Thursday, January 30, 2014

Choosing A Laptop For Your Business

You need a laptop for your business-no question about that. Without a laptop you can't communicate on the web , not to mention, your suppliers and customers.    These days  laptops have transformed the mobile work force. A lot of business professionals and owners, (or Road Warriors) now carry their laptops wherever they go  to communicate with clients online, complete projects and so on.   But make no mistake, business laptops have something to offer. The model you choose could make or break your business.  But how do you know which features to look for in your prospective business laptop.Let's look at the features you need to consider when choosing a laptop for your business online.

Laptop Form/Size
The laptop form/size comes is absolutely crucial as the type that you need depends on how you want to use. Laptops come in different sizes ranging from an 11.6 netbook to a 17.3 desktop replacement. If you travel a lot(and I'm sure a lot of you do),  a 12 inch ultraportable laptop or 13.3-14 inch mainstream laptop will suit your your purposes.  Or if you want a laptop that simply sits on your desk permanently I suggest the 17.3 desktop replacement.


How Much Processor Power Will I Need?
The next question you should ask yourself is"How Much Processor Power Will I Need?" Most business laptops use Intel's  dual-core processors,  and  the ideal processor series for most business laptops is the Intel core i3-i5 series or AMD E series or A series APU's.  However, if you want to install applications that drink a lot of juice, go for  Intel's quad-core processors such as  i5/i7s and AMD A series.

However. if you prefer thin ultraportable laptops make sure their processors have low voltage which will help extend the laptop's battery life.- which is usually 8-9 hrs. Although )  desktop replacements have high-powered processors they have very low battery life because of the excessive energy the battery produces.

RAM Size
For a business laptop you'll need at least 4 GB of RAM . If you're in to graphics or spread sheets, your RAM size goes up to 8 GB if you want to meet your deadlines. The right amount of memory helps you in so many ways like open more programs and perform multi-media tasks  such photo editing.  If you want a laptop with integrated graphics, or you prefer opening multiple tabs on your browser, then you need  more than 2 GB of extra memory, especially for the graphics since it eats  up a lot of memory.

Spacious Hard Drive
Your business laptop should have a spacious hard drive to store your video files, PowerPoint slides, staff meeting photos' e.t.c.  For great economy and space,a 500-700 GB hard drive should suffice.  You may want to consider a laptop equipped with a Solid State Drive(SSD).   It may be  more expensive and a bit less on storage but it absorbs impact better than your traditional hard disk. And they boot faster and launch applications faster.

Integrated Graphics
Your business laptop must come with integrated graphic cards by either Intel, AMD, or Nvidia. Integrated graphics are great only if you don't play 3D games on your laptop.  Installing games on your system will be a sure way of making your system unstable.You don't want your moneymaking laptop breaking down on you this way.  But if you re into Photoshop, high definition video, 3D graphic visualization, used  computer-aided design(CAD), or architectural you''ll need a laptop with discrete  graphics.

Stay Connected With Wireless Connection
If you want to stay in business with your laptop, you have to stay stay connected with wireless internet connection.   your laptop must have in-built WI-FI  to allow you to surf the web. However, if you're surfing outside the house, you need to find an interruption-free hotspot to achieve that objective.

Long Battery Life
You most certainly need a laptop blessed with long battery life..This will come in handy especially on a long flight or road commute. The battery should last 6-8 hours daily and must be removable too.

Security
Security is absolutely crucial as you do not want your  company secrets falling into the wrongs..However, if you have nothing important to hide don't overbuy. But if you do, here are some  security features to consider when shopping for your business laptop,

Trusted Platform Module - Trusted Platform Module (Or TPM) is a discrete chip that helps lock down your laptop and secure encryption through hardware encryption, keys and passwords. With a little help from your BIOS , the TPM locks your laptop' hardware configuration.

Bitlocker - This chip will be encrypted at the C:drive of  your laptop. It comes with operating systems such as Windows 7 or Ultimate Enterprise and can work alone or together TPM.

Self-Encrypting Drive(SED) - This drive does its its own hardware encryption although it relies on the TPM or BIOS for a password.

Biometric Fingerprint Scanner -  The biometric scanner comes even more handy in that unlike passwords they cant be hacked. So if anybody tries stealing your data, he can easily be traced.

Smart Card - The Smart Card is probably the most secure of the laptop lockdown gadgets..Just remember to remove it after you lock down your laptop.

VGA and HDMI
VGA and HDI ports are an absolute must for quality presentations. Adding DisplayPort  will help you utilize HDI and VMI with the use of adapters.

