What are the factors to consider when purchasing a computer?

 

What are the factors to consider when purchasing a computer?

Righty ho here's the rundown of everything (most things) you should consider when buying a laptop

RAM

Needless to say you should consider RAM when buying a laptop

8GB - suitable for some light web browsing

16GB - web browsing, typical work applications as well as suitability for some lighter games

32GB - Better for gaming and content creation, you will be able to comfortably do some heavier coding and such.

64GB+ - pretty overkill and is typically reserved for the best of the best, this is typically paired with laptops such as workstation in order to run intensive programs.

As well as this you should check if the RAM in your laptops is upgradable.

RAM also runs across multiple generations, you have older laptops running DDR4 memory and others running DDR5 which is faster

On top of this you should consider if the RAM is dual channel, this will significantly increase memory bandwidth and as a result performance

Storage

This is an important one you should consider what kind of files and data will be stored on the device.

128GB or less - this is the ideal amount if you don’t store much of your data on device, for example most files are stored on a NAS or on the cloud

256GB - pretty much the same story as 128GB, you don’t intend to store too many file locally but will need them

512GB - this tends to hit the sweet spot in terms of storage, there is enough of it to store larger applications and some games

1TB+ - ideal for storing high definition audio and video files as well as some bulkier pieces of software

Like RAM you should check if the storage is upgradeable

On top of this you should check what type of storage it is. General rule of thumb if it is an SSD avoid EMMC drives, instead opt for NVME ones instead, you don’t really find any recent laptops with HDDs. Those can be cheaper but are slower than SSDs.

SSD or HDD?

Probably more important than the amount of storage space is the type of storage. For a long time, all computers came with HDDs (hard disk drives). Now SSDs (solid state drives) are much more common.

The difference is that HDDs have physical spinning disks, which run slower, noisier, and hotter than SSDs.

Getting an SSD, which is flash storage (like what’s in your phone) instead of an HDD can significantly speed up your computer.

Yes, SSDs are more expensive than HDDs and as a result tend to be smaller. A multi-terabyte HDD is not uncommon, but SSDs are more commonly 128 or 256 GB.

Central Processing Unit

the type of CPU can determine what kind of software you can and can’t run, it is arguably one of, if not, the most important part of a laptop

Architectures:

X86 - this is the architecture most CPUs use and so has the best software compatibility.

RISC - - this is the architecture ARM bases CPUs use

Brands:

AMD - big name in the CPU industry, these tend to be more power conservant and efficient. These can struggle with Linux so keep this in mind

INTEL - Great performance and software compatibility , tend to be more power hungry

Snapdragon X - A new generate of ARM CPUs designed for windows and provides competition for Apple

M series - Super efficient and super powerful chips that are exclusive to Apple MacBooks and other Mac devices

the number of threads, the clock speed, core count, and cache should also be considered, the higher the better.

Graphics

This can greatly improve you devices ability to render images and models as well as improving the compiling of heavier code.

Types:

Integrated - part of the CPU best for light tasks

Dedicated/Discreet - GPUs that are separate from the CPU, best for creators and gamers as well as those who are running heavier programs . The most common in laptops are NVIDIA graphics cards. Keep in mind that these are mobile variants of the GPU and so will be less powerful that their desktop counterparts

Screen

the type of screen you have on your laptop is incredibly important too, after all this is the bit that you will be using to view everything on your device

Black uniformity- Defines how evenly a monitor displays black across the screen. This is important for watching content or playing games with dark scenes, particularly if any bright objects are on the screen

Refresh rate- the number of times a display can refresh ( redraw its image per second). A higher refresh rate means the screen updates more frequently, leading to smoother motion and reduced motion blur

Colour gamut coverage -the range of colours a device can produce or accurately represent.

Response time - the monitor's motion handling with any type of content.

Brightness - pretty self explanatory this one

Screen size - you don’t want too large or too small a screen

Aspect ratio and resolution are also important.

types of panels:

IPS - provide wider viewing angles and more accurate, consistent colours than older, cheaper designs like twisted nematic (TN) screens. They're the standard on mainstream laptops.

