At one point in life, we all need a laptop. Sadly, buying a laptop has become a more complex endeavor than it used to be some time back, thanks to the growing number of laptop-manufacturing companies in the market.
For that reason, you cannot just wake up, walk into a laptop dealership, and ask for a good laptop without doing thorough research to ascertain which is the best for you. With that in mind, a good laptop is one that will suit your needs (whether you are a writer, programmer, gamer, or a student) and that which is within your purchase budget.
Before we get into things to look for before buying a laptop, the following questions will help you have a clearer picture of the type of laptop that best suits you.
- What will be the purpose of the laptop?
- What size do you prefer?
- What is your budget?
If your head is still spinning, then these 7 factors will steer you in the right direction and help you get the right laptop.
1. Size and Weight
The size and weight entirely depend on how often you will be carrying your laptop. Any size is just fine if you will mostly be using your laptop at home. if you are going to carry the laptop most of the time, go for something light.
Most laptops come in screen sizes that range from 11 to 17 inches. if you are using your laptop to play games or watching movies then get yourself a bigger screen size of 16 inches and above. But if you use your laptop for light work, listening to music, writing, or web surfing then a 14-inch screen size should be okay.
Also, get a laptop with at least 1080 or “full HD” resolution. This means the screen resolution will be 1920 x 1080.
2. RAM
RAM stands for Random Access Memory. No matter your budget, always consider a laptop with a higher RAM. Let a 4GB RAM be the absolute minimum. Normally, 8GB is a standard requirement for any type of laptop.
If you are going to do a lot of graphic design, coding, programming, running intense programs and software, photo and video editing, consider buying a laptop with 16GB RAM and above.
3. CPU
The Central Processing Unit, CPU is also one of the important things to look for before buying a laptop. An Intel Core Processor offers the best in terms of performance when the machine is multitasking. Consider a laptop with Core i3 and above. Core i3 is mostly found in entry-level systems and Notebooks. Core i5 on the other hand are found in most mainstream computers.
If you want the best performance from your laptop, the Core i7 system will make that happen.
Larger laptops are now running on Intel’s i9 Core processors which make them even more powerful than laptops running on i7. While then are able to do well in terms of performance, they however come with a significant cost than a laptop with a lower core processor.
4. Connectivity
A laptop needs to at least connect to something whether it’s a thumb drive or an external display. I’d recommend getting a laptop with a number of USB 3.0 ports. This is useful for hooking up to a hard drive, a phone, or anything external when you need to fetch a file or simply back up your files.
As a photo or video editor, SD card slots would definitely be something to look for as it makes the transfer of photos easier.
A couple of laptops also come with a card slot for credit and debit cards. This allows you to pay up your bills with ease.
Other ports include the Ethernet port, a headset plug-in spot, and an HDMI or mini Display Port output.
5. Battery Life
If you are planning to spend some time away from a charging point- even if that means spending the time sitting on a couch or bed— Get yourself a laptop that has 6 or more hours of battery life. Typical batteries have power between 2000mAh and 6000mAh for which, the higher the better. Cells are responsible for power production and can range between 4 to 12. Also, the higher the better. Gaming laptops are an exception to this simply because they require so much power.
6. Hard Disk Drive
Laptop hard drives normally start at the size of 64GB and go way up to 1TB. Note that, however, the situation, get yourself a laptop with just 64GB of storage. It will be a struggle to operate that machine the moment you start it up. I’d recommend you get one with a 256GB HDD for a start. Depending on whatever you do with the laptop, you can always upgrade when you require more space for storage.
7. Brand
Last but not least, the brand of a laptop goes a long way in choosing a laptop. That’s one of the important things to Look for before buying a laptop A brand always makes the biggest impact. Avoid new brands, brands that you have never heard of before, or those that you aren’t sure of. There are several big and well-known brands like Apple, HP, Dell, Lenovo, Samsung, ASUS, or Microsoft to go for.
More tips on buying a laptop
Here is more on things to look for before buying a laptop.
- Laptops without DVD Drives are just fine, it’s a technology that is becoming obsolete anyway.
- Choose a laptop that is firm and less plasticky. That way you are certain about how durable the machine would be.
- Get your dealer to install a Windows operating system and all essential programs you would require such as Microsoft Office.
- Finally, buy your laptop from a recognized dealer. You wouldn’t want to be sold a counterfeit or refurbished machine. If you are in Kenya, Nairobi to be specific, you should check out Saruk Technologies.
- Always ensure you have a warranty for at least 6 months in order to be safe in case anything happens to the laptop within that period.
Final Word
The above are a few but the most important things to look for before buying a laptop. While it may seem a daunting task, considering and following those factors will certainly help you get that right laptop.
