you have more cores (ie more effective with more expensive processors)

Cache:
You always hear people say “get more RAM”. Well cache has a similar purpose in processors. RAM minimizes the usage of a hard drive (or SSD). Cache (which is MUCH faster than RAM) minimizes the access of RAM for bits of data that are basically accessed all the time by the CPU. Basically you want the most amount of RAM possible and this is why Core i7’s can outperform i5’s. One thing to keep in mind: you can replace RAM anytime (except MBP retina) but you cant upgrade cache without upgrading the processor! So if you see an upgraded processor on a Mac, Dell, Lenovo customized page that has 6MB cache instead of 4MB cache and the price difference is not a lot (personal so I wont say how much a lot is) the GET IT.

Turbo- Boost:
Turbo-boost is available on all models of core i5 and core i7. What it essentially does is maximize performance and minimize battery drainage all at the same time. How? Simply the processor runs at a low base speed (for usage like web browsing) but when you demand more speed (by launching an application or running intensive processes) then the processor automatically up-scales its clock speed by usually 1GHz or so. This means you get the performance you need while only using the battery you require.

Clock Speed (...GHz)
Clock speed is what most people seem to know: the higher the better. To be exact however: within the exact same series of processors, the higher the better. This is where you have to be careful. A 2.0 GHz core i3 would absolutely destroy a 3.0 GHz pentium. Ill explain generations of processors later but remember to be careful.

Intel has many types of processors that are mostly distinguished by voltage. From lowest to highest they are:

Mobile:
UM (ultra low voltage) -> ultrabooks
LM (low voltage) -> ultrabooks + super thin/high battery laptops
M (mobile) -> typical laptop: low to high performance
QM (quad core mobile) -> use more energy than dual core "M" varients

Desktop:
T -> dektop, lower voltage
(nothing) -> desktop standard
S -> performance higher voltage
P -> performance, integrated graphics disabled
k -> desktop, easily overclockable
X -> extreme performance.

The lower the voltage, the lower the performance. Many of the ULV processors approach both the battery consumption and the performance of some of the newer cell phone processors. Desktop and extreme processor on the other hand tend not to care about power drain at all and area maximized for performance. Mobile processors are the in between, a balance.

The following are intel model numbers:
i7-2635QM
i7-3667U
i5-3570K
i3-2130

They can be split as following:
i7-2635QM
[i7] [2] [635] [QM]
[performance class] [generation] [model] [voltage/other signifier]

Ive already talked about performance classes(i,ii) and voltages (iii). The model is usually simple: the higher the better. The middle designation, directly after the i3,i5,i7 is the generation number and will a 1, 2 or 3.

[1]: Nehalem
You are unlikely to see these now but they were the first of the core iX series which promised massive performance upgrades over the core2duo series. They are built on a 45 nanometer scale.

[2]: Sandy Bridge
These processors will make up the majority of the computers you see now. Sandy Bridge is a die shrinkage of nehalem from 45nm to 32 nm. This means both better battery life and better performance. In general Sandy Bridge (2nd generation) processors offer between 10 and 20% performance increase over previous technologies while offering substantially better battery life. They also include an integrated GPU directly on the CPU (rather than separately on the GPU) which was called the intel integrated graphics 3000. The HD 3000 offers decent graphics performance but will leave you highly disappointed if you like to game on anything but ultra low resolution.

[3]: Ivy Bridge
These processors were first introduced in Jan 2012. They use a different architecture entirely over Sandy Bridge. They use 3D trigate transistors and have an upgraded integrated graphics HD4000. the die has also been reduced to 22nm. The actual processor has little performance upgraded (5% roughly). However due to the more "3D" nature of the transistor technology, this generation uses noticeably less power (ie more battery life) for the same performance. Where the biggest difference is though is the integrated graphics. Some benchmarks show up to a 70% increase in GPU performance over 2nd gen Sandy Bridge models.

So do you upgrade to 3rd generation processors? IF you want a desktop and are putting in a dedicated graphics card then dont bother. If you are getting a laptop with a dedicated card then it depends on a cost to battery life ratio which is up to you. If using a laptop with integrated graphics or an ultrabook then i would recommend getting third generation. A final thing to consider is that Ivy bridge processors use a new motherboard socket that will have better support for usb 3.0 which is a nice benefit.

Good guide. As a long-time Mac user (actually never owned a PC), I'd like to add that compatibility with Windows is becoming less and less of an issue every year and what you can't run on OS X, you can run on Boot Camp (or Parallels, Fusion or VirtualBox).

Also, I have never used Autodesk Inventor since Eng 1C03 was still using SolidEdge when I took it, but it looks like it's available in some form (Fusion?) for Mac:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/autod...29580720?mt=12

I just want to second the whole "Gaming Laptops are a terrible idea" point from the first post. Gaming Desktop + cheap netbook/notebook for note taking is usually cheaper and will perform better.

Also, qwerty, your "Distinguishing Performance" section is accurate for laptops, but completely off base for Desktop CPUs.

I think you guys are all going way off on this. The post is called buying a laptop for "university". You need something that you can open pdfs, take notes on, browse the net, send emails, and depending on your program use some specialty applications (which arguably is not necessary since you can go to a computer lab or library and use the computers there).

So if the question is which laptop for university, processor speed, ram, hdd space, or even OS really doesn't matter since even a smartphone, netbook, or Nexus 7/iPad could get the job done.

Seriously, if you went out and purchased any brand new laptop you can find at a store, it will surely be enough for "university" needs.

Now if you plan on gaming or doing intensive video/photo editing and such, that's a whole different topic.

@zango which is exactly why I made separations. People do stuff in their free time or in their required courses which actually do require more processing power. Each person has a different usage level so the post is trying to encompass all the combinations out there. Some people are also not knowledgeable so knowing this info during a purchase gives them a bit of peace of mind and buying knowledge

The people who will need the extra processing power most likely (or should) know exactly what they need.

Not all do. Regardless this thread had info that I didn't even know about. There's always someone who knows more.

Will there be a lot of laptops with touch screens come October, due to the release of Windows 8? I haven't seen any confirmed products that will be on the market yet :(