Empat Hal yang Perlu Diperhatikan Saat Membeli Kamera Saku

Jika satu dasawarsa lalu kamera digital adalah sebuah perangkat yang harganya mahal, kini hampir setiap orang mampu membelinya. Merek dan model kamera digital pun semakin banyak di berbagai segmen. Rentang harga jual kamera saku cukup luas, mulai di bawah Rp 1 juta sampai di atas Rp 5 juta.

Minat membeli kamera digital tidak surut oleh banyaknya telepon seluler yang dilengkapi fitur kamera. Tentunya sebelum membeli, Anda perlu melihat kebutuhan dan dana yang dimiliki. Berikut ini empat hal yang patut diperhatikan sebelum membeli kamera saku:

MEREK

Merek suatu kamera amat penting. Merek ternama biasanya memiliki bagian R&D (riset dan pengembangan) yang bertujuan menelurkan kamera dengan fitur dan kualitas yang baik. Selain itu, ada beberapa teknologi dan fitur yang eksklusif terbatas hanya dapat digunakan satu merk.

Misalnya: Sony memiliki teknologi SteadyShot dan BIONZ processor, Panasonic dengan MEGA O.I.S dan VENUS ENGINE, Canon dengan DIGIC processor, dan sebagainya. Selain itu, rata-rata perusahaan kamera ternama juga memproduksi lensanya sendiri.

Sebagai panduan, pilihlah kamera saku dari produsen yang mampu membuat lensa sendiri.

SPESIFIKASI

Pastikan spesifikasi kamera yang ingin dibeli sesuai dengan kebutuhan Anda.

Panduan umum: jangan pedulikan ukuran resolusi sebab besaran itu (dalam hitungan MP) bukanlah ukuran kualitas hasil foto, tapi lebih merujuk pada ukuran cetak optimal dari sebuah kamera. Misalnya: resolusi 5MP dapat digunakan untuk mencetak foto berukuran A4, sementara 10MP untuk A3.

Nah, jika Anda tidak berencana mencetak foto berukuran besar, tentunya tidak perlu mementingkan besaran resolusi. Yang lebih menentukan sebuah hasil foto adalah kualitas sensor, kualitas lensa, dan pengolah citra (image processor).

DESAIN

Kamera saku hadir dalam berbagai ukuran dan konsep desain. Faktor desain yang harus lebih diperhatikan adalah ergonomi. Setelah menggunakannya dalam waktu yang lama, Anda akan lebih menghargai faktor kenyamanan pemakaian dibanding desain yang cantik tapi kurang nyaman. Jika memungkinkan, cobalah dulu memegang kamera dalam berbagai posisi. Bagi yang agak ceroboh, dianjurkan memilih kamera saku dengan lensa yang dapat tertutup otomatis atau kamera yang tidak memakai tutup lensa terpisah.

AKSESORI

Jika membeli kamera, pastikan Anda menyisihkan dana untuk membeli aksesori tambahan. Yang paling mendesak adalah memory card, karena sering kali tidak disertakan dalam paket pembelian. Aksesori lain yang wajib dimiliki adalah tas atau kantong kamera dan alat pembersih lensa. Tripod juga wajib dimiliki jika Anda akan menggunakan kamera untuk memotret pemandangan.

Selamat berbelanja!

>> yahoo.com <<

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Gunakan Playstation PS3 Controller pada PC

Pada solusi sederhana kali ini, Saya menemukan bagaimana cara untuk menggunakan Controller Playstation PS3 pada PC. Wireless PS3 Controller dapat berguna sebagai mouse atau joystick untuk bermain game. Saya sendiri menggunakan PS3 controller untuk bermain emulator games lama yang adakalanya dijalankan dari komputer. Kita akan menggunakan driver Windows PS3 Controller buatan MotionInJoy pada tutorial kali ini.

Bagaimana cara menggunakan Playstation PS3 Controller pada PC

1. Download dan unzip 32 Bit atau 64 Bit Driver Windows PS3.
2. Jalankan MotionInJoy exe, ikuti instruksi untuk menginstal software.
3. Pasang PS3 Controller Anda via USB Port pada PC Anda.
4. Klik shortcut DS3 Tool untuk memulai program, kemudian navigasi ke Driver Manager Tab.
5. (1) Centang daftar Driver (2) Klik tombol Load driver
   
6. Lepas dan pasang kembali PS3 Controller Anda, kemudian klik tombol Home. Jika semuanya berjalan lancar, harusnya PS3 Controller Anda sudah terdeteksi.
   
7. Anda bisa memilih mode yang ingin digunakan dan klik enable untuk mengaktifkannya.

>> komputertips.com <<

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Tips Merawat Laptop

Laptop lebih rentan rusak (dalam bahasa Jawa “ringkih”) daripada PC. Oleh karena itu, kita harus memperlakukan atau merawatnya dengan benar agar dapat berumur lebih lama. Jangan sampai laptop yang baru beberapa bulan kita beli menjadi rusak hanya karena kita salah memperlakukannya maupun merawatnya. Perlu kiranya kita simak Tips-tips berikut agar laptop bekerja pada perfoma yang maksimal.

Jangan dekatkan dengan minuman maupun cairan dengan laptop, jika sampai tumpah ke laptop maka dapat menyebabkan komponen di dalamnya konsleting.

