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Laptop computers used to come with a prohibitive price tag compared to the cost of mainstream desktop computers. Over the past few years, however, the desktop's cost advantage has vanished, making a laptop the overwhelming favorite if you have limited desk space or just think you have the slightest chance you might use your computer outside of your home.

At the same time, technological advances have brought about laptops that are smaller, faster, lighter, and easier to use. The only downside to these developments is that now you have a lot of options, and choosing the right laptop is increasingly difficult. Here are the factors that you need to consider:

Basic Components

Hard Drives

Laptop hard drives are smaller and more expensive than their desktop counterparts. While a desktop computer often comes with a hard drive with between 500 gigabytes and 2 terabytes of capacity, most laptops get by with a standard-issue drive with only 100 to 500 gigabytes. That's still enough for thousands of songs and pictures or dozens of movies. Only if you're maintaining a large collection of large, uncompressed media files - if you're a professional photographer, for example - will you find this space inadequate. Most laptop users who need extra memory just pick up a light, portable external hard drive with plenty of capacity.

Further, there's a newer, faster kind of hard drive. The solid state drive (SSD) replaces the spinning disk with memory chips similar to the ones in your camera or USB storage stick. Solid state drives are noticeably faster than traditional hard drives. They can greatly reduce the time it takes to boot up your computer or to open a program. They also consume less power, helping your battery last longer in the short and long run. Finally, with no moving parts, solid state drives are less likely to crash. For all those benefits, however, they cost much more than standard drives of the same capacity. If you can afford a solid state drive, or you can manage to live with a smaller capacity hard drive, you will really be amazed by its performance. If you don't want to shell out the cash right now but change your mind later, you can switch out your hard drive as part of a performance enhancing computer hardware upgrade.

Memory

There is an old saying in the computer industry that you can never be too rich or have too much memory. It's true. When a computer loads a program, it takes the information from the comparatively slow hard drive and temporarily stores it in its much faster Random Access Memory (RAM) drive. Having more RAM will allow you to open up more programs simultaneously without slowing down the computer.

Simply put, more RAM means a faster machine. Most laptops come with a minimum of one gigabyte of RAM. It's worth paying for two or even four gigabytes of RAM if you can afford it. If higher RAM isn't in your current budget, at least make sure that you'll have the ability to upgrade. Not all machines can take an upgrade, and you don't want to get that surprise later on.

Processor Speed

In the old days, you would have judged a computer almost exclusively by the speed of its processor. Today, most new computers feature processors that are more than sufficient for most everyday tasks including the use of office applications and Internet browsing.

If you're going to use your laptop for major gaming, data processing, or video or graphic design, you'll need to take a harder look at processor speed. Laptops marketed as netbooks come with low-voltage processors that will extend your battery life, while traditional laptops will have standard processors. If you are looking for speed, look for the higher speeds in Gigahertz (Ghz) or multi-core options.

Laptop Weight

The entire point of a laptop is portability, so you need to consider the weight. The heaviest component of a laptop is the battery, so you'll of course have to balance your preference for a lightweight computer and a long-lasting battery. Think about whether you are always on the move or just an occasional traveler with a computer. If you simply want a laptop for those rare instances when you go to the coffee shop, or to carry around the house with you, you can probably deal with a slightly heavier option for the sake of longer battery life. If you'll be very mobile, you may want to carry a lighter machine even if you have to plug it in more often.

Other than the battery, other factors that affect weight are screen size and whether or not you'll get an optical drive (e.g. DVD drive). Most commonly, the lightest laptops will be more expensive than heavier ones that have similar specs. The smallest and lightest laptops can weigh less than two and a half pounds, while the largest can weigh seven pounds or more. I find the middle ground, between three and five pounds, to be the sweet spot for people who want to be able to travel comfortably with their laptop.

Display

Screen Size

Think seriously about how much screen size you really need, because a large screen will feel much less portable. The smallest netbooks have screen sizes of eight or nine inches, while laptops built for presentations and large-scale viewing can have screens up to 17 inches. Eight or nine inches will be plenty for surfing and reading emails, but if you're working with larger documents, photos, or movies, you'll need at least 11 inches.

One option is to supplement your laptop's small screen with one or more larger monitors on your desk. This way, you'll get the advantage of portability and maximize your workspace at home. The most important aspect to consider along with screen size is weight, which will increase significantly with screen size.

Screen Resolution

Resolution is the other critical factor determining how much information you will be able to see on your laptop's screen. Selecting a higher resolution will allow you to see more text on your screen but it will be smaller. The limiting factor is the maximum resolution that your laptop's screen can display.

The smallest available resolution is 640×480, which is barely adequate for most tasks. The majority of websites are optimized for a screen at 1024×768. A popular resolution for wide screens is 1280×800, and larger laptops can even feature an incredible 1600×1200.

If you'll be spending a lot of time in front of the computer, a higher resolution may be worth the extra money. It won't be as harsh on your eyes and will make for a much more pleasant viewing experience.

Screen Backlight

An LED screen is a great new feature for your laptop. LED lighting technology offers a better picture, is more durable, and consumes less power. The older, florescent displays usually fail after a few years and cost you a lot to replace, while LED backlights should outlive the rest of your laptop's components. Moreover, less power consumption translates into a longer battery life.

LED screens provide a larger spectrum of colors, and produce a greater degree of detail in dark areas, making images look sharper than fluorescent-lit screens. There used to be a significant difference in price between florescent LCD and LED lit laptops, but the price of LEDs has dropped to the point where LEDs are taking over the market.

Graphics Cards

The graphics card you can expect from most portable computers will have a fraction of the power that a desktop will have. Unless you purchase a laptop for gamers, the video card will likely only be sufficient for using office productivity applications and viewing media files. However, if you are planning on utilizing one or more external monitors, you should ensure that the video system in your laptop is capable of supporting that configuration.

