Important characteristics when buying a laptop. How to choose a laptop based on parameters. Common mistakes when choosing laptops. Aluminum body is awesome

Are you planning to buy a laptop and don’t know which option from those on the market to choose? Due to the huge selection of laptops from different manufacturers and models on the market, it is not so easy to choose the most suitable one.

It should be noted that if your knowledge in the field of electronics is, to put it mildly, not very good, then the question of how to choose a laptop and what to pay attention to will be very difficult for you. To solve this problem, we suggest you use our recommendations. In this article, you will find out which laptop is suitable for work and which for gaming or watching movies.

First of all, you should not choose a laptop only by the brand name, focusing on its advertising and popularity, since a lot depends on its technical characteristics.

Choosing the right format

The very first step when choosing a laptop should be choosing the screen diagonal. If you have not yet decided which diagonal will suit you, stop your gaze at the 15.6-inch model range. All of them have the greatest versatility, so they are perfect for both office work and entertainment in the form of games, watching movies or photos. This format is classified as medium; in addition, there are small-format models with a diagonal of 10-13″ and large-format (17-19″).

Previously, all these models were equipped with a device for reading CD discs, however, recently, in order to reduce the cost of their devices, many manufacturers have refused to install disc players in budget models.

As for the standard set of connectors, as a rule, laptops are equipped with 2-3 USB ports, D-Sub (VGA) and/or HDMI video outputs and an RJ45 network port.

When you are thinking about how to choose a laptop for use not only at home, but on business trips, at school, etc., it is better to take a closer look at models with a 13-inch screen diagonal. The dimensions of the device allow it to be carried even in a regular bag. However, when this format seems large to you, you can choose a smaller format model: 10.1″, 11.6″, 12.5″. These options are optimal for daily commutes to work, as well as for travel.

It should also be said that for the small size of the device you may have to pay for low performance, weak hardware and inconvenience when using stationary.

The next format will be devices with screen diagonals of about 17.3″, 18.4″ and more. This type of gadget can rightfully be classified as the most massive and heaviest. Devices are mainly purchased by companies for stationary office use. Due to their heavy weight and low battery life, they are not suitable for moving long distances, but the large screen diagonal is ideal for office work.

Based on the above, we can say that if the choice of a laptop is not based on your specific preferences, devices with a diagonal of 15 inches will be most acceptable for you.

Laptop families

Before choosing a laptop, you also need to determine what tasks you need it for. To make it easier to choose a device, their manufacturers divide laptops into families: multimedia, universal, gaming, business, and ultrabooks. Typically, each family has laptops of various formats. Therefore, after you select the screen diagonal, you can determine which laptop and from which family will suit you best for your tasks.

Laptops for movies and music

Multimedia laptops are characterized by a striking design, including glossy surfaces, with a large number of color options and patterns). In addition, they have high functionality, which is enough to perform a wide range of tasks (watching videos, taking photos, listening to music, etc.).

As a rule, such models have a large number of configurations, and their cost can be completely different. Regarding the hardware of the device, to perform the simplest tasks you will only need an entry-level processor and a discrete video card.

Laptops for gaming

As for fans of computer games, their choice of laptop should be a device with an advanced processor and a powerful video card, thanks to which they can play their favorite games at the highest settings. Such laptops are characterized by the presence of a powerful cooling system, an optimized keyboard with durability, backlighting and additional options. In addition, they are equipped with high-quality gaming acoustics.

Laptops for work

Business laptops, as a rule, have an inexpressive and calm design (matte surface, gray or black body color, as well as strict outlines of the body). The vast majority of these devices do not have additional multimedia elements (volume control and playback controls). The emphasis in such devices is on the strength of the structure, which can withstand loads during constant use. In addition, the devices are equipped with an ergonomic keyboard and a set of connectors for use in the corporate sphere.

Ultrabooks

As for ultrabooks, their main difference from other varieties is high performance and excellent battery life. They are thin and light weight. Today, the market offers models with diagonals from 11.6 to 15.6 inches. Laptops have an exquisite design, using inserts made of carbon fiber, glass and other materials. Practice shows that the main buyers of such laptops are wealthy people, people who want to show others their high position in society and respectability. However, it is worth noting that thin device cases do not allow placing a discrete video card in them, so a built-in video accelerator is installed in the processor.

