Notebooks & Desktops
Compact enough to carry with you, yet versatile enough to run demanding applications, a laptop is the best tool for doing serious work or play at home and on the road. In this guide we cover the most important things to consider before buying a new laptop, along with all the information you need to make sure your new laptop does exactly what you want it to do.
Factors to consider before making a purchase
Operating System
1) Windows
Windows is the most popular among many users. With Microsoft launching Windows 10 it has a familiar look and feel, with innovations in security, personalization and productivity. It’s powerful yet easy to use, with all your files and important documents within easy access. If you’re looking for a new PC for university, gaming or creative computing, Windows is a great place to start. This OS works mostly with all your devices whether you’re using a smartphone, tablet, 2 in 1 or PC, Windows works the same way. Navigation and finding files is simple, regardless of what device you’re using.
2) OS X
OS X is the operating system that powers every Mac. Built on a rock-solid UNIX foundation, it’s engineered to take full advantage of what the hardware is capable of. It’s designed to be as easy to use as it is beautiful to look at. It comes with an amazing collection of apps you’ll use and love every day. And it enables your Mac and iOS devices to work wonderfully together. OS X is built to bring out the best in your Mac, so you get a fully integrated system in which everything works together seamlessly. It works with the processor in your Mac to deliver the best possible performance. It works with the super-responsive trackpad in Mac notebooks so Multi‑Touch gestures feel natural to use. OS X works with your Mac hardware to keep the entire system up to date while it sleeps. The OS X includes new touch bar panel and is designed for the gorgeous Mac displays, high‑resolution Retina displays, so fonts look crisp and graphics are vivid.
Portability
Before you look at specs or pricing, you need to figure out just how portable you need your laptop to be. Laptops are usually categorized by their display sizes:
1) 10 to 12 inches: The thinnest and lightest systems around have 11- to 12-inch screens and typically weigh 2.5 to 3.5 pounds
2) 13 to 14 inches: Provides the best balance of portability and usability, particularly if you get a laptop that weighs under 4 pounds.
3) 15 inches: The most popular size, 15-inch laptops usually weigh 4.5 to 6.5 pounds. Consider this size if you want a larger screen and you're not planning to carry your notebook around often.
4) 17 to 18 inches: If your laptop stays on your desk all day every day, a 17- or 18-inch system could provide you with the kind of processing power you need to play high-end games or do workstation-level productivity.
Processor (CPU)
The Processor is the brain of the computer. It has a huge influence on performance, but depending on what you want to do. The below guidelines will help you select the product based on your preferences.
1) The New Intel Core i7: High-end performance for gaming rigs and workstations. Models with numbers that end in HQ or K use higher wattage and have four cores, allowing for even faster gaming and productivity.
2) The New Intel Core i5: If you're looking for a mainstream laptop with the best combination of price and performance, get one with an Intel Core i5 CPU
3) Intel Core i3: Performance is just a step below Core i5 and so is the price; but yet still powerful.
4) AMD A, FX or E Series: Provide decent performance for the money that's good enough for web surfing, media viewing and productivity.
5) Intel Core m / Core i5 / i7 "Y Series”: Intel Core M processor is designed for ultra slim devices, providing plenty of power for day-to-day surfing & e-mailing without being a major drain on battery life.
Memory/RAM
RAM stands for random access memory. Ram is important because it helps your processor tackle multiple tasking. Minimum of 2GB is required for basic computing & 6GB or more is recommended if you're into graphics & advanced photo or video editing. Generally a RAM of 4GB to 8GB is pre-installed & few of laptops have up to 32GB. Ram can be easily upgradable if it’s necessary.
Internal storage
Traditional hard disk drives offer good storage capacities, but add to a laptop's weight and thickness. Alternatively, solid state drives (also known as SSDs) are much lighter, faster, cooler and quieter than hard drives. Some laptops feature a hybrid drive, which combines a hard drive with a solid state drive for the benefits of both.
Hard disk drive (HDD)
Traditional hard disk drives are the most common type of storage because they're relatively inexpensive and offer huge capacities. However, they also add significantly to a laptop's weight and thickness. They come in two standard speeds: A 5400rpm drive is sufficient for day-to-day Web surfing, e-mailing and document creation, but a 7200rpm drive transfer’s data more quickly and may be worth considering if you regularly work with large files.
