Find Cheap Laptops at Wireless Laptops UK
Welcome to our Wireless Laptops site. Here you'll
find the best online shops in the UK from which to buy wireless laptops.
 Find and Compare Laptops at LowPrices.co.uk
For excellent value, we recommenc Dell Laptops. See also Home Networking Advice from Dell
Cheap Laptops for Students 2010 Review
How to Choose a Wireless Laptop
If you're thinking of buying a wireless laptop, let us share a few words
of advice. We last updated this article in Sep 2010, but hopefully
the principles will remain valid even if processor names, speeds etc have
moved on ...
First of all we'd say that build quality is pretty important. When choosing
a computer, too many people make the mistake of going with whichever manufacturer
offers the fastest processor, most memory, biggest hard drive etc for
the money. However, going for the most bang for your buck is not recommended.
When it comes to wireless laptops, buying from a manufacturer that has
a reputation for build quality and customer support can save you from
heartache. Sure, it might mean paying slightly more to get the specification
you want, but there's no point buying a laptop with a really fast processor
and a great spec if it's just going to die on you within three months. For build quality we feel Samsung laptops are above average. We also like Dell laptops which we feel are above average for reliability and offer excellent value for money.
It's also worth finding out how good their customer service is. Ask in
online forums to see if having their warranty is worth it. Hopefully
your wireless laptop will be problem free, but sometimes if you're unlucky
they have to go back to the manufacturer and you want to know that they'll
get the job done efficiently if this is the case.
What Specification Does My Wireless Laptop Need?
When it comes to specification of your wireless laptop, the first thing
you need to think about is which processor to go for. Any computer system
is built around the processor, and it is the primary determinant of how
fast your computer will run. First of all, look at the requirements of
the Operating System you want to run. It's easy to find the minimum recommended
system requirements of popular Operating Systems such as Windows 7 and Windows Vista
by visiting the software vendors website. Just keep in mind that these
are minimum requirements, and to get a computer that is speedy enough
to keep up with you, you will probably want to go over the minimum specs,
particularly when it comes to computer memory (RAM) where laptop manufacturers
will often skimp as this is an upgrade that can be made later. To run Windows 7 or Vista, we recommend at least 2GB of RAM. If you want your laptop to be fast and responsive, then get 3 or 4GB.
The next question to ask is what will you be using the wireless laptop
for? Intended use can have a major bearing on how good a spec you need.
For instance, if all you are going to do on the laptop is surf the internet
and send the odd e-mail, then you can probably get away with something
close to the minimum system requirements recommended by the Operating
System manufacturer. If however, you are a power user, and like to run
multiple applications at the same time, then you are likely to need to
increase the memory on the system, and perhaps go for a slightly better
processor. Then there are certain processor heavy applications, in particular,
things like playing the latest computer games, using the computer to make
music, or editing video. If any of these are your intended uses then it
might justify buying a top specification processor. For graphics intensive applications like the latest computer games, you'll need to upgrade the graphics card too, as a good gaming experience depends on the graphics card being able to display highly detailed graphics at high Frames Per Second rates.
How Much Memory Should a Wireless Laptop Have?
Look at the minimum system requirements for the Operating System, but
if you like to run multiple applications at the same time, or do memory-intensive
work such as editing digital photos, then you'll want a decent amount of memory (perhaps at
least double the minimum requirement). We recommend a minimum of 2GB for running Windows 7 and Vista, 3 or 4GB if you want your computer to be fast and responsive.
What Wireless Networking Functionality Do I Need?
These days, most laptops come with wireless networking as standard. Most
laptops offer 802.11b/g support, and this will be adequate for most people.
If you need faster speeds, there is the Wireless N standard.
What Screen Size Should I Go For on my Wireless Laptop?
Again, this depends on intended usage. If you are going to be travelling
with your laptop, and in particular using it on a train, then you are
probably not going to want to go over 15.4" widescreen, otherwise the
laptop size can just become too unwiedly. If you are just going to use
the laptop for checking your e-mail and surfing the internet on the go,
then you could go for the ultra-portable 12" screen. If however your
laptop is largely going to stay on your desk at home, then a 17" widescreen
will give you extra screen space which is always useful, particularly
if you are a graphic designer using Photoshop or similar.
When choosing a screen size, note that it's usually simple to connect one additional monitor to your laptop via a VGA port, and furthermore there are now products on the
market that allow you to run multiple monitor setups from your laptop.
A leader in this field is Matrox. This means
that you can go for the convenience of a small laptop screen whilst on
the go, and hook up a multiple monitor set up of large LCD
monitors when at home.
What Else Should I Look for in a Wireless Laptop?
Bluetooth - Really
useful for connecting up peripherals like Skype headsets or for syncing
up with your mobile phone.
Firewire Port - Not all laptops have these, but you'll want one if you
want to transfer digital video onto your laptop from your camcorder, as
Firewire is the most popular means of doing so.
Good speakers - Can make a difference to your laptop experience, especially
if you like watching DVDs or listening to music. Some laptops have speakers
from top component manufacturers such as Harmon Kardon, so look for a
good brand if this is important to you.
HDMI Output - Allows you to use your wireless laptop as the DVD player
for your HDTV.
S-Video Out - To show the laptop display on a
TV with a S-Video input.
DVI Out - For making a digital connection to an LCD monitor.
VGA Out - To connect your laptop to a TV with a VGA In or to an external
computer monitor.
Other Wireless Laptop Sites
You can find out more about wireless laptops at the following sites:
Find advice on mobile broadband and mobile broadband laptops.
Notebook
Laptops - A site that reviews laptops from major manufacturers such
as Acer, Asus, Dell, Flybook, Fujitsu, Hewlett Packard, Lenovo and more.
Desktop
computers - ComputersFile.com is a blog updated daily with desktop
computers, notebooks and laptops. The site has computer news, and reviews
of machines from Dell, Apple, HP and more.
Acer Aspire One - A great value range of 9, 10 and 12 inch netbooks.
Pink Laptops and Netbooks - All the latest portable computers in your favourite colour - pink!
Computer Corner Desk - Find a nice desk for your new laptop computer. This site has a wide range of computer corner desks to choose from, including glass desks and oak desks.
USB Print Server - Buy a USB Print Server and you can easily share your USB printer with everyone at home or at the office.
Gaming Case - If you can't game on your laptop then buy a gaming case and build an Ultimate Gaming PC.
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