14/08/2026
HOW TO CHOOSE A LAPTOP (PINNED POST)
(The first version of this post was written back in 2021 - it's been really popular with customers, helping to navigate the laptop-choosing minefield! Minor updates again today, but basically the advice still holds true and hasn't change that much!)
We get asked a lot "what laptop should I buy?"
Before I try to answer that question for you, it's worth just exploring WHY you may want a new computer?
Often, it's because your current computer is "running slowly" and understandably it's assumed it's getting old, and thus needs to be replaced. However, before spending the money, it's worth understanding why it could be running slowly. Often, it's just that the computer needs a good software spring-clean, a bit like getting your car serviced - after which, it'll run much quicker, and probably as quickly as it did when it was new. Sometimes though, it's down to the hard drive (where all your documents, pictures, music, downloads etc. are stored) beginning to fail - we always check this as part of our spring-clean, and can then discuss options if it's showing errors. Replacing the hard drive with a new super-fast SSD replacement (even if it's not failing) is MUCH cheaper than buying a new computer, and it'll often be quicker than an affordable new one...
So now let's assume you need or want a new laptop.......and that we're talking Windows, rather than Mac/ChromeBooks (more on those later...)
It's a bit of a minefield when choosing, but here's the current advice we give to our customers when we're asked:
1. What screen size do I need?
Like TVs, this is measured diagonally. 14" or 15.6" are usually the sweet-spot in terms of price, with 13" or 17"+ being more expensive. This is the first and most important thing to decide, before then narrowing down your search further, balancing screen size and weight. 13" and 14" are usually pretty light and easily portable, but then 15.6" and 17" start to get heavier and worth considering how much you'll be carrying the laptop around in a bag, or between rooms.
Measure any existing laptop you have, and that'll give you a good starting point for whether you want the same, smaller, or bigger. For most, 15.6" is about right - with 13" being a bit small for working for long periods, and 17" being a bit heavier and less portable.
2. Do I want a touchscreen/fold-over design?
At this point you should also consider whether you'll use a touchscreen. If you want to use your laptop as a tablet too, then you'll need to choose a "convertible", "folder-over" or "360" one - these are more expensive. They're great in a 13" size, as they're light enough to hold as a tablet - but once you get bigger than that, they can be too heavy to hold comfortably and use as a tablet.
On conventional non-folder-over laptops, from experience a touchscreen is very rarely actually used - so consider carefully before spending more for one...
3. What processor do I need?
If you're doing non-intensive stuff, then you don't really need anything high-end - but if you want to play games, or do lots of number-crunching in Excel etc. then you'll want a higher-end processor.
For mainstream laptops:-
Intel Core i3/Series 1 or Ryzen 3 - the sensible entry level.
Intel Core i5/Ultra5 or Ryzen 5 - the sweet-spot usually in price vs performance.
Intel Core i7/Ultra7, i9/Ultra9 or Ryzen 7/9 - high-end performance, but you'll pay for it!
4. How much Memory (RAM) do I need?
The memory is the temporary storage which the CPU/processor uses when you open Email, internet browser, Word, Excel etc, or start playing a game - you need to have enough to avoid Windows running out of working space.
Minimum for Windows 10 is technically 4GB (don't get 4GB!) - but that'll be FAR too little for most users, so we always recommend 8GB absolute minimum, and ideally 16GB. If you have a lot of programmes open, or are buying a higher-end system, you will want to push to 16GB, but that does add further cost...Anything beyond 16GB is usually unnecessary unless you're working with massive files, crunching lots of data, or running very high-end games with a lot of information stored in memory.
5. How much storage do I need?
The "hard drive" is what stores all your documents, pictures, music etc and the Windows operating system. As a rule, we always recommend you have at least twice the amount you're using already. Until relatively recently, most laptop hard drives were conventional HDD (Hard Disk Drive) spinning disks - like a high-tech record player, with heads reading off the surface of a disk spinning at 5,400rpm or 7,200rpm. These are amazing technology, but now very slow in comparison to the new SSDs.
SSD hard drives are "Solid State Disks" (SSDs)- they're just chips on a circuit board, with no moving parts. You'll see these described as "SSD", "M2", "NVMe" and "eMMC" - they're routinely fitted to modern laptops now, but do ensure whatever you buy has one (NOT a "HDD"). SSDs are measurably 20x quicker than HDDs. Your computer will startup in seconds not minutes, everything will run quicker etc.
