Having a laptop
according to our needs is a must thing these days, but at the same time buying
a good one is a much more confusing task. There are many aspects to focus on.
Going through online stores and comparing every laptop is frustrating.
We hope this guide will help you buy a laptop that suits your needs. Each section below is on important components of a modern laptop. After reading this guide you can buy a laptop according to your need.
The main aspects to see while buying a laptop are Processor (CPU), Graphics card (GPU), RAM, Storage, Operating system, Ports, and other things like display, webcam, etc.
Choose a Processor
The processor, the main part of the system, runs every task (also called CPU). The selection of CPU depends on the power we required. Mainly there are two manufacturers. Intel and AMD.
Intel
Intel’s main processors are Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, and Core i9 where i3 is the basic processor and i9 is the most powerful one. Intel also follows a string of patterns to name a processor based on generation and performance. Each of the above-mentioned processors is subdivided into generations based on the speed of operations. Go through the company website to know more about each processor.
For example, if we choose Core i5-1145G7, the first two numbers (11) is the generation of the processor. And the next two numbers (45) are based on the performance of the processor. There may be three numbers based on the model of the processor. The last number (G7 here) refers to the integrated graphics. The suffix may be like an alphabet like U and H rather than alphanumerical which refers to the performance, where U refers to low-end performance in that chip line (i5) and H refers to high performance in that chip line.
AMD
AMD is another manufacturer of processors. In fact, AMD processors are better for gaming. Similar to Intel’s i3, i5, i7, and i9 processors, AMD has Ryzen 3, Ryzen 5, Ryzen7, and Ryzen 9 processors and every series has its generations and suffixes according to performance. Ryzen is the least powered and Ryzen 9 is the most powerful processor.
For example in the Ryzen 5500U processor first 5 refers to the generation, the higher the generation, the higher the performance in the chip line. The next digit is the power of the processor. Higher the number higher the performance. And the last alphabet ”U” refers to ultra-low power which means these are highly power efficient than other series in the line and the other letter “X” indicates high performance.
What to choose Intel or AMD?
For general tasks like browsing, and watching movies, the difference is indistinguishable. So Ryzen 3 is almost equal to the Core i3 and similarly, Ryzen 5 is equal to i5 and the same applies to Ryzen 7 and Core i7.
The difference comes while doing tasks that use graphics. In most cases, Ryzen performs better while doing graphic-intensive tasks (this applies to integrated graphics). But Intel processors are the most power efficient. You should buy AMD if you are an editor so that performance would be better. For a heavy gamer and professional video editor, then you may need a dedicated graphics card.
Graphics card
A Graphics card or simply GPU is something that processes graphic-oriented images like images, videos, etc. Graphics card is present in every processor which is called integrated Graphics. For HD video editing, and playing and for some casual games, integrated graphics are sufficient. But if you are a professional gamer or editor then you may need an external graphics card. Most of the laptops we use are having integrated graphics which is sufficient for running most of the windows software.
Nvidia and AMD make most of the graphics cards that you see in the present market. Most Intel laptops are paired with Nvidia laptops and most AMD laptops are coupled with Radeon graphics from top-end Vega to the low-end R-series. Nvidia graphics cards are also named with some methods according to their performance.
RAM
RAM (Random Access Memory) is what stores the application while you are using it. Higher the RAM, the higher the number of apps we can use at a time. If RAM is insufficient then the apps drop from the operation.
Generally, 8 GB of RAM is sufficient for a normal user. Expanding it to 16 GB frees the system more and the performance gets smoother further (recommended for an editor or gamer). Going deeper, better to buy a laptop that offers expandable RAM so that you can upgrade it if needed. And there is a term called frequency which offers a notable difference in performance. Higher the frequency of RAM, the higher the speeds. So choose a RAM that belongs to DDR4. DDR stands for Double Data Rate. DDR3 is older than DDR4, so DDR4 is faster than DDR3.
Storage
Disc refers to the storage of the laptop, where you store all the data. The most used storage devices are Hard Disc Drive (HDD) and Solid State Drive (SSD). Most modern laptops use SSD as storage devices since these are having better writing and reading speeds. But some old and low-budget laptop still uses HDD with rotating part, and slow speeds.
If you have a budget and need good speeds of data transfer then go for SSD. SSDs are faster, especially those that use NVMe connections are much faster than the older connection, known as SATA. If you have a tight budget and need speed for booting OS, then go for an SSD of capacity 256 GB for os and an older version storage HDD for storing other files and software which gives you seed and also saves you some money. The storage capacity depends on the way you use it.
Operating System
Operating System refers to the environment you work with. Four major operating systems are Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, and Linux.
Now let us know about each operating system in brief.
Windows is the most common operating system developed by Microsoft. It is one of the most human-friendly operating systems. If you use Microsoft apps like word, Excel, and Powerpoint, then this is for you. Most laptops come with this operating system.
MacOS is the operating system of only Laptops manufactured by Apple Company. It is a very popular operating system. It is best suitable for users with iPhones otherwise it is not recommended because the apple ecosystem only works with apple devices. These are very expensive laptops. The latest apple laptops with ARM chips are becoming very popular. You cannot sideload apps in this.
ChromeOS is developed by Google. This is a very lightweight operating system. Windows apps like Word, Excel and PowerPoint are replaced by google developed apps docs, sheets, and slides respectively. This is suitable for low-end laptops.
Linux is not for most users. It is suitable for hardcore programmers. It is suitable if you don’t want to use windows apps. Using this is quite difficult. It requires some knowledge. If you are a casual user, then this is not for you.
Ports
Ports are used to connect external devices. Different ports are used to connect different devices. Some basic ports are USB, HDMI (to connect external displays), Headphone jack. And some other ports are a thunderbolt 4 for faster data transfer speeds, LAN for internet connection, and SD Card Reader for reading SD cards.
You will need at least 1 USB Type A, Type C, a Headphone jack, a microphone, and HDMI.
Some companies are skipping headphone jacks, SD Card readers, and LAN, HDMI to decrease the thickness of laptops. So, choose accordingly.
Ensure, if you are a photographer, to have an SD Card Reader or MicroSD Card Reader for seamless transfer of photos from the SD card to the laptop.
Other aspects
Other aspects like display. Display quality should be full HD minimum. Recommended displays are IPS LCD and if you can afford it, go for OLED for better viewing angles and brightness. Brightness should be 250 nits minimum for a better view.
Webcams are a must in this online world. Most of the laptops come with HD (720p) webcams. If you can afford you may go for full HD webcams.
Other aspects are build quality, body flex, key travel, size, backlit, fingerprint, trackpad quality, screen size, etc based on your interests.
These are technical aspects to be considered to buy a laptop. Difficult right?Fix
a budget and choose components accordingly. Compare the prices on different
websites like Amazon, Flipkart, and manufacturer websites.
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