Looking to purchase a laptop......?

It really depends on what you need it for.

However if you just need something that doesn't need to be updated for a couple of years.

Minimum of 1GB RAM.

Minimum of 100GB of HDD space for all your photo's and video stuff. It gets chewed up pretty quick.

Battery shouldn't be an issue unless you need to use your laptop constantly on the run.

I followed the following guidance offered by www.consumerreports.org. Ultimately i purchased a HP DV1240 and I am completely satisfied. I hope the following guidance works for you as well.

HOW TO CHOOSE

Decide if a laptop is right for you. If you're on a very tight budget and aren't cramped for space, a desktop computer may still be OK. Otherwise, consider a laptop.

Windows vs. Macintosh. Many people choose Windows because it's what they've always used. Apple's iBook will suit you if you're interested in photo editing, music, video, and other multimedia applications. Apple computers are also less susceptible to most viruses and spyware than Windows-based computers. The Apple PowerBook is relatively expensive as laptops go, however.

Buy à la carte. Dell and Gateway pioneered the notion that every computer can be tailored to an individual buyer's needs, much like choosing the options for a car. This configure-to-order model is now common practice for laptops as well as desktops.

You can also purchase a preconfigured computer off the shelf. (You can do the same online if you opt for the default choices of equipment the manufacturer offers.) That's fine if you don't have very strict requirements for how a laptop is outfitted or if you want to take advantage of an attractive sale.

Configure-to-order menus show you all the options and let you see how a change in one affects the overall price. You may decide to use a less-expensive processor, for example, but spend more for wireless capability or better graphics. Configure-to-order will often give you choices you won't get if you buy off the shelf. And configure-to-order means less chance of overlooking important details.

Downplay the processor speed. Speed is no longer the be-all of personal computers. For years, processors have delivered all the speed most people need. That's still very much the case. Spend the money on more memory instead. A Pentium 4 processor with a speed of 2.4 GHz and a Pentium M at 1.4 GHz earned the same speed score in our tests. The different types of chips now on the market make direct speed comparisons difficult.

Look closely at warranties and insurance. Get the longest manufacturer's warranty you can afford; many offer one or two years above the basic one-year warranty, for a price. If you intend to travel a lot, buy screen insurance from the manufacturer. If you take full advantage of the manufacturer's warranty and insurance, you won't need an extended warranty from the retailer.

my powerbook G4 is fantastic, get one of the new Apple laptops, they look great (get the large screen one.)

if you are going for pc, get something with pentium, at least a 4. My desktop has Pentium D in it, and that's really fast. But I don't know if they put that into a laptop -- try for the pentium M. Get at least 60 GB hard drive, preferably 100 GB. Screen size should be at least 15 inches. at least 512 MB RAM would be great -- 1GB if it's available for you. Not sure about the battery type. Good luck!

just go window shopping at different stores and ask the sales people questiona and once youve gone to a few different stores chose the best thing for you.

anything lower than $1000 at this point is worthless and not very good..if u want somethign that does it all