A 10-Step Beginner’s Guide to Buying a Laptop
Cup of tea next to laptop on desk
So you have decided to buy a laptop. You know you want a laptop in a cool colour and you have an idea of a price point.
Aeroplane and laptop
Before you start browsing for that shiny new laptop there are some specifics that you must consider. Following is a checklist of 10 areas where you need to do some homework.
Laptop keyboard
1. Purpose
Before you buy a new laptop, you should first ask yourself what you will use the laptop to do. Do you need a laptop for simple tasks, average word processing, and low-level internet surfing? Or do you need something more powerful for activities such as lots of add-on software programs and serious gaming?
Laptop on desk
Knowing the answers to these questions will help you to understand how much power you will need in a laptop to achieve its desired purpose.
Laptop next to phone and sunglasses
2. Dimensions/Weight
The main reason for purchasing a laptop is the desire for portability. Unlike a desktop, a laptop offers the convenience of portability.
Laptop sitting on grass
The ability to carry your work and entertainment with you while on the go is a definite plus.When you talk about portability, the dimensions and weight of the laptop are both serious considerations.
Man sitting on floor with laptop
While laptops range a great deal in dimension and weight, reasonable middle-of-the-road dimensions of a mid-sized laptop are a width of around 15 inches, depth of approximately 11 inches, and a thickness of around 1.25 inches. An average weight is approximately 3-6 pounds.
Laptop with lid half opened
3. Processor
A processor, also known as a CPU (central processing unit), processes instructions that are gathered from programs and files running on the laptop. Speeds of processors are indicated in GHz. Higher GHz indicates faster processors. And faster processors equate to faster laptop.
Man using laptop in the dark
4. Hard Disk/Storage
The hard disk drive, also known as the hard drive, is the main data storage hardware device in a laptop. It holds the operating system, software application files, and any other file you choose to save on the laptop such as photos, videos, spreadsheets and documents. Hard drive sizes can range from 20 GB up to 500 GB.
Woman browsing images on laptop
There are larger hard drives available. However, these hard drive sizes would be found in a higher-end laptop that stores a great amount of data and files.
Laptop with lid half opened
5. Random Access Memory (RAM)
RAM can be thought of as the core of your computer. It is just as important as your processor and hard drive. With the right amount of RAM on your computer, the performance of your laptop and the ability to support various types of software is optimized. RAM is measured in Gigabytes (GB).
Laptop sitting on desk
6. OS (Operating System)
An operating system (such as Windows 10) encompasses a set of programs and routines that control laptop resources and provides access to a laptop’s various services. It allows hardware components to communicate with software components.
Man sitting with laptop on his lap, next to dog
7. Graphics Card
A graphics card, also known as a video card, is a piece of hardware installed in a laptop that is responsible for rendering the image on the monitor.
Woman using laptop at desk
8. Display Size
Optimal display size is an option that differs greatly depending on who you ask. Laptop display sizes vary from device to device. The best way to decide on a display size is to see the laptops in the stores. Seeing the laptop live and in person is the best way to choose a display size that best suits your needs.
Women browsing content on laptop
9.Battery Life
Battery life is simply the length of time that a laptop battery can maintain a charge. As laptops offer portability, you will want as much battery life as possible with the laptop you purchase. An average battery life would be at least 4 hours.
Laptop with its lid closed on desk
10. I/O Ports
I/O ports refer to input/output ports. These are connectors on your laptop that enable you to connect various devices to your laptop. I/O ports will vary with the style of laptop. Following is a list of common ports that you might want on the laptop that you purchase:
- USB
- HDMI
- RJ-45 (Ethernet)
- VGA Monitor Port
- Headphone Port
Ports on laptop
As you can see, there are quite a few areas that must be considered prior to your laptop purchase. If you do your homework with this checklist, you are sure to purchase a laptop that meets your needs quite nicely.
Laptop on desk next to sheet of paper
Tea cup sitting on laptop
Woman with laptop on her lap
HP Stream 14-Inch Touchscreen Laptop, AMD Dual-Core A4-9120E Processor, 4 GB SDRAM,...
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- Office 365 personal for one year: get full access to Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, OneNote, access, and 1 TB of OneDrive storage for one year
- Thin and light Laptop for work, school, and play: with office 365 and 1 TB of cloud storage, This device combines functionality, connectivity, style, and value.
