Laptop Buying Guide

Graphic Card

• While buying gaming laptops, make sure you pay special attention to the graphics processor which is also referred to as GPU or graphics card. Best gaming performance can be achieved with the latest series of a dedicated graphics processor.
• Your laptop should have a graphics card or graphics chip if you’re extensively into website design, game production or video production.
• Intel Iris (Plus) Graphics offers better performance than the Intel HD Graphics series.
• Iris series has more shaders and uses eDRAM memory for higher operation speeds.
• For HD quality, playing games and other multimedia tasks, Iris works better on the laptop.
• Integrated GPUs like Iris & HD Graphic series might cause problems in delivering high quality multimedia sometimes.
• You can opt for integrated GPUs for regular work.

High end

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060, 1070, 1080

Smooth 60FPS gaming at high and ultra settings on latest games

Premium

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050, 1050 Ti

Fluid 30FPS gaming at high settings on latest games

Entry Level

Nvidia GeForce MX150, GeForce 960M, 950M, 940M & AMD Radeon R7 M445

30 FPS gaming at medium and low settings

Choosing an ideal Graphics Card:

Storage

Your storage space requirement and speed of storage can help you select the right amount of storage capacity. Here’s a quick round-up of various storage capacities and how much content you can store with them:

WHO SHOULD CONSIDER SSDs?

Even though SSD-storage-based laptops offer low storage capacity, they offer 5x the performance benefits in comparison to standard HDD based storage. You should consider SSDs when:

• Working with large files (>1GB)
• Looking for a laptop that boots quickly
• You don't need require a lot of storage space
• Need a pure performance laptop
• Laptops with SSD storage offers better battery backup as compared to HDD laptops
• Laptops consisting SSD storage are lightweight and compact as compared to laptops carrying HDD storage

Types of Laptop Storage

Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

Higher storage capacity on a budget

Considered slow in reading data

More power consumption

Moderate in data transfer

Solid-State Drive (SSD)

Available in lower capacities but expensive

Programs run faster with high performance

Less power consumption

Faster in data transfer

Solid State Hybrid Drive (SSHD)

Combination of HDD & SSD for larger storage space & quick loading

Installation of operating system with other softwares on SSD

HDD stores documents & movies

An SSHD unit could have 128 GB SSD with 500 GB or 1 TB HDD

Form Factor

Lightweight laptop or a fully loaded and heavy performance machine? It all depends on your primary usage. Let’s take a glance at the various types of form factors and what they come with.

Display

You should notice the display size and resolution when it comes to laptop displays.

Resolution

Higher resolution not only allows you to fit more content on the screen, it also refines the content (text and images), making it appear sharper and more pleasant to the eye.

Display Size

Your display size should be such that it provides the required level of portability with an adequate amount of screen real estate.

13.3 inch or below

Frequent travel

Lightweight laptop

Primary use is office applications

14 inch

Balance between screen size & portability

Mixed use of office applications & entertainment

Optimal performance and storage space

15.6 inch

Entertainment-oriented laptop

If portability is not too important

More USB ports and an optical drive

Operating System

The operating system handles the hardware and software resources of your laptop. It also provides common services that are essential to all softwares on the system.

Mac OS

• Great user interface
• Applications run without lag
• UNIX based code makes the OS more secure
• Apps are malware and virus free as they are curated by Apple (limited choice in apps)

Windows OS

• Most popular
• Compatible with most hardware and software
• Supports third-party programs
• User interface can be customized
• Easy to multitask using multiple windows
• Try apps and software before buying them
• Share data across all synced, compatible devices
• Enhance, edit and organise photos
• Access systems using virtual desktop
• Features Cortana, the personal assistant with voice recognition

Chrome OS

• Available only on Chromebooks
• Apps can be added through the Chrome Store
• Web-based
• Mostly free applications
• Google has announced Google Play Store will be added to all Chromebooks by 2016
• Features Google’s built-in malware and virus protection

Other Features

• Fast Charging: An important feature to note when you’re looking to charge your laptop in the least amount of time.
• Backlit keyboard: Offers you a better typing experience in low-light environments.
• Ultra slim bezel display: It provides a larger screen in a smaller form factor.
• USB Type C Ports: Latest connectivity makes for fast data transfers with external storage devices.
• Fingerprint Reader: Fingerprint-based login is extremely useful if you’re concerned about your data’s security.

Price Range

Top Laptop Brands - Apple & Microsoft

Laptops below
22,000

Best suited for students or regular work

Runs low level programs

Screen size ranges between 10-15 inches

Powered by dual or quad-core processor

4 GB RAM to run multiple programs

Laptops under
25,000

Budget-friendly laptops allow you to access several applications, watch movies, browse the internet and a lot more

AMD & Intel processors for multitasking

Right mix of performance, portability, and battery life

Laptops under
35,000

Best to choose a core i5 core laptop

14-15 inch screen

Equipped with 4 GB or 8 GB of RAM

Pick a laptop with graphics card for intense gaming

Laptops under
55,000

Pro-gaming laptop loaded with impressive features

Impressive hardware capabilities

2-in-1 functionality with detachable keyboards or a swivel screen

Intel Core i5/i7 processor

RAM UPTO 8GB or more

AMD Ryzen Processor

Battery Life

• This feature is as important as the processor & the RAM
• Find out the capacity of the battery by looking at the ratings - 3-Cell, 6-Cell, 9-Cell

Portability & Quality of Screen

• After choosing the hardware specifications, you can’t ignore the size, design, weight, and the display size
• A large screen means a wider keyboard
• A lightweight laptop is more appropriate if you carry your laptop to work everyday
• A larger screen size is recommended for watching movies, games, reading notes & creating presentations.

Must Have Accessories With Laptop

• A laptop bag with suitable compartments to keep the wires & cables safe
• Anti-virus & internet security software for malware threats