Data Ports
You will most certainly need data ports on your hard drive to offload huge amounts of data on your external hard drives. If you 're dealing with huge data, an eSATA or USB. 3.0 port will help things up a bit. USB 2.0 will also do just fine.

SDHC/MMC
 If your business is dependent on photos and video, the SDHC/MMC slot is a an absolute must-have. If you're bent on getting a Sony laptop, a memory stick or MS would be appropriate as Sony uses proprietary formats.

Bluetooth
Bluetooth comes in real handy when you you want to use your cell phone as a  wireless connection to get sync addresses to your laptop. Bluetooth also helps leverage your bluetooth headset for social media such as skype, and it also allows you to connect your phone to your laptop and use the phone's data.

So here is a summary of specs for your business laptop:

Screen Size:11-14 inch(for portability) 17.3 inch(Acting as desktop).
Processor: i3-i5 series, AMD E series or A series(ideal for most business laptops)
RAM:4GB, 8GB(If you are into graphics or use  spreadsheets).
Hard Drive:SSB  or standard 500-700GB drive
Integrated Graphics:AMD, or Nvidia graphic cards
Connectivity:in-built WI-FI, VGA and HDI ports(presentations),DisplayPort(to enhance VGA and HDI), data ports(Data transfer), Blue Tooth
Battery Life:6-8 hrs daily and  battery muxt be removable.
Security:Trusted Platform Module (Or TPM), Bitlocker, Self-Encrypting Drive(SED),  Biometric Fingerprint Scanner



That's a wrap on "Choosing A Laptop For Your Business"  If you're looking for a laptop for your business, purchase one at Amazon.com


Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Specs To Look For When Shopping For A Gaming Laptop

Gaming laptops are perfect for 3D buffs who like to get their game on.  Majority of gaming laptops are 15- 17.3 inches in screen size, although lately 11-14 inch sizes are gaining in popularity.  Regardless of the size, all these models have one thing in common  -brutal speed and raw power.  gaming technology has  been gotten faster thanks to new platforms and revised performance benchmarks.Also,   Gaming laptops' brutal speed  have been enhanced by powerful components capable of pulling off serious frame rates and showing off impressive design. Although  gaming laptops have been left behind by tablets, and convertibles. they've stayed true to their mantra- raw speed. They're all about providing exciting thrills and spills for their users. Let me show you the specs to look for when shopping for a gaming laptop.


Graphics Card
The graphics card is the show  piece of gaming laptops. They help generate all those exciting pictures  for your games. The graphic card  can make or break your gaming experience. If it's not up to scratch, your games won't play.  Also make sure that your graphics card isn't sharing resources with your laptop.  It must have its own memory to afford it more speed or else it will crawl like a tortoise. If you want something robust for size, then get something in the region  1GB to 2GB   Although graphic cards keep changing, the graphic cards making noise right now are Nvidia GeForce  and AMD Radeon.. If your gaming laptop is equipped with either of these, you're good to go.

Processor
The processor is the heart of all gaming laptops. It's the source of that power and speed that gaming laptops generate all that power and speed.  choose very carefully  as your choice of processor could impact the performance of your laptop or your wallet. If you're looking for something moderate, Intel's i5 series would be preferable. However, if you're looking for raw juice(raw power), Intel's six-core processors in the Core i7 family top the list. AMD also comes highly recommended with up to 8 core processors. If your budget is large you could go for an AMD A10 or  Intel Core i7.=Either of them will do your gaming laptop just fine.

Lots of RAM
With Raw processing power comes lots of RAM. The RAM is responsible for the processing power of gaming laptops. And since   a lot of games chew up considerable memory, you will need at least 8 GB of RAM to get by, And if you really want to free up more memory, you can budget for 16GB . the faster the memory, the better the laptop performance and CPU stability.

Solid SSD
You will most certainly need a solid SSD(or State Solid Drive) for your gaming laptop. Luckily the price of SSD'S have dropped so you shouldn't have any problems getting a gaming laptop equipped with  an SSD.  In terms of size  you can start with 128 GB with a small spinning hard drive of of 500 GB to one TB(or terrabyte).  But if you like huge drives that will save your games for a while go for 512 GB or more.


Screen That Renders
It's an absolute must that you buy a gaming  laptop whose screen renders properly. By rendering, I mean  your gaming laptop screen should afford you the pleasure of watching the action on the screen. Otherwise you end up crouching your neck just to get a glimpse which isn't fun at all. A wide LCD should offer a more expansive view for you to enjoy your gaming experience- a major prerequisite  for  the perfect gaming experience. Although it may have its limitations, the wide format is the 'in thing' for most gamers.The required resolution for most gamers is 1600 x 900, or 1080p. .

