Wireless laptop computers

Wireless laptop computers IBM Thinkpad T42 Lenovo Laptop CDRW/DVD XP Pro 512MB RAM 40GB 1.7GHz 802.11B WiFi Computer Great laptop for home or office. With a 14" LCD and Wireless you can take your work on the go. Windows XP is installed and ready to us. Laptop is refurbished and in great condition. ---------------------------------------------- Choosing and Buying a Laptop Computer When considering buying a new computer more and more people are looking at laptop computers as a realistic alternative to a traditional desktop. Not only are laptops lightweight and portable but their performance and memory capacity has increased significantly over the last few years. You can expect to pay anything between 250 pounds and 2000 pounds for a decent laptop although most people tend to opt for models around the 400 - 500 pounds mark. Obviously the computer's price will be governed by many factors with the main ones being the brand, screen size, the operating system, type of processor used, the computer's memory capacity as well as added features such as optical drives, wireless networking and so on. Brands There are many manufacturers of laptop computers and several famous brands. While some people prefer the assurance of quality that a branded product offers, others will be less concerned and more interested in a lower cost. It's worth remembering however, with most laptops, and indeed desktop computers, that many of the basic components are commonly sourced and not necessarily manufactured by the company whose brand is used. So opting for a famous brand may offer some assurance of quality it doesn't automatically imply that cheaper alternatives are any less as good. Screen Size The average screen size for a traditional laptop computer is between 14" and 15". This is probably the optimum size range which will offer the best compromise between portability and view ability. There are larger format screens available which will appeal to those who watch a lot of movies and there are smaller formats from 9" to 13" which are best for those whose priority is for portability. The new generation of netbook computers are optimised to be light and portable with typical screen sizes between 9" and 10". Operating Systems Generally, there are two main kinds of operating system. Firstly there is Windows which tends to be the system of choice for many and is the same as the system you'll use at work or on your home PC. The advantage here is simple familiarity and ease of use - particularly when transferring files and documents between your desktop and laptop. The real disadvantage is the cost - manufacturers have to pay a licence fee when installing the Windows system and naturally this adds to the final price of the machine. The other operating system, increasingly being offered on netbooks and notebooks, is Linux. Because Linux is an 'open source' operating system there is no licensing cost involved and consequently this helps reduce the final price. The disadvantage is that the interface will seem alien to many average users and may take a while to get used to. This shouldn't put you off though as, once mastered, Linux is simple to use and some manufacturers have done much to improve the interface you are presented with. Processors The processor (or CPU) is the heart of your laptop and will dictates how fast and efficiently your computer performs. The two main manufacturers of processor are AMD and Intel and the cost of the computer will be dictated by the particular specification of each. Ideally you should opt for the best processor you can afford as no other factor will impact the machine's performance to such a great extent as the capacity and speed of processor employed. Memory There are two kinds of memory to consider - RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory). RAM is the actual working memory of the computer and will dictate how fast your machine will work. Typically a RAM of 1GB or more will be more than sufficient for most computing tasks. ROM is the storage capacity of the hard disc and will dictate how many files and applications your machine will hold. There have been great advances in memory storage and capacities of 160GB or more are typical. This compares well with many average desktop computers and should be sufficient for most people's needs. Features and Devices Most standard laptops will have a built-in CD/DVD optical drive and many have wireless networking devices included too. As a minimum you'll need a couple of USB connections in order to connect external devices, a card reader for transferring photos from digital cameras and possibly a standard headphone socket for listening to music files, etc. Special Offers Although there are frequent special offers and discounts available it's usually a good idea to select the machine which is best for you and then looking for the best deal. Try not to be persuaded by special offers where the price or added give-aways are too good to resist. Many offers such as free software or accessories tend not to be so great and will often include things you'd be unlikely to use anyway. Overall then, there are many great deals available and an endless choice of laptops, notebooks and netbooks. Take you time to consider which machine offers the best all round performance and value for money. A good quality laptop will give you many years of reliable service and is not something you should just buy on a whim. Helen writes for several computer and technology related websites and has a particular interest in pink laptop computers and children's laptop computers http://www.pinklaptops.org.uk/ http://www.thefizzbook.co.uk/