Shopping For A Laptop ForTravel

It's common knowledge that  laptop manufacturers sell laptops with travellers in mind. By travelers I refer to those constantly on the go, be it by air, by bus , car, the beach,, maybe an isolated cave, e.t.c.  Sure, laptops are not meant to leave the house, but the reality is our environment forces us to to be on the move 24/7. We have business deals to seal , appointments to make, presentations to present, e.t.c. And in order to accomplish these, we need to have our laptops with us. They've literally become our companions.

If you happen to be a constant traveller  or some one on the go, here are some essential features to consider when shopping for a laptop For travel.

Durable Battery

A durable battery is absolutely crucial when it comes to travel...You want to make sure your laptop battery lasts as long as your journey whether by air or by road. The hitch here is finding how long the battery lasts. If you're a gaming junkie you're not going to get much out of your laptop battery as you're only going to get 3 hrs out of your battery . But if you run less intrusive software like Microsoft Office, you should get a laptop that can give you 8 hours of battery power..

Display Size 

Display size is also important   as it determines whether you have fun with your laptop on the road or not. Sure a 15.6 inch laptop is popular because it's huge and covers a lot of screen real estate. But there is no way you can fly first class carrying such a huge beast, not to mention a bus or a train.  You'd be better off going with 12.1-13.3 inch laptop instead. It's easier to operate in tight spaces and requires a mall bag to hold them, reducing the size of the carry-on.

Matte Coat Or IPS Display

The type of display on your laptop could also  make or break your laptop experience on your travels. Make sure your display is compliant with your environment be, be it in the air or on the bus. With that in mind, the two types of laptops displays you should consider when shopping for a laptop are matte coat or IPS display. Matte coat display is popular among travellers because it's able to withstand direct sunlight and interior lighting.  More so especially when you're on a plane and facing sunlight.

An IPS display will also come in handy especially when viewing from wide angles. These viewing angles make reading text less stressful especially when standing above or to the side of the laptop. This trait comes in real handy especially when collaborating with co-workers on projects on the road.

Durability

Sadly laptops are not built to last long as they scratch easily and can't prevent damage when it crashes to the ground  since majority of them have the glossy make. But if you want a durable travel laptop, make sure  it has features such as metal display hinges, shock mounted hard drives, and spill-resistant keyboards. Speaking of keyboards:

Quality keyboard

A quality keyboard  makes  for improved productivity and reduced frustration on your travels.  Look for a laptop whose keyboard is almost as wide as the laptop itself to help you meet that pressing deadline.. Also pay attention to the size of alpha-numeric keys such as Backspace and Shift, as they make it easy to skimp around the keyboard.

Ports

Make sure your laptop has at least two USB ports so you can connect to the latest external hard drives and transfer data quickly. Unfortunately many small laptops have only one slot for headphones and microphone jacks. This becomes problematic especially when you want to use your webcam since you have to use both at the same time. If you're the type who does recording on the go, this is something to think about.

Weight

The weight of laptops  vary with the heaviest weighing 4 pounds and the lightest at 2 pounds. As a traveler you'd be better off getting a lighter laptop as it takes little effort to pick up or slide along the surface.  If you think size doesn't matter, but it does, especially when you have to carry your laptop for hours in a day.

Wireless Connectivity

You absolutely must have wireless connectivity if you're on the go. Without WI-FI, how do you expect to connect with the outside world, especially your clients and business associates?  Your laptop must have an in-built WI-FI card with an 802.11n as the standard channel.  You can also buy a laptop with 3G compatibility especially when WI-FI is unavailable. This will help you connect to your mobile data plan and use it while on the go.

So to summarize, here are the specs  for a travel laptop

 Battery Life: At Least 8 hrs
Display Size :12-13.3 inches
Display Type: Matte coat or IPS
Durability:  Metal display hinges, shock mounted hard drives, and spill-resistant keyboards
Quality keyboard: Almost as wide as the laptop
Ports:  At least two USB ports
Weight: 2-4 pounds
Wireless Connectivity: In-built WI-FI card with  802.11n  channel.

That's a wrap for "Shopping For A Laptop For Travel." If you re looking to purchase a laptop For travel , head on to  Amazon.com.