Key Components

Trackpads

Trackpads, which provide the functionality that mice provide for desktops, are made of various materials and have a wide spectrum of capabilities depending on the manufacturer and model. Even if you plan to order online, visit some stores to test out trackpads to make sure the one you get responds to your movements. You'll be stuck with it for a great deal of your computer use, and you need to like the "feel" of that specific trackpad.

Apple laptops, for example, have glass trackpads that allow you to use a long list of "gestures" that virtually replace any need for a mouse. PC laptop trackpads offer adequate capability, while providing a wide range of trackpad materials.

Keyboard

The size of your laptop's keyboard will depend on the screen size you choose. If you seek the portability of a small screen, you probably won't have a full-sized keyboard. Small keyboards are tough to begin with if you have big hands or big fingers, but they'll also be missing some of the shortcut keys you might be used to.

Before you buy a laptop, make sure that the keyboard fits your hands and is easy to use. Additionally, some laptops have traditional, raised keys while others have a keyboard that sits more flush with the laptop. The slight difference can make a big difference in comfort. Some also offer backlit keys to help you in the dark, though that convenience can drain the battery power.

Lastly, the largest laptops now even come with a number pad on the right side, just like a standard keyboard. Keep in mind that if you'd prefer to carry a smaller laptop but work with a bigger keyboard at home, you can attach a full-sized external keyboard.

Battery Life

One of the limiting factors of any laptop is its battery life. You need to consider your lifestyle and decide how important battery life is to you and how much extra you're willing to pay for a computer with a long-lasting battery. Factors that can increase battery life include LED lit screens, solid state drives, and low-power processors. These newer technologies consume less power, which is a far more convenient way to extend battery life than including a larger and heavier battery.

The best laptops will offer a battery life of close to 10 hours. This can enable students to use their laptop throughout the day without ever having to plug it in. A longer battery life can also be very useful to work at coffee shops, or watch movies on long car rides and plane trips. With most laptops, you can also purchase a second battery to extend your computer's battery life.

Connecting and Accessorizing

Wireless Capability

These days, wireless cards aren't really an accessory. Nearly every laptop will come with wireless capability standard. Most come with Bluetooth as well. WiFi will allow you to connect to the Internet, while Bluetooth enables you to use devices like headsets, wireless mice, and telephones, without wires.

You'll likely find that the card in your machine conforms to the 802.11g standard, which should provide all the speed and bandwith you'll need. If you want to invest in cutting-edge technology, the next standard on the way will be 802.11n, but it's not worth spending extra to get this emerging technology at this time.

Camera

As teleconferencing, uploading photos, and recording videos become more popular, more and more laptops come with a small camera above the screen. It's a cheap upgrade, but it's easy to end up with a low-quality camera that won't be of much value to you.

If you plan on frequently using your camera for video, rather than capturing still images, choose a higher resolution. Most laptops with built-in cameras feature 1.3 megapixels of resolution, which is fine for video conferencing. If you want to upgrade, or have more flexibility with the angle of your shot, you can get a high-quality external USB laptop camera.

Ports

Your laptop is meant for portability, and you'll probably want to carry with you plenty of peripherals, like that camera, when you travel. You'll need an adequate number of USB ports, or else you'll need to buy an additional hub. While some laptops come with only two USB ports, if you have a lot of devices to attach, upgrade to four ports.

The current USB standard is 2.0, but 3.0 is quickly becoming more popular. Finding a laptop with USB 3.0 will enable faster communication with external hard drives, cameras, and other devices. Other ports that you may need include Firewire and HDMI, both of which are used to transmit digital video.

Finally, some laptops come with memory card readers that you can use to access the popular formats used by digital cameras.

Docking Stations

One downside to a laptop is that it's very time consuming to detach and re-attach your peripherals every time you want to move the computer. For your power cord, printer, scanner, and all of your other devices, avoid the mess by getting a docking station. You'll be able to attach all of your equipment to a single point of contact with your computer, and simply dock and un-dock your machine with the press of a button. Unfortunately, not all laptops are compatible with a docking station, so if you know you have a lot of peripherals, consider this a deal breaker when you're shopping.

Two Big Debates

Mac vs. PC

On the software front, many people find the Mac operating system much more user-friendly than Windows. Moreover, Mac hardware has proven to be more reliable over the long run than PCs. Apple products, however, are significantly more expensive than their PC counterparts, mainly because the PC market is saturated with numerous competitors vying for the lowest price.

Additionally, Windows users have access to a larger selection of compatible programs since most software is designed first and foremost for Windows. This is true especially when it comes to computer games.

Laptop vs. Netbook

A few years ago, the computer manufacturers had the "bigger is better" mindset. Major companies presumed that all users wanted the largest available screen and every feature they could dream up. Eventually, they learned that some customers wanted a smaller laptop with fewer features at a lower price point. The product they came up with was called the netbook.

The idea was that they would remove the DVD drive, reduce the screen size, and decrease the power consumption. The resulting machine would thus be optimized for portability and long life. They intended to create a computer that you could use for basic light computing tasks and general web surfing.

As more variations on laptops become available, the lines are getting blurry with netbooks vs. laptops. Many manufacturers have even dropped the optical drives in favor of slim, light designs with incredible battery life. At this point, the word "netbook" isn't much more than a marketing term to indicate that a computer is a small, light alternative that doesn't have a DVD drive.

Final Word

Laptops are so much more accessible than they were just a few years ago, and the technology keeps improving while prices fall further. For just a few hundred dollars, you can purchase a small, light, and powerful computer that will give you wireless access to much of the world's knowledge. That is a pretty amazing fact that would have astounded most computer enthusiasts twenty years ago.

And while it's great news for tech enthusiasts and casual users, it's still not a perfect world. You'll have to consider plenty of options in choosing your computer and its various components. If you want to get the most machine for your money, keep these key features in mind.