Screen Size
There is a huge debate raging as to whether size is everything where gaming laptops are concerned... Proponents of 'size is everything' suggest  a huge laptop should come with  a huge screen as the bigger the screen size, the better the enjoyment..  The crowd favorite right now is 17 inches.  

However, big is not always better. The huge size makes it very difficult to carry it on the road, so if you're the type who likes it small you can go for  the 11, 14, or 15 inch models

So the moral of the story is pay attention to system size before making a purchase.

So to summarize, here are the specs  you need to look for when shopping online for a gaming laptop:

Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce  and AMD Radeon(I-2 GB).
Processor: Intel's i5 series(if you want something moderate), Intel Core i7 or AMD A10   (if you want more power).
RAM:at least 8 GB or 16GB(if you want to free up more memory).
Screen Size:17 inches(for desktop replacements), 11-15 inches(if you want to carry it around).
Screen Resolution:1600 x 900, or 1080p

Well, that's a rap for "Specs To Look For When Shopping For A Gaming Laptop."  Hope you have fun searching for your gaming laptop.


So if you're looking for a gaming laptop to buy,  Go to  Amazon.comAmazon.com 








Wednesday, January 15, 2014

What To Look For When Shopping For A Desktop Replacement Laptop Online

If you're a movie buff, graphics designer, or into gaming, a desktop replacement laptop is what you need.  For those who are new to desktop replacements, desktop replacements are similar to desktop PC's but smaller without . However, they do pack powerful juice and speed  backed by dual core  or quad core processors. The average screen size is usually  17 inches although  there are some as small as 15-16 inches. However, they don't exactly make great road companions because of their huge bulk.  But the speed evens things out.  So if you don't know what to look for when shopping for a desktop replacement online, let me show you how.


Powerful Processor
Your desktop replacement laptop  must definitely be equipped with a processor packing raw power and speed..Without these two ingredients, it's not a desktop replacement. The most popular processors out there are Intel's Duo or Quad core i5. If you want more juice you  can go for Intel's Core i7.
More Than Adequate Disk  Storage
If you want to store tons of media files you will need more than adequate storage...You will need at least 1 TB(or terrabytes) which translates into 1,000 GB. Quite powerful isn't it?  But if you're trying to save, 750 GB of hard disk space should suffice. You can always invest in an external hard disk if you want to expand later on.

Plenty of Memory
If you want to open  tons of programs at the same time, then your desktop replacement laptop must be have plenty  of memory. The ideal memory size is  6 GB of RAM. Although 4 GB is also adequate.

Large Screen Display
What also makes a desktop replacement a desktop replacement is its large screen display.Your screen display must be roomy enough for your movies, gaming, e.t.c..The standard size is 17.3 inches although,like I mentioned earlier although 15 -16 inch screen displays are  gaining popularity.

Graphics Card
If you want to make the most out of your desktop replacement laptop, then you'll most certainly need a solid graphics card(or video chipsets). Make sure the memory is at least 512 MB, although a single graphics card is also fine. Recommended graphic cards are NVidia or   ATI Radeon.

A well Laid Out Keyboard
Since you will be spending a lot of time on this laptop,  make sure it has a well laid out keyboard. It must be spacious enough together with the trackpad for responsive use. If you're going to do intensive gaming you may need to get a mouse as a touchpad is not suitable for those rapid motions.


USB Ports

Your laptop needs at least 6 USB ports(3.0)  -either HDMI or eSATA. Absolutely crucial given the numerous gadgets you'll be using for data transfer.

Audio
Any desktop replacement laptop worth its salt must have speakers. Altec-Lansing audio has been known to function quite well.

So to summarize here are the specs to look for when shopping online for a desktop replacement:
Processor: Intel's Duo or Quad core i5
Hard Disk:1 TB(If you want to store tons of media files) or 750 MB(If you're on a tight budget).
RAM:6GB(ideal) or 4GB(If you're on a budget)
Graphics Card:NVidia or   ATI Radeon, memory of 512 MB
Keyboard:Well spaced out, but, need mouse for intense gaming
USB Ports: at least 6 ports(HDMIor eSATA)
Audio:Altec-Lansing


Well, that's a wrap for "What To Look For When Shopping For A Desktop Replacement Online." If you're looking to buy a 15-17 inch desktop replacement  laptop go to   Amazon.com