Laptops: How to buy the best laptop Laptop keyboard, touchpad and battery

Laptop keyboards

Laptops have smaller keyboards than desktops

Laptop keyboards

Unsurprisingly, laptop keyboards are smaller than the ones that come with a desktop computer. 

The keys themselves are closer together, and may also be smaller.

Because the keyboard is built into the body of the laptop, you may find that it’s not as comfortable to use as desktop keyboards that you can move around. 

It’s a good idea to try out a laptop’s keyboard before you buy, to ensure you get one you're comfortable with. 

The best laptop for you will depend on the size of your hands and fingers and your typing style. Some keys are more likely to get reduced in size on a laptop keyboard than others. For example, the cursor (arrow) keys can be half height, as can the function (F) keys. If you use these keys a lot, it's worth looking out for a laptop with full-sized versions.

Unless you're using your laptop on the move, you have the option to plug in a larger keyboard and a mouse to make things more comfortable. Like desktops, laptops come with USB ports, and often FireWire ports, for adding peripheral devices.

Laptop trackpad finger

Laptop trackpads perform the same functions as a mouse

Laptop touchpads (trackpad)

Laptops don't generally come with a mouse. Instead, they have a smooth, rectangular, touch-sensitive area in front of the keyboard. 

Moving your finger across the touchpad moves the cursor across the screen.

Typically, one or two clickable buttons at the front of the touchpad act like mouse buttons. 

Some laptops, including models from Lenovo, Toshiba and Dell, have a tiny joystick (also referred to as a pointing stick, TrackStick, TrackPoint, nipple or nub) built into the keyboard instead of a touchpad.

Some touchpads - such as the ones found on Apple's MacBooks - are multitouch. This means that you can use multiple finger gestures to get the computer to perform certain functions.

A touchpad is more fiddly to use than a mouse, but it’s possible to attach a USB mouse instead should you prefer. 

Replacing a laptop battery

Worn-out batteries will need to be replaced

Laptop battery life

While all laptops come with a power supply (AC adaptor) for connection to the mains, they also have an internal battery for use on the move. 

Expect your laptop’s battery to last a few hours rather than days. 

Power hungry tasks such as watching a DVD or using the wireless (Wi-Fi) connection will drain the battery more quickly than day-to-day office tasks. 

Batteries are usually Lithium-ion (Li-ion) or lithium polymer (LiP) cells, that are charged when the power supply is connected. Higher capacity batteries are often optional extras and contain more cells – nine rather than six, for instance. Larger batteries do increase the weight, however.

Batteries won’t last forever and you should expect to have to replace worn-out batteries after a few years, depending on how much they are used and recharged. 

The best laptops have a battery life of around 5-6 hours, and some manufacturers are now producing models optimised for power consumption and claiming battery life of up to 24 hours. In addition, adjusting the power settings within the laptop can preserve the battery.

If you’re planning on travelling abroad with your laptop, don’t forget to buy a power adapter.

Laptop operating systems (OS)

This is the software that runs your computer. Apple Macs, such as the Macbook Air, come with OS X, and laptop PCs usually come with Microsoft Windows Vista, or more recently Windows 7. Some mini-laptops – also called netbooks – have a version of Linux, another type of operating system, installed.

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