Everything you need to know when buying a laptop

Chrome OS has its drawbacks as well. Because it’s a web-focused platform, almost every major app is either a browser extension or a web tool. Some, like Google’s Docs, can run locally, but most require an active internet connection. Recent updates have added Android apps to a few Chromebooks, and they should come to all models eventually, but that’s not enough to overcome the huge advantage that Windows and Mac OS have for stand-alone third party applications.

Thin-and-light

Intel began its “Ultrabook” push as a rigid set of definitions for a premium thin-and-light laptop spec that could compete with the MacBook Air, but lately the term has become generic. This segment of laptops offers a premium option focused on mobility, usually with a 13-inch screen (though slightly larger and smaller models are available). With models starting at around $700 and going as high as $2000, there’s a lot of variety to be had.

Typically what separates a thin-and-light from a budget laptop is material quality and a few premium components. These machines are thinner and lighter, usually with some kind of stronger chassis made of aluminum or magnesium. They’ll have a more stylish look than budget laptops as well. Even cheaper thin-and-lights might come with upgrades like an SSD, a touchscreen, or a backlit keyboard, but none of them are big enough to include a disc drive. Dell’s XPS 13, widely regarded as the best thin-and-light laptop of the last several years, fits into this category.

2-in-1

The 2-in-1, or convertible, laptop combines the convenience and ease of a tablet with the utility of a keyboard. There are two main ways of accomplishing this: either the two are attached but the keyboard can fold behind the touchscreen, or the tablet side can be fully detached from the keyboard.

Convertibles can provide a lot of versatility, however they are not necessarily the best devices available. The uniqueness of their design can come with some notable drawbacks, such as weight (especially from the metal hinges on the keyboard) and price. Convertible laptops can often be more expensive than clam shell laptops with comparable specs.

Newer systems combine the premium build and components of an ultrabook with the versatility of a two-in-one, like the Microsoft Surface line. These designs offer impressive power and performance, though their limited dimensions often mean all-day Dell xps m1530 laptop battery life is not on the table. While some convertible laptops fall in the $6oo range or lower, premium options usually start at around $1,000 or more.

Business laptops

Laptops, like suits and lattes, have become one of the symbols of the modern professional. Of course, a real professional needs their laptop to do more than just serve as a status symbol. The best business laptops often boast impressive hardware designed to run a slew of professional software, whether the user needs to edit video footage, assemble a presentation, or simply host a conference call.

Many jobs require traveling and moving around, it’s also important that a business laptop exhibit long battery life, as well as a sturdy frame that can survive constant traveling. Given their robust features, business laptops tend to fall on the pricier end of the spectrum.

Business laptops typically use a 14 or 15-inch screen, though some can be smaller or larger. They often omit a touschreen and other niceties. Dell’s Latitude series and the Lenovo ThinkPad line are often favored by corporations (and especially IT departments) for durable builds and excellent keyboards. Business laptops start at around $1,000, but prices can climb quickly if they’re configured with powerful hardware or add-ons like spare batteries.

Desktop replacement

There’s no denying the allure of a desktop. They’re powerful, can be hooked up to very large monitors, and a full keyboard is a lot easier to use than the often cramped arrangements common to laptops. However, desktops can take up a lot of space, and they’re not convenient to move around.

For those who want the power of a desktop but also want something that is at least somewhat portable, there is the desktop replacement laptop. Generally equipped with a 17-inch display, desktop replacements are thicker than your average mobile computer. If you plan on carrying your laptop with you on your daily commute, you will probably need a full backpack and a chiropractor. However, some modern designs (like the XPS 15 or the ZenBook Pro) have attempted to combine desktop replacement power and battery life with a smaller, lighter design.

The larger screen of a desktop replacement makes it much better for watching shows and movies than the typical laptop, and great desktop replacements will also have decent speakers. This makes them useful as entertainment devices, like a home theater that can be moved easily between rooms. Indeed, desktop replacements find plenty of ways to take advantage of that extra room, such as incorporating spacious keyboards and touchpads.

