Laptop Purchasing

Recommendation Report

Emmeline Hoang

Table of Contents
Abstract.......2
Technical Specification Chart.....2
Introduction.3
Cost Analysis...4
Size and Weight Analysis4
Storage Analysis.......4
Memory Analysis.4
Battery Life Analysis ..5
Processor Analysis...5
Expert Reviews................5
Laptop Rankings Chart....6
Conclusions..6
Recommendation.6

Abstract
This is a report for Company X deciding to purchase eight laptop computers with a budget of
$10,000 total before taxes for the accounting department. Since Company X has multiple
facilities and locations, it is important for the accounting department to have access to a reliable
laptop computer to be able to work on the day to day accounting operations. To find the best
laptops for the department, we must investigate, research, and compare the most technological
and up to date laptops on the market. Based on our research, we were able to conclude that the
best laptop is the Toshiba Protg Ultrabook and would recommend it for purchase for the
accounting department.

Cost
Size
Weight
Storage

Memory

Battery life
Processor
Expert Reviews

Specifications Summary
Apple
Sony
Samsung
$1,199
$1,199
$849.99
12.78 x 8.94 12.72 x 8.90
12.4 x 8.6 x
x 0.95
x 0.75
0.69
4.5 lbs
3.77 lbs
3.73 lbs
500 GB; 5400
500GB + 24
500 GB with
rpm
GB
24GB Hybrid;
Hybrid;5400
5400 rpm
rpm
4GB
8GB (4 GB
4GB
fixed + 4 GB
removable)
Up to 7 hours
Up to 5 hours
Up to 5 hours
30 minutes
35 minutes
Intel Core i5
Intel Core i7
Intel Core i5
4 Stars
3 Stars
3 Stars

Toshiba
$899.99
12.44 x 8.94
x 0.63
2.47 lbs
128 GB Solid
State Drive

6GB

Up to 6 hours
35 minutes
Intel Core i7
3 Stars

Introduction
Apple is the major producer of media devices. Their most popular products are the iPhone, iPad,
and iPod. Their headquarters are in California (Yahoo! Finance). Sony is a major producer of
electronics. Their unique product is the PlayStation game system and software. Their company is
based in Japan (Yahoo! Finance). Samsung produces consumer products that range from
electronic products to home appliances. Their headquarters are in South Korea (Yahoo! Finance).
Toshiba produces and sells electronics and electronic products. Their main headquarters are in
Japan (Yahoo! Finance). These companies dominate the electronic market. When buying a
laptop, most people tend to purchase from these four companies because they are known for
durability and reliability of their products. The laptop computers that were chosen to be
investigated because they are from major electronic companies, who are known for their well
deigned and made products. They are also the most technological and follow the newest market
trends. The four laptops that will be compared are Samsung Series 5 UltraTouch, Toshiba
Protg Ultrabook, Sony VAIO T Series Ultrabook, and Apple MacBook Pro. Company Xs
purchase of the laptop computers would need to consider the following criteria:

Cost/Price
Size and Weight
Storage
Memory
Battery Life
Processor
Expert Reviews
Apple MacBook Air

Samsung Series 5 UltraTouch

Sony VAIO T Series Ultrabook

Toshiba Protg Ultrabook

Analysis
Cost/Price. The most expensive laptop is the Apple MacBook, which costs $1199
(www.apple.com). The Samsung, Toshiba, and Sony laptops are under $1,000. The least
expensive computer is the Sony laptop. It costs $699.99 (store.sony.com). The Samsung costs
$849.99 (www.samsung.com) and the Toshiba costs $899.99 (www.toshibadirect.com). All
laptop models would total to be under the $10,000 budget. The total cost for 8 laptop computers
is depicted in the graph below.
Total Cost for 8 Laptop Computers
15000
10000
5000
0
Apple

Sony

Samsung

Toshiba

Total Cost before sales tax

Size and Weight. The Apple MacBook has a 13 inch screen. The other models have a 13.3 inch
screen. The Toshiba Ultrabooks screen is also a widescreen and the Sony and Samsung have
touch screens, which would work well with the Windows 8 operating system. The Apple
MacBook is the thickest at 0.95 (www.apple.com) Toshiba Ultrabook is the thinnest at 0.63
(www.toshibadirect.com). It would be ideal for moving from office to office because it would be
able to fit in any bag or backpack. The Apple MacBook weighs the most at 4.5 lbs.
(www.apple.com). The Toshiba Ultrabook weighs the least at 2.47 lbs.
(www.toshibadirect.com). The Toshiba Ultrabook would be best for mobility because it is the
lightest and thinnest model.
Storage. The Apple MacBook has a 500 GB and 5400 rpm hard drive (www.apple.com). Sony
has a 5400 rpm hybrid hard drive (store.sony.com). It has 500 GB hard disk drive and 24 GB of
solid state drive. Samsung also has a 5400 rpm hybrid hard drive (www.samsung.com). Toshiba
has a 128 GB solid state drive (www.toshibadirect.com). Toshiba Ultrabook would run the
fastest because the storage is entirely on a solid state drive. The Sony and Samsung run faster
than the Apple because they have hybrid hard drives. The operating systems would run on the
solid state drive which would free up space for other programs to run from the hard drive. The
running of the operating system would not interfere with the loading and running of other
programs.
Memory. Apple and Samsung both have 4 GB of 1600MHz for RAM (www.apple.com,
www.samsung.com). Sony has 4 GB fixed onboard and 4 GB removable memory
(store.sony.com). Toshiba has 6 GB and 1600 MHz memory (www.toshibadirect.com). Toshiba
has more memory than the Apple and Samsung laptop computers. It can therefore it can have
4

