What are the essential technical specifications for laptops I Need to Know?
If you are confused and don’t know how to choose a laptop, You are not alone.
For anyone, who is not tech-savvy and doesn’t have much technical information about computers, things could go fuzzy.
It could take you days to decide which laptop to pick, especially when you have kids and do not want to go over budget.
We did extensive research and asked experts on what are the essential technical information about computers that you need to get familiar with.
Don’t worry, we will make it simple, easy, and convenient to digest. This is our work.
The 7 main features that you need to know about are as follows:
1. Product Brand:
This is actually very important because computer brand names cannot afford to produce lousy products. The recommended brands that we got from research and experts’ opinion are:
Dell, Apple, Microsoft, HP, Lenovo, Asus, and Acer.
2. Operating System:
First, what is the meaning of an operating system (OS)? In a nutshell, it is the software that runs the computer and makes it functional.
In other words, it is what makes the computer take your command, process, and implement it.
Among it is functions, it runs your connection to the internet, playing games, or running your applications like Microsoft Word.
The three most common OS are:
- Microsoft Windows (MS): Maybe this is the most common operating system for computers worldwide with a 35.12% market share.
It is easy to use, especially for personal computers. The latest version is Windows 10, but it is not free. So, in some cases, it doesn’t come with the computer and you need to buy it on the side.
- MAC OS: Maybe if we mentioned Apple it would be easier to recognize what is MAC OS. It is the operating system that runs Apple computers and laptops like MacBook and MacAir.
It is exclusively for Apple products and cannot be legitimately operated on non-Apple devices unlike MS, which can run several brands.
Moreover, it is unlike MS as it comes with Apple computers for free. Upgrading is free as well.
- Linux: I bet that many, who are not familiar with the computer world, have never heard of this name. It is an open-source and free operating system.
Its market share is less than 1%. It is not so common for personal computers, though, it has good features. And there are many offshoot software brands that are based on this OS like Unbuntu and Fedora.
- Chrome OS: This operating system was developed by Google. It is still not a full-fledged system. Therefore, we will not go into detail about it.
To be honest, there are other operating systems, but we promised you to make it simple.
We believe that there is no need as they are not so common and specialized for more advanced operations like manufacturing, data mining, large businesses, which are not our subject for today.
So, knowing the first two is enough. The third and fourth ones were just a bonus
3. Central Processing Unit (CPU):
A very simple and easy way to comprehend that phrase is to think of it as the dynamics that control the OS.
In other words, it controls how your command or connection is to be transformed into functional action. It controls how it is done and how long does it take to be completed. In short, it is the brain.
Now comes the fun part!
Don’t get bored or confused already. This part is long but very critical. We will make it easy to handle. Don’t worry.
There are two major CPU manufacturers Intel and AMD.
For Intel, we need to be familiar with the cores: series i3, i5, i7, and i9, which is the latest. With each core comes generation 6th, 8th, and 10th for example. The higher the numbers the better and faster the processors are.
There is something else, the Core i3 series come with dual-core processors i5 and i7 have dual, quad-core, and higher processors. The higher is better.
Now we come to AMD. Unfortunately, it is a bit more complicated, but don’t worry, we will cut it short for you.
AMD has three major families for laptops A-Series, Ryzen, and Athlon. Each one of these families has subcategories. Like Intel, every series has different core processors and capabilities like Ryzen 3, 5, 7, and 9.
There is almost an alternative processor from Intel for each processor from AMD. To be honest, we can’t give a definitive answer which one is better, AMD or Intel.
The competition between these two manufacturing companies is fierce and debatable, especially in their latest products like AMD Ryzen Threadripper and 11th Generation Intel Core Processor.
4. Random Access Memory (RAM):
To understand it well, think of RAM as a temporary loading area, where you offload your things before moving them to their designated location.
You need this loading area to be spacious enough, within arm’s reach, and no hindering objects.
You want to process the job instantly rather than waiting for the loads to be transferred to their designated storage area.
Your computer works nearly with the same logic. That is why RAM is important so your commands can be processed better and faster.
You need the place, where the computer does most of the operations to be dynamic and big enough for faster response.
When you give your computer a command like opening a word document, it uses RAM to process it quickly. When you are done with the document, it is saved on the hard disc, which its designated place.
RAM memory disc is measured with Gigabytes (GB). Nowadays, RAM runs from 4 to 32+ GB. The more is better as usual.
5. Storage or Hard Drive:
You remember our previous example about RAM? OK, the hard drive is the place where you eventually store the loads and things you put in your temporary offload area.
Hard drive disk is simple. It is the place where the computer stores data, software, programs, applications, and information. That is why you need it to be spacious enough to handle all these matters.
Like RAM, the hard drive is measured with Gigabytes. It can run from 128 GB to over 1 TB. It depends on the capacity required.
Storage comes into two main categories: hard disk drives (HDD) and solid-state drives (SSD).
SSD is better than HDD because it doesn’t use moving parts like the spinning discs. So, it is faster.
6. Screen Size & Resolution:
Understanding screen resolution and size is very easy and straight forward. It is how clear the laptop screen displays content.
Resolution is measured with pixels. It is usually two-dimensional; horizontal and vertical. The more pixels the screen has the clearer the screen is.
The good resolution starts from 1366 x 768 until it reaches ultra HD 4K and even higher.
As for screen size, laptops come with some variant sizes, which usually run from 11 inches to 17 inches. Screen size is a preference issue for users.
However, screen size and resolution are somehow correlated. You need to match the right size with the compatible resolution to have a clearer screen display.
The common screen size for laptop is 15.6 inch. To give better display, it is recommended to have a resolution 1920 x 1080, which is known as full high definition (FHD).
If you want cheaper and lighter models, you can go for 13 inch or even 11.6-inch screens with 1366 x 768 resolution. But it will be less quality.
7. Battery Life:
What we mean by battery life here is how long the laptop lasts working without another charge.
This factor can be critical, especially for those who work outside their stations.
Several factors contribute to battery life such as higher or lower power consumption due to CPU, screen, and other related components.
Battery life could range from 2-18 hours, depending on the laptop specifications, which means the price as well. However, you need to know that the older your laptop becomes the less battery life it turns.
P.S. We didn’t talk about Intel Celeron or Pentium as they are a lower-cost and entry-level processor, which means that they are not up to other CPUs mentioned here.
Where it goes?
Well, this is all the information we think you need to be aware of before buying a laptop.
Now you are a semi-expert and you can go to the market and brag of yourself when the seller starts to through some flashy tech-words. But please don’t go deep😉.
But, wait a minute, I need to buy a laptop.
Don’t worry, we don’t want you to get bored. You can refer to our other blog to help you finish the job and get what you want.
Cheers😊