5 Things You Should Look for in a Laptop
Laptops come in various types and budget segments, designed for different types of users. While there is no clear answer to which laptop is best for your needs, here are some things you should consider before splurging on a device.
Right Size and Build Quality
If you want a laptop that is easy to carry, then you might want to consider a notebook that comes with a small display and light build. Laptops that are marketed as Ultrabooks should also fit the bill, as they come with a slim and portable design. More importantly, choose a laptop that sports a screen size, ranging from 12.5 to 13.3 inches, and a weight from 1 to 1.5 kg.
Clear and Vibrant Display
Since you’ll be using your laptop for many hours every day, you want to ensure you get a display that is comfortable to look at. While there are laptops that have touchscreens, they cast reflections due to their glossy surface. That is why you should consider a laptop with no touchscreen.
Next thing you should check is the resolution. Laptops with Full HD (1920x1080 pixels) resolutions are the ideal devices to consider if you want decent quality, clarity, and crispness. You should also look at the viewing angles of your laptop’s display to ensure comfort.
Comfortable Keyboard
If you typically spend long hours typing, you should get a laptop that comes with a comfortable keyboard. There’s no need to get one that is packed with all the fancy keys since that can result in a poor user experience when looking for the right keys. You might also want to consider a keyboard with a comfortable layout and full-sized keys or one that is backlit so you can easily type in dimly lit conditions.
Solid-State Drives
While compact and light laptops are becoming increasingly popular, those that have hard drives are no longer all the rage. This is because they are heavy, slow, and generate heat and noise. Meanwhile, solid-state drives offer a faster performance, run silently, and can be integrated into a form factor that doesn’t contribute to the weight of a laptop. However, SSDs don’t offer a lot of storage space, as they typically have 128 GB or 256 GB storage space. Nevertheless, you’ll like the speed with which it can run programs, access your files, and how fast it can boot up your device’s system.
Slick and Speedy CPU
Besides storage space, one of the things that buyers look for is the laptop’s CPU. CPUs like Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 provide the best performance in terms of multitasking and multimedia tasks. Typically, entry-level laptops are equipped with Core i3 CPUs while mainstream devices house Core i5 processors. If you want a slick and speedy laptop, go for one that has Core i7 CPU, provided that you equip it with a cooling pad to lessen the heat coming through the laptop’s base.
Aside from laptops, check out these gaming laptops and netbooks.