What features should a good laptop have? If you’re in the market for a laptop, you know that there’s a lot out there to choose from. How do you know what you need?
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What’s the difference between a Mack Book Air and a Mack Book Pro, a standard PC and a gaming PC? What to look for when buying a laptop?
There’s no easy way to answer that question because what will be good for you depends on how you’re going use your laptop. Do you only need a nice keyboard, Internet connection, and a front-facing camera in order to surf the web, write emails, and hook up with friends and family on social media?
Alternatively, are you about to create a software company website or are into gaming and need something powerful and fast with advanced sound, graphics, and a quad-core processor for gaming, image editing, and fast streaming?
1. Operating System
An operating system is what makes your laptop run. It controls all the hardware and software plus all your files. Most people have a preference for what kind of operating system they want. This completely boils down to preference and, sometimes, you just choose what you’re used to working with. There are 2 main operating systems on most laptops: iOS and Windows.
You probably know that iOS is the Apple operating system that’s used on MacBooks. It’s also the same system that iPads and iPhones use and helps keep all of your Apple devices integrated. MacBooks tend to be on the high-end of the price range for laptops. They’re easy to use and their sleek and elegant look is generally nice to look at.
While the Windows operating system was once all about pointing and clicking with a mouse, it’s evolved with the introduction of touchscreens. You can still use Windows by pointing and clicking with your mouse, but the same interface will appear on your Windows laptop, smartphone, or tablet. This allows for smooth integration of all your apps and programs between your Window’s devices
2. Weight
By definition, laptops are portable. They are all a reasonable weight so you can take them anywhere but they range from about 3 to 6 pounds on averageA lightweight laptop that weighs less than 3 pounds will be really easy to take anywhere but they usually only have basic features like Internet access for emailing and social media. If you travel a lot of if you need a laptop to take to class or to business meetings, you might want to consider something lightweight.
Powerful laptops will weigh much more, possibly 6 pounds or more. These are best for people who use their laptop as their main computer and don’t carry it around from place to place that often. Maybe it goes from home to the office and back, but a heavy laptop isn’t one you would want to take on a long flight or carry across campus as you’re rushing to your next class.
3. Screen
When it comes to screens, the best features a good laptop should have again depend on how you’re going to use it.If you’re really into video or photo editing, need a gaming laptop, or if you use your laptop to stream a lot of movies or television shows, get a large screen with high resolution. For a really great viewing experience, choose one with retina display for the best picture quality available.
Beautiful, large screen sizes like these use a lot of battery power. If you’re using your laptop for work or primarily for surfing the web, a smaller laptop screen with standard HD resolution is a great feature for you.
4. Processors And Memory
A processor is essentially the brain of a laptop. If you want your laptop to work fast and be able to multitask, you need a good one. Memory is just as important when it comes to being able to run multiple programs at the same time.
Intel processors are some of the best and the top-notch version is the Core i7. If you’re using your laptop for gaming, photo or video editing, or any kind of design work, you should consider a laptop with a Core i7 processor.
As for the hard drive, aim for at least 6GB of memory if you want to use your laptop for anything other than basic tasks like word processing or surfing the internet. Most laptops come with this standard but you can find some that have a lot more. Another good idea is to choose a laptop that allows you to add more memory if you need it.
5. Battery
The most important thing to remember about batteries is that all of the other features we covered depend on the battery for power. The more powerful your laptop, the faster it will eat through battery power. Most manufacturers will state how long the battery will last under normal usage.
If you’re going to use your laptop on battery power a lot, choose one with a long battery life. That said, if you have a lot of features that use a lot of power, your battery may not last as long as you’d hoped.
What you need to think about when it comes to battery life is this: How often do you use your laptop on battery power? How often are you stuck somewhere unable to charge your battery? If you use your laptop as your main computer and can easily access an outlet to charge it, you don’t really need to worry too much.
If you travel a lot and rely on your laptop for work, the features of a good laptop are different. You might want something small that doesn’t have the best display but has a battery that can last and last.
The Features That Are Right For You
When it comes to choosing a laptop, it’s normal to wonder what features a good laptop should have... "Which laptop should i buy?"
The truth is that it really depends on what you’ll be using it for.
Different users have different needs and features are perfect for one person may not be ideal for another. Consider how you’ll be using your laptop then decide what features you must have and which ones aren’t really going to add to your experience.