Guide to buying a laptop:
|
Buying a laptop in 2024 requires navigating a wide range of options tailored to different needs, from gaming to business to budget-friendly models. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you make the best choice.
Categories of Laptops
-
- Gaming Laptops
-
- Business Laptops
-
- Budget Laptops
-
- Ultrabooks
Gaming Laptops
Key Features to Consider:
-
- Graphics Card (GPU): Look for the latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40-series or AMD Radeon RX 7000-series for optimal performance.
-
- Processor (CPU): High-end Intel Core i7/i9 or AMD Ryzen 7/9.
-
- RAM: At least 16GB, preferably 32GB for future-proofing.
-
- Storage: SSD is a must, with at least 1TB for game installations.
-
- Display: 15 to 17 inches with a high refresh rate (144Hz or more) and low response time.
-
- Cooling System: Effective cooling to handle prolonged gaming sessions.
-
- Battery Life: Generally shorter in gaming laptops; focus on performance.
Top Picks:
-
-
- ALIENWARE M15 R7 GAMING LAPTOP: Our most powerful 15” laptop ever with 12th Gen Intel Core processors and latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics
- ELITE COOLING: Updated Alienware Cyro-tech cooling dissipates heat to maintain system stability during the highest performance states
- TAILORED POWER: Make the most of five unique power states and achieve ideal performance battery life or acoustics
- AI RENDERING: Experience improved performance and smart rendering during critical gaming moments through NVIDIA Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS)
- LIFE-LIKE VISUALS: By synchronizing the refresh rates of your display and your graphic card NVIDIA G-SYNC provides smooth realistic graphics during high-speed action scenes
-
- ROG Strix SCAR 18 Intel Raptor Lake i9-14900HX Processor (8 P-cores and 16 E-cores) and GeForce RTX 4090 GPU 16GB GDDR6 Graphics Card, 32GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB + 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVM M.2 Performance SSD (RAID 0), 18 inch QHD+ 16:10 (2560 x 1600, WQXGA), Backlit Chiclet Keyboard Per-Key RGB
- ROG Strix SCAR 18 offers an incredible Nebula display with a 240Hz refresh rate, 100% DCI-P3 coverage, and a staggering 1100 nits brightness for stunning gameplay.
- ROG Strix Strix SCAR’s keyboard switches are rated to last over 20 million presses, and n-key rollover guarantees your system will never miss command even if you’re pressing multiple keys at once
- Two Way AI Noise Cancelation processes both incoming and outgoing audio to filter any errant background noises, making sure that your calls, chats and streams come through without distraction. The Strix SCAR 18 is ready to join the fight with a dedicated RJ45 port, as well as the latest Wi-Fi 6E wireless standard
-
- Specs: 14th Gen Intel Core i9-14900HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080/4090, up to 128GB RAM, up to 4TB SSD, 18-inch 4K+ Mini LED display.
- Pros: Superior gaming performance, excellent display quality, future-proof specs.
- Cons: Very heavy and expensive.
- Best for: Users seeking the highest possible performance in a gaming laptop
Business Laptops
Key Features to Consider:
-
- Processor: Intel Core i5/i7 or AMD Ryzen 5/7 for a balance of performance and efficiency.
-
- RAM: Minimum of 16GB to handle multitasking and productivity applications.
-
- Storage: SSD with at least 512GB.
-
- Build Quality: Durable, lightweight, and portable with a professional design.
-
- Security Features: Biometric authentication (fingerprint reader, IR camera), TPM.
-
- Battery Life: Long-lasting battery to get through the workday.
Top Picks:
-
Dell XPS 13 Plus: Sleek design, powerful performance, and excellent display.
Super long battery life, when streaming on the Netflix app for Windows 11 offers up to 12 hours. Razor thin body, just 0.55”; It weighs 2.59 pounds, Lightweight design; Recharge in less than an hour with ExpressCharge.
12th Gen Intel Core i7-1250U (12 MB cache, 10 cores, 12 threads, up to 4.70 GHz Turbo); 16GB LPDDR5 5200MHz RAM, 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD (Onboard).
14-inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 60Hz, Anti-Glare, 500 nit, InfinityEdge Display; 400p at 30 fps IR camera; Intel Iris Xe Graphics, Excellent performance powered by Graphics.; Expandable to 4 monitors via Thunderbolt 4. Max resolution of the External Monitors: 4K (3840*2160) @60Hz
2 x Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C with DisplayPort and Power Delivery); Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6E 1675 (AX211) 2×2 + Bluetooth 5.2; Backlit Keyboard; Fingerprint reader.
