With this article, our portal begins a whole cycle of useful materials, the purpose of which will be to facilitate the choice of any product from the thousands of options offered on the market. Agree, the choice of a specific model of a gadget always takes a lot of time, which can be spent with benefit. In today's material, we will talk about choosing the right laptop - for work, study or entertainment.

What do you need a laptop for?

First you need to decide what you will use the laptop for. There are several options:

Work in office applications and study

Even the cheapest laptop is suitable for these tasks. The only condition that must be met without fail is that such a laptop must be of high quality and durable in order to serve you as long as possible. Pay attention to the manufacturer (it is best to choose laptops of well-known brands) and the convenience of working with the device's keyboard. There are no more delays here - you don’t need a powerful processor (even the weakest, more or less new laptop can play music and movies), a powerful video card (you’re going to study and work, right?), or a large hard drive (documents and tutorials take up very little space).

Desktop replacement, laptop for home

Such a laptop should fulfill the desires of all family members at an acceptable level: help parents with work, entertain children and keep grandmother in touch with friends. Here you should also pay attention to the strength of the case (when buying, look at how it flexes when not pressed too hard). In addition, it is worth buying a laptop with a capacious hard drive (500 gigabytes - the minimum) and a large set of ports (for connecting all possible home devices). The processor, memory and video card should also not be the weakest, but you should not chase top-end characteristics.

Ultraportable laptop (ultrabook) for travel and business trips

Here at the forefront is the weight of the laptop, its thickness (no more than two centimeters) and battery life. Also, consider SSD rather than HDD options (more on that later) - the extra speed on the road won't hurt. Often, ultraportable laptop cases are made of metal or carbon fiber - this will be a nice bonus. You don't need to pay attention to the video card and extra ports here. Note that in some cases, ultrabooks do not have a standard port for a network wire - you will have to use Wi-Fi or purchase an adapter.

Powerful laptop for gaming and multimedia tasks

Such a laptop should have a large and high-quality screen (both games and work in multimedia programs require this), powerful internals (processor, RAM and video card) and a capacious hard drive. Unfortunately, you will have to forget about autonomy and portability: even the best and most expensive gaming laptops (with a few exceptions) will be heavy and rather thick, and their battery is unlikely to withstand more than a couple of hours of intensive work of all systems.

Work station

These laptops are used in jobs that require a lot of computing power. They differ from gaming ones in that they usually do not require a good video card (unless one is needed to perform specific work tasks), but they need all possible ports for connecting peripherals. If you do not need to work with graphic materials, you can also neglect the screen.

Hybrid 2-in-1

Popular in Lately hybrids are often a real minefield. At the moment, it is best to choose an ultrabook and a tablet - two separate devices. If you want to combine them, then there are not many options - check out recent models in this form factor from Lenovo, Microsoft, Asus and Dell.

Which laptop screen is right for you?

The screen size of a laptop is one of the most important factors that affect the user experience. You need to decide on these indicators immediately after determining the tasks that your future laptop will perform:

10-12 inches

The lightest and thinnest laptops, weighing less than 1.2 kg. Many users will not fit their compact keyboards, and they simply do not have multimedia applications. But laptops with such screens are best transported and used for small work sessions on the road.

13-14 inches

A good balance between portability and convenience. Their keyboards are usually quite large and weigh less than 2kg - a good option for those who spend a lot of time on the road but prefer to work in more comfort.

15-16 inches

Most popular size. These laptops can weigh up to 2.5 kg and are already able to accommodate good components, which will be sufficient not only for work, but also for entertainment.

17 inches or more

Huge laptops, which usually contain the most powerful processors, the most powerful graphics cards and the most capacious hard drives. Ideal for a laptop that will not leave your apartment or house.

Matte or glossy?

The laptop screen can be either matte or glossy, and choosing one of them is a matter of personal preference. It is best to look at the laptop with your own eyes - on the store counter. Let's put it this way: glossy displays have brighter and more saturated colors, but at the same time reflections are very noticeable on them (in the worst case, direct sunlight from a window or on the street). Matte screens make colors not so pronounced, but are protected from glare with a special coating. Note that Apple MacBook screens are glossy in most cases.

How to understand the characteristics of a laptop?

A lot of incomprehensible abbreviations, names of unknown brands and obscure numbers can lead anyone into bewilderment. In this section, we will talk about RAM, CPU and other GPUs.

Screen resolution

The more pixels fit on the display, the sharper the image becomes (but also the more processing power required). It is not worth considering options with a resolution below 1366x768 pixels (it seems that they are no longer made anyway), but it is better to focus on something more impressive. 1600x900, 1920x1080 or higher is already very good. Naturally, in the case of small screens, you will have to be content with a small resolution, and for sharper screens you will usually have to pay a hundred or two dollars more. Apple MacBooks have Retina screens - for example, 15-inch MacBook Pros have a resolution of 2880x1800 pixels. This is also a very good indicator.

Processor (CPU)

The most budget models are now equipped with AMD E and Intel Celeron / Pentium processors. They are not designed for tasks more complex than working with e-mail, editing documents, watching movies and listening to music. The next step is Intel Core i3 and AMD A. These processors should provide acceptable performance in multimedia tasks, but for games and serious work it is better to choose a laptop with an Intel Core i5 (preferably the fourth generation, codenamed Haswell; the names of such processors look like “ Core i5-4xxx”). And finally, the most productive and expensive laptop models are equipped with Intel Core i7. You can also find expensive models with AMD processors, but at the moment these solutions lose to Intel processors in terms of performance quite seriously. The latest ranking of mobile processors can be found.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

For everyday work with documents and other “light” tasks, 4 gigabytes will be enough. Games and work with large software packages will require at least 8 gigabytes.

Hard Disk (HDD/SSD)

Buying a laptop with a hard drive less than 500 GB can be justified in two ways: 1) it's small and portable; 2) It is equipped with an SSD disk. Often these cases overlap. In addition, more expensive models can be equipped with a hybrid drive, most of which is mechanical (HDD), and the smaller part is chip (SSD). SSD drives provide very high read and write speeds, and consume less power, but are significantly more expensive than mechanical drives.

