Cheap Notebook Tweaks

Wed Jul 19, 2006 4:21PM EDT

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Want to suck a little extra power out of your crusty old laptop computer? Unlike desktops, it can be tricky to breathe new life into a notebook PC, but PC World has provided a gaggle of ideas that can help you identify hardware upgrades, find essential peripherals, and put other advice into action that will make your laptop sing again.

Some of the best tips in the piece:

  • Upgrade your hard drive. This is easy to do, but reinstalling Windows on a laptop without a recovery disc (you saved your recovery disc, right?) can be frustrating to many people. You might try an external drive if you only need occasional storage.
  • Add RAM. Easily done with a small screwdriver, $50 in RAM, and five minutes out of your day. I always, always, always tell people that adding RAM will solve all their problems and make their lives worth living again. And I'm not really joking.
  • Add a USB mouse. The touchpad is fine on the airplane, but when you're at your desk, you'd be nuts not to add a mouse to the mix.
  • Get a smaller power brick. I don't know how many times I've said this one. A multi-device brick makes it even better.
  • Add an external monitor. You can use both the LCD panel and the external at the same time to double your viewing area.

There's plenty of additional good advice to be found in the full story. Click on over. It's an easy read, too.

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  • 2 Posted by claudiuciungan on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:26PM EDT Report Abuse

    Heh, I don't want to sound ungratefull but I think this stuff were already general knowledge, I mean HDD change, RAM upgrade, usb mouse, extra lcd, this were things that I think everybody knew or already use to get some extra juice out of their laptop.

  • 3 Posted by hamagucd on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:15PM EDT Report Abuse

    any one using / recommending cheap alternate power battery ??

  • 4 Posted by frique_out on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:03PM EDT Report Abuse

    thanx... sometimes things that may be common knowledge may not be all that comment. Well-written piece. Enjoyable piece of writing.

  • 5 Posted by moose6299 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:26PM EDT Report Abuse

    Good suggestions. Except the power brick one. If you go with a smaller power 'brick' (supply, I am guessing) This usually corresponds with less wattage. Which in turn means a longer charging time, mainly. The other drawback to this situations is that certain laptops (dell) will turn off and disable devices (Wifi, Bluetooth, NIC) if the power supply doesnt have enough current to power them. Plug a smaller 60w supply into a 17inch 9x00/17x0 and look at all the interesting items mentioned in startup. Quite Franky I would go the other way with the power supply. If you can get a higher wattage one (90w, 130w) as an option, do so. This may add a few ounces to the weight of your laptop bag, but it will charge batteries faster, and more often then not provide more power to the USB ports as well. Also in the Hard drive upgrade department, if you upgrade to a 7200rpm 2.5in laptop drive those pull more power from the battery as well. Some manufacturers even require a larger power supply when doing this upgrade. fyi all. 6

  • 7 Posted by towner7 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:18PM EDT Report Abuse

    I agree, not to sound ungrateful but..Why not suggest a membrane keyboard cover? or, a cover for the LCD? These are life saver~! Why not the virtual of a external harddrive for backing up your data or complete system? Or the proper care and usuage of the laptop's battery?

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