Why to Consider Buying a Refurbished Workstation

 

If you're in the market for a new Workstation but want to stick to a budget, you should consider buying a refurbished Workstation. How much you can get for your money depends on how well you evaluate your specific needs, such as what type of computing you will be doing. It would help if you also considered who to buy the Workstation from, and how old a Workstation you're willing to purchase.

Before I get into all of that, let me explain what the term refurbished means. A refurbished Workstation Workstation is a pre-owned Workstation that has undergone extensive diagnostic tests to ensure each part is in working condition, has had any broken parts replaced, and has been given a new warranty for any parts that might be near their breaking points. Refurbished Workstation Workstations perform just like new, meet all of the same factory standards as new products, but are much more cost-effective than new machines.

On top of that, opting to buy a refurbished Workstation instead of a new one is incredibly environmentally-friendly. Choosing to purchase a refurbished Workstation helps keep an old Workstation out of a landfill. Along with this, most vendors will offer to take care of the disposal of the Workstation you're replacing (if you are replacing one). These vendors will then refurbish that Workstation and resell it. Even if vendors don't refurbish your old Workstation, they will at least be able to dispose of it in an environmentally safe way that meets all of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) compliance standards.

When considering purchasing a refurbished Workstation, there are a few things you should keep in mind:

How do you plan to use your new Workstation?

Do you plan on using your Workstation for hardcore gaming requiring an impressive graphics card and fast processing speeds? Or do you want a Workstation to complete basic Workstation functions, such as browsing the Internet, checking email, and running applications like Microsoft Word and Excel? Whatever your need, it is important to find a Workstation that suits you completely. It would be silly to buy a Workstation with impressive graphics is all you're going to use it for it browsing the Internet, for example, you'd be spending extra money on features you're not going to use.

It's also a good idea to have in mind a specific brand of Workstation you want to buy, like HP, for example. This will help narrow the choices down, ultimately helping you pick the perfect Workstation for you.

How old is the Workstation?

Ask yourself this: are you okay with purchasing an older Workstation model, or do you need to have the latest technology? There are refurbished versions of older and newer models of Workstations. Whichever suits your style is what you need to consider when purchasing a refurbished Workstation.

Who should you buy from?

When buying a refurbished Workstation, you should make sure that the company you go through is reputable. Do your research. Read reviews, good and bad, and try talking to a company representative before making a purchase. A good way to make sure a company is reputable is whether it offers any warranty on the product. A warranty is a good indication that the company is delighted with its products and is sure you will be satisfied as well.

Laptop Configuration - Understanding the Specifications!

Ever been in the situation where you're out to get a laptop, and when you finally come across a selection of laptops with their configurations display, you just didn't know what to make out of them? In this guide, Fear not, and I will reveal a few simple things that will make understanding those scary specs a lot easier.

First of all, you have to ask yourself what the purpose of your soon to be laptop is. Is it an everyday use laptop, used to write papers and carry it around to surf the web? Something like a laptop a student would require? Will it be the business machine to keep all your sensitive information such as client names and contact information? Perhaps you like computer games a lot and decide to buy a laptop configured to run these new high demanding games. Or, maybe you just want to own a new entertainment and media portable device to satisfy your daily multimedia desires.

Each of these types of laptops has different specs, but since you know what you'll be using it for, here are a few necessary steps to understanding what specifications work and where they are needed.

Central Processing Unit (a.k.a. CPU a.k.a. processor)

Perhaps one of the most important specs of all in a laptop is its CPU. This is the heart of the laptop, where all the calculations are being done. There are several types of processors out there, in almost every price range you might think of. If you are new to hardware, you should look for something like 2 - 3 GHz in a laptop if it will be destined for everyday use (basic office tasks including Microsoft Office Suite, browsing the web, watching videos online, or maybe chatting with friends). A decent single-core CPU could probably handle such basic tasks flawlessly. If, however, you wish to multitask and open up several applications to work with, then a single-core processor might not handle such loads perfectly. Instead, look for the ones who say they're dual-core or even quad-core configuration laptops. A laptop with a quad-core configuration can go pretty high regarding the price tag, so make sure you fully understand the use of your laptop beforehand.