Video card (GPU)

This item is important only for those who are going to play games on a laptop - the rest will use any chip built into a modern laptop. Players should pay attention to the performance options from AMD and Nvidia - Radeon R9 and GeForce GTX 9xxM. You need to take into account the fact that such discrete graphics cards require much more battery power. A fresh rating of mobile video cards can be found.

Ports

Pay attention to the number of USB ports and their standard (you should buy a laptop with USB 2.0 only as a last resort, look for options with USB 3.0), the presence of an HDMI or VGA output for connecting to a TV or an external monitor, as well as the presence of specific ports to connect peripherals that you need in your work.

Optical drive

In most cases, you will not need it - the digital future and high-speed network access allows you to not use obsolete optical discs and, if necessary, use USB flash drives. We advise you to save as much money as possible on this component - you will not need to burn DVD and especially Blu-ray (unless, of course, you do this for work).

Battery

Be sure to pay attention to the battery life of the device specified by the manufacturer. At least it should be 6 or 7 hours. The very best models (either ultra-portable or heavy and large) can provide up to 10 or even 20 hours of operation. At the same time, manufacturers often lie and overestimate their estimate of the operating time - it is better to turn to independent tests.

Operating system

In fact, you have to choose not the operating system - everything is much simpler. Do you need a MacBook? This quick guide will help you figure it out.

A completely versatile operating system that will allow you to perform any tasks (working with documents, playing games, watching movies, etc.), but requires more maintenance than OS X. If the laptop will be used by someone who has never used Windows before, it is better pay attention to the next option.

OS X works great with all Apple devices and is suitable for all beginners. In addition, it is a favorite working environment for designers, musicians and other creative people. Unfortunately, it also has its many drawbacks: this OS is not intended for gamers, and only Apple makes laptops with it, which allows it to keep their prices at a fairly high level.

Laptops with Linux are suitable for those who use Linux in their work. Everyone else is encouraged to consider the two previous options. However, Linux laptops (and sometimes DOS laptops) are often cheaper than Windows counterparts due to the free OS license.

Chrome OS

Notebooks running this operating system are popular in the United States, but outside of that country, they are almost never seen in stores. A good option for those whose work with a laptop takes place entirely in an Internet browser, but in Belarus it is almost useless to buy a Chromebook - for the same money you can buy a full-fledged laptop with Windows.

Additionally

There are still a lot of details about buying a laptop, which we will bring to your attention in this section.

Firstly, check the Wi-Fi standard that the laptop's wireless chip supports. All laptops worth buying can work with 802.11 a/b/g/n networks, and many new and advanced ones can work with 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac. Also, if you're going to use Wi-Fi Direct, make sure it's supported as well.

Secondly, pay attention to whether the laptop battery is removable. In many cases, it becomes unusable after a couple of years, and replacement will be much easier if the laptop does not have to be carried to the service.

Thirdly, check if you have an SD card reader. It may be needed to work with photos and videos from external devices.

Fourth, take care to have a good webcam above the screen (although there is almost always one). The camera must have at least an HD sensor (1280x720 pixels) - this will come in handy in video calls via Skype.

Purchase process

Have you chosen a model and are you ready to call the store? Take your time, we recommend that you remember two simple rules.

Test your laptop before you buy. Launch a few programs, go online, try using his keyboard and trackpad for a bit. We also recommend that you check the screen and case for cracks and scratches (even the smallest ones) to make sure that the laptop came to you straight from the factory, and not from the previous owner.

Check the warranty. Laptops are very complex electronic devices and many of their parts often break down. A long warranty period in a reliable service center will help you avoid headaches in the future.

Conclusion

We hope that this article helped you deal with the difficult task of choosing your future laptop. Next week we will help you choose a tablet!

For many, the cost of a laptop plays a decisive role, while important parameters are overlooked. As a result - regrets after the first days of operation. At the same time, even a famous brand and a high price do not guarantee that you will get what really suits you. Often, even with a huge choice, users are forced to compromise, so long as a couple or three important parameters match.

Therefore, first of all, it is worth deciding for what purpose you are purchasing a laptop. This will depend on the size and resolution of the screen, the processor, video card and the amount of RAM.

1. “Need a computer not for games - an inefficient processor will do”

The most common formulation of the problem is a machine for working with documents, multimedia and surfing the Internet. For these purposes, a CPU with average performance and an integrated video card is suitable.

When choosing a model, many users are guided by the low price of the device, losing sight of the fact that the computer has an outdated processor with low efficiency. At first, the weak heart of the computer will demonstrate acceptable speed in office applications and when surfing the Web. However, as soon as Windows runs an update in the background, a virus scan, or simply copying files to an external drive, the machine will turn into a prehistoric turtle. If you are ready to put up with this - focus on inexpensive solutions based on Intel Celeron and Pentium and Core i3 processors.

The Intel Core i5 and i7 CPU models will allow you to have some margin in computing power - they are used in powerful workstations and. Also, on sale you can find laptops with Intel Core M processors, which are characterized by low power consumption. They are also quite productive and suitable for working with complex graphics (for example, Core M5).

A few words about AMD processors. If suddenly there is an urgent desire to buy a device with this CPU, then the most productive and inexpensive models are the seventh generation of the 9000 series. All of them are equipped with integrated graphics.

According to preliminary information, the release of new laptop models with Ryzen APUs is expected in early 2018. It is these solutions that can be safely recommended as a comparable alternative to devices with high-performance processors from Intel.

2. “Since this is a portable PC, then it should have a screen of 14-15 inches”

When choosing a screen size, most prefer the standard 14-inch form factor. This is indeed the most common display format that provides an acceptable perception of information. However, focusing on compactness and portability, the specifics of the tasks set are often not taken into account. For example, working with tables or graphics requires a large screen size and a comfortable keyboard.

Therefore, if you plan to work occasionally, preferring a desktop PC as your main tool, then you should opt for a lighter option - a 14-15 inch form factor.