Universal laptops

In addition to these varieties, there are also a wide range of universal laptops on the market that can be used equally for work and study, and you will decide for yourself which laptop to choose.

Laptop configurations

So, you have decided which laptop is good for you in terms of format and device type, then you will need to decide on the specific hardware configuration. This is the most important stage in choosing a laptop, since its power and operating speed will depend on the components inside the laptop.

Here you can go one of two ways: meticulously study the characteristics of modern laptops, or, if you have enough money, opt for the most expensive configuration. The second option will bring you a very powerful processor and a powerful video card. In addition, you will have at your disposal the best-capacity hard drive and a wide range of communication interfaces.

True, anyone who does not have enough money or is looking for a way to save on buying a device should pay attention to a number of factors:

CPU

What type of processor is used in the laptop. At the moment, the most current processors on the market are Intel Core i5 or AMD A8. If your budget is limited, Intel Core i3, Pentium or Celeron, as well as AMD A2/A4 are suitable for you.

Video card

If a good processor accelerator from Intel or AMD is built into the video card, this will significantly reduce your financial costs, and thanks to discrete adapters from ATI and NVIDIA, you will be able to play games that require large resources.

WI-FI and Bluetooth

Are there wireless modules such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth? As practice shows, almost every laptop is equipped with a Wi-fi module. As for Bluetooth, not every device can boast of having it, but not all users need it.

Connectors on a laptop

The presence of a large number of nests. You need to choose a device with the number of USB ports you need, as well as a card reader and HDMI for connecting to LCD TVs.

operating system

Is there an operating system installed on the laptop, and which one? It often happens that if a laptop belongs to the budget class, then manufacturers often install Linux or MS-DOS on it. This makes the device cost a little less. It's no secret that a licensed Windows OS costs a lot of money. And installing a pirated version of the software threatens criminal liability, so few office equipment sellers will do this. The best option would be to buy a laptop without the Windows operating system installed and install it yourself after purchase.
RAM

The amount of RAM is very important; it should be said that there is never too much RAM and the more RAM the device has, the faster it will work with various software. If you don't have enough RAM, neither a fast processor nor discrete graphics can help you out. Today, taking into account the large amount of different information, the minimum amount of RAM should be 4 GB. If you buy a laptop for gaming, video processing or working with graphics, then at least it should be at least 8 GB.

HDD

The same applies to disk memory, since the larger the hard drive of your laptop, the greater the amount of information it can store. Therefore, the minimum amount of hard disk space should start from 250 GB. It is typical that laptops with SSD-type solid-state drives work much faster than their peers with HDDs, but they have a higher price and limited capacity.

Battery and battery life

The battery is another very important parameter that you should pay attention to when choosing the best laptop. This means that the larger the capacity it has, the longer the device will work while away from the power source. True, the battery capacity greatly affects the weight of the equipment, and the larger it is, the heavier it is.

The type of matrix will also be important. True, the overwhelming majority of budget and mid-price range models use TN+Film matrices with viewing angles of 90-160°. Of course, the ideal option would be an IPS or MVA matrix (178°x178°), but you won’t see the first one very often, and the second one will be very expensive. The weak side of the TN+Film type matrix is ​​the small viewing angles, unlike IPS or MVA 178° by 178° matrices, and also the fact that their quality can be very different. The advantage of IPS or MVA matrices is excellent color rendition and full RGB color depth - 8 bits per channel (24 bits). This ensures a large number of colors and their shades, as well as increased brightness and contrast. Therefore, experts recommend testing it thoroughly before purchasing any laptop in a store. For these purposes, ask the seller to show you various pictures on the screen. After this, turn off the laptop and after a 10-15 minute break, ask to run special software to check the matrix for dead pixels. For these purposes, you will need to carefully examine all the colors, but this is the only way you can identify dead pixels.

It is worth noting that if you really like computer games and are buying a laptop just for gaming, you will be better off looking at desktop computers, since they have higher performance and a more reasonable price.

Having looked through the most popular sites and online stores, and read the comments of experts regarding a particular laptop model, you can easily decide on the most suitable option. Moreover, regardless of your budget.

When choosing a laptop on an online store website, go to the laptops section and first select only those parameters that are critical to you. For example, the diagonal and minimum size of the hard drive. This filter will allow you to immediately remove products that do not suit your needs from display. After that, sort the products by popularity and rating and read reviews and comments.

