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Guide to buying the laptop you need
Content
Good APU (CPU / GPU)
SSD storage and minimum 8 GB of RAM
FHD IPS screen
Quality and construction to match
Good connectivity and autonomy
The cost of the laptop
In times when teleworking has gained a lot of force in people's lives, it is increasingly necessary for users to have their own laptop.
In the past, having a laptop was considered a luxury, and only few users had access to this tool. But since it is now a work instrument, it is imperative that users know what factors they should take into account when buying it.
Therefore, below I show you the factors that you must take into account when buying a laptop.
Good APU (CPU / GPU)
You should at least have a current generation Ryzen 3 or Core i3. It is obvious that the difference between a laptop and a desktop PC is that its processor or graphics are not upgradeable.
Even the ultrabooks have the RAM soldered for thickness and leading issues, and it is not possible to add. So, choosing a processor with integrated graphics to match is essential if you want a team designed for the long term.
Right now, for decent performance you can go for a Ryzen 3 4000 or an 11th generation Intel i3. But if I get to choose the best value for money, I would go for the Ryzen, since they are still very current and guarantee great performance.
You must bear in mind that if you are waiting for the Ryzen 5000, do not buy laptops with the Ryzen 3 5300U or Ryzen 5 5500U and Ryzen 7 5700U, since they are a rehash of the Ryzen 4000.
Well, these have the same architecture without worthwhile improvements. So you would have to go for those that arrive with news with the new Zen 3 architecture, which does represent a significant leap in performance. These would be the Ryzen 3 5400U, the Ryzen 5 5600U, and the Ryzen 7 5800U.
As for Intel, you can lean towards the eleventh generation that finally equate to the Ryzen in terms of integrated graphics and therefore provide great performance.
Of course, only the eleventh generation onwards, since previous generations have an integrated graphics that is not worth it, and you will not be able to play or render well.
Unless you get a laptop with a dedicated graphics from NVIDIA or AMD. In that sense there would be no problem.
However, AMD processors are recommended, as they come with a better manufacturing process.
In terms of nanometers, they provide lower consumption, offer you a higher performance and, generally, at a lower price if you analyze in depth the different tests and reviews that are on the web.
Up to this point, you already know which processor you can choose. If you want something for multitasking, office automation, navigation and some casual game, a Ryzen 3 or an Intel Core i3 are the best option.
If you are a more demanding user, and you need to program, render, edit and play a game with more demands, a Ryzen 5 or Core i5 could be much better, not to mention an Intel Core i7 or Ryzen 7.
SSD storage and minimum 8 GB of RAM
Another key point that we must take into account when buying a laptop is that the storage should be a solid disk or SSD, instead of a mechanical disk, since even if you have a powerful processor or a lot of RAM, if you do not have a storage that provides a high read capacity in starting the laptop or opening essential programs will become much slower.
The most recommended is the mechanical or traditional hard drive to store multimedia files or documents.
As for RAM, currently 8 GB is enough for your daily needs. If you have an ultrabook, and you have that RAM capacity, you can edit and print PRO, browse and play any casual game.
In case you are a programmer, and you work with virtual machines, or you want to play more demanding games, 12-16 GB RAM would serve you much better.
For this reason, before buying a computer make sure that it can be upgraded and this will always make life easier if at the moment you do not have enough money to pay for the option with more RAM and storage.
FHD IPS screen
It should have at least 250/300 nits of brightness and a good color gamut. The screen is a transcendental aspect, you should not be dazzled by the specifications. Since a bad screen ruins the final experience.
In order to look for something decent that guarantees you a very good viewing experience on a day-to-day basis, it is recommended that at least you have a computer with full HD resolution, the banner is at least 250 mixes of brightness and the range of colors is of 80% SRGB.
But if you are a designer and the screen is critical to edit, you need to make sure the panel has at least 100% SRGB color gamut. This way you can guarantee vibrant and realistic colors.
On the other hand, if you are looking to play, a 120 Hz screen with a refresh rate with freesync technology would be the best option.
Quality and construction to match
That includes good materials, keyboard, touchpad, and components. As with the screen, in the case of the keyboard, they are currently available with backlighting on most models. They must be of very good quality to ensure a good typing or browsing experience on a daily basis.
For this, the keyboard has a good travel space and are large keys for greater comfort. If you want something quieter, a membrane type keyboard will be the best option.
But if you are going to type a lot in games and so on, a mechanical type keyboard will always be much better for the duration issue even if it is somewhat noisy.
Another aspect to take into account are the construction materials and the strength of the equipment, since if you want something elegant, portable and light, a computer with an aluminum chassis would be ideal, such as a MacBook.
This ensures that the equipment has good durability and firmness. Although plastic is not a bad option either, you just have to make sure that the laptop is well-built.
Today you can get very light options with great power and dedicated graphics. However, one very important aspect must be taken into account and that is that the temperature will be essential for the useful life of your laptop.
So having a good cooling system is crucial so that all components remain as they were on day one. This being the case, logic indicates that a slightly thicker laptop will suffer less than a thinner one with little thickness.
Less light and powerful options such as msi stealth, which despite being very thin, have a very good cooling system, are increasingly appearing on the market.
Therefore, it is not enough to stay with what the brand tells you. Everything is to inquire, ask and see reviews and critiques to draw your conclusions and make sure that the laptop as such has good cooling and components in general.
Good connectivity and autonomy
A key factor before buying your laptop is to make sure it has good connectivity and autonomy, especially if you will be using it a lot outside the home.
The first thing you should see is that it comes with Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6, if possible for a better connection. Keep in mind that it has USB type C ports suitable for headphones and if it has the SD card reader and HDMI port much better.
It is no less important to say that the fingerprint reader is practically mandatory for security issues and if the camera has a shutter to hide it, there are many points in favor.
In terms of autonomy, something crucial is that it provides about 7-8 hours of screens with normal use and has a good charger. For this we must refer to the capacity of the battery and the size of the screen.
On the 13-inch, a minimum of 40 watts is fine, while on the 14-15-inch 50-60 watts would be the right thing to do. If you have a decent fast-charging charger, so much the better.
The cost of the laptop
You must know what the right price is first and foremost and determine the different ranges according to the various ranges and uses. For example, between $ 400-500 you can get a laptop with a decent Ryzen 3 for everyday work on Amazon.
While in the $ 600-900 range you can get gear with the Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 for more demanding jobs. All of this varies a lot depending obviously on storage and RAM.
"You must have found the price ranges and know how to take advantage of the offers that come out."
It is always advisable to buy through Amazon and not in a physical store as such, since in these chain stores laptops are very expensive.
