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Buying the Notebook Computer
Author: By: Roberto Sedycias
The single most important reason anyone buys a notebook is for portability.
This is something that you can take anywhere. If you frequently travel in your
work, you need a notebook. If you are a student going back and forth to the
university, you need a notebook. If you are journalist traveling the world and
submitting articles, you need a notebook. And today's notebooks can be as
powerful as most desktops with dual processors, large capacity internal drives,
and other attractive features. But which one is right for you? How do you
determine what type of notebook will fit your current needs plus allow you to
expand for the future?
And the first part of the answer to the question
of which one is right for you leads to a half-answer: "It depends." It depends
on what you are going to do with the computer. Are you going to use it for work
or recreation? Is it something needed for your profession or are you a hobbyist?
Do you play a lot of games? What level of internet access do you need? It is
also important to remember that unlike desktop models, notebook computers cannot
be upgraded easily. In fact, they usually have no upgrade path so you should
take the time to get exactly what you need in terms of features and
performance.
One characteristic of a notebook computer one should
consider is the screen size. If you need to be able to have a lot of landscape
for projects you are working on then consider a wider screen. Screen sizes
usually can range from 10.4 inches to 17.1 inches. If you do a lot of work on an
airliner in economy class, you are probably better off with a smaller screen
size (because of the reclining seatbacks in front of you). Also a smaller
notebook is just easier and lighter to carry around. Some who do presentations
with their notebook computers will benefit from larger screen sizes such as
those that use the newer WXGA technology. WXGA notebook screens can achieve
resolutions up to 1366 by 768 pixels.
Battery life in your notebook
computer is very important too. If you move around quite a bit, you might want
to consider buying a notebook with not only a long lasting battery (most go 2-3
hours), but also one where buying a spare battery is not very expensive. One
very inexpensive solution for the battery problem is to buy an external
universal battery that can last up to 3-4 hours.
Another feature you
need to consider when buying a notebook is internet connectivity. You will find
that a popular way for people to work these days is with a wifi-enabled notebook
at a wireless hotspot (such as in coffee shops, restaurants, libraries and
airports). If you are buying an older used notebook, you may have to get an
additional wifi-card if you want to have the mobile connectivity provided by
this technology. Also, you will find that most hotels nowadays offer high-speed
internet access but it is usually through a wifi connection.
And lastly,
you need to consider what other options you want for your notebook computer. Do
you want a CD writer or will you need to record DVDs? Do you need premium sound?
How large of a disk drive do you need? When it comes to disk space, CD/DVD
writers, sound cards, memory, and processor speed, it's best to get it now as
opposed to get it later. Here's why: The upgrade path for most laptops and
notebooks is not very long. This is because notebooks are probably replaced
every 2-3 years. They are quick becoming just as expendable as a set of tires
for your car. And if you do not maximize on memory and processor speed, your
notebook may not able run efficiently the new application and game software. The
more your notebook is adaptable to software upgrades, the longer it will be an
effective tool for you.
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