For regular work with documents and graphics, it is desirable to have a 17-inch screen. Considering that modern models receive screens with thin frames, the dimensions of the cases are also becoming smaller. At the same time, information on a large screen is perceived better, and the keyboard is wider, which is very important when typing. However, it is worth considering - the larger the screen, the more battery power is spent on it.

For those who are primarily interested in portability, it is better to pay attention to devices with a 13-inch screen. These are ultra-compact and lightweight portable PCs, barely the size of an A4 sheet.

3. "The higher the resolution of the screen matrix, the better"

Recently, manufacturers have been actively exploiting the trend of screens with 4K resolution (3840 × 2160), justifying this technology with an ultra-clear image. Moreover, it is being introduced even into small screens of laptops.

In our opinion, it is a mistake to succumb to marketing traps and pay attention to such offers in portable devices. The fact is that the human eye already has difficulty distinguishing pixels on a 23-inch monitor with Full HD resolution from a distance of 40 cm. At 17 or 15 inches, you definitely won’t feel an increase in image quality. At the same time, in 4K, the monitor will demonstrate too small elements of the Windows interface and programs, which will only cause discomfort.

Recall that until recently, manufacturers have equipped most laptops with HD resolution matrices of 1440x720 pixels. Full HD display was found mainly on fairly expensive and powerful machines, and this equipment was considered quite prestigious. Such a resolution in the Windows interface required additional resources from the video card, so many users preferred a matrix with HD resolution for faster work in the OS, sacrificing image detail.

Today, even the fifth generation Intel Celeron can easily handle graphics processing in Full HD, so when choosing a screen, it is better to give preference to a resolution of 1920x1080.

It should be borne in mind that a more detailed display of graphics in 4K takes resources from the video card and CPU. Therefore, the best screen resolution for a laptop is 1920x1080. If you want more - connect your computer to a large UHD monitor and enjoy an ultra-detailed picture on it.

4 “One SSD is enough as a disk system in a laptop”

Many manufacturers, in an effort to win in the competition, save on additional slots in laptops by installing only one storage device. Choosing such a model, for example, with a fast SSD, you risk being left without a system and without personal data.

The fact is that although they are very fast, they are not yet sufficiently reliable and durable. For example, if you allow the battery to completely discharge, the laptop may turn off during a data write operation, which is fraught not only with a violation of the file table, but also with the failure of the controller without any possibility of data recovery. With hard drives, this happens much less frequently. In addition, flash drives are not yet as capacious as compared to HDDs (so far only up to 1 TB, from 18,000 rubles).

The option with one HDD is also not very preferable, because. This type of media today demonstrates very low data exchange rates. Your system will be slow to boot, and applications will be annoyingly slow to launch and process data.

Therefore, when choosing a device, give preference to the SSD + HDD dual disk system.

5. "The more RAM, the better"

This principle is suitable for desktop systems designed to work with complex graphics (including 3D) or for gaming PCs and laptops. Currently, this component is very expensive, which means that extra memory will significantly raise the price tag of a laptop. For office work and surfing the Web, it is desirable to have at least 4 GB of RAM.

For graphics and games, 8 GB is enough. Complex tasks may require 16 or even 32 GB of RAM. In the latter case, it is important to have both a very productive and expensive CPU. Before buying, ask how the memory is installed - one module or two equal parts, i.e. in dual-channel mode, which somewhat speeds up data processing.

6. “You must definitely choose with a discrete graphics card”

You should not succumb to this axiom and spend extra money on additional power that you will not use in everyday tasks. First of all, answer yourself the question: do you intend to play resource-intensive games on a laptop or process very complex graphics, especially 3D. If not, then for all other purposes, the power of the Intel Graphics chip is more than enough. And you can save a lot on this, because. models with an integrated video chip are significantly cheaper than counterparts with an additional video module from NVIDIA or AMD.

Otherwise, the best choice is a model with a powerful graphics card, such as NVIDIA GeForce 1050, which should be enough to work with complex 3D objects and modern games.

It is worth clarifying here that in laptops with a third-party graphics card (discrete module), an integrated graphics chip from Intel is used in the Windows interface to reduce power consumption.

A discrete video card, as a rule, is connected only in the mode of operation with 3D applications. If you really want to, you can force it to work in all applications, but it will be a waste of energy.

7. “For the sake of a thin case, you can refuse a DVD drive”

It would be wrong to say that the era of DVD media has come to an end. Before you go to the store for a brand new laptop, remember if you use this type of media at least occasionally. In some cases, you really can't do without it, for example, when you are passionate about music on CD or recording photo albums or videos on DVD.

On the market you can find modern models with this already archaic read / write device, moreover, with a very good stuffing. The body will be a little thicker, but such a device will perform more tasks. Feel free to use a DVD drive if you need one. Its presence will not increase the cost of the laptop, with the exception of Blu-ray drives. For some reason, they are still terribly expensive.

In all other cases, you can choose a laptop without an optical module. Moreover, in the event of a system failure, it is already possible to boot from a USB flash drive.

8. “Are two USB 3.0 ports enough and do I need an rj-45 network port?”

Do not underestimate the portability of a laptop. The convenience of working with media and external devices depends on their number. Therefore, when choosing a laptop, give preference to models with 3 or more ports. This will allow you to connect a mouse, keep an external drive connected, and also connect flash drives or a printer (and other peripherals).

As for the rj-45 network port, its presence is desirable, but not necessary. In today's world of ubiquitous wireless data transmission and control over Wi-Fi, you can do without this port. You won't find it on most ultrabooks. In case of an urgent need to connect to the network via cable (twisted pair), you can separately buy a USB Ethernet adapter (about 800 rubles).

However, modern laptop models are already equipped with a USB 3.1 Type-C port. This latest interface allows not only to connect the plug in any direction, but also provides high speeds (up to 10 GBps), and also (in some cases) charges the laptop itself or devices connected to it through it (voltage up to 20 volts is applied), and even connect to the network and other peripherals, including a monitor.

9. "You can do without a removable battery."

