The best thing about laptops is that they are companionable enough for you to carry them wherever you go. You can download tons of applications and games, or design a presentation on it. You can always use a tablet or a smartphone for that matter, but there is no denying that everything works better on a laptop.
Laptops are available in various sizes, prices, specifications, and features. It’s not an easy task to choose the best one amongst a pool of the finest ones. However, should you decide to buy a laptop, some things must be kept in mind. A laptop good enough for watching movies, might not be useful for downloading applications, or a laptop meant for gaming might be too easy to play music. Be sure to categorize your requirements, to begin with.Â
Now that you have decided to buy a laptop for everyday use check out this detailed set of criteria that will help you in deciding the best device.
The Platform
Should your laptop be equipped with operating systems like Windows, Chrome OS, or macOS? It is, however, your personal choice to go for any of these operating systems. But you must be aware that these systems offer on a laptop. A Windows operating system works best for students, researchers, gamers, and business use. An Apple macOS is quite similar to Windows 10, but there is a slight difference in the interface. Apple has Siri instead of Cortana. Where Windows OS is also available in touch screen laptops, macOS is deprived of it as MacBooks aren’t available in touch screen laptops yet. Then there comes the ChromeOS in the Chromebooks like the Samsung Chromebook 3. It’s effortless to operate and is secured. However, its functions are limited. Everything is quite similar to the Windows; however, you can only use the Chrome app to browse the internet.
Size
When it comes to buying a laptop, size does matter. Laptops are divided into various categories based on their sizes. It’s a significant factor to be considered while buying a laptop because the screen size of a laptop decides the overall size of its framework. You can go for a laptop with a 17-inch screen and use it for gaming and working, but it would be more substantial. You have to decide if you are going to be traveling with your laptop, or you will be using it just at home. You can buy a 17-inch model, but you can’t carry it to places. On the other hand, you can get a 13-inch model, but there is no point if you’re going to use it at home. A 15-inch model, however, is a decent choice in terms of usage and portability. You can take it anywhere or use it at home; the option is yours.
The Form Factor
Some laptops offer the same old enclosed design where your screen folds down on the keypad. However, some laptops let you fold the screen and still keep a touchpad. Some have a touchscreen that can be folded behind the keyboard; this turns your laptop into a tablet, and you are free to watch movies, play music, draw anything, and more. Commonly known as 2-in-1s, these laptops work fine when you are into designing or music programs. But they are pricey as compared to other laptops for apparent reasons. The most expensive 2-in-1s laptop is the Microsoft Surface Book.
Graphics
When it comes to graphics you come across two types that is Integrated and Dedicated graphics cards. The Integrated graphics share the systems memory while the dedicated ones have their own discrete storage. If you are a hard core gamer or an enthusiast then you must choose the dedicated graphics, as it can only provide you with the much needed graphics performance. On the other hand, you are buying a laptop for casual day-to-day tasks, watching movies and surfing the web, then integrated graphics must be your choice. Also a laptop with dedicated graphics comes with a hefty price tag, so make any informed choice.Â
Storage
Determining the storage capacity of a laptop is the most critical factor. People used hard drives for storage, but stopped eventually as they are sluggish, weighty, and they produce heat and make noise. A Solid-State Drive or an SSD, however, is neither slow nor cumbersome. It’s noiseless, and it offers you more speed. It lets you load several programs and access data. It also boots your system faster. Sure there are benefits, but there are some limitations with SSD as well. An SSD doesn’t offer adequate capacity. The SSD storage is more expensive than that of a hard drive. To make things work, a lot of laptops and desktops have created a blend of a minor SSD with a better hard drive. It allows you to enjoy the speed on SSD storage and sufficient room on a hard drive.
Battery
If you are traveling with your laptop, the one thing you should be taking care of is your laptop’s battery. It’s not plausible that you’ll get a seat near a power socket in a café or a train. Small and light laptops tend to provide superior battery life in contrast to larger models. The best way to find out about the battery life of a laptop is to go through its reviews. A general 15-inch model will provide you a minimum of six to seven hours of battery backup. Smaller and portable laptops like 12-inch or 13-inch laptops offer at least eight to ten hours of backup. If you have a high-performing bigger model, that will tend to take a lot of battery life.
Performance
Always choose at least 4GB of RAM in your laptop as it’s unproblematic to open nth tabs on your browser. For editing videos, be sure to opt for 8GB of RAM. While choosing a processor, be sure to categorize the requirements first. If you need a laptop for simple browsing and office work, go for an Intel Core i3 processor. If you wish to edit and encode videos and images, go for an Intel Core i5 chip. Intel Core i7 chip models are somewhat overpriced, but they are faster than any other laptop. If you want your laptop for the best performance, go for Core i7.
