Top Rated Laptop Computers 2011-2012

There are a few crucial things to consider before you start shopping for a laptop:

Processor

What kind of processor do you want on your laptop? A processor is essentially the brain of your laptop - and even standard processors these days have multiple cores that allow for increased performance levels while multitasking. If you use standard office programs, then a basic dual core processor should more than suffice. Engineers, graphic designers, and gamers; however, may want to consider one of Intel's new second generation or "sandy bridge" processors with 4 cores and up to 8-way multitasking on models which include hyper threading.

Video Card

What exactly will you be using your laptop for? Would it be advantageous to have a dedicated graphics card to supplement the laptop's graphics abilities for things like video games? How about if you plan on using your laptop as a HTPC (home theatre PC) to watch your favorite programs and movies with? Unless you answered yes to one of the above questions the internal graphics of most newer CPU should more than suffice for your needs.

Memory/Ram

How much ram do you need? If you're a basic user, then I'd recommend you have 4GB and no less than 3GB. High performance users should look for a laptop with 8GB of ram that has some room to upgrade to 16GB.

Hard Drive

Another important consideration is hard drive space - how much do you need? Do you need more than the average laptop offers? If you plan on using your laptop for school and a few pictures, then 500GB is more than enough; however, if you like to edit movies or store games and other files, then you can easily find a laptop with 2-3TB of space. Hard drives now come with SATA II and SATA III designations; however the speed differential for a hard disk drive at this point in time is negligible.

Solid State Drives

If you want a faster boot time and better overall speed when loading your files, then you might want to consider purchasing a laptop with a SSD or solid state drive or consider installing one once you get your laptop. Because solid state drives have no moving parts they are much faster than traditional HDD or hard drive disks. For SSD the SATA II and SATA III designations certainly matter and SATA III SSD can be more than twice as fast as a SATA II SSD.

Be sure that you have the answers to these questions, as well as any other specifics you might need, before you start searching for a laptop, that you can be sure that you make the best choice possible.

Without further ado, here is a list of the top rated laptop computers for 2011, by category.

The Dell Inspiron 14z is the top rated laptop of 2012 because of the many features offered with it. For instance, the Intel core i5 processor on this laptop is extremely powerful, and the battery lasts a long time. Additionally, you can purchase the Dell Inspiron 14z in either black or red, and the combination of that and its sleek, thin design give this computer the ultimate in style. The screen displays images in high definition, and the speakers emit quality sound, so that you can enjoy your favorite movies and shows on this laptop. The Dell Inspiron 14z also features a WiDi adapter - which means that you can stream DVDs and and other media wirelessly from your laptop to your television.

Gateway's laptops from the ID series are great laptops for students because of their versatility; they have great features in every aspect, making it easy for students to keep track of everything on these laptops. First of all, this is an ultra slim laptop, making it easy for students to carry to and from class, as it weighs only 4.6 pounds. This laptop also comes in two different colors, blue and silver, so that students can choose their preferred style. The media center on these Gateway ID laptops make it easy to watch movies, which is an added benefit for students without televisions. The power consumption on these laptops is also relatively low, so that students don't have to worry about quickly draining battery life. These laptops are also fully compatible with Microsoft Office 2010, which is a must-have software for any student.

Tip: Also check out this lens on the best student laptops, for more great ideas.

This is a great laptop for any gaming fanatic because of its graphics abilities. There are four gigabytes of graphics memory, so that you can enjoy any video game with the best graphics quality. You can also opt for high definition capabilities with this laptop, improving your gaming experience even more. The processor on this laptop is an Intel quad-core processor, so that your games will not be interrupted because of slow processing with the Alienware M18x. There are also hybrid hard drives on this laptop, so that your performance is not undermined.

Overall:

Most gamers know what they're getting into when they purchase an Alienware product. You certainly aren't getting the best overall value or bang for your buck but you are getting a quality product that should last a long time. Still, manufacturer's like Asus which also make quality gaming laptops don't charge nearly as much for the same specifications. I've listed some of my favorites below.

*Also see: Best Budget Gaming Laptops and Gaming Laptops Under $1,000 for 2012.

