Laptops are a significant investment; buying the wrong one can waste a lot of money and prevent you from getting your work done. Here are five top tips that should help you to pick the right laptop for your needs and save yourself some money and frustration.
Choose the Latest Graphics
Technology is constantly evolving, and having outdated components on your laptop will affect its performance when you need it most. Graphics also consume a lot of power. Modern chipsets are more energy-efficient, so your battery will last longer.
You can click here to learn more about the latest Intel graphics chips and how they perform at the highest levels while keeping power consumption to a minimum.
Storage Is Not That Important
Manufacturers like to trick consumers with numbers to try and sell computers. The highest numbers get the most attention, though they may not always represent the best option. Storage is one example. High-capacity hard drives can be convenient, but most users will never fill them up.
Spend the money on other areas of the laptop. You can always add more space using USB drives later. Anything over 256 gigabytes is overkill and wastes your money.
Smaller Screens Are Better Buys
Smaller screens mean smaller laptops and smaller prices. The screen size is another statistic that manufacturers use to promote their products, but there is not much difference in the user experience between a 14-inch screen and a 17-inch screen. On the other hand, the price difference can be massive.
Do not be put off by a small screen, as the difference in display is minor. You can also connect your laptop to a television or monitor, making the screen size and quality a redundant feature.
Smaller CPUs Are Powerful Enough
Most people will use a laptop for web surfing and basic tasks like word processing. You do not need an all-singing and all-dancing central processing unit for this kind of use. Instead, mid-range and mid-power processors are all you will need in most situations.
Unless you plan to process high-definition videos or play the latest games, a smaller CPU will be all you need. This will save you money and give you longer battery life.
Research Battery Life
The most deceptive statistic in laptop sales is battery life. How long your battery will last depends greatly on what you are doing. For example, most manufacturers advertise a battery life of eight hours, but this will often be eight hours of the laptop sitting there and doing nothing.
Do some research on the internet before buying a laptop to see what other people are saying. You may find that the advertised battery life is very different from people’s real-life experiences. Follow these tips, and you should be able to get the right laptop for you. Do not get tempted into spending lots of money on a computer with many big numbers on the box. Spending a little less can give you more performance and battery life.