© 1995-2002 Dave Krauss, Michigan State University

Table of Contents:

• Desktop versus Portable
• Standard Features
  • Display
  • PC Card
  • Integrated Components
  • Notebook Options
• Have I Got a Deal For You
• Notebook Recommendations
• Theft Prevention
• Computer Superstores and Other Outlets
  • Computer Stores
  • Best Buy
  • CompUSA
  • Dell Computers
  • Gateway Computers
  • PC Connections
  • Shopping Tips
• Take a Course
• In Closing...

The main advantages of a notebook computer over a desktop is of course the portability and the small size. Notebooks are quite handy if you are on the go and need a computer with you. They are excellent travel companions if you have work that needs to get done while in an airplane, boat, train, bus, or car (if you aren't doing the driving). Also, due to their smaller size, they are also the computer of choice for people that have limited space in their office or home.

The main disadvantages of a notebook are their power, upgradeability, video display, and price. If you are looking for a high-end workstation, capable of running the latest 3-D games, you probably don't want a notebook. If want to be able to add the latest technology to the computer later on (adapter cards, memory, processor upgrade, etc.), you probably don't want a notebook. In a desktop system, you can install a second hard drive, add or swap adapter cards, or even replace a bad motherboard or power supply if need be. In a notebook computer, upgradeability is essentially limited to adding more memory and in some models, that can be a real challenge. However, as we will see below a notebook can take advantage of some of the features that are available to a desktop computer by adding on a docking station. Finally, if you want to get the most computer for your money, you probably don't want a notebook.

Standard Features
Although most notebooks are not quite at the same level as a desktop system, as technology evolves over the coming years, the difference between a notebook and a desktop will merely be the model number. If you are interested in purchasing a notebook computer, expect to pay a bit more than a desktop system with the same features - in the computer world, smaller is almost always more expensive.

A typical notebook computer will contain either an Intel Celeron^®, Pentium III^®, or AMD K6^® processor. These processors range in speed (at the time of this writing) from 400 MHz to 500 MHz (there are a few manufacturers still using Pentium^® and Pentium II^® processors). A standard notebook will contain 32 to 64 MB of memory, a 2 to 4GB hard drive, a 3.5 inch floppy drive, CD-ROM drive, Lithium Ion battery, one or two PC-Card slots (defined below), and integrated (built-in) video, sound, and speakers. Some notebooks also come standard with an integrated fax/modem and Network Interface Card (NIC) to connect the notebook to a Local Area Network (LAN). The average price range for a standard, low-end notebook is from $1200 to $1900, but don't fear if you have extra money burning a whole in your pocket, there are plenty of add-on options for notebook computers that can drive the price up well over $4000.

Display
The flat-panel display technology used in Laptop computers is called Liquid Crystal Display or LCD. This type of a display uses a liquid-crystal diode which is an electronic component that is created by sandwiching an electrically reactive substance between a positive and negative electrode. When an electric current is applied, the diode lightens. When current is removed, the diode darkens. Grouping a large number of these diodes closely together act as pixels elements in the flat-panel display. There are two basic types of displays that are used in laptop computers that use this technology and these are called Passive Matrix and Active Matrix displays.

Passive Matrix
A Passive Matrix or dual-scan display is created by placing a layer of liquid-crystal diodes on a grid of wires. When current is applied to the various intersections in the display at a specific refresh rate, the diodes are turned on (lighten) and create an image. The technology involved in creating a passive matrix display is relatively inexpensive and is commonly used in lower-end laptop computers. Graphics viewed on a passive matrix display are inferior to graphics produced on an active matrix display.

Active Matrix
An Active Matrix or Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) display is similar to a Passive Matrix display in that it places a layer of liquid-crystal diodes on a grid of wires. The difference between the Active and Passive displays is that the Active Matrix display uses a transistor at each pixel to turn the diodes on or off. Using a transistor at each pixel means the current that is used to trigger a pixel's illumination can be lower and therefore can be switched on and off more quickly. This results in a display that is more responsive. For example, when a mouse is moved across a Passive Matrix display, the cursor will temporarily disappear until the display has a chance to catch up with the mouse movement. In an Active Matrix display, the display is fast enough to reflect the movement of the mouse as it occurs. Also, the TFT technology allows us to view the display better at different angles.

PC Card
A PC Card (previously known as a PCMCIA card) is a credit card sized device that fits into a notebook computer that adds additional functionality. The PC Card is based on a set of standards that were published by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA). The PCMCIA group was organized to set the standards for credit card size memory and I/O devices such as modems, network cards, and hard drives. Part of the standard is to assure that there is interchangeability between notebook computers and backward compatibility with earlier PC Card devices.