Jangan meletakkan laptop dengan sumber medan magnet, misalnya TV, Speacker Active, Radio Tape atau ponsel. Medan magnet akan mempengaruhi komponen laptop terutama harddisknya.

Jika membawa laptop agar dimasukkan ke tas khusus. Tas laptop dibuat sedemikian rupa sehingga casing laptop tidak mudah tergores dengan benda di sekitarnya atau bahkan dapat meredam guncangan-guncangan kecil. Kalau perlu secara berkala bersihkan casingnya dengan kain/lap yang dapat dibeli di toko-toko komputer.

Jangan pindah-pindahkan laptop pada saat masih hidup. Laptop yang sedang hidup berarti harddisknya juga sedang bekerja sehingga apabila digerakkan dapat menyebabkan head harddisk menggores cylinder sehingga akan berakibat fatal.

Gunakan stavolt atau stabilizer. Apabila menggunakan listrik langsung, pastikan menggunakan stavolt/stabilizer atau UPS untuk mengantisipasi naik turunnya tegangan listrik.

Jangan meminjamkan laptop ke sembarang orang. Hal ini semata-mata untuk mencegah kemungkinan perlakuan kasar apabila kita meminjami orang yang kebetulan sembrono.

Install anti virus dan updatelah secara berkala. Jangan sembarangan mendownload software gratis dari internet. Mungkin saja yang kita download malware/spyware yang menyamar sebagai freeware tertentu.

Letakkan laptop pada posisi mendatar jangan miring. Selain kurang ergonomis juga menyebabkan posisi harddisk tidak pada posisi yang benar..

Shutdown dengan benar. Jangan sekali-kali mematikan laptop dengan melepaskan power/baterainya. Power listrik yang mendadak mati dapat menyebabkan harddisk bermasalah.

Simpan di tempat dengan suhu yang tidak terlalu ekstrim. Jangan sekali-kali meninggalkan laptop di mobil yang sedang parkir di tempat yang panas atau mesin mobil masih hidup. Panas yang berlebihan dapat merusak komponen laptop.

Jangan meletakkan laptop di permukaan yang empuk, sehingga laptop kelihatan tenggelam yang dapat menghambat panas untuk keluar sehingga laptop lebih cepat panas.

Jangan pernah membongkar laptop sendiri, terutama yang masih awam. Jika masih dalam masa garansi lebih bijaksana kalau Anda membawanya ke tempat servis resminya.

Melap layar LCD dengan kain lembut dan kering. Lap dengan pelan, jangan menekan terlalu keras dan satu arah saja, misalnya dari kiri ke kanan. LCD dibentuk oleh cairan kristal (untuk menampilkan gambar) sehingga permukaannya tipis dan rapuh. Oleh karena itu, kalaupun harus menunjuk monitor dengan jari atau pulpen (atau benda lainnya) jangan sampai menyentuhnya apalagi menekan dengan keras.

Membersihkan keyboard dengan vacuum cleaner atau menyemprotkan udara di sela-sela tombol. Jangan mengetuk atau mengguncangkan keyboard dengan keras.

Hati-hati pada saat membuka dan menutup layar laptop. Antara LCD dengan CPU terdapat engsel yang berfungsi agar LCD dapat bergerak bebas sesuai kemiringan yang kita inginkan. Pada saat membuka atau menutup LCD, jangan menghentak terlalu keras yang dapat menyebabkan engsel patah.

Perlakukan baterai dengan benar. Khusus untuk pemakaian baterai pertama kali sebaiknya Anda mengisi dan mengosongkan sepenuhnya sebanyak tiga kali berturut-turut, dan berlaku juga untuk baterai yang lama disimpan atau tidak dipakai berminggu-minggu. Jika menggunakan baterai jenis Ni-MH, Anda harus mengosongkan setiap minggu/bulan sekali. Jika berencana menyimpan laptop dalam jangka waktu lama sebaiknya lepaskan baterai dari laptop.

(dari berbagai sumber)

>> onoid.blogspot.com <<

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Quick Tips for Building a Gaming Computer

How to Build a Performance Computer for Gaming

Gaming computers, also known as Gaming Rigs or Gaming PCs have become increasingly popular in the last few years as a niche market for them has developed.
Many "hardcore" gamers will either build their own computer systems or use a specialized company such as Doghouse or Falcon Northwest which caters to gamers and their needs. Whichever route is chosen, however, there are few important factors to bear in mind when designing or buying any new computer system which will help make the most of the purchase and get the best performance.

First - The Basic Speed of the Machine

The core of any computer system will be the Central Processing Unit or CPU. The CPU is what all of the other parts of the system depend on in order to be able to function properly. The CPU essentially acts as the brain of the computer and the faster the CPU can operate, the better the entire system will run.
The speed of a CPU is now typically measured in Gigahertz (abbreviated GHz), and one GHz is equivalent to one billion "cycles" per second. The higher the number of GHz the CPU has, the faster the computer will be in general, and the quicker everything on the computer will be to load. Most computers will range from 2 GHz to 3 GHz in speed. The higher the main CPU speed, the better any game will run.