The HP Envy 14 series comes with a two year limited warranty, which a warranty is a huge benefit when buying any laptop. This laptop is very thin and lightweight, and also features an Intel Core i5 processor, which is extremely powerful, so that you can expect the best from this laptop for relatively little money. The keyboard on this laptop is backlit, so that you can work easily at any time of day, and it also includes a numeric keypad. The HP Envy 14 series also features the best in Wi-Fi capabilities with Wireless-N, and also has bluetooth for added connectivity. These laptops also include a USB 3.0 port, which transfers data much faster than the usual USB 2.0 port. There are also two USB 2.0 ports on the HP Envy 14 series, along with an HDMI port so that you can easily connect these laptops to your television.

This laptop from Compaq Presario is a great choice for anyone looking for a good laptop for less than $500. This laptop starts at $419.99, but you with a mail-in rebate you can get up to $40 off! It also comes with a one year limited warranty. The DVD drive in the Compaq Presario CQ62-410us Notebook PC not only plays and burns DVDs, but also has a software that can label any DVDs or CDs that you burn with a silk-screening-like process. Unfortunately, there is not as much memory or power behind this laptop, but that's what you have to sacrifice when you want a laptop under $500. However, the hard drive does support 250 gigabytes of memory, and there are also two gigabytes of easily accessible memory. This is also a very smart-looking computer, thanks to the black matte finish and thin design.

This Sony netbook offers the best in style, with its sleek finish and color options of silver or pink. It weighs only 3.23 pounds, and the screen is a mere 11.6", so that you can carry it practically anywhere without any extra hassle. This is one of the best netbooks available because of its many great features. One of the best features of the Sony VAIO Y series is its keyboard - which is not only full-sized (so that your fingers don't feel cramped typing on such a small computer), but Sony has designed it ergonomically so that the spacing between the keys allows for easy typing. There is also an HDMI output through which you can stream anything from your netbook directly to your HDTV and enjoy it in the highest quality. The battery can last up to 5.5 hours even with maximum brightness on the Sony VAIO Y series. It only takes about 60 seconds for this netbook to fully boot up, making it one of the quickest laptops around, thanks to its powerful dual-core processor. There are also four gigabytes of memory on the Sony VAIO Y series, and the audio as well as the video is high definition on these netbooks.

The HP Pavilion dv6t is equipped with an Intel i3 processor, which is extremely powerful and lends itself well to the top rated notebook. This processor includes Intel Turbo Boost Technology, so that when you need your notebook to perform better, the processor can work even harder than normal. This is a great feature because the rest of the time the HP Pavilion dv6t is conserving energy by not using the full power of the i3 processor. Each of the dual core processors is also capable of working on up to two tasks at once, so that you can get four times as much done in the same time as a normal laptop. This is a very stylish looking notebook as well, with a metallic finish, chiclet keyboard, and a bright LED display. You can also opt for a Blu-Ray disc reader and writer on the HP Pavilion dv6t.

This is Apple's smallest laptop available, making it the best ultraportable laptop available. The Apple MacBook Air includes Intel Core i5 and i7 processors (depending on the size you purchase), making it extremely powerful and capable of accomplishing many tasks at once. This laptop also features Apple's Thunderbolt technology, so that it can easily link to multiple devices at once, without sacrificing the speed and power of the processors. The keyboard is backlit, making it easy for you to work in any environment. The Apple MacBook Air also has flash storage, which allows this computer to boot up instantaneously. It also makes it possible for this laptop to remain in standby mode for up to thirty days, without sacrificing any of its power.

The ultra powerful graphics processor on the Apple MacBook Pro make it a great choice for anyone serious about photography, and wanting to edit photos on their laptop. Depending on the size of the MacBook Pro that you purchase, you can have either dual-core or quad-core processors, which makes this one of the most powerful laptops available. This means that this computer can do everything twice as fast as its early version, and also that the graphics are three times as fast as the previous version. This is because of the AMD Radeon graphics processors, which allow you to see more frames per second than ever before. The Apple MacBook Pro has a webcam as well, and you can even use FaceTime in high definition on this notebook, all thanks to these powerful graphics processors.

 The Thunderbolt technology on the Apple MacBook Pro also adds to its allure for any promising or professional photographers. This Thunderbolt technology allows you to edit high definition videos in real time - an astounding feat which few laptops are capable of. You can also hook up multiple devices using the Thunderbolt technology, allowing you to edit your videos as best as possible. This is more than 1000 times as powerful as regular USB ports, and twice as powerful as the most powerful USB (3.0) ports today. The trackpad (mousepad) on the Apple MacBook Pro is also equipped with many more capabilities than the average laptop, making it a great choice for photographers. You can zoom in and out, swivel, rotate, and flip through photographs using only the trackpad, making it easy for photographers to work with their photos without extra mouse work. The battery on this laptop also lasts up to seven hours without a charge, making it easy for you to do all your photo editing you need to do away from an outlet. The Apple MacBook Pro is also fully equipped with the most up-to-date wireless capabilities, and also includes bluetooth. You can also plug memory cards directly into the Apple MacBook Pro, which is also an added benefit for photographers. The DVD drive also burns DVD at a rate much faster than any other regular laptop on the market today.

