A Guide to Refurbished Laptops by Max Bellamy
Computing freedom, independence, and mobility don’t have to come with a hefty price tag. Manufacturers refurbish laptop computers that have been returned. The laptop might have a scratched screen or other minor blemish. In some cases, the laptop was an unwanted gift or its packaging was dented. ... Computer prices are affected by type of processor, operating system, modem, and network card; size of the hard drive and RAM (Random Access Memory); and whether there is a CD/DVD-ROM/RW, a video card, a sound card, and zip drive.

Why Would You Want To Buy a New Laptop or Notebook Computer? by Bonnie Archer
Maybe you say your laptop works fine when it comes to word processing and internet e-mail. But, wouldn't it be fun to expand your notebook computer and be able to create your own music CDs, home movie DVDs, maybe some digital photography, or even some serious gaming! ... So with these new notebook computer interface cards you won't have to buy or install a separate card. ... Check out some of the new and innovative laptop computers now on the market. ... Processor: Intel's Pentium4 and AMD's Athlon XP processors now have significant gains in laptop performance since the last generation.

Affordable Multi-Monitor Solutions by Nathan Kartchner
Benefits of Multiple Monitors There has been much ado as of late about the benefits of increased desktop space. Multiple studies have shown that more computer desktop space equals faster work, greater productivity, and increased employee satisfaction. ... Most newer laptops come with some sort of video out option, so you can pair up your laptop screen with an external monitor to get an instant dual-monitor setup. ... Technology for the Everyman With plummeting monitor and multi-port video card prices, the possibility of having multiple monitors for your computer is no longer a rich...

Multi-Monitor Madness by Nathan Kartchner
In today’s multitasking computing world, it’s not unusual to see people constantly switching from window to window trying to transfer data form one program to the other. I myself have gotten fairly adept at the Alt-Tab window-switching hotkey sequence. ... Realistically, this $1000-plus item is for more specialty PCI cards that aren’t available in PCMCIA version, but if you have an amazing and absolutely necessary PCI or PCI Express video card that you want to use with your laptop, this is the solution for you.

Watching HDTV on your Laptop by Preston Wily
Do you have a small laptop with a beautiful LCD display? Active matrix is now the standard for laptops and, as a result, the quality of images on most laptops is comparable to most desktops. Why should you let your TV and your desktop have all of the fun with high-definition programming? ... Note that USB 1.1 is much to slow to stream video without a lot of choppiness. ... Take advantage of USB 2.0 to watch HD programming Now you can use your USB 2.0 port, which comes standard on virtually every laptop manufactured today, to watch HD programming.

Custom Gaming Laptops by Valli Schieltz
Today's gaming laptop computers have huge, crisp LCD screens, full-size keyboards, and video cards that are state of the art. These computers can not only compete with the standard clunky computer tower, but they can be custom made to meet the specifications of any gamer. ... Your gaming laptop video card must have its own memory on board. ... Yes, it is true that you can connect your gaming laptop to an external monitor, but if you cannot play on your gaming computer without the external monitor, then your laptop is not very mobile.

Give Your Old Laptop the High Def Monitor It's Always Wanted by Nathan Kartchner
There it sits: the shiny new high-definition monitor that you just picked up for a killer price. You pull out your laptop with dreams of sharp, hi-res graphics dancing through your head, only to realize that your laptop only has a VGA out port. You could always get a VGA to DVI adapter, but with... The VTBook DVI/VGA Dual Display Video PCMCIA Card (the best, and as far as I can tell, only option as far as a DVI expansion card is concerned) plugs neatly into a PCMCIA slot on the side of your laptop, giving you a DVI digital high-def signal your parents would be proud of.

How To Find Discount Laptops by Dave Westin
It can be very overwhelming to try and sort through all of the different laptops to find the best deal. There are some great steps that you can take to minimize shopping time and still get a discount laptop. Many companies push deals on different computers that can look good. ... The list shouls break down using three basic categories that are universal for laptop use. ... Make sure not to waste money on a wireless network card unless you need it. ... Intel makes specific processors that can extend the battery life of your laptop.

Buying a Laptop that You Can Use as a Personal Assistant by Dakota Caudilla
Don’t be surprised but buying a laptop can be even harder than buying a desktop computer. In fact, buying a computer is very straightforward. Laptops, however, are very personal stuff because it’s something that you will carry around with you and sometimes act as more than just a computer for... Some laptop retailers may offer you cheap or free programs that you can install into the laptop as a second layer protection to your laptop. ... If you grab a laptop off eBay or other rebate or dropshipping websites, you might get a mid-range laptop for far less than that.

Best Buy for Laptop: How to Buy a Laptop Computer by Alex Fir
There is a wide range of laptop models available on the market today and buying the right machine can turn into a confusing mission. There are laptop computers intended for home users, multimedia, business and gaming. You can spend from $500 to $5,000. ... Also, your machine should come with a dedicated video card with 128 megabytes of memory. ... A laptop computer with smaller screen is great option if you do not plan to use laptop too much. ... But if plan to purchase a gaming laptop, be ready to pay at least $3,000.