Consumer Reports Buying Guide Computers and Peripherals

8/14/2019 Consumer Reports Buying Guide Computers and Peripherals

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Computers ,Phones, &Peripherals7 7 _ Cell phones & sm art phones

8 2 Desktop computers8 6 Laptops & netbooks8 9 GPS navigation9 4 Monitors "


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C om pu ters , Ph ones,St Peripherals :Portable & Versat i leFaster. Lighter. More po w erfu l. These are the co ns tan t Impe ra-t ives for comput ing and mobi le-communicat ions gear. Thelatest laptops and cell phones offer the kind of unprecedentedconnectedness that even James Bond would admire. Chipspeeds, network Improvements, and design innovat ion aredriving spectacular growth in digital capabil i t ies. Where the smallest

devices once commanded premium pricing, now smaller is often cheaper.

A sign of the times: With prices nowstarting at less than $400, more laptopsare being bought by consumers than everbefore, and rrtany of these com puters canchallenge their desktop counterparts onspeed and capability. Desktop computersLire becoming com mod ity produ cts, with(>rices as low as $300 for speedy models.And why remain tethered to a powercord and network cabling when Wi-Ficonnectivity beckons? For those w ho pre-fer the heft and expandability of desktopcom puters, larger, tbinn er mo nitors withwide-screen proportions are changing thelook of home offices and living rooms.Among otber trends shaping com putingand com munications hardware:Cell phones sizzle. M obile telephony isno longer just a matter of voice and textmessaging. Most new cell phones allow

that double as MP3 players are handyhybrids. Top-of the-tine models calledsmart phones combine personal digitaassistant (PDA) capabilities with mobilphoning so you can make voice calls owirelessly connect to the Internet at nearwired broadband speeds.Cordless phones go ccU-llke. Somcordless phones can lap into cell-phone service and some resemble a cell ph one. Fogreater security, new cordless phoneuse digital technology. Most can handlmultiple handsets from a single base, eveif phone Jacks are scarce. Some cordlesmodels connect directly to Voice oveInternet Protocol (VoIP) telephone serviceDesktops downsize. Many desktocomputers are still boxy and bulky, buyou can find slimm er models. All-in-onsystems, which integrate the disk drives


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Some lap tops get sm aller. Inexpensive.ind portable, netbook.s are downsizedlaptops with 10- to 12-inch screens thatweigh 2 to 3 pounds and cost S300 toS.300. They are designed chiefly for inter-net use and light word processing. They.tre not meant to replace the full func-I ionality of your laptop or desktop. Mostiictbooks run W indows XP.Be cyber-secure. One in fiv onlineconsum ers w ere victim.s of a cybercrimen ihe pasi two years, according to ourlatest State of the Net survey.

CELL PHONES &SMART PHONESStandard wireless phones haveadded keyboards and touch screenswhile some smart models are gearedfor play.

llic Gl smart phone from T-Mobile,the so-called Google phone, and Apple'siPhone 3Gour best choices in smartphones buill less for work than playboth have a 3 inch plus touch screen that.illowsyou to easily use such nuiUimediafunctions as the W eb browser and music,md video players. .Touch .screens are also showing up onstandard phones. Including tbe LG Dare.irid tbe Samsung Instinct s 3 0 . Some con-ventional model.^ have a full keyboard forfasier texting.When you're ready to buy your nextceli phone, you'il first have to decidewhich o fth e two types, standard cell or

and perhaps a music player and camera.Smart phones with advanced operatingsystems, QWF.RTY keyboards, and othe rPDA'like features, are a better choice forpeople who need frequent access toe-mails, an organizer for appointmentsand contacts, and Internel-based services.Useful features such as support forwireless Bluetooth headsets. GPS navi-gation, and high speed data access cangreatly enhan ce user satisfaction,TYPESCo nven tional cell pho nes . Most stan-dard models are compact and pricedfrom $20 lo $150, or come free witb atwo year contract. Keypad and overalloperation are generally straightforward.Ali models allow you to store frequentlyused numbers and lo send and receivetext messages. Many have basic camerasand support wireless Bluetooth headsetsIbr hands-free communication. You'llneed to spend more than $100 to ac-cess high-speed data networks (3G) andenjoy music and video-based services,O ther capabilities might include a touchscreen, a QWERTY keyboard, an HTMLbrowser, a multimegapixel camera, m em-ory-card storage for music and pictures,and more options for custom ringtones,games, and other services.Sm art p hones. Long used by corporatetravelers to keep up wiih e-mail and ap-pointm ents, smart phones are now catch-ing on with consumers. Some want lo tapout lext messages on a QWIr.RTY stylekeyboard rather than ihe liny keypad of aregular cell phone. Others see no reason lotole a PDA and a regular ceil phone whenasm art phone can do the job of both.


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7 8 C O N S U M E R R E P O R T S B U Y I N G G U I D E 2 0 1 0

package. They allow you to create andedit spreadsheets and documents, andthey usually come with Microsoft Out-look, Palm Desktop, or otber persiMialinformation management software foryour computer. Many of those modelshave touch screens for accessing thephone's many features. Other smartphones are gearedtoward personal

u s e . They're finefor playing musicand other multi-mediafiles,readinge-mail messages,

Tech tipPoor cell-phone

performance canoften be curedby downloadinga software patchinto your phone. and opening Mi-crosoft Office typefile attac hm ents, but they don't allowyou to create or edit documents andspreadsheets.FEATURESToday's cell phones come equippedwith many useful calling and multime-dia features.

Bands. You'll often find phonesdescribed as quad- or tri-band, dual-band, or multinetwork. Those termsdescribe the ways a phone can connectto one or more wireless networks, whichaffects the coverage your phone provides.Tri -band, quad-band, or "worldphones" operate on GSM networks in theU . S . and abroad. Tri-band phones with850/1800/1900 M Hz capability can oper-ate on two bands domestically and oneinternationally. Tri-band phones with900/1800/1900 MHz capability operateon one band in the U.S. (1900 MHz) andtwo bands internationally. Quad-bandphones can operate on all four bands for

bands. GSM prov iders often use the term"850/1900 MHz" instead of dual-bandDual-band phones work as well as tri-mode as long as you are in range of yourhome network.Multinetwork phones are compatiblewith more than one digital network, oftenin two frequency bands. They are best forpeople who travel frequently overseas andwho are customers of Sprint Nextel orVerizon. Sprint Nestel and Verizon offermultinetwork phones that operate on CiSMnetworks internationally, and domesti-cally on ibeir CDMA networks (for theSprint Nextel and Verizon phones) oriDEN (integrated digital enhanced network) networks for the Nextel phonesthat have walkie-talkie capability.

Bluetooth. This lechnology enablesthe phone to work with wireless head-sets and most hands-free car systemsfor tangle-free calls (but avoid u sing anypbone, even hands-free, while driving.)Some phones support stereo Bluetoothheadsets for music and other multime-dia. And .some can wirelessly exchangepictures, contacts, and other files withother compatible Bluetooth devices, sudas a com puter, cell phone , or FDA.

