1. Check each of these price ranges that fit your budget. Lower prices generally, but not always, means fewer features.

2. What size screen do you want?

3. Which operating system do you prefer? The operating system is the software that controls the basic operation of the computer. The operating system determines the "look and feel" of the PC.

4. Which statement is more true for you?

5. What is your opinion of touchscreens? These screens are sensitive to finger contact, letting you select and move screen objects, launch programs, choose from menus, scroll, etc.

6. Two-in-one. It's a laptop and tablet rolled into one device.

7. Weight. Consider your needs for portability vs. the advantages of "weighty" features. There is an obvious correlation between size and weight, one comes at the expense of the other. Check any or all.

8. Do you want your laptop to have a DVD player?

9. How long do you anticipate not having access to an electrical outlet? The times below are manufacturers' advertised times. A user in the real world may get only half as much time. Check any or all.

10. Storage Drive (aka Hard Drive): how much do you need?Consider that we may put our entire music collections on our computers, or downloaded television episodes. Every document including photos -- is stored on our PC. Check any or all. If you aren't sure, don't check any.

11. How much memory do you need on your PC? The more RAM your system has, the more programs it can handle simultaneously. The biggest RAM-hogs on most home computers are the operating system itself and the web browser. If you opt for a Chromebook, remember that the need for RAM is greatly reduced as you will use the cloud. Check any or all. If you aren't sure, don't check any.

12. All are good, but some are more highly reviewed than others.Your top results on the next page are the best matches for your stated preferences.