What Should I Consider before Purchasing a New Laptop
The following factors you should keep in mind while buying a laptop:
- Type of the Laptop
- Operating System
- Storage
- RAM
- Processor Specifications
- GPU Specifications
- Number of Ports
- Display Size
- Battery Specifications
- Touchpad and Keyboard of the Laptop
1: Type of the Laptop
According to usage, there are different types of laptops available in the market, so at first, you should look for a laptop according to your usability. The available types of laptops are:
- Basic Laptops
- 2 in 1 Laptop
- Ultrabook
- Gaming Laptop
- Business Laptops
- Mobile Workstations
2: Type of Operating System
There are multiple types of operating systems in laptops, so you must choose an operating system that suits you, and you are familiar with. The three main types of operating systems are
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
Mostly, Windows OS laptops are preferred as there are fewer limitations while macOS only comes with Apple laptops.
3: Storage
The storage capacity also matters a lot if you have heavy work to do, like video editing and gaming, and other than that, less storage can be a hassle. Also, storage capacity comes in 2 different types:
HDD: It has a huge storage size but less transfer rate and speed. It’s old technology and cheaper than an SSD
SSD: SSD is good for thin laptops as it is smaller in size, and performs way faster than a normal HDD. It is also more expensive than a normal HDD. Read more about the SSDs by clicking here.
4: RAM
RAM is also important in a laptop as the performance depends on the RAM. The greater the RAM, the easier will be access to the data. RAM sizes are available from 4GB to 32GB, you can choose the RAM according to your usage.
| Type of usage | Suitable RAM size |
| Light Usage | 4 GB RAM |
| Medium Usage | 4 GB to 8 GB RAM |
| Heavy Usage | 16GB to 32 GB RAM |
Along with the storage, there are also different variants of RAM, DDR RAM has a double transfer rate, and it’s the latest technology. 16GB of DDR5 RAM is way faster than DDR3 16GB RAM. DDR5 RAM is best for heavy-duty tasks.
5: Processor Specifications
The laptop’s processor plays a vital role in the laptop’s performance. There are multiple options available in processors, and every processor comes with different specifications based on its generation. The latest processor we have is a core i9 processor, and the latest generation is the 11th.
The two top-notch names for processors manufacturing are AMD and Intel. For many users, the Intel processors are best for gaming and multitasking; the different processors manufactured by Intel are:
| Intel Processors | AMD Processors | Usage |
| Core i3 | Ryzen 3 | Entry level laptops for basic tasks |
| Core i5 | Ryzen 5 | Mid-range laptops for light gaming |
| Core i7 | Ryzen 7 | Higher end laptops for best performance |
| Core i9 | Ryzen 9 | For multitasking and heavy-duty tasks |
The other important factor you should consider in the processor while purchasing a laptop is the CPU cores. The CPU cores read the instructions and perform specific functions. The available types of processors are:
Dual-core: In dual-core, there are two processors in a single package, which is mostly used for multitasking and consumes less energy
Quad-core: In Quad-core, there are two dual-core processors in a single processor, and mostly used for gaming.
| Basic Tasks | 2 CPU Cores |
| Multi Tasks | 4 CPU Cores |
| Gamers and Content creators | 6 CPU Cores |
| Professional | 8 CPU Cores |
Every processor comes with different speed designs according to the usage, choose the processors according to the work you want to do on your laptop:
| Laptops | Processing Speed | Example |
| Normal Laptops | 2.1 – 2.7 GHz | AMD Ryzen 5, Intel core i3, Intel core i5 |
| Office used laptops | 2.10 to 4.10 GHz | Intel Core i5, Apple M1, AMD Ryzen 7, Core i7 |
| Gaming Laptops | 2.6 – 3.9 GHz | Intel core i7, AMD Ryzen 7 |
| High-Performance laptop | 3.50 – 4.2 GHz | Apple M2, Intel core i9, AMD Ryzen 9 |
6: GPU Specifications
The display of the screen is controlled by the graphics it supports, and if the graphical support is powerful then the display will be smooth, and the videos, pictures and other graphic-related tasks will be rendered easily while viewing. The two main categories of graphic cards:
Integrated Graphic Cards
They are present in the processor by default, and they support all the basic tasks. If you have the latest generation laptop, the graphic card will also be the latest and of good quality.
Dedicated Graphic Cards
Dedicated graphic cards are best in performance and then the default ones. They will provide enhanced graphical support and so less chance of facing a lag.
7: Number of Ports
There are multiple ports in a laptop. The ordinary USB port is a USB 2.0 that is old technology and has a slow speed. Laptops also have a USB 3.0 port that is faster than 2.0 and has a good transfer speed. Some laptops also have a USB type-C port and a thunderbolt 4 port that support the fast charging and higher transfer speed. So, you must look for a laptop that supports a USB type according to your choice.
8: Display Size
We spend a lot of time on our laptops, so screen size matters a lot. If the screen size is good, then it would be easy for us to spend more time on a laptop. Other than that, screen resolution is also important, 1920×1080 is the full HD resolution, and nowadays, we have come to see 4K resolution screens that are the best quality available. Some screens are glossier, like we came to see in touch screen laptops; these screens reflect the light and have their pros and cons. You must look for a screen that is suitable for you. The different Screen sizes and resolutions of the laptops are given below:
| Screen Size | Screen Resolution |
| 11 to 12 inches | 1366 x 768 |
| 13 to 14 inches | 1920 x 1080 |
| 15 inches | 4K UHD |
| 17 to 18 inches | 4K UHD |
9: Battery Specifications
Some laptops have a long-lasting battery backup like in MacBooks we get to see up to 9 hours of backup, and when it comes to a Windows laptop, we get to see 4-5 hours of standard backup time. The fact is that MacBooks do focus on backup, and Windows laptops focus more on performance. Windows laptops may give you a 2 hours backup max as the output we are getting from a gaming laptop is equal to a desktop PC. The widely used laptop battery has following specifications:
| Type | Watt Hours | Cycles | Issue |
| Lithium-ion (Li-ion) | 160 | 400 | Expensive |
10: Touchpad and Keyboard of the Laptop
The touchpad and keyboard of a laptop play a vital role while using a laptop. If the keypad and touchpad are hard or less responsive, then it can be a hassle for us. Along with that, the layout of the keys on a laptop’s keyboard is also different in different laptops, like in MacBooks, we used to see a different layout of the keys, but it’s almost the same in Windows laptops.
We also have some funky options in keyboards, i.e., some gaming laptops come with RGB lights that provide an amazing gaming experience in night light, and MacBooks have an adjustable backlight in their keyboard. If we get a laptop with a great keyboard and a comfortable touchpad, then it can boost our productivity.
Touchscreen Technology
When the touch revolution started, it started evolving in laptops as well. Touchscreen laptops are mostly used by normal users. The pros and cons of touchscreen technology are:
Pros: You can tap on the screen to select, hold, and drag to move items; you can swipe up and down and zoom the Screen just like smartphone or tablet
Cons: This feature is available only for Windows laptops and Chromebooks
Ideal Specifications for a Mixed Usage Laptop
- The 12.5 -14-inch screen
- 1920×1080 screen resolution
- 16GB RAM with the 500 GB SSD
- Intel Core i5 processor
- 9 hours of battery backup
Conclusion
Before purchasing anything, we have to look for multiple options, the same goes with laptops. It is tough for us to decide which laptop to buy in this saturated market; many brands are available, and many competitors also have the same price range with the same specs. For that, Consider the points mentioned above before purchasing a laptop.
