Laptop Vs Desktop

Laptop Vs. Desktop — Which One Rules. Essay, Research Paper

I intend to prove that buying a laptop computer is a waste of money when compared to buying its desktop equivalent. The following definitions will be helpful. A computer is a programmable electronic device that can store, retrieve, and process data. A desktop computer is a computer that is designed to be placed on a desktop, hence the name. A laptop computer is a light-weight computer that is specifically designed to travel, for purposes such as collecting field data. Transportability is how well a computer travels. Expandability is how well additions can be added to a computer. Now that I have defined those words, I can better explain my argument. By comparing and contrasting functionality, a key factor when buying a computer; data safety, or how well your computer can protect your data; cost, which is also a key factor; and health, your computer is no good if it makes you sick; I will show you the better choice when purchasing a computer.

When you buy your computer, you want the latest software and hardware, so your computer is in optimum condition for your needs. Let.s figure out which computers come packed with what you need. You.ll need hardware, because without it your computer won’t run. But if it is too cluttered with extras you don’t need, you.ll spend extra money, and you will have future problems to worry about. Let.s start out with the basics: data storage. How much space do you need for your computer. If you want the modern-day warrior of a computer with tons of data storage, then stick to the desktop. Tiny laptops don’t carry much bulk in that category. If you need to do your work out in the field, then get your trusty laptop. But beware, for extra data storage, you’ll need to buy an external zip drive which can run from $300-$1200 for the drive itself, and anywhere from $50-$300 per cartridge for the drive.

When you buy a computer, you’ll want some multimedia options. You’ll need your standard multimedia kit add-on. This spiffy little kit includes any or all of the following; CD-ROM drive, sound card, voice recognition, video capture capabilities, speakers, graphics software, and of course any number of CD-ROM titles to go with the CD-ROM drive. After you get the multimedia kit, you’ll be able to make the best presentation your company has ever seen, don’t get me wrong; a great presentation is excellent, no matter what the subject is. Although, there is one teeny tiny catch; unless you like lugging around your desktop computer, monitor, speakers for audio, and all your other presentation materials, I suggest you get the laptop computer if you frequently have presentations to make.

Another major factor when picking your computer is the display quality the machine will put out. This decision could be a little more difficult than the others. Your desktop comes with a monitor that’s anywhere from 15″ to 19″ viewable screen (measured diagonally). This means that, unless you have a $500 video card (a device in the computer that puts the screen on your monitor), the pixels on the screen will be too tiny and won’t look the way you want it to. The other choice should be fairly obvious, the laptop. If you get the laptop, you have a video card designed specifically for that laptop that should make your screen look excellent in comparison to the desktop. Remember that multimedia presentation you probably spent a few nights working on. I’m sure it looked excellent when you viewed it from the designer, but when you run the presentation by itself, the screen, being a measly 12.5″, will probably be too small for anyone else at the presentation to see. This means you have to go out and buy some hardware for the computer and install some more software. This is all fine and dandy, even though the software wants to make your pixels about twice as small as they were before, but your video card, which was specifically designed for your computer’s settings, gets a little cranky and your screen is now the size of a postage stamp. The choice is yours.

Now that we have covered display quality, let.s move on. The next topic to cover is probably one of the most important, processing power. As defined by Webster, a computer is a programmable electronic device that can do process data, and a computer processes data by electronic impulses that travel through its processor at unbelievable rates. These little electronic impulses travel by bus, yes, a bus! These buses correspond, in size, with the processor, and according to Pontiac, wider is better. This means that the bigger the processor, the better, which, in turn, means that your computer can “think” faster. Once again, you have two choices, a sluggish Pentium Processor (which by the way, is available for both desktop and laptop), or the super-charged Pentium II Pro Processor, which is also available in both computers. Chances are you’ll choose the Pentium II Pro, but if you go with the laptop, there is a very inconvenient speed limit. To help make this a little clearer, a desktop can go at 300mhz (the fastest commercially available), but the fastest laptop can go a little over half that speed, 166mhz. Unless you’re programming a multimedia presentation application, the 166mhz laptop should be fine, for a while anyway.

Even though you have the bulk of your hardware options selected, you still can’t start your computer. Why