Trying to buy a laptop can be a difficult decision, and there are lots of confusing numbers that you will encounter. Whether you are looking for an HP notebook or a pink laptop, you have to take into consideration many different factors, numbers, and specifications. Let's look at some things that you should take into consideration when you are looking at buying a new laptop. In this guide, we won't focus on brands so much, such as whether you should look at Toshiba laptops or HP laptops, but instead focus on the numbers, such as processor speed, memory, hard drive space, etc.

First off, let's tackle the computing mechanism itself: the processor. What type of processor you want really depends on what type of computer you are getting. A small netbook will usually have a single core processor. For regular notebooks, you will want to go with a dual core processor. High end processors, like ones with 4 or even 6 cores are really only for people who are going to be doing intense gaming or video editing. You will encounter a lot of advice about whether to choose Intel or AMD, but ultimately it doesn't matter too much.

AS far as memory goes, you generally want at least 2 GB of RAM. 3 or 4 will give you better performance. If you get more than that, you will need to make sure that you are getting a computer with a 64-bit operating system. Realistically, 4 GB or RAM more than enough for almost all users, and you will be fine with a bit less.

Hard drive space is all a matter of personal preference. If you are going to be storing lots of media, you will want a bigger one. See how big your current one is, combine that with how much data you plan to add, and use that as a guide to pick a hard drive. If you want a really fast hard drive, you may want to consider a Solid State Drive (SSD), but these can be very expensive.

As you can see, there are numerous factors to consider when choosing a laptop. This guide covers the basics of computing, but you will also want to explore what kind of accessory ports your computer has, screen size, optical drives (CD, DVD, and / or Blue-Ray), and other factors. One great way to find out more about specific laptop models is to look up reviews of them online at your favorite shopping site.