If you’ve been shopping for laptops lately, you’ve probably seen a bunch of features being offered. At first glance, these may seem “extra” or “bonus,” but they have a lot more value than you may realize. There are seven that are essential because of what they offer you as a laptop user.
If you intend to use your laptop for any amount of time, you’re going to need a build-in webcam and microphone. USB webcams are fine, but a laptop screen can’t really support a webcam being stuck on top of it, the way many desktop monitors can. You also don’t want to drag around extra cords and weight when you’re on the go – and portability is the whole point of a laptop. You’re almost definitely going to use a webcam eventually, and having it built-in is an essential feature.
Taking a laptop everywhere means taking it into danger. Especially if you have a glossy screen (which is almost always the best choice), then you’re going to need a coating for the screen so that it does not get damaged over time. A damaged, dirty screen that is difficult to clean makes your entire experience lousy. That’s what makes a coating for your screen an essential feature.
Mobile broadband is the wave of the future. As 3G coverage expands and grows, and phones continue to get smaller, any real work has to be done on a laptop that can use 3G coverage to its advantage. Unless you want one more thing to carry around with you on the go, a built-in mobile broadband adapter is an essential feature.
As information becomes more powerful and more detailed, you need better discs to hold it all – and Blu-ray is the next stage in portable storage. If you want your laptop to handle all the information you can throw at it, a Blu-ray drive is an essential feature.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: portability is the whole point of a laptop. So if you’ve got a wimpy battery that keeps you plugged in more often than not, you’re wasting money on a laptop. A long-lasting battery is an essential feature.
The second point of a laptop, after portability, is versatility. If you’re limited to what you start with, you’ll never be able to keep up. You must have more space. Extra room to expand your laptop’s memory is an essential feature.
Because of their portability, laptops are often considered insecure. If you skimp on the security features, then that’s absolutely right. You don’t want your important documents, files, saved passwords, and usage history to become available to some thief. That’s what makes a fingerprint scanner or similar device an essential feature.
While you’re shopping for your next laptop, make sure you check for these seven essential features. If you’re going to survive in the digital world to come, you can’t go without them.
