Have you priced a laptop
computer lately? Buying a new laptop is a big investment;
and just how big of an investment you want to make
is entirely up to you. Look in your Sunday newspaper
flyers to see countless models on sale each week.
Initially selections were made by looking at the specifications
and the general appearance. However that's not the
sole criteria any longer. Everyday more and more people
are now stepping inside the mobile world. With so
many models of laptops now available, how can you
be sure about the choice you make? Below are several
factors you should consider: CPU (Central Processing
Unit), Video Card, hard disk, noise, battery life
and RAM (Random Access Memory).
CPU is the main component which determines
the performance of your computer and also the heating
and the battery life. There is a trade-off between
the CPU performance and the battery-life and power
consumption (heating). If you want a laptop which
would replace a desktop and if you are not planning
to travel with it a lot then there are several different
offers with desktop CPUs integrated in the laptop
main board (such as a P4).
If you are fond of mobility and are
going to use your new laptop for your business purposes
or school, then you should consider buying a laptop
with more suitable CPUs. AMD Athlon can be a solution:
Athlon processors are designed for users who are looking
for economical solutions, both purchase and usage.
Older models of Athlon are no where near Intel Pentium
products from the point of performance, and yet new
models like 2800+ are potent enough to compete with
P4 2.8 GHz.
There is one more model of CPU that
many of the customers prefer: Centrino. Centrino is
the new attempt of Intel to balance the tradeoff between
the performance and mobility issues. With the 2 MB
second level cash, the Pentium CPU is modified for
the laptop which eases the burden of the CPU and implicitly
pulls down the levels of heating and power consumption.
RAM and the graphic card are also
two important factors for the quality of the laptop.
There are two kinds of RAM on the market: SD RAM and
DD RAM. In any case, there is no tradeoff, no comparison:
DD RAM is better, and yet, you still have to be careful
about the clock specification of the RAM. If you buy
a RAM with 333 MHz clock speed, you will see the performance
improvement it supplies to the whole system. Another
thing to consider is that some computers have 512
MB RAM with two slots (256 x 2) which is not very
good for the new laptop you are going to buy. Overall,
if you want a good laptop, you should consider one
equipped with a 333 MHz, 512 MB, DD RAM.
There are various video cards on the
market today. The first thing you should check is
the "ON-Board" specification in the video
card. These cards are integrated into the main board
and generally use your main RAM as for the video memory.
If you are going to use your laptop for general purposes,
not for gaming or 3-D design which would require 3D
hardware acceleration, these laptops with onboard
video card are for you. However, if you are a professional
Counter Strike player, you would be disappointed with
the screen delays and freezes.
The last technical detail is the hard
disk. While buying a hard disk there is a detail which
is much more important then the capacity: RPM. Rotation
Per Minute determines how fast the data transfer rate
is to the CPU to be processed so this specification
also plays a huge role while dealing with multimedia
stuff.
So if you're in the market for a new
laptop computer, one suggestion is to consider buying
a Centrino laptop with an onboard video card with
a big RAM if you are planning to use it for school
or business purposes and also randomly for movies
and music. Nevertheless, Pentium computers with AGP
or PCI Express video off-board video cards would give
you the performance of a desktop if you don't mind
the weight, noise and the heating of the laptop.
With so many decisions
to make, take your time; do your homework and invest
wisely.
Jay is
the web owner of http://www.dsl-in.com DSL, a website
that provides information and resources on DSL,
DSL Service, and DSL Service Providers. You can
visit his website at: DSL Service
Did
you like our article above?
Receive new ones every week!
(We will not
sell your e-mail address... Our promise)
|
ARTICLE