Camera. Most new phones have cameras with resolutions of 1 megapixel andup that are capable of prod ucing respectable snapsho ts, though many lack a flashwhich is helpful when taking pictures indark environments. Look for models with3-megapixel cameras or higher if youintend to print some of what you shootThose models take photography morseriously by pairing sharper image sensors with high-grade lenses, autofocuszoom, and brightness controls for greate


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C E L L , S M A R T P H O N E S 7 9

Document editing. Ail smart phonesallow you lo review documents. Somemodels add the convenience of creating,deleting, and editing them.GPS navigation. Sume cell-phone ser-vice carriers, including AT&T, Sprint,and Verizon, are now providing GPSnavigation through compatible cell andsmart phones. 'Ihe.se models access iheinformation wirelessly over the carriernetwork. Menus.and features are simi-tar lo other portable .systems, includingspoken atid onscreen turn-by-turn direc-tion s, traffic info, and a point of-interestmenu. Advantages include eliminatingthe need to carry an additional devicefor navigation, more-currenl databasesfor map info, as well as points of-interest,and the ability to call ahead to a des tina-tion with the push of a bu tton.Tlie service's cost typically adds aboul$10 per m onth lo your cell-phone bill, orit can be used for about $3 per day.But the small size of some cell-phonescreens can make the map and directionshard to see. Smaller speakers compro-mise the audio quality of spoken direc-tions, and small buttons are harder tomanipulate than those on larger devices.Not all phones are available with m ount-ing systems. And the navigation functionmay not work if you don't have access toa data network and a data plan.Hearing-aid compatibility. Somephones interfere with hearing aids. Eventhose with hearing-aid-conipatible desig-nations are not guaranteed to work withall hearing aids. Your doctor can help youchoose a phone compatible with the aidy


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Speakerphone. A built-in speaker-phone allows bands-free use in a car orelsewhere. (Bui avoid using any pbone,even hands-free, while driving.)Standard beadset connector. Tbe stan-dard beadset connector on the handset,also known as a 2.5-mni or 3.5-mm con-nector, is compatible with most aftermar-ket wired headsets. Some phones witha proprietary connector may Include anadapter to a standard connector.Toucb screen. Full loiich-sensitivedisplays respond to light contact with astylus, finger, or both. Tbey provide analternate, and sometimes more direct,method to input data and launcb phonefeatures and controls. But they oitenrequire two hands to operate, and tbeysmudge more frequently tban tbeir non-touch counterparts.Voice command. Tbis feature allowsyou to dial numbers from your phonebook by speaking tbe name, without theusual train ing. You can also dial num bersby pronouncing the digits.Wi-Fi. Cel l -phone data networks-even tbose designated "3G broadband"are much slower than tbe broadbandInternet connections many people haveat home. But a rising number of phonesbavc a built-in Wi-Fi radio that allowsthem faster Internet and e mail access viahome networks and Wi-Fi hotspots. Onsome phones, tbe W i-Fi is just for Webbrowsing; on othe rs, you can use the con-nection to swap files witb a computer ormake ca lls using VoIP.

SHOPPING TIPSCon sider shap e and size . Phones thattold, slide, or swivel are typically more

largely on personal preference, so visita store and hold the phone if possible.Make .sure you can comfortably use mostkeyi with one band. Make a test call andaccess menu items. We've found tbat flator virtual keypads make dialing moredifficult without looking. Other call clunk-ers include keys that are small, oddlyshaped, or arranged in unusual pa tterns,especially if you're try ing to dial a num-ber in dim light.

Check the display. Most screens arefine in dim and normal light, but someare barder to see in daylighl or underbright light. Try the pbone oulside orunder bright light. In our tests, phonestbat displayed incoming and outgoingnumbers in large black type against awhite background were the easiest loread under most conditions. Also makesure indicators sucb as battery life andsignal strength are clearly visible.Consider the keyboard. A phone'sshape and size are largely determined byits keyboard and display. Some modelshave a QWHRTY keyboard that slidesout from behind the phone and tucksaway wben not in use. Others open likean eyeglass case to reveal a keyboard, orleave the keyboard in plain sigbt. Stillother models have a virtual keyboard ontheir touch-sensitive displays. Overall,we found pecking out messages on theirmirror smooth, buttonless surfaces to bea challenge.

If you plan to do a lot of typing, lookinstead for a keyboard w itb keys that areraised, clearly labeled, well-spaced, andwell-sized. Make sure that tbe keys pro-vide solid tactile feedback. "Ibe keyboardshould be easy to read under different


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C E L L . S M A R T P H O N E S

on various operating systems, each withits own character. The operating systemaffects a phone's capabilities, ease of use,and other conveniences.Android, Currently found on T-Mobile'sGl phone, Android is a moditied versionof the Linux operating system used ona small, but growing number of com-puters, set-top boxes, and other devices.Its claim to fame is ihat its "open" archi-tecture will encourage software develop-ers to create applications that run on thephone. But you can't edit Office docum entson t he G 1 .BlackBerry. On e of the simplest oper-ating systems for e-mail. E-mail setupand account management are among theeasiestesp ecially on T M obile, Pushcapability automatically sends e-mailsto the phone so that you don't bave tocheck it manually. Most models haveeasy trackball navigation, but lack touch-screen support. And, on many models,you can't create and edit Office docum entssuch as Word and Excel. Some modelshave a more powerful operating systemand Office document editing and even atouch screen.Danger. Used on the Sidekick, thisrelatively simple interface makes text andinstant messaging a snap. But other tasks,including dialing, are not always intui-tive. Lacks autom atic notification of newe-mail messages, including push e-mail.Also, you can't create and edit Office doc-um ents , such as Word and Excel.OS X, A mobile version of tbe OS Xfound on Macintosb com puters designedto work with finger-driven toucb screens.It's what makes many of tbe iPbone'sinnovative features possible, including a

Shop smartKeyboards tiiatcram mu ltipleletters, numbers,and symbols on asingle key to savespace aren't aseasy to handle asfull i\eyboards.

multimedia powerhouse allow users tocreate or edit Office documents.Palm. This user-friendly touch-screeninterface features programmable short-cuts and hard buttons for messaging,phone, and o ther applications. Supportsfull-featured e-mail and office programs.Among tbe best operating systems forbasic PDA function.scontacts, calen-dar, and task listsbut can oniy runone Office-type ap-plication at a time.Tlie Palm Pre's newwebOS operatingsystem allows m ul-titasking.Symbian or Se-ries 60. Found pri-marily on Nokiaphones, the basicversion is difficult tou s e , especially wben setting up and usinge-mail. Also, you can't create and editOffice documents, such a s Word and Excel.The more powerful version is a little bet-ter at those tasks, and lets you edit Otficedocum ents , though its folder-based inter-face makes navigation a challenge.Windows Mobile. Its interface is sim-ilar to Windows, which makes naviga-tion intuitive to PC users. It synchronizeseasily witb Microsoft Outlook on a PC,and you can buy software for syncingwith Macs. Easy to switch between appli-cations and run multiple programs. Butrunning several applications might slowperform ance. C losing applications is alsocomplicated.Tbe more powerful version supports atouch screen for easier navigation andfull-featured e-mail and Office programs.


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Consider the data plan. Using theextra, network-dependent capabilities ofa smart phone requires a regular (voice/lext) phone plan and a data plan for Websurfing and sending and receiving e-mail.Prices for the two combined start at $45to $80 a month with a two-year contract.But you can easily spend more than $200a month as you add minutes, text mes-sages, and otber services.

Consider syncing options. Syncingyour phone with your computer has someadvantages. For example, you'll mostlikely find it easier to update calendarevents and co ntact data using your com-puter's larger keyboard and display. You'llalso have peace of mind knowing all ofyour documents and personal data willbe safely backed up should your phone belost or stolen. But before you buy, checkwiih the carrier or phone maker to makesure the phone is compatible with yourcomputer or its operating system.

