Not so long ago, people used to have their set preferences when it came to buying a computer. The reason was that the choices were limited. Nowadays, due to the plethora of options in the market and the very peculiar difference between any two models, selecting a laptop becomes challenging.
Even If you know exactly what you are looking for, you end up buying something else. In this article, we have tried to break down the jargon so that you can buy the best computer considering your needs.
Table of Contents
Select the Operating System:
Before you actually step out or search online to buy a laptop, decide the operating system you wish to buy. Take time to think thoroughly about all the software applications you want to use and what operating system you would buy.
Deciding the apps and the operating system will help you decide the hardware specifications. The four major operating systems that you can select from include Windows, macOS, Linux, and Chrome OS.
Understand Processors:
Once you know the app that you will run and the operating system you are buying, you can easily figure out the hardware specifications for your computer. Now it’s time to decide on the chip or processor your computer might be integrating.
The giant manufacturers in this category include Intel and AMD. Intel processors have i3, i5, i7, and i9 processors, where i3 is considered the least powerful and the i9 is the most robust. On the other hand, AMD offers Ryzen 3, 5, and 7.
Know Your Graphics Cards:
Most laptops are shipped with graphics cards mounted inside the motherboard, also known as integrated graphics cards. That would be sufficient for most users, so you may not require buying a discrete one unless you are using your computer for average computing tasks.
If you do a lot of video editing or are avid gamers, you might need to have a powerful graphics card. Most Intel laptops come with Nvidia in the GeForce lineup, but you may also opt for the AMD Radeon series that is available at quite a reasonable price.
Get Enough RAM:
A must-have computer specification where the simple rule to buy one is – the higher, the better. RAM is something that your computer uses to hold data temporarily while the processor is busy implementing an array of seamless operations.
Your computer must never run out of RAM; else, you may not be able to handle even the simple tasks such as opening a new tab or editing an image. Even if you are using your computer for document editing or entertainment, having 8 GB of RAM is ideal.
Buy Solid-State Drive:
The hard drive is the data repository where you will be storing all the items ranging from documents to videos to images to presentations. So, the storage media has to be huge as well as faster. SSDs are faster, particularly when they are connected via NVMe connection.
When it comes to storage, the bare essentials for any computer are 256 gigabytes. If you ever feel like running out of space, move data to the cloud or clear system storage to free up space. If you wonder what’s system data, it’s the location that stores system files, cache, junk, and more.
Check All Ports:
While the RAM, storage, and CPU are known to have the biggest impact on your computer’s performance, ports will extend their functionality to some extent. With the right ports in place, you can connect all the required peripherals and devices to handle any complex project.
So, make sure that the computer you buy is equipped with major ports such as a USB-A, USB-C, headset jack, HDMI port, and similar connectivity options. This way, you can connect a webcam, an extra display, and a gaming keyboard altogether while enjoying the gameplay.
Get a Bigger Screen:
Even if you are buying a laptop for personal use, it is recommended to have good screen dimensions for a better experience. A home computer does a mix of everything from writing a document to editing images to watching a video, so it has to be large.
When buying a laptop, go for at least 15 inches screen as you won’t find difficulty carrying it along when traveling. If you are buying a desktop, you can opt for anywhere between a 17-inches and 22-inches display.
Have a Webcam:
You may not need it to work efficiently and productively on your computer, but you would definitely need one if you are spending enough time on Zoom. Most laptops have a webcam built-in, but you may only get 720 pixels, while you may want 1080 p for better video clarity.
You must also check the hinges to ensure that the laptop you are buying is sturdy enough to handle with one hand. When buying online, you may head to the local store to check the laptop model that you are investing in for long-term use.