What other factors have you considered in choosing your laptop computer? What options are most important for your computing needs?

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What to Look for When Buying a Laptop Computer - Specs Explained

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Laptop computers used to come with a prohibitive price tag compared to the cost of mainstream desktop computers. Over the past few years, however, the desktop's cost advantage has vanished, making a laptop the overwhelming favorite if you have limited desk space or just think you have the slightest chance you might use your computer outside of your home.

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A variety of aspects to consider when purchasing a laptop. 

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A variety of aspects to consider when purchasing a laptop. 

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Which laptop should I get?

With so many laptops to choose from, selecting the best one to fit your budget can be like navigating a minefield. Even making sense of the ever-changing list of product specifications is no easy feat. Laptops vary greatly by CPU speed, graphics capability, size, drive storage, and RAM, among other things. What's more, your laptop needs may be completely different to someone else's, only adding to the confusion.

For some, a flashy 4K screen may be important. Others may want a high-performing CPU, like AMD's new Ryzen 6000 processors, to give them a competitive edge in games. Getting value for money can be tricky too, since newer technologies don't always mean better performance. For example, older-generation CPUs can sometimes outperform newer products in benchmark tests. For these reasons it pays to do your homework before you purchase a laptop.

To simplify the process for you we've put together a list of 12 criteria that you can use as a guide for what to look for. It may seem laborious delving into each category, but there are a lot of things to consider. At the end of the day, taking time to research your new device will mean you avoid making a costly mistake and get a laptop that's just right for you.

1. Size & form-factor

When it comes to laptops, size matters.

Depending on what you plan to be doing with your next laptop, you'll want to make sure you pick the size that's the right fit for you. Size isn't like the RAM or ROM of a laptop, you can't upgrade it later. You're locked into whatever form-factor you select up-front, so choose wisely.

Laptops sizes tend to start at 11.6-inches and go all the way up to 17.3 inches. Most brands and OEMS like HP, Dell, ASUS and Acer tend to offer three display sizes - 13.3-inch, 15.6-inch and 17.3-inches. However, some vendors do sell laptops that fall outside these sizes including 11.6-inches, 12.5-inches and 14-inches.

Obviously, if portability is your priority, you'll want to go for a smaller-sized Windows laptop. They tend to be thinner and lighter than their larger counterparts. Look for laptops that have a screen that is either 12.5-inches or 13.3-inches in size, and a weight between 1kg and 1.5kgs.

Credit: Razer

However, keep in mind that smaller-sized 13.3-inch machines often don't support the same high-end Intel Core CPUs or discrete graphics cards you'll be able to find in their 15.6-inch counterparts. Most of the time, they'll also feature a less-robust selection of ports. If the kind of work you intend to be using your new laptop for necessitates a larger display or standalone graphics, you'll probably need to look at a larger size.

Beyond specific sizings, there are several different classes of laptop to choose from. Ultrabooks tend to favor a slim and lightweight form-factor over high-end performance. Things like the Asus Vivobook Pro 15 OLED ( review here) and HP's Elite Dragonfly Max ( review here) devices fall into this category.

By contrast, Notebooks tend to offer a good mix of power and portability. If you're looking at notebooks, a good place to start is the Lenovo Yoga 9i and HP's Envy x360.

Convertibles (also known as 2-in-1 laptops or 2-in-1 PCs) expand on this by adding the ability to fold away (or remove) the keyboard and use your new laptop as you would a tablet. Products like Microsoft's Microsoft Surface Pro 7 and HP Chromebook x2 11 fall into this category.

Credit: Microsoft

Finally, traditional clamshell and gaming laptops tend to boast bulkier form-factors but significantly-beefier specs.

The most important thing to consider here when looking for the best laptop you can buy is what you're actually going to need that laptop to do. It's rarely ever a case of one size fits all. Some users need something lighter and more portable. Other users need discrete graphics for things like video editing or running high end games. If you need a PC with an optical drive or long battery life, you'll almost certainly have to look for something larger.

Once you've worked out the size and form-factor of laptop you're looking for, the search for the best one becomes that much easier - since you can begin to filter your search results by those parameters.

2. Display quality

Since you'll probably end up staring at your laptop display hours at a time, you'll probably want to make sure it's as painless as possible to do so. For this, you'll need a display that is comfortable to look at and feels natural to use.

To start with, you'll want to consider whether you want your next laptop to have a touchscreen at all. These days, touchscreens are very common and they can make some tasks easier than others. Some brands include this feature as standard. Others will demand a modest surcharge for its inclusion.

Unfortunately, opting for a touchscreen can sometimes add a glossiness to the display. Though not a universal trait among touch-sensitive displays, glossier screens are often a little more susceptible to glare. This can be a definite drawback if you're gaming, watching content or editing images and video content.

Modern touchscreens are much better than their predecessors but, some of the above details persist and if you're more of a natural typist, you might want to consider going for a laptop that doesn't have a touchscreen.

Next up, be sure to look at the resolution on any laptop you're thinking of buying. A 1920x1080-pixel resolution (Full HD) should be considered the minimum if you want plenty of space to line up windows and keep things in view. If you splurge on something a little sharper, you probably won't regret it though.

Select modern laptops also now offer 4K resolutions. However, these high-end display panels are generally a costly add-on to an already-expensive product. 4K is an extra that's only really going to be worth it for those who really need it such as content creation professionals.

Photographers and videographers will also want to go for laptops that offer better color accuracy and support wider color gamut and HDR standards over those that don't. The key things you're looking for here are Delta E < 1 color accuracy and 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut.
[Related Content: Everything You Need To Know About 4K]
If you're a gamer, it's also worth taking the time to check the refresh rate on the display of any potential laptop. A faster refresh rate can often provide a competitive advantage in online games, as it enables a smoother and more responsive play experience. Ideally, you want something with less than 5ms response time or a refresh rate greater than 144Hz. We're starting to see laptops now with 300Hz refresh rates - laptops like the MSI GS66 Stealth ( review here) and the super powerful Asus ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition ( review here) and while this is considered exceptionally good right now, it might soon be the norm.

