How to Choose the Right Laptop

span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Computers are our best friends when they run smoothly and when they don't they are our worst enemies.
I have a saying for those that want to buy a new system - You can't afford to buy cheap. Since you will most likely spend a majority of your time using it, you will need to find the right laptop for you.


FIRST, you need to decide what you will use it for and SECOND, What your budget will be.

The Ultrabook range offers the best in portability with their small size (11"-13") and light weight. Don't be fooled, they still pack a huge punch in performance. These units run Microsoft Windows and Linux. Dell and Lenovo have some great Ultrabooks right now (see below). Another option is a Macbook Air which runs Apple OSX and boasts great performance and battery life.






Uses: Microsoft Office, Internet browsing, Music and E-Mails.
Pros: High Performance, portability and great battery life.
Cons: No DVD ROM, Small screen, upgrade options limited and limited USB Ports.

Recommended UltraBooks
Apple Macbook Air - $899.00 - $999.00
Dell XPS 13 - $700.00
Asus VivoBook X202E - $450.00











The General Laptop offers the best of both worlds: Performance and decent size.
These generally come in 15" sizes and up. They are slightly bulkier and heavier than Ultrabooks but don't be fooled - they are still very portable. Most people buy these laptops as they are great for Home, Office and recreational use. 







Uses: Microsoft Office, Movies, Music, E-Mails, Internet browsing and basic gaming.
Pros: Large Screen, Full sized keyboard, cheaper than Probooks and good overall performance.
Cons: Bulky, heavy and weaker battery life.

Recommended Laptops:
HP Probook 450 - $650.00
Dell Inspiron Q15r - $550.00
Macbook Pro - $1099.00 - $2499.00

 
The Gaming Laptop is for those that want to play games but still cart their system around. They are generally very expensive and offer extreme performance. Battery life is limited but you can upgrade almost any component inside the laptop. The laptop outperforms any Ultrabook or General laptop.








Uses: Gaming, Movies, Music and Internet browsing.
Pros: Up-gradable, extreme performance, full sized keyboard and durable.
Cons: Very heavy, poor battery life and more expensive than all other laptops.

Recommended Gaming Laptops:
Alienware 17 - $3000.00
HP Omen 15 - $2100.00
MSI Ghost Pro3k - $1900.00


Tips

• Choose a Platform that is convenient for you: Windows, Linux or OSX.
• Choose the right size: Screen, weight ect.
• Choose a comfortable keyboard and touchpad.
• Work within your budget.
• Make sure it has a warranty.

Happy computing :) 

Windows 10 upgrade will be free for a year

Microsoft has just announced the first pricing information for Windows 10 at its preview event today. The biggest news is that the new OS will be completely free for current Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 users for its first year of availability—after that time period has expired, OS upgrades will presumably need to be paid for as they are currently (though Microsoft was less than clear on this point, it made no mention of a paid, Office 365-style subscription for Windows upgrades). The Windows 10 upgrade for Windows Phone 8.1 users will also be free.

"Once a device is upgraded to Windows 10, we'll be keeping it current for the supported lifetime of the device," said Terry Myerson, executive vice president of the Operating Systems Group. "With Windows 10, we think of Windows as a service... The question 'what version are you running' will cease to make sense."
Windows 7 and Windows 8.x collectively run on well over half of the world's Windows PCs, meaning that a wide swath of existing Windows users will be able to make the jump to Windows 10 free of charge. A larger user base, especially in the first year after Windows 10's official release, increases the chances that developers will target Windows 10 and its new APIs.

Users of the Windows 10 Technical Preview have already gotten a taste of this continuous stream of updates, and the release version of Windows 10 will be no different. As we've covered previously, Microsoft will offer different "channels" for different users—one that gets new features as soon as they're available, one that never gets new features, and one that allows administrators to roll out new features at their own pace. Security updates will be published at the same rate they are today. This new update scheme is an effort to balance delivering new features to consumers while not upsetting businesses that prefer to roll updates out more slowly.

Apple has offered the last two versions of its OS X desktop operating systems for free, but this is a first for Microsoft—it has offered discounts for new Windows upgrades in the past, but it has never made them available for free.

Windows 10 Technical Preview Download