Laptops: Decisions, Decisions, Decisions
By Ed Duncan, Consultant, SBSC, MCSE, MCSA
My favorite type of computer has always been the laptop. Trying to shop for a laptop today is almost like shopping for a car. There are so many models out there that trying to pick one can be a difficult 
decision. Shopping for a laptop is not like shopping for a desktop or server. Desktops are so customizable that your decision really comes down to the size you want: tower, small form factor, or compact. For servers, the decision is more about how is it going to be stored that determines the type to purchase: stand-alone, rackmount, or blade. Laptops are unique in that people tend to base their decision on their personal style of working. Manufacturers have picked up on this and have flooded the market with many different models. Let's go over a few of them.
Business class
These are the workhorses of the industry, and the most widely used model on the market. The model as the name implies is used by businesses and are ideal for running business applications. The performance of these computers is on par with desktops, and when you add a port replicator or docking station, you may have a hard time distinguishing it from a desktop. Most models come with large hard drives and at least 2GB of Ram as standard. They also come with a variety of ports for connecting many types of devices and peripherals. A built in writeable DVD drive is also usually standard.
Pros: Dependable, reliable, large screen and keyboard
Cons: Short battery life, bulky, most weigh over 5lbs
Ideal for: Business professionals
Netbooks
Netbooks have become very popular in recent months because of their small size and low price. Performance is not as great as a business class laptop, but a price tag around $500 is hard to beat. They are popular among the Linux crowd, and if you want to run Windows, most experts will recommend installing XP instead of Vista because of the hardware requirements.
Pros: Inexpensive, lightweight, longer battery life
Cons: Performance, low memory, small screen
Ideal for: Students
Ultrathin
These laptops have been stripped down to basically a keyboard and a screen. Forget about connecting multiple devices, because you are limited to very few ports, usually one for an external DVD drive. Performance is surprisingly fast on most models, and since the processor is low voltage, overheating is not an issue.
Pros: Very thin and lightweight, long battery life
Cons: Very expensive, fragile
Ideal for: Constant traveler
Tablet PC
Tablet pcs were the talk of the town when first introduced years ago, but never really took off due to the rise of PDAs and smart phones. The main selling point of the tablet pc was being able to scribble and take notes quickly, but you could do that on most PDAs which were the fraction of the size and cost of a tablet pc. Despite that, tablet pcs are still around and have a niche market that it caters to. Performance is comparable to most business class notebooks, and prices have been coming down due to their low popularity.
Pros: Handwriting recognition; sizes vary, some as small as a netbook
Cons: Fragile at hinges, expensive but prices are dropping
Ideal for: Engineers, Field Technicians
Rugged
These laptops were designed for outdoor use and rough environments. They are stronger and more durable than the standard laptop, and can withstand being dropped, having liquid spilled on it, and the elements. Of course, the extra protection and thicker skin comes at a price. These laptops are heavier, more expensive, and performance tends to be slower than the standard laptop.
Pros: Reliable, durable
Cons: Heavy, bulky, expensive
Ideal for: Military, Construction workers
Home Entertainment
The merging of TV and computer brings us the latest evolution of home entertainment. Currently, desktops and gaming consoles dominate this space, but now multimedia laptops with standard Blu-ray drives, built-in TV tuner port, video recorder, 4GB or more of memory, and huge hard drives are moving into the mainstream. These laptops come with large high definition widescreen displays, and high end audio chips for serious sound. They also have high performance video processors for the gamers and video enthusiasts alike.
Pros: Serves as TV, gaming console, and computer; extreme performance
Cons: Heavy, bulky, can get expensive
Ideal for: Gamers, Small family