The laptop has already moved from the category of luxury to the category of necessary things, just like a mobile phone once did. What should you pay attention to when buying a laptop, what parameters? You are buying a laptop computer that will be convenient to carry with you. The compactness and lightness of the laptop will be important to you, and only after that its configuration.

Ergonomics

Manufacturers offer ultra-thin models, thin, standard and special-purpose laptops. What lengths do manufacturers go to ensure that the laptop is the thinnest and most compact? First of all, little-used peripheral devices, such as a DVD/CD drive, are removed, and the latest energy-saving technologies are used. The logic is simple: the more technologically advanced the device, the more compact it is, the less it heats up and the less space the cooling system takes up.

Thin and light gadgets are designed for those who use a computer not in the office, but in a car or airplane. These could be journalists, businessmen, emergency services employees whose activities require mobility. Thin laptops are very elegant and therefore loved by girls. The laptop should be stylish, just like you, so you should pay a lot of attention to its appearance.

In a computer store

When you come to the computer salon, look at the shelves and mark the laptop that you liked the most. Listen to what the manager tells you about him. If you look only at the price list when purchasing, you can buy an expensive but unpresentable laptop.

What criteria to pay attention to when choosing a laptop

Mobile processor differs from a desktop processor with lower power consumption and advanced energy-saving technologies that extend battery life. The essence of energy-saving technologies is that, when powered from the mains, the computer works at full capacity, and in offline mode - at half capacity or even less. The majority of laptops are powered by an Intel processor. Its competitor AMD also has suitable options, but they run fewer devices. The standard processor has 4 cores. The more cores and their frequency, the better, but batteries can be used up faster.

When asked how much should be random access memory, a counter question will arise: why? If you want to work in Windows 10 64bit and heavy software packages, then you need at least 8GB of memory. If there is a shortage of it, the programs will start, but will work very slowly, and the operating system will create . In this case, the HDD motor will rotate all the time, wasting battery energy. You can buy an inexpensive laptop with a memory capacity of 2-4GB and buy additional memory for it separately.

IN laptop video system monitor included. Ultraportable laptops typically have 12-14 inch screens, while regular ones have 15-19 inches. Visually choose the most suitable size for yourself in terms of ease of use and compactness. As a rule, laptops are purchased to solve office problems.

You should pay attention to the power of the video card only if you are going to play modern 3D games (simple toys and online games will almost always work). But I want to warn you that a powerful gaming laptop will be too expensive. In addition, due to overheating during gaming, laptops often fail. Therefore, it is better to buy a computer with a powerful video card just for gaming. If there is a slot for an external video card, it is easier - it can be replaced.

Energy consumption does not depend on the size of the hard drive, so it should be as large as possible. Choose a hard drive with a capacity of 500 GB or more, this is quite enough for average needs. Laptops use 2.5″ hard drives with reduced power consumption. Solid-state hard drives (SSDs) will provide sharp results, but their capacity is smaller and they cost much more.

Network adapters allow you to connect to a corporate network, transfer files to your hard drive, print documents on a network printer, and access the Internet. A Wi-Fi wireless adapter is required in laptops. But there may not be a network card for a wired connection with an RJ-45 connector, due to space saving. Today, a wired connection is rarely used, and then mainly by technicians. But the built-in 4G modem can pleasantly simplify life when you use the mobile Internet. If you don’t have a modem, you’ll have to buy one separately and carry it with you.

It is important to have slots for reading flash cards(SD, microSD). Even if you do not use such cards, you may have to read information from other people's memory cards. Also pay attention to a sufficient number of USB ports. There should be at least two or three of them.

Modern laptops may also have additional interfaces, for example connector. Check the availability of eSATA and USB 3.0 connectors for connecting high-speed devices, if you have them.

Additional features, such as a webcam with a built-in microphone for use in Skype, Viber, Whatsapp, a fingerprint scanner, a digital S/PDIF output for connecting to a digital receiver - if any of this is needed, then do not forget to check, then it will be too late .

Important for every laptop battery life. Inquire about actual battery life beyond what's listed in the specs and see if it's right for you. Please note that this time will decrease over time.

Advice: don't buy used laptops. They often break down or are sold already repaired or with dead batteries.

For dessert today, a video about a jumping man

A laptop is an item of daily use, used at home and at work. Are you thinking about purchasing a laptop, but are unsure which model is right for you? There are many options on the market, in different sizes, colors and with different functionality, which makes it difficult for us to choose. This article provides tips on how to choose the right laptop to suit your needs.