- Office 365 personal for one year: get full access to Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, OneNote, access, and 1 TB of OneDrive storage for one year
- Bios recovery and protection: automatically checks the health of your PC, protects against unauthorized access, secures local storage and recovers itself from boot-up issues
- Processor: AMD Dual-Core a4-9120e Processor, 1.5 GHz up to 2.2 GHz
- Display: 14-inch diagonal HD SVA bright View WLED-backlit Display (1366 x 768)
- Memory: 4 GB DDR4-1866 SDRAM (not upgradable)
- Storage: 64 GB eMMC
- Battery life: up to 8 hours and 15 minutes (video playback); up to 7 hours and 30 minutes (wireless streaming)
- Dimensions AND weight (unpackaged): 13.27 inches (W) x 8.88 inches (D) x 0.73 inches (H); 2.88 pounds
- Operating System and Warranty: Windows 10 Home in S mode and one-year limited warranty With 24-hour, 7 days a week Web support
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- 9th Generation Intel Core i7-9750H 6-Core Processor (Up to 4.5GHz)
- 17.3" Full HD Widescreen IPS LED-backlit Display | 144Hz Refresh Rate | 3ms Response Time | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Graphics with 6 GB of dedicated GDDR6 VRAM
- 16GB DDR4 2666MHz Memory | 256GB NVMe SSD (2 x PCIe M.2 Slots - 1 Slot Open for Easy Upgrades) & 1 - Available Hard Drive Bay
- Wireless: Intel Wireless-AC 9560 802.11ac Gigabit WiFi 5 | LAN: 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 port)
- Backlit Keyboard | Acer CoolBoost Technology with Twin Fans and Dual Exhaust Ports
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS-055 i9-10900K/RTX2080Super/64GB/2TBSSD/Win10PRO Gaming Laptop
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- 64GB (16G*4) DDR4 2666MHz, 4 Sockets; Max Memory 128GB | 2TB NVMe SSD (1TBx2)
- 17.3" UHD, Anti-Glare Wide View Angle 4K Adobe RGB 100% | NVIDIA GeForce RTX2080 Super 8G GDDR6 | VR Ready
- Intel Core i9-10900K | Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201(2*2 ax)
- 64GB (16G*4) DDR4 2666MHz, 4 Sockets; Max Memory 128GB | 2TB NVMe SSD (1TBx2)
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Newest Asus Zenbook 14" IPS FHD NanoEdge Bezel Display Ultra-Slim Laptop, 4th...
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- Hard Drive: 1TB PCIe SSD, 16GB LPDDR3 RAM
- Hard Drive: 1TB PCIe SSD, Ports: 2 x USB 3.2 Type-C, 1 x USB 3.1 Type-A, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Headphone/Speaker/Line-Out Jack
- Keyboard: Backlit Keyboard, Built-in HD Webcam: Yes, MCR (Card Reader): Micro SD Card Reader, Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.0, WLAN Connectivity: WiFi 6 - 802.11 ax
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- All-Day Battery Life – Go longer than ever with up to 18 hours of battery life.
- Powerful Performance – Take on everything from professional-quality editing to action-packed gaming with ease. The Apple M1 chip with an 8-core CPU delivers up to 3.5x faster performance than the previous generation while using way less power.
- All-Day Battery Life – Go longer than ever with up to 18 hours of battery life.
- Powerful Performance – Take on everything from professional-quality editing to action-packed gaming with ease. The Apple M1 chip with an 8-core CPU delivers up to 3.5x faster performance than the previous generation while using way less power.
- Superfast Memory – 8GB of unified memory makes your entire system speedy and responsive. That way it can support tasks like memory-hogging multitab browsing and opening a huge graphic file quickly and easily.
- Stunning Display – With a 13.3 inch Retina display, images come alive with new levels of realism. Text is sharp and clear, and colors are more vibrant.
- Why Mac – Easy to learn. Easy to set up. Astoundingly powerful. Intuitive. Packed with apps to use right out of the box. Mac is designed to let you work, play, and create like never before.
- Simply Compatible – All your existing apps work, including Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft 365, and Google Drive. Plus you can use your favorite iPhone and iPad apps directly on macOS. Altogether you’ll have access to the biggest collection of apps ever for Mac. All available on the App Store.
- Easy to Learn – If you already have an iPhone, MacBook Air feels familiar from the moment you turn it on. And it works perfectly with all your Apple devices. Use your iPad to extend the workspace of your Mac, answer texts and phone calls directly on your Mac, and more.
- Fanless Design – Your MacBook Air stays cool and runs quietly even while tackling intense workloads.
- AppleCare – Every Mac comes with a one-year limited warranty and up to 90 days of complimentary technical support. Get AppleCare plus to extend your coverage and reduce the stress and cost of unexpected repairs.
- Environmentally Friendly – MacBook Air is made with a 100 percent recycled aluminum enclosure and uses less energy for a smaller carbon footprint.
Dell Inspiron 15.6" HD Laptop, Intel 4205U Processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB...
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- 【Display】15.6-inch HD (1366 x 768) Anti-Glare LED-Backlit Non-touch Display
- 【High Speed】RAM is 8GB high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run multiple applications and browser tabs all at once; Hard Drive is 1TB Hard Disk Drive for ample storage space
- 【Intel Celeron Processor】Intel Celeron Processor 4205U (2MB Cache, 1.8 GHz), Intel UHD Graphics
- 【Tech Specs】2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Combination Audio Jack, 1 x RJ-45 Connector, 1 x Multi-format SD Media Card Reader; Wireless-AC + Bluetooth Combo
- 【Operating System】Windows 10 Home-The Windows 10 Home operating system offers built-in security and app like Mail, Calendar, Photo, Microsoft Edge, and more to help keep you safe and productive
ASUS F512DA-EB51 VivoBook 15 Thin And Light Laptop, 15.6” Full HD, AMD...
