Getting yourself a new laptop can be a very difficult task considering the number of options that are available to you. But how do find the right machine to fit your specific need? We’ve put down some tips that should make your decision making a lot easier.
Budget.
Let’s be honest, most of us don’t have bank accounts overflowing with cash and therefore can not afford just any laptop at any price. Your budget is the most important thing when buying a laptop and should be the first thing you figure out before you can go any further.
Operating System (OS)
So when it comes to the OS there really isn’t a wrong choice as it all depends on your preference and what you are used to. The well known operating systems are ChromeOS, Windows, Linux and Mac OS with each offering its own advantage and disadvantages. If you are getting your first laptop though, then I will recommend a Windows-based machine due to its popularity, ease of usage and general availability. But if you plan on gaming on your machine, then your only choice is Windows.
Size and Portability.
Laptops are generally considered as portable machines but due to the wide variety of laptops and the constant back and forth between true portability and power, some laptops are no more easy to carry around. If you are looking for a laptop that you are hardly going to move, then a large 17-inch laptop could fit your needs. On the other hand, if you are going to have the machine in your backpack for long periods of time then 15.6 or even a lower screen-sized the machine will do just fine.
Processor.
The most important thing among your specs is the processor which basically dictates how fast programs and applications will run on your laptop. The most popular processors and the one you find in about 90% of computers is intel. Ideally, you should be looking for the minimum of a Core i3 processor, that is if you are not going to running any intense applications and you intend to just do light tasks like typing, browsing and watching movies. The Core i5 is the next in line and is probably the most popular processor and for good reason. Its a perfect balance between price and power as it can handle most tasks you throw at it. The core i7 is for the power users like intense gamers and photo/video editors who need a lot of power and therefore need to aim for the very powerful and also costly i7. Another important thing is the generation as these chips get refreshed each year with the new 8th gen four cores which are better for multitasking.
RAM
This is a simple one and should not cause any headaches. Anything above six(6)GB of ram should be fine and 16GB of RAM will be good enough for even heavy usage.
Storage
Storage is also important and depending on your budget and what you intend to do, you may or may not need huge amounts of storage but that is up to you to decide. What does make a difference when it comes to speed is the SSD. So the best choice will be to get a laptop with an SSD for windows and other apps you want running very fast and a normal higher capacity hard drive for storage, which is the best of both worlds.
Graphics
If you looking to game or do some graphic designing on your laptop then you need to get one with a GPU. These kinds of laptops never come cheap but do offer amazing performance on the go. This is totally unnecessary if you are not going to game or design as it will drive up the price of your machine.
Here are some recommendations
Under $500
From $500 to $1000
Above $1000
Graphic Designing
Gaming