Second - The RAM

A computer's RAM or "Random Access Memory" is also an important component in it's speed. The amount of RAM in a computer can vary substantially, from 1 Gigabyte worth to up to 4 or 6. However, large amounts of RAM can be extremely expensive, depending on the type purchased and the amount.
RAM essentially functions as the capacity of the computer to multi-task, and the more RAM a computer has, the more single programs it can run at one time without slowing down. As well, more RAM will allow a more complex game to be played without suffering any slowdown. As a general rule, a gaming computer will want to have at least two GB worth of RAM, depending on what is allowed by the physical computer space.
RAM typically comes in small, straight sets of chips which are placed inside the computer chasis. While relatively easy to swap out, RAM is an ever-changing technology, with types such as RDRAM and SDRAM available, some with DDR (double data rate) technology.
Do some investigation into which type is the most cost-efficient, as well as how much RAM a computer will support before committing to any purchase. DDR RDRAM is currently the most efficient RAM on the market, but technology changes quickly.

Third - The Video Card

This is where many gamers sink a great deal of the their time and effort. There are two major video card companies, NVIDIA and ATI. NVIDIA makes a series of cards called the "GeForce", while ATI produces the "Radeon". Both have things to recommend them, and are usually neck in neck in terms of performance. There are many websites which will compare the performance of various cards, which can be of great benefit as the price of the cards often varies wildly, and some lower-priced cards perform quite well against higher-priced competition.
These cards are very high-powered and any serious gaming computer will not function properly without one. Many carry their own onboard memory of up to 1 gigabyte and now typically come with a fan and/or heat sink to deal with the massive amount of heat they will generate.
Another option many gamers are choosing is to use two interlinked video cards at the same time. According to the NVIDIA SLI zone website, using dual video cards can result in a performance increase of up to 2.8 times over a single video card. Many specialty computer builders are now offering this as a standard option.

Fourth - The Monitor

All of the internal hardware in the world is useless if the results cannot be seen properly, and for that reason an excellent monitor is essential. Just as with televisions, computer monitors have made the switch from CRT to LCD technology, with generally positive results.
The biggest problem facing LCD displays is the issue of response time. Response time is the amount of time, measured in milliseconds, that it takes the liquid crystals to change color. The lower the response time, the better. If the response time is too high, the user will see "ghosting" and the game will not look right. A good response time for an LCD monitor is anything under 12 ms. 12 to 15 ms can be acceptable, but anything higher than that will not be useable for gaming.

Fifth - The Measurement

All of the components mentioned above contribute to an excellent gaming experience, and the typical way to measure the overall performance of the computer in a game setting is to use the standard of frames per second. This is a measure of how many still frames are displayed to the user in one second, granting the illusion of motion. The higher the fps, the smoother the game will look.
Fps will change during the course of a game, as the player moves into more graphically intense areas. The general rule of thumb is that anything over 30 fps is playable, but the ideal is to aim for 60 fps or higher.
While purchasing or building the right computer for gaming takes time and research, the end benefits will be well worth it.

>> suite101.com <<

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How to Buy a Netbook

The term netbook, coined by Intel, conveys little useful information about this category of machines. Sure, they all have wireless networking, but so does every other laptop. What the term originally helped to identify was a class of small, ultralightweight, cheap-as-dirt mobile PCs.

Netbooks are tiny – usually between half and two-thirds the size of a garden-variety laptop – and they typically weigh around 2.5 pounds. With their cool, slim designs, they outclass some fancy ultraportables. And best of all, these diminutive laptops start at around $200 (in some cases $100, when purchased as part of a mobile broadband promotional deal).

But that doesn't mean a netbook is for everyone. These are basic computing devices that will meet only basic computing needs. If you're looking to do a little bit of word processing, maybe edit a few simple spreadsheets and want to surf the Web, a netbook will suffice. But if you're looking to edit high-resolution photos or work with video, a netbook isn't for you: These systems have seriously limited processing power. You can listen to some tunes, but don't expect first-rate sound. And you might be able to watch a few online videos, but you'll be looking at a relatively tiny screen.

In determining what makes a netbook a netbook, and not an ultraportable laptop, we take several factors into consideration. Chief among them: price, size and the CPU under its hood. But netbooks are constantly evolving, and we're now on the cusp of next-generation models. Soon, we'll see Atom processors outfitted with a discrete nVidia GPU (the Ion platform). And Intel isn't the only chip maker in the netbook space: AMD is half-stepping into the territory with the Athlon Neo CPU. The distinguishing characteristics are in flux. With that in mind, here's what you need to know when buying a netbook.

The big picture
The netbook market is new and constantly in flux. We'll explain the options available to you today. more

The specs explained
Just because netbooks are cheap, that doesn't mean you have to expect poor performance. We'll guide you through the choices you need to make in order to get the most out of your mini machine. more

Netbook shopping tips
Sure, some netbooks are cheap. But some also cost almost as much as full-fledged laptops. Our advice will help you find the right machine at the right price. more

More on netbooks
Here's a chart (with links to reviews), a slide show and a discussion of the differences between netbooks and ultraportables.

• Top 10 Netbooks
• 10 Must-Have Netbooks, From Super Expensive to Bargain Basement
• Netbook or Ultraportable: Which Is Best for the Job?

