| Small Can Be Beautiful | | | | be upgraded externally with USB, FireWire, and the PC |
| When purchasing a new computer, you may be better | | | | Card slot. Because each of these methods is external, |
| served by a laptop than a traditional desktop | | | | however your laptop will become less portable if you |
| computer. Recently, laptops with capabilities similar to | | | | need to carry around the external devices. |
| desktops can be purchased for a comparable price. | | | | Take One Tablet... |
| Laptops are convenient because of their small size | | | | A Tablet PC is a custom laptop that allows you to |
| and ability to run from a battery. Except for the power | | | | write on the screen to save notes and work with |
| cable to recharge it, a laptop doesn't have any | | | | programs. Tablet PCs are typically smaller than laptops |
| external wires, so it won't be contributing to a cable | | | | and feature a specialized processor that is extremely |
| mess. | | | | battery-efficient. Some Tablet PCs do not have a |
| When looking at laptops, consider how often you will | | | | built-in keyboard, but can connect to an external |
| travel with it. If you plan to travel only infrequently, get a | | | | keyboard. These are ideal for people who use the |
| model with a larger screen and lower price. If you are | | | | Tablet PC mode most of the time and need to use |
| a digital nomad, you should be concerned mainly with | | | | the keyboard occasionally. |
| the laptop size, weight, and battery life. For maximum | | | | If you have little need for a portable computer, a |
| portability, get a laptop that weighs less than 3.5 | | | | "desktop replacement" may be for you. A desktop |
| pounds, has a 12" or smaller display, and a minumum | | | | replacement looks like a laptop, but is much larger and |
| 4-hour battery life. | | | | priced competitively with desktops. Whatever kind of |
| Unlike desktops, laptop computers can be difficult and | | | | laptop fits your lifestyle, gone are the days when |
| expensive to upgrade. When you purchase a laptop, | | | | laptops were expensive and less capable than |
| consider that any internal features such as CD-ROM | | | | traditional desktop computers. |
| or hard drive may be difficult to replace. Laptops can | | | | |