Laptops
The process of purchasing a laptop computer is fraught with ambiguity. Finding what you're looking for is challenging even if you understand everything involved and know exactly what it is you need. Indeed, it's a pain merely to try to find the model you want on the manufacturers' websites.
As confusing as today's computers might be, we hope this guide will be a helpful starting point for you. While looking for your new computer, the following section will cover all the essentials you need to know. As far as possible, we avoid theoretical explanations and instead focus on providing concrete examples.
Need Advice: Should I Buy a Budget Chromebook? Or do I need to open "Google Translate" to make sense of the technical specifications shown next to my Windows laptop? Another option is to visit Apple Store and look at the "MacBook."
Not to put undue pressure on you, but if you make a mistake, you'll be stuck with that laptop for the next three to five years.
But have no fear. To avoid it, read this article.
Please Choose an Operating System (OS)
Selected Hardware
Display Cards Adapters
Picky Processor!
Can You Please Specify the Amount of Memory That You Have?
When it comes to storage, how much do you need?
Pick Requirements
Here Are Several Recommendations for Laptops,
Complimentary Laptop Purchasing Advice
1. Please Choose an Operating System (OS)
Based on your prior experience, the various devices you already own, and the needs of your school or workplace, you probably already know which operating system you prefer. You may basically choose between three different possibilities.
There is still no OS for laptops that is more popular than Microsoft Windows. This is the failsafe option if you need to utilise professional software in addition to Microsoft applications like Word, Excel, and Outlook.
Windows 11 may be upgraded from Windows 10 for free on nearly all Windows laptops now on the market. When buying a laptop, you should check the manufacturer's website to see if it supports Windows 11 upgrades. Laptops running Windows often cost between $300 and $3,000.
Laptops powered by Google's Chrome OS are commonly referred to as "Chromebooks," and they're a huge hit in the classroom. For people whose primary requirement is to access the internet, this is an excellent choice. Android applications are also supported. You can generally get them for less than $650, making them some of the cheapest options out there.
With an iPhone or iPad, you already have access to iMessage, Safari, and the AirPods' wireless connectivity, so it only makes sense to stay in the Apple ecosystem and purchase a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro running Apple's MacOS. Right now, MacOS comes preinstalled on every MacBook Pro.
Selected Hardware
Laptops come in a wide variety of forms, from ultraportables and tablets to high-performance gaming machines and professional workstations.
It's important to keep in mind the "Three P's"—Portability, Pricing, and Power—when shopping for a laptop. Powerful and portable devices tend to cost more.
Display Cards Adapters
Is a Video Card an Option?
Rtx 3080
While graphics processing units (GPUs, sometimes known as "discrete" graphics) are included in every laptop, they are often integrated onto the motherboard with the central processing unit. "Integrated graphics," as this method is called, works just well for the vast majority of users. You may play casual games and view high-definition movies without any problems.
You should look for a laptop with a dedicated graphics card if you want to play games or edit videos frequently. A majority of laptop graphics cards are produced by either AMD or Nvidia.
Nvidia GeForce graphics cards, namely the power-efficient Max-Q variant designed specifically for laptops, are commonly included in laptops powered by the Intel Core processor. The typical naming convention for these cards consists of the card name followed by "Max-Q," as in "GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q." (A card rated at 2000 or above will have more processing power, but its battery life may suffer.) The Max-Q cards are typically 15–25% less powerful than desktop equivalents, although they are still more than capable of handling modern games and video editing software.
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Radeon is the brand name for AMD's graphics processing unit (GPU), which includes everything from the high-end Vega and RX cards to the lower-end R-series cards that use the same naming scheme as Ryzen CPUs.
Picky Processor!
Can You Tell Me How Much Computer Power I'll Need?
We suggest a laptop with an Intel Core i5 CPU from the ninth generation or later if you are a regular user who uses a web browser, Microsoft Office, and maybe even some picture editing software. Something like "Intel Core i5-9350U" would show up in such a case.
