How the Choose the Right Specifications for your Laptop

With the huge amount of makes and models available it can be difficult to know where to start when you’re choosing a new laptop. Once you buy a portable computer it can be far more difficult to upgrade than a PC as many of the features are integrated and therefore can’t be taken out and replaced as easily. It’s far simpler to choose a computer based on how it looks including the weight and size as well as what the keypad, screen and touch pad are like but this isn’t the best way to get the most appropriate computer for your needs. Once you’ve decided on a budget and looked at what sizes and external features you want, you should then define what you want from the inside of your computer. Before you start your search you should check out the basic components which allow a computer to work. You should also bear in mind what you will use your computer for. If you plan to play games on it and want the best graphics and speed for uninterrupted game play then the graphics card and processor will need to be high spec. If you want to use the computer as a simple word processor and to store files then you won’t need to worry so much about the graphics and speed.

Below are four key features which are at the heart of a computer and are crucial to how well the machine you choose will meet your needs.

Hard drive

A computer hard drive (sometimes called a hard disk) is where all your documents, photos, music and videos are stored. The capacity of a hard drive determines how much information you can store on your computer and can be anything from 80GB to 500GB. Just because a computer has a large hard drive it doesn’t always mean it’s a good choice as you should also consider how fast the hard drive rotates as the faster the drive spins, the better your computer will perform. For example a hard drive with a rotational speed of 7,200rpm will result in a much quicker system than a model with 5,400rpm.

Processor

Your computer would be pretty useless if it couldn’t process the data which it receives and a processor is designed to handle the information input into a computer. A processor (also called a central processing unit or CPU) is one of the key components of every computer and one of the most expensive but by investing in the latest technology, you can ensure your computer runs faster.

Memory

When you open a file or programme on your computer this data is loaded from the hard drive and into your computer memory. The more memory you have, the faster the processor will be able to load your files and programmes. Opt for as much memory as your budget will allow, ideally this should be over 1024MB.

Graphics

The type of graphics card you choose will largely depend on whether you want to use your computer for gaming or not. The cheaper option is to go for an integrated laptop which will support basic functions. If you want to play high quality games though then go for a dedicated graphics card.

Before you invest in a new computer make sure you consider what’s on the inside as well as the outside of the machine.



Anything for free