Most modern laptops are equipped with a non-removable battery, which makes them thin and sleek. The specifications indicate only the capacity of the battery and the operating time on a single charge. But the fact that the battery is built-in, sellers prefer to keep silent.

Such a constructive solution has a number of disadvantages: in particular, you can only replace the battery in a service center, and you can’t take a spare one on a long trip. In addition, in the case of long-term storage of the laptop without recharging, you can not disconnect it from the laptop in order to avoid critical discharge.

Therefore, if possible, choose models with a removable battery pack - in addition to a higher capacity, this option has another huge plus - it can be replaced with a compatible cheaper analogue, in case of wear after 4-5 years.

10. "Aluminum body is cool"

In terms of appearance, the aluminum case really looks modern and prestigious. In addition, the metal emphasizes the strength and reliability of the structure. In practice, the laptop's aluminum lid and fins will pick up scratches and scuffs over time, unless you wrap it in a silicone bumper.

The plastic case (if it is high-quality plastic) is better able to withstand accidental bumps and hide minor scratches. In addition, it is not prone to dents on the flat part, which is very critical for everyday wear in a soft case.

But you should also be careful with plastic - for example, a soft touch or a matte finish collects prints that are difficult to remove. The best solution, in our opinion, is embossed plastic.

Aluminum is less practical than plastic, but looks better. What is more important to you is up to you.

“You can get by with a keyboard without backlighting”

This option is currently used in expensive models and is almost never found in budget laptops. We recommend choosing a laptop with backlit keys, because. this significantly increases the comfort when typing, unless you own a blind method.

The fact is that in a room even with normal lighting, the eyes adjust to the bright display matrix and, when looking at the keys, they cannot instantly adjust, which causes discomfort and rapid eye fatigue. So, the backlighting of the keys will definitely not be superfluous.

The laptop in recent years has become one of the purchased types of computer equipment. It has earned popularity due to its mobility indicator, which makes it possible to operate it without being tied to a stationary place. Despite the fact that most computer users already own laptops, the question of choosing and buying them will not become less popular.

Choosing a laptop is a difficult task not only for beginners, but also for knowledgeable people. A huge range of products leads to a dead end even for advanced users of computer technology. For many buyers, indicators such as design and performance are decisive when choosing a device, however, in order for the purchased product not to disappoint its owner during operation, maximum attention should be paid to the functional indicators of equipment when buying it. Let's consider in this article how to choose the right laptop so that it meets the user's requirements as much as possible, and can also perform the functions that the consumer needs.

Before you go directly to the computer equipment store, you should carefully study the current range of products offered, namely their parameters and characteristics. We need to work in three directions:

1. To study the indicators of computer components, such as RAM, hard drive, processor, video card and battery, which directly affect their functionality.
2. Investigate the presence of additional components, namely an optical drive, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules, a card reader, a webcam.
3. To consider the features of the execution of the body of the goods, the type and parameters of the display.

An integrated approach to choosing a portable device according to the above parameters will guarantee the purchase of a laptop of exactly the quality that the consumer needs for comfortable operation of the device.

Functional characteristics of laptops

You need to start choosing a good laptop for yourself by determining the type of processor, which is considered the brain of the device and is responsible for its performance. They are of two types - Intel and AMD. Laptops with an Intel processor are considered to be of higher quality, they cope with tasks faster, provide maximum performance when working with office applications and on the Internet. If computer equipment is bought mainly for the purpose of playing games, then it is better to choose the second type, which is characterized by advanced integrated graphics. Here you also need to pay attention to the number of cores. Processors with one core are considered weak, the laptop starts to slow down even when you open several tabs on the Internet. For work or study, dual-core processors are considered the most acceptable. For heavy games and work with computer graphics, devices that have four cores or more are suitable.

The RAM or built-in memory of a laptop is one of the most important selection parameters. Memory will determine how quickly the device can cope with the tasks set by the consumer. Built-in memory of modern laptops from two to sixteen gigabytes. If a consumer needs an inexpensive laptop to work with text applications and e-mail, then a model with two gigabytes of RAM is suitable for him, but for comfortable work with modern heavy applications, it is better to buy devices with at least four gigabytes of RAM.

For consumers who choose a laptop not only for office work, but also for entertainment purposes, it is worth paying attention to the presence of a video card. In the simplest and most inexpensive devices, it is not mandatory, the user will have enough controller built into the processor, however, this module is important for working with graphics and using a laptop for gaming purposes.

And also it is worth paying special attention to the hard drive of the product, its volume and type. Today, there are two types of drives: HDD and advanced SSD drives. The second type is considered more powerful and reliable data storage, but the cost of devices with such a drive is higher. SSD drives differ from their predecessors in the quality of workmanship, which increases the speed of loading the computer itself. If it is bought for gaming purposes, you should pay attention to models with an SSD hard drive type. The volume of the disk practically does not affect the performance of a portable computer in any way, only the amount of information that can be stored on the device depends on it. Since today there is no need to save a lot of heavy films and videos on your device, most users watch them online, the volume of a hard drive of five hundred gigabytes is considered optimal.

Not in last place when choosing a portable computer is the battery, namely its capacity. The laptop can work directly through the mains power supply, at this time it is charging a little, but the battery is not involved in supplying power to the device, and also remotely from the battery, which makes it mobile. The capacity of the battery determines how long a portable computer can operate without recharging. If the device is bought more for stationary use, then you can pay attention to an inexpensive laptop with a weaker battery, for mobile people - the more powerful the battery, the better, more time you can work offline.

When choosing a laptop according to its characteristics, it is also worth clarifying the presence of an installed operating system. Some device models are sold in the bare form, so the user after their purchase will have to buy a licensed operating system and install it, which costs a lot of money.

Additional accessories

The components of a portable computer do not have a direct impact on its performance, but the presence of some of them simplifies the work, makes the operation more convenient.

A webcam is a module that allows you to communicate online via video link. In inexpensive models, it is absent or a weak 1.3 megapixel camera is built in, which gives a blurry image, there is no sense of reality when communicating. If it is important for the user to communicate in video mode, you should pay attention to models of portable devices with a good and powerful camera.

