How to choose the perfect laptop for your needs – A short buyer’s guide
There’s one thing we all need: a laptop. Whether we use them for work, watch videos, or take photos and edit them, we need these (not so) little computer devices to make our lives bearable in the 21st century. The problem is, there are so many options available that it’s hard to figure out what’s the best choice for your specific needs. There’s a lot to consider apart from the operating system. Does it have the screen you need? Is the processor good enough? Does it have ports for your peripherals?
This is where we come in. Whether you’re looking at Windows, Mac, or something else entirely outside of the box, such as Chromebooks or ultraportables, we have you covered with this short buyer’s guide that will help you choose the match-made-in-heaven laptop in 2022.
Here are some of the most relevant criteria to take into consideration when purchasing your next laptop:
- The operating system
“What is the best operating system?” is a question without a clear answer, as it heavily depends on personal preference. Most laptops come with Windows OS, Chrome OS, or Mac OS, each excellent in its own way. Here’s a quick summary of what each of them has to offer:
- Windows OS
If we’re talking popularity, Microsoft’s Windows wins the contest. Windows 10 is highly flexible and provides a wide array of features – from the Cortana digital assistant to easily switching between desktop and tablet modes. There are two areas where Windows OS reigns supreme: gaming and expansive hardware options.
- macOS
MacOS is the top-choice among graphic design professionals, as they swear by the system’s intuitiveness and ease of use. The Apple ecosystem tends to be limited, only allowing integration with Apple products – but this aspect poses quite a few advantages. The Apple ecosystem tends to be more secure, stable, and simple to maneuver.
- Chrome OS
Google’s Chrome OS is straightforward and secure but has its limits when compared to Windows or macOS. The bright side is that it comes with cheap devices that are perfect for those who only need to perform simple tasks. Chromebooks are popular with schools and children, as they are malware-resistant and more versatile than tablets.
- Choose the specs
We get the struggle – all those specs may look like alphabet soup if you’re not extremely tech-savvy. Let’s break down the main components that deserve your attention when buying a new laptop:
- CPU – the processor is “the brain” of the computer and plays a crucial role in determining its performance. The good news is that nowadays, almost every £500 features a decent processor suited for daily usage. If you decide to buy an Apple laptop, your choice is limited to its ARM M1 chips implemented in 2020.
Your choice will be a tad more challenging if you opt for a Windows or Chrome OS, as they come with a greater choice of AMD, Intel, and even ARM chips. If you go for a Chromebook, we recommend choosing one of the new Ryzen C or Intel Core processors rather than Pentium or Celeron.
If you’re seeking a Windows OS laptop for optimal daily use, we suggest choosing at least an Intel Core i5. Intel Core i7 allows a better gaming experience and increased productivity, while Intel Core i9 is worth succumbing to the hype if you’re a power user, an avid gamer, or a professional that needs high-performing workstations. Intel 11th Gen CPUs raise the bar of top laptops and workstations.
- RAM is the computer’s short-term memory used to handle all active apps and tasks. The higher the RAM, the better your laptop will perform at multitasking. We recommend opting for at least 8GB RAM if you’re seeking a budget-friendly system that does a decent job. 64GB is where it’s at for power users, avid gamers, and professionals that need a computing beast.
- SSD sets the stage for your storage drive’s performance and use flash-based memory-much faster compared to a mechanical hard disk. If the budget allows, we recommend opting for a laptop with an SSD for 3x more speed.
- Ports – Most mainstream laptops come with HDMI and USB 3.0 ports, but the newer models feature USB Type-C, Thunderbolt 3, or Thunderbolt 4 ports (which are compatible with USB Type-C). If you’re a gamer, you should look for headphone jacks and Ethernet ports as well.
- Graphics Chip - An integrated graphics chip like Intel’s Iris Xe is more than enough for someone who is not a gamer, a video editor, or a 3D designer. A graphics processor from AMD or Nvidia is a must-have if you’re in one of the latter categories. Low-end workstations and gaming systems typically come with GTX 1660 GPUs or Nvidia MX450, mid-range systems have RTX 2060 or RTX 2050, and high-end systems have 3080 GPUs or RTX 3070. As mentioned above, buying a MacBook for gaming isn’t the best idea, but Radeon RX 5600M and Radeon RX 5700M offer great productivity performance.
- Display – you may be tempted to evaluate a display’s quality based on resolution, but there’s so much more that goes into it. The pixels define how much content you can fit on a screen and how sharp it looks. Those who desire the best visual quality should opt for a monumental OLED display.
- Size does matter
The size of your laptop should be in correlation with the portability level you’re aiming for. 15-inch laptops are the most popular ones, providing a perfectly large screen for intense usage. 13-14 inch laptops offer the optimal balance of usability and portability. 17-18 inches laptops are reserved for power users that need the highest performance possible.
- Check your wallet
Thankfully, these days one can buy a functional laptop for as little as £200 (such as Chromebooks or Dell Inspiron 11 3000). For under £600, you can purchase a decent computer with 4-8GB RAM and an Intel Core i5 CPU. As you raise the price tag a little and get above £600, you’ll be able to find laptops with near-premium features and designs like Lenovo IdeaPad 530s. When you go above £900, the sky is the limit, as ultra-premium gaming systems and workstations can cost even £3,000 (but are totally worth the investment).
- Live long and prosper – battery life
If you’re only using your laptop as stationary or in proximity to an outlet, you’ll never have to mind the battery life. But if you plan to read the news or work in the garden, you’ll want at least seven hours of autonomy. Pro-tip: if you want to find out a laptop’s true battery life, check out third-party reviews instead of the manufacturer’s claims.
The bottom line
We hope this short buyer’s guide to choosing the perfect laptop based on your needs and requirements managed to answer some of your burning questions and make the decision at least a bit easier. In the meantime, you can have a look at our full range of high-performance laptops and workstations here.