There are a large number of laptops available and most are very similar in quality and achievements. Top of the range laptops are a lttle better but often thee times the price of a regular machine, which costs about $1200-$1500 in Australia. Your pick will often depend on taste and preferences. Want to play games on a laptop? Look for a fast Graphic card. More interested in a clear screen, look for large resolutions lcd.

 

Netbooks are the new kids on the block, and the little brothers of the laptops are becoming very popular. To put it simple, Netbooks are small laptops, without a dvd player/writer, and with a smaller screen. The great benefit of netbooks is that they are light (often around 1kg), easy to take with you anywhere you go, and cheaper as laptops (between $500 and $800. As keyboards become better, working on a netbook is almost as good as on a laptop. Clear drawbacks are a slower processor and a smaller screen. You may want a separate larger screen, but if you mostly do writing and a bit of excel there is no real need for a faster machine.

Check outthis site for more info about laptops.