more programs running at once than those two laptops. Since Sony has 4 GB of removable
memory, it can be upgraded in the future to have more memory. It also has the most memory out
of the four laptops.
Battery Life. The batteries of the Apple, Sony, and Samsung laptops are lithium polymer. The
Toshiba Ultrabook has an 8-cell Lithium Ion battery. Apple has the longest battery life of up to 7
hours (www.apple.com). Sony and Samsung have similar battery lives at around 5 hours and 30
minutes (store.sony.com, www.samsung.com). They also have the shortest battery life of the four
models. The Toshiba Ultrabook has a battery life of 6 hours 35 minutes
(www.toshibadirect.com). The Apple laptop would be the best for mobility when it comes to
battery life.
Processor. The Apple MacBook and Samsung Ultrabook laptops run on the Intel Core i5-3317U
processor (www.apple.com, www.samsung.com). The Apple MacBook has Turbo Boost
Technology of 3.1 GHz, while the Samsung has 2.6 GHz for Turbo Boost Technology. The Sony
and the Toshiba Ultrabook have the Intel Core i7-3667U processor (www.toshibadirect.com,
store.sony.com). The Intel Core i7 is better for multi-talking than the Intel Core i5 (Domingo,
2012). The Sony has 3.10 GHz with Turbo Boost Technology, and the Toshiba has 3.2 GHz with
Turbo Boost Technology.
Expert Reviews.
Apple MacBook Pro- 4 Stars

The bottom line: This year's MacBook Air opts for gradual improvements rather than
anything revolutionary, but lowered prices continue to make it the go-to mainstream
recommendation for any MacBook owner-to-be (Stein, 2012).

Sony- 3 Stars

The bottom line: If you like the idea of having a touch screen on your Windows 8 laptop,
the Sony Vaio T13 Touch isn't a bad way to go (Goldman, 2012).

Samsung- 3 Stars

The bottom line: Samsung's mispriced Series 5 UltraTouch looks and feels like a more
expensive machine, but keeps it simple by skipping the complex hybrid mechanics of so
many new Windows 8 systems (Ackerman, 2013).

Toshiba Protg Ultrabook - 4 Stars

The Verdict: The Toshiba Portege Z935 is the fastest and lightest 13-inch Ultrabook you
can get for the price (Krawczyk, 2012).

Size and Weight

Apple
4
3
3
1
3
1

Laptop Rankings
Sony
3
2
1
3
2
2

Samsung
2
2
3
3
4
2

Toshiba
1
1
2
2
1
1

Conclusions
The following is a summary of the investigation of the Samsung Series 5 UltraTouch, Toshiba
Protg Ultrabook, Sony VAIO T Series Ultrabook, and Apple MacBook Pro laptop computers:
1. All laptop models are within the budget laid out by the company of $10,000 for 8 laptop
computers.
2. The Toshiba Ultrabook is the best size for mobility. It weighs the least and is the thinnest of
the four laptops compared.
3. The Toshiba Ultrabook runs on a solid state drive, which makes it the fastest at storing and
retrieving programs and information.
4. The Sony Ultrabook has the most memory and because it has 4 GB of removable memory it
can be upgraded at any time in the future. The Toshiba Ultrabook has 6 GB of memory and
would be second in highest memory of the four laptops.
5. The Apple MacBook has the best battery life for mobility. It can last up to 7 hours. The
Toshiba Ultrabook has a battery life of 6 hours and 35 minutes, which is the second best
battery life of the four compared.
6. The models, Sony and Toshiba, with the Intel Core i7 are the best for multitasking and would
be ideal for the accounting department of Company X.
7. The Apple MacBook and The Toshiba Ultrabook have the highest rating from the experts.
Recommendation
Based on the comparison of the four models as discussed in this report, I would recommend that
the company purchase 8 of the Toshiba Protg Ultrabook. It is best for mobility between
Company Xs facilities. It is the most thin and weighs the least out of the four compared. It is the
only laptop with a solid state drive, making it the fastest at retrieval. The Toshiba does not have
the most memory but it has 6 GB, which is the second most. It also does not have the longest
battery life, but it is only a half hour difference from the top battery life. It has the Intel Core i7,
which is the best processor on the market. When ranking the Toshiba Ultrabook against the other
computers, it always falls within the first or second rank. The experts also have high ratings for
this laptop. It would be the best option because it has the best value for the cost.

Works Cited
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