Your Top 10 Favorite Features In A New Laptop
I was fortunate enough to have a friend get me a decent laptop as part of his company’s recycle program. Decent probably isn’t the best way to describe it, as it actually does a much better job than that of my desktop. However, for what I needed it for, it fits perfectly. When looking for a new laptop, there are a lot of things that some people take for granted, especially if it’s their first mobile purchase. Here’s a look at 10 things that I find to be the most important features when looking for a new laptop.
1. Processor – the processor or CPU is the brain of a computer. The faster it is, the faster you can open and run multiple programs on your laptop. Currently, duo and quad cores are the way to go.
2. RAM – RAM is your computer’s memory and helps keep your system along with the CPU. As with the above, the larger amount of RAM, the more programs can run. Most modern laptops will have between 1GB up to 8GB of RAM.
3. Video Card – when I bought my first laptop, I didn’t care that much about my video card. Sadly, when I couldn’t get access to the Internet, there wasn’t much to do. As an avid gamer, I know now that one of the top things to look for is a graphics card capable of playing my favorite games.
4. Battery – laptops have notoriously bad battery life, however you can find laptops that can give you up to 8 hours on a battery.
5. Hard Drive – because I already have a desktop (that is technically my gaming machine), I actually don’t need a very large hard drive. However, many people use a laptop exclusively, so getting as big a drive as you can (up to 1TB) is essential.
6. Size – after the technical specs have been looked at, you should consider size. Because I physically carry around a laptop, I needed something small, under 7 to 10 pounds.
7. Screen – the screen resolution is important too, especially if you plan on watching TV or movies on your laptop.
8. Operating System – for many, this may not be a big deal as they may just reformat with an OS of their choosing. The operating system is what is running your programs – Windows, Linux, Macs, etc – and making sure that you are choosing the correct one is very important as some programs and games do not work on other systems. So if you have a lot of Mac and Apple products, make sure that they are capable before purchasing a Windows laptop.
9. Accessories – unless you receive a laptop second hand, getting the right accessories with your purchase can be a fun and hassle free way of preparing you for your laptop experience. For instance, Dell will sometimes add USB mice or laptop bags when you purchase one of their laptops.
10. Customization – this usually happens when you purchase a laptop online. The ability to customize your laptop is a great way to make that laptop yours.