Dan Gookin - Laptops For Dummies

If you plan to run graphics editing programs, get a laptop with a high-end video card, larger display, and lots of memory.

If you plan to edit video on your laptop, you need the maximum amount of internal storage. I recommend an SSD, if you can afford one. It’s also advisable to get an external hard drive or another type of storage, which many video editing programs require.

See Chapter 9for information on installing new programs, as well as on removing some of those “free” programs that are included on a new laptop.

In the balance between computer hardware and software, it’s the software that determines what type of hardware, and how much of it, you need. After you know the software’s needs, choosing the matching hardware is a snap.

For a laptop, weight, size, and battery take center stage. However, these components aren’t the only hardware specs you should pay attention to. As with all computers, other hardware items play a role in computer performance and must also be part of your laptop purchase decision. They are described in this list:

Processor:Spend the extra money to invest in a fast processor . Doing so extends the useful life of your laptop by ensuring that you can run tomorrow's software before tomorrow comes, but not before yesterday. You'll be thankful later.

Memory: Memory is where the action happens in a computer, where the work gets done. Not having enough memory in your laptop limits its performance. Having enough (or way too much) memory makes Mr. Laptop very happy.

Mass storage:The mass storage device is the electronic closet where the laptop stores your stuff. The mass storage device is either the traditional hard drive or a solid-state drive (SSD). It must have room for the computer's operating system, all the software you get and later install, all the data files and junk you collect, plus room (lotsa room) to grow.

The processor is the main chip inside a computer. It’s not the computer’s “brain.” Software is the computer’s brain. No, the processor is more like the computer’s muscle.

Laptop processors are more expensive than their desktop counterparts. The reason is that laptop processors are designed to use less power and generate less heat. These improvements take time, so their development cycle is longer; hence the added cost.

How do you know how much memory or storage is enough? Easy: Look at the software you want to use. For example, if the software states that it wants 2GB of memory, get a laptop with at least that much memory. If the software requires at least 100GB of drive storage space, factor that amount into your laptop’s mass storage capacity requirements.

If you cannot afford a faster processor, get more RAM.

The things that consume huge amounts of drive storage space are video, music, and photos, in that order. If you plan to collect any of these types of files on your laptop, get a humongous hard drive!

I recommend a laptop with at least 500GB of mass storage. If you need more storage, obtain a traditional hard drive because high-capacity SSDs are expensive.

Tablet PCs don’t require as much storage as traditional laptops. The reason is that tablet PCs are used primarily for nonproductivity purposes — reading email, browsing the web, or enjoying digital entertainment.

Few, if any, laptops today come with an optical drive. If you need such a drive, buy an external, USB DVD drive. You can attach this drive to your laptop when needed; you don’t need to lug the gizmo around with you.

By investing in the latest, fastest processor, lots of RAM, and copious amounts of mass storage now, you’re extending the life of your laptop. That's a good thing. You want your laptop investment to last for years. Pay more now, and you earn it back down the road, when you're still using your laptop while others are forced to buy a new one.

GB is the abbreviation for gigabyte. It means 1 billion characters of computer storage. A GB is approximately 1,000MB. MB is the abbreviation for megabyte, or 1 million characters of computer storage. One MB stores about one minute of music, a 3-by-4-inch digital photo of low quality, or as much text as you’ll find in a typical novel with or without a decent plot.

Your laptop must have gizmos that quench its communications thirst. Here are the options, in order of importance:

Wireless networking:It’s a given that your laptop must come with some type of wireless Ethernet adapter. Connecting to a Wi-Fi network is a must. See Chapter 16for details.

Wired networking:Traditional laptops come with a wired Ethernet port, allowing you to connect the device to a wired network when one is available. Most of the time, the laptop uses the Wi-Fi connection. Ethernet ports aren’t available on netbooks and many tablet PCs.

Long gone from the laptop landscape is the dialup modem. Quite frankly, long gone is the dialup phone line once used to host this antiquated type of Internet access.

Another communications option is sharing a smartphone’s mobile data connection with your laptop. This process, called USB tethering, is covered in Chapter 16.

As human beings, it is our duty to be good stewards of the environment. If you care about your mom (the other mom, Mother Earth), you can be wise about how you spend the planet’s resources when you make your laptop-buying decision. Two issues are important: power usage and materials.

In power usage, laptops have always been ahead of the computer desktop curve when it comes to getting the most from our planet’s energy resources. See Chapter 10for information on power management.

Beyond power usage, you can check the greenness of your laptop’s materials: Some laptops are designed from environmentally friendly materials or at least contain no lead, mercury, plutonium, mayonnaise, or other toxic materials. Even better, some laptops are designed to be recycled. The only way to know is to check with the manufacturer; they love boasting about such things.

The issue of service and support is much more important for a laptop than for a desktop computer. A laptop is a unit. It lacks the easily replaceable components of a desktop. As such, it’s not an item that just anyone can fix.

To ensure that you start out your laptop experience on the best foot possible, I have three recommendations:

First, determine where your laptop will be repaired. Odds are good that it won’t be in the back room at the local Mega Mart where you purchased the thing. The laptop will probably take a trip through the mail. If that’s not what you want, ensure that you buy an onsite support option when you buy the laptop. (Yes, some manufacturers offer this service.)

Second, research technical support for your laptop. Most manufacturers offer phone support. Is it good? Terrible? In your native tongue? Maybe a superior support option is available for an extra price. If you need it, buy it.

Finally, definitely buy a long-term warranty with your laptop. Most manufacturers offer a standard 90-day or even 1-year warranty. I recommend at least a 3-year warranty. This long-term warranty is recommended because if the laptop breaks, the entire unit must be replaced. Doing so isn’t cheap.

Some manufacturers offer you a replacement laptop by way of mail-in service while yours is being fixed. Consider this offer a bonus.

A lack of service and support is one reason that some dealers (and large department stores and discount houses) offer laptops at ridiculously cheap prices. Don't ever expect the employees in such a place to be able to help you, and the guy who cuts meat in the back can’t fix your laptop, either.