PC Cards have a 68-pin connector that connects into a slot in the notebook computer. Some notebooks have slots for one PC Card, some have two. There are currently three types or sizes of PC Cards standards:

Although PC Cards are designed mainly for notebook computers, there are adapters available to connect a PC Card to a desktop computer.

Integrated Components
Unlike a desktop computer, a notebook has most of the components built-in or integrated into the computer. For desktop systems, determining which computer to buy is generally not based on what type of keyboard or mouse that is available. If you don't like the keyboard or mouse, you can always purchase something else. However, in the case of a notebook computer, the size of the keyboard or type of pointing device may be something that you need to consider unless you intend to use a regular mouse or full-sized keyboard. There are some notebooks that have a keyboard that expands when the notebook is opened which is a nice feature if you find the normal keyboard to be too small. Pointing devices vary from a touch pad to a stick within the keyboard to a roller or track-ball. Most notebooks have the video, sound, and speakers integrated into the computer and some notebooks even have a digital camera built-in which is very handy for video conferencing.

Notebook Options
Just like desktop computers, there are several add-on options available for notebook computers. Besides a carrying case, extra battery, mouse, joystick, and a surge protector which really don't need an explanation, there are a few options that are only common to notebooks that I will discuss below.

Docking Station

A docking station is a device that a laptop computer is plugged into that essentially allows the laptop to function like a desktop PC. They typically have video, keyboard, mouse, serial, parallel, and USB ports, ports for headphones, speakers and PC-Cards, drive bays for CD-ROM, DVD, hard drives, and backup drives, and its own power supply (like a desktop PC). Some docking stations also are hot swapable or have connections for hot swapable drives and some contain expansion slots for PCI adapter cards. Docking stations can also include a Network Interface Card (NIC) to connect the computer to a network. If you will be using a laptop as your primary computer, you may want to consider a docking station, but be aware they range in price from $200 to $1,000 depending on the features.

Expansion Base

An expansion base is a scaled down version of a docking station. A typical expansion base will have a slot for a CD-ROM or DVD drive, floppy disk drive, an additional hard drive, and an internal power supply. Depending on the features included, price ranges from $25 to $150.

Port Replicator

A port replicator is a device that attaches to a laptop, increasing the number of ports that it can use. A typical replicator will have ports for a full-sized monitor and keyboard, mouse, and a printer, some also include ports for joysticks and PC-Cards. The way this works is all of the external devices (monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc.) are connected directly to the port replicator, when you want to use these devices with your laptop, you simply connect the laptop to the replicator rather than attaching everything to the laptop (assuming that you have enough ports in the first place). Port replicators are cheaper than docking stations ($40-$150), so if you will be using a laptop as your primary computer and don't need the extra features that a docking station has, you may want to consider a port replicator.

Combo Drives
Mid-range and high-end notebook computers will either come standard with, or give you the option to add a combo CD-ROM/floppy diskette or DVD/floppy diskette drive. Generally you only have one bay in a notebook for a floppy or CD-ROM drive, to switch between these devices requires you to first shut down the computer, remove one drive and insert the other, then restart the computer. By opting for the combo drive option, this eliminates the need shut down the computer to use the other device. If this option is available on the notebook you want to purchase, it is worth the extra money.

Infrared Port
Some notebooks come standard with an infrared port or IR port, for other notebooks this is an option. The IR port allows you to remotely access other devices such as a printer, without having the notebook physically attached to the device (assuming the device also has an IR port).

Airline/Car Adapter
If you do a lot of traveling and plan to use your notebook computer while enroute, you may want to consider purchasing an airline/car adapter. When the adapter is used in a car, the adapter simply plugs into a cigarette lighter. In newer aircraft, there are connectors available to plug your notebook into. In the case of an airline adapter, you will want to make sure that it has an FAA approval label.

Have I Got a Deal For You
As is true for everything else, you need to be a smart shopper. This is particularly true in the computer business since the general public tends to be less informed and the terminology can be a bit overwhelming. In the case of notebook computers in particular, opting for lower-end options just to reduce the cost can be very tempting, especially when you consider that you can buy a fairly high-end desktop computer for what you will pay for a low-end notebook.

