We all have a laptop or need one as it is considered a basic necessity in the present world. A laptop, sometimes called a notebook computer, is used by almost all young to old professionals in different business and economic sectors. Unfortunately, buying a laptop has become more complex than usual, be grateful to the n number of laptops available in the market. You can check the list of laptop brands. Choosing the right laptop is no easy task as the perspective changes from person to person. In addition to that, large companies like HP, Dell, Lenovo, etc. manufacture variant laptops every new day. But which laptop meets our requirements is likely to prove a tough row to hoe.
Laptop Buying Guide
To avoid vagueness of thought, let’s take a look at the laptop buying guide – some of the pro tips on what to look for when buying a laptop:
1. Processor
It is strenuous to surpass Intel’s core based CPUs because of their high performance and micro-architectural efficiency. Intel’s core I chips are believed to be a strong brand for most laptops at present. Laptops are available in three ranges, mainly Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7, which are similar to each other with contrasting differences. Primarily, these 3 cores differ by the number of cores. Core i5 and i7 have four cores, while Core i3 models only have two. This is one factor that will determine the performance of the system. More the number of cores, multiple numbers of tasks can be performed parallelly and efficiently. So, if you’re looking for a laptop with the best performance and reasonable price, then shoot for one with the i5 processor.
2. Battery life
If you’re planning on buying a large, bulky desktop computer that you’ll be mostly using on a desk, then my suggestion is to not look for its battery life. However, if you carry your laptop and work on it frequently, you’ll want at least 7 hours of endurance, with 8+ hours being ideal. Do not consider manufacturers’ opinions about the laptop battery life, instead barge into your phone, check for user reviews on some site, and decide accordingly.
3. RAM
8GB is a good aim for the majority of people. Not saying that 4GB laptops are bad, but it’s better to have a spacious room over a suffocating small room. On a serious note, 8GB is pretty much sufficient for the present and near-term future applications. But, if you’re a gamer or photo/video editor, I recommend 16GB of memory. The prices for ram in primitive laptops used to be very high than they are now. 4GB laptops have been standard for a few years, but most of the laptops at present are switching to the 8GB category. More RAM doesn’t imply your programs will run faster. It’s just that it can support multiple programs at the same time. Know your requirement; go for the right choice.
4. Storage Hard Disk
Laptop drives are customarily 2.5 inches in size and may range from 160GB to over 2TB in capacity. Most of the systems currently have storage capacity between 500GB and 1TB, which is more than sufficient. Most non-professional users will be fine with 250 to 350 GB of storage, but if you’re a movie freak, you’ll have to upgrade it to at least 500GB or maybe 1TB. If you’re expecting a faster and responsive notebook computer, why wouldn’t you go for SSD? Solid State Drive (SSD) usually has 128GB or 256GB of storage, enough for all the programs and data. An SSD has an access speed that is nearly 100 times faster than a hard disk drive, which implies that programs can run faster than the usual in no time. SSD consumes less power than HDD, adding to its advantage that it is not affected by magnetism. SSD is expensive; however, people wouldn’t risk purchasing a laptop having 128GB HDD. Recommended 500GB or higher, with right size SSD with the proper interface.
5. Screen-size
Yes, the size of a laptop definitely matters. We always look for laptops that are portable and handy. Carrying a big, cumbersome laptop for business meetings or any other projects is inconvenient and bothersome. The laptops have completely changed over the past few years due to several implemented developments. Primitive laptops used to look quite different from the recent ones. Earlier, it was wildly heavy and expensive. Now the prices of laptops have drastically decreased due to the new technological advancements. Technology keeps growing, so is the laptop size, which is becoming compact and smaller day by day. More to the point, look for a laptop that has a screen 11 to 12 inches in size. Therefore, it provides the best balance of usability and portability that the customers mostly expect. That day is not away when a mini laptop as big as our palm will be available in the market.
6. Keyboard
They say- Improve Quality, you automatically improve productivity. Having a good keyboard not only helps you work faster but ensures lesser mistakes. These days, many laptops have a comfortable layout with full-sized keys with some space around the arrow keys, and most of them do have backlit so that you can type with a facile view even in a dim light environment. Backlit keyboards are preferred by the most at present.
Summary
The evolution of the modern laptop is happening from 1982 to the present. Rapid technological advancements have made laptops very efficient, and people are purely dependent on them to complete the work faster. Laptops are getting faster and are using less energy and money to run, making it affordable for a common person to buy. Of course, you need to balance the budget with the above-mentioned tips to hunt for a perfect laptop! I believe this laptop buying guide will help you buy a laptop for yourself or your friends.
