CertHE Skills for the Workplace

Laptop Buying Guide 2014

Simon Ault

Laptop Buying Guide

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Choosing a Laptop

Main Points to consider:

–Targeted use of device

–Mac or PC

–Portability needed/wanted

–Budget allocated

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Usage Profile

Who?

When?

How often?

Why?

Where?

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Budget

Laptops range in price from

a basic model at the £150 -

250 range up to a desktop

replacement at £3000 or

more.

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Laptop Specifications Part 1

Non-changeable parts

• CPU – Cores, MHz, Brand,

• Screen Size – inches {11 to 18}

• Wireless 802.11 { a , b , g , n , ac }

Changeable items

• Memory – Amount {4GB, 8GB, 16GB}

– Type {DDR 3 or 4 +Speed in MHz {1066 to 3000}

• Disk Drive – very important:1. HDD – Slowest performance, cheapest £/Gigabyte

2. SHDD – HDD for size with small SSD for speed

3. SSD – fastest speed, greatest £/Gigabyte

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Laptop Specifications Part 2

Other items of lesser importance

• Windows {7, 8, 8.1}

{32bit max 4gb ram or 64 bit}

• MS Office {2003, 2007, 2010, 2013}

• Webcam

• Bluetooth

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Portability

• Ultrabooks – least weight, least powerful

• Notebook

• Laptop

• Desktop replacement

• Gaming Laptop – most powerful, heaviest

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Mac vs PC

• Portable Apple macs start at £750 and go

to £2000 with additional available

• Laptop PC’s start at £150 new and go to

£3500+

• Prior experience will affect choice

• Lots of iOS devices?

• No one platform is better than the other

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Known Online Retailers

Apple MacBook – Apple Store

Laptops :

Ebuyer.co.uk : good value laptops at several

price points

Ebay.co.uk:

Lots of options in both new and

used/refurbished to consider, but do be

aware of the seller’s ‘sales pitch’

If in doubt – ask for advice first!”

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Ebay.co.uk

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Ebuyer

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Example of budget laptop

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Example of mid-range laptop

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Examples of high-end business class

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Examples of MacBook Pro

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Examples of MacBook Air

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For further information

Please contact:

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