PC World's top-rated laptops
Keep in mind PC World's other laptop lists:

• Top 10 All-Purpose Laptops
• Top 10 Power Laptops
• Top 10 Ultraportable Laptops
• All Laptops

The big picture

So many netbooks have reached market in the past year – and so many more are on the way – that selecting the right model can be daunting. There is no such thing as perfection in a category that is ultimately defined by compromises, but with a little grounding in the basic features of mini-notebooks, you can make an informed buying decision.

Key features
 

Processor: With bargain-basement prices, svelte dimensions and full-blown operating systems, models in the current crop of netbooks look great on paper. But the Intel Atom processor powering these machines can't do anything much fancier than editing basic documents, sending e-mail and browsing the Web. The standard configuration for the machines you'll find on store shelves includes a 1.6GHz CPU with 1GB of RAM using Intel's 945 chip set and running Windows XP – not exactly a performance powerhouse, but it works.

Making the most of your netbook is all about managing expectations. Don't plan on playing modern PC games, editing huge pictures or creating 1080p videos on these machines – at least not yet. Later this year, nVidia will release its Ion graphics platform, and AMD has already launched its Neo processor. These two mobile chips promise to boost netbook performance significantly, and may very well change the way we think about small, cheap computers.

Display: When our reviewer first encountered the original Asus Eee PC's 7-inch LCD, he declared that he had to increase the magnification in his eyeglasses' prescription – and spin the scroll wheel like a manic gerbil – just to read an everyday Web page.

Fortunately, times have changed. Even the smallest machines these days offer about 9 inches of viewable display area, with at least 800 pixels across. That is adequate for Web browsing, though the 10-inch screen available on most netbooks these days makes a real difference in the experience. And in the coming year, you'll start to see more and more devices that straddle the netbook-ultraportable divide by offering 11- and 12-inch screens. However, screen coating is also a critical consideration. The HP Mini 2140's glossy screen may look snazzy indoors, but in broad daylight – where many people would at least occasionally use it – the reflection can be dazzling, if not blinding.

Another characteristic to weigh is native resolution. The default setting for most netbooks is 1024 by 600 pixels. Though this slightly odd aspect ratio will work with most software, some programs require a different resolution to run properly. If you intend to run proprietary business apps that demand a specific resolution, make sure that the netbook you buy can support it. (The upcoming 11- and 12-inch models won't run into this problem.)

Battery life: Though the Intel Atom CPU is by no means an energy hog, netbooks aren't known for long battery life. That is partly because vendors typically try to keep costs down by providing a modest three-cell battery. If you're lucky, a battery of that size will last 2.5 hours on one charge, judging from PC World Test Center results. So if you want to stay productive on your netbook while traveling, you'll probably need to buy an oversized, extended-life battery.

The best-selling Acer Aspire One is a case in point. As configured, this neat little machine sells for roughly $300; but if you want it to run longer (surviving a cross-country flight would be nice), prepare to shell out an additional $100 for an optional six-cell battery that effectively doubles its duration. The bigger battery adds a little more weight to the system, too: There's roughly a 0.3-pound difference between three- and six-cell netbook batteries, but the longer life between recharges is worth the extra investment.

So far, Samsung has earned the laurels for producing netbooks that have the longest battery lives. We've seen some that last around 8.5 hours in our lab tests.

You get one other bonus when you buy a bigger battery, in some models at least: The double-stuffed power source props up the netbook at a slight tilt, making ergonomic typing on the (usually) tiny keyboard a little easier.

Keyboard: Many netbooks come with serviceable, comfortable keyboards, despite their smaller size. A netbook's keyboard is usually about 88 or 92 percent of a full-size QWERTY keyboard, but the layout and arrangement of those keys counts almost as much as their size. To see whether the layout and shape of a given keyboard will work for your fingers, you need to do some hands-on testing at a store. Of course, bigger keys are better for beefy digits – and netbooks that have 10-inch screens tend to offer the larger keyboards.

Software: Windows XP is largely the operating system of choice. Some foolhardy manufacturers have loaded netbooks with Windows Vista Basic while others offer up Linux flavors in their netbooks. Why Linux? For starters, it runs a little leaner than XP, which makes it perfect for a netbook's anemic CPU. Second, it trims a few more dollars off the price of these already-inexpensive portables.

For the most part, Windows XP netbooks carry very little onboard software. A few machines we've seen came pre-loaded with OpenOffice.org – the free Java-based office suite – but few vendors care to match Samsung, whose netbooks have a fairly well-constructed software suite (one that's good by notebook standards, let alone netbooks). Almost all of the other netbooks we've examined require you to download, on your own, the software you want to use.

Expecting Windows Vista to work with a netbook's puny processor is like expecting a baby with one hand tied behind its back to push a Buick up a hill. Nevertheless, HP originally packaged its 2133 netbook with Vista Business Edition – and no one was terribly surprised when its unimposing Via C7-M processor ran like an out-of-shape sprinter in a swimming pool full of Jell-O. Now Sony thinks it can get its new Atom-processor-based Vaio P mini-notebook (which it insists on calling a "lifestyle notebook" rather than a "netbook") to run Windows Vista Basic. This is probably still a bit of a performance stretch, but initial tests show that Microsoft's upcoming Windows 7 is a very plausible netbook OS.

