Characteristics of a good laptop

Characteristics of a good laptop

Of course, it’s not a question of personal preference – not to mention fans of devices and systems with Apple’s macOS or Microsoft’s Windows.

Perhaps the best approach is to approach it from the negative side – the outdated features. For example, the lack of battery life, the limited number of USB A or C ports, a video output and no network connection, the price and weight are too high, and the list could go on.

Devices for specific markets

The task of finding a laptop becomes much easier when you know its purpose well.

The video game enthusiast will therefore look for a device with a powerful graphics card, regardless of the weight, while an office worker will primarily want a lightweight and versatile laptop.

For the consumer market

Manufacturers like Apple and others on the Windows side have all-purpose lines like the MacBook Air: price, size, weight, performance, all in one very consistent product.

The popular MacBook Air M2 with Apple's Monterey system

Apple

The popular MacBook Air M2 with Apple’s Monterey system

By function

screen definition

Today, a screen that doesn’t offer 1920 x 1080 resolution should be discarded, and on a 16-inch and larger screen, the resolution should be even higher than 1080p.

the ports

The positive side of laptops in recent years is that they have adopted Thunderbolt technology for USB-C ports. This allows device power, network and internet traffic, data for external drives, video for an external display, digital audio data, all to pass through the USB-C connector.

And when more ports are needed, Thunderbolt 3 or 4 docking stations offer great versatility for connecting all peripherals.

This 14-inch Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 laptop is powered by up to 12th Gen Intel® Core™ vPro® processors and features redesigned buttons, a new rear vent and a camera integrated into a new communication bar was converted.  Engineered for multitasking and heavy workloads.  CA$1700

Lenovo

This 14-inch Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 laptop is powered by up to 12th Gen Intel® Core™ vPro® processors and features redesigned buttons, a new rear vent and a camera integrated into a new communication bar was converted. Engineered for multitasking and heavy workloads. CA$1700

ventilation

The CPU consumption has increased significantly. More economical, but just as efficient, the best chips require virtually no ventilation cooling. I don’t recall hearing any fan noise on my MacBook Pro M1 in almost two years of use.

Conversely, if all you need to do is open a few browser tabs or software in your browser to get fans screaming, then this laptop isn’t worth the cost.

R.A.M.

If there’s one option that shouldn’t be discounted when making a purchase, it’s RAM. A few years ago 4 GB RAM was enough, then it went to 8 GB, today 16 GB of RAM is the minimum. It’s more expensive, but you get more out of it every time you use it, and your computer lasts longer and has a better resale value.

The Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 2-in-1 is thin and light and works with the included S Pen so you can write and draw like a real pen.  CA$1300

Samsung

The Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 2-in-1 is thin and light and works with the included S Pen so you can write and draw like a real pen. CA$1300

the backlight Keyboard has become practically standard on laptops and should be a desirable feature.

That keyboards, is a matter of taste and habit. There are all kinds of them, more or less thin, including butterfly buttons, which have not been much appreciated.

Battery life

Battery life should be a good seven hours even on low-end laptops. With the new M1 and M2 system chips, as installed by Apple in its laptops, the autonomy has made significant leaps, up to 18 hours of video playback for the MacBook Air M1 and M2. With no video playback, it’s easy to go 24 hours without a power cord.

processors

Anything running on a Celeron processor or even a Core i3 should be forgotten, these laptops are only there to offer the lowest possible price point.

As with RAM, choosing the best possible processor will save you money in the long run. Choose the processor that’s right for your workload.

Have fun shopping!