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"Road Warrior" PC

Description: A PC system for people "on the go"--salespeople, business executives, students, commuters. The key decision to be made for those who travel a great deal and want a portable system is whether to augment a desktop system with a portable, or just use the portable for everything. At first, the limitations of early notebooks made the former the only really viable option. Today, so-called "desktop replacement" notebooks make it very feasible to make a portable your only PC. This is increasingly the direction being taken by "road warriors", and is what I am assuming in this section. (See here for more on notebook types.)

Typical Applications Used: All sorts, though most often business applications.

More Important Requirements Factors: Portability, performance, reliability, availability, service.

Less Important Requirements Factors: Ergonomics, upgradeability, expandability, usability, cost.

Performance Priorities: Generally moderate; in any event, you can't get as much performance in a notebook machine as you can in a desktop. Notebooks are notoriously difficult to upgrade, so performance should be considered carefully before making a decision. A service contract may also be a very good idea.

Recommended PC Types: Top-quality notebook PC.

Recommended Sources: One of the top-rated mail-order or online vendors.

Budget: At least $2000. A top-of-the-line notebook with accessories will generally run closer to $4000, once you include accessories and support.

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