If you are in the market for a new laptop there are a few key things you need to consider before making your purchase.
1 – What Size Is The Laptop
Most people looking for a laptop are looking for something that is easy to carry around. If portability is your main concern, look for a laptop with a small screen. Any Ultrabook will be a good fit for you as they tend to be light and slim.
In particular you should look for a laptop that has a screen size of 12.5-13.3 inches and a weight of 1-1.5kg.
2 – Is The Screen Good Quality
These days people spend several hours a day just staring at the screen on their computers. That means the last thing you want is a low quality screen that makes it difficult to do your work.
Most computers these days come with fancy touchscreens that make it easy for you to maneuver around the desktop. Those same touchscreens also have a glossy reflection that make it difficult to see sometimes.
If you want the widest viewing angles opt for a laptop that uses in-plane switching technology. If at all possible, go to a local store and view the screen for yourself before making the purchase. If you are unable to view it in person, read several reviews before making your decision.
3 – Is There Enough RAM
The amount of RAM you need will ultimately depend on how you plan on using your new laptop. As a baseline, it is best to avoid laptops that have less than 4GB of RAM. The more RAM you have the more applications you will be able to run at the same time.
RAM also makes it possible for you to access data quickly which is great for things such as editing photos.
4 – What Type Of Hard Drive Does It Have
If you are looking for a lightweight laptop you need to avoid anything with a traditional hard drive. This is because traditional hard drives are bulky, slow and produce too much heat. This will often cause your laptop to shut down right in the middle of something very important.
For best results opt for a laptop that uses an SSD, or solid state drive. Not only are these drives faster, but they are also installed in a way that doesn’t add a lot of extra weight to the laptop.
5 – How’s The Battery Life
In most cases the battery life quoted by the manufacturer is not all the way accurate. In reality, the battery life largely depends on how you use the laptop. For example, if all you do is browse the web with your laptop, chances are, depending on the type of laptop it is, your battery can last 10 or more hours.
If on the other hand you use your laptop to stream videos online or to download a ton of files, the battery life will be a lot shorter than what was quoted by the manufacturer.