1-Year Limited Warranty; Windows 11 Home 64-bit, Windows Hello; Ideal for School Education, Designers, Professionals, Small Business, Programmers, Gaming and Streaming.
-
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14:
With 32 GB of memory, users can run many programs without losing execution.
The 14″ 1920 x 1200 screen provides a great movie watching experience.
512 GB SSD is enough to store your essential documents and files, favorite songs, movies and pictures.
-
HP Elite Dragonfly G3: Lightweight with exceptional battery life and security features.
Processor Manufacturer: Intel
Processor Type: Core i7
Processor Generation: 12th Gen
Processor Model: i7-1255U
Processor Core: Deca-core (10 Core)
Budget Laptops
Key Features to Consider:
-
- Processor: Intel Core i3/i5 or AMD Ryzen 3/5 for basic tasks.
-
- RAM: 8GB, upgradeable if possible.
-
- Storage: 256GB SSD, with an option for HDD for more space at a lower cost.
-
- Display: 13 to 15 inches with Full HD resolution.
-
- Battery Life: Decent battery life for everyday use.
Top Picks:
-
-
Acer Aspire 5: Good performance for the price with a solid build.
Powerful Productivity: 11th Generation Intel Core i3-1115G4 Dual Core processor delivers unmatched speed and intelligence, enabling impressive creating, productivity, and gaming experiences. With Turbo Boost Technology, get up to 4.1GHz for your high-demand applications. Connectivity Technology: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI
Visibly Stunning: Experience sharp details and crisp colors on the 15.6″ Full HD IPS display with 82.58% screen-to-body, 16:9 aspect ratio and narrow bezels.
Ergonomic Typing: Ergonomically designed hinge lifts the keyboard for comfortable typing, improved cooling, and a better sound experience.
Internal Specifications: 8GB DDR4 on-board memory (1 slot available); 128GB NVMe solid-state drive storage (1 hard drive bay available) to store your files and media.
Acer’s Purified.Voice technology features enhanced digital signal processing to cancel out background noise, improve speech accuracy and far-field pickup, which not only makes calls clearer, but makes talking to Alexa easier than before.
Using Alexa on your PC is as easy as asking a question. Just ask and Alexa can check your calendar, create lists, play music, answer questions, read the news and more.
Secure Operating System: Windows 11 Home in S mode comes with advanced security features built right in, like protections against phishing and malicious software so you don’t have to think twice when navigating to a new webpage or downloading an app.
-
Lenovo IdeaPad 3: Affordable, with adequate performance for daily tasks.
Memory & Storage】Memory is 8GB high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run multiple applications and browser tabs all at once. Hard Drive is 256GB PCIe Solid State Drive which allows to fast bootup and data transfer.
【Processor】11th Gen Intel Core i3-1115G4 Dual-Core 3.0GHz Processor (6MB Intel Smart Cache, up to 4.10GHz) Intel UHD Graphics
【Screen】15.6″ HD Touchscreen (1366 x 768) Display
【Ports】2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Combination Audio Jack, 1 x Multi-format SD Media Card Reader, Wireless-AC Wi-Fi 5 + Bluetooth Combo
【Operating System】Windows 11 Home.
-
HP Pavilion x360: Versatile 2-in-1 design with decent specs.
Operating system: Windows 11 Home From a rejuvenated Start menu, to new ways to connect to your favorite people, news, games, and content—Windows 11 is the place to think, express, and create in a natural way.
Display: 14.0-inch diagonal, FHD (1920 x 1080), multitouch-enabled, IPS, edge-to-edge glass, microedge Crystal-clear visuals with 178-degree wide-viewing angles.
Processor: 12th Generation Intel Core i5-1235U 12th Gen Intel Core processor distributes performance where you need it the most — saving you time and increasing your ability to do the things you actually want.
Memory: 8 GB DDR4-3200 MHz RAM (2 X 4 GB) Substantial high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run your games and photo- and video-editing applications, as well as multiple programs and browser tabs all at once.
Internal storage: 512 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD Get up to 15x faster performance than a traditional hard drive.
Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics Impressive performance for creating, gaming, and entertainment. A new level of graphics performance and crisp, stunning visuals – with the convenience of a thin & light laptop.
Sound: Audio by Bang & Olufsen with dual speakers HP Dual Speakers, custom-tuned by experts at Bang & Olufsen, awaken your senses with PC audio perfection.