Newer lines of processors have the Hyper Thread technology built into them, where a single core is seen as two cores by the operating system, capable of handling two tasks at the same time per core. These can be quite useful if you know you're going to throw a heap of applications at it and expect the laptop to run perfectly. Such a configuration can be used in machines destined for graphic design, where usually 3-4 applications are being run simultaneously. It would also be handy when looking for the best gaming laptop or your new multimedia laptop if you want to experience the peak of performance and visual quality in your media crunching endeavors.

Random Access Memory (a.k.a. RAM or system RAM)

The system RAM's overall value is an essential parameter to watch for on your laptop along with the processor. Think of it this way: RAM is your system's memory, the place where your operating system and all your installed applications are being run. It's fast because every little bit of information can be addressed directly, unlike the hard drive, which requires the disk head to run over a place on the disk where the information is stored. RAM is the canvas of your computer system. In this place, you can get the full picture of what's being run at present (using the same association, one could say that the hard drive is like a cassette, where if you want to hear a specific lyric, you have to fast forward to that location).

That's about enough of the free association thing. Going back to the spec itself, system RAM is something you want to have plenty of. The more RAM in a computer, the better it will run. Suppose you're a newbie and just want a laptop that can do necessary tasks. In that case, about 1GB of RAM should be enough to run basic applications without problems (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, music player, and even watch movies). However, if you demand more from your laptop and intend to use it as a powerhouse, your minimum aim should start at about 2GB. Up to 4GB of RAM is a good start in any graphic design computer or even a decent gaming laptop. For business laptops that could use complex applications, a good start would be in the 2-3 GB range to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Just remember never to neglect this spec since it could mean your system will be running slow if there's not enough RAM to it.

Hard Disk Drive (a.k.a. Hard Drive or Hard Disk or HDD)

The hard disk is where all your information is stored. Unlike the RAM, which gets wiped clean at each restart, the hard drive will keep all your information for later use. This is not such a basic spec as the RAM is, but the more drive space you have, the more information you can store and take with you. If you're a media junkie, you probably like to store many music and movies on your computer to watch at a later date. In this case, you should look for a laptop with a decent HDD configuration (250 - 500 GB). Some hard drives retrieve information pretty slow since they use spinning disks to read and write information. Standard rotation speeds for laptops HDD are at about 5400 rpm (rotations per minute). These drives are pretty much obsolete if you want a laptop that's capable of top performance. Instead of a 5400 rpm HDD, look for a better one with 7200 rpm.

A new line of hard drives has recently appeared, called the Solid State Disk or SSD. These drives don't use spinning disks to store information. They are way faster, more durable, and lighter than regular hard drives. They do come at a price, though, and with a limited storage capacity. It can become pretty clear that if you want the fastest laptop today, you'll opt-in for such a storage device instead of a traditional HDD.

Video Card (a.k.a. Graphics Card)

The video card makes sure you get the image onto the screen. It can be considered an output component, and it is essential to those who want lifelike severe graphics displayed onto their computer screens. With regular everyday use laptops, you can probably get away with an integrated graphics card (it's integrated into the motherboard, mind you), using the available RAM to run. This can be a downside to laptops with a low RAM spec since the integrated graphics card takes its share of available RAM, leaving the difference available to run applications. An integrated video card is not recommended if you rely heavily on system RAM for optimal performance. Such cases include the graphics design laptop, the gaming laptop, and in some cases, the multimedia machine.

You do want to look for a dedicated (replaceable/removable) graphics card in your laptop if you're a big gaming fan. Newer games tend to have very high system requirements, and since available RAM is not a thing you want to waste, a dedicated graphics card is the best solution to such a machine.

It should be noted that some of the newer processors that have just come out in the market do have an integrated GPU (graphics processing unit/graphics card) in them, along with the processor cores. This means you can get away with such a spec if you intend to purchase a laptop with specs designed for everyday use or ultra-portability. Eliminating the dedicated graphics card from your system means your system will be lighter, and you want that regarding the portability issue.

Laptop Screen (a.k.a. Laptop Display)

The laptop screen is an essential part of the rich media the computing world has to offer. There is not much to say about the display technology in this case but its size. Your laptop's display size is one essential specification you should not overlook if you want a higher level of enjoyment when working with the thing. There is quite a variety to choose from when it comes to screen size, so you should know one thing beforehand: the larger the screen, the better the image quality will be, the lower the portability feature becomes.