Lastly, viewing angles are extremely important. A laptop screen that touts IPS (in-plane switching) technology offers the widest viewing angles and the best user comfort. Chances are you're not always going to be using your laptop in its natural habitat, so a laptop with an IPS display is usually preferred over the opposite.

If possible, take the time to go into a store and try to feel out the differences between different displays for yourself. If your eyes can't see much of a difference between a laptop with a FHD display and one with a 4K one, it might not be worth paying the premium for the latter.

Just keep in mind that display models usually have the settings cranked to the maximum in order to catch your eyes. Otherwise, be sure to check out reviews like those on PC World to get a good overview of the product and whether or not its screen will be able to suit your needs. In 2022, most major laptop displays hit the mark but those that don't make themselves quickly known when subjected to the scrutiny of a professional reviewer.

3. Keyboard quality

For long typing sessions, you'll need to get a laptop that has a comfortable keyboard. You don't want to get a keyboard that packs in every key under the sun (think keyboards that have squished in number pads) because that can translate to a poor overall user experience when hunting for specifics like the arrow or delete keys.

Ideally, you want a keyboard that has a comfortable layout with full-sized keys and some space around the arrow keys. The keys should have adequate travel on the downstroke and snappy responsiveness when you let them go.

Make sure the keyboard is also backlit. At face value, that might seem like a superficial detail but backlit keys make it much easier to see what you're typing in dimly lit environments. Gaming laptops like the Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 ( review here) and MSI Katana GF76 ( review here) come with attractive RGB key backlighting to allow gaming at night or in dimly lit environments. Note: While backlit keys are useful, they will drain your battery sooner, so take that into consideration when choosing your laptop.
[Related Content: Four Alternatives To Cherry MX Switches]

As with the display, it helps to try before you buy - especially if your main task will be typing. Chances are, you're going to find the most comfort with what you know here. If you're used to typing on a laptop keyboard that stretches all the way to the edge of the chassis, you're probably going to find laptops that opt for the same or a similar layout to be easier to type on than the alternatives.

4. CPU

It's hard to go past any of Intel's Core-based CPUs when buying a new laptop. Even if you're not versed in the technical details, there's a good chance you've seen the stickers plastered on all new laptops for the silicon giant's Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 processors.

For many users, an Intel Core Processor offers the best performance when it comes to multitasking and multimedia tasks. Core i3-based notebooks are generally found in entry-level systems, while Core i5 and Core i7 make up the majority of mainstream computers.

Core i7-based systems are for those of you who want the best performance from your laptop. However, note that with a Core i7-based system, heat coming through the base of the laptop can be a cause for concern, especially if you plan to actually use the laptop on your lap a lot of the time.
[Related Content: How do I decide between a Core i3, i5, i7 or i9?]

Some larger laptops also now incorporate Intel's i9 Core processors. Laptops running on Core i9 processors are even more powerful than laptops running on Core i7 processors. They're able to rival desktops for performance, but they do come with a significantly-higher cost than a laptop with an i7, i5 or i3 Core Processor.

Vendors also offer laptops and notebooks that run on AMD's Ryzen Mobile CPUs. If you're a gamer, this can be a particularly compelling option worth considering. Ryzen Mobile CPUs tend to be paired with AMD's own Radeon graphics chipsets.

There are a few caveats here but since laptops powered by AMD's Ryzen Mobile chips tend to be slightly cheaper than their Intel counterparts, they can represent better value for money. Just be sure to read up on our breakdown of the differences first.

5. RAM

In the old days, you rarely needed more than 4GB of RAM to get the best out of your system.

These days, you'll probably want to think about 8GB as a minimum. If you're a power-user, 16GB is the way to go. Meanwhile, gamers should look at dialing things upwards all the way to 32GB (or beyond) if they want the best experience.

More RAM allows for more applications to be run at the same time and for more data to be quickly accessible by the system at any one time, which comes in handy for tasks such as editing photos or video content.

There are a few interesting terms that you might see when looking into RAM specs, here's what you essentially need to know about them. Alongside the brand and capacity of any RAM stick, you're gonna find the letters DDR. There's also usually a number attached. For example, the MSI GE76 Raider laptop ( review here) has two 16GB sticks of DDR5 RAM. This acronym stands for Double Data Rate and the number that comes after it refers to the generation of component design.

Credit: Gordon Mah Ung

The most recent generation of RAM hardware is DDR5. As a rule, higher numbers are better than lower numbers here and most motherboards can only support certain generations of RAM. Thankfully, since you're looking at buying a laptop, you don't have too much to worry about since no sane OEM is going to stick incompatible RAM into a prebuilt machine.

The number after DDR also denotes the transfer speed. Similar to the clock-speed on a CPU, this number measures the default theoretical maximum transfer speed. Again, higher is better here. Higher speeds means stuff happens faster.

Another detail to note is whether or not the RAM in your laptop is single or dual-channel. In most everyday use cases, this might not make a huge difference but if you're trying to weigh up your options, a laptop with dual-channel is generally more desirable than one with an equivalent amount of single-channel memory clocked at the same transfer speed. This is because dual-channel RAM is able to transfer a greater amount of data at once.

In conclusion, while having more RAM is always going to be better than having less RAM, most users aren't going to feel the difference between having 16GB or 32GB unless they're running RAM-heavy applications where that 16GB or a secondary channel is going to make a big difference. Since RAM is relatively cheap and often easy to upgrade in modern laptops, it's usually smarter and safer to buy a laptop with RAM that you know you will need rather than what you think you might need.

6. Storage

Hard drives used to be all the rage, but these days they're mostly out of favor, especially for thin and light laptops. This is because they can be slow, somewhat bulky, and produce noticeable heat and noise.

