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Laptop

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Up until recently the question of desktop versus laptop was really more about power and price than anything else. Traditionally you could get much more power out of a desktop computer than a laptop computer. To even approach desktop power in a laptop you had to pay a very hefty price, one that made most laptop options prohibitively expensive. Today the playing field is much more level.

For the most part you can still get more power in a desktop than a laptop of the same price. However, the price of powerful laptops have finally reached affordable range for most Americans. Of course you can go with a less powerful desktop for significantly less money, but given the advancement in computer operating systems and other applications that put a constantly increasing strain on computer resources, why chance paying a few hundred dollars today for a model that will very likely be outdated in a year or so?

The question really boils down to convenience, or rather need for convenience. Since you can purchase affordable laptops that serve as desktop replacements, you need to determine how convenient you want your computer to be. Will you need to be upgrading it in the near future with new hard drives, video cards or other peripherals that need to be mounted internally? You'll find that most things that you'll add to your computer will function perfectly fine through the USB interface. Hard drives, scanners, printers, TV Tuners, media readers and most other common add-ons can be connected via the USB port so you never have to open your computer, making the need for a desktop PC even less critical.

Laptops offer several conveniences that are appealing to the average user. Their small footprint makes furniture requirements much more forgiving. Gone are the days of the huge computer desks to house the massive desktop or tower unit and its companion CRT monitor with the mouse and keyboard. With today's laptops you don't even need a desk to get all of your computing needs done, a TV tray table can serve most of your purposes. This compactness also lends to the flexibility of location. No longer are you chained to a bulky desk in the study. With the battery life, small size of laptops and current wireless networking technology you can be as productive sitting in a lounge chair by the pool as you can be at your desk. Too warm by the pool or perhaps some ominous clouds rolling in? No problem, fold up your laptop and relocate to some place equally as comfortable,

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