Users are ambiguous about the presence of an optical drive. It is designed to read and write CDs and DVDs. Since most users have long since switched to more convenient flash drives, the presence of a drive is not required.

Regarding modules such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth - their presence is desirable on the selected laptop. Using the built-in Wi-Fi module, the user will be able to connect to wireless network sources, and Bluetooth allows you to transfer information from other devices wirelessly.

When choosing a laptop according to its parameters, you should find out about the presence of a card reader, which is available in almost all modern devices, provides the ability to read flash drives of any type. Inexpensive models of older devices may not have this module, which makes it much more difficult or even impossible to work with some drives. It is also important to pay attention to the type of USB connectors for connecting external devices. Most models have only 2.0 type connectors for connecting outdoor units, upgraded, higher data rate 3.0 type connectors are present only in newer models. Since a laptop is not bought for one year, and the development of computer technology is moving forward rapidly, it is advisable to provide that at least one connector is of an improved type.

The location of the laptop interface connectors

Appearance and performance

Of course, choosing a laptop by its look and design is no less than stupid, since a very beautiful device can be non-functional and impractical to use. However, you should not completely discount the external indicators and characteristics of a portable device.

An important feature when choosing a laptop is the material of its case. It does not affect the operation of the device, however, cheaper models of devices have a plastic case that is prone to damage. And also on such cases, prints are very noticeable, devices are quickly overwritten with frequent carrying in a bag and take on an unpresentable look. It is better to buy a laptop that has a case made of good plastic and metal, or a combination of both, despite the fact that the price of such models is slightly higher.

The laptop size depends on the screen size. Available in sizes 13" and up. When choosing a good portable device, experts do not advise taking the smallest models, since they are not only not very practical to use, but also negatively affect human vision. It is better to give preference to medium-sized displays. Also, small laptops have a shortened keyboard, which, in terms of ease of use, is significantly inferior to full-sized models.

Next, you need to study the parameters of the laptop display. Today, laptops with glossy and matte screens are available for sale. At first glance, a glossy finish may seem more perfect, but in practice, such screens are very responsive to bright light sources, which is displayed by glare during operation. It is better to give preference to less contrasting models that are less responsive to light sources. As for the screen resolution: the more pixels, the better and clearer the picture on the screen will be.

Choosing the right laptop for your needs

It is impossible to advise any single parameters for absolutely all users, since there is no universal portable device that is suitable for almost all people.

It is necessary for a potential buyer to choose a laptop according to the parameters, depending on their needs and the scope of its use. When choosing a laptop for stationary use, you should pay more attention to the screen and keyboard. It is necessary to give preference to models with a screen of at least seventeen inches and a full keyboard, which, although larger in size, are more convenient to use. And it is also desirable that the portable computer has a sufficient number of USB connectors to connect all the external devices necessary for the home, at least six gigabytes of RAM and a good processor that will allow you to comprehensively operate the laptop. When choosing a laptop for the home, you can sacrifice battery capacity, since the power source is nearby.

When choosing a gaming portable computer, you should pay more attention to such characteristics as RAM, which should be at least eight gigabytes, which will allow you to play heavy games without slowdowns, and a processor with at least four cores. Good graphics, screen quality and the presence of video cards will accompany the most clear and detailed image.

If a portable device is mainly bought for work or study, you can choose mid-range models that have four or more gigabytes of RAM, a decent processor and video card, or a decent built-in graphics editor that allows you to work with standard graphics applications. If you plan to use the device on the road, you need to buy a device with a powerful battery.

For a student, it is better to buy an inexpensive budget model, since there is a high probability that a teenager will break or lose a laptop.

Having decided on the main technical characteristics of the product for yourself, you can proceed to a specific choice of model. Models of devices with similar characteristics from different manufacturers have a wide price range. The question of whether it is worth overpaying for a brand or whether it is possible to be guided solely by functional indicators when buying is of interest to many buyers.

There is no single answer to this question, everyone should be guided by their financial capabilities, especially since both expensive and budget equipment break down. And not everyone has the opportunity to buy a laptop from the most popular Apple manufacturer, given the cost of the company's goods. However, giving preference to unknown firms is also not recommended. It is better to buy goods from well-known manufacturers that have their own service centers in the country and are popular. Do not discount product consumer reviews that can help you make the right choice.

Among the popular manufacturers, Asus and Aser can be distinguished, which are distinguished by their democratic pricing policy and are leaders in the sales market. Products of these brands have decent technical performance and are characterized as reliable devices.

Lenovo is considered inexpensive, specializing more in gaming and budget models, the price of which corresponds to the quality.

The price category of products from Dell and Sony is slightly higher, but their products are of high quality, long service life and, accordingly, a long warranty period. Experts and users are advised to give preference to these particular brands of goods, if financial opportunities allow.

Where is the best place to buy a laptop

When buying a laptop, it is better to refrain from purchasing goods in spontaneous markets or from hands. Today, many people prefer online shopping, but purchasing equipment through online stores has both pros and cons. The advantages include the cost, which is much lower than in ordinary specialized stores, a convenient choice of device at home and a huge range. The disadvantages may be inconsistencies with the declared configuration or design on the site, possible damage during transportation, incorrect execution of warranty documents. And also, in the event of a breakdown, the buyer will have to independently look for a service center where they can fulfill warranty obligations.

It is considered more reliable to purchase goods in specialized stores, where the buyer will be able to inspect the device and control the paperwork. Such stores are responsible for the laptop sold throughout the entire warranty period; in case of a breakdown, it is enough to contact the store with the laptop and documents to resolve the problem.

conclusions

Buying an inexpensive, but good and reliable laptop today is not an easy task. A huge range of products on offer makes even experienced users of computer equipment think.

In order to buy a device that will meet the needs of the consumer, it is worth choosing a product not on the advice of friends, sellers in the store or appearance, but guided by your own requirements. A detailed study of the parameters and characteristics of the product will guarantee the choice and purchase of the laptop that best meets your wishes and style of its operation.

