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So, which laptop?
That’s like saying “Which car?” Think about power consumption, speed, power, and space. You need to make
up your mind whether you want the little nippy number for busy city parking, or the heavy-duty four-wheel drive for
long muddy roads or taking the kids to school... Make a list of how laptops will help the business, and prioritise
them.
I see what you’re driving at. So what sort of things should I be looking at?
For a start, think how much you’ll use it. Will it be on frequent, long journeys? If so, think about weight and
battery life. Or if it’s something just to take home to do similar work to your desktop, think about screen size,
processor speed and the applications you’ll be using.
But I want quite a few features, I have a limited budget, and some people in my business go on long business
trips.
Well, here are a few things that you can put in your order of priority, to make it easier for you:
Battery Life
Screen Size
Weight
Needing CD/DVD Drives
Processing Power
Displaying Graphics/Movies
Price
Durability
Warranty/Support Cover
Platform (PC or Mac)
Lifecycle.
Thanks. Well, I need something lightweight with good battery life. Do you have any battery-saving tips?
Dimming your screen is a good one. Also turning off drives, bluetooth or wireless when they’re not used. New
notebooks, with the latest Intel processors that are faster with lower voltages, have intelligent features to give
longer battery life at the expense of processing power when you need it (and vice-versa), and light sensors
that give you a dimmer screen in dark environments.
How enlightening! What about WI-FI?
Pretty much all laptops now come with WI-FI.
Are there any more general essentials I should always go for?
Laptops are vulnerable to damage, so go for a 3-year warranty, and consider travel cover. Also if you are buying
notebooks for a number of staff over a period of time, platform life cycle is important. Look for corporate models
that guarantee software compatibility for 18 months. This saves a lot of time with transferring and upgrading
all your laptops with new software.
I’d never have thought of that!
And make sure you go for Windows XP Professional rather than XP Home on a PC laptop, especially for
business.
What about specifications?
Don’t worry too much about them – for most people, hard drive size isn’t an issue with laptops. As for p
rocessors and so on, top specifications aren’t everything. It’s about real-life performance. It’s no good having a
model packed with features and a 17” display that only has a 30-minute battery life.
Certainly. I want a nippy sports car, not a petrol-guzzling people carrier.
Well, if you want a superior model, make sure you also look inside the bonnet. For example, HP are a good
brand, but they supply two ranges with similar specs. The cheaper NX, and the corporate NC range. NCs cost
more, but have much better components.
Anything else?
Have you thought about tablets?
There’s nothing wrong with me, friend!
Haha… I’m talking about small notebook PCs which you can also use to write on like a notepad. They’re
ideal for someone who’s always on the move, in lots of meetings and perhaps often presenting. They’re also
small, so very handy if you’re on budget airlines with increasingly tight spaces.
Oh yes. The other day on a flight, I didn’t even have space to open my old laptop!
Because Tablets are small, it’s worth considering a docking station. These allow you to “dock” the portable
when you are in the office and make use of a full size screen and keyboard. This gives you great computing
continuity and flexibility.
Sounds great. Is there a catch?
Small can cost more, and it won’t necessarily give you the same display capabilities.
Well, thanks for that. Let me weigh it up.
Mobile working is becoming an increasingly significant factor in most businesses and organisations.
The choices you make determine, for some time ahead, how effectively you can make use of this potential.
If you would like to discuss the right choices for your organisation, contact us and we will be happy to advise.
Also in this issue: WiFi and Microsoft Outlook
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