If you want a highly portable machine that you'll use just to jot down information quickly, then a tiny laptop with a small screen would be enough: these can range from a mere 7-inch diagonal size to about 13.3 inches. Average laptops will carry the average laptop screen size, which is known to be 15.4 inches. This is quite sufficient to visualize pretty much any media (web pages, documents, videos, and movies). For a better experience, these sizes can go up to about 22 inches. These can be quite bulky and costly machines since they pack quite a lot of tech in them along with the large screen. Thus they make excellent gaming systems or portable multimedia players.

Connectivity (a.k.a. access to the internet)

Laptops are known for being portable machines. Along with their portability, wireless technologies have been made available to allow users to connect to the internet pretty much anywhere these days. You want to make sure you'll get access to Wi-Fi networks to stay connected everywhere you take your laptop with you. Some new solutions allow you to connect via cell phone networks and use the internet wherever mobile phone coverage.

Dell Precision 7920 Guide to a Powerful Rack Workstation With 2U Form Factor Design

This powerful desktop by Dell is available in a "rack-mounted" configuration that has room for three dual-slot video cards in its 2U enclosure. It is designed for complex projects that require a great deal of power and performance, such as virtual reality workflows. Users can experience datacenter protection with the Dell Precision 7920, such as IT management and control, access to shared storage, and security. The extra iDRAC9 remote management hardware is handy.

This version is configured similarly as the 7920 desktop tower version, with the only differences being the design and the server-like features. It can be customized with some impressive graphics power (up to 900W) and supports up to 48TB of storage thanks to Dell Precision ultra-speed drives, and Enterprise-class SAS drives. Online shoppers can configure it with up to eight M.2 SSDs (PCIe NVMe).

Because the Rack is of the 2U form factor, it operates quietly. It's base hardware configuration includes an Intel Xeon Bronze 3104 processor (six-core I.6 GT/s with 8M cache). If that's not powerful enough, it can be fitted with either an Intel Xeon Silver or Xeon Gold CPU. Or, better yet, a SECOND Xeon can be added for a dual-processor configuration.

Memory is scalable and upgradable as well, with the cheapest configuration being 16GB (2 x 8GB). The costliest upgrade with the Dell Precision 7920 is a whopping 512GB of memory, which comes as 4 x 128GB 2666-MHz DDR4 LR DIMM ECC.

Optical Drive Options and Other I/O Ports of the Dell Precision 7920

In addition to the numerous hard drives, the Rack can be equipped with an optical drive as well, although there is none included in the starting price. Consumers can select either a Slimline DVD ROM SATA drive or DVD +/- RW SATA drive. Networking and Wi-Fi needs are taken care of with the Intel I350 Quad Port Network Daughter technology (4 x 1Gbit card).

While mounting rails are sold separately, they are worth investing in, unless the user wants to keep the rack workstation sitting on the floor. Without the mounting rails, the Precision Rack measures 3.42-inches in height, 18.98-inches in width, and 28.17-inches in depth. Its starting weight is 63.05-lbs.

There are numerous I/O ports located all around the machine, including a VGA port for iDRAC9, USB 2.0 management port, USB 3.1 Type-A, SD Vflash media connector, - RJ45 for iDRAC, and many more slots and connections. The power supply is a single 1100-W "hot plug"; there is an option for a dual redundant 1600-W power supply.

With its impressive performance, fantastic expandability, and IT functionality, the Dell Precision 7920 Rack is an excellent addition to any network.

Used Computers Great For All Budget Types

 

In some regards, when it comes to buying electronics, it is always seen to be the wisest choice to buy your software in a brand new state. Well, the same thing cannot be said about computers. Used computers are creating an affordable way for anyone who has ever wanted a computer but couldn't afford the expense to be able to.

Typically whenever you hear about someone purchasing a used computer, they will generally use the term refurbished to describe the machine. The main difference between these computers and the new computers you would see on the shelves in stores is that they have been used before.

Many people who generally turn their sights toward obtaining a used computer want to get the console to save themselves a considerable amount of money but still end up with a great console to use. However, before you obtain the first used computer you set your eyes upon, you need to ensure that the console will be of great use.