Check for updates. Manufacturers andcarriers often use updates not only toaddress know n bugs, but also to improvetalk time or even add new features. Toupdate your phone, look for "update"under ihe settings menu, and foiiow theinstruction s. M ake sure you're, i n a goodreception area to ensure that the filedownloads fast and error-free. You shouldalso periodically look up your phone onthe Web sites of your carrier and phone'smanufacturer.

Check for special prices and promo-tions. Rebates and special ofers can besubstantial, but they change frequently.Check the carrier's offerings online andin its retail stores, and then see whalindependent dealers offer at their Web

with your existing carrier. You almoalways get a better deal.Check the return policy. Make suyou can return the phone if you're nhappy with it. Some stores attach stiservice-cancellation fees on top of wha carrier might cbarge.

Don't buy phone insurance. Ali majcell carriers offer insurance policies thcover tost, stolen, or damaged phoneTbose policies typically cost about $to $5 a month and carry a $35 to $10deductible. We don't think insura ncis worthwhile for most consumers. Thcost of the premium over a year, for eample, would he $50 or $60. Tack othe deductible and you've paid as mucas you would have to buy a new phonDamaged phones are often replaced wia refurbished phone that might not evebe the same model.

Related CR report: January 20 09Ratings for cell phones: page 193Ratings for smart phones: page 26 8

DESKTOPCOMPUTERSWith prices ranging from $300 t$ 2 , 0 0 0 or more and the advent oalt-in-one models, there 's a desktomodel for every budget and need.

Computers are going lean, mean, angreen, with space-saving profiles, more efcient chips and environmentally frienddesigns. The besl computers are als


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D E S K T O P C O M P U T E R S 6 3

Many desk top com puters are still boxy.ind bulky, but slimm er models are com-ing on strong, as are all-in-ones.TYPESDesktops are availa(ile in various stylesand configurations, all designed to appealId ditTerent ta.ste.sand uses.Standard. These computers meet theneeds of most users, and can cost lessihan $.100 on the low end. Although thei-omponents are not top-of-the-Une, theyofTer decent performance. Hard drivesmight be on the smaller side, starting atIbOGIi, and the processor won't be thelatest or fastest. Graphics will probablybe integrated, meaning no fast-actiongaming. The monitor, and sometimesspeakers, will likely cost ex tra.If all you do is word processing. Websurfing, and e-niail. a .standard modelwill serve you and your wallet well. Thesame economies that produced netbooksarc spaw ning a generatifjn ot deskto pcom puters called net-tops. They're small.ind affordable, but less powerful thansUuuiard desktops.Multimedia. Ihe key words for thislevel of computer are "more," "bigger,"and "faster." You'il get a bigger harddrive, more memory, and a faster dual-core or even quad -core processor. You'llalso get lots of room to upgrade, withextra slots for adding RAM and openslots tor expansion cards. You might getil discrete graphics card, and if it's anentertainment system, a Blu-ray burnerand TV tuner card. You can find a mu lti-media computer tor less than $1.000.

Gaming/graphics. The sky's the limittor these, which are geared primarily

multiple large hard drives, and faster,plenliful RAM. Cases are usually targeand, in some instances, offer a fairamount of blingwith lois of room forexpansion. Cost is generally $1,000 to$2,000 or mo re.All-in-one. These incorporate all com-pon ents, including the m onitor, into onecase. The com pon ents are tightly packedbeh ind the display, virtually eliminatingany possibility of expansion. Meant lobe space savers, they're also designed tolook less stodgy than a traditional com-puter. You will pay a premium price forthese models.Mini, small-form-factor. These are lessexpensive than all-in-ones. Ihey also saveenergy and material re.sources comparedwith regular desktops.FEATURES

Processor. For desktops, the lowest-priced Windows systems probably usePentium Dual-Core, Celeron, Atblon. orSempron processors. Dual-core proces-sor fiimilies from Intel (('ore 2 Duo) andAMD (Athlon X2) represent newer tech-nologies developed to increase processingpower beyond what a single-chip proces-sor can achieve. Macs use Intel Core 2 D uoseries processors. Quad-core processorsare comm on in higher-end desktops, andAMD also offers a triple-core processor.The latest Intel processor is tbe Core i7,The different processor families makedirect speed comparisons ditHcutt, bulany recent processor family will probablydeliver all the speed you need.RAM. Most brand-name computerssold today bave at least 2GB of RAM, thememory the computer uses while in oper-


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Operating system . If you buy a P C , youhave a choice of several versions of Win-dows Vista, each with its own hardwarerequirements. Vista Hom e Basic leaves outseveral features we liked in th is software,while Vista Ultimate costs more and hasmore features than mosl home users need.We recommend Home Premium as theVista version for most home users.Windows 7 , which pundits have dubbed"Vista done right," is the nexi version ofMicrosoft's operating system. It's simi-lar in many respects to Vista, but withsome rough edgesTech tip

Somemanufacturersadd a lot of demosoftware thatyou don't need.You can often

remove most ofit yourself.

smoothed over andsome performancegains.Apple computerscome with Mac OSX , an operating sys-tem based on Unix.It's less prone to tallvictim to virusesand spyware. Witha teature called Boot Camp, you can runany version of Windows on one partitionand OS X on the other. An updated ver-sion of OS X, called Snow Leopard, wasreleased in August.Graphics adapter and video RAM.

A computer'.'i graphics adapter is eitherintegrated onto the motherboard or on aseparate internal plug-in card . In additionto feeding tbe computer's display with ananalog (VGA) or a digital (DVI) signal.a graphics adapter might have an outputsuch as an S-video or High-DefinitionMultimedia Interface (HDM I) port to feedvideo to an external TV, or accept videofrom an external analog source (rare). Butan adapter can always display video from

watching DVDs or playing casual gamessuch as solitaire. Video RAM, or VRAMis secondary RAM that works with thegraphics processor to provide smoothgame play. To play 3D4ntensive gameswe recommend at least 256 megabyte(MB) or m ore.Hard drive. This is your computer'long term data storage. Given the require-ments of today's games, digital photosand videofiles,bigger i.s better. Sizes commonly range from 160 to 730GB. You'leven see drives ot 1 terabyte (1,OOGB)For added security, you could opt for RAID I array (redundant array of inexpensive disks), which includes two iden-tical drives set up so that dala are viTittento both drives simultaneously. Iliat wayif one fails, all your data are safe an thother one.You might also see the term serial ATAor SATA, applied to hard drives, SATAprovides a taster form of data transfethan theolder parallel ATA disk driveinterface. It's also found in the form of anexternal e-SATA port on some PCs,Solid-state or flash drives allow youcomputer to access data without the moving parts required by a traditional harddrive. They use less power, work quieteand more quickly, and should be moreresistant to damage from rugged use.Op tical drive . DVD burners are standard gear on today's compu ters. A DVDburner provides removable storage forhome-video footage or digital photosBlu-ray disc (BD) drives are the standardto look for. BD is capable of playing thegrowing list of Blu-ray movies and castore 5GB, almost six limes the capacityof a double-layer DVD. There are also