A solid state drive (SSD), on the other hand, offers a lot more speed than a hard drive, runs silently, and can be installed in a form factor that doesn't add too much to the weight and bulk of a laptop. As a result of these clear benefits, most OEMs have embraced SSD storage as the standard for laptops.

Stick to an SSD for your new laptop and you'll love the speed with which it can load programs, access your data, and also how quickly it can boot up your system.

Just a few years ago SSDs didn't offer as much raw capacity as hard drives. Additionally, this kind of storage was often more expensive in terms of dollars-to-gigabytes than traditional hard drives. In 2022 these problems are no longer. Laptops now have comparatively large SSD drives to hard drives and aren't astronomically expensive.

The newest, fastest laptops have NVMe solid-state drives which are faster than traditional SSDs. If you're buying a new laptop in 2022, you'll preferably want one with an NVMe SSD. However, that being said, don't feel overly pressured to spend extra on the latest model here. While it is true that more recent SSDs boast better speeds than older models, the biggest advantages you'll enjoy are tied more to the fundamental advances that SSDs offer over traditional hard drive storage.

When it comes to the SSD storage capacity you should look for we recommend at least 512GB as the very minimum. Games and programs are getting larger every year as they become more advanced and complex so you'll want to ensure you have a little left in your storage after you load on your must-have programs and personal files. It's also worth noting that your operating system will take up some of that 512GB right off the bat, so you won't have exactly that number to play.

If you install a lot of programs or have an extensive game or movie library, you'll probably want to opt for 1TB or more of SSD storage. You'd be surprised how fast it is to fill up even 1TB or 2TB, but with the extra GB on board, you will have a greater capacity to branch out and get a little more things you like on there. Trust us, you won't decry the extra space when you can download that game you really wanted from Steam.

Another thing worth mentioning here is cloud storage. Cloud storage is extremely popular since it allows users to store any number of files safely and remotely, without the need for your device's storage. Software developers are starting to build cloud storage into their software ecosystems. The best example of this is Microsoft's OneDrive application which comes bundled with Windows at purchase.

If you intend to store most of your files in the cloud or on an external drive, you may choose to save money on a laptop by buying one with a smaller 128GB or 256GB SSD. If you do this though you'd be advised to remember that you will need to be connected to the Internet to retrieve your files when you need them.

7. Battery life

Manufacturer-quoted battery life is almost never indicative of what the real-world experience of using a laptop is like.

There are simply too many variables that affect battery life. There is the screen brightness, the screen resolution, the number of applications you have running in the background plus whether or not you actively remain connected to Wi Fi networks or Bluetooth devices.

Credit: ASUS

The operating system a laptop runs on can also play a major role in determining battery life. It's for this reason that ultrabooks and convertibles running on Chrome OS tend to offer superior battery life than those running on Windows 11.

If you run programs that need lots of processing, stream lots of online video, play graphics-intensive games or if you transfer lots of files over a wireless network, then your battery will drain a lot sooner than what the vendor has quoted.

A good practice here is to look at the rating of the battery in Watt-hours (Wh) or milliamp-hours (mAh). The larger these figures are, the longer the battery can last. For a 13.3-inch Ultrabook, for example, a battery with a rating from 50Wh to 60Wh will give you the best results.

Another key thing to look for here is fast-charging. Much like modern smartphones, many new laptops also support fast-charging, which is always good in a pinch.

8. USB Type-C

These days, if a laptop has only one USB Type-C port on it, you probably ought to look at buying another laptop. Ideally, you should look for a laptop that has at least a couple of these ports. They're the most common connector port in the industry and, while you can find a dongle for anything on Amazon, it's usually a better bet to just make sure your next laptop has them.

In addition to the baseline utility you get from USB Type-C ports (which allow you to plug in an external hard or SSD drive and backup your data or use conventional mouse or a fancy keyboard with your laptop), USB Type-C ports are substantially faster than USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports. This means that data transfers over USB Type-C ports take significantly less time.

Many modern peripherals also tend to deliver the best performance on or require USB Type-C to function at all.

Credit: Intel

Among the Type-C ports Thunderbolt 4 ports are the best option. Thunderbolt 4 ports have a peak data transfer speed of 40 gigabits per-second. They also offer faster charging and allow you to connect multiple 4K displays or one 8K display to your laptop, which is compelling functionality.

9. Biometric security

Fingerprint readers are great for logging into mobile devices and the latest Windows 11 Operating System makes further use of them with its Windows Hello system. People can guess your password, but few can fake a fingerprint. In order to keep the contents of your laptop secure, a portable PC with a fingerprint reader is usually the best way forward.

Thankfully, this feature is a pretty common inclusion on many modern laptops from major OEMs like ASUS, Dell and HP. Some have even integrated the fingerprint sensor into the keyboard, making it feel like a more cohesive part of the package rather than a bolt-on.

What's more, some brands have even gone one step further and introduced FaceID-style facial recognition tech allowing you to unlock your laptop with a glance. As with Android phones, there's a distinction to be noted here between devices that rely on a 2D-model of face unlock versus those that offer full 3D biometrics.

It's cool to see the modern laptops continue to raise the bar on this particular front even if the degree to which it matters is largely personal preference. For most people, a standard fingerprint sensor is going to provide more than enough peace of mind.

10. Build quality

No matter how careful we are, most laptops are inevitably going to find themselves, dropped, thrown and knocked around by the rigors of everyday use. For that reason, it's worth checking out how much testing a laptop has undergone (the manufacturer usually crows about it) or whether there's any sort of certification that you can put your confidence behind.

Modern laptops are often ruggedized to withstand rain and dust. Some are built especially for the brutal educational environments - and come with military-grade protection certifications. The most common of these you're going to see is MIL-STD 810G.