Also, many people think about buying a laptop. Which laptop is better to buy depends on the purpose for which it may be needed. If you just need a mobile device for working with documents, then its filling may be the simplest. If the main goal is games, then in this case everything must be carefully weighed.

Decide on the type of device

The first thing to decide before you buy a laptop is the operations you plan to perform on it. And in this case the principle “the more expensive the better” is not entirely true, since the price depends on many indicators that are not always necessary for you.

What is the best laptop to buy? First, let's figure out what types of laptops exist in general. This is a very conditional division, however, thanks to it you will be able to understand which model to choose.

Netbooks These are small devices with low power. They have all the multimedia features but no DVD drive. They are being replaced by tablets and ultra-thin laptops, so their demand is rapidly falling.

Entry level devices

The cheapest in their segment, where savings are observed in everything - cheap plastic, the simplest components, a weak processor. Even with a very limited budget, you should not buy them. It is in their case that you will quickly remember the saying about the miser who "pays twice".

Budget

The most popular laptops due to their reasonable price (within 300-600 USD) and a full set of necessary functions both for comfortable work on the Internet and with office programs, and for various games that do not require maximum settings. Ideal for both study and work.

Universal

They have much greater performance, which will make it easy to work with any programs and run games of greater power. A good enough laptop for gaming as long as it's not too heavy. Price range - 500-700 USD. e.

Ultrabooks

The most thin devices with a beautiful elegant design, more working on the image. Light and elegant, they are not particularly powerful. Not intended for games. If the status obliges, then it is worth choosing them without a discrete video card. At the same time, to avoid overheating, it is worth taking a model on an Intel processor of the family or Ivy Bridge.

Gaming laptops

Devices where both the graphics card and the processor have the highest performance. Before you buy a laptop for gaming, you should think twice. In terms of price, specialized gaming laptops are in the top (from 750 USD). And if you are going to play new games at maximum resolutions with all options enabled, then you will also have to change it with the release of the next gaming mega-hit. Yes, a good gaming laptop is expensive.

Choosing the main characteristics

Appearance

When searching, you also need to pay attention to two points - the material from which the device case is made, and the resolution and brightness of the screen. It is preferable to choose an aluminum case, as fingerprints will remain on the plastic. Although some modern plastics will give odds to many types of aluminum.

A convenient resolution for any laptop is 1366*768 pixels. With a higher resolution, all the details of the image, of course, will become much clearer, however, the text itself will appear small. Screen brightness must be at least 200 cd/sq.m. Otherwise, the bright light will make it difficult to see the images on the screen. Based on these considerations, it is better to stay on a matte screen.

CPU

This is perhaps the most important characteristic that should be given the most attention. Let's start with what not to buy. These are all types of Atom from Intel and C-50/60/70 from AMD. Their productivity is extremely low, and they are no longer able to cope with most modern tasks.

• If the budget is extremely limited, but you want more or less acceptable quality for work and some games, then opt for inexpensive Intel Nxxxx or AMD E1-xxxx / E2-xxxx processors.
• For general-purpose laptops, Intel i3, i5 and i7 with TDP from 35W to 37W will be a good processor.
• If you are buying a good laptop for gaming, then there should be an Intel i5 and i7 processor with a TDP of 37W. You will appreciate its performance in games, while in normal work the difference will not be noticeable.

It is easiest for dummies to focus on the performance index. Those whose IP is up to 1000 are considered very weak, 2000-4000 - the average level that allows you to cope with most tasks, 4000-6000 - will cope with all the tasks set, from 6000 - the fastest, however, they overheat more than others.

video card

The graphics card is worth paying special attention to if you are looking for a good gaming laptop. As a rule, most devices are sold with processors with an integrated graphics card, and they are suitable for standard games where special system requirements are not needed. For occasional gaming, choose an AMD processor, and if you need fast work, then choose an Intel with integrated graphics cards.

You will need a discrete (removable) video card if the main purpose of purchasing a laptop is a game. What to choose - Nvidia or ATI - the developer of the toy you are going to play will tell. Some toys are optimized for technologies implemented by a particular GPU manufacturer, and in the early stages of the release of a game, there is a possibility of a “freeze”.

RAM

For normal office work and study, 2 GB of RAM is enough for you. If you plan to play games and install modern professional programs, focus on 4-6 GB. When working with resource-intensive tasks (you need to process video or install heavy games), it is wiser to choose a RAM of 8 GB or more.

Hard drive and battery

What memory is better to buy a laptop? Now laptops have at least 320 GB of hard drive space, and as a rule, this amount is enough. If you want to store your movie library on it, then it is better to purchase a removable hard drive. Ideally, purchase an SSD drive - loading games into memory will be faster, and this will also affect the operation of Windows.

Batteries last longer on laptops with slower performance. As a rule, a standard office laptop can work without recharging up to 3 hours. But you need to understand that the more load on it (launching games, bright screen), the faster the battery will drain.

Choose a manufacturer

In order not to be disappointed in the purchase, it is best to focus on well-known laptop companies. Such firms include HP, Toshiba, Lenovo, Acer, Asus, Dell or Samsung.

If we talk about value for money, then, according to most users, the best laptop company is Sony and Apple. HP and Asus are slightly lower in quality, but they can give you the best performance. You will find the most conflicting reviews on Dell, Acer and Lenovo laptops, so you can rely on luck when purchasing them.

Check for an HDMI output to connect to your TV. Even in the most expensive models, it is sometimes changed to DisplayPort or Thunderbolt, to which you will have to buy adapters.

Some modern laptops can be very noisy due to the design of their cooling system. If you don’t want to be annoyed by the noise, it’s better to check it in a quiet room at maximum operating modes before buying, for example, by running a movie in HD quality or a 3D game for 15-20 minutes.

There are many nuances, and it is even more difficult for a non-specialist to understand them. If you do not want to make a mistake, ask for help from a friend who understands this issue.

The manager in the store, of course, will try to help you, but his task is to sell at a higher price. Therefore, the leitmotif of his recommendations will be “more expensive means better”, which is not always true. We hope that our recommendations will help you navigate the main issues.

