As summer comes to an end, many of us are thinking about what our families will need for back to school – especially if we’re planning to invest in a new computer. With all of the tablets, laptops and 2-in-1 devices on the market today, it can be difficult to decide which is right for you.
Ask yourself these simple questions to figure out what device is the best fit:
How will you use your device? Determining if you’re a light, average or advanced user will help determine what device specs best fit your needs. For example, demanding users will want to invest in a higher-resolution screen, faster processor, more memory and a larger hard drive that can be found in a laptop.
When shopping, you’ll come across four hardware specs you’ll want to understand to help decide on a laptop:
- Processor – This is both the brain and the muscles of the laptop. The faster and more powerful your processor, the more work it can handle from your programs.
- RAM – System memory, or RAM, is where your data and programs live while you’re working on the laptop. The more RAM, the more data you can access and manipulate at any given time.
- Hard Drive Storage – This is where data such as your photos, documents, music and videos live while not in use, and the more storage you have, the more files you can carry with you.
- Battery Life – This one is important for college students on the go, because you may not always have a handy outlet to use at the library or time to recharge between classes.
How important is portability to you? This will help determine what balance to strike with large or small screen and keyboard size, as well as how many accessories you carry with you. There’s even a special laptop category for those who value portability above all else, known as “Ultrabooks.”And, of course, tablets and 2-in-1 devices can be a great solution for those who value lightweight convenience over heavy-duty computing power.
Do you care about the latest options, like Windows 10? Windows10 launched on July 29 and the upgrade comes with a lot of new features for your laptop, like Cortana, a digital personal assistant, and the new Microsoft Edge web browser. Best Buy has one of the largest selections of laptops pre-loaded with Windows 10. To learn more about Windows 10, stop in at a local Best Buy on any Saturday in August and September for a Windows 10 open house.
If you’re still wondering which option is best for you, we have a Laptop Buying Guide that can help.