There are numerous ways to skin a cat, just as there are multiple ways to decide what I need to make my computer compatible with my way of living. There are laptops and their diminutive cousins, the netbooks, in addition to desktops, which are PCs that usually have a mouse, monitor, keyboard, and CPU (Tower). So, which computer is the best, when is the best time to purchase it, and my favorite, desktop or laptop? I’m planning to continue using a computer for this article. As each desktop merits its article and should not be grouped, I will write a thorough article on desktops exclusively.
Let’s start with the first query. Which computer is the best to purchase, and why? I’ve included a few questions to help you, your IT expert, or friends assisting you to figure this out.
1) What is the computer’s primary purpose?
2) How many consumers or individuals will use it?
3. Will it be linked to the internet, and if so, how? (Will it be used for internet through your cable provider, a DSL line, or a fiber line, and, ultimately, will it go through a dial-up connection?)
4) Space: How much room in your home will you set aside for this new acquisition? For instance, I reside in a two-bedroom apartment without a phone or basic cable. Since all my computers are laptops, I chose to use an Air card from my mobile phone provider because I can easily set up a small, portable network.
Okay, so we’ve established that the computer, in my case, will be used primarily for portability. I will state that there are three users and that a USB Air card is being used for the connection. Due to the portability issue and the amount of living space I am willing to give up for my electronics and computer, space is a significant concern. To further determine the requirements of the laptops, our scenario has thus been built. I frequently journal and write as a user. I also communicate with my future wife via Skype and YIM to better suit my requirements. We discussed needing a laptop with a camera and microphone array built-in because space is a problem. I initially neglected to add that I also do photography and video editing. I would also require a processor capable of handling this task, a sizable hard drive, and a good quantity of physical and video memory to meet my requirements. Therefore, for me, a netbook would be a viable choice. Most netbooks are under $400 US and have a total weight of fewer than 4 pounds. The processor and extra storage capacity are the issues. Personally, I examined more than 30 regular-sized computers.
What do I need and why
1) My hard drive needed to have enough space for my operating system, which is the program that enables you, the user, to access the hard drive as well as programs, or the software you use regularly, such as Internet Explorer and video and picture editing software. Games are less of a worry for me, but playing one or two games is not out of the question if my hard drive is large enough. I think a 150 Gigabyte hard disk was the bare minimum; ideally, I would need 250 or more.
2) The best way I can explain memory is as the computer’s arteries or lines of information flow. The brains of the process are located on your hard drive. If you’re running Windows Vista Premium or higher, I recommend having at least 2 Gigabytes of memory available. I’ll explain why in a minute.
3) Video memory, also known as the video card, is what your eyes see when you gaze at the screen. Take care because not everyone is made equally. A video card’s memory is kept on its chip; in laptops, video memory refers to how much of your overall memory is used. I.e., unlike 512 Video memory, a 512 Video card does not reduce your available memory. A video card usually adds to the total cost of a laptop and is typically found in gaming computers or mid-range to high-end video editing laptops. A notebook like this will typically cost between $500 and $3,000. The netbook family and laptops marketed as work tools are examples of video memory machines. The majority of business-class devices employ this, which slows down the laptop’s startup and visual performance but makes it ideal for applications like Quicken, Word, Excel, and other similar ones.
4) A DVD drive and burner; this was a no-brainer for me since I make video and photo disks and required an excellent dual-layer model rather than a single layer. What’s the distinction? Therefore, a single-layer disk can store roughly 4.7 gigabytes, while a dual-layer disk can store almost 10.
5) Audio sound: A laptop’s primary sound card is insufficient since I am editing videos. Although laptop sound is still far from 6.1 Dolby built-in, a decent sound card will make it simple to connect to a theater’s good board and ultimately improve the sound quality.
6) Touch pad or track ball, a touch pad is a touch-sensitive plate that is typically in the center of a laptop, making it simple to use the cursor or, as some people might refer to it, the pointer. Both terms are acceptable (the skinning of the cat reference). The track ball, which is a solid red or another colored peg that is typically placed in the center of the laptop keyboard and is frequently extremely sensitive to touch, is another popular technique that I find more challenging to use.
7) I had fewer options because I didn’t want to pay more than 550 US. I chose a Dell 1535 Studio, which is a primary computer. I probably would have purchased a Dell XPS or an Alienware notebook if I had the money.
8) Do your homework, read the warranty, and understand the return policy. Not all people are made equal, and not everyone can operate their machine. Buyers should be aware that not all extended warranties cover potentially worn-out components. Ask inquiries and confirm that the fans, Hard Drive, and other mechanical parts are covered. Ask if falling or getting soaked is covered (remember laptops are portable, and accidents do happen)
9) Lastly, if I make a mistake, how difficult is it to reinstall Windows or the operating system on the computer? Is the recovery system already there, or do I need CDs or DVDs to reload everything pre-installed on my laptop? With my Dell, I have disks, but Sony Viao’s had an operating system partition or designated area on the hard drive.
I realize I covered a lot, and most information is private. Still, I wanted to put you in my position so you could see examples of what you would have to do in this case to purchase your laptop or portable computer. I’ll write a guide for desktops, but that will open up a whole new can of worms because there are so many choices available right away that a user might never find their way back. Today’s laptops are as powerful as most silver or white box PCs. The makers offer preconfigured computers called Whitebox and Silverbox systems. The era of the flimsy, barely functional laptop and tablet is over.
Sean, I’m Sean.
This manual is a simple how-to manual. Please feel free to email me or give me a private message if there is anything I should have covered, and I’ll make the necessary revisions or write a new article if necessary.
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