A laptop is a laptop, no matter what you call it. The exception is a tablet, of course. A gaming laptop is also an option. It might also be a desk or a chair.
Alternatively, a mixture of both. Or a two-in-one. Alright, so all computers aren’t manufactured equal now that we’ve brought it up.
Depending on the buyer’s specific requirements, these products may be tailored to meet their exact specifications. In short, welcome to the wide world of the different types of laptops.
Keep on reading for our full breakdown of everything you need to know about buying a brand new laptop.
Types of Laptops 101: The Basics
Let’s cover some of the foundational differences between the different products currently available on the market.
Take notes on a piece of paper (notebook computer, sometimes also called the garden-variety laptop). An appropriate weight for a notebook is between 5 and 8 pounds, making it easily portable. It has a screen size of between 13 and 16 inches. Sound cards and high-definition graphics are available for gaming and entertainment.
Let’s explore them one type at a time.
Ultrabooks
These laptops are lighter and slimmer, yet their screens may measure up to 15 inches in diameter.
Batteries may last longer on devices that use less power. Typically, the size of their keyboard is less.
Netbooks
Although these laptops may not be as powerful as a full-size computer, they are nonetheless incredibly portable and cost-effective.
Although these computers are still in use, they have been overtaken by tablets (such as Apple’s iPad or Microsoft’s Surface), which are sleeker yet provide more powerful resources.
Tablets
Popularity has increased for small, thin, multitasking computers that can do several things at once.
They have screens ranging in size from extremely tiny to rather large. Because they may be so powerful (and pricey), they can be utilized for professional purposes. However, on the other hand, they may be more expensive.
Laptops: Desktop Computers
Even while they may be readily moved about the workplace or the home, desktop replacements are not designed to be portable, as their name implies.
Larger screens (up to 20 inches) and heavier weights (up to 10 pounds, as a rule) make these computers more cumbersome. Compared to their predecessors, their keyboards are more spacious.
Of course, if you’re looking for a well-rounded laptop, you can’t go wrong with buying a Lenovo.
The Functions of Laptops
Laptops can perform anything from sending emails to running complicated software packages that enable you to manage your money or edit and enhance your images.
Use various word processors to write books or flyers; pay your bills and bank online; interact with others, share video, make phone calls, talk with others; surf the Web and do research online; and many more chores may be accomplished via the internet.
Laptops are frequently easy to transport because of their mobility. As a result, you may access the Internet and your email from any location or utilize public hotspots, such as cafes, parks, malls with Wi-Fi, and other public places.
Please keep in mind that most laptop batteries only last a few hours.
So if you intend to use your machine for an extended period of time away from a power source, be sure to charge your battery beforehand to avoid the embarrassing situation where your laptop battery runs out just as you’re about to enjoy your cappuccino and a long-distance conversation.
How Do I Choose a Laptop for My Needs?
Everything from starting your computer to shutting it down is handled by an OS (short for Operating System), which is responsible for everything from handling files to connecting to the Internet.
Computers using Windows are the most prevalent, but Apple’s MacBook Pro is also a big seller. Most Apple-specific software and programs for Windows may be used on both operating systems. Chromebooks from Google run Linux, a well-known operating system.
There are several factors to consider before making a laptop purchase, including its operating system (OS). A strong graphics card and a high-end sound card are essential if you spend a lot of time gaming or watching movies or working with graphics. However, a standalone graphics card (one that is distinct from the CPU) or a built-in graphics card are also options.
Picking the Best Laptop: The Specialization Edition
Depending on your daily activities, different laptops can give you better experiences than others.
So, here’s a simple guide to help you choose the best laptop for your needs.
Power Users
In this group, these are the alpha male/females The commuters who work out while eating a scone; the commuters who work out while eating a scone. Those with A-type personalities need a laptop that’s as tough as they are.
A CPU capable of handling PowerPoint presentations, Excel spreadsheets, and high-end database programs are what they’re searching for. However, even if they don’t necessarily require a high-end graphics solution, they could want to look at an Autocad schematic, so they should have a system that can handle it
The Artist Life
Okay, so you’re not quite a power player just yet, but you’re getting there. You’ll be there soon. With a degree in art, you’ll be able to achieve that position (which is like preparing for a career as a surgeon by playing the Milton Bradley game, Operation). You need a laptop that can manage your drawings, design work, and digital images at this moment.
Let’s begin with the basics. The 15.4 m “To get started, the Retina Display-equipped MacBook Pro from Apple is ideal. Powered by an Intel Core i7 CPU and 16GB of 1600 MHz DDR3L RAM, it has a clock speed of 2.5GHz.
The 512GB PCI-e flash-based storage on this machine isn’t enough to carry all of Vincent Van Gogh’s letters to his brother, Theo, much alone a ton of high-resolution artwork or images.
There are a few things that make this laptop stand out, such as the 2880 x 1800 resolution LED-backlit IPS display and 802.11 ac Wi-Fi and Thunderbolt 2 connection. That’s Thunderbolt 2, which can carry data at a rate of 20 Gbps in both directions. Additionally, it has a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GT750M graphics controller, which is unusual for a laptop of this size and weight.
The Gamer
It’s clear. In the long run, PC gaming will always be better than console gaming. Console gaming, on the other hand, is easier to access. There are no driver downloads, card updates, or weird.dll library conflicts. As a result, you want your gaming PC to be as simple to use as your set-top box when the time comes.
It’s MSI’s GS60 Ghost Pro series laptops that deliver the thunder. The GS60 is on our list of power users, and this one is on our list of gamers, kind of. How well this laptop can perform is more important than what it can accomplish.
With a 2.5GHz Core i7 4710HQ CPU and 16GB of RAM, it’s one of the most powerful laptops on the market today. 15.6-inch “But it can handle up to three external screens with full HD 1920 x 1080p eDP wide-angle The HDMI output is also capable of supporting 4K screens.
RAID rates may be upped to 11 times quicker than a typical hard drive by using two M2 solid-state drives and a larger hard drive, which is included as a standard feature.
The Student
Students are the last category of people you may be searching for. These two laptops should be on your shopping list, whether it’s for a grown-up child or a loved one preparing to return to school and obtain a degree (until Spring Break comes).
A 13.3″ MacBook Air Notebook Computer (early 2014 model) weighs less than a pound and is very portable. It contains a 1.4GHz Intel Core i5 Haswell CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a 256GB PCIe-based solid-state drive that is more than enough.
It has a little more robust Intel HD Graphics 5000 GPU, but it’s still unable to perform anything that’s very intensive.
If you’re looking for an ultra-high-definition laptop that includes a Thunderbolt connector and 802.11ac Wi-Fi, this is the one for you. However, it lacks a touchscreen.
However, if you’ve been adoring your iPhone since its release, you may unintentionally get sucked into the Apple tractor beam. You don’t have a say in what happens. We don’t have what you need here. Don’t waste any more time.
The Perfect Laptop Experience: Unlocked
If you’ve been a long-time desktop computer user, trying to figure out the right kind of laptop can be overwhelming, especially with what seems like a million types you can buy on the market.
Hopefully, our guide has shed some light on the different types of laptops and how you can pick the right one for your needs and beyond. And, if you liked reading our explainer, then you’ll love checking out our additional tips and tricks.
All of them (and much more) will be available in our technology section, we hope to see you there.