One of the hardest things about buying a new computer is reconciling the manufacturer’s long list of key features with what you actually need. Continuing our series on Choosing a notebook PC, today I’ll take a look at the different networking and connectivity options available in today’s notebooks.
WiFi
WiFi (Wireless networking, also known as 802.11a/b/g) is included in virtually all of the current notebooks. While you can add wireless networking to any notebook with a PC Card slot, it’s nice to have it built in. If you travel in urban areas frequently, this is a must you can get online at a surprising number of hotels, and in the cheaper hotels it’s often free. There’s not much to choose here, since most of the notebooks out there support all of the wireless standards.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a short-distance wireless protocol that is ideally suited for notebook peripherals for example, a wireless mouse or a headset for Internet telephony. You may also be able to use it to get online by connecting with your mobile phone (a process called Bluetooth DUN, or Dial-up Networking).
My personal experience with Bluetooth in Windows especially with DUN has been less than stellar, but I’m sure there are people out there who have it working correctly. I’ve had better luck with my Apple iBook.
Surprisingly, most notebooks don’t include Bluetooth. Some of the higher-end ones do, and it’s available as a low-priced add-on for most of the customizable notebooks. If you plan on using Bluetooth peripherals or a Bluetooth-compatible mobile phone, look for this feature but don’t make it a deal-breaker, since you can buy a USB Bluetooth interface to add to any machine for about $30.
Wireless Broadband
A few higher-end notebooks have built-in support for wireless broadband connections. This is basically a built-in mobile phone connection that gets online with the new high-speed offerings Verizon or Sprint’s EVDO, or Cingular’s EDGE. If you travel to places without WiFi often, this might get you a fast connection, but you’ll pay for it. Sprint’s data service, for example is $59 a month.
Even if you need wireless broadband, I don’t recommend buying a notebook with it built-in for two reasons. First of all, it’s expensive and unnecessary you can add a PC Card to connect to the same network on any notebook for $99. Second, it’s carrier-specific. Change mobile providers and your notebook’s built-in broadband is probably useless. You’re better off with a separate card you can replace.
USB
USB is a mature standard for connecting peripherals, and every notebook today includes it. Although you don’t have to worry about that, you might want to check the specifics:
- USB 2.0 is the current standard. Don’t settle for 1.0 unless you’re buying a cheap used notebook. USB 2.0 comes in two versions, full speed (12 Mbit/s) and high speed (480 Mbit/s). Fortunately, just about all current notebooks support the highest USB 2.0 speed.
- How many ports do you need? Notebooks usually have between 2 and 4. You can add a hub if you need more.
- Where are the ports? For example, if you’re right-handed, hooking a mouse to a port on the left side is a bit inconvenient.
Firewire
Firewire, also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link, is another type of peripheral connection included in many laptops. Although its maximum speed is 400 Mbit/s, it’s generally considered to be faster than USB 2.0 in practice.
Some manufacturers include Firewire ports in all of their notebooks, others may not. You’ll need it if you have a peripheral that supports it, like a digital camcorder. In that case, be sure to make sure it’s included, as Firewire isn’t the easiest thing to add to a notebook.
It’s almost time to wrap this series. In the next installment I’ll take a look at CD/DVD drives and other media supported by notebooks.
Previously:
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