Learn How to Buy A Good Laptop Computer

Can’t decide which model of laptop to buy? How do you choose a

laptop that will meet your computing needs and yet does not
burst your budget? Choosing a good laptop computer can be very
difficult. You are faced with so many models and specs that you
don’t know where to begin!

When buying a laptop, you need to consider factors beyond
performance and weight. There are many additional things like
screen dimensions, battery life, and keyboard and connection
options which you have to think about.

Let’s look at some of the factors one should consider when
buying a laptop.

1. Processor

One of the first things you need to consider in a laptop is the
CPU. The latest laptop CPUs include Intel’s Core Duo and Core 2
Duo processors which outperform older single-core Intel
processors (e.g. Pentium M). Other laptops use the AMD Athlon
Turion 64 X2 dual-core processor – which is also a good
performer. In general, however, if you’re looking for a laptop,
I’d advise you to look for one with an Intel Core Duo processor.
You can also read this guide to find out more.

2. System memory

The amount of RAM in the laptop is very important. If you’re not
short of cash, my advice is to get at least 1GB of RAM – that is
the minimum you need to get newer PC applications to run fast.
Also remember that you can always add more memory to your
existing laptop. You may be interested in this short guide on
how to install new memory modules into a laptop.

3. Graphics memory

Laptop graphics are another feature you will want to consider.
Typically, I’d say you should go for 128MB of dedicated video
RAM. Also, ensure that the graphics memory is used solely for
graphics use and not shared with the main memory. If you intend
to play games on the laptop, then look for advanced 3D graphics
chips with about 256MB to 512MB of dedicated graphics memory. Be
prepared to fork out a lot more cash though.

4. Screen

You will also want to take a look at the laptop screen. Laptop
screens have recently become bigger. Most of them have gone
widescreen so you can watch movies or edit spreadsheets more
comfortably.

If you intend to use the laptop from home a lot, then I’d go for
a 17-inch wide screen. If you are more concerned about
portability or if you travel a lot, then laptops with screen
sizes of 12.1 or 13.3 inches might suit you better. There are
also 14.1- or 15-inch screens for laptops, but I believe
manufacturers are shifting away from these models.

5. Battery

Here’s another critical factor – laptop battery life. I
personally find it very frustrating to have my notebook power
run out after 15 minutes at Starbucks. What you need to do is to
buy a laptop that has about 3.5 hours of battery life, running
on a Core Duo or Core 2 Duo processor. Make sure you question
the retailer on how long the battery can last – a short battery
life is usually a deal breaker for me.

6. Keyboard and Pointing Device

Some people believe that the keyboard and pointing device on a
l is important. If you have big fingers, you might be more
comfortable typing on a larger notebook keyboard than a small
one. Make sure you try the laptop out – get the feel of typing
and navigation before you buy the laptop.

7. Optical drives

I’d usually recommend getting a laptop with a rewritable DVD
drive as a minimum. One thing you need to know is that some
laptops sacrifice a DVD drive in exchange for a lighter weight
and portability. If you don’t think you need a DVD drive all the
time, then you might want to get a model that doesn’t have one.

8. Hard drive

In the laptop hard drive department, what can I say? More is
better. These days, you can get a notebook hard drives coming in
sizes of 160GB or more. You can also get SATA hard drives if you
have more cash.

9. Weight

Another thing to note is the weight of the laptop. Now, when you
buy a laptop, always remember that the total weight includes the
notebook AND the AC adapter, any external modules, and their
cables. These can add up to quite a bit of weight.

10. Communications

These days, you will find that most laptops come with at least
two USB 2.0 ports – I’d recommend that as a minimum. If you do a
lot of video editing, then a FireWire (IEEE 1394) port also
becomes essential.

You should also check for good network capabilities. Make sure
your new laptop has built-in ethernet capability, a built-in
wireless connection and also built-in Bluetooth (if you need to
transfer data between your mobile phone and the laptop).

Some of the laptops also include card slots for removable media
such as CompactFlash, Secure Digital and MultiMediaCard. If you
take a lot of digital photos, then this feature might matter to
you.

11. Laptop Shopping Tips

Whew! That sure is a long list of features to consider when
buying a laptop. In addition to understanding the features,
there are three important laptop shopping tips you should bear
in mind.

