How to Choose the Best Laptop for Your Business

Whether you are a business owner, a student or any user with basic computer skills, choosing the right laptop that meets your needs can be a challenging task especially when you are not well-versed with what actually people look at when choosing a desktop computer and or a laptop.

We have so many laptop brands that come in different specifications in the market, shopping for the right laptop means being able to find a laptop that satisfies your needs at a price you can afford.

Although desktop computers are still widely used, laptops provides the best computing solution especially if you want flexibility and freedom in your work.  Laptops are portable, and save on space making them the best choice for people who want to work while travelling and or in public spaces like coffee shops.

Laptop Buying Guide

Before buying a laptop you need to know what you want to accomplish or use your laptop for. Identifying your needs will enable you to choose a laptop with the appropriate computing power to help you complete your tasks with ease. To buy a desktop computer or laptop you have to know the kind of details or what we normally call specifications to look for. Understanding a laptop’s specification doesn’t require you to attend any computer school, all you need to do is read articles like this, and you will be ready to select the appropriate laptop. To choose the right laptop, you need to consider the following specifications:

Storage

Every computer requires a data storage unit. We have 2 types of computer storage namely hard disk drive (HDD) and solid state drive (SSD). HDD use magnetic disk to store data while SSD use flash memory.

Laptops with SSDs are more expensive but their read and write rates are much faster than laptops with convectional HDDs. SSDs do not have moving parts hence they are cooler, lighter and quieter which means they are more harder to damage than conventional drive.

While HDDs are inexpensive and better at processing large files, they are noisy and use a lot of power. I will always choose a laptop with an SSD over one with a hard drive. Note that, the storage capacity depends on your needs. We have some laptops that combine SSDs and HDDs, although not as fast as SSDs, they are less expensive. The bigger the drive, the more money you pay.

RAM

Random Access Memory (RAM) is where active data from your applications and system processes are stored. This shouldn’t be confused with storage discussed up there. RAM is actually where the computer does its real-time calculations and operations. With a good RAM size, you can do several applications simultaneously, open more browser tabs before your computer slows down.

4 GB of RAM is a good start for a windows PC. This is enough to enable you do basic tasks like browsing, watching movies/videos online, reading emails.

If you want to do more tasks like photo editing, video editing, playing games, then 8 GB RAM is the best size I would recommend. The downside of a bigger RAM is that it draws the battery over time.

Processor

The processor or what is usually referred to as the Central Processing Unit (CPU) in the computing world, is the part of a computer in which operations are controlled and executed. This is like the brain of the computer/laptop. When you open a folder on your laptop, the processor is the one that executes the command.

The strength of a processor is in the number of cores and the speed labelled in GHz of the processor. The speed of a chip will tell you how much data it can process in a given amount of time; the bigger the number the better. The number of cores functions as a multiplier, as the processor is a stack of cores that run at listed speed (a single-core 2GHz processor is slower than a four-core 2GHz processor). If you do a lot of multitasking, then multiple cores can be of great help as each can be working on different tasks.

For simple tasks like surfing the internet, emails, a dual core processor is the right choice. For best performance with multimedia tasks Intel core i7 CPU is a good pick. Intel core i3 are the cheapest but least powerful processors. Core i5 chips are good if you want to balance performance and cost. Core i7 if you want the best performance from your computer.

You can also read:

• Where to find affordable laptops
• How to get into Safe Mode in Windows 10

Size

Portability is a key factor when it comes to laptop. I would recommend 11 -13 inches.

Resolution

If you want to see everything on the screen at once or use multiple programs side by side consider a laptop with a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution (full HD) screen.

Connectivity

Almost all laptops will have to be connected to something. Look for a laptop with a number of USB 3.0 ports. SD card slots are also what you will need especially if you are a photo editor transferring photos every now and then.

If you are going to use your laptop for entertainment, you’ll probably need an HDMI output. This allows you to connect the laptop to modern TVs for high quality visual display.

For those planning to connect to networks and do it wireless, then you need a built-in-Wi-Fi receiver in your laptop. You can also consider an inbuilt Bluetooth receiver to enable you send audio to other Bluetooth devices around you.

Bottom line

Choosing a laptop is easier if you know your needs, and what to look for in terms of specifications. When you are able to identify the right laptop the last thing to consider is pricing. Choose a laptop that meets your needs and one which you can afford.