Processor
The processor is the 'brain' of the laptop computer and dictates how fast in can process information. The processor speed is measured in Megahertz and Gigahertz with one Gigahertz equalling 1000 Megahertz. The processor speed is usually abbreviated like 2.6Ghz which would mean that the processor ran at two Gigahertz and six hundred Megahertz.

The faster the processor is the faster the laptop will be! So if you are running demanding applications then a faster processor is best but if you are only using the laptop for light tasks like word processing or browsing the Internet then a fast processor is not so important. And the laptops with faster processors are usually more expensive and so the cheap laptops often have a slower processor speed so if you are looking to buy a cheap laptop then a slower processor may be necessary.

There are only two main manufacturers of processor (and not so long ago there was only one!) which are Intel and AMD. They both offer great processors and so the brand choice is not so important but some people prefer Intel or AMD if they have used those processors before and found them to be fast.

Memory
The memory is what the laptop computer uses to store data that it is processing and the more the laptop has the better. This is because if the computer does not have enough memory for the data that it is processing then it will have to slow down and wait for more memory to become available so it does not matter how fast your processor is as if you run out of memory the laptop will have to slow down.

The memory of a laptop computer is measured in Megabytes (MB) and Gigabytes (GB) with there being around 1000 Megabytes in a Gigabyte. The memory of a laptop is often stated like 512MB and that is a nice amount of memory, most of the cheap laptops have half of that memory at 256MB which is OK for light applications and you can also buy laptops with 1GB and over for a very fast and powerful computing experience.

Hard Disc Drive
The hard disc drive (HDD) is what the computer uses to store data like your saved files and installed applications and games. The hard disc drive stores the information permanently (until you delete it) and so it can fill up fast and especially if you are installing lots of games and applications or storing lots of media files such as MP3's and videos.

So it is always best to have a large hard disc drive to store your files and they are measured in Gigabytes (GB). The larger the HDD is the better really as you can never have too much space but we would recommend at least 40GB as many new games require several Gigabytes to install.

Battery Life
If you wish to travel with your laptop or not have it plugged into the mains all of the time then a long battery life is essential. It is measured in hours but is only a rough guide as there are so many variables that can affect the battery life such as how fast the laptop is running. There are processors that are designed to save battery life and laptops that are set up to conserve battery power very well so if the battery life is very important to you then look out for these efficient laptops.

LCD Screen
The LCD screen is the display for your laptop and so having a good quality LCD screen is very important. Look for LCD screens that are widescreen and so great for viewing movies and games and also look for LCD screens that deal well with bright conditions as some LCD screens reflect light badly and are a nightmare to use outside. The best screen are the very dark ones and often feature the word 'black' in their name and these are better in bright conditions.

Wireless
A wireless connection is a must for any laptop and most now have the wireless feature. There is not much difference between the laptops when it comes to wireless so as long as it has a wireless connection you should be OK. To use a wireless laptop connection you will need a wireless router though which transmits the wireless signal all over your home, some broadband connections come with a free wireless router or you can buy one quite cheaply.

CD/DVD Drive
The drive that the laptop uses is important if you wish to burn CD's or DVD's as some have the re-writing capability and some do not. So if you wish to burn CD's or DVD's then a re-writer is essential but if you just wish to use standard CD's and DVD's then any DVD drive will be fine as they can all read CD's.