Whether you need to format Excel spreadsheets on the Heathrow Express or play the latest PC games, laptops offer portability and power. But technical perfection isn’t everything, and you’ll want something that suits your aesthetics too.
With a wide range of sizes and models available, selecting the right laptop can be overwhelming. Here’s our guide to help you make the best choice.
Choosing the Right Platform
Depending on what you’ll be using your laptop for, there are different options available. For example, if you need to multitask or run complex software programs, a Workstation or Business laptop might be a good fit. If you’ll be using your laptop for gaming, look for a model with high processing speeds and strong graphics capabilities.
Another thing to consider is portability. Will you need a wide range of ports to connect to various devices and peripherals? If so, you might want to consider a laptop with USB-C (Thunderbolt 3) capability. This is the latest standard, and it can handle display output, charging, data transfer, and more at much faster rates than legacy connections.
You also need to think about screen size and resolution, especially if you’ll be doing a lot of photo and video editing on the go. The larger the screen, the more room you’ll have to work with. However, keep in mind that larger screens usually come with heavier laptops, which can be a consideration if you’re frequently traveling with your computer.
The amount of memory your laptop has will also have a significant impact on its performance. Look for models that have at least 8GB of RAM, although higher amounts are recommended for multitasking and gaming. In addition, opt for a solid state drive (SSD) instead of a traditional hard disk drive. SSDs are much faster at reading and writing data, which will improve overall laptop speed.
Choosing the Right Processor
As the brains of a laptop, processors execute instructions and process data to drive overall system functionality. Selecting the best laptop processor requires understanding architecture, cores, clock speed, cache size and other technical specifications to match your specific needs.
For instance, a laptop purchased for basic tasks like browsing the web and writing emails doesn’t need much more than a processor that offers at least four cores (or Intel i3 or AMD Ryzen series processors). In general, the latest generation of a CPU is typically better because it builds on performance learnings from previous iterations. It also helps ensure compatibility with future software updates and better longevity for your laptop investment.
The next thing to consider is the number of cores, since this largely impacts multitasking capability and overall performance. Higher core counts and faster clock speeds are important for laptops used for intensive work, such as video editing and gaming. However, a laptop with too many cores can negatively impact battery life.
Cache size is another factor to consider, since larger caches offer quicker data access and can improve performance. Finally, look for processors that have the H or HX designation, as they’re specifically designed to prioritize power efficiency and battery life for portable devices. This means that you can use your laptop more often without worrying about running out of juice.
Choosing the Right Memory
Buying a laptop is a big decision that requires careful consideration. The right laptop will suit your specific needs and provide the best possible performance for your budget.
RAM is the part of your laptop that stores information while you’re using it. It’s like a filing cabinet that keeps your folders until you need them; RAM lets your laptop store data much more quickly than a hard drive would, although it loses its contents when the computer is turned off.
The amount of RAM you need depends on your use case and the software you’ll be running. Some programs, especially those used for programming and video editing, require a lot of memory. 8GB of RAM is enough for most everyday users; 16GB is better, and 32GB is the minimum for most gaming systems.
Aside from capacity, RAM speed (measured in megahertz, or MHz) matters too. Look for RAM with a speed that matches the maximum speed supported by your laptop’s motherboard. Then, make sure your laptop has at least 2 slots that can fit a RAM module; if it only has 1, you’ll need to replace the existing one before adding more.
Also look for RAM labeled “UDIMM” or “SO-DIMM.” Both types of modules are compatible with most laptops, but UDIMM is usually the preferred option for notebooks because it’s a smaller form factor.
Choosing the Right Storage
Unless you are on an extremely tight budget, you should consider getting a laptop with a solid state drive (SSD) rather than a hard disk drive (HDD). While HDDs still have a lot of bang for the buck, SSDs are three to four times faster.
If you only do basic internet browsing, email and social media, a laptop with 256GB of storage should be sufficient for your needs. However, if you also want to keep photos and videos on your computer, you will need much more storage space.
For those who are a little more involved in gaming, 1TB of storage space is usually enough. More than that is usually not needed, however, as most gamers prefer to use cloud-based applications like Google Docs and iCloud and streaming platforms like YouTube, Netflix and Spotify.
Many laptops come with an SSD and HDD combo, where the SSD loads your operating system and apps and the HDD stores all of your files. This is a great way to get the best of both worlds. Typically, the SSD in these systems use an NVMe connection, which moves data 3x as fast as an older SATA drive. This is more expensive than a standalone SSD, but it’s worth the extra cost if you have the money to spend. Alternatively, you can find laptops with a single SSD and buy a separate external HDD to store all of your files.
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