For more tips on photo editing check out this lens on the best photo editing laptops and this post on the best photo editing monitors.

Obviously an Apple laptop would be a great choice for anyone interested in graphic design, but on the PC side of things, the Sony VAIO F series is probably the best choice for a serious graphic designer. You could also take a look at our featured gaming laptops which would be able to handle just about anything you could throw at them. The high definition widescreen on this laptop is ideal for anyone looking to view images with extreme detail, and it even has an anti-glare coating on the screen so that you can use this laptop almost anywhere without a problem.

 The Sony VAIO F series also includes a one gigabyte graphics card, so that you don't have to rely solely on the processor to be able to view and save amazing multimedia. This is not to say that the processor is incapable, however; with the Intel Core i7 quad core processor, this laptop is as powerful as they come. There is also a Blu-Ray disc player on the Sony VAIO F series laptop.

Toshiba built this laptop with kids specifically in mind, and every special feature on the Toshiba satellite L635 is geared toward expanding and developing kids' minds. For instance, the design and finish of this laptop is perfect for children's use - the finish is a matte design, which combats fingerprints; the keyboard is wipeable so you don't have to worry about it getting ruined by wet or sticky fingers; there is a hard drive impact sensor so that data can withstand rough handling.

 The Toshiba Satellite L635 also is equipped with Net Nanny, a software to make sure that your kids don't visit unsafe internet sites. It also includes a special internet browser for kids, called KidZui, that allows them to research and play games, without you having to worry that they'll stumble across the wrong thing.

With a screen size of a whopping 17.3 inches, you can watch anything you want on this laptop without compromising the image in the least. You can easily upgrade and include a Blu-Ray disc reader and burner on the HP Pavilion dv7t, and enjoy the best quality movies on a high quality laptop. The speakers on this HP laptop will also allow you to have the best movie-viewing experience possible, as they even have subwoofers so that you can have a surround sound effect. With a dual core i3 processor, this computer can also easily multitask, so that you don't have to wait around for things to load or process.

The Intel HT technology on the HP Pavilion dv7t allows each processor in the laptop to work on two different tasks at once as well. The graphics on this laptop are also of the highest quality, thanks to the Radeon HD graphics memory.

The 14 inch screen on the Asus K42DE notebook is powered not only by the most up-to-date AMD processors, but also has an ultra powerful graphics processor to deliver crystal clear images. The most interesting feature of this laptop is its touch mousepad, which allows you to zoom in and out and scroll through pages.

 It is also equipped with palm proof technology, which distinguishes between a palm and fingertips to avoid unwanted scrolling when you're typing or doing something else with your Asus K42DE.

With a 13 inch screen and a lot more power than the screen looks like it could handle, the Sony VAIO Z series laptop is a great choice for anyone looking to purchase a dependable, quality laptop. The Sony VAIO Z series weighs a mere 2.5 pounds, and is less than an inch thick, making it easy to take with you almost anywhere. The battery can last up to 16 hours, so that you can use your laptop for two full workdays without even having to worry about charging it. There is a Power Media Dock available, so that you can hook your Sony VAIO Z series up to three more high definition screens, which is ideal for serious video editing.

The graphics card in the Sony VAIO Z series also supports viewing heavy multimedia, as it has one gigabyte of VRAM. There is also an HDMI hookup so that you can easily view whatever you're looking at on your laptop on your high definition television as well. The hard drive on this laptop has been replaced by a solid state drive, so that the Sony VAIO Z series can boot up faster and use less power when performing any task. The finish of this laptop is carbon fiber, and it actually comes in three different colors: blue, black, and premium black. The display is LED-backlit, and the keyboard is backlit as well, making it easy for you to use this laptop in the comfort of your bed. There is also a USB 3.0 port, so that you can transfer data more quickly than the normal USB port. There is also a built-in webcam, so that you can talk to friends and family wherever you may be.