Here are the minimum requirements you should look for when shopping for a laptop computer for your home:

Processor speed - 2 GHz and up. (gigahertz: measures the microprocessor speed)

Memory - At least 256 MB of RAM (random access memory) installed

Hard drive - A 12 GB to 20 GB hard drive will provide you with plenty of storage for documents and low-resolution photos (the kind of photos you email). If you want to store lots of music files or high-resolution photos (the kind you print) on your laptop, you may want to consider a larger hard drive.

Screen size - Any size from 12" to 16" will work well for the home user

Weight - Anywhere from 5 lbs to 7 lbs

Battery Life - 2 to 4 hrs should be fine. Battery life is less important for the home users considering that the laptop will most likely remain plugged into a power outlet and not rely on the battery to function for long stretches of time.

Cost - Most laptops that are suitable for home use cost around $1,400 to $2,000, however, a perfectly adequate home laptop computer can be purchased for under $1,400.

Laptops for School

Since most students will be commuting with their laptops they'll need to look for a lightweight, yet durable, machine that is designed to absorb shocks from bumping and/or dropping the unit. Overall weight is also a crucial factor in deciding which laptop to buy. A convenient solution to help reduce weight is to look for a model that allows you to swap out or remove the drive components that you will not be actively using, such as a CD-ROM or floppy drive.

These days, students rely on the internet for research, downloading homework projects and email communication. It's essential to have a built-in wireless internet or Wi-Fi adapter to make it quick and convenient to connect to the internet via wireless "hot spots" on and around campus. Students might also consider items such as a CD or DVD burner for creating, sharing and storing important projects.

Here are the minimum requirements you should look for when shopping for a laptop computer for school:

Processor speed - 2 GHz and up

Memory - At least 256 MB to 512 MB of RAM installed

Hard drive - 40 GB to 60 GB

Screen size - Under 16" is recommended for maximum portability

Weight - 5 lbs and under

Battery Life - 4 to 5 hrs. Also consider buying an additional battery or "power brick" to provide double the amount of time you have between charging your battery.

Cost - A basic laptop computer for a student can start under $1,400. Faster laptops are usually priced from $1,400 to $2,000.

Laptops for Gaming

Gamers require laptops with faster processor speeds, large amounts of memory and top-of-the-line graphics capabilities. As a result, you can expect these machines to be more expensive than the standard business laptops.

For a good gaming experience, here are the minimum laptop computer requirements:

Processor speed - 2.5 GHz to 3 GHz or more. Look for Pentium 4, Athlon 64 or G4 processors, which will deliver the necessary performance required to run graphically intensive video games.

Memory - At least 512 MB of RAM installed

Hard drive - 60 GB and up

Screen size - 15" or larger. Also, check to see that the graphics card has at least 128MB of video memory.

Weight - This depends on how often you're planning to carry it with you. Obviously, the more you carry it, the lighter you'll want it to be. 5 lbs and under is optimal weight if you'll be carrying it frequently or for long distances.

Battery Life - This depends on how long you'll want to run your laptop between recharging your battery. You don't want to lose power in the middle of a game, so make sure your battery runs 4 to 5 hours and consider buying a backup battery. Obviously, a long battery life isn't as important if your computer will be plugged into a power outlet most of the time.

Cost - A faster processor and more memory cause a good gaming computer to be more expensive. Expect to pay over $2,000.

Laptops for Work

As a business professional, you'll need a laptop that can efficiently multi-task between spreadsheets and word processing documents while allowing you to display dazzling presentations. Internet connectivity is also a vital and necessary consideration for checking your email and staying in touch with the office while you're on the road or working from a remote location. You'll need a laptop that is lightweight and durable, built to withstand the abuse it will incur while traveling.

Here are the minimum requirements you should look for when shopping for a laptop computer for work:

Processor speed - 2 GHz to 2.5 GHz will work for general office software. If you'll be running many programs simultaneously, go with a 2.5 GHz or 3 GHz

Memory - 256 MB of RAM installed (512 MB for the more intensive business user)

Hard Drive - 40 GB (60 GB for the more intensive business user)

Screen size - 14" or larger. The size of the screen will affect the overall weight and portability of the laptop.

Cost - A typical business computer costs around $1,400 to $2,000 but for more intensive needs, which require more features, expect to pay over $2,000.

Important Terms

CD and DVD Drives

These allow you to play music and data CDs and DVDs. CD and DVD burners allow you to archive important files or make copies of music or movies.

CD drives are commonly called "CD-R" or "CD-RW". In "CD-R" the "R" stands for recordable, which means you can record or "burn" information onto a blank CD-R disc. In "CD-RW" the "RW" stands for re-writable, which means you can erase and re-record information onto a CD-RW disc. CD-RW discs often have trouble being read by music CD players, so if you're only planning to record music you should stick with the CD-R format. DVDs have greater storage capacity and also use the terms "R" and "RW" but "RW" is a little more confusing in their case because there isn't a single standard for recordable DVDs yet. There are currently "+RW" and "-RW" DVD formats available so be sure to buy the right kind of disc for your DVD drive. Some drives can handle both "+RW" and "-RW" formats and are often listed like this: "DVD±RW".

Hard drives

These are the primary storage units for your laptop. This is where your operating system and program data are stored. If you require additional storage space you can easily add an external hard drive to your laptop. Storage size is measured in GB (gigabytes).

Memory (RAM)

Random Access Memory (or "RAM") provides temporary read/write storage. It's often referred to as "virtual memory" and is measured in MBs (megabytes) or GB (gigabytes). Generally, the more memory you have, the more programs you can run simultaneously.

Graphics cards

These allow the computer to display a certain number of colors and images. Higher quality graphics cards will often come with their own video RAM. The video RAM greatly increases the image quality of your laptop.

Battery life

Battery life varies greatly on laptop computers depending on the type of applications you are using. Generally, as you increase your processor speed you sacrifice battery life. A fully charged laptop battery or "power brick" will give you around two hours of unplugged use. Your laptop battery will come with a recharging pack, which will plug directly into an A/C outlet to replenish your battery's charge. Each laptop will have its own specifications on battery life and will also offer the ability to purchase additional battery packs, if needed.

Another solution to the battery life issue is to purchase an additional battery: either one that you can insert into the machine alongside the primary battery or one that you can swap out. Keep in mind that the laptop battery can often be the heaviest item in the computer. A typical power brick weighs about 1 lb.