Technology develops extremely fast to cater to every kind of need out there. While it’s a good thing, it can cause confusion on how to pick the right device for you. You need to understand your purpose in picking the right laptop—whether for school, work, gaming, or anything else.
This article will guide you through several things you need to pay attention to when choosing a laptop.
Size
Yes, size matters; especially when we know we can’t upgrade this later. The size of laptops generally ranges from 11 to 17 inches. When choosing a laptop, you need to keep your priority in mind. Different intended usage might lead to a different right size of a laptop.
Portability is best on smaller laptops, as they are thinner and lighter. They would be a great company for people with high mobility. Yet if you won’t carry it around that much, bigger ones might be a better choice. You will also have more room to meddle with digital artwork, process spreadsheets, or just watch some movies.
Form
When you think of laptops, the image you see in your head is probably the traditional clamshell model. This model generally suffices for most people. Yet nowadays, we have more diverse options of laptop forms with the rise of 2 in 1 laptop model. Take a look again at your needs and see which kind of laptop serves you best.
2-in-1 or convertible laptops are different from the usual model due to their ability to fold away or detach. It can transform to tent mode, tablet mode, or stay in its clamshell form- just however you like it. If you are in constant need to use a tablet, like for digital drawing or gaming, you can consider getting a 2-in-1 laptop. Every type has its pros and cons; hence do more research before picking one.
Operating System
Choosing the right operating system is crucial since it decides the environment you will work in. You will interact with how the OS manages all the software on your laptop. That’s why people generally stick with whatever OS they are already familiar with. But again, the choice is yours—after knowing the characteristics of some of the most popular OS on the market.
Windows OS is the most widely used among the others, and that’s for a few reasons. It’s easy to use and compatible with most devices. You will have a wider array of laptop options to choose from. Yet because of its popularity, Windows OS is also the most vulnerable to viruses and malware.
macOS is native to Apple devices only. That means fewer options to pick from—you can only choose a variation of MacBook, which generally costs more. However, the OS is best known for its simplicity and clean design interface. It’s so beginner-friendly that many people get hooked and buy more Apple products.
Chrome OS is a less popular OS compared to the other two. Despite that, this OS by Google can do well if most of your activity can be done in a browser. If you don’t really need software like Adobe Suite or Microsoft Office, this can be your best bet. Chromebooks are also great for those of you who are looking for an affordable laptop.
Processor
A processor or CPU is the brain of a laptop. The higher the quality of your processor, the better performance your laptop will have. It’s a bit complex to dive deeper into the technical aspects of a processor, and you don’t need to understand everything to buy a good laptop. After all, you can choose from two big processor manufacturers: Intel and AMD.
You may have heard about Intel processors. They’re everywhere and have been around since the early days of massive usage of computers. Depending on the intended usage for your new laptop, you can choose from the most powerful to the basic variant of Intel processors. High-end ones like Core i9 and i7 are suitable for gamers and video editors, and the lower ones are enough for everyday use like emailing and browsing the internet.
Besides Intel, AMD also offers processors of great quality for your needs. Choose from Ryzen 3, 5, 7, and 9 according to your day-to-day activities—the higher, the better. Laptops with AMD processors are also worth considering as they generally cost less than their Intel counterparts.
RAM
RAM stands for Random Access Memory, which explains how much the laptop can handle multiple programs running at once. For example, think about how often you open a bunch of tabs on your browser while opening other software like a word processor and music streaming platform. Bigger RAM capacity translates to a better capability of doing that.
Back then, 4GB RAM was considered more than enough. However, you might want to set 8GB as your minimum standard for general use nowadays. If you are a power user, opt for larger ones like 16GB or even 32GB. Note: try to get RAM from the newest generation, DDR4, for better performance and upgradability.
Storage
This one is just too obvious: you need storage to keep files and software on your laptop. The more of them you have, the bigger room you will need. The next two things to consider are the type and capacity of the storage you need. Do your research, but don’t worry too much as it is upgradable in most cases.
Some laptops might still use a hard disk drive (HDD) as their internal storage. HDD usually offers a larger storage capacity at a relatively lower cost. Yet it’s not as fast as its newer counterpart, solid-state drive (SSD). If you have the budget, always go for a laptop SSD, although it might provide a smaller room. When you still need more, you can also try to use both SSD and HDD in one laptop.
There are still many other aspects of a laptop to consider when buying one. However, these are good starting points to adjust to your needs and budget. It’s always good to do more research before picking your new laptop, so look for more information for better knowledge.
