10 years ago, the choice between a laptop and a desktop was easy.
However, if you were looking for more power, value for money and greater flexibility, go for a desktop.
Laptop sales may have eclipsed desktop sales for more than a decade now, but there are still advantages to picking a traditional desktop machine.To make your decision a little easier, we’ve put together a guide to some of the pros and cons of both laptops and desktops.Laptop vs Desktop: Pros and Cons of Laptops Laptops are portable and much smaller than desktops, however, there are many reasons to weigh up before you make your decision:PowerLaptops are smaller than desktops, this means they use less power and therefore less electricity.
Laptops also run on batteries, so if you had a power cut, you could continue working and not lose any of your work.PortabilityIf you need a device whilst you’re on the go, a laptop is the clear choice.
You could even opt for a higher spec model on first purchase to future proof yourself and therefore get more use out of it.Rigid peripheralsOne of the main cons of purchasing a laptop is the fact that you are limited to the same single screen, keyboard, speaker, trackpad and ports for the duration of use.
If you need a powerful device, laptops with high speed, quality graphics and lots of storage space will set you back.Helpful reviews may be difficult to findBefore you buy any kind of new tech, it’s always nice to read reviews from a range of different people, so you can get a better understanding of its performance and quality.
For the best value, traditional laptops are preferable and should feature a good quality trackpad, keyboard, be 9th or 10th generation Intel i5 or i7 processor, have a good-sized hard drive and a minimum of 4GB RAM.However, if you decide to use a desktop computer, you’ll need to choose from an all-in-one device that has the computer built into the monitor, like an Apple iMac, or a tower with external monitors.
Similar to a laptop, your desktop should be a 9th or 10th generation Intel i5 or i7, AMD’s Ryzen 5 2500 or at the very least Intel’s i3, with a good hard drive and a minimum RAM of 4GB.Extra monitorWhen working from a desktop, you’ll need at least one monitor to work from, although it can sometimes be beneficial to have two, depending on the type of work you do.
Good monitors will usually be around 21-24” in size with 1080p or similar resolution, and have an adjustable stand.Laptop stand (if necessary)If you are working from a laptop, it’s good practice to use a laptop stand to improve the ergonomics of your workstation.
Make sure it is sturdy and provides enough space for everything you need, including accessories and notepads etc.An ergonomic chair To ensure you stay productive whilst working from home, it’s important to have a comfortable, ergonomic chair.
An external mouse is also a great addition, but try to choose a mouse that is ergonomic rather than stylish, the modern flat ones have been known to cause wrist ache.Fast internet connection Alongside the actual computer equipment, ensuring you and your employees all have access to a fast internet connection is one of the main essentials when working from home.
The broadband package you used to have at home may have been sufficient for out of hours, but with most people now working from home, this increase in connections in your household or neighbourhood could result in slower speeds.
If you’ve ever received an email that looks legitimate from a trusted source which asks you to either click on a link or input your personal information, you have probably encountered a phishing scam.Often, these types of emails will either request that you enter your username, password, bank details and other sensitive information.
One easy way to spot these sorts of scams is to notice that your bank or any other similar organisation would never ask you to input sensitive information over email.Phishing can be extremely damaging, leading to stolen money and even identify theft.
So, to help you stay safe online, let’s take a closer look at some of the ways you can protect yourself against phishing.What is phishing?Phishing is a common tool used by cybercriminals to attempt to trick victims into sharing sensitive information by disguising themselves as a trustworthy company or organisation.
The most common form is email however, with cybercriminals usually sending out thousands at a time, with the hopes that enough people will be tricked.Even though the emails or texts may look legitimate at first glance, on closer inspection they will look unprofessional and be littered with grammatical errors, spelling mistakes and pixelated logos.
Cybercriminals sent out an email that looked as if it had come from Netflix asking users to update their billing information.
It included a link, which instead of taking users to the Netflix website, redirected them to a scam landing page which had been created by the scammers.Nobody wants to be scammed, so how do you go about protecting yourself from these kinds of threats?
The internet can be a fun place to discover new things, learn and chat with friends or family, but it can also be dangerous, especially for children.