Generally, selecting lower-end options or accepting older technology to reduce the initial investment is going to cost more in the long run. Whether you need to upgrade the notebook down the road or you need to purchase another notebook to replace the one that you just bought, going with a substandard notebook (or anything else for that matter) is always going to come back to haunt you. Here are a few things to look out for when purchasing a notebook computer:

Memory

One of the most common things that manufacturers do to reduce the price of their notebook computers is reducing the amount of RAM memory that comes standard. This serves two purposes, 1) since notebook memory is very expensive, it makes for a cheaper notebook and 2) since notebook memory is usually proprietary, the manufacturer can sell you more memory at a premium price when you decide to upgrade. If you will be running Microsoft Windows 98 on the notebook, you will want at least 32MB of memory if not more.

Storage

The size of a notebook's hard drive is especially important if this is going to be your primary computer. Manufacturers can also reduce the price of the notebook by reducing the size of the hard drive. Unlike upgrading the memory, upgrading the hard drive in a notebook computer is probably not something you will want to attempt to do yourself, so get the largest drive that you can afford. On the other hand, if you plan to purchase a docking station or expansion base for your notebook, don't worry about the size of the hard drive in the notebook, you can purchase a large desktop computer hard drive instead.

Display

Although most notebook computer come with an Active Matrix display, there are still a few models with Passive Matrix displays. Make sure you know what you are getting before signing on the dotted line. You definitely want an Active matrix display and not Passive Matrix.

Notebook Recommendations
The following are recommendations for a low-end and high-end notebook computer. The options that I have listed here reflect where the current technology is at, at the time of this writing:

Low-End Recommendation

	Processor:	Celeron® 800MHz processor
	L2 Cache:	128 KB L2 cache
	Battery:	Lithium Ion battery
	Memory:	128MB RAM
	Hard Drive:	4GB Ultra ATA hard drive
	Floppy Drive:	3.5" floppy drive (swapable with CD-ROM drive)
	CD-ROM Drive:	24X CD-ROM drive (swapable with Floppy drive)
	PC Cards:	2 Type II slots
	Ports:	1 serial, 1 PS/2 mouse/keyboard, 1 USB
	Display:	12 inch XGA Active Matrix display
	Video:	Accelerated Video w/ 8MB SGRAM
	Sound:	Integrated sound and speakers
	Modem:	PC Card 56Kbps data/fax modem
	Software:	Windows Me with Microsoft Works 2000

High-End Recommendation

	Processor:	Pentium III® 1000MHz processor
	L2 Cache:	256 KB L2 cache
	Battery:	Lithium Ion battery
	Memory:	256MB RAM
	Hard Drive:	20GB Ultra ATA hard drive
	Floppy Drive:	Combo DVD/floppy drive
	CD-ROM Drive:	Combo DVD/floppy drive
	PC Cards:	2 Type II slots
	Ports:	1 serial, 1 parallel, PS/2 mouse, PS/2 keyboard, 2 USB
	Display:	15 inch XGA Active Matrix display
	Video:	Accelerated Video w/ 16MB SGRAM
	Sound:	Integrated sound and speakers
	Modem:	PC Card 56Kbps data/fax modem
	Software:	Windows 2000 with Microsoft Office XP

Theft Prevention
I have seen estimates that say that one out of every ten notebook computers end up being stolen. Here is a list of some common sense type things you can do to keep your new notebook safe.

• Record the serial numbers for your notebook and peripherals along with a complete description of each item. Take a copy of this with you on trips just in case you need to report the notebook as stolen.

• Write your name and phone number on the notebook with an etching tool.

• Never leave a notebook unattended in a hotel room and if the hotel has a safe available, leave your notebook there when you are gone.

• Make sure your home or business insurance covers the notebook, if not purchase a separate policy.

• When traveling, keep your notebook in an ambiguous carrying case such as carry-on luggage on an airplane or in a briefcase.

• Have a current backup of all the important information on the notebook and keep this in a safe place.

If you plan to purchase a computer system from a local store as opposed to one of the mail order superstore outlets, there are some things that you need to consider.

• What brand name computers do they carry?
• Do they sell any high-end models or just the low-end?
• Do they have a complete line of peripherals and accessories?
• Do they have a repair shop?
• Are the salesmen knowledgeable?
• Are they a certified repair facility for any brand name computers or components?
• Do they offer training?
• Do they offer any types of discounts to students, seniors, etc.?

Does the store sell an in-house line of computer systems? Although some in-house systems may be fine, personally, I prefer to stick with a brand name. A typical store like this is open 9 to 5 during the week, a few hours on Saturday, and is closed on Sunday. So what do you do if you have a problem and need technical support at night or on Sunday? Most of the well known superstores have a 24-hour technical support line and some also have fax-back services (a fax-back service is a number you call, usually the main number for the company, and with a touch-tone phone you select a certain component or system that you are having problems with from a menu, enter in your fax number, then the company faxes you a document with technical support for the item, usually within a few minutes). The computer that I mentioned above that I bought for home came from Gateway. When I discovered that there was a problem (at 10 PM on a Thursday night), I called their technical support number. The fellow that I talked to was very knowledgeable and walked me through some tests to isolate the problem (although I already knew what it was, he had to verify that). After being on the phone for about an hour, he said yep, it's the motherboard and had a new one shipped out the next day that I received Friday. By Friday night my new computer was fully operational.

