Laptops: How to buy the best laptop Choosing your perfect laptop
Laptop or desktop computer?
Laptops have been growing in popularity, power and affordability.It’s now easier than ever to find a cheap laptop that will perform most tasks, though spending the same amount of money on a desktop PC or Mac will still get you more in terms of raw specification and power.
This will usually only matter if you're doing something like video editing or playing the latest games.
Choosing a laptop gives you the freedom to use your computer on the move or around the home rather than find yourself chained to one room.
It also means you can take advantage of wireless networking to surf the web without being connected to a phone socket.
This buyers’ guide has advice on what to look for and how much to spend, explains laptop jargon, and gives practical tips.
To find out more how specific laptops from brands including Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Sony and Toshiba compare, read the Which? expert laptops review.
What type of laptop or netbook should I choose?
The best laptop for you will depend entirely on what you plan to use it for. You might need your computer to be more portable, for example, or you might simply prefer something that can be easily folded up and put away to save space when it’s not in use.Before you buy, you need to carefully consider which type of laptop would suit you best, weighing up things such as portability against power and price. Size and weight vary considerably, with a small, portable netbook averaging around 1kg, and larger widescreen laptops weighing in at around 3kg.
Our interactive laptop choosing tool will guide you to the best laptop for you.
Entry-level and student laptops
Best for: students, novices and people with basic computing needs
Entry-level systems are a cheaper (below £450), basic option, best for those who just use their laptop for straightforward office tasks such as spreadsheets, email and internet use.They're a good choice for students looking for something to take to lectures or for writing essays and could be a great starting point for people using computers for the first time.
These systems have less memory (Ram) than their more powerful (and more expensive) counterparts - typically around 2GB - and may not run a dual core processor. They may not have as much storage space as more expensive alternatives but aim for at least 250GB of hard disk space if you can.
For recommended models, take a look at our reviews of entry-level laptops.
Desktop replacement laptops
Best for: People looking for a big, powerful laptop to use at home
Desktop replacements are much more powerful computers that are comparable to desktop systems in terms of power and features, but in a portable format. This type of computer is best suited to those who want to edit photos or video and play games, as well as perform office tasks.As these laptops are designed to replace a bulky desktop machine, they have big screens (typically 17-inches) and large keyboards. Thanks to their size, desktop replacements tend to be a lot heavier than other laptops, so they're not a good choice if you're looking for something to take out and about.
These models have plenty of memory (at least 4GB of Ram) which is particularly important if you're running several programs at once. They may have a separate graphics card - very helpful for playing games or editing video - and will run a powerful processor such as Intel's Core i5 or i7 chips. Desktop replacements should have plenty of storage for photos, videos, documents and programs. Permanent storage is provided by the laptop's hard disk drive, which should be at least 500GB for a desktop replacement.
All of this power is very draining on the battery, though, so don't expect to get more than a few hours' battery life out of a desktop replacement. Of course, such models tend to spend most of their time plugged into the wall so this shouldn't be too much of a problem.
For recommended models, take a look at our reviews of desktop replacements.
Family laptops
Best for: Everyone in the household, people looking for a mid-priced all-rounder
As befits their name, family laptops have a breadth of uses, catering for all the family. They're great for surfing the web, doing homework, emailing, sharing and managing photos, watching YouTube videos and even playing the occasional game (although not at the highest settings).Family laptops tend to have medium-sized screens - around 13 to 15-inches - and mid-range specifications. Look for around 3GB of Ram (this is the memory that allows the laptop to run several programs at once) and a dual core processor. As this laptop is likely to be used by several different people, make sure you have plenty of storage for all your family's photos, videos, music and documents. Look out for a hard disk with around 500GB of storage.
For recommended models, take a look at our reviews of family laptops.
Ultra portable laptops
Best for: Businesspeople, people looking for a combination of portability and power
Ultra-portable laptops make size and weight the priority, shrinking things right down so they're much easier to carry, but often at the cost of features. They're different from netbooks in that they are still quite powerful machines - and can be quite pricey to boot (expect to pay upwards of £400).Like netbooks, they lack an optical (DVD) drive, and have a small screen (usually between 10 and 12-inches) and keyboard. Unlike netbooks, they run a full version of the operating system (either Windows 7 or Apple OS X), have more memory (perhaps 3 or 4GB of Ram) and a fast processor.
For recommended models, take a look at our reviews of ultraportable laptops.
Netbooks or mini-laptops
Best for: Surfing the web and emailing on the move
Netbooks are much smaller than standard laptops. Costing a few hundred pounds, they're very light and compact and - while specifications are low, and screens and keyboards very small - they're perfectly adequate for general tasks and internet surfing.They generally use Intel Atom, Celeron, or Via processors, which are less powerful than the chips used in larger laptops, but are cheaper and more energy efficient. Expect to see 1GB of Ram and between 160GB and 250GB of storage. These relatively low specifications mean that netbooks aren't the best choice if you're planning to run graphically demanding programs such as photo editing or video editing software or if you want to use several programs at once.
You may find the operating system installed on a netbook different from the one you're used to. Most offer Windows 7 Starter Edition - a cut-down version of Microsoft's latest operating system - several versions use the free Linux operating system.
Don't expect to find built-in CD and DVD drives in these machines. You'll get wireless connectivity, though, so you can connect them to a wireless network to transfer your data. Some netbooks use standard hard drives, while others use solid-state storage.
Ideally, look for a netbook with a high-capacity battery. These should last you most of the day without needing a charge.
For more, see our guide to buying a netbook, and the Which? netbook reviews.
I’m on a limited budget. Which laptop parts should I spend more money on?
If you're on a tight budget, but want to spend a bit more making sure that you get the best performing laptop you can, aim to spend as much as you can afford on increasing the laptop’s memory (Ram).A decent processor is also a good idea, but you don’t need to go overboard getting the best chip on the market. Some manufacturers may offer special deals when, for example, they offer double the Ram for the same price.
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