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D E S K T O P C O M P U T E R S 8 5

in more than one format, but all can cre-ate a disc that will play on stand-aloneDVD players.Monitor. LCD sizes range from 17 to24 inches and larger (measured diago-nally). Tbe most common si?;cs are 19and 20 inches. Better LCD displays canuse a DVI connection, found on somePCs wilh graphics processors. You canoften obtain a discount on a monitor bybuying it with a new computer at a man-ufacturer's Web sile.Case. Form factors for computers aremore varied now. In addition to the m osti,ommon tower format, you can find all-in one and sm all-form -facto r (SFF)com puters. Standard com puters usuallycome in towers, which fit on lop ofor under a desk. Ibe all-in-one formfactor, such as the Apple iMac, packs allthe components into the same enclosure

as the LCD display. Only the keyboardiind mouse are separate. Sony, HP,Dell, Lenovo, and Gateway also haveall-in-one models. SFF cases includethe Dell Sludio Hybrid and the AppleMac mini.Mouse. This controls the cursor onihtf computer's screen. It comes eitherwired or wireless. Wireless m ice give youmore mobility, but you must keep themcharged or replace the batteries every fewmonths. Most mice bave optical motionsensors on their undersides.Keyboard. Most desktops come witb astandard wired keyboard, although youcan also buy one separately. Some key-boards have CD (or DVD) controls thatlet you pause, play back, change tracks,and so on. Some also have additionalkeys to expedite getting online, starting

Ports. Tbe ports to look for includeUSB, FireWire. Ethernet, and S-video orHD MI. USB po rts let you connect manyadd-on devices, such as digital camer-as or external hard drives, as well as aUSB flash drive. Having ihese ports atibe front of the case makes connectingdevices more convenient. An Ethernetport or wireless network card lets youlink several computers in- ihe householdto share files, a printer, or a broadbandInternet connection. FireWire or IEEE1394 ports are used to connect digitalcamcorders and other peripheral de-vices. An S-video or HDMI output jacklets you run a video cable from the com -puter to a television so you can use thecomputer's disc drive to view a movieon a TV. Media-center PCs (equippedwilh TV tuners) can also capture videofrom a VCR, letting you copy tapes toDVDs. The once ubiquitous modemport is disappearing from new comput-ers as dial-up Internet access marchestoward oblivion. Other slots to look foron a new computer are readers for Hash-memory cards.SHOPPING TIPSBuy la carte... If you've settled on amodel and prefer nol lo buy in a store,order from the manufacturer's Web site.Con figure-to-order is now comm on prac-tice for desktops.. . . Or go to the store. Buying in aretail store instead of configuring a sys-tem online can generally save you a fewhundred bucks. Most retail configura-tions are quite robust, except for graphics.Plus, you can ask a salesperson for help.On the downside, you'll find fewer cus-


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quality of tecb support. Apple has beenbest for laptop and desktop support.Weigh reliability. Computers aren'tespecially reliable, Rougbly one infivehasneeded repairs w ithin a few years' time.But don't run out and buy an extendedservice plan. Our survey data suggest tbaton average, com puter repairs cost aboutthe same as a plan, which you mightnever use.

Play down the processor speed and fo-cus on RAM. Current processors deliverall the speed most people need. Instead,get al least 2GB of RAM .Think green when you buy. A new,voluntary Energy Star standard for com-puters went into effect two years ago. Itshould result in more efficient power use.Recycle when you tos s. Most manufac-turers have recycling program s that belpyou to dispose of your old com puter.

Get your coupo ns. Cbeck out couponand deal sites such as Bbates, FatWallet.com. and Techbargains,com,Shop at the right time. January, July,and October are good limes to shop; newmodels are expected in stores at thosetimes, whicb m eans older inventory needsto be cleared out to make room.Related CR report: f une 200 9Ratings: page 196

LAPTOPS &NETBOOKSTechnological advances have broughtus portable computers that handle

T Y P E SLaptops. Screen size is essential indeciding which type of laptop is rigbt foyou. If you're planning to carry the lap-top around witb you frequently, a 13-inchmodel is probably the rigbt choice. Youmight bave to sacrifice some speed, andyou'll spend a few hundred dollars morethan you would for a larger laptop. Buyou'll also lighten your load by at leasa pound, and you'll find many of thesame features on slim-and-lights ibaare available on larger laptops, includ-ing webcams, memory-card readers, andfingerprint scanners.

If you don't mind another half-poundto a pound or so u t" weight, laptops with14-ihch displays are a good, welterweighalternative for travelers on a budget.Laptops witb a I5-inch to 16-incbscreen generally offer tbe ideal balanceof performance, portability, and priceTbey weigh about 6 pounds, althoughsome are tighter. Tliey're good for ihosewho need to take a laptop along less fre-quently, and can easily be configured toserve as a desktop replacement.Fora full-blown, entertainment-orienteddesktop replacement, ct)nsider a 17- or18-incb model. You'll get a good-sizedscreen, better speakers, and more optionsfor multimedia features. It will cost morethan a comparable desktop, but it's smalleand less obtrusive.Tablets sit in your hand like a clipboardand bave handwriting-recognition sort-ware. Most convert to a "no rm al" laptopwith a keyboard.Netbooks. Inexpensive and portablenetbooks are downsized laptops witha 12-inch*or-smaller screen that weigh


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L A P T O P S & N E T B O O K S 8 7

meant to replace the fuil func tionalityof your iaptop or desictop, While somemodels run the Linux operating system;is a money saver, all ncibooits can runWindows XP.Kelbooks are a new com puter category,o we currently have no reliability data .FEATURESProces.sor. Laptops generally comewith a dual-core processor. U you're ona budget, an Intel Pentium Dual-Core orAMD Turlon X2 isfine.For greater poweror battery life, get an Intel Core 2 Duo.Nclbooks use Intel's Atom or VlA's Nanopi ocessor,lower-powered processors tha nthose in traditional laptops or desktops.RAM. Most brand-name computerss


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Battery. W hen not p lumed into a walloutlet, portable computers use a recharge-able lithium-ion battery for power. Inour tests, a normal battery provided 2 tonearly 6 hours of continuous use whenrunning ofce applications. (I.aptops gointo sleep mode when used intermittent-ly , extending the time between charges.)Vou can lengthen battery life if you dimthe display, lurn off wireless deviceswhen not needed, and use only basicapplications. Playinga DVD movie usesmore battery power than other func-tions, but most laptops should be able toplay one through to the end. Many lap-tops can accept an

Shop smartThe smallspeakers builtinto laptops o ftensound tinny.

Headphones orexternat speakersdeliver muchbetter sound.

"extended" battery,adding size andweight but givingas much as twicethe battery life.Touchpad. Mostlaptups use a smalltouchpad in placeof a mouse; youslide your fingeracross it to move the cursor. You canalso program the pad to respond to a" t a p " as a "click," or scroll as you sweepyour index 6nger along the pad's rightedge. Some new mo dels let you use two-ngered gestures, too. An alternativesystem uses a pointing stick the size ofa pencil eraser in the middle of the key-bo ard . You can attach a USB or w irelessmouse or trackball if you prefer. Someuse multitouch technology, which useshand ge.stures for /.ooming and scrolling.Keyboard. A laptop's keyboard canbe quite different from that of a desktopcomputer. The keys themselves mightbe full-sized (generally only lightweight

buttons to control DVD playback. Youcan attach a USB keyboard, which youmight find easier to use.Ports. At least two USB ports for easyhookup of, s a y , printer, digital cameraor scanner are standa rd. A wired network (Rthernet) port is also standa rd. AFireWire port for digital-video Iransfer icommon. An internal wireless-network(Wi-Fi) adapter is standard. Anotheoption is an internal Bluetooth wirelesadapter to link t o a Bluetooth-capable celpho ne, cam era, or anoth er laptop.Card slots. Portable com puters usuallyinclude at least one PC-card or UxpressCard slot for expansion. You m ight add acellular modem if it's not built in.Docking station. Some notebooks offer a connec tion for a docking station, a$100 to $200 base that makes it easy toconnect an external monitor, keyboardmouse, printer, network, and power inone step.Log-on security. A small number onotebooks include fingerprint scanneras a convenient alternative to typing apassword when logging in. A few manufacturers have models with face-recognition software that u-ses a built-in webcamWhen you log in, it scans your face andcompare.s it to a previou.sly stored copy toverify your identity.