An Intel i7 processor is a worthwhile improvement that will make your laptop seem much speedier if you can afford it. Nevertheless, you should weigh your demands against the fact that the increased power typically results in a decreased battery life. An i7 (or i9) processor could be used in a gaming laptop, but an i3 or i5 is generally sufficient for typical day-to-day use.
However, the AMD Ryzen 5000 series would enough for most people, but the Ryzen 7000 is a good upgrade, although at the expense of battery life.
Are You a Super User?
You'll need more power than the rest of us if you create software, edit video, or deal with really huge databases. I would recommend a Ryzen 7 or Intel i7 processor. We'll discuss RAM shortly, but for now, just know that you need a lot of it.
It's worth noting that Intel and AMD both unveiled a bevy of new laptop chips at CES 2023. AMD has unveiled the Ryzen 7000 "Zen 4" CPU, and Intel has revealed its 13th-generation "Raptor Lake" processors. There has been little evidence of significant performance improvements, but we anticipate longer battery life from some of the next mobile CPUs (especially AMD's Ryzen 7040 mobile chips).
Flex 5 Chromebook, Powered by the Best Processors for Chrome OS Laptops
Picture of a Lenovo Flex 5 COURTESY OF LENOVO
The Chrome web browser is at the core of Google's Chrome operating system, and the majority of Chrome OS's apps are designed to work within Chrome itself. This implies that it can operate without the massive processing power of Intel CPUs. This is the theory, at least. My knowledge tells me that Chrome OS performs best on laptops with at least an Intel i3 processor, and that the AMD Ryzen 4000 processor is presently the best bang for the buck in a Chromebook.
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The AMD Ryzen 4000 series is my preferred chipset for Chromebooks. (See some of the best Chromebooks we've reviewed.) That series is strong enough for most jobs and has exceptional battery life—a combination that's more rare to find in Intel-powered Chromebooks.
There are high-end Chromebooks with Intel i5 CPUs, and even some i7 versions are out there, but unless you're absolutely all in on Chrome OS you're better off getting a more powerful Windows laptop.
Chromebooks using Qualcomm's Snapdragon series CPUs are also becoming more common, as these chips provide a satisfactory balance of performance and cost. Although we haven't had a chance to put them through their paces in testing just yet, they seem like they'd be a welcome addition to the budget Chromebook market, providing more processing power than Intel's Celeron without the battery drain of Core-series CPUs.
Intel's Celeron family of CPUs are still used in the most affordable Chromebooks. If your demands are quite low and you'll never do anything more than gently browse the web, the Celerons will do. However the Celeron CPUs will struggle and possibly upset you if you want to run Android apps or install Linux programmes on your Chromebook.
Can You Please Specify the Amount of Memory That You Have?
RAM Requirements
Computer RAM
More's better! Laptop RAM stores data while the CPU processes it. RAM is your workstation. Your workstation should hold all your work. Things slide off a little desk and you can't work. If you run out of Memory, you can't open new browser tabs or compile your film. Your laptop will freeze and require a restart.
The average Windows user needs 8 GB of RAM, however 16 GB will make your laptop more powerful (and is a necessity for gaming). Check if the Memory is soldered to the motherboard before buying. If so, you can't update Memory.
If you're developing and creating software or editing videos, you'll need at least 16 GB of RAM, and 32 GB is better if you can afford it.
Chrome OS uses less processors. With 4 GB of Memory, a Chromebook can handle more tabs, but 8 GB will speed things up.
Choose DDR4-enabled Memory. Double data rate (DDR). You want fast DDR4 Memory. DDR3 Memory is rare now. Most laptops feature DDR4 RAM, but manufacturers publish the kind and amount on their website, so verify before you buy.
When it comes to storage, how much do you need?
Your data is on the hard disc. Imagine your desk's file cabinet. Some inexpensive laptops employ spinning discs, but most use SSDs. Avoid them.
