{"id":930,"date":"2022-03-06T15:02:18","date_gmt":"2022-03-06T15:02:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scienceandnerds.com\/2022\/03\/06\/how-to-decide-which-laptop-to-buy\/"},"modified":"2022-03-06T15:02:20","modified_gmt":"2022-03-06T15:02:20","slug":"how-to-decide-which-laptop-to-buy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scienceandnerds.com\/2022\/03\/06\/how-to-decide-which-laptop-to-buy\/","title":{"rendered":"How to decide which laptop to buy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Source: https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/22960434\/laptop-buying-guide-how-to-price-specs-screen-ports<\/a>
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The thing nobody tells you about working as a professional laptop reviewer is that everyone in your life who you are even somewhat acquainted with will, at some point, ask you what laptop they should buy. <\/p>\n

There are variations, of course. There\u2019s \u201cWhich laptop should I buy for my son?\u201d or \u201cWhich laptop should I buy for my sister?\u201d or \u201cWhich laptop should I buy to start my podcast?\u201d I\u2019ve heard them all. I imagine most laptop reviewers on the internet can say the same. <\/p>\n

My answers are very often disappointing. I think people often expect that because I use these things for my job, I\u2019ll be able to give them the perfect recommendation immediately. But \u2014 as I imagine many gadget reviewers will tell you \u2014 that\u2019s much harder than you think. <\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the reality: I spend all day thinking about what the best laptops are for most people<\/em>. But the laptop that\u2019s best for most people is not necessarily going to be the best laptop for you. That recommendation is going to depend on a ton of questions to which you know the answers much better than I do. <\/p>\n

Below, I\u2019m going to give you an idea of how to approach the laptop-buying process. I really believe that if you\u2019ve thought through all the variables I\u2019ve outlined here, you shouldn\u2019t have too much trouble finding a good product on your own. But if you are going to come to me (or a laptop reviewer you know, or an IT worker you know, or a tech-savvy person you know) asking what laptop you should buy, you must <\/em>have definitive answers to these questions ready. Otherwise, we will not be able to help you. (Or, at least, not as well as we\u2019d like to.)<\/p>\n

Before we dive in, a quick note: this article is largely targeted towards shoppers who prefer to use Windows. If you prefer ChromeOS, much of this will also apply \u2014 I\u2019ve noted a couple of places where Chromebooks might differ. If you\u2019re looking for macOS, your only option is a MacBook, so you should just take a look at Apple\u2019s options<\/a> directly.<\/p>\n

Finally, I\u2019m not recommending specific models here. If you\u2019re looking for those, please take a look at our Best Laptop<\/a>, Best Gaming Laptop<\/a>, Best Chromebook<\/a>, Best Budget Laptop<\/a>, and Best Student Laptop<\/a> articles. Those articles will be more helpful to you if you\u2019ve thought through all of these questions first. <\/p>\n

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Here\u2019s the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, which gamers might consider.<\/em><\/figcaption>Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales \/ The Verge<\/cite><\/p>\n

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Price range is the most important <\/em>consideration when you decide what laptop to buy. If you come to me asking for recommendations but don\u2019t know how much you\u2019re able to spend, I\u2019m a sitting duck. It\u2019s fine if your price range is conditional (i.e., \u201cI\u2019ll go up to X for an OLED screen, but otherwise am capped at Y\u201d), but you need to have a clear one. That price range will dictate your options going forward. <\/p>\n

The price for what generally would be considered a \u201cnice\u201d laptop has been steadily creeping up over the years. There are some reviewers who still consider $500 and below to be the \u201caffordable laptop\u201d line, but I\u2019m personally starting to see the $800 mark as the point above which I expect laptops to be really, really great, with state-of-the-art build quality, top-notch performance, and no major flaws. That certainly doesn\u2019t mean that every laptop above $800 has state-of-the-art build quality, top-notch performance, and no major flaws \u2014 but if that\u2019s what you\u2019re looking for, it\u2019s the place to set your eye. <\/p>\n

That said, it is worth noting that better-built laptops generally last longer. I know people who are still using MacBook Pro models from 2013<\/a>; I have a friend who has gone through two HP Pavilions<\/a> in the past four years. This isn\u2019t to say that everyone needs to spend thousands of dollars on a notebook \u2014 it\u2019s to say that a device that\u2019s super cheap up front may not actually save you money in the long term. <\/p>\n

Given that, in most circumstances, I recommend that adults looking for a primary Windows driver stay above the $500 mark if they can afford it. That doesn\u2019t mean you need to be spending $1,000 \u2014 there are plenty of well-built options between $500 and $1,000.<\/p>\n

This is all different if you\u2019re looking for something more specialized. For one, none of this applies to Chromebooks \u2014 most people should not be spending over $1,000 on a Chromebook in the current market. <\/p>\n