Shopping For A Multimedia Laptop

If you're looking for a multi-functional laptop that  allows you to watch movies, do video editing, and play games, then a multimedia laptop is the laptop for you.  Multimedia laptops are usually mid-sized but pack considerable power. You can carry them from room to room, but you sure don't want them as road companions  because of their  huge bulk. Here are the features you look for when shopping for a multimedia laptop

Super Powerful Processor and Speedy RAM
Your multimedia laptop must surely be equipped with a super powerful processor. You do not want time delays or shaky pictures to ruin your enjoyment of your 3D. Ideally you want either Intel's Core i5 processor or AMD Athlon II powering your your laptop. And you most certainly need  considerable speedy RAM to help things for you. Speedy RAM will most certainly come in handy especially when you decide to have several programs open once. At least 6GB of RAM should help speed things up. However, if you decide to go for Intel's in chips(or quad core processor), then you will have to go for a much bulkier laptop with a RAM size of between 8-16 GB.

Reliable Storage
If you're planning to keep a substantive multimedia collection, then you need reliable storage. a 500 MB with A USB 3.0 or better-Thunderbolt ports for fast external drives - is the barest minimum for storing a multimedia collection. But if you want to get blazingly fast you can go for 256 GB solid state drive plus a 1 TB drive for data , If you want  ultimate pleasure from enjoying HD movies, then your multimedia laptop must come with a blu-ray drive. If you want to let your creative juices flow, then make sure your blu-ray drive comes with a burner , allowing you to master your own disks.

Screen Size, Resolution and Integrated Graphics
The traditional screen  size of most multimedia-laptops is between 14-16 inches. But like I mentioned earlier, they don't make great road companions because of their huge bulk. So you are only limited to carrying it from room to room within your home or office.  

But a  huge screen resolution is an absolute necessity especially if you're watching HD movies. The sweet spot for most multimedia laptops is 1080p( 1,920 x1080). If you plan on watching a movie  or a video with friends  then you need an IPS panel that helps reduce clarity or color fadeout when viewing the screen from an an angle.

Connectivity
If you plan on connecting your laptop to a HDTV your laptop must have an HDMI port. Your laptop must also be equipped with Intel's Wireless Display(or WiDi), equipped with an external adapter, to be able to beam the audio  and audio onto the HDTV set. 

Sound
This what makes the multimedia experience- the mixing of hardware and software. For the software make sure your laptop offers features such as presets for music and movies, surround sound effects, and equalizers to fine-tune the audio. As far as speakers go the standard is Klispch with Dolby Home Theatre. You may also want to consider subwoofers, specialized speakers which help control the bass sound.

So to summarize, here are the specs to look for when shopping for a multimedia laptop

Processors: Intel's Core i5 processor or AMD Athlon II
Memory: At Least 6GB or 8-16 RAM if you want to go for a quadcore processor.
Graphics Card: Must be integrated although lower end dedicated graphics such as Radeon HD 2400 and nVidia GeForce 8400M are also popular.
Storage:500 MB with A USB 3.0 or better-Thunderbolt ports for fast external drives, 56 GB solid state drive plus a 1 TB drive for data( if you want more speed).
Optical Drive: Multi-format DVD burner(DVD+RW)(if you want to burn DVD's or  DVD-ROM/CD-RW(If  you want to burn CD's only).
Weight:3 pounds (ultraportable) to 7 pounds(desktop replacement)

Wireless Connectivity:WI-FI card  with 802.11a, g, and Draft N wireless standards.
Screen Size:14-16 inches
Screen Resolution: 1080p( 1,920 x1080)
Connectivity:  HDMI port Intel's Wireless Display(or WiDi), equipped with an external adapter, to be able to beam the audio  and audio onto the HDTV set
Sound:  Presets for music and movies, surround sound effects, and equalizers to fine-tune the audio. For speakers,  the standard is Klispch with Dolby Home Theatre. You may also want to consider subwoofers, specialized speakers which help control the bass sound


That's a wrap for "How To Shop For A Laptop On The Cheap." If you re looking to purchase a 14-16 inch  multimedia   laptop  head on to  Amazon.com.