We've also heard rumors that Google's Android OS will find its way into netbooks this year, but no products are available as of this writing.

Wireless connectivity: If names mean anything, it seems reasonable to expect a "netbook" to deliver wireless broadband and constant connectivity. But that's not quite the way things are today. Most netbooks do offer 802.11g wireless, which is more than adequate for basic needs around an office, airport or hotel room. A couple of premium models offer 802.11n.

We've also started seeing netbooks that offer integrated 3G wireless broadband. It sounds great, but there is one big (and tightly knotted) string attached: A two-year contract cost around $2,000 over the life of the deal and will wed you to a device that you might desperately want to replace long before the contract expires.

Our advice: If you crave wireless broadband performance, make sure that your netbook of choice supports an external solution. That way, you can buy a wireless broadband card and plug it into whatever machine you need. PC Express slots are still rare on netbooks, but USB ports aren't. So even if you opt for a system that doesn't accommodate PC Express, you can add a USB 3G adapter, which you can then use with any computer you own.

Optical drives: Forget about them. A netbook, by definition, lacks any form of optical drive. You may find drives on some devices that straddle the line between netbook and notebook, but you won't find them on a true netbook.

The specs explained
 

When buying a netbook, you don't have as many configuration options as you do with other laptops; these machines are limited. But that doesn't mean that all netbooks are created equal.

Before you go shopping for a netbook, the first thing you should consider is how you'll be using it. The first generation of netbooks targeted nonbusiness consumers – especially students. After all, you can stuff one of these affordable task-specific portables in a bag, and it can take a beating. But machines of this class make sense for corporate users, too. Why lug a huge laptop through the halls of an office complex when all you need is a good keyboard and a wireless connection?

Such thinking has led vendors to divide netbooks into business and consumer subcategories. Corporate netbooks pack more premium components than their consumer counterparts. Of course, premium gear is expensive, and corporate netbooks command prices above $600.

Here's a rough breakdown of some configuration options you'll want to consider when making your purchase.

Important consideration: Keyboard size and layout. Yes, a netbook will have a small keyboard, but those keyboards are often quite comfortable. The layout and arrangement of the keys is almost as important as their size. If possible, do some hands-on testing at the store to see whether the layout and shape of a given keyboard will work for your fingers. You should also note the position of the mouse, touchpad and any related buttons. Make sure they are convenient and comfortable.

Important consideration: Screen size and coating. You'll find netbook screens that range in size from 8 inches to 10 inches (and soon, as big as 12 inches) diagonally. Eight inches of real estate is adequate, but a 10-inch screen will make a real difference in the user experience. You should also consider the coating. A glossy screen may look snazzy indoors, but in broad daylight – where many people would at least occasionally use it – the glare on it can be blinding.

Important consideration: Screen resolution. Another characteristic to weigh is the screen's native resolution. The default setting for most netbooks is 1024 by 600 pixels. Though this slightly odd aspect ratio will work with most software, some programs require a different resolution to run properly. If you intend to run proprietary business apps that demand a specific resolution, make sure that the netbook you buy can support it.

Somewhat important: Operating system. Windows XP is pretty much the standard, with some flavors of Linux available for most netbooks. Linux runs extremely fast by netbook standards. And its low overhead helps keep the retail price low on these little machines. But each netbook vendor deploys Linux differently on the systems it sells; most vendors also include a customized menu interface to streamline the user experience, and these menus can be obtrusive, limiting productivity. For your first netbook, unless you're already interested in Linux, you may want to go for a model with Windows XP pre-installed. The cost difference is usually minimal, and XP is relatively speedy even on netbooks. Don't, however, expect Windows Vista to run on a netbook's puny processor.

Somewhat important: Software. For the most part, Windows XP netbooks carry little onboard software. A few machines we've seen came pre-loaded with OpenOffice.org – the free Java-based office suite – but most netbooks we've examined require you to download, on your own, the software you want to use.

Somewhat important: Hard drive. Let's be clear: You're not going to find a terabyte hard drive on a netbook. But you can find models with reasonable amounts of storage space. We've tested models with drives as small as 60GB, and some with drives as big as 320GB. Most netbooks offer drives in the 120GB to 160GB range, which should be adequate for your storage needs.

Somewhat important: Processor. Netbooks are cheap for several reasons, and one of those reasons is the paltry processors they pack (an Intel Atom CPU in the 1.6GHz range is typical). That said, competition is on the way. AMD's Athlon Neo CPU is a step up (as seen in HP's Pavilion dv2) and we're still waiting to hear word of netbooks sporting nVidia's Ion platform.

Somewhat important: Installed memory. Another reason netbooks are cheap is because they don't pack much RAM. Look for 1GB of RAM. Anything more is beyond the realm of the standard small netbook.

Somewhat important: Wireless connectivity. You might expect a machine called a netbook to deliver wireless broadband and constant connectivity, but you'd be wrong. Most netbooks do offer 802.11g wireless, which is more than adequate for basic needs; you'll also find 802.11n wireless as an option, though it's rare. If you crave wireless broadband performance, make sure that your netbook of choice includes a PC Express card slot or a USB port so you can buy a wireless broadband card.

