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Before you head out the door with your pockets full of cash there are a few things you should consider. Laptops cost a lot of money; at least I think they cost a lot of money. Even the cheapest (new) laptop I know of, the Dell Inspiron B130
, costs about $500. Now, $500 may not seem like a lot of money to you but whenever I spend more than a hundred bucks on anything I want to make sure I haven't wasted my dough. If you don't plan your purchase it's entirely possible to end up with a laptop that won't do what you want it to do or a laptop that's much more powerful (and, therefore, much more expensive) than you really need. So; how do you avoid purchasing an under-equipped or over-powered laptop and get the laptop that's just right for you? By answering a few questions:
What Do You Want Your Laptop to Do?
Do you just want to surf the net and check your email; or do you want to maintain your log book, use GPS mapping, take advantage of VoIP, conduct business, listen to music, watch movies and play games? Or do you want to do all that and engage in complex CAD work or 3D gaming as well? Your budget and your needs should drive your decision making process.
When Do You Want to Use Your Laptop?
If you plan on using your laptop when the truck's parked then you may not need to be overly concerned with trucker-tough "ruggedized" features. If, however, you're going to rely on your laptop for GPS mapping duties, or in some other capacity with the vehicle in motion, then you really want to look for a laptop that includes some kind of hard drive protection.
Several laptop manufacturers offer varying methods of protecting the hard drive from bumps, bangs and vibrations while the laptop is in use. Since we all know that trucks have a tendency to transmit vibrations to the cab, since some states could save a lot of money on "Bump Ahead" signs by incorporating them into their "Welcome to..." signs, and since bumps and vibration are the enemy of your hard drive, you shouldn't plan on getting a whole lot of life out of your laptop without, at a minimum, some type of hard drive protection. Of course, if you're as clumsy as me, you might want to opt for all the trucker-tough features you can find; whether you'll be using it in motion or at rest.
Where Do You Plan to Use Your Laptop?
If you're going to be using your laptop while relaxing in the comfort of your cab (that's the beauty of Wi-Fi at the Truck Stop) then battery life isn't a concern. When you're in your truck you can always plug your laptop into a battery inverter making the question of laptop battery life moot. If, however, you anticipate using your laptop in restaurants, coffee shops and drivers lounges; places that may or may not have wall outlets, then you need to consider battery life and power-saving features like Intel Centrino Wi-Fi technology.
How Much Do You Want to Spend?
To me, this is the most important question to be answered during your laptop purchase preparation. When you set out to buy a laptop, or any computer for that matter, its easy to get carried away. You know - for only a hundred bucks I can add this doo-dad and for another fifty I can have that gadget. My advice: decide on the maximum dollar amount you're willing to spend on a laptop and stick to it!
| Get Started | Plan Your Purchase | Choose Components | Specify Features | Time to Buy |
