5 Steps To Buying The Perfect Laptop
Are you looking forward to investing in a laptop? There is a wide variety of options in the market and trying to find the right one can get very confusing, very fast. With a slight planning and contemplation of your needs, you can easily narrow down on finding the one that suits your needs and budget perfectly. Whether you’re looking to play games, stream movies or stay connected while traveling, modern laptops balance portability performance and power you need. Start your search for the perfect laptop with our overview of the most significant features to consider.
Step 1: Determine your needs
1. When you’re deciding what laptop to buy, the first thing to do is think about the core use. The main purpose of your device will be the driving force to choose a laptop. Choose a laptop based on your needs and nature of work.
2. Set a budget. It will be helpful to have a budget in mind as you start looking at laptop models. If you are considering a Mac, be aware that Macs are generally higher priced than a comparable Windows/Linux/DOS/Ubuntu laptop.
What do you need your laptop for, gaming? Maybe some light video editing (or even some heavy video editing)? Are you an art or design student who cannot live without Photoshop, or a photographer on the go who needs a laptop as a kind of digital assistant? Let’s look at some scenarios and give a simple breakdown that will help select the right laptop.
The first category of user is the working professionals. The doing-crunches-while-eating-a-scone super users; laptop users you see on buses/ trains /cars who use their commute time to get a report finished, or a spreadsheet filled. The laptop that matches these A-type personalities must be lean and mean, just like their owners. They want power and they’re looking for a processor that can handle PowerPoint presentations, Excel spreadsheets, and high-end database applications.
The second category of users are photographers and artists. You need a laptop that can handle your drawings, design work, and digital photographs. For processors, choose a mid-range, dual core PC if you’re on a budget, or go for Intel i3 models if you want to have as much performance as possible. Photography post-processing software doesn’t require as much juice as video editing programs but it’s always smart to consider how quickly technology changes and have a laptop that can handle a little more than necessary. For RAM, try to aim for the highest value possible within your budget. If you’re planning on doing some serious work, the minimum requirement for a high-performance laptop is 8 GB of RAM. Anything higher than that will be fantastic, whereas anything less than 8 GB will probably lead to compatibility issues with the latest software and have a harder time handling large amounts of file data.
If you’re a gamer, don’t buy a gaming laptop for low-end titles like World of Warcraft or Candy Crush. These games can easily be supported by an integrated graphics card. Avoid touch screens as they are more expensive and drain battery faster. A 17- or 18-inch laptop is typically more powerful, but also the least portable while 13-, 14- and 15-inchers are easier to carry but often lack high-end components. Make sure the keyboard is comfortable. If you can, take a trip to the store and try out the keyboard before you buy. Ditch the M. Thanks to Nvidia’s 10-series GPUs, mobile chips are a thing of the past. These new GPUs are faster, more powerful and are VR-ready. Avoid laptops with a low-resolution display (less than 1920 x 1080). Get solid state storage. Invest in an SSD for faster game installs and load times. Get a laptop with at least an Intel Core i7–6700HQ processor, a Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 GPU and a HDMI 1.3 port if you want to be able to enjoy virtual reality games with an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive.
The fourth category is the regular user, who don’t really care about flashy graphics or powerful processors. They just need something to get their work done, usually heavy Chrome-users with some little bit of MS Office thrown in. There are two laptops which are the best suited for average use. Dell Inspiron 3543 X560334IN9 15.6-inch is a touchscreen laptop. Powered by a 5th Generation i5 processor, 4GB RAM, 1TB Hard Disk and a 2GB Nvidia GeForce 820M graphic processor, this laptop comes loaded with Windows 8.1. Being a Dell offering, this offers great brand value, good quality components, very good build quality, and of course, that free Windows 10 upgrade. The second option is Acer Aspire V3–575G-58HX. Powered by a 6th gen Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, 1TB Hard Disk, 2GB Nvidia GeForce 940M graphics processor, Full HD Display, this laptop has got it all.
The last group hunting a laptop are the students in your life. Whether it’s a little boy or girl, a grown up hitting the books until summer arrives, or a loved one getting ready to go back to school and earn a degree. These two laptop types should be somewhere on your list. The Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer (early 2014 model) is light, portable, and efficient. For a little less dent on your pocket, you can also consider the any 14”-15.6" Computer, which keeps it real with a 2.0 GHz-2.4GHz Intel Core i3/i5/i7 Haswell processor, 2GB-8GB of RAM, and 320GB-1TB HDD.
Step 2: Choose the right OS
1. Understand your choices. The operating system is the interface and structure of the laptop. Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and Chrome OS are all operating systems. When choosing a laptop, the operating system is usually installed already, though you can change operating systems later. You cannot install Mac OS X on a non-Mac laptop, but you can install Linux onto either a Mac or a Windows laptop, or Windows onto a Mac laptop.
2. Consider the programs you use. The programs you use on an everyday basis will have a large impact on the operating system you choose. Many programs are only accessible for a single operating system. Do some research as to which operating system your favourite programs require.
3. Look at the pros and cons of Mac OS X. Apple’s OS X is Windows’ main competitor. These days, you can find similar software on a both Mac OS and Windows OS.
4. Look at the pros and cons of Windows. Windows is the most widely-used operating system, which is great for compatibility, but it’s not without its burdens. Keep the pros and cons in mind when thinking about the laptop.
5. Look at the pros and cons of Chrome OS. Chrome OS is Google’s operating system, and is only available on a trickle of laptops. Chrome OS is designed for laptops that are always connected to the internet.
6. Assess Linux/DOS/Ubuntu. Linux/DOS/Ubuntu is a free, open-source operating system that has been modified and expanded by many groups and individuals. These modified versions are called “distributions”, and there are quite a few to choose from. These days you will find lot of laptops selling online/offline with these OS installed on it.
