Purchasing a laptop can be very confusing, but here are a few tips for buying a new laptop. With the laptop industry going under revamp since the past few years choosing the one for your requirements can be confusing. Some laptops double up as the tablets, some business laptops weigh less than a kg, and most of them are touch-enabled. On the other end of the spectrum are substantial gaming behemoths. It is going to take some time before we reach an era where people will use foldable laptops.
Need help in coming out of the confusion and taking the right decision. Here are a few things that you must consider before getting into what brand manufacturers boast about.
Tips for buying a new laptop
Mac vs Windows
You need to decide if you want a Windows laptop or an Apple Mac OS laptop which could come from different manufacturers. Nowadays, most of the software you require is available on both the platforms, but there are a few dissimilarities in both of their user experience.
MacBooks are best known for their software usage. Different video editors prefer these machines compared to Windows. On the other side, Windows laptops are surely improved machines for gamers, while business users must be fine with either of the operating system.
If you choose a Windows OS laptop, you get many options. Ranging from size to form factor to the maker, there are plenty of options. If you are choosing a MacBook, then you will have a few options from Apple itself.
Chromebooks
Chromebooks are at the cheaper range. They are Chromed Operating System based laptops and start around within a 15,000 range. They are what is called as the always-online laptops that stay connected regularly through the Internet and do not do much offline. It is a totally different world and means mainly for those customers who require a laptop for basic requirements like Microsoft Office and certain Android apps. If you spend most of your time in a web browser then, a Chromebook is a great option.
Size
Your choice will range between ultraportable 12 and 13-inch laptops, to 17-inch machines that are best suitable for gaming or video editing. In between, you have the most common 14-inch to 15.6-inch laptops.
Ultra-portables generally weight less than 1.5 kgs, have excellent displays, and keyboards that are just huge enough to type in a comfortable manner. This is useful for most of the business users who need to carry their laptop while traveling to work on spreadsheets, presentations, and documents. One of the major drawbacks is that in this, ports like LAN, USB, etc. are mostly restricted.
The 14-inch and 15.6-inch workhorses are a great choice for people who are looking for functionality and portability. The screen size is great for binge-watching and they provide more ports, big batteries, and improved hardware. However, if you need to carry it, the extra weight and space need issues can be a problem, so these are not necessarily the best option for individuals who need to travel for work.
Gaming laptops
If you are a serious gamer, then nothing less than a high-end laptop will do good for you. Gamers need a high-resolution display, a discrete graphics card, plenty of RAM, and a processor. These laptops are expensive though.
Specifications
Considering the specification sheet of a laptop is one of the important tips for buying a laptop. It might seem to be confusing to a layperson, but there is nothing to think about much. If you are a gamer or someone else who requires a high-performance machine like a video editor, then you must be already knowing what type of specs you need, but for a casual user, the baseline of hardware is pretty good enough.
Screen
The quality of the screen is one of the significant tips for buying a new laptop. As you will end up staring at your laptop for long hours, you must ensure that the screen is comfortable to use and look at. To begin with, you must consider whether you want your next laptop to be a touchscreen or not. Nowadays, touchscreens are common. They make tasks easier compared to other laptops. Unfortunately, they can add a glossy effect to the display which is at times undesirable. Glossy screens lead to cause reflections, which are a distinct negative if you are watching a video or editing pictures. For all these reasons, you must consider a laptop that does not come with a touchscreen.
Next, make sure you check the resolution of the laptop you are planning to buy. A 1920 x 1080- pixel resolution must be considered if you want a lot of space to line up the windows and keep the things in view. Some of the modern laptops nowadays come with 4K resolutions. However, these high-end display panels are usually an expensive add-on to an already costly product. They are going to be worth it for those who actually need them, as content creators. Videographers and photographers also want laptops that provide better color accuracy and supports wider color gamut.
Decide the form factor
Most of the laptops still come with a traditional claim-type design, with a screen that can be folded down to the touchpad and keyboard. There are a few that oppose the trend, however. Some of the laptops keep the traditional shape but add a touchscreen, which can be fun for several creative tasks like making music or drawing. Others come with a touchscreen that can be folded back behind the keyboard, making your laptop as small as a tablet. These are generally called 2-in-1’s laptop.
Models like Surface range from Microsoft and the different Asus Transformers have screens that detach completely from the remaining part of the device, to make a right table free from the weight and bulk of keyboards.
Quality of the keyboard
Another important point in the list of tips for buying a new laptop is the keyboard. If you are involved in a typing job then, considering the quality of the keyboard is a significant step. You do not need a keyboard that packs in each key under the sun as that can transform into the poor overall user experience while hunting for specifics like delete or arrow keys.
You must look for a keyboard that has a comfortable layout with full-sized keys and some room around the arrow keys. The keys must have adequate space on the downstroke and snappy reaction when you allow them to go. Ensure that the keyboard is backlit so that you can type with a simpler view on the keys when you are even working in dim-lit environments.
RAM
During the old days, you rarely required over 4 GB of RAM or more to achieve the best out of your system. Nowadays, you will possibly want to think about 8GB as the least. If you are a power-user, 16 GB is the best option to choose from. In the meantime, gamers must look at dialling things up all the way to 32 GB if they are looking for the best experience. More RAM means you can run more applications at the same time, and for more data to be fast accessible by the system at a time, which comes in handy for tasks like editing video or photo content.