MIL-STD-810G is a standard used by the US Military to indicate a guaranteed minimum level of durability. Compliant products have made it through a gauntlet of 29 separate tests that measure resistance to shock, heat, cold, humidity and more. Though originally developed as a way to win government contracts, MIL-STD-810G has become increasingly common in consumer tech in recent years.

On one hand, it's good for consumers that most major manufacturers have adopted the same language and standards for measuring durability at all. However, on the other, the reality is that having a product be MIL-STD-810G compliant doesn't always translate into the kind of ruggedness you'd hope it would.

Although the MIL-STD-810G standard was developed externally, there's no single independent party that's responsible for handing out certification to the standard nor any regulator that's able to call out bad actors for misusing or misrepresenting MIL-STD-810G.

Manufacturers can absolutely take their testing in-house, "ace" it and put the sticker on the box. There's no limit on how many attempts a product has to pass a certain test, nor even a limit on whether the same product sample needs to survive all 29 tests or whether they can replace it with a fresh model every step of the way. They don't even need to provide proof that the testing ever happened.

From the perspective of any everyday consumer, there's zero difference in how a product that was properly and independently tested to meet MIL-STD-810G looks and how a product that "fudged" their way into compliance with the standard looks. This is obviously problematic.

For those reasons, MIL-STD-810G is best used as starting place when it comes to thinking about durability and build quality in your next laptop. It shouldn't be your one and only consideration.

A better way to approach the problem is to look at the laptops design and what specific claims are being made around durability. Are the manufacturers talking up drop-tests or spill resistance that goes beyond the usual MIL-STD-810G spiel? That's probably a good sign.

11. LTE, Wi-Fi, or Ethernet?

When it comes to purchasing a laptop, a big question you should ask is: Should I buy a laptop with LTE? Unlike laptops with built-in network cards, laptops with LTE can connect to mobile data signals. That means instead of having to connect to a wireless network at home, in the office, or at Wi-Fi hotspots, your laptop can connect directly to a mobile ISP for internet access. The main benefit of this is you can use your laptop just about anywhere-when outdoors, traveling on the bus, or even on the beach. If that convenience sounds good, this option may be perfect for you. However, there are a few caveats.

LTE technology sits in the higher-end laptop category, so you will pay for the privilege. Also, just like with your phone, you'll need to either be on a data plan or buy prepaid data to use your LTE. And as such, your experience will be influenced by the speed of your laptop's network connection and by the amount of data in your plan.

Know what LTE network your laptop will connect to, since this will determine your internet speeds. The most common LTE technology in laptops in Australia today supports connection to the 4G networks. 4G is capable of maximum download speeds of 1Gbs, which is close to most home broadband speeds. But 5G laptops will soon be coming to Australia. These laptops, when available, will feature significantly faster speeds of between 10-30Gbs. If superfast internet is a priority, go for 5G.

If you are not fussed about having LTE or want to avoid the ongoing fees, a laptop with Wi-Fi-only functionality will do just fine. Most laptops come with built-in network cards so you won't need to fuss over installations or affix dongles. You can also use mobile Wi-Fi tethering as a source of Wi-Fi on the fly.

The last thing to consider with your internet connectivity, is whether you need an Ethernet (RJ-45) port. Most people don't use this functionality anymore, since Wi-Fi connectivity is so widespread. But, if you're plagued by a weak Wi-Fi signal, or lack Wi-Fi altogether, you should consider it. Otherwise, it's not necessary.

12. Wi-Fi speed

Wi-Fi speeds are determined by many different factors, such as signal strength and the level of interference between your laptop and your router, but the one factor that you should think about when purchasing a new laptop is the Wi-Fi speed of your laptop's network card.

The speed at which your laptop transfers data from an internet router to your laptop and back is called its link speed and it is measured in bits per second (bps). Even if your internet connection is fast, if your link speed is lousy, your Wi-Fi speed will struggle.

Most laptops with network cards connect to wireless hotspots on either the 2.4GHz or 5GHz frequency band, meaning they are capable of maximum link speeds of 1Gbs or 3.5Gbs. When it comes to Wi-Fi generations, Wi-Fi 5 is getting a bit old now but will still perform well for almost anything you'd need to do online, such as browsing webpages, watching videos, and running browser-based applications.

Most new laptops though will have network cards that support either Wi-Fi 6 or the newer Wi-Fi 6E. If you are a gamer who likes playing fast-paced multiplayer content, or if you stream high-quality video, we recommend you look for either of these options. The main benefit here is lower latency - Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E offer substantial speed benefits (up to 9.6Gbs). Wi-Fi speeds won't always be listed in the product descriptions online or in retail outlets, but they will be listed in the detailed product specifications, so check there if you're unsure.

Meet your needs and budget
This article was updated by Dominic Bayley in May 2022.

Of course, you need to balance these features with your budget and your needs, and you might have to make some compromises. Rarely does a laptop come along that ticks all the boxes, especially when it comes to price.

Let us know in the comments below if you consider other aspects of a laptop to be more important (maybe you want better gaming performance or a rugged build, maybe you want a laptop that can turn into a tablet), and especially let us know if you've already found the perfect laptop for your needs.

Tags notebooks laptops checklist laptop buying guide laptop features buying tips

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What laptop should I get? Top 12 things to consider

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What laptop should I get? How should I decide? With a plethora of options, including powerful new laptops featuring AMD's Ryzen 6000 and Intel's 12th-generation processors, choosing a laptop is harder than ever. But by taking a little time to do some research, you can find exactly what you need.

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The incredibly thin and light MacBook features new seventh-generation processors, faster SSD storage, and up to 10 hours of battery life.

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Along with the video, is now an article on how to build a laptop computer.

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Build Your Own Laptop - Guide

When it comes to laptops, a good number of consumers choose to build their own laptops instead of purchasing a pre-assembled model. There are obvious benefits to this. For starters, you can pick the parts you need. This allows you to have a system that is perfectly designed for your individual use. Since you're not spending money on components you didn't really want, you'll also save a few dollars while you're at it.