From cyber bullying to fake news, dangerous chat rooms and unidentifiable strangers, the online world is difficult to navigate safely for children.Ensuring your child stays safe online is made easier if you know the red flags to look out for and teach them about what areas are safe for them and where they should avoid.Top 10 tips on keeping your child safe onlineTo keep your child safe online, it’s good practice to teach them these top tips and make sure they follow them!Ensure you have your privacy settings on the very highest level and make sure your location settings are set to private.Never share personal information online such as your full name, address, phone number, email address, or any other location like your school.Never give your password out online, and always make sure your password is strong.Never meet up with people that you have met online and if someone asks to meet you always inform your parent or guardian.Remember that people are not always who they say they are online.Think carefully before sharing images or videos online, as once they are uploaded, anyone may be able to see it and download it.Be careful what image you use as your profile picture for your social media accounts.Always think before you post any status’ or comments online, they can be hard to remove once posted.Always treat people the way you would like to be treated when you are online, always remember that these are people so it doesn’t mean you can be rude.If you ever feel uncomfortable or upset after something someone online has said or done to you, log out and go and talk to a trusted adult.Help keep your child safe online: Red flags to look out forBy ensuring that your child is looking out for these red flags, you can help them stay safe online.If someone online keeps asking for your personal information, especially your address or phone number.If you are invited to have a ‘secret chat’.If someone online keeps asking to meet up with you in person and keep it a secret.If you are asked to keep certain information or chats a secret.If they send you images or videos that upset you or make you uncomfortable.If someone asks you to send them videos or images that make you uncomfortable.If someone online tells you that you will get in trouble if you tell anyone about them or about your conversations.If you spot any of these red flags, tell an adult or guardian immediately.Things online you should know about The internet is an amazing place to learn new things, discover hobbies, play games and join communities.
However, it’s important to remember that not everything online is suitable for children and somethings can be very upsetting.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the websites or communities children should be wary of.Social MediaIn this day and age, most people are on social media, even children.
It’s a great way to keep in contact with friends, see what everyone is up to and share your favourite moments.
For children, this can be very challenging as many of these fake news stories are usually created to scare people or grab your attention.Ensure you firstly check the facts in a news piece before reacting to the information and look at where the article has been written.
Regardless of the industry your small business operates in, you will need to consider IT support.
But, to move forward you need to work out what kind of support is best for you and whether it is in budget.With technology becoming more and more integral to our lives, it’s never been more important for small businesses to utilise the power of tech.
However, introducing new technology can bring challenges, especially if your business is relatively small.
That’s why it’s important that you have support for your tech, to help you understand how to get the best out of it and fix any problems you may encounter.There are many different types of IT support to choose from, and each vary in features and price.
Regardless of the type of small business you are running, IT support is likely to benefit you in some way or other.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the different types of support you can choose from.What are the different types of Managed IT support?
The internet can be a fun place to discover new things, learn and chat with friends or family, but it can also be dangerous, especially for children.
From cyber bullying to fake news, dangerous chat rooms and unidentifiable strangers, the online world is difficult to navigate safely for children.Ensuring your child stays safe online is made easier if you know the red flags to look out for and teach them about what areas are safe for them and where they should avoid.Top 10 tips on keeping your child safe onlineTo keep your child safe online, it’s good practice to teach them these top tips and make sure they follow them!Ensure you have your privacy settings on the very highest level and make sure your location settings are set to private.Never share personal information online such as your full name, address, phone number, email address, or any other location like your school.Never give your password out online, and always make sure your password is strong.Never meet up with people that you have met online and if someone asks to meet you always inform your parent or guardian.Remember that people are not always who they say they are online.Think carefully before sharing images or videos online, as once they are uploaded, anyone may be able to see it and download it.Be careful what image you use as your profile picture for your social media accounts.Always think before you post any status’ or comments online, they can be hard to remove once posted.Always treat people the way you would like to be treated when you are online, always remember that these are people so it doesn’t mean you can be rude.If you ever feel uncomfortable or upset after something someone online has said or done to you, log out and go and talk to a trusted adult.Help keep your child safe online: Red flags to look out forBy ensuring that your child is looking out for these red flags, you can help them stay safe online.If someone online keeps asking for your personal information, especially your address or phone number.If you are invited to have a ‘secret chat’.If someone online keeps asking to meet up with you in person and keep it a secret.If you are asked to keep certain information or chats a secret.If they send you images or videos that upset you or make you uncomfortable.If someone asks you to send them videos or images that make you uncomfortable.If someone online tells you that you will get in trouble if you tell anyone about them or about your conversations.If you spot any of these red flags, tell an adult or guardian immediately.Things online you should know about The internet is an amazing place to learn new things, discover hobbies, play games and join communities.
However, it’s important to remember that not everything online is suitable for children and somethings can be very upsetting.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the websites or communities children should be wary of.Social MediaIn this day and age, most people are on social media, even children.
It’s a great way to keep in contact with friends, see what everyone is up to and share your favourite moments.
For children, this can be very challenging as many of these fake news stories are usually created to scare people or grab your attention.Ensure you firstly check the facts in a news piece before reacting to the information and look at where the article has been written.
