Laptop Buying Guide: How To Choose A Laptop That's Right For You

The humble laptop is your best option now when you are looking at a portable unit that will allow you to work from anywhere and that you can easily throw in a backpack to take with you anytime. With the bewildering amount of choices available with a varied price range, you will want to make sure that you get a laptop that serves its purpose. You will need to start at the very basics of understanding what you need to use your laptop for, how often, and where.

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For example, if you will use your laptop mostly from home and it will have continuous access to being charged, then battery life is not an important element for you to look out for. If you plan to travel a lot then you need to look for a laptop that is compact in size and can be carried around easily. When you need a laptop for studying, then you will need it to be fast and reliable. 

The below buyer's guider will help you choose a laptop that is right for you by helping you walk through some of the basics that you need to look out for.

Operating Systems

There are different types of operating systems that help everything on your laptop to run smoothly. Depending on your use you can choose one that fits your preference. If you are looking for a laptop for drawing purposes then check out the laptops at  freedom251.com/best-laptops-for-drawing to get good references. You can buy a laptop for a specific need that is supported by the right operating system. The apps and programs you need to use for the drawing will depend on the operating system on the laptop. 

Display

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Where and how much you plan to use the laptop are key elements you need to take into consideration when deciding on how large the screen should be. You can buy a laptop with a larger display and higher resolution provided it will sit on a desk for most of the time. Large-sized laptops are difficult to move around and you may also damage them while doing so too often. If you want a laptop that can fit into your bag and you can use it from different places, then you should go for a display that is smaller. However, bear in mind that smaller laptops eventually are very uncomfortable and can cause eye strain when used for longer periods of time. 

Memory

The RAM or memory of the laptop decides how many tasks you can do on it at a given time. If your work involves working with large documents on a regular basis, editing files that are large in size, then the RAM will determine if the laptop can actually do so smoothly without causing any halts. Another factor that should help you decide how much memory your laptop needs is to understand how you plan to use the laptop. For everyday use, 8GB will suffice but if you need anything more than you should probably consider buying a laptop with 16GB. However, keep in mind that you can also get an external memory upgrade for your laptop. 

Storage

Storage is an important aspect to consider especially for people who like gaming or store other such large data files. Some of the top games are large in size. The size of your hard drive enables you to know how much you can store. After that, you will need to delete files to be able to store new ones. There are owner space management tools like cloud-based storage and external hard drives that can help you solve storage-related problems easily. 

Graphics

Graphics are another element that most gamers are very serious about. If you are into graphics or if you are a graphic designer then you should choose a laptop that is dedicated to gaming. This is because for such a high-end video gaming experience your laptop will need the necessary extra colling and larger fans as well. If your laptop is not equipped with these other tools then the battery life will quickly get drained. 

Battery Life

Long ago, batteries were not a cheap investment and some of them could be large, heavy, and expensive as well. However, over the last decade, the capacities of batteries have improved significantly. An average laptop in the modern day can survive the whole day without need a charge again. However, you can look for more options if you are keen on getting something that can last even longer. 

Read the reviews of the type of laptop you are looking to purchase beforehand so you know what the experience of different people has been. This way you will always be able to cross-check if the manufacturers' claims about the laptop actually stand true in the real world or not. 

Marvin Fry

Update 19 June 2021