Shopping for a new laptop can feel overwhelming with all the information thrown at you. When it’s stripped back to basics, it becomes more manageable, allowing you to make an informed decision.

To begin with, we’re talking about hardware components, not software. Hardware describes the physical building blocks that make up the computer, where software describes the intangible programmes, such as the operating system or other applications you may use, like Google Chrome.

So, let’s talk about those components…

 

 

A CPU, or Central Processing Unit, is the brain of your computer, housed in a chip. It is the component that performs most of the processing– it reads and interprets commands, manipulates data, and is responsible for executing instructions (or instructing other components to execute instructions) from software programmes and applications. It is commonly referred to as just “the processor.”

 

 

CPUs can execute millions of instructions per second, and how fast those instructions are executed is measured in hertz (Hz), which is described as ‘clock speed’. The higher the Hz value of the CPU, the faster it will be able to process instructions, rendering a faster machine– launching applications faster, having smoother multitasking between programmes, and a better visual experience with less lag or chance of freezing.

 

Clock (CPU) Speed	How will you use your laptop?
1.6 GHz to 2.5 GHz	A good speed for Basic Tasks, such as Word Processing and Web Browsing
3.5 GHz to 4.9 GHz	Good for high-productivity tasks, such as Video Editing and 3D Rendering
4.0 GHz and above	Best for professionals that work with Processing-heavy Applications.

 

As well as clock speed, CPUs also have cores, which are like having multiple CPUs in one chip. Each core can handle multiple instructions at once, improving efficiency and delivering smoother, faster performance compared to single-core CPUs

 

A GPU, or Graphics Processing Unit, is in every computer. Designed to accelerate the rendering of 2D and 3D graphics, they operate in tandem with the CPU, significantly enhancing capabilities for high-performance and heavy computational tasks.

An NPU, or Neural Processing Unit, is in a class of specialised hardware accelerators, designed to efficiently execute processing for already trained AI models, or for training AI models. They increase the capability for running applications that are data-intensive.

 

 

It is important to consider your requirements and what you will need. Most people will not need to look too much into the details of their GPU or NPU, so we will leave that for another time.

 

RAM, or Random Access Memory, is like the short-term memory of your computer; it holds onto the data you’re currently using, like the website you’re on or even the movement of your mouse. The RAM lets you open apps and files. The RAM keeps the computer fast by keeping information that you’re most likely to use easily accessible. This is volatile memory that needs power– this information disappears when you turn the computer off.

 

It is not to be confused with where you store your files, that’s on your Disk Drive, which is the long-term memory component.

The more RAM you have, the more information your computer can keep “on hand” at one time and can therefore quickly access. The more RAM, the more programmes you can run at once.

 

 

It’s important to work out how much RAM you’ll be needing, as, though technically possible, it’s not typical to increase your RAM capacity later down the line. Normally, that means a new computer.

 

How will you use your laptop?	Min. RAM recommendation
Web Browsing, Editing Documents, Emails, Streaming	(4GB) 8 GB
Using MS Office, Web Browsing (smoother), Multitasking, Spreadsheets etc.	16 GB
Video and High-Res Photo Editing, running Graphic Design programmes etc.	32GB

 

This is the local, non-volatile storage on your device, the Disk Drive, meaning the data saved here doesn’t “go away” when you switch the device off. This is where you keep your files and the information to boot up your computer.

There are two main types:

SSDs, or Solid State Drives, are the most common type of modern storage, especially in laptops. They don’t use any moving parts to store data, making them more durable, thinner, smaller, and more lightweight than HDDs. They draw less power, saving a lot of battery life, are quieter, and are more reliable.

HDDs, or Hard Disk Drives, store data on spinning disks. They are an older form of storage; sometimes HDDs are used as they’re cheaper, but they’re slower and take up more physical space.

 

 

SSDs are available in a range of capacities. If you’re storing more data (photos, music, videos, etc.) or want to run programmes and applications more quickly, a higher capacity will be more suitable.

 

Capacity	How will you use your laptop?
128 GB	Web Browsing, Light Work
256 GB	Multitasking, running multiple applications and files
512 GB	4K Video Graphics, Handling Large Files
1 TB & 2 TB	(More storage space for better performance and faster speeds)

 

SSDs can get slower the fuller they become, so keeping a bit of free space is a good idea.

It is worth noting that if you don’t use a lot of local storage (i.e. not many downloaded applications and you store the majority of your files in cloud storage), a smaller capacity could be sufficient.

 

The resolution of your screen is determined by the number of pixels per inch. Say you had two screen panels of the same physical size, a higher resolution one will yield a sharper, clearer picture with greater detail, versus one with a lower resolution (fewer pixels).

 

 

Name	Resolution	Pixels	Where is it found?
HD	720p	1,366 by 1,080	Basic, Web Browsing, Document Editing
Full HD	1080p	1,920 by 1,080	Standard, Spreadsheets
Quad HD	QHD, WQHD, 2K	2,560 by 1,440	More detail demanding tasks
QHD+	QHD Plus	3,200 by 1,800	Even more detailed, Video/ Photo Editing
UHD	4K	3,840 by 2,160	Premium, Detailed Visuals

 

You shouldn’t consider a laptop with anything less than full HD (1,920 by 2,160 pixels) for a job with consistent screen use.

There are other factors that affect screen resolution, such as screen size, refresh rate, panel type (IPS/ TN/ VA/ OLED), screen brightness, graphics card performance, etc.

 

 

All laptops have rechargeable batteries; these batteries have a limited number of charge cycles (this is not measured in a unit of time; it’s how many times the battery can undergo the process of being fully charged to 100%, run down to 0%, and then back up to 100% before the battery starts to lose capacity). A higher initial capacity means a longer battery life, i.e. how long your laptop can run before you need to plug it in again (this time, measured in units of time!), because each charge cycle is further apart, thereby extending the time between charges.

 

 

There is a reason we have put battery life at the end of this buying guide– it is important to consider battery run time against the other hardware components.

 

At the end of the day, it’s about budgeting and getting the best in each category for the price; if you work almost exclusively from a desk, whether that’s at home or in an office, you’re never that far from a power source, so there’s no need to prioritise battery life over other factors like RAM and processor (CPU) speed.