These days there are so many laptop and notebook options available that it’s hard to make an informed decision when it comes to buying one - but this guide will give you a broad overview of the different types.

Laptops / notebooks fall into five main categories based on size and functionality. In descending order, starting from the largest, these are:

Desktop replacement laptops

The heaviest and most cumbersome of laptops are those that fall into the desktop replacement category (as the name might suggest). They can weigh anywhere up to 6kg and have very large screens, often of 17-inches. Desktop replacement notebooks are not a great option if you travel around a lot due to their sheer size and limited battery life, however if you want a limited amount of portability with power approximate to a desktop PC then this is the laptop for you.

Best desktop replacement laptops include the Apple MacBook Pro, HP EliteBook and Dell Studio.

Mainstream laptops

Mainstream laptops are more portable than their desktop replacement counterparts, but still aren’t ideal if you are on-the-go all day, every day. They tend to have screens on the larger side (say, over 14 inches) and decent-sized keyboards. They are especially suited towards business users who require some portability, say, people who work from home occasionally.

Many people believe the best mainstream laptops are made by Toshiba, particularly those in the Toshiba Satellite range (pictured here is the L550 model).

Thin-and-light laptops

Sitting right in the middle of the notebook spectrum, thin-and-light laptops appeal to a broad range of users (and especially students) because of their balance between portability and features. Screen size is generally between 13- and 15-inches. If you’re on the fence about which type of laptop you require, mainstream is always a fail-safe choice for most uses.

Best thin-and-light laptops include the MacBook Air and the Lenovo ThinkPad.

Ultra-portable laptops

The second smallest class of notebooks - ultra-portable laptops - have much in common with the thin-and-light category, but tend more to the side of portability, thanks to their smaller size (most screens are under 12-inches) and slimmed-down features. Performance isn’t really that great a step up from netbooks (see below), making these laptops suitable for business people who travel a lot.

Best ultra-portable laptops include the Dell Inspiron and the Toshiba Portege.

Netbooks

Netbooks are the smallest category of laptop and are designed for basic web surfing and emailing but can’t really handle any heavy-duty tasks. Our netbook buying guide can help you make a decision on the best netbook if you’re looking to make a purchase in this category.

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Guide originally published October 15, 2009; updated July 15, 2010.

By Caroline Warnes

Forget laptops and notebooks: today, ultra-portable computing lies in the form of the netbook. Our buying guide will explain what they are and which one is right for you.

Netbooks explained

A netbook is an ultra-compact laptop designed for basic day-to-day functions such as emailing and surfing the web. Because of their basic functionality, netbooks are smaller, more portable and cheaper than full-sized laptops and notebooks. They can even be used for working from home if you use a lot of web-based applications in your daily work. However, if you tend to use a lot of software programs and applications that need to be installed on your actual computer, you will most likely find that a netbook isn’t the right portable computer for you.

Which netbook?

When it comes to purchasing a netbook, there isn’t a whole lot to get your head around - the difference between models aren’t that great. Most run off an Intel Atom processor and integrated graphics, so it’s up to you to decide what screen size you need, what type of storage and battery size.

Netbook storage

When it comes to storage, you can either get a netbook with a hard drive or SSD. Hard drive-based netbooks have much higher storage capacity, so this is desirable if you’re going to be storing a lot of larger files (video and music, for example). These netbooks are also easier to upgrade or replace.

Meanwhile, flash memory-based SSD netbooks offer less on-board storage, but are generally more shock-proof than their hard drive-counterparts and often have a better battery life.

Netbook battery life

Battery life can come into play, depending on how you intend to use the device. Netbooks come with either a 3-cell, 4-cell or 6-cell battery. A 3-cell battery will probably only keep you going for a couple of hours, while you could get up to six hours of use from a 6-cell battery.

Best netbooks

When it comes to netbook manufacturers, you’ll see the same names popping up that you would expect with standard-sized laptops and notebooks. One of the best known is the ASUS netbook - particularly the ASUS Eee PC netbook series (the Eee PC 1000 is pictured here). The HP Mini netbook series is also considered to be fairly reliable, as is the Dell Mini range of netbooks.

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Guide originally published June 3, 2009; updated July 1, 2010.

By Caroline Warnes

The upcoming Samsung N310 is yet another netbook that is a combination of basic functionality and slick design.

The fact of the matter is that netbooks are by definition basic, compact laptops that are used for tasks such as email and web browsing, so there isn’t a lot of wiggle room when it comes to features. One of the main areas in which netbooks can distinguish themselves is in terms of design, and that’s the route Samsung has taken with the N310.

The Samsung N310 was designed by renowned Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa and comes in black, orange, dark blue and light blue. It’s not the lightest netbook you’ll come across, but is still fairly portable, weighing in at just under 1.3kg.

Specifications of the Samsung N310 include a 10.1-inch screen with 1024×600 resolution, 802.11g Wi-Fi and three USB ports. It’s powered by an Intel Atom N270 processor.

Australian pricing for the Samsung N310 netbook will be confirmed closer to the release date.

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By Caroline Warnes

The Asus Eee 1008HA Seashell is a stylish netbook that will appeal to anyone looking for an ultra portable unit.

It’s clear that Asus has designed the Eee 1008HA Seashell with style in mind. As the name so obviously suggests, the design is inspired by the seashell, and it comes in either glossy white or black. It’s the small details that really make this such an appealing netbook, including the bevelled keys and tapered edges of the chassis as well as the 10-inch glossy screen (1024×600 resolution).

Portability is another key factor. Netbooks are by definition meant to be more portable than full-sized notebooks, but some models recently have been getting bigger. Not so the Asus Eee 1008HA Seashell. It weighs in at just over 1kg and is around 2.5cm across at its thickest.