It's no secret that often laptops are tried to be classified by price, use. So, there are budget ones, there are gaming, business laptops, fashion ones ... Are there any that would be optimal for the home? Which laptop is better to buy for home use in 2017, so that it is universal, loads quickly, does not slow down when watching videos, allows you to communicate via the Internet, and would not be alien to games? Let's try to find those.

Criterias of choice

As usual, we will conduct a conversation with an indication of specific models, modifications. No arguments like "i7 processor is cooler than i5" or "memory should be 8 GB or more." Rather, there will be some reasoning, but supported by specific examples, characteristics and potential upgrade opportunities.

The matter remains small, to decide on the criteria that a laptop for the home meets. But really, what is included in this concept? Should it be a utilitarian laptop model with a wide range of features and a low price, just so that you can quickly view photos, go to a site of interest, learn a little, have a little fun? Or should the design take the last place? In the end, we choose a device for ourselves, and so that the laptop looks decent, and would not be ashamed in front of others?

I must say right away that Apple products are a separate conversation, and we will not try to harness the “horse and the quivering doe”. However, I will split the selection into 2 parts. In the first, without paying much attention to the design of the devices, we will select a dozen (or more) interesting models, about which we can say “both a Swiss and a reaper”, and even an igretz on the pipe.

In the second one (there will be another article, subscribe to the newsletter on the left side of the screen), one of the main criteria will be the design of the device, we will select small laptops, the appearance of which can compensate for some weaknesses in the technical part.

By the way, in the comments it would be interesting to know about your vision of an ideal home laptop, your criteria by which you choose this or that model. Let's eat together.

And now we will limit the choice to the amount of 50 thousand rubles, but we will exclude budget models from consideration. The lower limit will be the amount of 20 thousand rubles.

Screen

We will limit the choice to models with a screen size of 15 to 17 inches. The first ones are the best option for both everyday use and are quite suitable for taking them on trips. Dimensions and weight still allow it to be done.

17-inch ones are more comfortable due to their larger size, but most often their lot is to stand on the desktop, in extreme cases, sit on the couch. To drag this “bandura” somewhere on a trip is already somewhat expensive.

The ideal option is a FullHD screen resolution. I don’t see the point in a higher resolution, and although the standard 1366x768 is not enough, you can put up with it.

CPU

We exclude from consideration budget options, such as Celeron, Pentium, AMD under A10. Nevertheless, we are already living in 2017, therefore, of all Intel processors, we will consider options with the “stones” of the last two generations, Skylake and Kaby Lake.

Memory

The optimum is 8 GB, but 4 GB is quite suitable, especially if you plan in advance for a subsequent independent increase in volume. By the way, this is when you get a quite smart laptop with a minimum of 4 GB of memory, and if necessary and possible, add another 2, 4, 8 GB.

Moreover, you can speed up your computer not only by increasing the amount of RAM, but also by using a faster drive.

Storage device

There are models with a traditional hard drive, there are already initially with an SSD. The first option is cheaper, but slower, the second is faster, but more expensive and there is not much disk space. The choice here is individual, but this is another option for a little savings when buying and immediately reserve for a subsequent upgrade.

What I mean. Buying a model with a 500 or 1000 GB hard drive won't amaze you with the speed of the disk subsystem, but you get a lot of storage space for all sorts of things, and such a drive is inexpensive.

But in order for everything to “fly”, it is better to use an SSD drive, and an inexpensive budget-class model is quite suitable. The question is how to connect it. You can read about it in another article, and here I will express, in my opinion, the optimal solution to the problem of configuring disks.

You can always replace the installed hard drive with an SSD. You take out the one that came with the laptop, insert a solid-state drive, transfer the system to it and enjoy the download speed, the speed of opening programs. One thing is sad - I had to give up 1000 GB of space, and limit myself to, say, 256 GB of SSD capacity. And with the pulled out disk what to do?

You can use it as an external one by purchasing the appropriate box for it, but the best solution is to leave this drive in its place and look for a laptop model that has an M.2 connector. - you can also read in the corresponding article. As a result, we get a chic option, the system is on an SSD, for which M.2 is involved, and the entire volume of the hard drive is used to store all the necessary rubbish.

So, the presence of an M.2 connector is a significant plus when choosing.

video card

If you are interested in the opportunity to play, then you should consider options with a discrete video card of the GeForce 940M class and higher. Everything below (920M, AMD R5-M230, AMD R5-M330 and others like them) is an extra burden and an additional "stove" in the laptop case. Of course, it would be difficult to call such a laptop a gaming laptop (although we can already say about models with the GeForce 950M that this is an “entrance ticket” to the class of gaming laptops).

If games are not of interest, or the requirements in this part are limited to something simple or old, then the capabilities of the graphics core integrated into the processor will be enough, especially since in the latest generations of CPU video cards are already of a decent level, although discrete ones cannot yet seriously compete .

Operating system

Its presence or absence is a matter of convenience and an opportunity for savings. Naturally, a laptop without a pre-installed OS or with free Linux is cheaper than with Windows 10 on board. If you prefer to install the system yourself, then why overpay for something that is not necessary?

If there is no desire to mess around, then take it with the installed OS, and you can immediately use it.

Rest

The number of USB ports, the presence or absence of an optical drive, keyboard backlight - maybe important, but secondary parameters. Especially since it's pretty much the same for everyone.

Notebook models

Well, we figured out the criteria, let's see what they offer us, and what may be of interest, we will select candidates for the role of a laptop for home use. Let me remind you that the design in this case is secondary, as well as the case materials, the brand of the laptop, the quality of service of this brand.

We will divide the choice by manufacturers.

Acer

Extensa EX2520G-39XP. About 25,000 rubles. The main argument is the cost, a good processor and a GeForce 940M video card, and the lack of a pre-installed OS (for whom this is important). A sort of "constructor" for the subsequent increase in memory and installation of the system. The downside is the lack of M.2 for an SSD drive.

