What would be the best model of laptop to buy for now?
I believe I am newbie for the computer and software, I want to buy a loptop
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Answers ( 1 )
Since you've not had much computer experience, I'd consider an entry-level model, something a student might get. There are a number of things you need to think about regarding how you first want to use a laptop - what would be the purpose or function that you'd most be interested in.
You see, there's two schools of thought in looking at laptops, there's the obvious path of going to a Mac computer which many new students and users get - it's an easy system to learn, is relatively user-friendly and the learning curve isn't as steep as a windows-based system. The disadvantage though is that the Macs are significantly pricier than equivalent PCs, but if you time it right, companies like Best Buy offer sale prices near the end of summer and around Black Friday sales before Christmas, so you may find a deal. They also have a number of pre-owned, and refurbished that are lower in price, but you are looking at about a minimum for a new laptop at over $1000.
So, then there's the Windows PCs. They are definitely more affordable, from the very basics to high-end performance systems - but the system though is a little more complicated for average users, and it takes a while to get the hang of things. There's generally more software options for PCs, and more options for gaming. A PC will start at around $600 for a decent set-up.
If you just want to get a basic computer - keep in mind that it's great to start, but once you've developed some skill with use, you'll probably want more functionality before you are read to upgrade, so it might be better to start beyond the basic laptop. You'd be surprised that you may be ready to move up quickly, so it's best to get something beyond beginner level to allow yourself to grow into it a bit - not too much though, you don't want to start with big guns to begin. In the old days it was worth getting the best quality to start, now there are so many changes in a short time, people tend to upgrade after about 3 years.
What you'd likely need is a decent performing processor, that's the heart of the machine - it's a central processing unit (CPU), and it runs the show, allowing all the systems and software to work with each other. The Intel Core - i5, that's the most popular processor, and just to explain, the i3 is kind of like the power of a VW bug, the i5 is your basic Toyota, and the i7 is more like a Lexus.
Next is storage, you probably want to have about 256GB storage, that's likely enough for most average users unless you're storing lots of videos, music and photos.
Next is RAM - random access memory - that memory is used to operate software programs on the fly - the more you have the more functionality you have, it's temporary memory that you can reset after you've finished using a program. 8GB is a good level of RAM.
I can't really speak about graphics cards because I don't know much about them, but what you'd likely get with the rest of the options is a decent enough graphics card to handle all your needs.
So, what I'd highly recommend is getting yourself to a store that has laptops on display that you can fiddle around with. Look at all the options, look at the different models, see how they work. If you know someone that has a laptop, ask them to show you, and try it out if you can. You might even want to rent a laptop just to try it out before buying. Or even buy an inexpensive used one just to try - some folks when they upgrade do sell their old laptops pretty cheap. It's a significant expense for most people, and it's best if you have a little bit of experience before you buy. But if you've got the funds and options, I'd consider getting into a Mac - that should hold you for a few years, give you what you need for at least awhile. I'd do that myself if I were starting out.