It is getting towards that time of the year when I normally start to think about buying a new laptop. This year I am thinking of doing something a little different. Rather than buying one laptop, I am seriously contemplating buying two. Dell has recently announced the specifications for their new monster laptop. This laptop not only contains a quad-core processor but also will support up to 16GB of RAM. This laptop is actually more powerful than many of the servers that SQL Server runs on.
Although the laptop has some fantastic specifications, the problem with a laptop this powerful is that the battery life is typically less then optimal, especially if it is optioned with dual 1TB hard drives. As someone who typically flies at least once a week, battery life is important. There is no point having a powerful laptop if the battery does not last for several hours, as this can mean the difference between a productive and an unproductive flight. With the prices of computer hardware continuing to fall, I am seriously considering purchasing an ultra mobile notebook such as an ASUS Eee PC. With a laptop this size, there will be no issue fitting it on a tray table in economy class. Which laptop have you currently got your eye on purchasing?
- Peter Ward