Laptops have some great advantages over desktop PCs, making them a preference or a second computer
to many people.
The most obvious advantage is portability allowing you to work on play on the laptop anywhere you
like instead of being stuck in an office. Laptops also save space, can be tidied away and another
benefit is that they’re a complete package opposed to having seperate componenets with a desktop PC.
Modem
If you would like to connect to the internet so you can browse, send receive emails etc, you will
need a modem. Your existing telephone line connects to this.
Broadband ADSL modems also connect to your computer modem port via an ethernet cable and then through
to your phone line.
USB
USB is a type of connection used to attach other devices to your computer. Literally plug them in
and use them. Most new peripherals, such as printers, scanners, digital cameras and web cams now come
with a USB connection. Portable hard discs and MP3 players are also a common use for USB.
It comes in two different versions USB and USB 2.0. The latter operates at a much higher speed.
They are both forward and backwards compatible, eg a USB 2 external CD-Writer will work on a computer
that only has USB 1 sockets.
FireWire
This is a similar connection to USB and will be found on the back of your pc. It is a plug and play
device so will not require any installation. Firewire is faster than USB and is often used for
transferring large data files such as digital video
PS/2
These ports can connect your mouse and keyboard to your computer. All computers have these although
you can also get USB mice and keyboards.
Ethernet Network Port
If you intend to connect your computer to a network you will need an Ethernet network port on your
computer. It is measured in Mbps from 10 - 100.
Bluetooth
It turns your computer into a virtual multimedia centre. It’s an international standard in wireless
data transmission so you can send information to and from bluetooth devices without needing to connect
them to your computer with a wire.
Keyboard, Monitor and Mouse
The keyboard on a laptop may be smaller in size than a normal keyboard and the layout is more compact.
Mouse Laptops have pointing devices built in. A touch sensitive pad is most common but some models
use a small button in the middle of the keyboard. You can always add an external mouse using the ports
at the back of the laptop.
All laptop monitors are TFT which are thin, flat and give a clearer picture than CRT monitors. All
monitors are measured diagonally and can range from 12" to over 21".
RAM
Random access memory -holds all running applications and open files on your computer. If you
want a computer for basic office tasks, email and surfing the web, then a lot of RAM is not that
important.
If you plan to use alot of multimedia features such as computer games, for example, than you'll
want as much RAM as possible.
DVD/CD-RW Drive
All CD drives can read CD-ROMs. Other CD drives are as follow:
- - CD-ROM- an internal CD-ROM for playing CDs, including many program files
- - CD-RW combo- Able to read and write CD-RWs and CDs
- - DVD-ROM- a drive for playing DVD discs
- - DVD-RW- a drive that can read and write DVD discs
Hard Drive and Processor
Hard Drive The hard drive is where all permanent applications and files are stored. Hard drives are
measured in gigabytes (GB). Keep in mind that it can be harder to upgrade the hard drive on a notebook
than on a laptop.
Processor The speed of the processor is measured megahertz (MHz). In general, a higher number
indicates a faster speed. Although this number is a good reference for gauging how fast the computer
operates, it's important to note that with different processors, a computer with the same processor
rate will actually run at different rates. Note that 1000 MHz is equal to 1 GHz.
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