So we'd recommend always getting an SSD/NVMe disk, with a MINIMUM of 256Gig (and ideally 512GB) as an entry level, provided that's at least twice the space you're using already.
CAUTION:- You may still see some VERY cheap laptops (usually 2nd hand now) which have "eMMC" storage - usually 64Gig or even as low as 32Gig (and that's storage, not memory!) - DO NOT BUY THESE LAPTOPS! The storage is so limited that you'll struggle to even update Windows, let alone store your stuff on them without some paid-for cloud storage alongside, and even then they're a nightmare!
There're a few more things to consider, which depend on budget and personal preferences really...
6. Manufacturers: From our experience, we tend to recommend HP, DELL and Lenovo as a good balance of price and quality. Based on experience, we tend to avoid MSI and ASUS, having seen a lot of unfixable power issues after a few years, outside warranty. ACER are a more entry-level brand generally, offering some great value laptops with good specifications - great if you're on a tight budget - but they don't seem to be quite as robust, so treat them carefully with a laptop case/bag etc.
7. Number of USB Ports/connections: If you have peripherals, screens, mice, keyboards etc. or memory cards you want to connect to the laptop, always check what's built-in. If it's not got the right connections, separate adapters and hubs are available to make sure you can connect whatever you need. Many new laptops are now equipped with "USB-C" connections, rather than the more familiar "USB" (actually USB-A) most are familiar with. USB-C offers more features, can be plugged-in either way up (finally!!) - and you can get cheap adapters to convert your USB-A cables to USB-C connections if needed. Most laptops DON'T include DVD drives anymore - but separate plug-in ones can be bought separately and plugged in when needed.
8. So what about Apple Mac?
Apple make iMacs, MacBooks, iPads, iPhones etc - they make their own hardware and their own operating systems - "macOS", "iOS" etc. - so in general everything "just works" together, within its own highly-controlled ecosystem. They're generally more secure, as software runs in a more controlled environment, and if you always download from the Apple App Store, then the apps have all be vetted by Apple to ensure there's no viruses/malware in them.
In comparison, Microsoft Windows is just the operating system software which runs on non-Apple/non-Chrome computers - it's designed to cope with all the different hardware made by the other computer manufacturers (ASUS, Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo etc. etc.) - so it's a much more open environment, but there's a bit more chance of things not quite talking to each other as reliably as they usually do on Apple devices, where it's all down to Apple to make it work between their own hardware and software! Each manufacturer has to keep up with Microsoft's changes, and Microsoft has to keep up with the new technology being developed by the computer manufacturers, and Microsoft don't vet or test 3rd party software before anyone can release it to the world. Whereas for Apple Apps, they all get tested and assessed by Apple before they're available from the App Store.
9. Should I switch from Mac-to-Windows/Windows-to-Mac?
If you already have a Mac, you like using it and are familiar with how it all works, then usually we recommend sticking with a Mac for any new device. Similarly, if you've always used Windows and like it, then we recommend sticking with Windows. From experience over many years, it's rare for the transition from Windows-to-Mac or Mac-to-Windows to be easy in either direction (we've known a handful who've loved the change, in both directions!) - but generally stick with what you're comfortable with.
In terms of choosing a Mac, all the advice above holds true - except that you've only got Apple to choose from as the manufacturer, and you'll be paying roughly twice as much for equivalent processor, memory, and storage specification.
10. So what about Chromebooks?
Chromebooks are more recent into the computer market - they're different from Windows and Mac - they run "ChromeOS", made by Google. We don't see many of these here, as they "just work" - they tend to keep themselves up-to-date OK, and just do the basics very well - internet, email etc. - but if you want to do anything more complex, then they're extremely limited in terms of commercial software and more intensive tasks. So think carefully before buying one, and do give us a shout - we can help and advise whether a ChromeBook may be suitable for you.
11. Can you help me choose?
We're always happy to help with choosing a new computer, and also helping with transferring everything from the old to the new, and getting everything setup properly from the start, with all updates and settings tuned-up to ensure you get the most from it - so do give us a call! If you've got any questions we've not answered here, let us know and we can answer them for you!
