What to look for when choosing a laptop for work & home use?
With so many laptops available these days, it can be hard to choose the right one for work and home use. I have observed that many people don’t have any technical knowledge about laptops. This is why most people revert to watching tech YouTube channels such as LinusTechTips or Jarrod’s Tech. But there is one problem here… i.e most people still won’t get what they’re talking about. This is the reason why I chose to write this article.
This blog will take you through a list of dos & don’ts, and things to look for when choosing a laptop for work and home use.
No RTX 20/30 Series GPUs
This section is highly relevant for those who need a laptop for content creation tasks or gaming. RTX 20 and 30 series laptops don’t provide the best performance anymore, whether it’s for music production, graphic design, or other resource-intensive tasks.
Example: Just look at the laptop description to find the GPU it uses and search for terms such as RTX 3050 or RTX 2050. I’d suggest going for RTX 5060 or RTX 4050 laptops for the best performance for the next 3 to 4 years.
When is it okay to get an RTX 20/30 series graphics card laptop?: If your priority is good performance only and not doing demanding tasks. You should forget about a verified coupon code to get affordable pricing on laptops.
Key Points to Note:
More RAM
Knowing how much RAM you need in your laptop is an important skill. For those who do not know, RAM determines your ability to multitask. It is very important that you avoid 8GB RAM laptops, as they are no longer sufficient. You’ll find it hard to leave multiple tabs open and run powerful applications such as Microsoft Teams.
Some of the major reasons why 8GB RAM is no longer sufficient are system bloat and browser demands.
Meaning of ‘system bloat’ in simple terms: Newer operating systems easily consume up to 4GB of RAM, leaving less RAM for multitasking, such as having 10 to 15 tabs open in your browser.
Warning: You will drastically limit your multitasking capability if you choose the wrong RAM capacity.
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Maximum Storage(NVMe SSD)
You should try to get at least 512 GB of SSD for your Windows or macOS laptop. A good way to save money is to purchase a cheaper 512GB SSD laptop and add a 2 TB drive when you need it. My suggestion would be to wait for festive sales on Amazon and get a 1TB SSD laptop. You can adjust with 512 GB storage if you’re getting a regular laptop for simple tasks.
Main Highlights:
Look for Core Ultra 5/7 CPUs
The Ultra is Intel’s newer family of processors, great for content creators and gamers alike. The Intel Core Ultra 5 processors are great for 90% of people, whether they are office professionals or solo content creators. It’s better to get these than the ones with old i5 processors if you’re looking for laptops that’ll last a long time.
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Windows vs macOS
When to choose a Windows laptop: If you’re looking for laptops with a 1TB SSD and the best value for money. Most people get Windows laptops.
When to get a macOS laptop:
It’s better to get a MacBook as your next laptop if gaming isn’t your priority and you have been using Apple devices before.
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Final Thoughts
Out of all the things we have discussed, having enough storage is most important. That is the most basic requirement, whether it’s for home use or office work. Just make sure you purchase them during festive and seasonal sales for the best value for money.