In many cases, before a used computer is sold from a leading retailer, the operating system on the computer receives various upgrades. The hard drive, which is found in the computer which stores all of the information of the user, is also wiped clean to ensure the privacy of the person who used the console before you purchase it.

It is a great idea to ask for some restored disk for the computer console you are purchasing. This way, if anything ever happens to the software on the computer, you have a way to provide backups of all of the programs that the computer is equipped with.

Some merchants are even more than obliged to offer warranties with their consoles. However, in many regards, the warranties are nothing to be happy about. They are relatively small and last for a mere 15 to 30 days after the date of your purchase. But, it would help if you didn't let something like a warranty detour you away from obtaining one of these consoles.

The only obvious difference between used computers and new computers is that they have been operated on before. Someone else has already accessed the computer and used it for their personal affairs. But with these computers, the only thing that you need to ensure is that they can still perform the tasks you expect of them.

One could say that aside from the used computers being used, everything else is in tip-top shape. Plus, the system's expense is lower than you would pay for a new computer, thus making these consoles even more alluring to the masses. There have been many circumstances reported where people have announced that their used consoles performed better than someone's new console.

What to Expect From Laptop Rental

 

Suppose you are considering a laptop rental over the purchase of a new notebook or netbook computer. In that case, you need to understand how computer rentals work and what you need to look for in a computer rental company. Is it enough that the store has laptops available to rent, or should there be specific brands that you want to keep an eye out for? Are there particular things you should expect from your Laptop Rental store?

What to Expect from Laptop Rental Stores

Have you seen an example of today's laptop price? It can be an eye-opener. Regardless of whether you are looking for a Toshiba laptop, an Asus laptop or even an Acer laptop, you are looking at a significant investment. This is why choosing laptop rental instead of purchase is a lifesaver.

A laptop rental store is a very good choice if you are looking for a primary computer without the bells and whistles you get from the latest top of the line models. Most rental stores do not carry the top of the line models, but the models they do have will do everything that most people need their laptop can do, but what about the store itself?

The laptop rental store that you choose should have a good reputation. Its rental rates and policies are written with no hidden or extra fees. The sales staff are knowledgeable about the equipment they are renting and can answer any questions about any of the products they have to choose from. Suppose you want to rent a Toshiba notebook. In that case, the sales staff should not only be able to tell you about that particular laptop model but about the Toshiba company itself and its reputation in the computer world, perhaps even be able to refer you to a laptop review of the model.

By keeping an eye out for what the store itself and its staff are like, you will get a good idea of what you can expect business with this particular company is like.

Why Laptop Rental is the Best Choice

While not everyone even wants to consider laptop rental, it is an excellent choice, especially if you do not need the computer for high-tech experiences. Simply browsing the internet, checking email, playing a few games or doing homework or essential business functions is not something that you need a state of the art computer to carry out, so why should you have to pay for all the extras?

Not only that, laptop rental can save you from having to come up with hundreds or thousands of dollars to buy a computer outright. By renting, you only pay a flat monthly rate to use the equipment that you choose. Also, you escape the headaches and problems such as upkeep and updating programs that you would normally have to pay for if you owned a computer, all good reasons to consider laptop rental instead of purchasing for your next computer.

Renting a Computer Workstation - The Underestimated Option

 

The chances are that if you are like most people, you automatically dismiss computer rental before you even read about it. However, if you discover the facts, you may find that computer rental is a financially savvy choice and one that can do a great deal for you or your business.

Why You Should Consider Computer Workstation Rental

No matter if you are looking for a laptop, Workstation or personal computer for home use; laptops or a projector or even a desktop computer for your business, or a gaming pc for your teenagers, you are looking at a significant outlay of money.

By considering computer Workstation rental instead of purchasing PCs, computer Workstation hardware or computer accessories you can not only save yourself a good deal of money, but you may also find yourself labelled as a savvy business person or woman.

You see, manufacturers create, let's say a desktop computer, and when they do they put so much extra stuff into it unless you are an IT professional, the chances are that you will never use half of what is there. Rental computers do not usually have all the bells and whistles you find on the fancier computer models. However, they will include everything that you need to do all the necessary things you would do on a computer for your home or business, including word processing, spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, Internet surfing, and the like.