First of all, make sure that the laptop has the features you are looking for. If you haven't owned a laptop before, it may be a good idea to buy one, so let's take a look at how it can benefit you.

Compared to a desktop PC, it has its advantages (and disadvantages):

1. Thanks to its compact size, you can take the laptop with you on trips, just don’t forget to take the power supply.
2. They are offered at more attractive and competitive prices.
3. Many laptops have the same functionality as personal computers. There are inexpensive models for home that can replace a PC.
4. They take up much less space and can be easily carried.

However, there are some disadvantages - they can be easily stolen if you do not take care of their safety during the trip. Their charge only lasts for a few hours and therefore they need to be charged. Over time, the hardware of any computer becomes obsolete and, most likely, in a few years you will have to upgrade. If in the case of a desktop computer you can replace some component yourself, then in a laptop, even to fix the most minor problem you have to contact a service center and pay for repairs.

Budget for purchasing a laptop

The budget should be determined in advance. Before you start looking for a laptop, you need to determine how much you plan to spend on it.

There is a huge variety of laptops on the market in every price range, so set your limit to narrow down the models you're looking for. Determine which features are important in a laptop and compare them to your budget.

If you choose a laptop only for working with email and surfing the Internet, then this model will cost less.

If you plan to run games on your laptop, you should consider models with a discrete graphics card. It should be remembered that the more powerful the video card, the more expensive the laptop will cost. When considering video cards, you should definitely find out the processor characteristics.

You should also decide which operating system is preferable for you - Linux, Windows or Mac OS. Her choice, obviously, depends only on you, but there are several nuances here:

First of all, you should choose one with which you are familiar. If you have previously used one operating system and are accustomed to it, it will be easier to work with it than to master a completely new one for you. Just don't let your first system become your last, so you need to find out the minimum hardware requirements for your preferred OS to run properly.

Choose the operating system that will meet your requirements. You may need programs that your OS does not support, but know that you can run them through an emulator, for example, the VirtualBox utility.

If you are just starting to learn computers, you can choose a system that is familiar to family members or friends and who can help you understand a particular issue. Otherwise, you will need to contact a service center.

OS

Which operating system is better to choose is up to you, and to make it easier for you to make your choice, here are some tips.

Linux OS. Some new laptops come with Linux pre-installed when purchased. Don’t rush to change it to Windows, get familiar with it first, maybe it will better suit your requirements. The Linux operating system is freely available, as are hundreds of programs and applications with it. With the WINE application, you can run Windows programs on a Linux system. The application allows you to run programs, just like in Windows. Linux is virtually immune to threats from viruses. This is an ideal choice for children because there is no need to pay for it, the programs are freely available and are practically not susceptible to virus attacks. The Linux Mint version looks and runs like Windows, and the most popular is the Ubuntu version.

Mac OS can cost more than the laptop on which it is installed. Its biggest disadvantage is the price. However, it is ideal for iPhones, iPods and iPads. This system is relatively easy to use, has received many positive reviews, and is also less susceptible to virus threats. It is also possible to run some Windows programs through emulators.

Main types of laptops

Before buying, think about what size laptop you should choose, which option is preferable for study and work. There are three main types of laptops based on their size and weight - netbook, general purpose laptop and desktop. Although they are all laptop computers, the size has an impact on their features, which can decide your choice.

A netbook is a more compact portable laptop with a screen diagonal of 7 - 13 inches. Its advantages are that it is light, thin, compact and inexpensive. But its functionality is limited, and therefore is mainly used for working with email services and surfing the Internet, since it is endowed with a small amount of memory. They also have limited ability to run modern applications. If you have a question about how to choose a laptop for the Internet, then in our opinion, a netbook is the best option for leisure and work on the global network. According to student reviews, this is literally an indispensable device for studying.

A laptop with a screen diagonal of 13 - 17 inches, has a medium weight and is equally thin, but is equipped with a large amount of RAM. Decide what kind of power you are looking for in a laptop, its amount of RAM and screen size. Among them you can find models with good functionality at an inexpensive price.

The desktop has a screen diagonal of 17 inches. It is more massive, has good functionality and, as a rule, stands on the table instead of constantly taking it with you. But still, this is a mobile computer and its weight is not a big problem for some users.