Netbook shopping tips
 

If you're convinced a netbook will meet your needs and are ready to start shopping, here are a few recommendations. Remember, netbook specifications don't vary as greatly as those of a regular laptop. These specifications will meet the needs of the average netbook user.

A 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor. This CPU isn't going to pack a ton of power, but it will suffice for your basic computing needs. Most recent netbooks use Intel's 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU, but you can also find some models with the 1.66GHz Atom n280, which also has a faster front-side bus speed (667MHz versus 533MHz in the N270). In our performance tests, though, the difference between these two processors was negligible.

A supplemental battery. Vendors usually try to keep costs down by providing a modest three-cell battery, which will last about 2.5 hours, if you're lucky. If you want to stay productive on your netbook while traveling, you'll probably need to buy an oversized, extended-life battery. You can find optional six-cell batteries for about $100. Keep in mind that these batteries not only boost the price of a netbook, they also increase its weight.

A 10-inch screen. You'll find netbooks with screens smaller than 10 inches, and these models will suit some people just fine. But if you can, opt for a larger model; that slight bit of extra room will make a noticeable difference.

A 120GB hard drive. Yes, you'll find netbooks with 60GB hard drives. But don't limit yourself to such a small amount of storage when you can find models with 120GB – or larger – hard drives for the same price.

A well-laid-out keyboard. You know you'll be compromising on size when you purchase a netbook, and that applies to the keyboard, too. But smaller doesn't have to mean unusable. Look for a model with a keyboard that is well-designed and nicely laid out. Make sure the mouse buttons are sensibly positioned, too.

At least two USB ports. Many netbooks offer three, but some of the smaller models have only two. You don't need to settle for less than that.

>> msn.com <<

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How to Buy a Laptop

The most highly evolved species of computer, the laptop (aka notebook) computer allows you to work without being tethered to an office. Portability and good performance make laptop PCs an essential part of the daily lives of millions of people, from college students to business travelers. Even the least-expensive of today's laptops are well-equipped for everyday work.

The big picture: There are more laptop choices than ever. We'll identify and discuss the available options -- including screen size, weight, battery life and communications ports.

The specs explained: Do you need a superfast CPU? Or a huge hard drive? We'll guide you through the choices and tell you which features are most critical. more

Laptop shopping tips: Looking for a powerful, versatile notebook at a reasonable price? Our advice will help you find the right laptop. more

PC World's top-rated laptops

• Top 10 All-Purpose Laptops
• Top 5 Laptops Under $1,000
• Top 10 Ultraportable Laptops
• All Laptops

The big picture
If you've ever shopped for a laptop, you know that the factors to consider go far beyond performance and connections. Notebook buyers have to think about such additional variables as size, weight, screen dimensions, battery life and keyboard quality -- plus options such as built-in wireless.

Key features

Processor: Intel's dual-core processors have helped laptops gain ground in the power department. In PC World tests, laptops using these dual-core processors performed considerably faster than laptops using single-core processors, particularly when multitasking. In newer notebooks you may see references to Core Duo, Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme, which represent steps up in computing power for laptops.

Some notebooks use AMD's Athlon Turion 64 X2 dual-core processor, which also supports improved performance. The Turion 64 X2 and the Core 2 Duo both provide 64-bit support, which will become increasingly useful as more 64-bit applications reach the market.

Low-end laptops offer Intel's Celeron M processor, which is generally not as speedy as the Core 2 Duo processors. And down below low-end are the new mobile processors that appear in netbooks (or mini-notebooks) -- sub-$500 machines that run on low-power, low-cost 1.6-GHz Atom CPUs.

System memory: Unless you're buying on the cheap, a new laptop generally includes 2GB of system memory. Many notebooks today are available with 3GB of RAM or more. Before electing to upgrade to more RAM than that, be sure to check which version of Windows your new notebook uses. A 32-bit OS can't efficiently use more than 3GB of RAM. A 64-bit version can go higher. Outfitting your laptop with more RAM at the time you buy it is convenient and helps you extend its useful life.

Graphics memory: Portables can have either of two different types of video chip sets: dedicated video (which means a separate pre-installed graphics card) or integrated graphics. Dedicated video chip sets come from nVidia and ATI/AMD, whereas integrated graphics are typically from Intel. If you intend to use your laptop for even casual gaming, make sure that it has memory dedicated to graphics use, rather than relying on graphics that pull from main memory. Gamers need advanced 3-D graphics chips, along with 512MB of dedicated graphics memory. High-end desktop-replacement notebooks have sophisticated desktop graphics capabilities, as well; in the past, integrated graphics would work just fine for business purposes, but Windows Vista demands a more powerful graphics subsystem.

Some laptops now offer Scalable Link Interface (SLI), which provides a means to run multiple graphics chips in one machine. Hybrid SLI, a technology offered by nVidia, involves two GPUs operating within a single notebook. The most basic version of Hybrid SLI already exists on Apple's new MacBook Pro laptop and on a couple of notebooks from Sony's Vaio line. With these machines you toggle between a high-powered discrete GPU for graphics-intensive work or play and an integrated GPU on the motherboard for low-demand graphics. A second implementation of Hybrid SLI will allow an integrated GPU, like nVidia's GeForce 9400M GS, to work in tandem with a discrete GPU for greater performance when needed -- and then downshift to a lower-power mode when it isn't.