It doesn't matter if you're a tech enthusiast who's up to date with the latest hardware, or a casual user trying to get a little more value for their money. Our simple guide will help you build your own laptop, and explain the process along the way.

Building a Laptop vs Building a Desktop

Before we begin, you should know that there are a few key differences between laptops and desktops. Each component in a desktop computer is designed to fit a common standard. Often, they are physically interchangeable.

Laptops aren't quite like that. Because of their compact size, manufacturers custom make many of the components for each individual model. So, you might not physically assemble every component of a laptop, but you do have the ability to pick and choose exactly which parts you want when you decide to build your own laptop. If you do want the experience of putting everything together yourself, you still have the option. But how much control depends on where you get your laptop, and what brand it is.

Typical "bare bones" kids have most of the components installed, leaving you to add a few extras. Generally, this will be your memory, , and wireless networking card. Other systems offer interchangeable graphics cards. Finally, in rare cases, you're even able to install the CPU on your own.

There are three main companies that manufacture bare bones computers. The two most popular are Sager and . These two companies are the only manufacturers that allow their systems to be interchangeable with common parts. Many companies that allow you to build your own laptop purchase these computers in bulk and keep an inventory of all compatible parts. When you order, you can pick and choose the components you like, and they'll assemble the complete system for you. There are also a few manufacturers who offer customizable laptops, although these vary from model to model.

Generally, this is only recommended for experts. Compact systems cannot be self-built, as they need to be assembled in a factory with precise tooling. But this doesn't mean that you can't customize them. This guide will help you choose the components, so you can build the exact laptop you want.

Selection Criteria When Building Your Own Laptop

When you're building your own laptop, the main focus will be on what components are used inside. All computers are made up of several different components, each of which have their own benefits in terms of price and performance. You can choose your processor, memory, storage device, graphics card, and network card. These parts are generally interchangeable between notebooks, so you can afford to be selective.

Then, there are a few non-component criteria that are not interchangeable. Screen size, design, and other elements that are embedded in the case only change model to model. When you're building your laptop, the first thing you're going to want to do is to pick the components you want. Then, you can choose a platform that suits these components. Let's start looking through the components one by one, so you can find the parts that best suit your needs.

Your Laptop's Processor

Also known as a CPU, the processor is essentially the brains of your computer. For the most part, your entire PC is built around this one little chip. It determines how power efficient your system will be, and what other parts you can choose. There are five different categories for mobile processors.

Low Power Laptop Processors

These tiny chips are the most power efficient processors on the market. They are used in systems that need long battery life, and only offer performance suitable for the casual user. From slowest to fastest, you've got the Intel Atom, Core m3, m5, and m7. Generally, these CPUs are soldered onto the board, and not found in custom built laptops.
Our Recommendation: Xiaomi Air 13 [Readers' Favorite]
The Intel Pentium, Celeron, and the AMD E-series processors are designed to be affordable above all else. These are found in low-end systems, but offer performance acceptable enough to complete basic office tasks. If you don't need much from your computer, many manufacturers will sub one of these in for a mainstream processor.

Our Recommendation: Acer Aspire One

Most laptops will have one of these processors installed. From intel, you can choose between the i3 and the i5 series processors. The i3 is quite basic, although it offers snappy performance for office use. The i5 is a little more multi-media centric and even lets you play some basic games. AMD also has the less-popular A series processor, which sits somewhere between the i3 and i5 in terms of performance.

Our Recommendation: Asus ZenBook UX330UA-AH54

Whether you're looking for a cutting-edge media machine or a polygon-crunching gaming system, the performance category is where you find the best systems. The Intel i7 is currently the best performance CPU on the market. In its 6 generation, the i7 is available in a dual-core 'prosumer' model for those who need a little extra power. Or, you can elect for one of the HQ or K model processors which are quad-core but use much more power.

Our Recommendation: Xotic Sager NP8156

Your Laptop's Memory

The RAM is where your laptop build stores all the data it's currently working with. You can think of it like the desk that an office employee sits at to do his work. Imagine trying to deal with hundreds of pages of paperwork on a small, cramped desk. This is what it's like to use a laptop with low memory. There are two ways you can measure the performance of your ram.

Size Of Memory

The most obvious measurement of memory is the size. Some laptops ship with as little as 2GB, while others have 32GB installed. For most people, you'll want at least 8GB for daily web browsing and computer use. Power users will likely want to step it up to 16GB of memory, the current sweet spot between price and value. Heavy gamers or multimedia users may consider 32GB, although there are limited applications that can use this much memory. Fortunately, most laptops allow you to configure the ram size.

Your memory is clocked to be in sync with your processor, so you often don't have a lot of control over this aspect. Laptops come with either DDR3 or DDR4 memory. If you're unsure of which one to get, check the specifications for your processor. It will give you the appropriate reading. The only exception to this rule is the few who wish to purchase a K-series i7 processor and overclock it. But overclocking is rare in laptops and certain to void your warranty.

Your Laptop's Storage

This is where your laptop keeps all of its files. There are a few different types of internal storage on the market to consider when you want to build your own laptop, and which one you can choose depends a little on the platform you're using. The three metrics you're going to use to measure your internal storage are type, interface, and size.

Storage Type

There are two types of local storage you can choose from for the laptop you're building, Solid state (SSD) or Hard Drive (HDD). These days, there are very few reasons to choose a hard drive. This old technology is very inexpensive and can hold a large amount of data. However, it is incredibly slow. These drives are only suitable as a secondary backup drive to a primary storage device. SSDs, on the other hand, are very fast and very reliable.