Resistance to damage

Ask yourself whether it is better to choose a model with a metal or plastic body. Today, the choice of case is a very important issue, and besides, the mass of laptops with a metal or plastic case is practically the same. When it comes to durability, it is definitely better to choose one with a metal body. But you should still consult with the seller, because there are also combined cases made using composite material.

If you need a laptop for work or often take it with you on business trips, you need to choose a model with additional protection.

If you work in difficult conditions, then the best option is to choose a Toughbook type model. These laptops are quite expensive, but they work in extreme conditions - they can withstand high and low temperatures and have excellent shock protection.

Options

Now a few words about how to choose a laptop based on its parameters and what to look for. If you have included several models in your list when choosing, you should compare their characteristics.

Collect information about the processor. Higher quality laptops that process information faster are equipped with Intel, AMD, or AMR processors. You won't find them in cheap netbooks or budget laptops. The performance of your laptop computer depends on the power of the processor. Therefore, if your budget allows, it is better to choose a model with a more powerful processor.

The size of the hard drive is practically irrelevant as long as it is able to accommodate the operating system, programs and necessary data. But if you want to save money on external media, the capacity may not be enough to store collections of photos, videos, and more. True, it can be replaced with a larger one, but only at a service center. The speed of reading data from the hard drive also affects the performance of the laptop. It's important to keep in mind that the faster the hard drive, the more power it requires.

Solid-state drives (SSDs) offer much greater efficiency, are quieter, use less battery power, but have much smaller capacities (usually 30 to 256 GB), and certainly aren't cheap. If you're looking for a laptop with good performance, an SSD will do the trick, but you'll have to buy an external hard drive to store photos, videos, and more. Of course, if you are not limited by budget, but having an SSD is the best option.

Decide how much RAM you really need. More RAM can be tempting, as manufacturers increase it in order to hide the poor quality of the processor. Also, if there is too little RAM, it will not be enough to run all applications. In general, the more RAM, the faster the laptop will run. Typical RAM sizes range from 1 to 4 GB. It is better to choose a model with a memory of 3 GB or more. A laptop with 4 gigabytes of RAM will be ideal, but you should make sure that the operating system is 64-bit.

If you plan to run games, then you need a good video card. The laptop should have a discrete graphics card, preferably with dedicated memory for 3D games, although this is not necessary for most games. It should be remembered that powerful video cards consume more energy.

Check the availability of USB ports so that there are enough of them to connect a mouse, printer and other external devices. Check for a memory card slot.

You should check if you have an optical drive. If you plan to burn CD/DVD discs or install programs from them, make sure you have a DVD drive. Some laptops also have a Blu-Ray drive. If you work with multimedia, then it is better to choose this type of drive rather than DVD.

Learn about screen resolution. The more pixels, the higher the cost, but also the better the image quality. Screen visibility in sunlight also follows.

Check the Wi-Fi to make sure the laptop can easily connect to the internet wherever you want.

Check your keyboard. Pay attention to whether the keys and their click feel are comfortable. The same applies to the mouse.

Also, if you find it difficult which laptop to choose, you should seek advice from people who know about this model, look at user reviews, ask questions on forums, etc. We hope our advice will help you choose the right model that meets your requirements.

Any laptop user dreams that his gadget has maximum power, works quickly, smoothly, without creating any problems. So what determines the performance of laptops?

The speed of a laptop can be influenced by many different factors, including its configuration and proper maintenance, as well as proper operation of the equipment. We will tell you how to make your device much more productive and faster.

Firstly, the main attribute of good laptop performance is its processor. This is a microcircuit hidden in a plastic or ceramic case. Different types of laptop devices have different characteristics: number of cores, memory capacity, clock speed, etc. The larger the laptop's capacity and higher its frequency, the better it will perform.

If quite recently no one had heard of the concept of “multi-core processor,” now modern processors have two or more cores, and as a rare exception to the rule, the cheapest computer models are not the most popular. The more cores a processor has, the higher the performance of a given device will be. Do not forget about the need to maintain the processor; you must use good thermal paste for it and carry out regular maintenance, which increases both the performance and life of the laptop.