Solid-state drive (SSD)
Solid-state drives, also known as SSDs (or, in Apple's case, "flash storage"), are many times faster than hard disk drives, but they generally are available in higher capacity. SSD also offer tremendous advantages in physical size, weight and power efficiency, along with negligible heat production and noiseless operation, making them an ideal choice for ultra slim, ultra-lightweight laptops. SSD have no moving parts to wear out.
Graphic card/VGA (Video Graphics Array)
Most gaming PCs will have a dedicated graphics card. Graphic card provides additional resources & processing power that your system will dedicate exclusively to visual quality. This has an obvious impact on the quality of video games, delivering smoother frame rates with far less graphical lag. A powerful graphics card will also provide a boost for anything involving visuals, such as graphic designing & video editing.
Screen resolution
1) HD (13366x768) resolution is standard on mainstream laptops. Good for Web-surfing, e-mail & basic computing tasks.
2) HD+ (1600x900) resolution is great for casual gaming & watching DVD movies.
3) Full HD (1920x1080) resolution allows you to watch Blu-ray movies & play video games without losing any level of detail.
4) QHD (Quad HD) & QHD+ With (2560x1440) & (3200x1800) resolutions, respectively, the extremely high pixel density creates crisp detail & sharp text, ideal for professional photo & graphics work as well as high-definition movies & games.
5) 4K Ultra HD (3840x2160) resolution boasts four times the pixels of Full HD, creating rich colors & images for viewing & editing incredibly lifelike images & graphics.
Display type
Different display technologies yield different colors & brightness levels. Most of the laptops employ LED backlighting, which can display bright colors without draining the battery. If you plan to use your laptop to watch movies & shows with a friend, choose a display with an IPS (In-Plane Switching) panel for wider viewing angles.
Touch screen
Touch-screen laptops make navigating on your computer more intuitive. Tap to select, hold & drag to move items, swipe to scroll & pinch to zoom, just as you would on a smartphone or tablet. Its currently available on most of the laptops that runs on windows and more user friendly on the new windows 10.
Types of Notebooks & Desktops
2 in 1 Notebooks
2-in-1 is both a laptop & a tablet combined in one lightweight & portable device. When a person wants to buy laptop & tablet but they don’t want to buy 2 devices then they can choose 2in1. It can be used as laptop & tablet as well as. 2in1 has different types of names such as “convertible, hybrid laptops, x360” 2in1’s have a virtual keyboard as well as normal keyboard for windows laptops.Whether you're at work or at home, your computing needs might change in a flash. You could use your device in laptop mode to type documents, develop spreadsheets or edit photos & videos. The powerful processor delivers everything you'd expect from a work PC. Then, when you want to take a break, flip the screen to watch a movie or play a game all in one simple motion.
Gaming Notebooks
Finding the best gaming laptop for your needs is a matter of balancing power with portability. If you care more about maximizing the graphical quality of the games you play, consider sacrificing some measure of portability to get the most powerful laptop. Conversely, if portability is the most important feature for you, you'll want to consider choosing a less powerful laptop that is smaller & lighter, & has a longer battery life. Additionally, the intense processing power required to run games will cause the battery to drain faster than it would if you were surfing the Internet, checking in on your favorite social networks, or uploading photos. Currently, several computer manufacturers are working to slim down gaming PCs.
Desktops & All-in-one
A desktop computer is a personal computer in a form intended for regular use at a single location desk/table due to its size and power requirements, as opposed to a laptop whose rechargeable battery and compact dimensions allow it to be regularly carried and used in different locations. Light use: Surfing the Web, paying bills online, e-mail and social networking, organizing and sharing digital photos Average use: Storing and streaming music and movies, tasks like spreadsheet and document creation. Demanding use: Serious gaming, sophisticated graphics and photo editing, video production, high-resolution multi track audio recording
There are two kinds of all-in-one pcs, portable all-in-one & normal all-in-one.
1) All-in-one: A streamlined computer with all the circuitry built into a large monitor. All in one PC includes an integrated webcam & Wi-Fi connectivity. All in one come with a wired or wireless keyboard & mouse. All in one’s are also equipped with a touch screen or non-touch screen display.
2) Portable All-in-one: This is essentially a touch-screen windows all in one pc’s that's intended to function secondarily as a very large tablet. Lay it flat on a floor or table for great multiplayer gaming with apps that use touch.