SHOPPING TIPSErgonomics can make or break a lapt o p . You .should try it before you buy it, iyou can. Look for a keyboard with keythat don't feel mushy. Touchpads shouldbe large enough so that your finger cancover the span of tbe screen withourepeatedly lifting it, and loucKpad but-ton.s should be easy to find and press. Th


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G P S N A V I G A T I O N 8 9Carry the laptop around for a fewminutes and make sure it's not too heavyur loo big. The laptop shouldn't get hot

du ring use (89 to 100 degrees 1- is a goodrange), and il .should run quietly.Consider tech support. Our user sur-veys have found major differences in thequality of tech support. Appie has beenbesl lor laptop and desktop support. Dell.md Lenovo were slightly better than otherslor W indows laptops.Weigh reliability. Computers aren'tespecially reliable. Roughlyone in fivehas needed repairs witbin a few years'lime. But don't run oui and buy an ex-tended service plan. Our survey data sug-gest that on average, computer repairscost about the same as a plan, which youmight never use.Play down the processor speed andfocus on RAM. Current proces.sorsdeliver all the speed most people need.Instead, get at least 2tH of RAM .Think green when ynu buy. A new,voluntary Hnergy Star standard forcom-juiters went into effect two years ago. Itshiiuld result in more ellicienl power u.se.

Recycle when you toss. Most manufac-lurers have recycling programs that helpvon to dispose of your old laptop.Get your coupon. Check out coupon.ind deal sites such as Ebates, FatWallet.

i.


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while en route based on the GPS po ints-of-interest information.Premium services, such as traffic andweather reports, are becoming widelyavailable, although tbey often require asubscription.Extra features aside, our testing hasshown that all GPS navigators will typi-cally get you to your destination, but nolalways by the most efficient route. Someof the latest devices have historical trafficdata and tbe ability to modify m aps.TYPESShoppers looking for navigationalaid can choose from many types of "GPSdevices, includingportable or in-dashunits, cell phones,and even laptopcomputers.

Today's portable

Tech tipA built-in batteryfor your GPS

gives you the joption of usingthe power port for r , ^-another device " ' ^ ' "^ *^ ^ ' ^ f "^' 'and eliminates " f carmaker bu ilt-cord clutter. in systems. Th eycan easily b e movedfrom car to car, and their light weightand small size make them easy to pack inluggage. Witb prices from about $100 to$700, portable units now have featuressucb as real-time traffic reporting andvoice-command capability.Portables witb small screens may behard to read at a quick glance. You alsohave to securely mount the device to pre -vent possible injury in an acc ident, makesure it's out of Ihe way of possible air-bagdeployment, and remember to hide ortake it with you wben you leave Ibe car.(Tbeft of GPS uni ts is growing.)

Basic. These are no-frills navigatorsideal for those who don't need a lot ofbells and whislles like Bluetooth connec-tivity for hands-free cell-phone use andMP3 players. The least-expensive modelsin this category generally have 3.5-inchscreens and are compact, appealing lofrequent flyers. Prices start at about $100and even lower prices can be found withsales and incentives. Basic models with4.3-inch-wide .screens are generally m oreexpensive. Price: $100 lo $300.

Traffic optional. These products areideal if you're not sure you need trafiicinfo now. but might want to add it later.Adding traffic later on means buying aseparate receiver, which can cost up to$200. Models in this price bracket oftenalso add a few key features, like spokenstreet nam es. Price: $130 to $500.Traffic ready. A top-of the-Iine, premi-

um unil usually comes traffic-reportingready wilh a buill-in or included externalreceive r. These devices include the featurwe recommend, plus added extras like amusic and video player, Bluetooth, _FMtransmitter, and wide screen. These areideal for travelers who want to carry fewerelectronic devices. Price: $200 to $700.Map .software and GPS receivers forcomputers. You can turn your laptopinto a navigation device with an add-onGPS receiver and map program. Theseare available from companies such asDeL orme, G arm in, and Micro.so(t. starting at less than $100. W hile they p rovidfunctions similar to a dedicated GPS. device, a laptop can be impractical to uswhile driving. Also, laptop screens can bedifficult to see insid e a car due to glare.Handheld GPS hiking devices. GPS


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G P S N A V I G A T I O N 91

can include a map, comp ass, and some-times an altimeter, while adding the abil-ity to program routes, plot a trail, andsbare information. Many biking units in-clude what is called a bast* map, enablingibeni to show your location on a basicroadway inap, But these devices don't showIbe level of detail common on a dedicatedportable car unit, and they typically don'toffer turn-b y-turn navigational aid. WhatI bey can do is inspire adventures, includ-ing gfocacbing GP S-based treasurehunting. And they can provide an extrasafety margin when exploring off tbebeaten path, witb tbe ability to fallowyour trail back to the car or sbare coordi-nates in an emergency,FEATURESAll GPS navigators on the market todayinclude preloaded maps and provide spo-ken directions and automatic rerouting ifyou miss a turn. Tbe following are addi-tional features lo look for:Screen size. We've tested portable sys-teni.s with screens ranging from 2.5 to 5inches measured diagonally. The smallestcan be hard to see, and their small touch-.screen buttons can make it tedious loenter an address. On the other hand, thelargest units can be bulky to carry, andwhen mounted to the windshield tend toobstruct more of your view of the road. A3.5-inch screen works well, but a pricier4.3 inch wide .screen can be easier to use.Spoken street names. Better systems tellyou to turn iHitoa street, highway, or routenumber by its name rather than a genericright turn ahead." This feature, calledlext-to speech, helps you keep your eyeson the road and less on Ihe GPS unit.

even ask if you want to find an oth er routeand will de tour you at the louch of a but-ton. The real-time data are available losubscribers tbrough a cell-pbone net-work, FM signal, or satellite radio st-rvicc.But tbe service is curren tly available oniyin some cities, and the quality of infor-mation can vary or be less tban current.Still, we have found that it can help.Expect to pay a subscription fee. and somedevices require an additional receivercosting up to $200. Higber-end GPSmod-els include a built-in receiver. 'Ihc latesttrend is free traffic information. SomeGarniin models offer free, advertising-supported traffic.Another emergingtrend is that somenew models factorin historical trafficdata and can routearound known con-gestion patterns suchas rusb-liour traffic.

Predictive data entry and dynamicsearch. 'Iliesc GPS features make enter-ing a city name or address faster. Withpredictive data entry, as you type, thescreen's keyboard will high light only let-ters that help complete a known nam e. Ifyou type "Pitt," for example, tbe systemwill then highlight "S" as the next letterfor Pittsburgh.Dynamic search helps narrow thingsdown as you tap in an address. Witb dy-namic search, if you type "San," the unitmight otler up a list of choices includingSan Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara,etc. You can then pick one from the listor just keep typing.Detour feature. If you see traffic bu ild-

Shop smartPortable GPSsystems are nowavailable w ithhigh-end featuresonce found onlyon built-in models.