Mini LED - incorporate smaller LEDs in the backlight, enabling precise local dimming zones and enhancing contrast and black levels

OLED - rich, vibrant colours and sky-high contrast ratios (the closest thing to infinite contrast available). As self-emitting panels, they don't need a separate backlight—each pixel glows and can be brightened or dimmed as necessary, with black pixels literally switched off, achieving true blacks since no backlight bleeds through

Keyboard

features such as mechanical keyboards over membrane keyboards can be better

Feature such as back lighting and key travel also improve the experience

Battery

this one should be pretty self explanatory. Bigger battery means (usually) better battery life

Software can also optimise this.

These are the most important factors that I can think of off the top of my head

Thanks for reading.

Desktop or laptop?

Desktops

If you don’t need portability, desktops are the way to go.

They are cheaper for the same components because they have fewer moving parts, no battery, and don’t have to be slim and lightweight.

Because they’re larger, they can have bigger fans. Bigger fans make it easier to keep them cool, which helps them perform better and last longer.

If you want to upgrade or replace parts, it’s generally pretty straightforward with a desktop.

Full-sized desktops are the least expensive.

Note that these advantages don’t apply to AIOs (all-in-ones)–they are pricey and difficult to upgrade.

Just remember that if you get a desktop you’ll also need a monitor, mouse, and keyboard if they don’t come with the machine. (They’re often cheaper if you bundle them.)

Laptops

Need to carry your computing around with you? Then you’ll probably want a laptop. (Although tablets can also be good options for light use.)

What size laptop should you buy?

10″-13″: If you need ultra portability and are willing to sacrifice a little bit on performance, this is the size you want. This size tends to be super lightweight–and even with the generally lower performance, it’s usually adequate for most people.

14″-16″: This size is a good balance of portability, price, and processing power. The computer I bought to replace my dead laptop is a 15″ MacBook Pro, and the size is just right.

Many laptop in this size range also have dedicated graphics cards, which you will probably want if you’re into gaming or other heavy graphics work.

17″-18″: If you’re looking for a computer that will mostly stay in one place, but you want to be able to move it from room to room when needed, this might be the size for you.

Making sure you aren’t disappointed when you buy a new computer

So how do you make sure you actually get what you want when you buy a computer?

1. Make a checklist

If you know you are definitely looking for certain features, put them on a list. When you see a computer you think you might be interested in, run down the checklist and make sure everything is there.

When you have a checklist, you won’t accidentally buy a computer that is missing something you really wanted.

Some features you might want to consider:

• fingerprint reader
• camera
• touch screen
• iris scanner
• a certain number (or type–is USB-C important to you?) of USB ports
• DisplayPort (or another kind of video port)
• SD card slot for transferring camera photos (or for very portable extra storage)
• WiFi adapter for a desktop
• ethernet port

2. Look at reviews

Read the reviews on Amazon, check Consumer Reports, or ask a trusted friend. Find out as much as you can about the pros and cons of the new computer you’re looking at.

Yes, every product is going to have negative reviews–but you should be able to get a pretty good idea of how good a machine is by looking at reviews.

3. Try before you buy

If you can go to a store that has a display model of the computer you want, it can be helpful to give it a test drive before you buy.

See how the keyboard feels, how intuitive the interface is, how it feels when you pick it up (if it’s a laptop).

4. Try AFTER you buy!

Make sure you take plenty of time to run your new computer through its paces after you buy it.

Most places offer a return window. Make sure you know how long you have to change your mind, and then take full advantage of that time to test everything about your new computer.

Give yourself plenty of time with the computer so that you can return it if you need to before your return window closes.

What is an All-In-One PC?

When people think of a computer, the image of a traditional desktop with a separate monitor usually comes to mind. 

An all-in-one personal computer (PC) combines the display, processor, motherboard and other computer parts into the same compact housing. The keyboard and mouse remain independent pieces.

This makes them different from laptops, which integrate the mouse, keyboard and display into a single unit. Laptops are portable, whereas all-in-one space-saving computers require a permanent desk location.