Stylish looks and portability aside, the technology behind this netbook isn’t anything groundbreaking. Asus has equipped the Eee 1008HA Seashell with an Atom N280 processor and Windows XP as well as 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-FI (802.11n) and an SDHC port. All this is sufficient for basic web browsing and email. Life of the integrated lithium polymer battery is claimed at six hours, but this figure will be significantly less if you’re performing more intensive tasks, such as watching movies.

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By Caroline Warnes

Apple has updated its MacBook Pro range of notebooks, with the new range including 13-inch, 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro models.

The 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro is perhaps the most significant addition to the series. This basic aluminium unibody notebook was originally branded MacBook but has now been promoted to the Pro series, thanks to the sturdier metal construction and the addition of GeForce 9400M graphics.

It also includes a seven-hour built-in battery, an SD card slot, a FireWire 800 port and an improved LED-backlit display with 60% greater colour gamut, according to Apple.

The MacBook Pro 13-inch comes in two versions. The first features a 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive and is priced at $1899. The second comes with a 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive. This model is priced at $2399.

Changes to the 15-inch MacBook Pro have been minimal. It also features a seven-hour built-in battery and an SD card slot has been included. It comes in three models with Australian pricing ranging from $2699 up to $3699.

Meanwhile, the 17-inch MacBook Pro has also has some minor changes, most notable of which is a $500 price drop (down to $3999). Apple has decided not to swap the ExpressCard slot for an SD slot.

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By Caroline Warnes

If you’re looking for a portable and inexpensive notebook to be used primarily for accessing the Internet, then you need a netbook, such as the HP Mini 2140.

A netbook is ideal for light online activities like email and web browsing and the HP 2140 Mini doesn’t disappoint. Based on the popular HP Mini 1000 netbook, the Mini 2140 features a 25cm screen and an extremely intuitive keyboard, especially for anyone with bigger fingers - you’ll love the generous key size, despite the 2140’s compact form factor.

The HP Mini 2140 also boasts some features you’d expect to see on a fully fledged notebook rather than a netbook, especially when it comes to connectivity. HP has included an ExpressCard slot as well as two USB 2.0 ports as well as a VGA video connection, not to mention Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

The Mini 2140 comes with a 160GB hard drive, which is protected froom bumps and shocks by the 3D accelerometer.

The HP Mini 2140 netbook’s Australian pricing is $799.

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By Caroline Warnes

The Fujitsu LifeBook T2020 is the manufacturer’s latest tablet notebook PC and although it’s an outstanding performer, many will be deterred by the $3899 price tag.

Tablet notebooks - which are operated via a touchscreen and a stylus so you can write on the screen rather than by a keyboard and mouse, allowing greater portability and ease-of-use - are still not that common and thus do tend to be more expensive than traditional laptops and notebooks, however the Fujitsu LifeBook T2020 is still on the pricey side, even for a tablet.

What does recommend the T2020 at this price point is its built-in 3.5G functionality, offering even faster access to the Internet at speeds up to 7.2Mbps. However if you don’t require 3.5G connectivity you can save yourself $500 and pick the Fujitsu T2020 up for a more palatable $3399.

Other features include a screen that swivels both clockwise and anti-clockwise as well as excellent battery life, both necessities if you’re out and about a lot. It boasts an impressive 1.2-inch TFT screen which displays well in most environments, although you may have issues with glare in direct sunlight.

Fujitsu has also equipped the LifeBook T2020 with Windows Vista Business as well as some impressive behind-the-scenes grunt: an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of DDR3 800 SDRAM as well as a range of connectivity options. These include a D-sub port, two USB 2.0, FireWire, a 3-in-1 flash card reader and more, but unfortunately no HDMI.

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By Caroline Warnes

Apple has just unveiled its updated consumer desktop line, with improvements to the iMac and Mac Mini products.

All the new iMacs now come with a faster Intel Core 2 Duo processsor. The line starts with the 20-inch model, which comes with a 2.66 GHz processor, 2GB of memory, a 320GB hard drive and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics card. It retails for $1999.

The new 24-inch iMAc features a 1920×1200 pixel display, a 3.06GHz processor, 4GB of memory, a 1TB hard drive and graphics technology from NVIDIA and ATI. It retails for $2499.

Meanwhile, the tiny Mac Mini desktop (it measures just over 16cm square by 5cm deep) now comes in two models, with pricing starting from $1049. Specifications include a 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, up to 4GB of memory, up to 320GB hard drive, five USB 2.0 ports, FireWire and SuperDrive as well as shipping with an NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics card.

All the new models are available now.

Click here to find offers on Apple products from retailers near you.

By Caroline Warnes

Apple has unveiled an updated version of its largest laptop, the 17-inch MacBook Pro, which will be available in Australia at the end of the month.

The most significant improvement to the model is the extended battery life. Apple claims the new MacBook Pro will last for up to eight hours of use on a single charge, with each battery capable of 1000 recharges. The improvement was achieved by using lithium-polymer cells. This is more in line with comparable models from rivals such as HP and Dell.

The new 17-inch MacBook Pro is faster than its predecessor, having been upgraded to the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors. It’s also more suitable for multimedia work since it is equipped with the Nvidia GeForce 9400M integrated graphics processor and Nvidia 9600M GT processor, not to mention the glossy 1920×1200 display, built-in iSight video camera, three USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire port.

Apple claims the new MacBook Pro is the world’s thinnest and lightest 17-inch notebook. It measures less than 25mm in width and weighs just under 3kg.

It will retail for $4499 when it launches at the end of January.

Click here to search offers and buy Apple products from retailers near you.

By Caroline Warnes