Choosing and buying a portable computer (laptop, notebook, netbook)

Choose a portable computer according to the work you do and your own individual requirements
What will you be using your portable computer for?
- Writing documents, image processing, creating presentations... Think about this and ask in the shop what tasks or functions the different models are best suited for.
- You can also find more on the manufacturer’s website, where you’ll find lots of good tips.
- Also have a think about other requirements, e.g. whether you need a built-in webcam, microphone or speakers.
 
Use your computer on the road? Think lightweight!
- Bear in mind the weight if you’re going to be travelling a lot with your portable computer. Of course, having a small, lightweight computer is good when it comes to mobility – but do consider the downsides of having a small display and keyboard as well! The smaller your computer, the less time you should sit focusing on and working with it. It’s often the case that small, portable computers also have fewer connections and inbuilt components, so DVD drives and video outputs are separate components that have to be connected up by USB. Spend some time trying to find a balance between size, weight and the various readers and outputs you’ll need when you use the computer. Buying what’s known as a USB hub will allow you to connect additional peripherals to your computer via the USB port when you need to.

- A netbook (also known as an ultraportable laptop, mini PC, etc.) is a small, portable computer with a display around 6 to 10 inches in size. These machines are primarily designed for surfing the Internet, e-mail and suchlike. For these tasks, a netbook is sufficient and might seem tempting, not least as regards the price. However, we certainly wouldn’t recommend one of these for long periods of computer work. The performance of a netbook is often limited, but it might well be perfectly sufficient for anyone who needs a netbook to write up brief meeting notes, surf the ’Net or blog.

- If you’re going to use your portable computer on your travels, the hardware should be sufficiently robust.
- If you travel a lot, choose a light carrying case in a practical rucksack design with broad shoulder straps. If the bag and computer weigh more than 5 kg, you should use a trolley with large wheels.

Go desktop – with a suitable workstation
- At your workstation, try and make sure you connect your computer to a standard desktop display which has better visual ergonomics than a portable display.
- You should also be able to attach a separate keyboard with good ergonomic properties.
- Another option is to use a docking station.

Use a portable computer as a desktop computer
If you’re going to use your portable computer as a desktop computer, check it has the following connectors:
- 1 USB port for a mouse
- 1 USB port for an external keyboard
- 1 USB port for a flash drive
- 1 VGA port for connecting an external display

Alternatively, an external USB hub, as they’re known, can help you to connect up all of these peripherals at the same time.
One good alternative to using a mouse, joystick or trackpad is to connect what’s known as a centred control device (type Roller Mouse, Mouse Trapper or similar). This control device allows you to work freely with both hands. This avoids the risk of working on one side only, which is often the case when you use a mouse, for instance. 

What about performance?
- Have a think about what applications you’ll be using on your computer. Choose the right kind of RAM and CPU speed to meet your needs. See the Facts box.

Does it have an earth contact?
- An earth contact keeps electrical fields to a minimum as long as the wall plug is also earthed. TCO-certified portable computers always come supplied with earth contacts, and the electromagnetic fields are tested and meet stringent requirements: TCO Certified.

Is it environmentally friendly?
- Some new portable computers have background lighting using LEDs instead of the standard tubes. LEDs are preferable from an environmental standpoint as they don’t contain mercury and are considerably more energy-efficient. LEDs also have a much longer service life than ordinary tubes.
 
- There are also lots of other demands to be made, stipulating that the computer and its packaging have to be free from harmful heavy metals and flame retardants, have low power consumption or be prepared for recycling, as well as being produced by a manufacturer that holds environmental accreditation. One easy way to make sure that a large number of environmental requirements are met is to buy a TCO-labelled portable computer. All such computers are – for example – free from mercury and only contain LEDs as background lighting. You’ll also be getting a product where the manufacturer is working actively to improve working conditions throughout the entire production process for the people who manufacture computers TCO Certified.

Vent location
- Check where the vents are on your portable computer. It’s better if they’re on the back of the product and not underneath it, as shown in the illustration, so that air flow isn’t restricted by the underlying surface.
The location of the vents affects the amount of heat generated, which in turn may affect your computer’s noise level and battery life. 

 

Heat generation
- Some portable computers are made from metal or plastic that can withstand fairly high temperatures, which may be perceived as a problem if you work with your computer on your lap.

Noise level
Here’s an easy way to test the volume on your computer:
- Cover the vents briefly and allow the fan to run at top speed.
- Search the word "and" in all files and folders on the computer to hear what your hard disk sounds like when it’s working at top speed.
TCO-labelled portable computers always have very low noise levels.

How much battery life does the computer have?
- Some portable computers allow the user to choose from "performance mode" and "stamina mode". Stamina mode means that the computer uses less power and battery life is extended. If, for example, your computer has two graphics cards, it automatically chooses to use the simpler integrated card instead of the high performance graphics card, which uses vast amounts of power.

Portable computer – keyboard and mouse

How does the mouse behave?
- Does the computer keyboard have a joystick or trackpad? Have a think about which you prefer to work with. Check that you’re comfortable with how you’re working if you don’t have an ordinary mouse connected.



What’s the layout of your keyboard and touchpad like?
- A lot of portable computers have a touchpad directly beneath the keyboard which you use to control the cursor. Do you touch it by mistake when you’re typing on the computer? If so, your cursor will wander all over the screen when you’re typing. This could result in unwanted highlighting, deletion and scrolling.
- Try out this function on the product you’re planning to buy. Try out the function with various settings (fast – slow) adjusted in the computer’s control panel.

Keyboard contrast
A keyboard should be easy to read under varying kinds of light conditions. The contrast should be good enough for the reader to be able to read the characters on the keyboard. A TCO-labelled computer offers good character contrast.
 

CD-ROM?
- It’s handy if the CD-ROM drive and hard disk are easy to remove. This will allow you to buy and install upgrades without technical assistance.

Shutdown functions?
- Check whether the keyboard has the functions you want. There should be a separate button which will allow you to enable/disable wireless networking and Bluetooth as these use a lot of power and may sometimes pose a security hazard when they’re enabled. It’s handy to be able to disable these by pressing a button instead of having to go via several Windows menus.

Portable computer display

How good is the image quality?
- The luminance you prefer to work with should be lower than the computer’s maximum. The computer’s light capacity will diminish as the computer ages.
- Find out whether you can change the brightness of your portable computer. Check whether the function is easy to locate and use.
- There are lots of parameters to describe good image quality; resolution, contrast, luminance and colour uniformity over the screen, colour reproduction, the ability of the display to show different greyscales and black elements not appearing grubby are just a few examples of requirements and measurements included in TCO’s monitor labelling of portable computers. 

Matt or glossy display?
If you’re going to be using your portable computer for ordinary work, choose one with a matt display. A nice, shiny screen might look nice, but remember that a glossy surface will give off reflections and flashes which might tire out your eyes after a time. 

In some environments, a glossy display might actually be better than a matt one, such as when working on tasks demanding excellent colour reproduction or when using the computer outdoors in bright conditions.

Find out more:
Advice on choosing and buying portable computers
Advice on using a portable computer
Advice on disposing of an old portable computer
Advantages of a TCO-labelled notebook