Buying a laptop-tips to check laptop configuration before buying a laptop

Buying a laptop-tips to check laptop configuration before buying a laptop - A good Laptops is capable of doing almost all the activities which a good desktop computer can do but a desktop computer has its own specialties and a laptop has its own. A desktop can only be used at a fixed place but a laptop can be used anywhere and even on the go but the battery life is a great limitation. Modern laptops are much improved in every aspect but there is no considerable improvement in battery life. While planning to purchase a new laptop we have to consider a number of things which are explained below in brief -

Tips to buy a laptop

Brand of the Laptop

Microsoft, Google, IBM, Apple, HP. Dell, Lenovo etc are popular brands in the market. Almost all the laptop manufacturers provide economy models at about the same price. We assume that the famous brands sale high quality laptops and it is a reality too but sometimes we find that the less popular brands also sale better laptops at a cost lower than the popular brands. Therefore choose your brand carefully.

Operating system of the laptop

Operating system is very important to be considered. Microsoft Windows 10 is the latest, most popular and efficient operating system. Laptops are available with genuine operating system installed and without any operating system. If you purchase a laptop without operating system, installation of a genuine operating system with proper license will cost more later. Therefore, purchase a laptop with windows 10 installed and ask for a genuine copy on CD for use in case of your reinstallation need in future in case of crash or otherwise.

Processor of the Laptop

A processor is very important part of your laptop having direct impact on the speed. In the world of computer processors, ‘Intel’ and ‘AMD’ with many variants are famous. You must choose at least Intel core-i3(fourth Generation) or equivalent. 

Storage(Hard Drive) of the Laptop

Modern laptops are delivered with 500GB-1 TB 5400 RPM hard drive. For routine work this is best. You can find a laptop with SSD for high performance. You can also find a laptop with both hybrid flash storage and 5400 RPM hard drive.

RAM of the Laptop

As per the present day needs a laptop must have at least 4 GB RAM. Though 4 GB RAM is sufficient for routine work but more RAM always gives better performance. Paying some extra money for a laptop with 8 GB of RAM will be a better deal.

No of USB Ports, HDMI, Ethernet, Card Reader

USB ports are very important for a laptop. All the external devices including printers and scanners are connected to the laptop through USB port, therefore the number of USB ports really matters. Sometimes we need to connect many external devices simultaneously, therefore you must have at least 4 USB ports in your laptop. HDMI(Video out Put), Ethernet and Micro HDMI are definitely required.

Graphics Card

Onboard Intel(Or AMD) GPU is sufficient for basic photo shop and light room usage and dedicated GPU will not be needed if you don’t need heavy video editing or gaming. You will need a minimum of 2GB dedicated memory for better performance in case you need gaming heavy video editing.

Battery Life

tops are the devices, mostly used on the go, therefore the battery life is most important. If the battery doesn’t work, a desk top is better than a laptop. The claims of manufacturers about battery life can’t be believed fully therefore assume that the battery life is at least 1 hour less than claimed by the manufacturer.

Display size

Laptops are available in 11.6 inches to 17 inches size. You can choose any size. Most of the people choose 15.6 inches and 12-13 inch is ideal for best portability and performance balance

In addition to the above it will be better to bear the following points in mind –

1. For any presentation or a demo a laptop with detachable screen will be better. 
2. A small screen size of 12-13 inches will be better for use on move.
3. A laptop with rotating screen or screen mode may prove better for multimedia.
4. For office work or students a long battery life must be considered.
5. For photo video editors and gaming a large screen (15.6 to 17 inch) will be a better choice.
6. HD movies, Uncompressed Audio and raw images will need more storage space.