How do you choose a laptop?
Choose a laptop
Which laptop suits you best, depends on what you'll use it for. That's why you should carefully consider the following:
- Which operating system suits you?
- Will you use it for browsing the internet, text processing, or making spreadsheets?
- Will you use it for graphic design?
- Will you use it for gaming?
- Will you use the laptop for work?
- Will you use the laptop for school?
- Will you mainly use the laptop in 1 spot or also on the go?
Which operating system suits you?
Windows: for all usage situations
Microsoft Windows is the most well-known and popular operating system. You can use Windows for various usage situations, from daily tasks to editing 3D models and software development. Almost every program works on Windows, because Windows supports a lot of hardware and software. You can easily adjust the Windows operating system to your liking.
macOS: Apple ecosystem
The Apple Mac operating system is called macOS. The largest advantage of macOS is that it works seamlessly with other Apple devices. Do you get an incoming call on your iPhone, while you're working on your MacBook? You can easily answer the call via your Mac. With iWork, Apple has its own Office software that allows you to create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. You can work in the same files on your Mac, iPad, and iPhone.
ChromeOS: work online often
ChromeOS is the operating system for Chromebooks. This is a lighter and more energy-efficient operating system than Windows and macOS. As a result, the battery life of Chromebooks is longer. With ChromeOS, you can only download apps from the Google Play Store. That way, you're better protected from viruses. With Chromebooks, you mainly work in the cloud and online. This means you don't need much local storage.
Will you use it for browsing the internet, text processing, or making spreadsheets?
If you use your laptop for daily tasks, you don't need a powerful laptop. You mainly perform daily tasks, such browsing the internet or writing texts in programs like Microsoft Office, Pages, or Google Docs. You can send emails via Outlook, Gmail, or iCloud and read the news in your favorite browser. If you like to watch movies and series, we recommend a Full HD screen. That way, you can see all details clearly on your screen.
Will you use it for graphic design?
If you're going to work on graphic design, you need a more powerful laptop. How powerful the laptop should be, depends on the type of graphic design tasks you perform. For photo editing in programs like Adobe Photoshop, you need a less powerful laptop. If you want to work on video editing in Premiere Pro and make 2D drawings in AutoCAD, you need a more powerful laptop. For 3D designs and game design in programs like Blender and Adobe Substance 3D, you need a powerful laptop.
Will you use it for gaming?
Do you like to play games? We recommend a Windows gaming laptop, because many games are developed best for Windows. That way, you can discover all the worlds of your favorite games and defeat all your opponents in style. The more demanding the game you play, the more powerful the gaming laptop needs to be. A Windows gaming laptop also has a higher refresh rate, so fast-moving images look smooth on the screen. These laptops also often have a backlit keyboard, so you can continue gaming in style in the dark.
Will you use the laptop for work?
Windows laptops: extra secure with Windows Pro
A business Windows laptop works with Windows Pro. You choose the business laptop based on which programs you use and what type of work you do. For accounting, we recommend a TPM chip that secures your files. If you'll use the laptop for programming and coding, we recommend at least an Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 processor with 16GB RAM. For professional photo and video editing, you'll want a powerful video card that can process images fast. We also recommend laptops with a high screen quality, so you can see all details well.
Apple MacBook: a suitable MacBook for every job
Do you have an office job and mainly work in light programs? A MacBook Air with an M3 or M4 chip is fine. For photo and video editing, we recommend at least an M4 Pro chip. Choose an M4 Max chip if you make 3D designs in AutoCAD, develop apps in Xcode, or use programming languages in JavaScript. We also recommend at least 16GB RAM, so your MacBook runs smoothly. Are you on the go often? A compact size is useful. For working from home, a larger screen is more comfortable.
Will you use the laptop for school?
As a student, it's useful if you can easily take your laptop with you. That's why we don't recommend a laptop heavier than 1.5kg, so you can easily put it in your bag. How powerful your laptop needs to be, depends on your studies. For vocational studies or high school, you don't need a powerful laptop. For social, cultural, and economic studies, we recommend a more powerful laptop. For creative and technical studies, you need a powerful laptop. Always check the guidelines of your school or university before you get a new laptop.
Which size suits you?
Which laptop size suits you, depends on what you use your laptop for. Do you often bring your laptop with you? A small laptop of 14 inches or less suits you best. If you sometimes bring your laptop with you but also work from the same spot regularly, a 15 or 16-inch laptop is useful. Do you mainly work in 1 spot and almost never take your laptop with you? A large 17 or 18-inch laptop is useful. That way, you can see all details clearly and you can easily work in multiple windows side by side.
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