Step 3: Decide a model
- Think about what size will meet your requirements best. There are four main categories of laptops based on size: Netbook, Standard, Hybrid Laptop/Tablet, and Ultrabook.
· Netbook — This is the smallest laptop available in terms of the size and is best suited for frequent travellers. Netbooks are super lightweight, usually only weighing a couple pounds. Netbooks don’t have very powerful components, meaning they can only run basic programs such as Office and other productive software. Because of this, however, they have much longer battery life than other laptops (up to 12 hours in some models). Netbooks have the smallest screens and keyboards. This means that typing on a netbook will take some getting used to.
· Standard — This is your standard laptop which is suitable for a wide range of situations, and is available in a wide range of configurations. Standard laptops come in a variety of screen sizes. The size of the screen is what determines the overall size of the laptop. The most common size for standard laptops is 14"-15.6". These laptops have lesser battery life than a netbook. Standard laptops are heavier than a netbook. They have more comfortable keyboards and larger trackpads though.
· Hybrid Laptop/Tablet — These are the newest style of laptops in the market. Hybrid laptops come with touch screens and some have detachable keyboards too. Most run on Windows 8, which is designed for the touch interface. Hybrid laptops are typically smaller than a standard laptop, and may be able to fold over to become a tablet. Some hybrid laptops allow you to remove the keyboard and work solely as a tablet. Because of their small size, hybrids are generally less powerful than a standard laptop.
· Ultrabook — These are the largest laptops with respect to size, and therefore the most powerful (and most expensive). They can run the latest games and have large, easy-to-see displays. Ultrabook laptops provide the most power you can get in a portable form. Because of the increased power, these ultrabooks have a bad battery life. This usually isn’t an issue if it’s always plugged in at your desk.
2. Think about resilience. If your job or lifestyle puts your laptop at risk of getting dented, you may want to look at the most durable options. This includes steel construction and laptops specifically designed to withstand reprimand. Toughbooks are a type of laptop that are very expensive but more robust than a standard one.
3. Laptops are public devices, and will be seen by a lot of people as you use it. You’d like to make sure that you like the way it looks. Many laptops come in different colours or with other visual features. You can also add skins to your laptop later to give it a private touch. You can decide your model depending upon style.
Step 4: Check Specifications
1.Examine the specs for each laptop you consider. Every laptop is different; even two models that cost the same will have different hardware inside. Make sure to look at the specifications of each laptop you consider buying.
2. See how much RAM comes installed, and how much RAM the laptop can support. RAM, or memory, allows your computer to store data for multiple programs at once. In general, the more RAM you have, the better your computer will be able to multitask. 4 to 8 GB of RAM is standard for regular laptops. Netbooks will likely have less, while desktop replacements might have significantly more.
3. Understand what the CPU does. The CPU, or Processor, is that piece of hardware that performs most of the work in your laptop. CPU speed doesn’t mean as much as it used to, thanks to multi-core CPUs that can handle much more than processors from a decade ago.
4. Check out the ports. Does the laptop have sufficient USB ports for all your devices? Does it have an HDMI or VGA port in case you want to connect it to your TV or a projector? If you use a lot of external devices, ports will be very vital.
5. Check the storage space. Listed storage space does not take the operating system and hustled programs into consideration. For example, a laptop with 250 GB of storage may only have 210 GB of storage free when you purchase it. Most laptops allow you to upgrade the hard drive later, though you will need to reinstall the operating system when you do so.
6. Check the graphics. Most laptops use integrated graphics cards, which are fine for simple games, but typically can’t handle the new big releases. A dedicated card will provide more power for a higher cost and less battery life.
7. Look at the screen resolution. 1600 x 900 or 1920 x 1080 is desirable for the clearest picture, though smaller laptops may not be able to attain this. An advanced resolution will result in a clearer picture, especially if you plan to watch movies or play games. A higher resolution also means that the screen can show more, which means your viewable area will be larger.
8. Look for optical drives. Many laptops will leave the optical drive out to save space. While this will help the battery life and cut down on the size, it means you will need an external drive to install software or burn discs.
Step 5: Buying the Laptop
1.Do your research. Don’t let a sales representative talk you into something you don’t need. Do your research ahead of time and stay steady on your needs. Make sure to read appraisals online for the laptops that you are considering, as salespeople will rarely tell you the hitches of a product.
2. Test before you buy. Try to find a way to test your desired laptop before you buy. If you intend to buy online, see if a local retailer has a sample model to try before you buy. Ask your friends if they have the same laptop you are considering.
3. Check the warranty. Computer parts fail, and do so often. Having a solid warranty is very important for laptops, especially the more exclusive ones.
4. Understand the pros of buying used or refurbished. Refurbished laptops have either been returned to the retailer or the manufacturer for a refund or simply because of a minor technical glitch. Such laptops get inspected for defects and are restored to their original working condition by our team of experts or the manufacturer. Such laptops may display negligible cosmetic blemishes but are perfectly functional. Each laptop is quality certified and comes with an original manufacturer or Seller or — if you’re buying at Overcart.com — OverTrust warranty of variable duration. If you’re looking to buy a laptop at a good price, a refurbished laptop can prove to be a great option. If you’re a start-up and are planning to buy laptops for your employees and office related work, refurbished laptops can go a long way. You can spend your money on other things like employee’s salary, more marketing and a swanky coffee machine without burning a hole in your pocket.
Keep all these pointers in mind while looking for a laptop. Find a wide variety of laptops on Overcart. You can also find a selection of laptops in unboxed, refurbished, restored and pre-owned condition. Plus, our expert advisors are there to answer any questions and help you find all the must-have accessories to go with your laptop.
