• The hunt for software
  

The hunt for software

Allow me to distill this information for you: If you plan on getting a laptop as an extension of your desktop computer, then you’ll most likely be running the same software on the laptop as on your desktop. In that case, your laptop’s hardware requirements are identical to the desktop system. Bingo! You’re done.

If your laptop adventure is new, then what you probably need is a basic laptop setup. You’ll want to browse the Internet, plus you’ll want a basic Office suite of applications. That’s pretty much what a typical laptop user needs.

Beyond the previous two examples, you might be running specific software on your laptop. If so, find out what kind of hardware that software requires. For example, if the software needs 256MB of RAM, you’ll have to be sure that your laptop comes with that much RAM. Ditto for hard drive storage, a CD-ROM, microprocessor power, and other hardware requirements. These are listed right on the side of the software box.

• The most important piece of software you’ll need is the computer’s operating system. For this book, I assume that you’re using Windows XP. Generally speaking, any laptop powerful enough to run Windows XP can run just about any desktop software sold.



• You’ll have to refer to the software license agreement to see whether or not you’re allowed to install a single program on both your desktop and laptop computers. Most of the time, this is considered okay by the developer, in that it’s not assumed that you will be using both computers at once. But some software developers, specifically Microsoft, do not allow multiple installations from the same set of software.



• Happily, most laptops come with all the software you need. You get an operating system, such as Windows XP Home or Professional. Plus you get Microsoft Office or a similar productivity suite of programs. Perhaps there is other software as well. Be sure to inquire about included or bundled software before you buy a laptop.



• Computer gamers prefer desktop systems over laptops, primarily because desktops can readily be modified and updated. With that in mind, if you plan on playing games with your laptop, be sure to get the latest, best video hardware, lots of video memory, and lots of RAM as well. But keep in mind that, unlike a desktop computer, you cannot update this stuff later. So plan ahead with your laptop configuration.



• Also note that the laptop’s LCD monitor does not update as fast as a CRT, or traditional monitor. Gamers prefer CRTs.



• In the realm of graphics applications, die-hard graphic artists also prefer CRT, or traditional glass monitors, because they can more accurately reproduce a variety of colors. But note that it is possible to connect such a monitor to a laptop when the need arises. (Refer to Chapter 7.)

Figuring out how much basic laptop power you need

The three basic items you want to mull over in matching your laptop’s hardware to the software you need are

• The microprocessor
• Memory or RAM
• Hard drive storage

The microprocessor is the laptop’s main chip. It’s not “the brain.” No, your computer’s software is the brain. It tells the microprocessor what to do. You want to ensure that you get a microprocessor that’s plenty fast enough to deal with the applications you need tomorrow. It is worth the extra money to invest in a fast microprocessor now, which extends the useful life of your laptop by ensuring that you can run tomorrow’s software before tomorrow comes. So find a laptop with the fastest microprocessor that you can afford, and then buy the next most expensive microprocessor. You’ll be thankful later.

Memory is where the action happens in a computer, where the work gets done. If the software states that it wants more than 256MB of memory, then get a laptop with however much RAM the software requires. The more RAM your computer has, the happier it appears to be and the more your software will enjoy the computer.

Hard drive storage is the electronic closet where you’ll store your stuff. This includes not only the computer’s operating system, but all the software you get and later install, plus all the data files and junk you collect. Again, the software should tell you how much hard drive space it requires. The total space for each application should be totaled, then at least doubled to give you a general figure for how much hard drive storage you’ll need.

• Laptop microprocessors are more expensive than their desktop counterparts. That’s because the laptop microprocessors must be designed to use less power and generate less heat. That takes time, so their development cycle is longer, hence the added cost.



• When reading the hardware requirements on a software box, use the “recommended” values, not the minimum. For example, a program may request 256MB of RAM but really thirst for 384MB. If so, get 384MB — or more.



• RAM is where it’s at! If you cannot afford a faster microprocessor, you can afford to buy more RAM. Pack your laptop with as much RAM as you can afford now.



• Buy the fattest hard drive you can afford. Especially if you plan on putting music on your laptop, you will need at least an 80GB hard drive for that, perhaps more.



• If possible, I recommend a laptop with at least 512MB of RAM in it. If you can afford 1024MB of RAM, get it. If you can afford 2048MB of RAM, get it, but don’t e-mail me about it because it will make me terribly jealous.



• The things that consume huge amounts of hard drive space are graphics image files (such as digital photographs), music or audio files, and video files. If you plan on collecting any of these on your laptop, get a larger hard drive!



• By investing in the latest, fastest microprocessor, lots of RAM, and copious amounts of hard drive space now, you are extending the life of your laptop. That’s a good thing. You want your laptop investment to last for years to come. So pay more now, and you’ll earn it back down the road when you’re still using your laptop while others are forced to buy a new one.

Finding out what you don’t need

Laptops generally don’t come with floppy drives. Ditto for Zip disks. If you want such a thing, it can always be added as a peripheral, but honestly you don’t need it — and really don’t want to be carrying around such a thing with you anyway.

Laptops also lack a desktop PC’s internal expansion slots, though this is because most laptops come with all the options pre-installed (yet another reason for a laptop’s high price tag). If you want to play expansion card poker with your computer, then you probably want a desktop PC and not a laptop.

Thanks to the laptop’s expandability — primarily because of its USB ports — you can add most any desktop device as an external peripheral. But don’t be fooled! You’re buying a laptop for its portability, so you want extra options installed when you buy the laptop. Adding on extras is possible, but then you’re tethering your laptop to other things, which reduces its portability.

More important than a floppy drive, consider getting a laptop with a memory card reader. A combination Secure Digital and CompactFlash card reader means your laptop can immediately read the same media used in digital cameras. You can even use that media as removable storage and as a way to swap information between two computers.