Thursday | February 09, 2012
Laptop Shop: A Beginner’s Guide To Computer Notebooks
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By
Dave Mathews, YOUNG MONEY Technology Editor
21 May 2004
My computing days started with a $1,795 "portable" — no, make that "luggable" — computer that was the size of a suitcase. The Osborne 01, as it was called, was sized to fit perfectly under an airplane seat.
The machine came with a whole suite of software — word processing, spreadsheets and a database worth well more than $795, so you could technically call it a $1,000 portable computer way back in 1983. However, I just carried the backbreaking device to a desk and left it there. Laptop, it was not.
Moore’s Law, the unofficial technology rule that states computers will double their power while they "half their price" every 18 months, has proven itself well in the desktop arena. Laptops were slow to follow this pricing trend as they are comprised of high dollar items like tiny hard drives, Liquid Crystal Display or LCD screens, and Lithium Ion batteries. They also need to use parts that were much smaller and, until now, manufactured in small quantities.
Today, we see more components like RAM and wireless cards using shared interfaces between the machine that sits on your desk or the one that is carried within your book bag. This "one part fits all" scenario has resulted in the prices of notebook computers dropping drastically. ‘Bout time, I say!
Powerful Processors
It’s not hard to find a name brand laptop running Windows XP, a DVD combo and CD writer for just twice the price of a desktop computer. But what should you look for? I am a big fan of AMD Athlon processors, which are compatible with their more expensive Pentium cousins made by Intel.
I don’t care much for the Celeron processor, which Intel created to compete with AMD on price. This chip was "tuned down" and has some functions removed in order to save cost. If you cannot afford a laptop with a Celeron-crippling Pentium M or Mobile processor, then look for an AMD powered machine. You will get better performance at a lower price.
While laptops have traditionally not been used for gaming, this trend is changing. Now even the sub-$1,000 machines have GeForce 4 graphics technology. This video chip provides amazing gaming graphics and visual textures, however, the LCD display technology is a bit slow to respond for hardcore gamers. You may want to plug a glass CRT into your laptop when you are fragging, or shooting your friends online.
Keyboard and Mouse
Remember to test drive the keyboard when purchasing a laptop. Make sure that the keyboard is not too small or that the keys are not in funky places, which could make it difficult to use. While I like my keyboard on my HP and IBM laptops, I still plug in an external keyboard while I am at the office to avoid repetitive stress injuries caused by typing on a raised surface.
Check out the mouse, too. I love the "eraser nub" option over the touch pad since my hands never have to leave the key surface. Fortunately, many laptops come with both mouse-moving technologies and you can disable your least favorite one.
Wireless World
You won’t find current machines with speeds less than 1 GHz, which is more than adequate for email, Web browsing and school work. Burning CDs and writing papers will not tax this processor, but intense multi-player games will. Watch, too, for Centrino, another buzzword that you see attached to notebooks. Centrino, a term coined by Intel, means that the computer has a processor that consumes less power, has a large battery supporting more than three hours of use, and includes built-in wireless technology.
After putting a wireless router in your home or when you travel to public spaces or "hot spots" that have the 802.11 or WiFi infrastructure in place, you will be able to connect to the Internet sans cord. You get free access at home and at school, but StarBucks, hotels and airports will charge you for the connection.
Need More Speed?
If you have some extra money, take a look at the higher-end laptops. Spending $1,500 will get you a faster processor and at least 512 megabytes of RAM, which will allow you to multitask and keep more programs open at the same time. A larger hard drive will let you keep your entire music collection on your computer (hopefully downloaded legally).
Spending around $2,000 will get you all those features plus a wide-screen monitor, which is great for movies and faster 802.11g wireless capabilities. However, you may rarely see these speed benefits because there are few campuses or hot spots using this 802.11g standard, but the technology will adjust to the lower 802.11b speeds.
So grab a laptop and let the world be your oyster. The fresh air of outside computing is inspiring but search out that shade tree and power outlet. Screens are tough to read in the sunlight and you will only get about three hours of battery life out of most laptops. For now.
Dave has been toting an IBM laptop for years and loves its crisp keyboard. He’s also just started using a small HP nc4000 machine with built-in card slot for his digital camera and 802.11g wireless. You can find more stories from Dave at www.davemathews.com.
© 2008, Young Money Media, LLC. All rights reserved.
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