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The main difference of a laptop from a desktop computer is compactness and mobility. As by functionality, modern laptops almost do not differ from the "big" computers. Unfortunately, the same is not true about prices: laptops are much more expensive than their desktop "confreres". You always have to pay for convenient size, and not only with your money, but also with the impossibility to "upgrade" the laptop parts: the technical solutions used are very integrated, and the number of interchangeable components is very little. It is possible to replace memory or change a CD drive for a DVD one, but as to the video card and, especially, the main board, you may forget about replacing them. Therefore, it is necessary to approach to the issue of choosing a laptop very seriously: the opportunities to "modernize" a laptop are not so widely available, and you cannot afford to change laptops each week.
The issue of choosing a laptop is not so simple and is naturally split into several questions: "what LCD screen to choose?", "which keyboard to choose?", etc … If you buy a laptop for the first time, it is no wondering that you may get confused in all the possible options. More often, a skilled Internet buyer would open a page of Google or Yahoo and type in "select laptop parameters" or "laptop computer review". The sites providing similar services are countless. You need to just open one of them and select in the table as many features as possible for as little price as you can find. But, even if you are good in computers and know what you need, you cannot completely rely only on selection of parameters. The tables do not contain one important parameter: user friendliness or ergonomics.
Really, imagine a situation when you bring home a new laptop and after two days of work you finally understand, that at it has an inconvenient laptop keyboard, which you will have to use for a year or two, until you buy a new laptop. At the same time, 200 megahertz of processor power or 128 mbytes of laptop memory would not provide a great deal of difference.
So, what you should pay attention to? Such parameters as weight, size, the laptop battery operating time, and the size of the laptop memory are obvious enough and do not require extra explanation. It is desirable the screen of the laptop to be as contrasting as possible, so that you could use it even in bright light. Another important point is the convenience of the keyboard and the device for cursor control (usually, a touchpad or a trackpoint). It is necessary to pay attention to arrangement of the sockets for connection of laptop accessories, various devices and the AC power supply, the IR port, optical drives, jacks for headphones: all of these can cause difficulties if located in strange places. It is very useful when the leds signaling about the condition of the computer, are located so that they can be seen even on the closed laptop cover.
There are also less obvious, but not less important parameters significantly influencing the convenience of usage. For example, the laptop cooler. Modern computers are strongly heated, therefore it is necessary to pay attention, how the laptop is cooled. A badly located ventilating aperture can become a problem in the "inclined" position of the laptop. Another negative consequence of a laptop cooler is noise. It is desirable, it the laptop computer to be silent and non-irritating.
Since you may add only few functions or laptop parts to your computer, and this cannot be achieved like in desktop computers, by simple addition of PCI-cards, try to choose models with the maximum quantity of built in devices. Presence a fax-modem, a network card, a sound card, a laptop wireless card, etc is much desirable
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