Buying a laptop within your budget and all your desired features isn’t easy. Hundreds of notebooks are available in the market, and the option is endless. If you search online or visit a brick-and-mortar retail store, they will likely bombard you with technical specifications that aren’t easy to understand for a layperson. So, how do you choose a laptop with everything you need? To ensure no nasty surprise after the purchase, here’s our guide to zero in on the features you need for a perfect laptop.
1. Think How You Want To Use The Laptop
Ask yourself how you will need to use the laptop. You can divide the usage into the following three.
Heavy use: You will do multi-tasking, video or photo editing, or programming tasks. In this case, you must purchase one with a faster processor, high-capacity RAM, high-resolution graphics card, and larger disk space.
Average use: You will prepare documents and Excel sheets, stream videos, and play music. An average RAM, Storage, and processor will do fine.
Light use: email handling, social networking, online transactions, browsing the web – for this type of task, a laptop with basic configuration should serve the purpose.
2. Decide Whether Portability Is Important
Every piece, such as disk drives, DVD or Bluray drives, etc., adds to the laptop’s weight and size. So, you should consider what you need and what’s not! Typically, laptops can be divided into three categories based on weight
6 lbs. or above: Laptops with 6 lbs weight are power-horses. They provide a large screen and faster processing speed. This is ideal for professionals and gamers who hardly move their laptops from their desks.
4–5 lbs. This is the middle range and balances the machine’s portability and power. Laptops in this range are most suitable for people who sometimes work from the airport and coffee shops.
3 lbs. or less: Sleek laptops. These are great for frequent travelers and students who carry out basic tasks like documentation, office reporting, email handling, and web surfing.
3. Select The Storage, Processor, And Memory
Though hard disk drive is still popular, SSD (Solid State Drive) controls the internal storage market. If you pick up HDD, you will get more space because of extra weight and noise in the laptop. If SSD is chosen, there will be no noise, and the laptop weight will be lighter. You should select SSD if you plan to use the laptop for COMPLETELY professional use.
The processor, along with system memory (RAM), is the brain of your laptop. The stronger the processor and RAM, the faster your device will give you the desired output. Two popular processor brands are Intel and AMD. You can pick up any good processor offered by them. For RAM, you should choose at least 4 GB for basic computing. If you are into video/ image editing or programming, you should have at least 8 GB of RAM.
4. Know The Operating System
The market’s three most popular operating systems are Windows, OS X, and Chrome OS. Operating systems are the heart of any computer, and you would interact with your laptop’s programs and hardware through it. It would help to buy a computer with an operating system you are familiar with and match best with your laptop buying purpose. For example, if security and user experience is a matter of concern for you, you can purchase OS X from Apple. If you mostly do web surfing and use cloud-based programs for different activities, Chrome OS could be an excellent option. Windows-based systems could be a good choice if you are an average user planning to use lots of third-party software and a less costly laptop.
5. Mark The Screen Size
Typically, laptop screen size ranges from 11 inches to 17 inches. Larger screen size is used for video and image editing, watching movies, gaming, and other power job where you need lots of space on the screen. If you aren’t in those categories, an 11 to 13-inch screen size would be perfect. Please note that the more the screen size, the more it adds to the laptop’s weight and space, reducing portability.
6. Choose The Resolution
Another important feature to consider is the resolution. The higher the answer is, the better the quality of the image/video is. Many resolution options are available in the market, such as HD, HD+, Retina Display, Quad HD and HD+, 4k Ultra HD, etc. Average quality laptops offer HD and Full HD resolution of 1366×768 pixels to 1920×1080 pixels. The extremely high pixel density provides sharp and crispy detail of what you see on the screen, which is best for professional graphics and web design works, watching high-definition movies, and playing games.
7. Make Sure The Right Look And Feel
You will likely use your laptop daily if it is with you. So, the appearance and user experience of the computer should be right for you. Before purchasing a computer, learn more about it by physically handling it. Make sure the clasps and hinges are hardy enough to withstand regular use. Check the lid to see whether it’s operating smoothly. Stroke a few keys on the keyboard to know whether you can type on a layout. Ensure the trackpad and mouse buttons function as smoothly as you like them.
Conclusion
Understanding the differences in different laptops’ configurations is essential before buying the one you need. For example, check out the best laptops available for animation work on your computer. Similarly, you can find the best laptop for stock traders if you are a stock trader. So, understand your needs well and find the best laptop per your requirements and budget before making the final purchase decision.