- 15.6 inch FHD 4 way NanoEdge bezel display with a stunning 88% screen-to-body ratio
- Powerful AMD Quad Core Ryzen 5 3500U Processor (2M Cache, up to 3.6 GHz)
- AMD Radeon Vega 8 discrete graphics with Windows 10 Home
- 15.6 inch FHD 4 way NanoEdge bezel display with a stunning 88% screen-to-body ratio
- Powerful AMD Quad Core Ryzen 5 3500U Processor (2M Cache, up to 3.6 GHz)
- AMD Radeon Vega 8 discrete graphics with Windows 10 Home
- 8GB DDR4 RAM and 256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
- Ergonomic backlit keyboard with fingerprint sensor activated via Windows Hello
- Exclusive ErgoLift design for improved typing position
- Comprehensive connections including USB 3.2 Type-C, USB 3.2, USB 2.0, HDMI, and Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
Acer Swift 5 Intel Evo Thin & Light Laptop, 14" Full HD...
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- 14.0" Full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen LED-backlit IPS Corning Gorilla Glass display with integrated touch | 340nit Brightness | 100% sRGB | Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Get high performance, responsiveness and long battery life with the Intel Core i7-1165G7 Processor - up to 4.7GHz, 4 cores, 8 threads, 12MB Intel Smart Cache
- 14.0" Full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen LED-backlit IPS Corning Gorilla Glass display with integrated touch | 340nit Brightness | 100% sRGB | Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- 16GB Onboard LPDDR4X Memory and 1TB NVMe SSD
- 1 - USB Type-C Port USB 3.2 Gen 2 (up to 10 Gbps) DisplayPort over USB Type-C, Thunderbolt 4 & USB Charging | 2 - USB 3.2 Gen 1 Ports (one featuring power-off charging) | 1 - HDMI port
- Windows 10 Home, Corning Gorilla Glass, Touchpad, Wi-Fi 6, Up to 15 Hours Battery Life
HP 17.3 Inch Laptop Computer 10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G1 up to...
- Intel Core i5-1035G1 (1.0 GHz base frequency, up to 3.6 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology, 6 MB L3 cache, 4 cores)
- 17.3" diagonal FHD IPS anti-glare WLED-backlit (1920 x 1080)
- 12 GB DDR4-2666 SDRAM (1 x 4 GB, 1 x 8 GB) - 1 TB SATA HDD
- Intel Core i5-1035G1 (1.0 GHz base frequency, up to 3.6 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology, 6 MB L3 cache, 4 cores)
- 17.3" diagonal FHD IPS anti-glare WLED-backlit (1920 x 1080)
- 12 GB DDR4-2666 SDRAM (1 x 4 GB, 1 x 8 GB) - 1 TB SATA HDD
- Intel UHD Graphics - WiFi - Bluetooth - Windows 10 - Backlit Keyboard
- 2 SuperSpeed USB Type-A 5Gbps signaling rate; 1 USB 2.0 Type-A; 1 RJ-45; 1 AC smart pin; 1 HDMI 1.4b; 1 headphone/microphone combo
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- Slim, Sleek, Ready to Go: Razer Book 13’s ultra-compact, 13.4” 4K touch display 4-sided with thin bezels and lightweight, CNC aluminum, unibody design make it the perfect mobility companion to conquer the day's undertakings
- Slim, Sleek, Ready to Go: Razer Book 13’s ultra-compact, 13.4” 4K touch display 4-sided with thin bezels and lightweight, CNC aluminum, unibody design make it the perfect mobility companion to conquer the day's undertakings
- Best-In-Class 11th Gen Intel Core Mobile: Includes immersive graphics for deeper engagement, the power to revolutionize workflows at faster speeds, and intuitive AI to empower more authentic collaboration no matter where you conference in
- Vapor Chamber Cooling System: A properly cooled system keeps your performance high and 10+ hours of battery life keeps you productive all day long with Intel Evo Certification that provides Instant Wake and Instant Resume
- Plug Into Productivity, No Dongle Necessary: Connect at lightning speeds with 2x Thunderbolt 4, MicroSD Slot, and full-size HDMI 2.0
- Intel Iris Xe Graphics for Crisp, HD Quality: Well-suited for the sleek profile of the Razer Book 13, it powers pixel-perfect productivity, as if having a dedicated graphics card to not only catch the eye but captivate it
- Immerse Yourself in Sonic Bliss: THX Spatial Audio brings advanced 7.1 surround sound to your Razer Book 13 with a high degree of precision that can turn any scene, song, or sound effect into something truly phenomenal
- Windows 11 Compatible: Includes Windows 10 Home with a free upgrade to Windows 11 when available through Windows Update – experience a fresh new feel and tools that help maximize your productivity
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