You should know what to look for in a laptop before making
an investment, regardless of whether you're a Windows or Mac fanatic. Yet, the
operating system is just one factor to take into account.
Is there a screen that meets your needs? Are your
peripherals supported by any ports? Is it capable of playing 1080p games? These
are things to think about, and it brings us to the importance of a well-crafted
computer buying guide.
Read on for our full breakdown of the key factors you need
to consider before you bring your new technological baby home.
Laptop Buying Guide 101: Dimensions and Size Considerations
Laptops come in a variety of sizes, and the most important
consideration is the screen size.
Consider what you'll be doing with the laptop and choose the
size that's ideal for you when buying one.
When it comes to storage capacity, it's not like upgrading
the RAM or ROM
on your laptop.
You're committed to the design from the get-go, so choose
carefully.
In general, laptops start at 11.6 inches and grow up to 17.3
inches in size. A majority of companies and original equipment manufacturers
(OEMs) offer three screen sizes: 13.3 inches, 15.6 inches, and 17.3 inches.
However, some suppliers provide laptops with screen sizes as
large as 11.6 inches, 12.5 inches, and 14 inches, depending on the model.
If mobility is important to you, you should choose a more
compact Windows laptop. Because they're smaller, they're also more aerodynamic.
Look for laptops with a 12.5-inch or 13.3-inch screen and a weight between 1kg
and 1.5kgs when purchasing a laptop.
Keep in mind, though, that 13.3-inch laptops frequently
don't have the same high-end Intel Core CPUs or discrete graphics cards as
their 15.6-inch counterparts.
In most cases, you'll also see a dwindling number of ports.
A bigger monitor or separate graphics will be required if you want to use your
new laptop for any task that needs it.
Quality of the Display
For this reason, you'll probably want to make sure that
gazing at your laptop screen is as comfortable as possible. You'll want a
screen that's both pleasing to the eye and easy to use for this to work well
for you.
To begin, decide whether or not you need a touchscreen on
your future laptop.
Touchscreens are increasingly prevalent these days, and they
make some jobs much simpler than they otherwise would be. This is a standard
feature on several products. Others will charge a little premium to have it
included.
How About Touchscreens?
Choosing a touchscreen, though, might occasionally result in
a slicker display.
Glossier panels are more prone to glare, even though this is
not true across the board for touch-sensitive displays.
If you're gaming, viewing videos, or manipulating photos and
videos, this may be a problem.
Touchscreen computers of the present are far superior to
those of the past; nevertheless, if you are more of a natural typer, you may
want to go for one that does not have touchscreen capabilities.
As for the next step, make sure you check the laptop's
resolution before you purchase it.
It's recommended that you choose a 1920x1080 resolution
(Full HD) if you want enough room to align windows and keep items in sight.
You won't be sorry if you spend a bit more on a more
expensive, high-quality model.
Some new laptops now come with 4K resolutions as well.
High-end display panels, on the other hand, are often an additional expense on
top of an already pricey product. 4K is a luxury that will only be worthwhile
for individuals in the video development industry who will use it extensively.
The Standards of the Keyboard
In order to type for lengthy periods of time, you will need
a laptop with an ergonomic keyboard.
In order to avoid an unpleasant user experience while
searching for certain keys, such as the arrow or the delete one, don't get a
keyboard that has every key imaginable.
If possible, go for a keyboard with a full-sized key layout
and some extra space around the arrow keys. The down stroke travel and release
responsiveness of the keys should be appropriate.
Check to see whether the keyboard has a backlight as well.
Backlit keys make it considerably easier to see what you're typing in low-light
conditions, despite their superficiality.
Backlighting RGB keys on gaming laptops like the Razer Blade
14 and Acer Nitro 5 make gaming at night or in poorly illuminated areas
possible.
Note: Backlit keys
are convenient, but they deplete your laptop's battery faster, so keep that in
mind when shopping for a new computer.
Picking the Right CPU
When shopping for a new laptop, it's difficult to ignore any
of Intel's Core-based CPUs.
Even if you're not an expert, you've probably seen the
stickers advertising Intel's Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 CPUs on the
company's newest laptops.
When it comes to multitasking and multimedia, Intel Core
Processors are the best choice for many people.
Generally speaking, Core i3 laptops are found at the lower
end of the market, whereas Core i5 laptops are more common.
Core i7-based laptops are designed for power users who want
the best. However, if you intend to use the laptop on your lap a lot, be aware
that a Core i7-based system might generate a lot of heat via the notebook's
bottom.
Intel's i9 Core CPUs are now available in certain bigger
laptops as well. In comparison to laptops with i7 core processors, those with
i9 core processors are much faster. So, if you need a new laptop with
superior processing power, then the i9 is your new best friend.
Despite the fact that their performance may approach that of
desktops, these processors are substantially more expensive than the equivalent
in a laptop equipped with an Intel Core i3, i5, or i7.
How Much RAM Do You Need?
In the past, a machine might get by with as little as 4GB of
RAM. That has changed.
As a rule of thumb, you'll require at least 8GB of RAM these
days.
If you're a heavy computer user, go for 16GB of storage.
Gamers, on the other hand, should consider increasing their
storage to a minimum of 32GB (and preferably more).
With more RAM, you can run more programs at once and access
more data at once, which comes in helpful when editing images or video footage,
for example.
When looking at RAM specifications, you may come across a
few unfamiliar terminologies. Here's what you need to know about them. The
initials DDR may be seen next to the RAM stick's manufacturer and capacity.
There's generally a number to go along with it as well. The
Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED laptop, for example, contains two 8GB DDR4 RAM modules.
Double Data Rate is the abbreviation, and the number following it refers to the
component design generation.
Storage Capacity
In the past, hard drives were popular, but they're no more,
particularly in laptops that are tiny and light. This is due to the fact that
they are sluggish, hefty, and generate a lot of heat and noise.
While a traditional hard drive is slow, a solid-state
drive (SSD) is considerably faster, runs quietly, and can be put in
a form factor that doesn't significantly increase the weight or thickness of a
laptop.
SSD storage has become the de facto standard for laptops as
a consequence of these undeniable advantages.
If you're buying a new laptop, go with an SSD drive. You'll
appreciate how rapidly it loads apps, accesses your data, and boots up your
system.
Battery Power
Manufacturer-specified battery life is seldom an accurate
representation of how long a laptop will last when used in the real world.
Too many factors influence battery life to consider them
all. In addition, there are factors like screen brightness, screen resolution,
the number of background apps, and whether or not you're linked to Wi-Fi or
Bluetooth devices while using the computer.
The laptop's operating system may also have a significant
impact on battery life. Chrome OS-based ultra-books and convertibles outperform
Windows 10-based models when it comes to battery life.
The battery will deplete faster than the manufacturer has
predicted if you use your computer to run applications that need a lot of
processing, stream a lot of online videos, play graphics-intensive games, or
transfer a lot of data over a wireless network.
Computer Buying: Simplified
In this day and age, to buy a computer is to make a serious
decision about your technological capabilities for the next couple of years.
And, if this has a direct effect on your work quality and your peace of mind.
Hopefully, our laptop buying guide has shed some light on the main elements that can net you the perfect laptop for your needs. And, if you've enjoyed reading our explainer, then you'll love checking out our additional tips and tricks. All of them will be available in our technology section.
Also more: IT Support Department