LAPTOP SPECIAL..... PORTABLE WORKHORSES

PORTABLE WORKHORSES





There's a lot more to a laptop than screen size and bare specs.

Here are some things to look for in your next laptop

For many people today, a smartphone is the first and probably the only computer they need. But it would be foolish to think that comput ers are dead; just look at businesses or education and you'll see they're still used a lot. If you're in the market for a new laptop, here are a few things to remember, beyond just checking if it comes with a Core i5 or i7.

Performance depends on more than just the CPU

The two often-neglected components that equally contribute to performance apart from the processor are the RAM and internal storage. As a thumb rule, get a laptop with 8 GB of RAM, as today's complex web apps (like Facebook or Google Docs) require more resources. If it doesn't come with 8 GB out of the box, see if the RAM is upgradeable at a later date.

Next, a traditional spinning hard drive (HDD) can also be a bottleneck to snappy performance. Many ultrabooks come with a solid state drive (SSD), that is faster and more reliable.Even if your laptop doesn't come with an SSD, a removable 2.5-inch HDD slot will let you upgrade to one later.Finally, some manufacturers also offer hybrid drives, which offer the faster performance of an SSD plus the ample storage of a typical HDD.

To touchscreen or not to touchscreen

Ever since the popularity of tablets, many laptops are seen sporting touchscreens.Then there are the 2-in-1s, the convertibles that morph into tablet mode. Just know this: most of these convertibles aren't going to be as comfortable to use as tablets (with the exception of products like the Microsoft Surface Pro).That's because they are heavier than tablets, and the rectangular shape makes them inconvenient to hold in one hand (tablets like the iPad are lighter and squarish in shape).

What's on the outside also matters

When buying a lap top, a lot of people tend to overthink the internals with out actually considering the form and feel. It'll be a good idea to visit a store and see how well it's built, if the body flexes too much, if the keyboard is comfortable to type on and that the key placement isn't out of the ordinary. And then there's the trackpad -it's worth seeing if it is well-sized and accurate. Check if the laptop supports the Microsoft Precision Touchpad specification; they're generally indicative of reliable performance. They also enable advanced gestures in Windows 10, similar to Apple's MacBook laptops, which have the best trackpads to date.

The discrete graphics conundrum

If you don't intend to perform any graphics-intensive tasks like playing high-end games or working on graphics-heavy apps, an integrated graphics chip should do just fine. But if you do need one, don't just go by the amount of RAM the dedicated graphics chip has, as it is not indicative of the perfor mance. The easiest way to fig ure it out is to Google the graphics model number (for e.g. AMD Radeon R5 M430) and go to sites like notebookcheck.net to understand how powerful the graphics chip actually is.

The warranty

Most laptops come with a typical one-year warranty, but we will highly advise you pay for additional warranty coverage that extends it to three years. This is because for most models, it costs around 10 percent the cost of the laptop, and it may help you save big bucks in case anything major fails after a year.

Also, if the company offers accidental damage protection, it may be worth considering so even an accidental spill on the computer will get repaired for free.

| Rohan Naravane Jun 19 2017 : Mirror (Mumbai)