I was recently asked by a customer to recommend a new laptop that would be able to cope with their heavy usage needs. My thoughts immediately turned to an Intel i5 or i7 powered laptop with 8GB of RAM. I am a big fan of Asus laptops as their build quality is superb.
Looking through the range I discovered that many of the i5 and i7 laptops were very expensive and did not represent good value for money. Many of the Intel i3 powered laptops start from around £300 and are supplied with 4GB RAM. The Asus X55C is a particularly good example.
I decided to upgrade the RAM from 4GB to 8GB, also increasing the RAM speed from 1333MHz to 1600MHz. I removed the supplied 320GB hard disk drive and replaced with a 128GB solid state drive that can deliver speeds up to 500MBs per second. I also loaded Windows 7 instead of Windows 8.
The result? A laptop that boots in only 15 seconds after pressing the power button!
And the cost of all this? Only £500. A MacBook Air which boots in around 10-15 seconds, starts from £849 and for this you only get an 11" or 13" screen. The Asus is supplied with a 15.6" screen. A MacBook Pro with 15" screen retails at £1499 and isn't supplied with a solid state drive.
So if you want a truly high performance laptop for an excellent price then please get in touch!
Showing posts with label processor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label processor. Show all posts
Wednesday, 7 August 2013
Friday, 13 November 2009
Can you speak up? I can't hear you over the computer
Do you suffer from an excessively noisy PC? It is a common problem for many people and is a nuisance when trying to listen to music or just typing a letter for example. Often the cause is old/cheap fans that hum and rattle as well as generally inadequate cooling devices.
At First4Computers we have a number of methods to make your PC near silent, outlined below;
The Case - A good quality case can ensure components operate at lower temperatures, causing fans to work less hard and reducing noise. Changing a PCs case can make a huge difference as well as improving aesthetics. Alternatively First4Computers can fit foam to the insides of the case to reduce the effects of noise. We can also check that the airflow through your case is ample.
The PSU - A lot of PCs are supplied with low quality PSUs (Power Supply Units). The fans are often low quality and start to hum and rattle relatively early in their lifetimes. Installing a higher quality PSU specifically designed to be near silent will greatly reduce noise.
Heatsink & Fan - To keep a processor cool, a heatsink and fan are installed to dissipate heat. Heatsinks and fans are typically found on the CPU (central processing unit) and GPU (graphics processing unit). Installing a heatsink made of better material (e.g. copper), heat can be dissipated more easily and therefore the fan works less hard reducing noise. In some cases, if a good enough heatsink is installed, there is no need for a fan. Better cooling of the CPU and GPU also increases the ability to "overclock" these processors and achieve better PC performance.
Water Cooling - This is the most expensive but most effective way to cool a CPU and GPU. As the name suggests it uses water to cool processors, removing the need for fans. This is also the best way to achieve the fastest overclocking
In summary, the key to a quieter PC is to make the components run cooler and reduce the work of fans, preferably removing them all together. At First4Computers we have the expertise to design a solution that meets your needs and budget. Please call or e-mail today or visit our website.
At First4Computers we have a number of methods to make your PC near silent, outlined below;
The Case - A good quality case can ensure components operate at lower temperatures, causing fans to work less hard and reducing noise. Changing a PCs case can make a huge difference as well as improving aesthetics. Alternatively First4Computers can fit foam to the insides of the case to reduce the effects of noise. We can also check that the airflow through your case is ample.
The PSU - A lot of PCs are supplied with low quality PSUs (Power Supply Units). The fans are often low quality and start to hum and rattle relatively early in their lifetimes. Installing a higher quality PSU specifically designed to be near silent will greatly reduce noise.
Heatsink & Fan - To keep a processor cool, a heatsink and fan are installed to dissipate heat. Heatsinks and fans are typically found on the CPU (central processing unit) and GPU (graphics processing unit). Installing a heatsink made of better material (e.g. copper), heat can be dissipated more easily and therefore the fan works less hard reducing noise. In some cases, if a good enough heatsink is installed, there is no need for a fan. Better cooling of the CPU and GPU also increases the ability to "overclock" these processors and achieve better PC performance.
Water Cooling - This is the most expensive but most effective way to cool a CPU and GPU. As the name suggests it uses water to cool processors, removing the need for fans. This is also the best way to achieve the fastest overclocking
In summary, the key to a quieter PC is to make the components run cooler and reduce the work of fans, preferably removing them all together. At First4Computers we have the expertise to design a solution that meets your needs and budget. Please call or e-mail today or visit our website.
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