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distance to route around a problem. Traffic-ca[.vable devices integrate their traffic infor-mation with detouring functions, prompl-ing a user to choose an alternative routewhen traffic conditions are unfavorable.That can beh elpfu i in evaiuating optionsbefore changing cou rse.Routing optio n. Some systems can alertyuii to loii roads on your chosen routeand often aliow you to opt fora rouie tha lavoids them. Other routing options youmight wanl to look for inciude multipledestinations routing, or routes for bikingor walking that avoid highways and letwalkers go against one-way traffic.Mounts and mounting. Most por-tabte systems mount to the windshieldusing a targe suction cup. Manufactur-ers have typically used either an angledrigid arm or a flexible gooiieneck toattach the unit to the suction cup. Werecommend the rigid arm mount, be-cause goosenecks tend to vibrate whenthe car is in motion.Something else to look for is a unitthat is easy to install and remove fromthe mount. Typically, a unit slides ontoa m ount o r snaps in to it. The power cordeither plugs into the mount or directlyinto the u nit. Most convenient to use arem ou ntsth at allow you to snap the unit inand release it with the push of a button.If the power cord plu^s into ihe mount,that makes it easier to quickly removeand reinstall the unit.Check local laws before buying. Somestates may prohibit drivers from mount-ing devices to the windshield. Motoristsmight choose a "bean bag" mount, whichsimply sits on the dashboard. Those are acinch to use, but can slide and even fall

plastic disk tha t adheres to the dash , giv-ing you a place to attach the suction cup .Ifyou don't want lo have any thing hang-ing from the windshield, make sure youchoose a device that includes a disk.Power supply. All portable systems canbe powered through a car's 12-volt socket,and most have an internal rechargeablebattery. An internal power suppiy heipsminimize a tangle of cords in the car. Wefound thai those unils typically operatefor 2-4 hours on a charge, although test-ing revealed significant variance amongmodels. Internal power also allows youto practice using the system and programdriving destinations while you are awayfrom the car, or to use the device as ahandheld tool when traveling, walking,or bicycling. An AC power adapter issometimes included with the systems,allowing the device to be used and re-charged indoors.Bluetooth compatibility. This allowsyou to make and receive telephone callsusing the unit's internal speaker, micro-phone, and screen. It automatically quietsdirec tions w hile a call is being made, candisplay the user's telephone book, andshows caller ID onscreen. A nice tie-in,this feature allows for dialing point-of-interest locations found in the GPSdevice. Requires a Bluetooth-compatibletelephone.MP3 player. With a music player, thedevice can store and play preloaded audiofiies, either through its speaker or througthe car stereo using an FM transmitteror a cord from the GPS headphone jackto the car's auxiary po rt. This GPS fea-ture means the unit can also be used as aportab le m usic device away from the car.


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G P S N A V I G A T I O N 9 3

Video player. SKows videos previouslydownloaded to a unit 's hard drive orstored on an SD card. Using this GPS fea-ture normally disables navigation whilethe video is being shown. Tliis may beappreciated by families on road trips andfrequent llyers.Photo viewer. The viewer allows u sersto display previously loaded photos orphotos stored on an SD card , as a singleimage or as slideshow s.Foreign languages. Many units offerspoken and displayed directions in Span-ish, French, and other languages.Voice command enables you to navi-gate on the run, allowing you to enter andddre.ss or ask for a gas station or locationfrom tbe points-of-interest menu. It 'savailable on a few high-end units, withmore coming.

Maps. If you travel outside the U.S.,look for a portable system that offersmaps for navigating in other cou ntries.SHOPPING TIPSBetre you buy a GPS navigator, th inkabout your typical driving conditions,how often you're in unfamiliar areas, andthe features important to you.Next, focus on how well the systemworks for navigation. The highest-ratedmodels we've tested make it especiallyeasy to enter destinations and give themost helpful directions. Look for a GPSguide device that scored well for enteringa destination. Some interfaces are moremtuitive than others, and low scoringunits can be awkward, slow, or both. Thenconsider what features you want.

What type of driving do you do? Ifmost of your driving is spent co mm uting

On the other hand, if you often encoun-ter traffic congestion, a nav system canhelp you get arou nd it by showing nearbyroads and plotting an a lternative route. Italso may be worth paying extra for real-time traffic information, which can warnyou of traffic congestion, accidents, or wadconstruction, and plot a route around it,before you get to tbe trouble ar, Buttraffic reporting on GPS units is not per-fect; like other sources of traffic informa-tion, it can be inaccurate or ou tdated.

Where and how oe n will you use it?If you're buying anew car, check tosec if a built-in sys-tem is available an dhow much it costs.These are nicelyintegrated into thecar. But they aremore complicatedto use and typicallymore expensive than portable systems,initially and for subsequent map updates.Still, if most of your driving is done inone car, you'd prefer not to have a unitmou nted on the dash or windshield, andyou're not on a tight budget, you mightbe happier with a built-in system. If youoften tly to new places and rent vehicles,or if you own more than one car, a por-table system might suit you.If you only need directions occasion-ally, a cell phone, smart phone, or PDAwith navigation capability might meetyour needs. With these, you don't haveto pay for an expensive in-dash systemor worry about carrying around a por-table GPS unit. Typically the cost forcell-phone navigation is $3 a day or $10 a

Shop smartCheck withthe devicemanufacturer forforeign languagefeatures that maybe available bydownload.


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Size matters. A portable GPS unit 'ssize is importantespecially if you fre-quently pack it in a suitcase. Some modelsare no bigger than a wallet and weigh lessthan 5 ounces, while others are bulkier.Also, look for a screen that's large enoughto read easily w ithout blocking your view.We've found a 3.5-inch diagonal screenis adequate, bul 4.3-nch-wide screensallow more information to be displayedand make it easier to enter addresses into,(.lue to larger touch-screen buttons.

Related CR report: September 2009Ratings: page 238

MONITORSLike TV screens, computer monitorsare continuing to get wider and big-ger. The squarish 17-inch monitorsare now almost obsolete, replacedby wide-screen models. Their largersize allows for easier side-by-sidepage viewing or more spreadsheetcolumns with less scrolling.

Prices keep falling on LCDs, even forbigger screens. You can now get a 17-inchLCD for $130 and a 24-inch for $300. Ifyou're buying a m onitor bundled wilh anew computer, as many consumers do,you can often upgrade from the stan-dard display to a larger one for a m odestamount$50 to $150 or so.Before you start shopp ing, consider:Do you need a new monitor? If you'restill using a CRT. it's probably time for anupgrade. Low prices on tlal panels leavetittle justification for sticking with that

bigger display for m ore screen real esta te,or to a wide screen if you want to watchmovies on your computer. Or you maywanl a monitor with a built-in TV tuner,speakers, or USB ports.

C R T or LCD? About the only reason leftfor buying a CRT {if you can find one) is ifyou're a graphic artist and need the myriadcolors it provides, as well as deep blacksand virtually unlimited viewing angles.Ih e reasons for choosing an L C D are many,among them no image flicker, sharper im-a g e , no glare, low electromagnetic emis-sions, reduced energy consumption and.the most obvious, space efficiency.

Standard or wide screen? Most LCDsare wide-screen. Only a few squarer (4:3aspect ratio) screens remain available,mostly 17- and 19-inch models. Some of-fer good value and you may even prefer(hat shape.Decide on a screen size. We recom-mend buying the largest screen that fitsyour space and budget. Expect to pay$ 1 3 ( 1 and up for a 17-inch LCD. $160 andup for a 1 9 - or 20-incli. $200 and up for a22-inch, and $300 and up for a 24-inch.

