A laptop is like a pet: you must pick out the right one for you or forever will it dominate your destiny with its demands. Think we’re being dramatic? Just wait and see. So we’ve prepared a comprehensive list of special laptop features so that you’ll know what to expect when you set out to buy one. Educating yourself on laptop features also protects you against unscrupulous salesmen who have no qualms about preying on technological innocents such as yourself.
Weight
Most laptops weigh between 3 - 8 pounds, with the majority coming in at just over 5 pounds. When you’re buying your laptop, ask yourself if you’ll often be taking it outside your house. If the answer is yes, you’ll want to buy a thinner, lighter laptop that will fit into your bag or briefcase. Maybe you can even attach it onto a chain and wear it around your neck for extra easy access (and as a snazzy fashion statement).
On the other hand, if your laptop is going to inhabit your room for the majority of its existence, you might want to consider investing in a laptop that has more features; it’ll be bulkier, but at least it won’t fly off your desk when a strong breeze blows through the window.
Size
The most common screen sizes on laptops are 12.1, 13.3, and 14.4 inches (although some really tiny laptops feature screens that are as small as 8.4 inches). Again, a tiny screen is appropriate for frequent travelers, but it’d be ideal to have a larger, squint-free screen if you’re willing to sacrifice convenience (and some extra bucks) to buy it.
Input devices
Instead of a hand-driven mouse, laptops come with other more cumbersome “input devices” for navigating a cursor around the screen. The good news is you can’t get carpal tunnel from them, but the bad news is that you just might go berserk trying to edit a 10-page paper. Keep in mind, though, that all laptops allow you to plug in a standard mouse if you so desire.
Touchpad
A touchpad is a square-shaped surface located below the space bar of a laptop keyboard. It is touch-sensitive and you navigate the screen by moving your finger around the box, as if you were drawing. The majority of laptops sport a touchpad as their input device. A touchpad can be a bit tough to get used to (you have to be careful not to let your thumb fall on it while typing, or it’ll move the cursor), but they work quite nicely.
Pointing stick or rubberized nipple. Sounds titillating, but this is one pointing stick (or nipple!) you’ll wish you never touched. This input device is a tiny rubber nub that sticks out of the keyboard right between the G, H, and B keys, and it responds to pressure from your index finger. So you navigate the cursor by applying pressure in the direction you want the arrow to go (sorta like a joystick). Sounds easy, but most people find pointing sticks very frustrating to use - the slightest touch causes the arrow to go flying across the screen. We suggest you go with the touchpad instead.