Laptop Buying Guide: 12 Things to Consider

Choosing the right laptop especially if it’s your first, can be a very difficult task for anyone. There are so many different brands, models, and features to choose from that it can feel impossible to find the one that is just right for you. Don’t worry! We’re here to help you get started on your search with this ultimate laptop buying guide.

Where will you use it?

This is the first question you need to answer. Where are you going to use your laptop? Will you use it for home office? Traveling? Is it just for simple tasks such as email and browsing or power-intensive tasks such as a photo or video editing? The answer will help you determine how much power and storage capacity you need, as well as the size of the screen.

This is a very important question to consider when buying a new laptop. You don’t want it to slow down over time or right out of the box!

Operating System

Learning about the different operating systems that are available for laptops can be a challenge. There’s Windows, Chrome OS, and macOS (for MacBooks only). But don’t worry- here is an overview of each:

Windows

Windows is currently the most popular operating system for laptops. It comes pre-installed on many devices and it’s compatible with all other Microsoft software like Office or Outlook. All of these features make it an easy choice if you’re already familiar with Microsoft products. If not, don’t worry! There are plenty of tutorials available to help new users become familiar with how Windows works.

Apple macOS (for MacBooks)

MacBooks come preloaded with Apple’s macOS operating system that has a beautiful interface that makes everything simple to use right out of the box. This ease can be seen everywhere in OS X apps like Mail, Safari, and iTunes; along with iLife programs such as Garage and iMovie.

Chrome OS

This operating system is commonly found on Chromebooks. Chrome OS is made by Google and uses the popular browser of the same name as its basis for operation; meaning that you can do anything in a web browser using Chrome on your Chromebook, which makes it great for browsing but if you’re looking to install programs like Microsoft Office then this laptop will not be what you want!

Keyboard and Touchpad

Do you have some time to get work done? Then don’t shortchange yourself by using an outdated keyboard. Make sure that it offers solid tactile feedback, plenty of key travel, and enough space between the keys for your fingers! As far as a touchpad goes – make sure its precision drivers can keep up with all those swipes or taps (easy on them).

Battery Life

If you want to use your laptop for traveling then consider battery life when choosing to buy your first laptop. If you’re on the go all day then don’t settle for anything less than five hours of juice! For power users who are constantly glued to their laptop – try and get at least six.

Screen Resolution & Size

If you’ll be watching movies on the go then you better have good eyesight! But seriously though: As far as resolution goes, make sure your screen can handle 1366 x 768 or higher (1080p HD), which is perfect if you like watching movies or sharing presentations with friends.

As far as size goes; most modern laptops come in sizes ranging anywhere from eleven inches to seventeen inches diagonally, so pick one that’s big enough but not too bulky. If screen size does matter to you then choose something bigger than 13 inches since they tend to offer better viewing angles.

Processor

A fast processor and lots of cores might be overkill if you just browse the web and send emails all day. However, if you’re planning on doing serious work or playing high-end games then more cores mean that the laptop can handle multiple tasks at once.

If you’ve got a lot to do – like editing audio and video files while also uploading images to your website; for example – get one with an iCore (Intel Quad-Core). If not, even better news: laptops powered by AMD processors are usually cheaper than their Intel counterparts but still very powerful nonetheless.

RAM

The average user needs 8GB of RAM, but 16GB is necessary for gamers and video editors. If your laptop has soldered memory (which most do) upgrading to a different size can’t be done without blowing out the chips and causing data loss or corruption because there are no slots available in this configuration; however, you might consider removing some unnecessary programs that drain system resources before making such an investment – something we recommend all users should take into consideration when purchasing their next computer!

Hard Drive vs Solid State Drives (SSD)

The bigger the hard drive capacity is; the more data it’s capable of storing so try and go big when buying your laptop. However, solid-state drives offer faster performance, less battery drainage, and are more reliable – which is why many laptops these days come with both a hard drive for saving all your files as well as an SSD for speed.

Ports

Ports are the various ways of plugging things into your laptop, like USB devices or recharging them. The amount and types that you have available will impact how fast everything on board runs- but don’t forget about what goes into each slot!

Webcam

The webcam on your laptop is a great tool for you to use. If it doesn’t have one, get one! Don’t worry about the resolution being 720p as long as most of what you’re doing won’t benefit from higher-quality images and video – like chatting with friends instead of editing videos all day long (or whatever). You might want 1080P if you are into live streaming or often have zoom meetings.

Brand

You need to choose a laptop that is made by trusted companies. This is because if you need technical support, you can be sure to get an accurate and timely response from reputable brands like Apple or Samsung so your machine can work properly for years into its life cycle!

Some other brands worth noting are Lenovo (for Windows users), Google(Assistant) Dell/Asus/HP MSI Acer which all provide excellent customer service when there’s something wrong with one of their products.

Budget

If you’re on a strict budget, it’s hard to find quality laptops that cost less than $200. However if your wallet permits, then there are better options available with more durable builds and higher performance levels for not much extra money spent!

Conclusion

We hope that this article has been helpful to you and provided a good starting point for your laptop research. Deciding on your main features is the first step in determining which device will best suit your needs!

You might also like:

Revamp your home office and give it a new look with these Home Office Design Ideas