Laptops are becoming an essential item for the home, work and for those who travel frequently. They’re becoming increasing light, fast and just as powerful a PCs too. However, not all laptops are equal when it comes to features. But with new products on the market every year, you should be able to find a model that suits your needs. If you're considering buying a new laptop computer, here are some of the things you should look at. 

Before you start looking at laptops, you'll want to think about your primary usage of the computer. Not everyone needs the same features in a laptop and the types of programs you want or need will determine what model you purchase. 

Is your primary need traveling? Then you'll want to ensure that it has a good battery life. If it's for work, you'll probably want to ensure you have a model that can make presentations, take notes and run other business applications. Or, if the laptop is for more personal use, you may want one that can play video games, video chat and stream movies.

Laptops are all about mobility, so your battery life is probably going to be something to consider since batteries add bulk and weight to your computer. If you're in the market for a laptop that's mostly going to be used for basic functions when you're out of the office, you probably don't need a long battery life. You can find models that have longer battery times, but they will probably add to the size of the computer. Additionally, most models have an advertised usage that's 1-2 hours more than reality. If you want to look at brands that actually deliver, you can check this laptop review that was published on This Blog Rules.

The computer’s processor will determine how efficiently programs can run, how well it can multi-task, and just complete basic functions without delays. Processors are faster than ever, so even basic models tend to have good processing power. However, look into this feature if you want to run programs like Photoshop. The graphics processor or GPU is important if you need the laptop to play HD video and video games. A laptop with integrated graphics will be adequate for normal use but gamers will probably want a model with dedicated graphics chips.

Storage space isn't as important as it used to be since many people store their data in the cloud and don't keep music or video on their laptop. However, you should at least have 250G of space available just in case. You also want to look for a model with adequate random access memory (RAM) which will help your computer run faster. Look for at least 4 gigabytes and probably even more.

Although not all laptops are created equal, your best model is probably much different than another person's. Use your primary needs to determine which option is best for you. With the wide range of options available today, you'll be able to find a specific model for your usage.