• Processor
• Cache
• Memory
• Centrino
• Display Size
• CD and DVD Drives
• Swappable Vs Fixed
• External Drives
• Hard Drives
• PC vs Express Cards
• Networking
• Ports & Connectors
• Docking Station

Docking station or port replicator

A docking station contains a mixture of ports, slots, drive bays, and security features, and it usually attaches to the notebook from underneath. Docking stations come in a variety of shapes, ranging from the same size as your notebook, which is often referred to as a media slice, to much bigger--some stick out five inches past the back of your notebook. As the name implies, a docking station is where you park your notebook when you get back to the office, giving you easy access to your network, along with a bigger monitor, a regular keyboard, additional storage devices, and the convenience of leaving cables plugged in when you walk away from your desk.

A port replicator, on the other hand, is a smaller, stripped-down version of a docking station that mainly features--as you might guess--ports, such as USB or S-video. A port replicator can range from the size of a box of toothpaste to just shy of docking-station stature. When you're on the road, a port replicator is a convenient way to increase your connectivity.