How to choose a laptop: 5 top tips

With laptops outselling desktops for the last 4 years, it is becoming more and more likely that your next computer purchase will be a laptop. One of the biggest problems with this is the massive range of products available. It is often overwhelming how many choices there are. So here are a few tips to help you on your way to selecting a laptop.

1. Portability and Battery Life

One of the advantages of a laptop is that you can carry it around. Obviously, how powerful it is can affect how long you can carry it around for. More powerful components will also make a laptop heavier due to the need for extra cooling and higher voltages as well as a bigger battery. So when you buy your laptop, make sure you see whether it is light enough for your needs and look at the quoted battery life to see whether it fulfils your demands. Some laptops contain graphics switching to switch between a dedicated and integrated graphics card in order to provide a longer battery life when needed. This is another option however these laptops are often a bit more expensive than those without the feature. Netbooks also have a decent battery life and are highly portable but most people will find them horribly slow for everyday use

2. The Keyboard and Trackpad

This is one of the first things you should try out when you go to the computer shop. Test to see if the keyboard is roomy enough, whether all the buttons are present and in the right place (some laptops have very dodgy placement for arrow keys) and if you find it comfortable enough to type on. Another thing you might want is a number pad on the side (only found in larger laptops) or backlit keys. The trackpad is also one of those things you have to live with on a laptop. Making sure you can use it and it doesn’t feel too uncomfortable to use is important. Also try pressing the mouse buttons to check that they aren’t difficult to press or too mashy.

3.  What screen size and resolution?

The combination of screen size and resolution is very important. The standard resolution for a laptop nowadays is 1366×768 which is a fairly good resolution. However many people are looking for a laptop which has a higher resolution screen without increasing screen size. Manufacturers are starting to realise this and many offer much higher resolutions than standard in some models of their laptops. Manufacturers like Sony, Apple, Dell and Lenovo all have an optional high resolution option to choose when configuring selected models which gives you a lot more screen real estate as well as giving a crisper display.

If you want a super portable laptop with a 11 or 13 inch screen, looking at the resolution is a good idea. Often some high resolution ones can have font sizes difficult for some people to read. Other times, the resolution might be too low for your needs making it difficult to achieve some tasks which are crucial for you.

4. Do you want a dedicated graphics card?

Most laptops come with more than enough processing power for your everyday needs but one thing that not all laptops come with is a dedicated graphics card. Finding a laptop which has dedicated graphics is getting a bit more difficult after Intel and AMD have significantly improved their integrated graphics card offerings. Especially since laptops are becoming thinner, manufacturers are starting to lean more towards the integrated solution. This is true for the new ultrabooks (very thin, light laptops which run Windows) and the Macbook Air where it is difficult to have a dedicated graphics card and cool it properly without sacrificing a large amount of battery life. Larger, more expensive laptops come with dedicated graphics but this is at the cost of portability and battery life.

So, if you want a dedicated graphics card, your choice has been made for you on what type of laptop to get. If you want integrated graphics, there are still a lot of choices.

5. Be willing to make compromises

There is no laptop in the world which will fit all of your needs so what I suggest is to make a list of all the features you are looking for in order of importance. Then find the laptop that has as many of the features you wanted as possible. This way you will know that you are getting everything you absolutely need in the computer rather than coming home and finding that it is missing a crucial feature. This is one of the biggest things which make finding a laptop so difficult since people will always be searching for the perfect machine.

By following these simple tips, you can go to the store, check out the computer and make sure it fits all of your needs before you take it home. Try out all of the features in the store and make sure it is what you want. This will help you choose the right laptop for you.

6. BONUS TIP: Read the reviews

Everyone who is reading this blog probably has a smartphone. When you’re in the store, write down the model number and search for reviews on it. Make sure there are no horrible issues which stand out on the computer. Make sure that everything works the way it should, there are no known bugs etc. User reviews can be especially helpful when it comes to this. Some forums will also have topics dedicated to your laptop so any major issues should be known to you before your purchase. This way you can avoid getting a dud.

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