10 years ago, the choice between a laptop and a desktop was easy.
However, if you were looking for more power, value for money and greater flexibility, go for a desktop.
Laptop sales may have eclipsed desktop sales for more than a decade now, but there are still advantages to picking a traditional desktop machine.To make your decision a little easier, we’ve put together a guide to some of the pros and cons of both laptops and desktops.Laptop vs Desktop: Pros and Cons of Laptops Laptops are portable and much smaller than desktops, however, there are many reasons to weigh up before you make your decision:PowerLaptops are smaller than desktops, this means they use less power and therefore less electricity.
Laptops also run on batteries, so if you had a power cut, you could continue working and not lose any of your work.PortabilityIf you need a device whilst you’re on the go, a laptop is the clear choice.
You could even opt for a higher spec model on first purchase to future proof yourself and therefore get more use out of it.Rigid peripheralsOne of the main cons of purchasing a laptop is the fact that you are limited to the same single screen, keyboard, speaker, trackpad and ports for the duration of use.
If you need a powerful device, laptops with high speed, quality graphics and lots of storage space will set you back.Helpful reviews may be difficult to findBefore you buy any kind of new tech, it’s always nice to read reviews from a range of different people, so you can get a better understanding of its performance and quality.
For the best value, traditional laptops are preferable and should feature a good quality trackpad, keyboard, be 9th or 10th generation Intel i5 or i7 processor, have a good-sized hard drive and a minimum of 4GB RAM.However, if you decide to use a desktop computer, you’ll need to choose from an all-in-one device that has the computer built into the monitor, like an Apple iMac, or a tower with external monitors.
Similar to a laptop, your desktop should be a 9th or 10th generation Intel i5 or i7, AMD’s Ryzen 5 2500 or at the very least Intel’s i3, with a good hard drive and a minimum RAM of 4GB.Extra monitorWhen working from a desktop, you’ll need at least one monitor to work from, although it can sometimes be beneficial to have two, depending on the type of work you do.
Good monitors will usually be around 21-24” in size with 1080p or similar resolution, and have an adjustable stand.Laptop stand (if necessary)If you are working from a laptop, it’s good practice to use a laptop stand to improve the ergonomics of your workstation.
Make sure it is sturdy and provides enough space for everything you need, including accessories and notepads etc.An ergonomic chair To ensure you stay productive whilst working from home, it’s important to have a comfortable, ergonomic chair.
An external mouse is also a great addition, but try to choose a mouse that is ergonomic rather than stylish, the modern flat ones have been known to cause wrist ache.Fast internet connection Alongside the actual computer equipment, ensuring you and your employees all have access to a fast internet connection is one of the main essentials when working from home.
The broadband package you used to have at home may have been sufficient for out of hours, but with most people now working from home, this increase in connections in your household or neighbourhood could result in slower speeds.
Regardless of the industry your small business operates in, you will need to consider IT support.
But, to move forward you need to work out what kind of support is best for you and whether it is in budget.With technology becoming more and more integral to our lives, it’s never been more important for small businesses to utilise the power of tech.
However, introducing new technology can bring challenges, especially if your business is relatively small.
That’s why it’s important that you have support for your tech, to help you understand how to get the best out of it and fix any problems you may encounter.There are many different types of IT support to choose from, and each vary in features and price.
Regardless of the type of small business you are running, IT support is likely to benefit you in some way or other.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the different types of support you can choose from.What are the different types of Managed IT support?
If you’ve ever received an email that looks legitimate from a trusted source which asks you to either click on a link or input your personal information, you have probably encountered a phishing scam.Often, these types of emails will either request that you enter your username, password, bank details and other sensitive information.
One easy way to spot these sorts of scams is to notice that your bank or any other similar organisation would never ask you to input sensitive information over email.Phishing can be extremely damaging, leading to stolen money and even identify theft.
So, to help you stay safe online, let’s take a closer look at some of the ways you can protect yourself against phishing.What is phishing?Phishing is a common tool used by cybercriminals to attempt to trick victims into sharing sensitive information by disguising themselves as a trustworthy company or organisation.
The most common form is email however, with cybercriminals usually sending out thousands at a time, with the hopes that enough people will be tricked.Even though the emails or texts may look legitimate at first glance, on closer inspection they will look unprofessional and be littered with grammatical errors, spelling mistakes and pixelated logos.
Cybercriminals sent out an email that looked as if it had come from Netflix asking users to update their billing information.
It included a link, which instead of taking users to the Netflix website, redirected them to a scam landing page which had been created by the scammers.Nobody wants to be scammed, so how do you go about protecting yourself from these kinds of threats?