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If you can, get a 256-gigabyte SSD. SSDs, especially those with NVMe connections, transfer data faster than SATA drives. Laptops with NVMe SSDs for operating systems and SATA drives for data are common. This is fast and affordable.
eMMC storage may appear in inexpensive laptops. It's an SSD, but it's distinct from NVMe and PCIe SSDs. Phones, tablets, and certain computers use Embedded MultiMediaCard (especially Chromebooks).
eMMC's "embedded" typically implies soldered directly to the motherboard. Hence, you cannot upgrade your drive afterwards. Slower speeds are another drawback. eMMC drives are currently as fast as SATA-based spinning disks—usable but slow. I found eMMC drives suitable for light-duty laptops used for online browsing, office work, etc. Above that, an SSD is superior. eMMC-capable devices exist. Solid, fast eMMC-drive computers include the Surface Go series (at least in the cheaper configurations).
256 gigabytes is our minimum recommendation. If you use the cloud or Chromebooks, you may not need as much capacity, but it's important to have it. Installing plenty of games, software, or images and videos will quickly fill up space.
Your hard disc may never have its promised space. Windows may show 490 GB of a 512-gigabyte hard disc. Binary and decimal byte size computations differ, therefore you're not losing space. Windows utilises binary bytes, whereas drive manufactures use decimal. Both are theoretically right, but Windows reports storage space you may utilise to store files.
Pick Requirements
You'll probably have to select these options if you buy directly from the manufacturer's website.
Processors: Intel and AMD provide processors for Windows laptops (AMD). For instance, Intel's 11th-generation CPU powers Samsung's Galaxy Book Pro 360, improving performance, battery life, and startup speeds.
Chromebooks have processor options too. Performance is improved with Intel "Core" CPUs. MacBooks should avoid Intel CPUs. Because Apple has stated that it would switch to its own CPUs in a year or two.
RAM: Windows laptops and MacBooks should have 8 gigabytes of Memory. 16GB or more may be better if you run many apps or have many browser tabs open.
Storage: Chromebooks usually have 32 gigabytes of storage. 64GB or 128GB is ideal for installing images, movies, and documents. 512 gigabytes is normal for high-end Windows and MacBook machines. If you need additional capacity, try cheaper and more portable SanDisk or Samsung external solid-state drives (SSDs) before spending hundreds on storage upgrades.
Here Are Several Recommendations for Laptops
Recommended Laptops
These factors influenced my laptop evaluations. These are my favourite laptops.
Windows: Microsoft's $999 Surface Laptop 4. The keyboard and trackpad are pleasant and slim. I enjoy Samsung's $1,200 Galaxy Book Pro 360.
Unlike the Surface Laptop, the display opens and shuts 360 degrees and comes with a "S Pen" for tablet use. 13-inch and 15-inch laptops are offered. I like a 13-inch laptop for mobility, although most people want a bigger screen.
I like Google's 13.3-inch Pixelbook Go. I've never used a quieter keyboard. Its touchscreen and 1080p webcam make it tiny. One of the priciest Chromebooks, it costs $650.
MacBook: I've used the new M1-chip MacBook Pro for two months. The fan's quietness and coolness stun me even with hundreds of tabs open. The $999 MacBook Air with the M1 CPU boasts good battery life, respectable performance for daily workloads, and no fans.
Complimentary Laptop Purchasing Advice
We prefer buying laptops from the manufacturer's website, however many merchants have fantastic discounts. Visit multiple stores to find the lowest pricing. Make sure the product specs match while comparing.
Several dealers offer $250 extended warranties. Accident compensation is included. I don't recommend such promises, but only you know how likely you are to spill coffee on your new keyboard.
A USB-C converter adaptor is recommended. Modern computers include USB-C ports. Older cables and peripherals require an adapter. Apple will provide $19 at checkout. Don't purchase it. Three-port Anker devices cost the same. I recommend the $30 five-port one.
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