TYPESSmaller monitors suffice for office workbut if you consume a lot ol m tdia or playgam es, you m ight prefer a larger screen.17-inch. If you're really pressed forspace or can find a particularly good deal,a 17-inch monitor could provide enoughscreen real estate for you. But 19-inchand even some 20-inch models don't costmuch more.1 9 - to 20-tnch. For spreadsheet workor home photo editing, a 19- to 20-inchmonitor offers a good amount of screen


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M O N I T O R S 9 5

able to find a monitor with very good dis-play quality for under $300.24-inch. Prices rise pretty quickly onceyou hit the 24-inch mark, but bard-coregamers and multimedia mavens lookinglor a big screen to watch movies and TVshows will appreciate tbis size.FEATURESDisplay quality, Ihe most importantmonitor feature, isn't a major worryihanks to a generally bigh standard of[lerformancu. But today's monitors haveother features that you should consider.R eso lution . A mo nitor's resolutionrefers to ihe number of picture elements,or pixels, that make up an image. Morepixels mean finer detail. Most monitorsuiin display at several resolutions, gener-ally I rom 640x480 to 1920x 1200. depend-ing on Ihe monitor and the computer'sgraphics card. An LCD usually displaysits sharpest image when set to its "native"resolution typically 1024x768 pixels tora 15-inch screen; 1280x1024 (17 inches);1440x900 (19 inches); 1680x1050 (22inches); or 1920x1200 (24 inches), lypi-t al resolutions for wide-screen monitors.ire 1280x800 (15 Inches) and 1440x900(17 inches).Tlie higher the resolution, the smallerihe text and images, so more contentcan fit on Ihe screen. Higher resolutionIS preferred for wo rking with ph otosand graphics.Response time. A ilat-panel display'sresponse time indicates how fast thepixt'i.s can turn on and off.Contrast. Ibis isa measure of the dif-ference between the brightest white andthe deepest black found on the screen,

Shop smartThe vast majorityof monitors onthe market arelightweight,flat-panel LCDdisplays.

can vary across the screen, the number isn'lalways a reliable measure. M onitors havebrightness controls, so you can adjust toyour liking.Brightness. A bright screen is impor-tant if you're working in a brightly litroom. Ibe spec is expressed as candelasper square meter, or cd/m2. But all youneed to know is the higher this number,the better.You can also con trol an LCD's bright-ness with chassis-mounted knobs oronscreen controls,Most monitors alsohave controls forcolor balance (usu-ally called colortemperature), ad-justing the screengeometry, and sim-ilar functions.

Connectors. Virtually all new moni-lors have the DVI ports needed to takeadvantage of higher-end video cards fora sharper image, but not all include thenecessary cable (about $!()). And manyinclude HDMI ports, also found on somenewer computers and electronics equip-ment such as camcorders, Blu-ray play-ers, and HDTVs. One of tbe advantagesof the HDMI interface is it allows forvideo and aud io to be sent over the .samecable (useful only if the monitor hasbuilt-in speakers), Ifyou choose a moni-tor without one, you can buy an adapterfor $25 or less that turns a DV! portinto an HDMI connector, bul you won'tget audio.Other ports you may find useful are aUSB port, and one for high-bandwidthdigital content protection (HDCP). Ihis


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Ex tras. Some m onitors include a micro-phone and integrated or separate speak-e r s . You may also see LCD displays witbmem ory-card readers, so you can displayphotos onscreen, and iPod docks forviewing images or playing music thro ughthe monitor.

Plug-and-play capability m akes it sim-ple to add a new monitor to an existingcomputer. A built-in TV tu ner is anotherfeature to look for if you want your moni-tor to double as a TV.SHOPPING TIPSMost m onitors we've tested have decentor better display qua lity. But don't expectTV images to look as good as they do onyour flat-pajiel TV. Even the best moni-tors fell short of most LCD TVs, witbblacks that weren't as deep, slight hazi-ness, and some light leakage around theedges of the screens.Check th e viewing ang le. Few m oni-tors measure up to the best LCD TVsfor viewing from a wide angle. Thatwon't matter for typical computer use.But if you often share your screen witha crowd, say for slidesbows or games,you may want to pick a model that ex-periences less image degradation whenviewed at an angle. Wben comparingspecs, the bigger the n um ber the better.Consider easy adjustments. Virtuallyall new displays tilt up or down, tor aquick adjustment. For extra flexibility,look for monitors tbat allow you to adjusttbeir height. Such models may also be ableto rotate 90 degrees, from a landscape toportrait mode, which is especially usefulfor viewing a larger portion of W e b pagesor text documents. Also look for conve-

Check for ample connections. Manynew monitors feature at least one USBport, a DVI port, and an HD Ml port. {Sepage 95 for details.) Make sure you bavetbe right con nections for your gear.

Take a shine, or not. Like laptop displays, LCD monitors are showing up withglossy instead of matte-finish screensThe glossy screen can make dark areas othe image appear deeper and less washedout in bright, ambient ligh t. But they canalso retlect objects.Some ant i reflective surfaces help minimize this problem- View the screen inbrigh t light before buy ing, if possible.Look for a long warranty. Many monitors come with a three-year warrantyon parts and labor, but others have onlyone-year coverage. Look for longer covera g e , especially if you're purcbasing a morexpensive model. Another consideration

is the manufacturer's defective-pixepolicy. Some consider a certain numbeof Stuck, dead, or hot pixels acceptablewhile others will replace a monitor during the warranty period if it has even asingle faulty pixel.Related CR repo rt: May 2009Ratings: page 247

PRINTERSInkJet printers have become thestandard for ho me-com puter creation of color photo prints, and manyinkjets produce excellent black-andwhite text.

Witb some very good models sellin


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P R I N T E R S 97

Laser printers still have their place inhomeolfices. ifyou print reams of biack-and-white text documents, you probablyneed the quality, speed, and low per-copycost of a laser prin ter.Text only. If you'll print onty text, alaser printer is better for fast, low-cost,top-quality black-and-white text. Thebesl inkjet can match lasers' excellenttext quality, but not their speed or cost.Color photos, graphics, and text.Inkjets offer excellent print quality torcolor photos, graphics, and text, and accepta variety of paper types and sizes.While tops for text, lasers aren't well-suiled for printing photos. Even modelsthat can p rint in color aren't intended foruse with glossy photo stock or other spe-cialty pape rs, and photo q uality is not asgood as from an inkjet.InkJet and laser printers are availableeither as plain printers or as all-in-one(multifunction) models. Besides printing,ail in-ones copy, scan, and sometimesfax. A space-saving all in-one can be lessexpensive than buying several separate de-vices. They may have fewer features thanstand-alone devices, though.The downside of any multifunctiondevice, whether inkjet or laser, is that ifone function breaks, you have to repairor replace the whole unit.Printing photos only. Snapshot print-ers are convenient, small, and fast, withspeeds as quick as a minute per 4x6 photo.Some have handles and run on batter-ies, handy for use on the road. All canprint pho tos from a digital camera w ith-out requiring a computer. Many modelsuse dye-sublimation technology to makeprin ts that are more water-resistant than