Tip #1: How will you use the laptop? One of the problems when
you buy a laptop is that you pay for features you don’t really
need. One of the best ways to avoid paying too much is to
consider how you will use the laptop. If it is mostly for word
processing, then settle for a cheaper machine. If it is for
gaming, then you need a more powerful one.

Tip #2: Think of features you will not compromise You should
also be aware that there are some basic features in a laptop you
should NOT sacrifice. For example, for me, if I were buying a
laptop, I’d choose (as a minimum) – an Intel Core Duo or Core 2
Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, 160GB of hard drive, a very small
screen size and a super long lasting battery. Your list of
critical feature may vary.

Tip #3: Remember you can pick and choose Most vendors will let
you custom-build your own laptop. This is a good thing, because
you can just pick those features you need and not pay any extra.
You can easily purchase a faster notebook by accepting a smaller
hard drive or DVD drive, for example.

Conclusion

I hope this article has shown you that ins and outs of buying a
laptop. Remember, a laptop is an expensive device. It will also
be something you bring along anywhere you go. Hence, it is
critical that you do proper research and find the correct laptop
to suit your needs. Remember the above tips the next time you’re
in the market for a laptop, and happy shopping!

by: Gary Hendricks

PC Fax Software Solutions for your Company

Are you still using old fax machines? Stop going time after time
to the machine and start using fax software from the comfort of
your own PC!

PC Fax software is used widely today, even with the appearance
of e-mail and instant messaging. It is a great solution for
small and big businesses, why? Because when sending documents
via online faxing, you avoid the risk of making your documents
either unreadable or incompatible.

Modern fax programs not only serve to send faxes, but instead
they aim to provide a full communications centre where you can
manage, e-mails, calls, messages and more, and lets you automate
your whole communications process in an easy and affordable way,
compared to past communications solutions.

The most basic PC fax program will let you see any document
without needing to print and invest on extra hardware. This is
useful, especially if you are required to travel a lot and need
your faxes while working with your laptop.

The other features of fax software are great too, they let you
broadcast your faxes (sending them to dozens of individuals) and
the ability to send long-distance faxes, at the same price.
You’ll also have a complete log of all your communications which
will help you improve your business.

If you are interested in acquiring fax software you’ll have to
make sure you have a fax modem and that your computer is
prepared to send your faxes. Nowadays this is easier than ever
and the prices for the needed equipment are way lower than years
before. You may have to invest a little today, but the cost will
be way cheaper when you compare it of the cost of getting and
maintaining a fax machine. by: Paolo Basauri

Things to consider before buying a new printer

A major decision would focus on whether to buy an inkjet or
laser printer. Laser printers use toner cartridges and imaging
drum units, while inkjets rely on ink tank cartridges. When it
comes to inkjet printers the print head is part of the printer
on some models and part of the cartridge on other models. Ink
cartridges vary from being four-coloured cartridges i.e. three
colours plus black, tri-coloured and single black. Whilst some
printers use single ink tanks for each colour and you replace
the colour that has run out. Ink tanks are cheaper to replace
than those cartridges with combined ink and print heads. High
volume black text work is better suited for laser printers.
However, if its colour graphics or photographs you require, then
a top quality inkjet printer would be the choice.

There are a number of other aspects to consider when purchasing
a printer, which may sway your choice between inkjet or laser.

Multifunction These types of printers are often called 3 in 1,
but are also referred to as MFP, and are made up of a printer,
scanner and copier. Many of the new style MFP’s usually have a
fax machine facility incorporated into them. This type of
printer saves space over the need for three or four separate
devices.

Resolution Resolution or DPI determines the print quality of the
work being produced. This refers to the number of dots per inch
that appear on the page. These are usually represented by the
horizontal and vertical measurements 600 x 300 dpi. 600 DPI is
considered to be an adequate level for printing of common
documents that contain text and a small images. Quality photo
printing results require higher levels of DPI, with a mid range
Epson photo printer capable of up to 5760 x 1440 dpi.

Print Speed Speed relates to the number of pages printed per
minute. These ratings can help to measure the performance
between different models. Mono laser printers are far quicker
than inkjet printers when it comes to printing black text work.