Ultrabooks
Key Features to Consider:
-
- Processor: Intel Core i5/i7 or AMD Ryzen 5/7, focusing on power efficiency.
-
- RAM: At least 8GB, 16GB preferred for better multitasking.
-
- Storage: Fast SSD, starting from 512GB.
-
- Display: 13 to 14 inches, high-resolution (QHD or 4K for premium models).
-
- Build Quality: Thin, lightweight, and stylish with premium materials.
-
- Battery Life: Excellent battery life, often exceeding 10 hours.
Top Picks:
-
-
Apple MacBook Air (M2): Exceptional performance with Apple’s M2 chip, sleek design, and long battery life.
STRIKINGLY THIN DESIGN — The redesigned MacBook Air is more portable than ever and weighs just 2.7 pounds. It’s the incredibly capable laptop that lets you work, play or create just about anything — anywhere.
SUPERCHARGED BY M2 — Get more done faster with a next-generation 8-core CPU, up to 10-core GPU and up to 24GB of unified memory.
UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — Go all day and into the night, thanks to the power-efficient performance of the Apple M2 chip.
BIG, BEAUTIFUL DISPLAY — The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display features over 500 nits of brightness, P3 wide color and support for 1 billion colors for vibrant images and incredible detail.
ADVANCED CAMERA AND AUDIO — Look sharp and sound great with a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, three-mic array and four-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio.
VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY — MacBook Air features a MagSafe charging port, two Thunderbolt ports and a headphone jack.
EASY TO USE — Your Mac feels familiar from the moment you turn it on, and works seamlessly with all your Apple devices.
-
-
Dell XPS 13: Compact, powerful, and beautifully designed.
Super long battery life, when streaming on the Netflix app for Windows 11 offers up to 12 hours. Razor thin body, just 0.55”; It weighs 2.59 pounds, Lightweight design; Recharge in less than an hour with ExpressCharge.
12th Gen Intel Core i7-1250U (12 MB cache, 10 cores, 12 threads, up to 4.70 GHz Turbo); 16GB LPDDR5 5200MHz RAM, 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD (Onboard).
14-inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 60Hz, Anti-Glare, 500 nit, InfinityEdge Display; 400p at 30 fps IR camera; Intel Iris Xe Graphics, Excellent performance powered by Graphics.; Expandable to 4 monitors via Thunderbolt 4. Max resolution of the External Monitors: 4K (3840*2160) @60Hz
2 x Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C with DisplayPort and Power Delivery); Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6E 1675 (AX211) 2×2 + Bluetooth 5.2; Backlit Keyboard; Fingerprint reader.
1-Year Limited Warranty; Windows 11 Home 64-bit, Windows Hello; Ideal for School Education, Designers, Professionals, Small Business, Programmers, Gaming, Streaming
-
HP Spectre x360 16: 2-in-1 versatility with a stunning display and premium build quality.
HP Rechargeable MPP2.0 Tilt Pen, Nightfall Black, Adobe 1 month trial
13.5″ diagonal, WUXGA+ (1920 x 1280), multitouch-enabled, IPS, Low Blue Light, 400 nits.
No DVD or CD Drive, 2 TB SSD
Full-size island-style backlit nightfall black keyboard, Security Software Trial
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (2×2) and Bluetooth 5.3 wireless card
No Additional Office Software, Windows 11 Pro
HP TrueVision HD IR Camera+dual array digital microphone (NFB)
Additional Considerations
1. Operating System:
-
- Windows: Versatile, compatible with a wide range of software.
-
- macOS: Seamless integration with Apple’s ecosystem, known for stability and security.
-
- Chrome OS: Lightweight, cloud-centric, ideal for basic tasks and budget options.
2. Port Selection:
-
- USB-C/Thunderbolt 4: Essential for future-proofing and fast data transfer.
-
- HDMI: For connecting to external displays.
-
- SD Card Reader: Useful for photographers and videographers.
3. Keyboard and Trackpad:
-
- Comfortable keyboard with good key travel.
-
- Responsive and accurate trackpad.
4. Warranty and Support:
-
- Check for warranty length and the quality of customer support.
Conclusion
Choosing the right laptop in 2024 depends on your specific needs and budget. Whether you’re a gamer looking for top-tier performance, a professional needing reliability, a student or casual user on a budget, or a tech enthusiast wanting the latest ultrabook, there’s a perfect laptop out there for you. Consider the key features, top picks, and additional factors to make an informed decision and get the most value for your investment.