graphics. In our tests, most d idn't providethe photo quality ofthe best plain inkjets,and at $100 to $200, they cost about thesam e as a full-sized prin ter.TYPESHere's how to find the type of printerthai best suits your needs.InkJet printers. Inkjets use drop lets ofink to form letters, graphics, and photos.Some have one cartridge that holds thecyan (greenish-blue), magenta, and yellowinks, plus a second one for black. Othershave a separate cartridge for each color,For photos, some inkjets have additionalcartridges that contain light cyan andmagenta inks, or gray ink, which can givea sm oother look in light areas of a photo.Most inkjet printers output black-and-white text at 3 to 12 pages per minute(ppm) but are much slower for colorphotos. Various models we tested tookfrom 2 to 10 minutes or more to printa single high quality 8x10.Printing a 4x6 snapshot can take aslittle as one minute, and cost as little as25 cents. The cost of prin ting a color 8x10photo can range from $1 to $4, includ-ing ink and paper. The cost of prin ting ablack-text page with an inkje) varies con-siderably from model to model, typicallybetween 2 and 10 cents. Prin ter p ricesrange from $30 to $400.Laser printers. These work much likeplain-paper copiers,, forming images bytransferring toner (powdered ink) lo paperpassing over an eleciricaily charged drum .The process yields sharp black-and-whitetext. Laser printers usually outrun ink-jets. cranking out black-and white text ata rate of 12 to 20 ppm. Black-and-white


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C O N S U M E R R E P O R T S B U Y I N G G U I D E 2 0 1 0

S 5 0 to $ 1 0 0 , can print thou sands of black-and-white pages for a cost of 2 to 3 centsper page.Lasers that can be networkedsharedb y a l l the computers on a home ne tw or k -start at $130.Color lasers are slower tha n black-and-white m odels. They cost as much to useas the better inkjet models, and they'renot a good choice for printing photos.They're also very bulky. They cost $250and up.All-in-one printers. You can also getprinters witb scanning, copying, andsometimes fax capability. Many all in-ones cost no m ore and take up little morespace than a plain printer. What's more,all-in-ones are actually getting less expen-sive and more versatile. All-in one inkjetscost $60 and up, lasers, $200 and up.In our tests, inkjet all in ones and plain

inkjets performed similarly, cost aboutthe same to use, and printed at similarspeeds. A few inkjet all in-ones and plaininkjets printed a color 4x6 in less iban 2minutes, and a few relatively frugal onesas little as 2 5 cents.Specialty snapshot printers. Forprinting photos at hom e, a speedy snap-shot printer can be more convenientthan a full sized m odel. Most are limit-ed to 4x6-inch snapshots, but a fewmodels can also print on 3x7 paper. Snap-shot printers use either inkjet or dye-sublimation technology, in which a waxyink is fused to paper from a roll of plas-ticfilm.Like most full-sized inkjet printers,these models typically hook up directlyvia cable to a digital camera through aPictBridge connection, or print directly

FEATURESTo determine which printer featuresyou'll need, consider how you'll be usingyour printer and what you need to print.If you're printing photos, you'll need amemory-card reader, PictBridge compat*ibility, or otb er form of connectivity.

USB port. The way a printer connectsto a computer depends on what kindof connectivity it has. All printers havea USB port that lets them connect toW indows or Mac computers.Bluetoo th, W i-Fi, or in-ared wireless.Many printers haVe optional Bluetooth,Wi-Fi, or infrared wireless connectivity.A printer with PictBridge can connectdirectly to a camera, and som e models canprint and download photos right fromyour camera's mem ory card.Memory-card reader. This featurelets you print image files from a digital

camera's memory card without using acom puter. You can also transfer the filesto a com puter.LCD viewer. Many printers incorpo-rate a built-in LCD screen for viewingand ed iting images from a memory card .The screen is small, usually only 1 to 3.5inches, and editing capability is limited.Resolution. Printers differ in the detailthey can produce. Re.solution, expressedin dots per inch (dpi), is often touted asthe main measure of print quality. Butother factors, such as ihe num ber oi inksand the way dot patterns are formed onthe paper, are also important.At their default settingswhere theyare usually expected to runinkjets cur-rently on the market typically have aresolution of 600x600 dpi. You canincrease the dpi for color photos. Some


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P R I N T E R S 9 9

Printing color inkjet photos on photopaper at a higher dpi setting can producesmo other shading of colors but can takemore tim e.Ink monitor. Most inkjet printers havean ink monitor to warn when you're run-ning low, but accuracy varies.Networking. Networking lets you printfrom any computer in either a wired orwireless home network.Double-sided printing. For double-sided printing, you can prinl the odd-num bered pages of a docum ent first, andthen ttip Ihe pages over to print the even-num bered pages on a second pass. Someprinters make this process easier by in-corporating duplexers for automaticallyprinting on both sides.SHOPPING TIPSCo nsider supply costs as well as price.High ink or loner-cartridg e-costs canmake a bargain priced printers bad dealin the long run. Shop around for thebest cartridge prices, but be wary of ol-brands. We have found ihal brand-nameink cartridges have better print qualityand lade resi.stance, and per-page costsare often com parable.Also consider whether an inkjet has asingle or separate color cartridges. Thosewith a single color cartridge usually havea seprale black cartridge for lexl. Buisome have individual color cartridges.Depending on your pho tos, separate colorcartridges may be more econom ical.Another way to save money is by usingplain paper tor works in progre.ss andsaving the good stuff for the final results.We got ihe best results using the recom-mended brand of paper.

Shop smartFor p rintinggraphics or tex t inblack and color, gowith an inkjet.

that allows a compatible camera to beconnected directly to the printer), or awireless interface are convenient. With-out the computer, though, you lose theability to tweak image characteristicssuch as size, color, and brightness. Youcan do limited editing on a printer thathas an LCD screen.

Weigh convenience features. Inkjetscan make borderless prints like thosefrom a ph oto fin-isher. Ihat mattersmost if you're print-ing to the full sizeof the paper, as youmight with 4x6-inch sheets. If youplan to use 4x6-inch paper regularly, lookfor a printer wilh a 4x6-^inch tray or asecond paper tray, which makes it easierto feed paper this size. With those smallsheets, though, the cost per photo mightbe higher than combining a few imageson 8Vjxl 1-inch paper. W ith some models,to u.se Ihe photo inks to get the best pic-ture quality, you must remove the black-ink cartridge and replace il with a pho to-ink cartridge. Then, to print text orgraphics, you must reinsert the black car-tridge. Models that hold all the ink tankssimultaneously eliminate that hassle.Consider connections. All printershave a USB port for connecting to a com-puter. Many also offer wired or wirelessnetworking, which lets you print fromany computer on your network. You canshare a primer thai lacks this feature, butthe computer it's connected to must beturned on in order to print from a differ-ent computer.Memory requirements. While inkjet


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be large enough to bold full pages of themust complex graphics you need to print.Ifyou print largefileswith a lot of graphicsor have multiple users on your network,look for a laser with al least hundreds ofmegabytes of onboard memory, or theability to add m ore.

Be skeptical of vendor specs. Specs forprint speed and resolution are not all ihatuseful, even for comparison purposes,because each company performs its testsin a different manner. Print speed variesdepending on what you're printing andat what quality, but the speeds you see in

ads are generally h igher th an you're likelyto get in normal use. '^fhe print times inour Ratings are realistic and can be com-pared across brands.Don't get hung up on resolution. Aprinte r's resolution, expressed in dots perinch, is another potential source of con-fusion. All things being equal, the moredots a printer puts on the paper, tbe moredetailed tbe image. Bui dot size, shape,and placement also affect quality, so don'tbase your choice solely on resolution .

Related CR report: December 2008Ratings: page 253


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