If you're in the market for a brand new laptop, you'll definitely want to scout around and find the best laptop for your needs. Although laptops come in all shapes and sizes, the following tips should guide you well enough to find the best laptops all the time.
The "tech specs" of your laptop is perhaps the most important consideration. You should get exactly what you need to match your activities, not more, and not less. For example, you need totally different machine if you're just planning to use it for work purposes, as opposed to letting your laptops be your entire home entertainment system.
Different applications need different type of laptops, and getting more than what you need is literally a waste of savings. Getting less than what you need on the other hand, will just waste your time and cause frustation.
The first thing you need to consider is the Central Processing Unit or CPU; it is the "brains" of your notebook. Generally speaking a faster CPU is better as it will cut down on loading and processing time, but there is a choice between Intel processors, or the rest.
The overall size, weight and dimension of your future laptop is just as important as anything else. If light and portable is your cup of tea, choose the ones that weight less than 1.2kg - these are usually on the higher price range but it will be worth the money, and the lack of tired nights!
Your laptop's warranty perios and service details are just as important. Generally speaking most laptops come with standard one-year warranty, but manufacturers like Sony also include "extended" three-year warranties and on-site repairs. Expect a premium for the "on-site" repairs, but extended warranties are quickly becoming standard items and you should scout around for current models that include them at no additional cost.
As for my choice, I always choose the HP laptops, especially the HP IdeaPad laptop that is both affordable and sufficient for high-end processing. Ideally, any laptop you get should be good enough to get you through the next four years without needing an upgrade or replacement. Not many laptops fit the bill though, so shop for your laptop wisely!