Desktop replacements typically start at around $1,400 or more. Adding the latest, fastest processor, more storage space, or 4K resolution screens can drive the price much higher.

Gaming laptops

Graphics keep getting better, levels keep getting bigger and denser, and many games require the ability to hit any of a number of specific keys at the precise moment. Given all this, gaming laptops have to be built to keep up with unceasing march of progress. The best gaming laptops tout high-end processors and video cards, as well as enough RAM to run modern games.

Gaming laptops also tend to be bulkier, typically to accommodate better hardware and larger screens. After all, nobody wants to play something like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on a 13-inch display. All this is to say that gaming laptops are not as convenient for travel, so make sure to have a large enough bag and be prepared for sore shoulders.

Though some larger companies like Dell and Asus offer gaming laptops with their Alienware and Republic of Gamers sub-brands, the segment is dominated by boutique manufacturers like Falcon Northwest and Razer. These dedicated machines start high and go higher in terms of price. For bargain hunters, desktop replacement laptops can sometimes be configured with a high-power mobile graphics card for a less-expensive option that can still run recent games.

What you need to know about hardware

As with any computer, the hardware on a laptop determines what it is capable of doing. Better hardware will naturally be more expensive, so it is important to consider what you are going to use the laptop for and choose hardware suitable for that purpose. A laptop that is only being used for general purposes such as browsing the Internet or writing documents, for example, probably doesn’t need a high-end processor or video card.

CPU/Processor

As with any computer, the CPU carries out all the processes for the laptop. Any time the computer needs to access or change data, the CPU executes that task. Better CPUs will be able to process more data at quicker speeds. Note that the pure clock speed of a CPU doesn’t necessarily give the whole picture – if you’re unsure about your options, copy the processor’s model number (such as “Core i7-6500U”) into a web search to compare your choices.

The latest offerings from Intel are its Core i3, i5, and i7 series in 7th-generation models (with model numbers starting at 7000). Newer CPUs are generally faster and more efficient, though it might take a few months for laptop manufacturers to include them in retail models. Try not to buy a brand new laptop with a processor design that’s two years or older.

Graphics and Sound

A video card generates the images that a program needs to display on screen. With most laptops, the video card will come integrated into the motherboard. Unlike with a desktop, it’s very rare and difficult to upgrade a laptop’s video card. For most users, the video card is not something to worry about in particular. The most important uses for a video card are gaming and modeling, in which figures — often three dimensional — need to be rendered.

NVIDIA and AMD are the primary vendors for discrete mobile graphics. NVIDIA’s latest series is the 10-series, the GTX 1080, 1070, and 1060. These will be in the most expensive, most powerful gaming and business-class laptops, thous some recent models may be using the slightly older 900 series. AMD’s Radeon series is a cheaper alternative often found in more budget options. The R9 and R7 chips are the latest designs: the Radeon R9 M485X is the most powerful, with cheaper, slower models offered at lower price points down to the R7 M270X.

Speakers will also almost always be built into the laptop. Generally speaking, laptop speakers are not going to be amazing. It would be difficult, after all, to fit a subwoofer and all the necessary components for a great stereo experience within the confines of a laptop. Of course, most laptops provide ports to connect headphones or external speakers if you want a more immersive listening experience.

Memory

RAM, often referred to as memory, refers to the computer’s ability to store and access information for immediate use. Any task currently being done on a computer is using RAM. Essentially, the more RAM a computer has, the more information it can call up at any given time, and thus the more processes it can do at any time.

Older laptops, and some new business-class or desktop replacement models, can be upgraded with new RAM by the user for much less money than a pre-configured RAM boost. However, a focus on small, compact laptop designs is making this less common.

Storage

The amount of storage space on a hard drive is how much data it can hold in total. Programs, videos, music: all of these are stored on the hard drive. In contrast to memory, data in storage does not necessarily need to be in use. A program that is installed on the computer but not currently running would take up storage space but not memory. These days, many laptops use solid state drives — aka SSDs — which are faster and sturdier than traditional hard drives at the expense of storage space.

