Approximately 302 million laptops and desktops were sold last year, with Lenovo leading the pack with a 24% market share. Laptops are a common sight in households and offices all across the country. However, buying a good laptop is a lot easier said than done, considering all the specs and technical mumbo-jumbo you have to contend with.
This leaves many laptop buyers asking themselves, what are good laptop specs? and how do I find a laptop with the right specs for my needs? If this describes your predicament, worry not, we’re here to help.
In today’s laptop buying guide, we’ll be looking at all the right specs to help you choose a laptop. We’ll explain what these specs mean and how they define your laptop use.
The Display
We’ll kick things off with the most observable part of the laptop, the display. When it comes to the screen or display, there are four things you need to check. These things are screen size, aspect ratio, resolution, and technology.
Screen Size
The screen size plays a crucial role in determining your laptop experience. However, bigger isn’t always better. That said, screen sizes for laptops break down into these sizes:
- 11.6”, 12.5”, 13.3”, and 14” for the smaller sizes
- 15.6”, 17”, 18.4” for the largest ones
Larger screens are more immersive and are great for gaming and watching your favorite movies and TV series. However, if you want a 2-in-1 laptop, you’ll have to settle for a smaller display. Most hybrid laptops only have screen sizes of up to 14”.
A 15.6” screen provides the perfect balance of size and viewing depth. It’s not too huge to fit in your bag but is big enough to comfortably watch movies and your favorite Youtube channels.
Display Aspect Ratio
The aspect ratio is the ratio of the screen’s height to its width. Today, most laptops have a 16:9 aspect ratio, even hybrid ones. This aspect ratio is great for movies and gaming since it delivers an expansive view.
Laptops with 16:10 aspect ratios are also great for entertainment since they’re not that different from 16:9 screens. You’ll probably also come across laptops with 3:2 aspect ratios. These are great for productivity and work-oriented tasks.
Screen Resolution
Screen resolution defines the number of pixels horizontally and vertically on your screen. For instance, a screen resolution of 1024 X 768 means the screen has 1024 pixels vertically and 768 pixels horizontally. The higher the resolution, the sharper and more vivid your images will appear.
A good screen resolution is 1920 X 1080, mostly known as Full HD, FHD, or 1080p. There are screen resolutions above 1080p, like 3840 X 2160 and 3200 X 1800, or UHD and QHD respectively. They look way better than 1080p but will cost you an arm and a leg.
Display Technology
Laptops have different display technologies under their hood. Most laptop manufacturers don’t advertise their panel type. If they do, you’re probably looking at one of the better panel types.
When it comes to panel types, there are four types you’ll likely come across.
Twisted Nematic (TN) panels boast limited viewing angles, average color reproduction, and low to medium contrast.
With In-Plane Switching (IPS) panels, the viewing angles are unlimited, and they have excellent color reproduction and high contrast.
Organic Light-Emitting-Diode (OLED) screens are a popular choice for consumers because of their vivid colors and better color reproduction. However, they consume more power than other panel types and are prone to display burn-in.
Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide (IGZO) screens have stellar color reproduction, high contrast, and unlimited viewing angles.
When it comes to panel type, you’re better off with an OLED or IGZO panel. That way, you can get vivid colors and accurate color reproduction with incredible viewing angles.
The Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The CPU is arguably the most important part of your laptop. You can think of the CPU as the brain of the laptop. Its job is to send out instructions to other parts of the laptop to carry out their specific functions.
When it comes to processors, you’ll have to choose between Intel and AMD processors. Both are fine as far as processing speed and power. However, Intel and AMD are only processor manufacturers, meaning you’ll have to choose a specific type of processor from the two manufacturers.
Intel has Intel Core i3, i5, i7, and i9 processors. i9 processors are the most powerful of the bunch and i3 processors are the least powerful.
Core i7 and i9 processors are ideal for heavy-duty gaming and CAD software. If you use your laptop or internet browsing and casual activities like typing and watching movies, get the core i3 and i5. There’s no need to get a laptop with a high-end processor.
If Intel isn’t your cup of tea, you can browse AMD’s selection. Some AMD processors include AMD Athlon and AMD Ryzen Pro, to name a few. These processors are great for gaming, especially when you pair them with the Radeon Vega GPU.
Lenovo has some of the best deals on laptops with mid and high-end processors. You should go ahead and check them out.
Random Access Memory (RAM)
RAM or Random Access Memory is a volatile type of memory that holds programs and file data while they run. The more RAM a computer has the better and faster it’ll perform. That’s because the higher the RAM, the more applications you can run at the same time.
RAM comes in various sizes, specifically 4,8,12, and 16 GB. Some laptops have up to 32 GB of RAM and allow users to play AAA game titles and heavy-duty software for prototyping and design.
For casual use, 4 GB of RAM will do just fine. It will let you type documents, send out emails, and browse the web. You can bump it up to 8 GB of RAM for slightly better performance, but nothing out of the ordinary.
If you’re an avid gamer, look for a laptop with at least 12 GB of RAM. For RAM-heavy applications, 16 GB is the magic number. Also, consider getting a laptop with empty RAM slots; that way, you can upgrade to higher RAM at your convenience.
Internal Storage or Read-Only Memory (ROM)
The internal storage or ROM is the memory that holds all your files and software. Laptops store everything in drives, including software, the operating system, and files. Your options, when it comes to storage, boil down to two types: SSDs and HDDs.
All the newest laptops come with SSDs. SSDs are faster than HDDs, which makes sending and retrieving files a breeze. They also make less noise than HDDs, which is a bonus. However, SSDs tend to have lower storage capacities and are much more expensive than HDDs.
If you want speed and silence, stick to an SSD with about 256 GB storage capacity. However, if you need space and don’t care so much about speed, then a 1 TB HDD will do just fine.
Battery Life
Because laptops are portable computers, they use Lithium-ion batteries to store power. These batteries can only last for so long before they need a recharge. Battery life is another crucial spec to consider when buying a laptop.
There are tons of things that affect a laptop’s battery life. Some of these factors include screen on-time, battery capacity, and the operating system, to name a few. In general, how long the battery lasts will primarily depend on your usage patterns and what you use the laptop for.
However, you can check the laptop’s battery capacity for a clear indicator of how much battery life you should expect from the laptop. The battery ratings are usually in Watt-hours (Wh) or Milli-amps (Mah). The more the Watt-hours or Milli-amps, the longer the battery lasts.
Connectivity and Input Ports
Another crucial laptop spec you should never overlook is the laptop’s input ports and connectivity. In terms of connectivity, the first thing you should look for is an HDMI video port. That way, you can transmit your videos from your laptop to an HD viewing device like your TV.
USB ports are also a must-have, but not ordinary USB 2.0 ports. USB 3.0 ports are among the most notable laptop trends in the new decade. USB 3.0 ports are much faster, with a maximum speed of 5 Gbps. When it comes to USB ports, the laptop should have at least two USB 3.0 ports.
Biometric Security
Laptops with biometric security are all the rage these days. These are laptops with fingerprint scanners and facial recognition technology. Biometric security protects your laptop from unauthorized access.
If security is a huge concern, consider getting a laptop with a fingerprint reader. Facial recognition in laptops is still in the works, making it difficult to find a laptop with it.
Good Laptop Specs for the Perfect Laptop
If you’re in the market for a new laptop, you should prioritize finding one with good laptop specs. The information above should be all you need to help you make the right choice.
For more informative tech content, check out the other pieces on the site.