Author: Maria Alfano
How do you know which is the best computer laptop for you? Great question. The answer is not straightforward. I would say it depends. It depends on what you plan to use the computer for. Are you planning on using it for simple internet searches and sending emails to family and friends? Or, are you planning on running a business, creating videos, or becoming a full-time gamer? This is the jumping-off point.
The best computer laptop for you can be based on budget or planned activity. No matter what, the key components remain the same. The quality of these components will drive the price, speed, and functionality of this equipment.
When I set out to buy my laptop, there were so many things the sales rep was asking me that I just did not understand. How could I ever select the best computer laptop for me if I didn’t know what I was looking for? This struggle is real for so many people venturing out for the first time. Or, venturing out for the first time in a long, long time to actually purchase a new computer. I honestly thought that all I needed to worry about was how much could I could afford or want to spend on my new toy.
How To Select The Best Computer Laptop For Any Budget
Like with anything new there is always terminology to familiarize yourself with. Buying a computer is no different. I think back to my 75-year-old mother wanting to buy her first computer (ever!). She would have been lost and likely walked out of the store without any purchase if someone hadn’t been there with her to guide her through the maze of questions and requirements.
This post will walk you through the basic terminology to think about when considering buying a new computer or laptop.
Hardware
Hardware refers to the hard components of the computer. It’s all the pieces of plastic, wires, connections, and moving parts that make it work.
The Heart
CPU – the central processing unit. This is the heart of the computer. It’s what drives all the data, the computing, and the functionality. Without it, the computer would just be a hunk of plastic and uncoordinated pieces. The more powerful your computer is the faster it works.
CPU is measured in GHz (gigahertz). For someone who is doing a lot of video editing or gaming 3.5-4.0 GHz is considered a good speed. If all you need is a simple computer for general use, then 1.8 GHz will meet your needs.
The Brain
RAM – random access memory (or ready access memory) refers to where your computer can temporarily store data while it is in use. RAM is one of the most important components of any computer. Early computers held only 8 or 16 GB (gigabytes) of RAM. This made the computers slow and clunky. Today it’s not unusual for the best computer laptops to have 1 TB (terabyte) or more RAM. The more the RAM, the faster the computer can recall the most recently used information. Think of RAM as short-term memory. Information passes through RAM before they are permanently stored onto the hard drive.
Hard drive – is home to all the information you store permanently on your computer or laptop. This is the information that has passed from the RAM to its final resting place in the computer’s long-term memory. Along with RAM, this is one of the top components required to operate the machine. Without it, you would not be able to access anything. Think of someone with amnesia. They can’t remember anything about themselves. A computer without a hard drive has no recollection of anything you need it to do.
HDD is the traditional hard disk drive. Newer more efficient computers use SSD (solid state drive) allowing computers to store information at a much faster speed than HDD. Experts recommend a minimum 1 TB hard drive to keep it motoring at a good speed.
Software For The Best Computer Laptop
Software systems are the key elements that give the best computer laptop life. You can have a computer with all the right hardware, but without software, it has no way to perform tasks for you.
Required Software
Operating system – is the largest piece of software on your computer. It acts as the general manager of any business. It sets out the rules and ensures everything moves accordingly. The two most popular operating systems are Microsoft Windows and Apple iOS.
Browser – refers to how you access the internet on your computer. There are several ways to do this but the most common are Google, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari. Any one of these will do the job, it just boils down to preference.
Media player – to watch videos or listen to music you will need to have a media player installed. Most computers come with a media player pre-loaded. For the average user, the pre-installed player works just fine.
Optional Software
Anti-virus/anti-malware – works just like the alarm in your home. It protects the computer from unwanted and unwelcome intruders. You should never use a computer without it. Stay safe. Keep your personal information safe. And, avoid the criminals from attacking you with good anti-virus protection and anti-malware software.
Last Pass – happens to be my favorite and most used piece of software. Not only does it remember all your passwords in one secure location, but it also creates really hard-to-crack passwords for the sites you use most often. You simply remember the one password to access Last Pass and it does all the rest for you.
Office suite – to run a business (big or small), to create documents, or to prepare a presentation, you will require software for this. The most commonly used is MS Office. This provides three standard applications – Excel (for mathematical/financial work), Word (for creating documents), Powerpoint (for presentations). Google offers a free version of these called Google Sheets, Google Docs, and Google Slides. There are other free options you can explore – Open Office or LibreOffice.
In Summary
To purchase the best computer laptop for your needs there are several things you need to consider like what will you use it for or how much do you want to spend? No matter what your reason for needing a new laptop is, you will need to keep in mind all the items listed above to ensure that the baby you take home will work just as you expect it to.
We would love to hear from you. Was this helpful in deciding on your next big purchase? Was there something else you considered when making your final choice?