Tips to buy laptop / notebook

laptop-tips.blogspot.com (Tips to buy laptop) is the definitive online destination for laptop reviews and buying guides/tips. If you want to buy a new, used or refurbished laptop, you'll find here relevant and valuable advice for your own review that will allow you to make an informed buying decision.
laptop-tips.blogspot.com tries our very best to make the content of this site simple yet very helpful and hopes that what you will read will save you a lot of time, money and unnecessary hassles in buying laptops!
..

What to Consider Before Purchasing a Laptop Computer ?

When considering buying a used or even a new laptop, the first thing you need to do is to determine your computing needs. * word processing * e-mail * browsing web pages * moving the laptop from home to work (weight) * gaming * on-line shopping * a database application * personal finance * is battery power important Check out the Minimum Systems Requirements needed to do all of the your applications. They will not come with the laptop, as refurbished laptops often only include the Operating System (OS).

1. Portability - The main reason to have a laptop or notebook computer is portability - the need to take your entire computer from one place to another. If you don't need portability, then you should probably buy a desktop.

2. Expense - Laptop computers cost almost twice as much as comparably equipped desktops. Shocking isn't it?You can actually buy two comparably equipped desktops for the price of one laptop. So if you have to have a computer in two separate places, you would be better off with two desktops (if they were reasonably close together you could hook them together in a wired or wireless local area network (LAN).

3. Speed - Laptops are 20-30% slower than a desktop with the same features (CPU, hard drive capacity, etc.). Slower CPUs, motherboards, hard drives, and video systems all contribute to the speed loss.

4. Upgradeability - Laptop computers are mostly non-upgradeable. Whatever CPU, video card (built into the motherboard), sound card (also built-in), and screen, that come with the laptop are the same parts the laptop will end with. While it is possible to upgrade main memory, and removable drives, the upgrades can cost twice as much as a desktop's. Upgrades using PC cards or docking stations are also very expensive.
You can also upgrade newer laptops through their USB, USB 2.0, and Firewire ports. Only USB 2.0 and Firewire ports can run high speed devices e.g. hard drives and DVD drives. Again, all external drives cost almost twice as much as an internal drive.

5. Serious Gaming. You will need to spend at least $2500 for a laptop that can play current games at a respectable speed. I don't recommend laptops for serious gaming no matter how much you are willing to spend. Why?

Because if you love to play games, about 1-1.5 years after you purchase your laptop you will find it isn't fast enough to keep up with the latest new game. At that time, you will regret buying a gaming laptop. However, if you have the money, and want to throw down $2500 every year or so, more power to you.

On the other hand, if your computer budget is limited, it's better to have a functional laptop and spend your gaming dollars on an upgradeable desktop.
We hope you'll find as much value in these laptop reviews and buying guides/tips as many other buyers and users have...
..

Notebook systems have grown in popularity due to their increasing performance and portability. Many systems are even now being marketed as replacements for desktop systems, but few can perform at the same level as a desktop system particularly when it comes to graphics. This guide will help you to look at some of the key items you want to look at before you purchase your next PC notebook system.

..
Size and Weight
Obviously the size and weight of a notebook is important. Ultraportables offer light weight and sizes, but sacrifice items such as optical drives. Desktop replacements have equivalent power to desktop systems, but they are heavy and bulky making them difficult to carry around. When shopping for a laptop, make sure to pick up the systems and verify its something you are willing to carry. Don't forget to also consider the weight of accessories such as AC adapter when carrying around the notebook.

Processors (CPU)
Notebook processors still lag behind desktop CPUs but they make up for that with their energy efficiency. To determine the right CPU to get, look at the purpose of the system. If it is meant to be a mobile web browser, email, word processing or even DVD player, any CPU above 1GHz should be sufficient. A desktop replacement should have a high-end processor rated at least 1.6GHz or higher for mobile specific processors or 2.8GHz for desktop processors.

Memory (RAM)
Laptop computers are generally more restricted in the amount of memory they can have compared to desktop systems. When looking at computers you want to make sure to check out the maximum memory the system can handle as well as the amount that is installed in the computer. It's also useful to find out if a memory upgrade can be done yourself or if it has to be done by a technician.

Displays
When purchasing a notebook, look at the native resolution of the screen as the size. A large size screen is generally preferred but some large screens have such high resolutions that it can make standard fonts unbearably hard to read. The size of the screen also impacts the size of the laptop. Newer systems with 17" screens tend to be very large and more difficult to carry.

Drives
Hard drive size is straight forward in laptops, but the choice of optical drives is important. One of the great abilities of laptops now is their ability to turn into portable DVD players. With a DVD-ROM or CD-RW/DVD combo drive, one can watch DVD movies through the computer or even plug it into a home theater system. Many ultraportable laptops often lack an internal optical drive to save on space.