The second, no less important component that plays a role in performance is RAM. When you turn on your laptop, your data is loaded from the hard drive into the RAM, and only then does the processing of information begin in the central processor. Any program or tab opened by the user is written to RAM and only when you express a desire to save some information, the recording goes to the hard drive. Therefore, a large amount of memory is important for the smooth operation of a laptop. But, if you need, there is an opportunity to increase the RAM. Laptop components are sold everywhere; you can easily upgrade your laptop, giving it a second life.

In addition to RAM, you need to take a closer look at video memory, and here, a discrete video card would be an excellent choice.

The cooling system plays a vital role in the performance of a laptop and the normal course of its functioning processes. When buying a laptop, choose a model with good performance. The user must do regular maintenance of the laptop's cooling system to ensure that it does not overheat during prolonged use.

So, to summarize: if you need to buy a powerful laptop, pay attention to the parameters of the processor, RAM, video card, carry out regular maintenance of its main components, clean the cooling system, change the thermal paste on time, and your laptop will not let you down, serving faithfully long years.

It happens that a person buys a laptop “just to have it.” This is not very reasonable. Unless you have a clear reason for purchasing it, a brand new laptop will most likely be collecting dust somewhere on a table or a distant shelf.

A versatile laptop for every day

Dell XPS 13

This category includes laptops from the middle and high price categories. Productive and balanced hardware allows such laptops to cope with a wide range of tasks, including not too demanding games at medium and even high settings. Thus, gamers who do not prioritize graphics can save themselves from significant expenses on a full-fledged gaming laptop with a powerful discrete graphics card.

The best laptops of 2017 according to TechRadar:

1. Dell XPS 13.
2. Asus ZenBook UX305.
3. Razer Blade Stealth.
4. Asus Chromebook Flip.
5. HP Specter x360.
6. Razer Blade.
7. Samsung Notebook 7 Spin.
8. Acer Aspire S 13.
9. Samsung Notebook 9.
10. Surface Book.
11. HP Specter x360 15.
12. MacBook.
13. Asus ZenBook Flip UX360.
14. Apple MacBook Pro 15.
15. Lenovo Yoga 910.

The rating of the best laptop manufacturers was compiled by Laptop Mag based on a combination of six key criteria: reviewers’ ratings, design, quality of technical support and support, innovation, range of laptops offered, and loyalty of warranty conditions.

1. Lenovo.
2. Asus.
3. Dell.
4. Acer.
5. Apple.
6. Razer.
7. Samsung.
8. Microsoft.

For serious games

Razer Blade

Gaming laptops are very powerful and very expensive. This feature allows you to use gaming laptops for any work, including design, video editing, 3D graphics and engineering.

The video card is the most important part. In 2016, Nvidia introduced the tenth series of GeForce GTX video cards, which are not only much more productive than previous generations, but are also great for installation in laptops because they do not require a bulky cooling system.

If Nvidia previously released heavily stripped-down mobile GeForce GTXs with the letter M in the name for laptops, now you can install a full-fledged video card in a laptop: like in a desktop PC, but with slightly lower frequencies.

That is, if you buy a gaming laptop with a GeForce GTX 1050, 1050 Ti, 1060, 1070, 1080 or 1080 Ti, you will get the performance of a desktop gaming PC with a similar graphics card.

The problem is that there are still a lot of outdated gaming laptops in electronics stores, and they cost as good as new, and sometimes are even more expensive. The consultant may try to sell you such a laptop. Don't give in to persuasion and choose a gaming laptop only with GeForce GTX tenth series.

The older models of Intel Core i5 (for GTX 1050 and 1060), base Core i7 (for GTX 1070) and older Core i7 (for GTX 1080) are traditionally chosen as a processor for a gaming laptop. The amount of RAM usually ranges from 8 to 32 GB.

Top 10 gaming laptops according to TechRadar:

1. Razer Blade.
2. Asus ROG Strix GL502.
3. Alienware 13 R3.
4. Razer Blade Pro.
5. Gigabyte Aero 14.
6. Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming.
7. HP Omen 17.
8. Origin EVO15-S.
9. Gigabyte Aero 15.
10. Origin EON17-X.

For maximum mobility

If your lifestyle or the nature of your work forces you to constantly move, then mobility comes to the fore when choosing a laptop. The smaller, lighter and thinner the better. Such laptops are often called ultrabooks.

