Laptops have come a long way from those boxy, briefcase-sized prototypes you may have grown up with. And while there are still some work-horse models out there built for rugged use and hard-shocks, there are also the sleek, matte --ahem, airy-looking models... airy, geddit?-- that are so thin you could slide them into a large manila folder and they could pass for a year-end accounting report.

So why a laptop?

• You can carry it wherever you need to go. Period.
• You're used to a laptop.
• You're a mobile worker, and you need to have a computer that can go with you as a partner, not a side-kick.
  

At this point, laptops are just portable desk-tops with smaller monitors and a comparatively higher price tag. Student, mainstream, business and gaming, there's a laptop for every need and and every budget ( there are outlets for refurbished ones too, just so you know.)

Sidenote: Are you getting a laptop as is, or are you getting it to replace an older desktop? If your current set-up is still reliable or viable, you may still be able to turn it into a family internet terminal, or gut the casing and make it a home server, or keep it as a back-up repository, with an additional hard drive and a few modifications. Just a suggestion to maximize and take care of the resources you already have, is all. Craftiness and  ingenuity  counts as well as thriftiness.

Back to basics: who's the end-user, what does he intend to use it for, where, etc. and how much?

Student loans and skyrocketing tuition fees are reasons enough to push students --heck,rising costs affect everyone else, too--to stay within a tight budget, while still requiring a reliable unit that a) can handle reasonably heavy processing and b) still be comfortable to work on for long periods. It's a good thing, then, that advances in tech and production have caused laptop prices to drop considerably in the last few years, so you're very likely to get a very good laptop without breaking the bank.

Again: Focus on the specifics, not the specifications. No point in getting all heated up over a purchase (albeit an important one) that will depreciate in value over its lifespan. Know what you need, prepare the funds, and accept the sunk cost when you buy what you've picked out.

For what it's worth, the 14-15-inch range is probably where you can find the sweet spot between price, portability and performance. It's big enough to provide a reasonable and comfortable view-space without having to up the weight by much. The appeal of a bigger screen palls when you have to hoof it between buildings on campus, or when your back (and shoulders) begin protesting, even with the support of a good carrying case. Ultra-portables, the super-thin supermodels of laptops, also come with super-prices.

Another plus to this size is that the 15-inch models aren't as restricted as netbooks when it comes to internal components and even keyboard size. They offer more powerful computing at a larger screen size and an acceptable weight gain. But if you want to go lower, there are lots of 13 inch models too. Go with the mainstream specs of 2 GB of RAM (which can ably support Windows XP, Vista and 7 or your OS of choice) as well as an Intel Core 2 Duo, or Pentium Dual Core, AMD Turion X2, or Turion Ultra processor. Hard-drives space is cheap to produce, the smallest you can get nowadays is 120- 160GB, with some reaching 320 GB or even 500 now (for a little extra cost. Also, don't forget the many free and paid online storage services where you can upload those very important files for access-from-anywhere-privileges.)
   

For business purposes, laptops are generally the go-to-guys, being easier to handle and maintain, having their own power source in case of outages, as well as being less expensive and much more powerful than they were just  2-3 years back. Some well-known manufactures have added value to their business-laptop lines by increasing their machines' durability and shock-proofing, as well as incorporating ramped up security measures like facial and fingerprint-recognition features, as well as tracking software that can trigger a lock-down the computer once a specific signal has been sent.

If your work involves photo/video editing or 3D modeling, you'd be better off getting a unit with a dedicated graphics card. Just be prepared for a bigger drain on the battery, because those things use up more juice than integrated graphic cards. For regular app use, stick with the integrated graphics. Boost performance and stability by getting more RAM (2-4 GB) if your work demands a lot of applications open at the same time, as well as getting a powerful processor. As for screen size, it's your call. Just be prepared to handle the weight and the corresponding price increase.

Now, if you intend to use your laptop for home entertainment -- light gaming, high-def vid-viewing (karaoke sing-alongs...), you'll need to step a bit out of the budget-laptop category. 2GB RAM is still good, but the processor has to be at least a dual-core to handle the load, and you'll need bigger storage to contain your media (or get a dedicated high-volume media-storage external HD), plus a dedicated graphics card for the gaming bit. As a home entertainment system, weight considerations aren't as high as a priority, unless you keep switching locations mid-feature, which is another thing entirely.

Sidenote: Buying Refurbished
Just as they're named, refurbished laptops are used and/or returned, or previously defective laptops that have been re-tuned and repaired for resale. With research and the right vendor, it’s also possible to find premium-brand laptops at reasonable prices. By buying from an accredited vendor or from a manufacturer's outlet, you get a warranty with your purchase. Granted, the warranty is usually shorter, generally from 3-6 months, but that gives you enough time to road-test your unit and suss out any still-hidden or unnoticed defects so you can return it.




Kidding aside, portability is a factor that doesn't apply to desktops, so  the premium you would have paid for a laptop's portability can now be carried over to a desktop. Haven't you ever noticed that for the price of a lot of main-stream laptops you can get a more robust desktop for the same amount ? Again, you skip the price for being able to carry around your computer.

So why stay with or get a desktop?

• You don't need to move around when you're computing. You work at home.
• You have a clean, neat corner or dedicated workspace where to place your desktop.
  
• You prefer to stay in one place while you work, so you can focus and shut out distractions.
• You share a computer with the family, and you want it in a place where you can monitor the kids using it, like a corner of the living room, for example.
• Your preferred set up needs a lot of monitors and desk space, so you need a system that makes that set-up possible. A laptop with an 17" screen is okay, but for the price you can DIY your system, add extra RAM and internal hard disks, and get a bigger monitor.

Desktops can be customized and upgraded to a greater extent that laptops, due to limitation in laptop size, and bigger casings for desktops. There are also sub-categories in the desktop clan, what with slim-line desktops (smaller, thinner and sleeker) and the newer all-in-one desktops, with the brainpower, storage and the monitor in one single unit. You can start with the suggested specs for laptops above and carry them over in your desktop search. With the price disparity, you can get more processing power and screen-size for your money.