Information About Laptops

JR Lang

There are several key features that are required to deliver the optimal gaming experience on laptops.

GRAPHICS:

The best laptop for gaming, will have the best, quickest and latest possible graphics. When considering a laptop with the purpose of gaming make sure to look for the latest graphics card/graphic chipset. Also be sure to check the specs of the laptop to see if you could upgrade the graphics card on your laptop as the need arises (for most laptops this is standard).

Some of the best graphic chipsets are NVIDIA, ATi Mobility Radeon 9700, Intel’s Graphics Media, or ATi’s Mobility FireGL V3200.

NVIDIA graphic chipsets have integrated graphics cores that are notably smarter than those of any other integrated chipset from any other manufacturer to be met in the marketplace nowadays and is optimal for 3D gaming.

The ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 graphic chipset will make your laptop perform a variety of functions, including 3D, HDTV, mobile video editing studio and graphic processor. Also the Radeon 9700 is not only a quality Graphics Card it will also give you better performance while saving battery power.

Other common graphic chipsets include, Trident S3, STMicro, 3D Labs, Matrox, and SIS.

RAM:

RAM is a crucial factor in getting the best laptop for gaming. Simply put RAM, or random access memory, refers to the amount of programs you can run on your laptops without running into slow downs. 512MB of ram is optimal for the serious gamers as this will allow for the large memory needed to run graphics that are required for gaming. Basically more RAM equals a better laptop for gaming. Some laptops come with as much as 2GB of RAM! RAM is essential for running video graphics, 3D, and for gaming in general.

Laptops also have what is called dedicated video RAM (VRAM) that is memory, which usually comes with a graphics card (ATI Radeon, NVIDIA GeForce, etc…) and has its own memory in MB which includes 32MB, 64MB, and 128MB. This is a special RAM that is used by the video adapters inside the laptop and only handles graphics and visuals. VRAM is especially helpful for 3D gaming. Today the NVIDIA nForce is considered as one of the best graphics card.

Overall the best option for gaming is to pick a laptop with the highest VRAM graphics card you can afford. A good way to find out what memory you might need is to refer to the back of your games or media software CD-case or manual to see the “system requirements” for the video memory requirements.

PROCESSOR/HARD DRIVE:

The best laptop for gaming has lots of CPU speed. Nothing is more annoying than to be in the middle of a game and have the computer freeze or crash. The processor is the computers brain or center and the quality determines how your computer will perform. The speed of a processor is presented in gigahertz (GHz}. While there are many brands and types of processors, one of the best available today is the Intel Core 2 Duo. And the best laptop for gaming has a speed of 2.4GHz or more.

As far as the hard drive goes, it is best to go with a SATA. SATA, or Serial Advanced Technology Architecture is best for laptops, it uses less power than other hard drives and is not limited to a particular clock speed. Make sure to check the hard drive speed, 7200rpm is the highest and best for for a gaming laptop.

SCREEN/DISPLAY:

The screen specifications for gaming laptops play an important role. Obviously the bigger the better, 17 inches wide screen will deliver a magnificent gaming experience. Resolution and display quality should be able to handle the graphics for 3D gaming.

While there are several display resolutions available, the best is WUXGA, which stands for Widescreen Ultra extended Graphics Array and is a display resolution of 1920 by 1200 pixels (2,304,000 pixels) with a 16:10 screen aspect ratio.

So in the end the best laptop for gaming is a combination of graphics, RAM, processor speed and screen display. Keeping this formula in mind when purchasing your gaming laptop will provide you with the ultimate gaming experience.

Today Dell is considered to have the best laptop for gaming, as in the Dell XPS M1730, which comes fully loaded with all optimal features for the best gaming experience. It also comes with a huge retail price tag. Something to consider is in a world where the Internet provides a huge arena where lots of sellers and merchants compete for your business, lots of money can be saved by avoiding retail merchants and purchasing a gaming laptop at a discount price.

