How to Choose The Best Laptop
Laptops come in many different sizes, weights and specifications. As you search for the best laptop for your own purposes, you will come across cheap entry-level laptops as well as pricier, well-made machines better suited to extensive use and demanding multimedia applications. To find the best laptop for you, determine your needs first and narrow down the selection by size, features and quality. Once you get your list narrowed down, you can read what others say about the models you are considering buying.
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Instructions
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Determine how you will use the laptop. College students will want to carry their laptops around large campuses, for example, while some laptops become replacements for desktop computers and hardly ever leave one spot. Consider whether you want the laptop for gaming, extensive typing or light Internet browsing.
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Select the appropriate size for your needs. Look for smaller, 13-inch or 14-inch laptops if you plan to carry yours around often. Many business-class laptops, such as Dell Latitudes and Lenovo ThinkPads, come in this size range. Take weight into consideration as well. Purchase a laptop with a larger screen up to 17 inches in size if you want a desktop replacement or you need lots of screen space for graphics applications.
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Check the processor size of potential laptops. In most cases, there is no difference between Intel and AMD processors, other than the fact that laptops with AMD processors come at lower prices. Laptops meant for occasional Web browsing do not require the speediest processor, nor do laptops that are meant for homework and general typing. Gamers, multimedia enthusiasts and graphic designers will want more expensive processor upgrades.
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Find out how much memory comes with the laptop and how much memory you can add. Memory is the easiest upgrade to perform yourself, and oftentimes memory upgrades cost much less when you purchase them from an online store rather than the laptop manufacturer. If you can only afford a laptop with 4 gigabytes at the moment, try to get one that is upgradeable to more than that amount.
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Create a list of possible laptops you might purchase and read reviews on them. You can find many reviews online and in magazines centered around laptops or computers in general. Pay attention to what reviewers say about the sturdiness, design and overall quality of the laptop. If you plan to type a lot, for example, cross a laptop off your list after reading that it comes with a cheaply made keyboard. Do not buy a laptop that is known to overheat easily if you wish to use it for multimedia.
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