Laptop Graphic Cards Review (or GPU – Graphics Processing Unit)

A graphic card is probably the second most important in computer hardware configurations. It determines how well you run the graphic based programs (where 99.9% of the software programs today have fancy graphic user interfaces). If you ever want to use the laptop to watch video contents, view animations or play games, you must know your graphic card chart well. When it comes to graphic cards, I put them into two categories: Integrated Graphics Cards, and Add-on Graphic Cards. Simply put, if you are going to use your laptop mainly for surfing the net, checking email, word processing, 2D graphic design and occasionally playing some games, a laptop with an integrated graphic card would do for you. However, if you work with animation creations, multimedia developments (e.g. video rendering) or game playing (3D games like Quake 4, Half Life 2, Far Cry, FEAR, Battle Field 2), you do need the add-on graphic cards. The graphic cards makes a huge difference on laptop prices, but the one thing you can bet, the more expensive the graphic cards are, the better 3D support they provide.

Networking
The ability to connect to the net is integral to most laptops today. Look for systems that include a built in 56Kbps modem and Fast Ethernet. This allows one to get logged in for most situations. If you want ultimate portability, look at getting a laptop computer with an integrated 802.11b/g wireless adapter. More and more locations are available with wireless hotspots for connectivity.

Battery Life
How good is a portable computer going to be if you are only able to get 30 minutes of computing time on a single charge? Try to find the manufacturer’s listed battery life for the standard battery. Look to get a system with at least 2 hours of battery life under normal conditions. If you need extended time unplugged, look for laptops with media bays that can double as extra battery slots.

Peripherals
- Make sure the laptop come with enough USB plugs. (at the least 2)- A 5-in-1 or 6-in-1 card reader will be really handy on the road- DVD burner would be nice when you have a smaller hard drive (smaller than 80GB )- All laptops today have wireless card build in, but you might want to check on Bluetooth. It would be useful since more printers, communication devices and home appliances are Bluetooth equipped.- A IEEE 1394 Port (Fire Wire) is important for video editing- DVI Connector for the new laptops and Mac cinema displays- S-video out if you want to project the laptop content to home TV.

Warranty Plans
Laptops take a lot of abuse and are more prone to breakdowns due to their portability. When buying a system, make sure to get at least a 1 year warranty from the manufacturer. If you will be using the system heavily, a system that comes with a 3 year warranty might be a better choice but it will cost more. Third party extended plans are not a good choice unless service is done through the manufacturer.

..

FAQ about Laptop

Should I buy a laptop or a desktop PC?

Before we discuss what to look for in a business laptop, you should figure out whether you need a laptop at all. Desktop PCs typically cost hundreds of dollars less than laptops, and if you're able to do all of your business comfortably from one location, you need not shell out extra cash for a portable form factor.

What advantages does a laptop offer?

A portable computer provides access to your files and applications wherever you are--every corner of the world becomes an extension of your office. Riding the train or sitting in an airport, you can be just as productive as if you were sitting in your desk chair.

What are the disadvantages to using a laptop?

On top of the premium price tag, there are a few other drawbacks to buying a laptop rather than a desktop PC. For one, laptops are not as easy or inexpensive to upgrade as their desktop brethren. While it's relatively simple to add a bigger hard drive or a DVD burner to a desktop, on a laptop, the operation can be more expensive, more complicated, or both. Here are a few other limitations to note:

You'll be working on a smaller keyboard, looking at a smaller screen, probably sitting in a less-than-ergonomic position.
You'll have to become conscious of battery life, an issue the desktop PC user doesn't have to worry about.
You'll need a separate network hub and a backup solution; laptops aren't optimized for those functions.

What can I expect to pay for a laptop?

There's a laptop for every class of business user. Currently, the least-expensive and least-sophisticated laptops start at $600 to $700. The smallest and lightest laptops can run to $2,000 and beyond. Very roughly, laptops cost about twice as much as their desktop counterparts. So all things considered, you should expect to pay between $1,000 and $1,500 for a nicely outfitted business laptop.

Are there hidden, recurring, or long-term costs of owning a laptop?

Because a laptop is likely to log many more miles than a desktop PC, it's inherently more vulnerable to wear and tear. You'll be susceptible to ailments such as worn-out hinges, broken keys, busted screens, and mangled optical drives. In the past, nearly all business laptops came with a standard three-year warranty on parts and labor; these days, some models include only a one-year warranty, with the option to purchase an upgrade. Read your warranty information carefully before you make a purchase. Also, a decent laptop bag will help reduce laptop deterioration

Thinking of buying a laptop?

Make sure you know what you're getting. Below, you'll find our recommendations for consideration when buying a desktop replacement class PC laptop, but the other smaller laptop classes are considered in some of the detailed descriptions. Click on any of the main components for a detailed explanation.

Kunjungi www.investasi-saham.com untuk investasi saham dan bermain saham. Panduan Lengkap dalam Berinvestasi di Pasar Modal, Bursa Efek Indonesia, Saham, Obligasi, ORI, SUKUK, Reksadana, Derivatif, Investasi Syariah dan Produk Investasi Keuangan lainnya serta Belajar Menjadi Investor/ Trader (Main) Saham.