An SSD offers a dramatic performance boost over a conventional hard drive. If you have some room in your budget for an upgrade, pick an SDD first, then RAM, then focus on other components like a faster processor or a high-resolution screen.

Touchscreen capabilities

A few years ago a touchscreen was a novelty only found on high-end laptops, mostly because the hardware and software simple weren’t mature enough to make them useful for most people. But with the explosion of smartphone and tablet users, Microsoft, Google, and laptop makers have made a huge effort to create a quality touchscreen experience. In addition to high-quality capacities screen technology, touchscreens are now optional even on some budget designs.

Windows 10 has gone a long way towards making these touchscreen and combination designs more viable. The interface and software is designed with touch in mind, including conventional programs like Office or the new Edge browser. Third-party software, like Google’s popular Chrome browser, is also being updated with solid touch support. The march forward in both software and hardware has made them much more viable even for expensive, work-focused machines.

That said, Windows and Chrome OS are still designed to be used primarily with a keyboard and mouse (or touchpad). A touchscreen will add a little functionality, but most users won’t lose any critical tools by going for a non-touch option.

Mac or PC?

There are few rivalries more contentious than that of Mac vs. PC. For the uninitiated looking to buy a laptop, there is no need to become a hardcore disciple of either sect. You will, however, have to choose between one or the other. While both Macs and PCs will perform all of the general functions a computer ought to do, there are several differences in design and software that distinguish the two.

Apple has always been protective of its brand, releasing products in very deliberate iterations. Any Apple product will follow its standards, whereas any manufacturer can make a PC with unique specs. As a result, Macs are very user friendly. Apple will tell you exactly what you are getting regardless of which Macbook you purchase, and because all Macs come from the same ecosystem, the company’s resourceful support network can easily help with any problems that arise.

Quality design is one of the hallmarks of a Mac. They are built to look and feel elegant. This extends to Apple’s operating system, MacOS (formerly known as OS X), which is straightforward and intuitive. Macs also come pre-installed with a suite of proprietary software, and each application is well-suited for tasks such editing video or music. Macs utilize fast hardware, too, so those who want a solid computer but do not know a lot about hardware can rest easy knowing their Mac will perform well during everyday use. That said, this also equates to a higher price tag. Apple computers aren’t known for being cheap.

In many ways, Apple’s strict design standards mean that its products are easy for anyone to pick up and use, regardless of a person’s skill level or familiarity with computers. On the other hand, the rigid design of the Mac means less freedom to customize the device. The available hardware is the hardware you get.

Furthermore, Apple only sells a few different models of Macbook at any given time. At the time of writing the thin-and-light Macbook and Macbook Air models are for users who need portability over power, while the larger Macbook Pro models offer high power and capability with larger screens and more ports.

In contrast, PCs are an incredibly diverse category. There are dozens of manufacturers who make PCs and the quality and pricing can vary greatly depending on which model and brand you opt for. The fastest PCs will surpass Macs in terms of performance. And many companies tailor their PCs to a specific purpose, such as gaming or business.

PCs typically run Windows as an operating system, which is far more open-ended than Mac OS, and updated more frequently. There’s also more software available for Windows. In particular, Windows is the standard for game development and many business-related programs.

Windows-powered devices come in a variety of shapes and sizes. A standard laptop with a clamshell design and a keyboard-mouse interface is easy to find – and it’s the only one offered by Apple at the moment. Touchscreen Windows laptops can be found even in the lower price brackets, and more elaborate designs include fold-back screens or even detachable tablet-keyboard combos, such as Microsoft’s own Surface Book. Windows manufacturers have the freedom to experiment with truly wild designs, like Lenovo’s recent Yoga Book and its combination touchpad-keyboard. Apple offers no MacOS hardware with touchscreen options at the moment.

Overall, we recommend Windows or MacOS. Apple’s laptops are extremely expensive for the experience provided, and MacOS is not updated as frequently as Windows. However, those married to MacOS will find it an acceptable option.