Laptop Goodness

Laptop computers are great for work! For games, they are not so good. 

I use a mobile laptop computer for most of my work here at FreshBooks, although I would be hard pressed to differentiate it from a desktop computer with my current setup.  The laptop is connected to a separate 17” monitor, a full sized keyboard and an optical mouse.  The immediate advantage is that I can take my laptop and go mobile if I need to at any time.

Another bonus is that when connecting the laptop to a separate monitor, I essentially have two monitors.  With some configurations in my display settings, I can setup my system to use both screens as my desktop space.  This allows me to have my email application on my laptop screen to my right and the full sized monitor for coding directly in front of me.

Mike made a post a while back ago about productivity and bigger monitors, but two monitors can do a good job if you want to avoid buying a bigger monitor.  The kicker is that I don’t have to use each monitor for separate applications.  Sometimes I drag the window so it takes up both screens.  This can sometimes be useful for viewing database tables or excel spread sheets with lots of columns.

On the down side, laptop computers can’t really be easily upgraded and typically cost a lot more then the typical desktop computer of equal performance.  That’s why I have a desktop PC for recreation at home and use a laptop at work.

Some people might say that laptop computers won’t last as long as their desktop counter-parts.  This could be true because laptops generally are subjected to more physical movement than the stationary desktop computer.  However, if you are careful with your laptops or use a laptop computer in place of your desktop computer, they are an excellent choice for the office.