A few of the larger companies even offer technical support over the World Wide Web in the form of FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions) or databases. For example, Microsoft's Web site contains two forms of information, the Microsoft Frequently Asked Questions which contains questions and answers to some of the most common technical problems and the Microsoft Knowledge Base which is a collection of over 50,000 detailed articles with technical information about Microsoft products, bug and fix lists, documentation errors, and answers to commonly asked technical support questions. In addition, Microsoft's Web site also has a software library which contains free software add-ons, bug fixes, peripheral drivers, software updates, and programming aids.

Computer Stores
Here is a list of some of the computer stores that are available via the Web that I have dealt with. These stores offer complete computer systems, components, and accessories:

Best Buy

If you've never been to a computer superstore before, it's like a supermarket except instead of having food and household items, they have just about every electronic gadget ever made and about half of the floor space is taken up by computer hardware, software, and accessories. Although I haven't been particularly impressed by their sales staff, they do have some very good prices on components and accessories. When they have sales on specific components, sometimes they are cheaper than the mail order outlets. I don't think I would buy a desktop computer system from them, but I have bought several components there including notebook computers. Their line of computer systems includes Packard Bell, Acer, IBM, and Compaq.

CompUSA

One of the largest computer superstore outlets for computer systems, software, components, and accessories, and they also offer training facilities. They have stores located in all over the United States and they sell merchandise via mail order. Their line of computer systems includes Packard Bell, Compaq, Hewlett Packard, Toshiba, Texas Instruments, and NEC.

Dell Computers

Dell computers are available from some of the computer superstores or by direct order from the company.

Gateway Computers

Gateway computers are available via mail order and some local retail outlets. They deal mainly in complete computer system bundles, including the software. The computer I bought for home was purchased via their Web order form. They make it way TOO easy to spend money. Gateway has also started selling refurbished computers and although I have not purchased a refurbished computer from them, their prices do appear to be quite attractive.

PC Connections

The top rated mail order store on the planet as far as I'm concerned. They have reasonable, although not the cheapest prices for software and hardware components (hard drives, adapter cards, etc.) and a sales staff that are very knowledgeable about the items they carry and the technical support people are excellent. I purchased a 1.2 GB Western Digital hard drive from PC Connections a few years ago and received it on a Friday. I had a problem formatting the drive and called PC Connections technical support around 9 PM that night. A new hard drive arrived at my house the following morning (Saturday) at 8 am. That's what I call service! If they can afford to keep someone on staff 24/hours a day, 365 days a year, they must do a lot of business and if they do a lot of business, there must be a reason.

• There are several computer manufacturers that have Web sites, such as Dell and Gateway, that allow you to check the prices of their computer systems, customize the specifications to fit your needs, and then get a bottom line price. If you are in the market for a new computer, visit one of these sites and take advantage of this feature. For one thing, it will give you a ballpark idea of what the computer system of your dreams is going to set you back and secondly, it will give you an idea of what is currently available.

• Take a copy of the specifications for your ideal computer that you obtained above with you when you visit the computer stores in your area. This will give you a basis for comparison when you look at systems from other computer manufacturers. Don't be afraid to show the salesman your ideal computer specifications and ask how their computer system compares to it.

• Do not buy the first computer that you see, whether it's at one of the manufacturer's Web sites or in a local computer store. Gather all of the information that you can and compare prices and components. Buying a new computer is a major investment for most of us and you don't want to get stuck with something that you're not going to use.

• Last but not least, take some time to learn the terminology. You want to be able to ask intelligent questions when you meet with a salesman and in order to do that, you need to learn the language. You also need to be able to understand what the salesman is talking about so you don't get talked into buying something that you don't need.

In Closing...
We have discussed and defined several of the most important components of a computer in this document, but things are always changing. For the most part, this document only covers the computer hardware and software issues that I work with here at Michigan State University, so I am in no stretch of the imagination an expert. There are many other fine sites on the Web that are no doubt more current with the latest and greatest computer components and software than what I have posted here. I encourage you to visit these other sites and by all means, make an informed decision when you buy.

Good luck!

© 1995-2001 Dave Krauss, Michigan State University