Top 10 ultrabooks according to TechRadar:

1. Dell XPS 13.
2. Asus ZenBook UX30.
3. Razer Blade Stealth.
4. HP Specter x360.
5. Samsung Notebook 9.
6. Acer Aspire S 13.
7. Surface Book.
8. Acer Swift 7.
9. Lenovo Yoga 910.
10. HP Spectre.

For maximum autonomy

If you spend most of your time away from a power outlet, then the determining factor when choosing a laptop is the battery life.

We bring to your attention the rating of the most “long-lasting” laptops according to Laptop Mag. The indicated operating time is valid for constant web surfing in a browser via Wi-Fi without using other resource-intensive applications.

1. Lenovo ThinkPad T470 - 17 hours.
2. MacBook Air 13 - 14 hours.
3. Microsoft Surface Book - 12 hours.
4. Dell Latitude 7280 - 12 hours.
5. Lenovo Miix 310 - 12 hours.
6. Dell Latitude 5280 - 12 hours.
7. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon - 12 hours.
8. Dell XPS 13 - 11 hours.
9. Dell Latitude 5480 - 11 hours.
10. Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming - 11 hours.
11. Acer ChromeBook R 13 - 11 hours.
12. Lenovo Yoga 910 - 10 hours.
13. Apple MacBook Pro 15 - 10 hours.
14. Asus ZenBook UX330UA - 10 hours.
15. HP Specter x360 - 10 hours.

Instead of a tablet

HP Specter x360

Nowadays, transformers that combine a laptop and a tablet are very popular. The design of this hybrid allows you to unfasten the keyboard, rotate the top cover, or literally turn the device inside out so that the screen is on top. A mandatory attribute of the transformer is a touch display. “2 in 1” laptops are very compact, lightweight and can completely replace a tablet.

Top 10 convertible laptops according to TechRadar:

1. HP Specter x360.
2. Microsoft Surface Book i7.
3. Samsung Notebook 7 Spin.
4. Microsoft Surface Book.
5. Asus ZenBook Flip UX360.
6. HP Specter x360 15.
7. Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1.
8. Lenovo Yoga 910.
9. Lenovo Yoga 900S.
10. HP Elite x2 1012 G1.

To work on the Internet

If you only use a browser, then pay attention to Chromebooks - more affordable laptops designed for working on the Internet.

1. Asus Chromebook Flip.
2. Samsung Chromebook Pro.
3. Dell Chromebook 11.
4. Acer Chromebook 15.
5. Acer Chromebook R11.
6. HP Chromebook 14.
7. HP Chromebook 13.

As a more compact and aesthetic replacement for a desktop computer

A large system unit, monitor, mouse, keyboard, speakers and a bunch of tangled wires do not add beauty to the interior and take up a lot of space. The laptop solves the problem easily and gracefully.

Undrey/Shutterstock.com

The configuration and cost of such a laptop will depend on what you usually did on the old desktop computer and what you plan to do on the new one.

For special work

This includes design, video editing, sound work, 3D graphics, engineering and other specialized activities.

The configurations of such laptops greatly depend on the tasks being solved and the software used, and the cost ranges from tens to several hundred thousand rubles.

If you need just such a professional laptop, then this guide is unlikely to be useful to you. It is better to look for information about the correct configurations for narrow-profile laptops on the relevant sites and forums. Only there you will find experienced specialists ready to help with advice.

What's worth paying extra for?

Now you will learn about really useful things that justify every ruble invested in them.

Latest generation processor from Intel

There are no good laptop processors from AMD yet. Perhaps the situation will change with the advent of the Ryzen mobile line, but now the only reasonable solution is to buy a laptop with Intel Kaby Lake on board (Core i5 7xxx or Core i7 7xxx).

You can buy a laptop with a previous generation Core i5 or Core i7 (fifth or sixth) and get slightly less performance, but the trick is that the cost difference between them is minimal or non-existent. Accordingly, it is better to choose the latest technology.

A powerful processor turns the laptop into a multitasking machine that not only works quickly, but also allows you to play not too demanding games, do video editing, graphics, and so on.

SSD instead of HDD

In order not to burden you with unnecessary words, we will simply leave here the indicators of the time required to launch some applications on a laptop with an HDD and SSD, all other characteristics being equal.

8 GB RAM

You've probably heard how memory-hungry the Chrome browser is, and it's not the only program that requires a lot of resources to run quickly.

RAM is cheap and greatly affects the performance of the computer. Don't skimp on it.

