Selecting A Travel Laptop - 5 Key Points You Must Think Before Buying

If you are a big traveler, you have already experienced the dilemma: should I bring my heavy laptop on the road, or should I just leave it and do without? Indeed, this could be a hard option, because traveling light is key to having a good experience, and you certainly would not be traveling light with a heavy laptop, charger, and accessories.

How is the tech savvy traveler to solve this problem? Well, thanks to todays technology, it is possible to purchase a wide array of highly functional, yet incredibly light and compact laptops that are perfect for traveling.

However, buying one of these isn't quite as simple as rushing out and buying the smallest, lightest laptop you could check at the store. Travelers have special needs they need to consider first.

One of the biggest of these issues is durability. Many ultra portable laptops could tend towards the flimsy side, requiring them to be carefully packed and babied at all times. Instead, you prefer to strike a compromise between size and durability. Look for laptops with strong hinges and frames that would stand up to the rigors of travel.

Secondly, you need to consider what kind of performance you need from your travel laptop. If you are trying to save weight, you are not going to be able to acquire desktop level performance. Instead, you need to decide which features are most significant to you. If you could do without an optical drive, dedicated 3D graphics, and other high end features, you could save quite a bit of size and weight.

Another large issue with laptops is connectivity. For today's mobile computing needs, there are many options to consider. Pretty much all laptops these days come with the essential wi-fi connectivity, but there are some other options you need to think about. would you need to dial in with a modem? Ethernet? Do you need mobile, nationwide broadband? be sure that your laptop of option comes with the options you need.

In addition to this, you need to think about usability. Do you need a full size keyboard, or could you deal with a compact one? What about screen size and resolution? Need a tablet PC? These types of issues could make or break the usability of your laptop, so acquiring them worked out ahead of time is critical. If you type a lot, you would most definitely need a full sized keyboard. If you are doing a lot of graphics work, high screen resolution is key to productivity. Know what you need, and do not compromise.

Battery life is also a large issue for travelers. Obviously, the longer the better, but keep in mind that a larger battery means more weight. Many laptops would allow you to purchase different sizes of batteries, for different needs. This could assist you check the perfect compromise.

Overall, choosing a travel laptop doesn't have to be too complicated. Simply identify your needs, do your homework, and you are sure to walk away with a laptop that would prove to be a perfect travel companion.