Both hard drives and solid state drives are commonly sold in a 2.5" SATA format. However, we are seeing more of these being sold as an M2/PCIe style. M2 is a small connector that gives access to the high-speed PCIe bus. When you want to build your own laptop, you'll want to use this format if you would prefer to keep your 2.5" space free for additional storage.

SSDs are available in sizes ranging from 128GB up to 1TB. Hard drives can be purchased in 500GB to 2TB sizes. We recommend a 256GB or 512GB SSD for most use. However, if you need additional storage and have space for an M2 SSD, you can supplement a 1TB HDD in quite inexpensively. While not fast enough for daily use, it's perfect for storing your media files.

Graphics

Depending on how you use your laptop, your graphics cards either do a lot or a little. This is one of the biggest areas you can increase your laptop's performance if you're doing demanding tasks. They can be broken into three main categories

Integrated Graphics

The latest Intel i-series CPUs actually have a graphics card built right in. This is known as onboard graphics, and it's actually quite impressive! For day to day use, and even a little light gaming, integrated graphics is enough for most people.

For Laptop Gamers, the only option is an Nvidia GTX series mobile graphics card. There are two generations on the market right now: Pascal, and Maxwell. Pascal is the latest, including the top of the line GTX 1080. These cards come at a price, so many gamers choose to sacrifice 10 to 20% of the performance and save 40 to 50% of the price with a Maxwell based GTX 980.

The Nvidia Quattro graphics cards are based on a similar architecture as their gaming cards, but they've been tweaked for professional use. These cards are used for video editing, 3D rendering, and mathematical simulations. Even though it's the most expensive on the list, there is no reason to buy it unless you really need it.

Although it's not a component you commonly think about, your display has a huge effect on how much you enjoy your computer. You spend most of your time looking at it, so picking the correct one is important. There are two main things you want to look for, size and resolution.

Display Size

Laptops are sold with displays ranging from 10" up to 17". Once you pick your laptop, you won't be able to change the screen size later. Often, if you're not happy with the display size in a particular model, the only option is to choose a different one. Right now, the sweet spot for displays is 13" for portability, or 15" for performance. 17" displays are very nice to use, but should only be selected if you're not going to be carting your laptop around with you all the time. Large displays also use more power to light, so you can expect a drop in battery life. On the other side of the equation, 10" and 11" laptops are often sold as ultraportable or convertible tablets. Generally, these systems are so compact that you won't have a lot of configuration options.

Resolution refers to the number of pixels in your display. When you see apple advertising their laptops as 'retina,' this just means that the pixels are so dense you cannot tell them apart. There are many laptops on the market that have 4K displays, which are equivalent to the retina models used in Apple's computers. Most computers, however, ship with 1080p displays. Not only are they affordable, but most software is designed to run on a 1080p display. If you're gaming, the lower resolution means that you'll see higher frame rates.

Most self-built laptops have a number of other features that you can pick and choose from. Things like fingerprint readers, large touchpads, and memory card readers are often included. For the most part, these components are not user installed. You need to ask the manufacturer for them if they are an option. The one thing you may need to install yourself is a network card. You're going to want to get one that supports 802.11ac. This is the latest networking technology and gives you the fastest performance on any wireless hotspot.

Laptop Build Recommendations

If you still haven't found a laptop system you like, we've got some recommendations. All of these systems come pre-configured but if you're only looking to building your own laptop, these systems are completely ready for you to customize. Remember, you have two options. Most consumers will want to choose all the components themselves and have assembly completed by the manufacturer. Alternately, you can do the assembly by ordering them without RAM, storage, or networking interfaces and installing these components separately. Not every manufacturer allows this, but it can be an option.

Affordable Custom Laptops [Readers' Favourite]

Generally, custom laptops are sold to people who want the highest performance possible. But that doesn't mean you'll have to pay top dollar. Our recommendation is the ENZ K36 Gaming Laptop .

What This Laptop Comes With

This system comes with a 15.6-inch FHD IPS display, an Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor, and Intel HD Graphics 530 + NVIDIA GeForce GTX-960M. It's a great gaming machine, and it's very well equipped to handle anything else you throw at it.
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Sager NP8177
This intel i7 based computer gives you a bigger display. You can choose a better graphics card and up to 16GB of memory.

MSI PE60
MSI designed this system for people who might want to do a little light gaming. It's got an Intel Core i7 processor and can be used with a high-speed M2 SSD.

Most Powerful Custom Laptops

If you want a top of the line computer, then you've come to the right place. Most custom build laptops cater to the high-end crowd. Our recommendation is the .

What it Comes With

This laptop build has a massive 17.3″ 4K QFHD screen. It takes the latest i7 processors and is recommended for the quad-core model.

What You Choose

It has interchangeable graphics cards and can be configured for SLI (dual cards) if you like. With four ram slots, you can install up to 64GB of 2400 MHz memory. There are two 2.5" slots, and one M2 slot, so you can have up to three storage devices.

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Asus G70
This laptop has a thinner profile but can support the latest Nvidia GTX 1080 graphics card. It has two M2 SSD slots, so you can have more SSD storage than any other computer on the market.

This laptop is designed for professionals. It comes pre-installed with a Quadro M5500 graphics card and can support up to 64GB of ram, Dual M2 SSDs, and a 1TB HDD.

If you're looking to build a laptop that meets your exact specifications, there are hundreds of options to choose from. To narrow it down, all you need to do is find out which components best suit your needs, and find a model that meets those requirements. We've made some recommendations throughout this guide, and hopefully, that will narrow down your choices.

Until next time!

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Build your own laptop computer: a guide for everyone

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When it comes to laptops, a good number of consumers choose to build their own laptops instead of purchasing a pre-assembled model. There are obvious benefits to this. For starters, you can pick the parts you need. This allows you to have a system that is perfectly designed for your individual use.

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Thorough step by step guide in building a PC!

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Things to consider when purchasing a computer.

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When buying a computer, get tips and tools to make sure you are getting the perfect technology system for your needs.