Duty Cycle This is the maximum amount of prints the printer can
handle per month. Therefore, you need to choose a printer with a
duty cycle that can handle your printing needs to ensure a
longer life for the printer itself.

Connection Interface This refers to how the printer is connected
to a PC, Notebook, or Laptop. Most come with a USB connection,
some come with Infrared I/O ports which caters for wireless
printing and others have in built Ethernet connections allowing
the printer to be networked amongst several users. It’s
important to check which connections are available on the
printer to match your printing needs.

Print Media This describes the type of material the printer can
print on. It can range from normal A4 paper, photographic paper
of varying sizes and coatings, envelopes, card, transparencies,
printable surface CD’s or DVD’s and transfer paper.

Duplexing This allows for double sided printing, great for
producing booklets and cutting down on paper usage. This
technology is only available with a laser printer.

Card Slots This allows printing direct from a camera’s memory
card and you can view which picture you want to print via a
small monitor built into the printer. Card slots are most
commonly found on inkjet printers

Footprint This is the space taken up by the size of a printer.
Need to ask yourself if it will fit into the workspace area you
have available for it.

Running costs The most common mistake people make when buying a
printer is not checking the price of the ink or toner cartridges
for it first. The cost of cartridges can vary tremendously
between different makes/brands (and even between different
printers of the same brand). Before committing to purchasing a
printer check the prices of the cartridges by contacting
specialist ink and toner cartridge retailers, they will give you
the best prices and are more likely to offer cheaper compatibles
as well as OEM products.

Considering all of the above factors will help you make a more
informed decision which printers are best suited for your needs
and whether capable of performing tasks you require.

The final consideration is budget. Once you have found a number
of printers that are capable of performing all of the tasks you
require, you then need to filter the list to the ones that fit
your budget. A good idea would be to compare similar equipped
printers amongst three to four vendors to get the best priced
deal. by: Gareth Preddy

Why a Laptop is Good to Go For Home Business

by: Rosalva Weekes

Laptop computers are often the first type of computer that
anxious buyers look into.

They are small and slick looking machines for the most part.
Laptop computers have all the ability and function of a full
desktop on a smaller scale. Their size limit’s the amount of
memory they can handle but laptops are still very powerful
machines. Today laptops can be just as useful as desktop pc’s.
In today’s busy society they fit into most people’s daily
lifestyles perfectly for three reasons. The top two reasons that
most people use laptops are mobility and space efficiency.
However, the benefits certainly don’t stop there.

Mobility

In today’s fast paced technology-reliant world having a
computer is pretty much mandatory. Whether your laptop is a
brand new Compaq Presario or a no name brand chances are you
carry it with you and use it constantly. The mobility of laptops
and notebooks allows for their users to have their important
files at hand as well as the means to update those files and
copy them for others to use. With the advent of wireless
technology a Compaq laptop combined with Compaq wireless makes
for an unstoppable media and work outlet.

This ease of mobility will serve for many different people,
including those that own their own business. Business people
will love the appeal of being able to work on commutes and
trips. Students will have the advantage of being able to take
notes in class as well as have their personal computer with them
for weekend jaunts to the homestead. People who work at home
doing telecommuting jobs will be able to leave the house for a
cup of coffee and a change of scenery without losing any work
time.

Space Efficient

Laptops are much smaller than a desktop computer. This being the
case it is perfect for the person who does not have much room or
just wants a less cluttered working area than the desktop
affords. College students who live in dorms benefit greatly from
this as they have limited work space and often need to use desk
space for other purposes than schoolwork. People who live in
smaller apartments or homes can also benefit from the small size
as any space that is available can become a work space.

The small size is also a plus in shared spaces as it makes it
easy to store. It can be set on a shelf when not in use leaving
space for tables and desks to be repurposed. Also it can very
easily unhooked and locked up for safe keeping when not needed
for work or play.

Although a laptop may not be ideal for everyone as they are
often the right choice for a varied group of people. From
college students, to busy professionals, to work at home moms
the laptop computer can become an invaluable asset to their
everyday lives. It can certainly make your home business easier
to operate if you have a handy laptop to take everywhere you
go!????????? Article:
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