Full HD screen

A laptop with a Full HD screen at a standard distance from it makes the pixels invisible to the human eye. Thanks to this, the picture becomes much better. Full HD accommodates more content, making working with desktop applications and the Internet more comfortable and convenient. High-resolution matrices, as a rule, are manufactured using more advanced technologies and have better characteristics than their younger HD counterparts.

GeForce GTX tenth series video card

If you are buying a laptop with an eye on new games, then choose a model with a discrete graphics card GeForce GTX 1050, 1050 Ti, 1060, 1070, 1080 or 1080 Ti - depending on your budget.

Do not under any circumstances purchase laptops with GeForce GTX series nine or earlier. Saving just a little money will get you a much less powerful laptop with no power reserves for the future and no proper VR support.

Wi-Fi 5 GHz

Now Wi-Fi points are everywhere, but a side effect of such a ubiquitous presence is a drop in the quality and speed of communication. Roughly speaking, wireless routers jam each other.

The solution may be to move to the 5-gigahertz Wi-Fi band, known as 802.11ac.

Unfortunately, to use 5 GHz Wi-Fi you also need a router that supports this technology, but as a reward for spending extra money you will get super-fast and stable wireless Internet.

By the way, 5 GHz Wi-Fi support is useful not only for a laptop, but also for a smartphone.

USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 connectors

USB-C is the inevitable future, coming sooner than you think. In the next few years, this standard will become the only universal interface for charging and connecting any peripherals to a laptop.

The symmetrical design allows you to connect USB-C from either side, and therefore the familiar problem of “doesn’t fit, turned it upside down - doesn’t fit” will become a thing of the past.

The famous USB paradox

Advanced Thunderbolt 3, in addition to being compatible with USB-C, has sufficient bandwidth to connect a 4K monitor, an external drive with read and write speeds comparable to an SSD, as well as a full-fledged external video card.

What you shouldn't overpay for

Not all manufacturers are distinguished by their ability to create balanced laptops. In addition, some of the features found in laptops are often downright useless.

Backlit keyboard

The laptop is a complete device, and its screen always illuminates the keyboard. Accordingly, additional backlighting of the keys is not needed.

The only reason to choose a backlit model or to pay extra for this modification is the habit of working in complete darkness with minimum screen brightness.

Screen with resolution higher than Full HD

The capabilities of the human eye are limited. With sufficient pixel density, we will not see them from a distance typical for working with a specific device. Such screens are best known as those used in Apple products.

For a laptop with a 13-inch screen diagonal and Full HD resolution, the distance from which the pixels cease to be distinguishable is 51 centimeters. Our eyes are approximately at this distance when working on a laptop. Thus, increasing the screen resolution, and therefore the pixel density, does not make sense.

If someone persistently tries to prove to you that QHD and even more so Ultra HD (almost the same as 4K) are cool and necessary, then either you are dealing with a consultant in an electronics store, or you are faced with a victim of marketing.

In addition to being pointless in terms of picture quality, displays with excessive resolution consume more battery power and require much more resources to render the picture, which negatively affects performance.

Mandatory Intel Core i7

The latest generation Intel Core i7 is a really cool processor, but there is such a thing as sufficient performance.

Simply put, you don't need a Nissan GTR if you use the car for commuting to Auchan and on congested roads.

Core i7 is good for heavy computing, video editing, graphics work and top-end gaming computers. The average user will not use even a fifth of its performance, but will pay the full price.

Required discrete graphics card

A separate video card is needed for hardcore gamers who want to play new games with cool graphics, as well as for individual specialists. For web surfing, office work and watching movies, the power offered by the integrated graphics is sufficient.

32 GB RAM or more

If you don't know why you need so much RAM, then you don't need that much RAM.

If you are not a gamer, then 8 GB of RAM is enough for you, and if you play heavy games, then 16 GB is enough.

Fingerprint's scanner

It is now fashionable to install fingerprint scanners in laptops as a more convenient alternative to entering a password. It may save you an extra second, but is it worth the money that manufacturers are asking for this feature?

Touch screen in an ordinary laptop

A touch screen is required for transformers - hybrid devices with a removable keyboard that combine a tablet and a laptop.

For an ordinary laptop, a touchscreen is not only useless, but also a downright harmful excess, increasing the cost of the device, battery consumption and sometimes worsening the quality characteristics of the screen itself.

Other guides to choosing equipment from Lifehacker.