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.