Screen: Some laptop screens continue to get bigger -- and most have gone wide, too, enabling you to view spreadsheets or movies with ease. But other screens have gotten significantly smaller to accommodate all sorts of road-ready computing. Price is no longer much of a deterrent for any of these choices. Even budget shoppers can afford the luxury of high-resolution color: Portables with 14.1-inch and 15.4-inch wide screens now cost well under $1,000. Most notebook manufacturers offer laptops with wide-screen panels, to permit better side-by-side document viewing as well as to display films at their proper aspect ratio. These days, netbooks come equipped with screens as large as 10.2 inches. Ultraportable notebooks max out at 13.3 inches. And anything between 13.3 and 17 inches qualifies as an all-purpose machine -- a laptop that still fits in your bag. The new middle ground for all-purpose screens is 16 inches because screen of this size can display a true 1080p (1920-by-1080-pixel resolution) picture.

Battery: Laptop battery life continues to improve. In PC World's tests, laptops using a Core Duo or Core 2 Duo processor average roughly 3.5 hours on one battery charge. Keep in mind that manufacturers may improve their times by taking steps such as turning off wireless receivers, which tend to consume a lot of power. Also, check to see if the manufacturer's stated battery-life numbers are for its regular or extended-life battery -- the latter kind of battery can last up to twice as long as a regular one. And remember that, in general, lighter laptops tend to have longer battery lives than big desktop-replacement notebooks do.

Keyboard and pointing device: Though you can get accustomed to almost any laptop keyboard, it's best to try before you buy. Thin-and-light notebooks usually have smaller-than-average keys spaced more closely than the keys on a desktop-replacement model, and their layouts may differ from a standard keyboard's. If you have largish hands, be aware that an ultraportable's keyboard may be difficult to use.

You probably won't be invited to choose between eraserhead and trackpad pointing devices; if you have a preference, look for manufacturers that use the pointing device you prefer on most of their products. A better option: Buy a USB mouse designed for laptops. It's a small investment, and your hands will thank you for it.

Optical and other drives: Most manufacturers offer laptops with rewritable DVD drives. But now that Blu-ray Disc has triumphed over HD DVD in the high-definition format wars, more notebooks are being configured with Blu-ray drives. If you need a floppy drive for some reason, you can buy a USB add-on drive for 20 bucks.

Hard drive: Even inexpensive netbooks now come with 60GB hard-disk drives (HDDs). Most all-purpose machines offer hard drives in the range of 200GB to 320GB, and ultraportables now pack solid-state drives (SDDs). Though SDDs are faster and lighter than HDDs, their capacities are considerably lower (maxing out at around 128GB) at a significantly higher cost. In today's market, an SSD adds about $1,000 to a laptop's price tag over the cost of a machine with similar specs equipped with a larger-capacity platter-based drive. So, you need to balance speed and weight against price and storage capacity. Whichever choice you make, you'll find that hard-drive space fills up quickly, so you might want to consider buying a portable external drive as well.

Weight and bay design: Laptops range from 15-pound desktop replacement monsters to ultraportable lightweights that rely on external drives to come in at under 3 pounds. One-bay notebooks balance features and weight. Some laptops continue to offer the optical drive as a modular device, so you can swap it out for a second hard drive or a second battery.

When making a purchase, however, keep in mind that you should consider the weight not only of the laptop but also of the AC adapter, the extra batteries, any external modules, and their cables. Ultraportable notebooks have lightweight adapters, but they can weigh almost as much as a full-size notebook if you have to carry an external optical drive, too.

When you return to your desk, you can snap most laptops onto an extra-cost docking station or port replicator (prices range from $100 to $500). Doing so saves you from repeatedly having to plug in and unplug an external monitor, keyboard, mouse and other desktop peripherals.

Communications: Few laptops come with a full set of legacy ports anymore. Serial ports are as rare as Bigfoot sightings at this point, as are PS/2 ports (for a mouse or keyboard). Most notebooks still have one PC Card slot, though many now offer an ExpressCard slot as well. With new GPUs, many notebooks -- and even some netbooks -- now offer HDMI outputs.

Most laptops have at least two USB 2.0 ports; many offer four, and some up to six. A majority of notebooks include a four-pin FireWire (IEEE 1394) port for connecting an external drive or a digital-video camcorder. Others now include eSATA ports for high-speed data transfers.

Built-in Ethernet now comes standard on all portables, with many models carrying gigabit Ethernet. Many laptops also have built-in Bluetooth. Notebooks using the Intel Core Duo or Core 2 Duo processors -- or AMD's Turion 64 X2 processor -- include Intel's wireless 802.11a/b/g chip set.

Some laptops come with built-in wireless broadband wide-area networking, enabling them to access, for example, Verizon Wireless's EvDO Broadband Access service.

Most also include a multiformat flash card reader, which can read Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo and xD formats.

The specs explained

Before shopping for a laptop, consider how you'll be using it. If your primary goal is to get some word processing or spreadsheet work done while staying on top of e-mail, a netbook (priced at less than $500) will meet your needs. But a netbook does entail some sacrifices: a smaller processor, about 1GB of RAM, not much in the way of hard drive space, no optical drive, and (at biggest) a 10.2-inch screen. On the surface not much separates the netbooks from sexy lightweight notebooks, but the specs under the hood (and a big screen inside it) can inflate an ultraportable's price to as much as $2,000 more than a typical netbook.

