[SeniorTech] Re: Buying a laptop??
- From: agoldcrow@xxxxxxx
- To: seniortech@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 8 Jan 2010 10:08:12 EST
Dear Jerry
Would you please share your recommended specs for a PC that will be used
for a lot of document creation, image storing, and online research? (for a
variety of different reasons, that's the kind of computer I have to purchase)
Thanks for your wisdom, and generous willingness to share
Your fan of many years
Janine
_agoldcrow@xxxxxxxx (mailto:agoldcrow@xxxxxxx)
In a message dated 07/01/2010 19:03:25 Eastern Standard Time,
jerry@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
Buying a Laptop: Netbook or Notebook?
The major division among portable laptop computers is the notebook versus
netbook distinction. Basically, a netbook has just enough computing power
and storage space to connect you to the Internet; there, it finds computing
resources to do serious work. A netbook also has a small screen and
keyboard; it's designed with heavy emphasis on portability at the expense of
usability. Often a netbook will not have a CD/DVD drive, so you it won't
double
as a portable DVD player, and you won't be able to install new software
from a CD.
A notebook has lots of disk storage, CPU processing power, etc., to do
work locally even if you can't connect to the Web. It's screen and keyboard
are big enough for extended periods of video viewing and typing. Naturally, a
notebook is heavier and more expensive than a netbook. Netbooks can be
found for under $300 now, but a quick scan of the shelves at local retailers
tells me that there are plenty of bigger and more functional notebooks in
the $400-$500 price range.
If your primary considerations are price, a light weight machine, and
small form factor, then a netbook may be just the ticket. I travel on business
3-4 times a year, and I'm getting tired of lugging my old Sony VAIO, which
weighs in at over 10 pounds. And since I use it mostly for webmail when
travelling, I'm thinking about an Asus, Acer Aspire, or an HP Mini netbook.
But if you're buying a laptop to function as your primary workstation, you'll
want something a little beefier.
Recommended Specs For Notebooks
Within the notebook genre are several subdivisions based upon features and
performance. Generally, you don't want to mess with a notebook that has
less than these core features:
CPU: 2.0 Ghz or faster
RAM Memory: 2 GB or more
Hard Drive: 160 GB or larger
Optical Disk: CD/DVD read/write drive
Screen: 15+ inches, 1440x900 resolution minimum
Ports: Ethernet, USB, PC Card, Firewire, SD
WiFi adapter: 802.11G or 802.11N
Operating System: Windows 7 or XP (avoid Vista)
If you find a good bargain but the notebook's hard drive seems too small,
ask about upgrading to a bigger one free of charge. The difference in cost
per gigabyte is truly tiny these days and a motivated vendor should be
negotiable.
A faster hard drive is another upgrade you may want to negotiate before
you buy. Normally, notebooks ship with 5400 rpm drives. Upgrading to a 7200
rpm version improves data read/write speed by one-third; programs load and
execute faster, DVD movies stream more smoothly, etc.
(thanks to Bob Rankin for this info.)
Jerry Taylor
SeniorTech
_http://www.seniortech.us_ (http://www.seniortech.us/)
Personalized In-Home Computer Lessons
for Senior Citizens and Retirees
585-964-3319
"Computers are not just for kids"
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