If you don’t know how to choose a laptop or looking for a laptop buying guide then this article is for you. Tablets and Smartphones are the major devices most of us have. But though they are similar in hardware, the smaller screen might create problems in productive work. Hence, having a laptop to perform most of our tasks is a must these days.
Nowadays, there are a lot of laptops currently available in the market. It ranges from different brands, and selecting the laptop with the best configuration that fits our use is a very cumbersome task. We will list some points below; if you keep that in mind before buying a laptop, you can pick a laptop that meets your requirements. Read also: Best Laptops under £600 in the UK
Laptop buying guide: things to consider before buying a laptop
1. Purpose: What Do You Want Your Laptop For?
The first thing to consider before buying a laptop is the purpose you want to fulfill. For example, if you are a core gamer, you will require a laptop that can accommodate high graphic settings with a dedicated GPU like an Nvidia GeForce or AMD Radeon. On the other hand, if you are a routine working professional, you will require a laptop that can handle everyday tasks like web browsing, sending emails and editing documents, or making presentation slides. A laptop can easily do these works with the normal specification. Hence, you need to take note of all your requirements before buying one for you.
Generally, a laptop with a minimum of 8GB RAM with a lightening fast SSD and a fair webcam with a microphone fits every requirement of students, working professionals, business use, etc.
2. Operating system: which one is right for you?
You must figure out which operating system (OS) works best for you before you begin to look for laptops. Analyzing every operating system(OS) will help determine your needed hardware. You will find four major types of operating systems in the market – Windows, MacOS, ChromeOS, and Linux.
Windows OS has the major market share in the operative system market. It is best for people using Microsoft apps like MS Excel, MS Office, MS Access, etc.
You can try Apple’s MacOS if you are new to the laptops. This operating system is beginner friendly to Windows. But, you will be restricted to the MacBook’s hardware only as Apple produces its chipsets. ChromeOS is also a good fit if you do most of your laptop work in a web browser. These are among the cheapest yet most powerful you’ll find these days.
3. Processors: the brain and brawn of your laptop
Having done with deciding which OS to go with, we will now decide on the best processor to work on. There are various types of processors you may find in the market. Let’s go through them:-
Intel Processors: Intel’s major processors that you can see in the market are Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, and Core i9. They are arranged according to how advanced they are, meaning i3 is the oldest, and i9 is the currently available most enhanced processor. You can consider your budget before deciding which processor to buy.
AMD Processors: Laptops with AMD processors have been flooding the market. Upon testing, they are considered higher in performance than intel. So, you can consider this processor if you are a pro gamer and a professional video editor.
4. RAM and storage: speed and space.
RAM stands for random access memory. It can be utilized by your laptop to hold data while the processor is running. Nowadays, 8 GB RAM is considered well enough for a laptop dealing with average tasks. However, some people prefer upgrading their laptop’s RAM to 16 GB. Moreover, coders and gamers should go for 32GB laptops if they are ready to invest more in this.
It is equally important for the laptop to have storage capacity. Storage capacity is determined by assessing your daily requirements. Three types of storage options are available – HDD, SSD, or SSHD. However, there are also cloud storage options available on the internet. So you can consider those options as well.
5. Display: size, resolution, and other factors
Coming to the display point, you must target the best display you are getting in your budget. You must go for better resolution, panel type, and size. You can go for an IPS display on your laptop if you are a budget restriction. After that, you must look for the resolution of your laptop. Always target the higher-resolution screen that is available in your budget.
Go for a laptop that has a higher-resolution screen than its peers. For example, at around 300 pounds, buying laptops with a Full HD screen display is now possible. Finally, the size. If you want nice portability, use a laptop with a smaller screen. Also, if you are more of a movie person, go with a laptop with a bigger screen.
6. Battery life: power up your productivity
Moving on further with Battery life, Large batteries allow us to have greater portability. Hence, you can work for a longer time on the go. Try searching for the number of cells (higher the better), battery capacity, and replacement policy. You need to remember that the more powerful your laptop is, the shorter the battery life is, so to balance both things, you have to be wiser in making the decision.
7. Connectivity options: ports and wireless capabilities
You can find several laptops with a variety of ports ad slots. Make a list of connectivity requirements before buying a laptop. Minimum 2 USB ports with an HDMI and an audio port are good. Moreover, search for USB Type-C ports, memory card slots, ethernet slots, and thunderbolt slots. Also, I recommend laptops that can charge with the help of USB-TypeC. It increases portability, and these chargers are cheaper to replace. Finally, ensure that your laptop has an SD or microSD card reader. It will be very beneficial if you’re a photographer and need to constantly download images from your camera.
8. Additional Features
Additional features exist that you can look to have on your laptop. Webcam is something that is a mandatory requirement nowadays for a laptop. Most laptops come with 720p webcams. However, you can also find webcams with 1080p cameras. Also, checking for the software coming with your laptop is necessary. You can check software such as MS Office, anti-virus software, etc. Moreover, the disc drive is optional. You can choose it upon requirements.
Conclusion:
So, post-checking these mandatory points, it is important to research and compares different models before purchasing. However, by following the above guidelines, I am confident you can have a laptop that can serve your needs for the years.
FAQs about the laptop buying guide
What are the good specifications for a laptop in 2023?
For a laptop with good specifications in 2023, you should have the following parameters in your laptop:-
Intel Core i3 or i5 processor of 11th- or 12th-generation or a 5000-series or 6000-series AMD Ryzen 3 or 5 processor
– 8 GB of RAM
– A solid-state drive (SSD)
– A 1080p screen
Should I go for buying a laptop or a desktop?
It all depends on your requirements. If you want portability, then you must go to buy a laptop. However, if you have all your work in one place and don’t need to move around much, you can consider desktop computers as your choice.
Is AMD or Intel better for laptops?
As we have already discussed in the processor part, AMD is found to be more powerful than Intel. So if you are dealing much with graphics, you should go for AMD as your processor. Otherwise, intel can be a good choice for you.