How To Shop For A Laptop On The Cheap

Shopping for a laptop can be an overwhelming experience especially when  money is tight.  Cutting down on your budget could mean missing out on those awesome features and components  that could come in handy for your laptop. At the same time buying  a laptop  that has too many features could cause you to go over budget. The good news is that it's possible to buy a laptop without sacrificing crucial features that you need for your laptop. And you can afford to do basic tasks like email, web browsing and basic office needs. Let me show show you what to look for when shopping for a laptop on the cheap.

Dual Core Processors

Most low budget laptops come with dual core CPU'S like Intel Core's i3 or Core Duo 2 and AMD's A4 processors. you get longer life, better performance, and cooler temperatures. You could save a little money by opting for lower clock speeds which  produce enough power to handle most  operating systems.  

You Can't  Afford To Be Frugal About Memory

You may be on  a tight budget, but you cannot afford to be frugal about the amount of memory on your budget laptop.  Because inadequate memory can drastically compromise the overall performance of your laptop.Your laptop should have at least 2GB of RAM although 4GB would be even better. The more RAM you have, the more laptop and operating system performs better.

Laptop Must Be Equipped  With Integrated Graphics

If you're a  casual gamer your budget laptop must be equipped  with integrated graphics card  as opposed to dedicated graphics. Budget laptops with lower ended  dedicated graphic chips such as Radeon HD 2400 and nVidia GeForce 8400M may not have the highest resolutions, but they pack 128 or 256MB of  dedicated video RAM. This is quite appropriate for casual gaming.

The More  Storage The Better

With laptops, the more storage you can afford, the better, especially if  you have a huge media collection. Budget laptops are no different.  Some low costing laptops have hard drives as huge as 500MB.  At the same time you also have low-cost budget laptops with hard drive speeds in the region of 5,400rpm and 7,200rpm.However, you can also opt for budget laptops with SSD's or Solid State Drives. They offer faster boot time, lower weight and resistance to shock. The  popular drive size is 8GB.

Optical Drive

If you want to burn DVD's go for a budget laptop with a multi-format DVD burner(DVD+RW). If you have no use for burning DVD's then go for a budget laptop with a DVD-ROM/CD-RW. This burns only CD's.  

Weight

In terms of size weight budget laptops spun from 3 pounds(ultraportable) to 7 pounds(desktop replacement). What size you choose depends on your need for portability. A word of caution though:the plastic cases of budget laptops aren't the most durable. Although a lot of laptop cases look greyish, other low-cost laptops also spot exciting variety of colors and designs.

Wireless Connectivity

Wireless connectivity is an absolute necessity to have on your budget laptop. Make sure your budget laptop is equipped with a WI-FI card  with 802.11a, g, and Draft N wireless standards. Budget laptops typically do not include bluetooth connectivity although manufacturers give you the option of adding it.

Screen Size

Although the average screen size of budget laptops range between 14.1 and 15.4 inches, notebook screen sizes  can range from 7 inches to 17 inches.. Most displays come with a glossy coating which makes for better viewing when watching . If you want to do video conferencing, make sure your screen comes with a built-in webcam . OR you can opt for a system  with a webcam built into its display bezel.

So to summarize, here are the specs to look for when shopping for a budget laptop

Processors: Intel Core i3 or Duo 2, AMD A4
Memory: At Least 2GB(But 4GB is the norm)and 128/256MB of  dedicated video RAM.
Graphics Card: Must be integrated although lower end dedicated graphics such as Radeon HD 2400 and nVidia GeForce 8400M are also popular.
Storage:500 MB for standard hard drives, with speeds of 5,400rpm and 7,200rpm  of  8GB for SSD's.
Optical Drive: Multi-format DVD burner(DVD+RW)(if you want to burb DVD's or  DVD-ROM/CD-RW(If  you want to burn CD's only).
Weight:3 pounds (ultraportable) to 7 pounds(desktop replacement)

Wireless Connectivity:WI-FI card  with 802.11a, g, and Draft N wireless standards.
Screen Size:Average screen size is 14.1 - 15.4 inches although they can also range from can range from 7 inches to 17 inches

That's a wrap for "How To Shop For A Laptop On The Cheap." If you re looking to buy a cheap  laptop  head on to Amazon.com.