You can browse a large selection of new and used cheap gaming laptops as well as all models of laptops and accessories, and read more helpful laptop guides at: Cheap Laptop Computers - Used Cheap Laptops

By Chris Eden

Basic levels of password protection on laptops are easily overcome by the experienced thief and this is causing considerable concern within the industry.

There are two things you should do:

1. Physical security - Don’t let your laptop out of your sight. Never leave it unattended in a public place. Never leave it in the boot of your car overnight at hotels. Always use a steel cable to attach it to a firm structure when in use outside your normal environment.
2. Electronic security - Don’t have sensitive data on a hard disk in the first place. Use a complex password and if possible second level authentication, such as a token or other device. When the laptop is on but is not being used, use the electronic lock facility to activate the password entry facility. Use a password on any screensaver.

That takes some account of security for the laptop, but with attached devices such as SD cards and USB pen-drives the situation is different:

Anyone stealing the SD Card or Pen-drive can read the data on any computer loaded with similar software. This is clearly a point of vulnerability; the best method to protect this type of device is to encrypt it so that it is useless without the decrypt key.

This protection is not the expensive option it used to be, with open source software freely available. The best of these encrypt and decrypt on the fly and are transparent to the authorised but render the device useless to the thief and in may cases appear to be a blank device.

ISO27001 and Laptop Security

Chris Eden FIBA, MISSA, AIQA is a director of Quality Matters Limited, an established consultancy specialising in Quality (ISO9001), Environment (ISO14001), Information Security (ISO27001) and IT Service Management (ISO20000).

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Eden

By Adrian Brown

There are many things to consider when choosing the right cheap laptop pc for you. I have put together this short article to try and help you make an informed choice when buying your next laptop computer.

Laptops come in all shapes and sizes with a variety of features to suit almost any task, choosing the right one very much depends on its intended use. Before you begin searching the internet for the lowest priced machine on the market it’s a good idea to think how it will be used.

Compile a list of features in order of preference 1) must haves 2) would likes 3) bonus features. Then search within your budget for ideal cheap laptop pc. For example I am a web developer I spend lots of time staring at code, I use graphics packages to design sites and text editors to code them. So I would require a large clear screen, good graphics, a dual core processor for multi tasking, at least 1GB of ram, 40GB minimum hard disk and wireless, so I can sit and work in the garden on a nice summers day.

The general order of things would be CPU, Memory, Graphics, Screen size and type, Hard drive capacity (You can easily and cheaply add storage space) aiming to get the best of each then looking to see what other “bonus” features you can fit within your budget.

I hope you find this article useful when the time comes to purchase your next laptop computer and that you are better equipped to make an informed choice.

To help you in your quest for the perfect cheap laptop pc I have put together a quick website listing some of the best cheap laptop pc suppliers in the UK – http://www.cheaplaptoppc.co.uk

By Elizabeth Lord

When people think of computer security they think of things like Trojan Horses, viruses, spyware, worms and other nasty things that hackers can send to you over the internet. No matter how many blocks you have in place, or how many firewalls you erect, though, there is a type of security that you are probably forgetting when it comes to your laptop.

With huge numbers of people using laptops both at home and at work, and the rising number of people taking their laptops with them on trips to anywhere from the coffee shop down the street to the next continent over, there is an important security issue also on the rise. The theft of laptops is at a record high, and once a thief has your computer safely in his hands, he has all the time in the world to crack the rest of your security or take your computer apart to sell the pieces.

Keeping your laptop safe is not just an issue of internal security and regular checkups (though these things are important), but also of physical security and making sure that your computer does not leave your possession.

Security at Work and School

With the theft of laptops on the rise, the job of protecting them has become big business. If you bring your laptop to work, then it is important to keep it secure at all times. Especially in a busy office with many people coming and going, a two-minute bathroom break can mean the loss of a couple of thousand dollars worth of technology, and a lot of data.

For a laptop on your desk in the busy office place, there are several options for keeping your laptop tied down and in place no matter what. One of these methods is attaching your laptop to a security cable to stop casual theft. These cables can only be released with a key or code, and keep others from lifting your laptop when your back is turned.