Remember that most vendors let you custom-build and -price your own laptop by picking from a mind-boggling array of features, which gives you a lot of control over the final product. You may be able to afford a faster notebook by accepting a smaller, less-expensive hard drive or DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive, instead of a BD-ROM.

Unlike those on desktop PCs, only some of the components (such as memory and the hard drive) are upgradable; others (such as the graphics board) are permanent once they're installed at the factory. That's slowly changing, as some manufacturers begin to incorporate upgradable graphics. But take your time and pick only what you need. Following is a rough breakout of some configuration options.

Important consideration: Installed memory. The more installed memory your laptop has, the more applications you can run at once, and the better your machine will perform. Ease of access aside, upgrading memory in a notebook is a bit trickier than with a desktop, so buy as much memory pre-installed as you can afford. Laptops with 2GB of RAM are optimal. If you're running Windows Vista on a laptop, consider upgrading to 3GB of RAM (or more if your notebook uses a 64-bit version of the OS).

Important consideration: Processor. The CPU determines how quickly a notebook runs applications and performs on-screen tasks. Core Duo and Core 2 Duo processors are good choices for speedy processing. Atom processors appear only in budget-friendly netbooks, so plan according to your needs. (Check the latest prices for recommended notebooks.)

Important consideration: Screen size. The specified size of a laptop's LCD screen represents a diagonal measurement. The larger the screen, the higher the maximum resolution and the more information you can view at once. At this point, most notebooks are wide-screen models; if you want a laptop with a standard-aspect screen you'll have to search a bit, but they are still available. The aspect ratio seen on some newer 16-inch laptop screens offers the ideal resolution for viewing high-definition movies on the go. (Compare laptops with recommended screen sizes.)

Important consideration: Screen coating. A laptop's LCD panel is only as good as it looks when you look into it. Can you see text and images clearly when you're viewing them in broad daylight? Many notebooks that look sharp on store shelves (thanks to their extra-glossy coatings) may be tough to work with outdoors or in a coffee shop. So keep in mind not only how you plan to use your notebook, but where you want to use it.

Somewhat important: Hard drive. The larger the hard drive, the more data you can keep on your laptop. Most cheap netbooks offer 80GB drives at this point, so why not give yourself a little room to grow? If you plan to work with databases, spreadsheets or digital photo or video files, opt for a large drive. Be sure to find out the hard drive's speed, too. Older, slower drives run at 4200 rpm, and most current drives clock in at 5400 rpm; but a 7200-rpm model will offer better speed in data-read-intensive tasks.

Somewhat important: Expansion bays. The more expansion bays your laptop has, the more options you'll have for switching in new optical drives or other storage drives. But switching drives takes time, and modular components aren't as common as they used to be. As laptops gravitate toward flush form factors and unibody designs, may find that your only practical option is to lug around external drives that plug in through USB ports.

Somewhat important: Optical drives. Most manufacturers offer laptops with rewritable DVD drives, which give you the most flexibility. Alternatively, you could purchase a notebook with a DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive, to save money.

Laptop shopping tips

Are you ready to buy a notebook? Here are our recommendations for specifications that will fit the needs of the average user.

A 2.0-GHz Core 2 Duo processor. For everyday work -- word processing, spreadsheets, e-mail -- you don't need the latest, greatest (read: "most expensive") processor, but thankfully, with the Core Duo, you get strong performance and great battery life. (Check latest prices.)

2GB or more of memory. Anything less will slow your work. The only new machines that still carry less than 2GB of RAM are netbooks. Upgrade to a 64-bit OS if you want to carry more than 3GB on your laptop.

Supplemental battery. If you want more time away from an outlet, buy a higher-capacity supplementary battery when you purchase the laptop, or buy a notebook that has a modular bay capable of holding a supplementary power pack. Secondary batteries usually cost between $99 and $200.

A 13.3-inch wide screen. A screen larger than 12.1 inches permits higher resolutions. Unless you're pinching pennies -- or you crave a tiny laptop -- bigger is usually better, especially on your eyes. (Compare prices for laptops with screens that are at least 14.1 inches in size.)

A 160GB hard drive. Even some netbooks that cost under $500 are bundling a 160GB hard drive (granted, they spin slowly at 4200 rpm). So if you can get a large hard drive in your unit, do so. And as tempting as a solid-state drive may sound, it's an expensive choice for relatively little storage capacity.

A touchpad pointing device. Pointing devices are a matter of taste. Most people, however, find a touchpad easier to use than a pointing stick. For people who can't decide between a touchpad and an eraserhead pointing device, some notebooks include both. If you buy one of these, make sure that it provides two sets of mouse buttons -- one for the touchpad and the other for the eraserhead -- so you don't have to stretch to reach.

Multiple USB ports. Many laptops now come with two or more USB 2.0 ports, useful for connecting more of the latest peripherals.

All-in-one design. Unless you need a lightweight notebook, opt for one with an internal bay for the optical drive. This design enables you to swap in other devices, such as an extra hard drive or a second battery.

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