ExtensaEX2520G-35L2. About 28500 rubles. The same but with Windows 10 Home.

Extensa EX2520G-5063. About 32,000 rubles. In the pros - FullHD screen, 6 GB of memory and an i5 processor with a GeForce 940M video card. It remains only to install the system. In the minuses - the lack of M.2.

ExtensaEX2520G-53ZF. About 37,000 rubles. An analogue of the previous one, but with Windows 10 "on board".

ASUS

VivobookX556UQ. About 37,000 rubles. Unlike the Acer Extensa EX2520G-53ZF, it has a 1366x768 screen and an i3 processor. At the same price, the option is of little interest.

K501UQ-DM085T. About 42,000 rubles. FullHD screen, i5 6200U processor, GeForce 940MX is one of the best deals in this configuration, especially for those who appreciate the ability to install the OS themselves. It is desirable to increase the initial 4 GB. There is M.2.

K501UX. About 46,000 rubles. A very interesting option with a FullHD screen, i5 6200U processor, a very decent GeForce 950M video card and an M.2 connector. Without OS. Pre-installed Windows 10 increases the price by about 3.5 thousand rubles.

X756UQ-TY122T. About 48,000 rubles. 17-inch model with a good "stuffing". HD+ screen, i5 6200U processor, 6 GB memory, GeForce 940MX graphics card, for light gaming. There is no M.2 connector. For a laptop with such a screen size, a good option.

DELL

Vostro 3568. About 35,000 rubles. latest i5 7200U processor, 4 GB of memory, rather weak discrete graphics card, no M.2 slot, Linux. In my opinion, the price does not match the characteristics.

Vostro 5568-2990. About 46,000 rubles. Compared to ASUS K501UX, the processor is the latest generation, but the memory is only 4 GB, and the video card is weaker - GeForce 940MX.

Latitude 3570-9060. About 47500 rubles. At a price commensurate with the ASUS K501UX, there is no discrete graphics card and an M.2 connector. I have no arguments in favor of this laptop.

Inspiron 5767-2693. About 50,000 rubles. Full HD screen 17 inches, processor I5 7200U, 8 GB of memory, a good, although not a gaming video card R7 M445. The only downside is the lack of M.2. In general, a very decent option for a 17-inch laptop, if you do not make special demands on the ability to play on it.

HP

250 G5-W4M85EA. About 25,000 rubles. For this money, a FullHD screen, an M.2 connector, though not the latest i3 5005U processor, 4 GB of memory, no OS. A good option as a blank for an upgrade.

ProBook 450G4-Y8A52EA. About 30,000 rubles. An interesting option with an i3 7100U processor, 4 GB of memory, no OS and a discrete card. Given the possibility of expanding the RAM and installing an SSD in the M.2 slot, you can get a completely productive machine, though not intended for games. There are modifications with more powerful processors.

ProBook 470 G3-W4P87EA. About 35,000 rubles. 17 inches with HD + resolution, a rather weak i3 6100U processor, however, and a discrete video card is not gaming, but not bad as a basis for an upgrade. There is M.2, 4 GB of memory is installed, there is no OS.

Pavilion 15-au107u. About 46,000 rubles. Full HD screen, i5 7200U, 6 GB memory, GeForce 940MX. The only thing that overshadows the impression is the absence of M.2, but I would like a more powerful video card, it would turn out to be a chic option. By the way, there is a more powerful option with a card, this is HP Pavilion 15-bc005ur (X7J02EA), although it does not fit into the selected price range a bit, because it costs about 55,000 rubles, but here is an IPS-matrix, and a full-fledged i5 6300HQ processor, and a video card GeForce 950M with fast GDDR5 memory. In general, all the signs of a gaming computer.

Lenovo

IdeaPad 310-15 (80ST002WRK). The cost is about 30,000 rubles. AMD A12-9700P processor, comparable in performance to Intel i3-6100U, integrated graphics card, FullHD display, no M.2, Windows 10 installed. In general, it can be considered as an option.

V110-15 (80TL00D4RK). The cost is about 30,000 rubles. It differs from the previous one with a better i5-6200U processor, but a smaller disk space, a screen of only 1366 × 768 and no OS.

IdeaPad 300-17 (80QH0000RK). About 39,000 rubles. 17-inch HD+ screen, i5-6200U processor, weak R5 M330 graphics card, 4 GB and Windows 10. In my opinion, it does not justify its price, even taking into account the size of the screen. The absence of M.2 is also not a virtue.

IdeaPad 510-15 (80SR00B5RK). About 42500 rubles. Full HD screen, i5 6200U, GeForce 940MX, 6 GB memory. Not up to a gaming laptop, but quite a decent configuration. The presence of an M.2 connector adds points to this model. Among the "buns" is the backlight of the keyboard. There are modifications with more powerful processors, including the 7th generation. The price increases by 2-2.5 thousand.

MSI

MSI GL62 (6QE-1699X). About 48,000 rubles. A very tempting offer with many advantages, including a full-fledged i5-6300HQ CPU, FullHD screen, GeForce 950M, M.2, even a USB Type-C connector. The model may well be called a game, for quite sane money.

Outcome

I will summarize everything in a table, noting the optimal, in my opinion, configuration, and distribute the selected models according to the degree of approximation to this optimum. I will divide all laptops into 2 classes:

Integrated video card or discrete class GeForce 920M (AMD R5-330 and the like), the presence of an M.2 connector and the price is not higher than 35,000 rubles.

The second class is more powerful computers, which are already close to gaming ones, and more than fulfill all the requirements for speed and the ability to work with rather resource-intensive applications. Requirements - FullHD screen, the presence of an M.2 connector, a GeForce 950M class video card and a price within 50,000 rubles.

Conclusion. Which laptop is better to buy for home use in 2017

I tried to make an analysis by choosing models that would best answer the question of which laptop is better to buy for home. Of course, covering all possible modifications is a difficult task, and I don’t pretend to be an absolute truth, but you can always choose just such a configuration that best suits your requirements. With or without a pre-installed OS, with 4, 6 or 8 GB of memory, with one processor or another ...