May you have spent a fortune on this brand new laptop. However, technology is developing at a rapid pace, and a laptop will always feel old in a few years. It is therefore imperative that you buy the model you will be satisfied as long as you want to keep.
The main computer
Before buying a notebook make a realistic assessment of your requirements. Are you a compulsive player? Do you tend to watch lots of HD video on your PC? Most users are quite limited by the need to extend only to web surfing and word processing. Any laptop available in the market can not meet these requirements. So, no need to spend thousands of dollars on high end machine. Besides price, other factors to consider are portability and usability.
Do you travel much? Mobile professionals need a slim, lightweight device can be carried around. Netbooks are a good choice for them. These machines are incredibly popular now. They are ultraportable with 9 or 10 inch screens. Another reason behind the popularity of netbooks is their price. These are cheap PCs. However, buying a netbook is not really a great idea if the machine is intended for your primary PC. Compared with mainstream notebooks, netbooks are much less powerful hardware. A small screen size May strain your eyes if you use it longer.
update
Upgrading a laptop is not entirely impossible, but it is not easy either. All laptops have some parts that can not be replaced at all because they are soldered to the motherboard. Chief among the components that typically can not be replaced are the CPU and graphics card. There are, of course, some parts can be replaced and they include a hard disk and RAM.
Laptop Components
Laptop parts are mini versions of their PC counterparts. They are more expensive than desktop components, but they are not necessarily stronger. In fact, laptops tend to be less powerful than desktop computers. This is because laptop components usually operate at slower speeds to reduce the heat inside the case.
Processor / CPU
Processor / CPU within the computer has the greatest impact on system speed. Intel and AMD are currently the leading CPU manufacturers. There are other chip makers too, but they tend to cater to the lower part of the spectrum. Intel processors offer slightly better performance than AMD, but they are also more expensive than their AMD counterparts.
Graphics Card / GPU
Graphics Card / GPU is an integral part of the gaming laptop. If you are an avid player, you do not have to buy a laptop with a discrete GPU. But remember that a GPU would be helpful while doing photo and video editing applications and playing HD video. If you tend to play lots of games, you should buy a laptop with ATI or NVIDIA discrete graphics. Intel processors usually come with an integrated graphics solution, such as the GMA950 or X4500, but they are practically useless for playing modern games graphics are rich.
RAM (memory)
RAM stands for Random Access Memory. Having enough RAM is extremely important for getting good performance from your laptop. For example, you will not be able to run multiple applications simultaneously, if you do not have enough RAM. So, how much RAM is needed? Well, it depends on your needs exactly. Most netbooks come with 1 GB of RAM. Higher-end models will usually have 3GB or 4GB RAM. Laptops with 8GB and 16GB of RAM are also available at this time. 1GB of RAM is usually enough if you're an average user.
storage
How much storage space you need depends on how you use your computer. If you only store your spreadsheets and office documents, you will not need much space. But if you use your laptop for storing movies, music and photos, you'll need to buy a model with a large hard disk. Basic laptops usually come with a 80 or 160GB hard drives. More expensive models with 500GB or 640GB hard drives are also available.