While these computers are not as fancy as the more expensive models, they have the decided advantage of being considerably less costly. Not only do you not have to pay out a large sum of money to buy the computer (only a relatively low monthly fee for the equipment you are renting) you also do not have to worry about things like maintenance, upgrades or anything else that you would generally have to pay extra for if you owned a computer.

What Computer Workstation Rental Can Do For You and the Planet

By choosing computer Workstation rental over purchasing a desktop computer or laptop outright, you can not only save yourself a considerable amount of money (and even more headaches) you can also do your part to save the planet. This is because creating (and disposing of) computers can involve a good deal of energy and even the disposing of toxic chemicals and hazardous processes. Why should you tax the Earth any more than it already is?

By opting for computer rental, you can cut your carbon footprint and do your part not only to save yourself or the business expenses that you do not need but save the Earth from processes that are potentially harmful or hazardous.

So do yourself a favour. At least consider the pros and cons of computer rental before you decide against it. Considering computer rental is the least you can do both for yourself and the Earth.

A Powerful Hardware Graphics Card Heightens the Gaming Experience

Hardware graphics have come a long way. There was a time when all you would see was a hard-mounted 3D display system. Now you have the graphics card to turn the data from the CPU into pictures. We have always taken for granted how this is even possible. The graphics card is the one that decides how to make use of the pixels on the screen so it will be able to make an image. Without it, we might not even have clear cut videos or pictures shown on our monitors. The computer will have a hard time processing and handling it.

To be able to play the hottest computer games, one would need a powerful hardware graphics card. Most computer game addicts know this, and they will spend much to get it. They say that the overall game experience is quite different. For most of us, we appreciate the fact that we can see nice pictures on the monitor and play our videos. However, choosing the right graphics card will help make sure that the system performs at its maximum and its performance stable. Thus, knowing some basic hardware graphics knowledge can be helpful, but it is definitely not a must for most of us. If you want to know about the different kinds of graphics cards and their performance, check out the reviews.

Did you know that hardware graphics is not entirely exclusive to computer? Mobile phones, game consoles, workstations and others have it too. This is probably why we can play computer games on our phones, watch videos and view images taken.

Five Reasons Why Tablets Won't Be Replacing Your Laptop Any Time Soon

 

The year 2011 is expected to be the year of the tablet, with new models expected to flood the market and give the current tablet front runner, the Apple iPad, some stiff competition in mobile technology. The Motorola Xoom and the RIM Playbook are just some of the highly anticipated releases in the upcoming months. Meanwhile, the iPad 2 has Apple fans lining up to add to their collection of gadgets and gizmos.

However, while many see tablets becoming a preferred mobile computing device - it's hard to say that traditional laptops, and even desktops, will be replaced by these new machines, at least not anytime soon.

Here's five reasons why:

1. Expandable memory - need to save a file on a USB stick? You won't be able to just yet with the tablet computers. Meanwhile, if you're looking for more memory, especially for photos, music and movie files, you'll be hard-pressed to condense your entire multimedia collection into the memory limitations of the tablet.

2. Input - tablets are great for browsing and reading, but if you're looking to input extensive amounts of data, a solid keyboard and mouse system is still preferred. While there are Bluetooth keyboards available to work with tablets, many will still want the ability to create an entire semi-permanent workstation around their laptop - while still being able to take their machine on the go.

3. Physical Limitations - the inability to extract the battery out of most tablets also limits their ability to be disconnected machines truly - you won't be able to take along an extra battery pack for emergencies. You'll also be limited in the accessories you'll be able to connect to your tablets such as printers, external monitors or an Ethernet connection.

4. Software limitations - while the availability of tablet applications means there's an app to do practically anything, the tablet environment is still comparatively limited. If you're looking to do serious video editing or need a database processor, a tablet likely won't cut it. Meanwhile, if you're keen to install the latest PC game like Total War Shogun 2, a tablet will do little more than show you a pretty picture of the box.

5. DVD/CD and multimedia - for in-flight entertainment and personal viewing, the laptop is still a great way to take your favourite movies on the go. Meanwhile, for those who still love to collect physical albums, you'll need the laptop's CD player to import your songs into your iPod or another MP3 device.