Between staying home more often during the COVID-19 pandemic and schools starting back up in various ways, you might be one of many people on the hunt for a new personal laptop. The market is saturated with options. It can be hard to wade through the many features and benefits and understand what would be the best laptop for you.
First of all, as you look through the features, you need to keep in mind how you will use this laptop. For instance, if you’re not a gamer, you won’t need the best processor you can find. If you’re sending this with your kid to college, you’ll want this laptop to be portable. If you’re going to stream a lot of shows, you may want a larger screen.
Read more about some of the key features to consider.
The Size
The size impacts a lot about your laptop – the weight, the processing power, and the portability.
You can find screens as small as 11 inches and as large as 18 inches. An 11-inch screen will be much more portable than an 18-inch screen, typically weighing 2.5 – 3.5 pounds. The larger screen will boast more processing power that you may need for gaming or workstation-level productivity.
The greatest balance is struck around 12.5 – 14 inches. This size range will be portable with a good level of usability.
The Operating System
There are three main operating systems. Mac, Windows, and Chrome OS.
Chrome OS is found in some inexpensive laptops like Chromebooks. It is simple and secure. Chome OS is more limited than Windows or macOS. The user interface feels more like an application menu. Many of the web apps do not work well offline.
Windows offers the most flexible operating system. It runs on more laptops than macOS or Chrome OS in a wide range of prices. Cortana is a feature of Windows that is much like Mac’s Siri. Windows machines are great for gamers, students.
All MacBooks run on macOS. The functionality is similar to Windows but the interface is different. You can perform transactions with Apple Pay, take calls or texts from your iPhone, and unlock your laptop with your Apple Watch.
The Battery Life
An 8 hour battery life is ideal if you take your laptop anywhere. The battery life is have a significant impact on your daily experience with your machine. Don’t overlook this feature.
Hybrid or No?
2-in-1 laptops are becoming increasingly popular. These hybrid devices can switch between the traditional laptop clamshell mode and the opposite position, making them more of a tablet. There is a detachable style where the keyboard comes off and a non-detachable style.
Your experience will be a blend of laptop and tablet experience. A lot of these machines will be better at one of the functions over the other.
Connectivity
If you will be using your laptop on the go often, you may consider a notebook that has 4G LTE support. This will put your notebook on your data subscription plan and allow you to access the internet even when you’re away from a router or wifi.
For the wifi, wifi 6 is the latest and greatest. It offers increased theoretical throughputs and offers a more stable connection.
While doing your research, be sure to know what you want from your machine and narrow your options from there.