If you bring your laptop to work, but do not use it the entire time you are there, if you are a student or parent concerned about others accessing your computer, or if you foresee being away from your desk for a period of time, locking your laptop in a file cabinet or desk drawer can be ideal. If these options are not available, a laptop locker will keep others away from your valuable tool. Mount the laptop locker under your desk, in the trunk of your car, on the wall, or in the closet to prevent theft and unwanted access.

For a laptop that many people may need to use or have access to, and one that is not supposed to go anywhere, ever, then a tie-down bracket is the option to keep your computer safe. Popular with libraries and hotels, these brackets protect your laptop usually whether open or closed, but will not allow the laptop to be removed. These are also good for computers that can be in danger of falling from things such as store displays, car mounts, and laptops on hospital carts.

For schools or companies that provide laptops for special use to many people at once, a lockable laptop cart is idea. The cart provides room for fifteen to thirty laptops at once. These carts are constructed to be both mobile and extremely difficult to break into. When not in use they should be kept in a locked room for additional security, however even if someone gets one of these carts, it will be virtually impossible to conceal.

If despite your best precautions your laptop is lost or stolen, having installed a stealth signal program or other tracking program means that your laptop can call out for help. Report your laptop as lost or stolen, and your computer will begin transmitting its location to a control center. These control centers can then help you retrieve your lost computer, hopefully before any damage is done.

The best security you can offer your computer is keeping your eye on it at all times. If you choose to bring it with you anywhere, do not leave it alone unless it is under lock and key. People are tempted to set their bags on the floor and doze in waiting rooms or airports, but it only takes a second to lose your valuable investment and all of your data.

Security Online and in Networks

Don’t think that just because your computer is locked up from theft makes it perfectly safe, either. Information you keep stored on your computer such as bank data, passwords, credit cards, and other sensitive information make a tempting target for hackers and identity thieves. The best security for your personal information is to not save it on your computer anywhere, ever.

It may not just be your data that thieves are after, either. Once they have established a connection, they can come back again and again to make use of your fancy processor and your internet connection to attack other computers and hide their own activities. These intruders get in through email viruses and weaknesses in existing programs, and often install programs to keep their access to your computer open. It is hard to tell that your computer has been invaded, but keeping your connection secure is vital.

There are things that everyone should know, and most people don’t think about. Do not, for example, open an attachment from someone you don’t know. If possible, avoid opening the emails, too. If you do open attachments, make sure they are scanned for a virus first. Infected friends can inadvertently send viruses on to you.

Visiting innocent web sites can also provide entry points into your computer. If you think of the internet as one big room, any program listening can hear your conversation (the data you exchange) and interpret it. Do not think that your computer is talking directly to the computer on the other end of the line. Your conversations/information are relayed through computer after computer until it reaches its destination. Programs can be installed to encrypt the information you send out over the internet to protect you from this mode of invasion.

Password protection is key, as is backing up your work every so often. That way even if you are infected with a dangerous virus, you can possibly format or use another method to wipe it away. Passwords should also be strong, containing letters and numbers, and not your own personal information like birth dates. You should also rotate passwords, not using the same one twice.

Anti-virus programs should be installed and updated frequently. They should also be used to actively scan for viruses on a regular basis to keep your computer or laptop as safe as possible. You should also make sure to keep your system updates with all the latest patches available, since they may help close a back door that an intruder could take advantage of.

A firewall program is not the same as an anti-virus program, but it is just as important. A firewall means that no one gets into your computer without your knowledge or permission. A person or program attempting to access your computer from a remote location will not be allowed through unless you specifically enable them.

There is a lot here to remember, and a lot of information to process. Following the advice outlined here, however, and searching regularly for new security measures and updates will help to protect your computer and all of the information stored on it. Safety, after all, is the key.

For more interesting articles on laptops, batteries, accessories, and laptop reviews, go to http://www.cheap-laptops-guide.net