Notebooks come in a range of sizes and weights. Add in a
variety of processors, memory configurations, operating systems, and
peripherals, and all of a sudden choosing the right one can take some
serious work.
In order to choose the right notebook, you'll need to
figure out what you'll be doing with it. Match your needs to one of our
user profiles.
Call
today to speak to an SST representative about our line of business
notebooks.
Size and Weight
The first task is
to choose a size and weight that is right for you. If your work
rarely takes you away from home, you'll get more features and
better performance from a desktop replacement. But if you want an
e-mail machine you can carry back and forth to work every day, a
mini-notebook will help avoid a trip to the orthopedist.
Processor and
System Memory
The processor is
the engine of a PC. Because of the special requirements of
notebook PCs, they have their own processors that are smaller,
lighter, require less power, and generate less heat. The most
common mobile processors are made by Intel, AMD, and Motorola, and
come in a variety of designs and clock speeds for different users
and budgets.
System Memory
Too often, notebook buyers fall into
the trap of buying the fastest processor and ignoring the other
features that contribute to the performance, especially system
memory. Notebook memory ranges from 32MB to 512MB (1GB on Apple
PowerBooks). In performance tests, we've found that for everyday
tasks, you'll get the biggest boost by moving from 64MB to 96MB or
128MB.
Display Type and Size
Choosing a laptop display can be
daunting: display type, screen size, and resolution all go into
the mix.
Pointing Device
Pointing devices are really a matter
of personal taste. A pointing stick looks like small eraser
jutting from the center of the keyboard; you tilt it in different
directions with your index finger to control cursor movement. A
touchpad is a small tablet located in the system's palm-rest; you
glide a finger across it to move the cursor. Some corporate
notebooks such as the Dell Latitude line include both.
PC or Mac?
We know, that translucent case,
bright colors with names like blueberry and tangerine, and soft,
rounded edges are all mighty tempting. Looks do count for
something, but there's more to a notebook than just a pretty face.
When choosing a notebook PC, you need to think long and hard about
the pros and cons of each platform. Apple iBooks and PowerBooks
tend to be easier to set up and use, and let's face it: they just
look cool. But Windows-based notebook PCs are available in a much
broader array of shapes, sizes, and configurations. In addition,
they are compatible with a wider range of hardware and software.
Special Considerations:
• Presentations. If you
spend a lot of time on the road giving presentations, you'll want a
notebook PC that has an S-Video Out port for displaying images on PAL or
NTSC television sets.
•
Web and Multimedia Authoring. If your work involves high-end
applications for image editing and illustration, HTML authoring,
multimedia authoring, or 2-D or 3-D design, you'll need a system with
significantly more memory. Shoot for at least 256MB of memory for these
kinds of applications.
•
Digital Video Editing. Video editing on a PC brings a whole host of
demands. First, you'll need at last one very large, very fast hard
drive. Second, you'll need a FireWire or IEEE 1394 interface to get the
video onto and off of the hard drive. The Apple PowerBook or Sony VAIO
notebooks include FireWire. You can also add FireWire through a PC Card,
but the throughput (the amount of information the interface can handle
at one time) will be limited by the PC Card.
•
Ruggedized. If your work takes you outdoors, an ordinary notebook PC
might not cut it. Instead, get a ruggedized notebook with a tough
magnesium case, spill-proof LCD and keyboard, and shock absorbers to
protect internal components such as the hard drive. One of the leading
vendors in this space is
Panasonic. Its Toughbook line is
popular with government workers. Similarly,
Fujitsu offers a line of ruggedized PC
tablets (no keyboards) that are useful in specific areas such as
hospitals.
When you're ready to discuss
your needs, please call us at 770/426.0051 to arrange a no-cost initial
consultation.
