a lot of useful tips to help "get to the point" with the choice of a laptop.
Choose a laptop for work or for study in 2020 it is difficult not due to lack of options, but due to their abundance. When you go to the store, you see several rows of different models, on the price tags of which are completely incomprehensible characteristics. We will not wait for assistance consultants: they begin to drive from one model to another, absolutely not believable with your requirements for the price, and "painting" by specialized terms. In the end, either just run away from the store, or you take what the consultant "has". This purchase can be a big disappointment.
But an expensive error can be avoided if you thoroughly prepare: to determine the task list, to solve the device, to put a rigid price limitation and sort out the main characteristics. We will tell you how to choose a laptop in parameters and price.
At what price to count on?
If our goal is to get a "workhorse", which will help in studies and work, it is assumed that we will not "drive" in the resource-intensive games and put the task before the laptop like editing a video or music record. The main thing is not to "slow down" Word, Excel, Mindjet so that the information in the browser is loaded quickly.
To buy such a laptop, it is necessary to allocate from 20 to 40 thousand rubles.
Gadgets are cheaper than 20 thousand. It is not recommended to take, it will certainly be a lot of hassle with them - starting with the installation of the operating system (due to the absence of default) and ending with the speed and tedious search for rare components.
How to choose a laptop for home: Main criteria
When choosing a laptop, you must pay attention to the following criteria.
Dimensions
The dimensions of laptops are conditional to sharing on:
- Portable (ultrabooks and netbooks). Screen diagonal - up to 13 inches.
- Universal. Screen diagonal - from 13 to 17 inches.
- Specialized. Diagonal - from 17 inches.
Netbooks - "Baby" with 10-inch screens - you can find everything less frequently on sale. They are unpopular due to modest filling. Ultrabook already have a solid "iron" and are, on the contrary, at the peak of popularity. Their advantages are an attractive appearance, high cost of materials and mobility. The diagonals of their screens are from 12 to 13 inches. Ultrabul could become an ideal solution for us, but, alas, we are unlikely to find something as part of our budget. Good ultrabooks start from 40 thousand rubles.
Specialized laptops whose diagonal is over 17 inches, we also comply. Their functional is much superior to our requirements, so we will simply overpass.
The perfect solution is a universal (traditional) laptop with a screen diagonal of 14 inches. Such a laptop will be compact enough to carry it with you on working matters. If there is a desire to get a larger screen, you can take a device for 15.6 inches - there are also such within the framework of the "corridor" designated by us.
Processor
In the processor market in 2020, Duumvirat - "Right Ball" Intel and AMD. In this, in fact, nothing new - it was also, for example, and 3 years ago. Among the profans there was a prejudice that Intel - "elite" processors, and AMD - "pebbles" of the second grade. This is a false opinion: almost any model of the Intel processor can be selected an analogue in AMD from the point of performance. While "Stones" AMD is generally cheaper, buying a laptop with a processor of this company can turn into solid savings.
If you still prefer Intel, throw the idea to take a model with Pentuim, Celeron, Atom or Core i3 / i5 younger generations. Core i3 / i5 / i7 processors from 7 to 10 generations are suitable (GEN.). To understand how the generation of the processor is simply - it will indicate the first digit of the code that is prescribed after the model name. For example, Intel Core i3- 3 110m is the third generation model. Such were relevant in 2012-2013.
Intel Core i5 is not necessarily better Core i3. You can take a laptop from the I3 of the 10th generation, and it will certainly work faster and more stable than the device from the i5 of the 7th generation.
AMD recommended the Ryzen 3 and Ryzen processors of the 2nd and 3rd generations - generations are defined in the same way as in the case of Intel. Ryzen 7, of course, better, but within our budget, we will not find a laptop with such a processor.
RAM
With a designated budget, it is safe to calculate on 8 GB of RAM"from the box". To work on documents, the search for information on the Internet and viewing the movies of this volume will be "for the eyes."
However, if the laptop 6 or even 4 GB "RAM" is not a reason for the unequivocal refusal of its purchase - provided that the remaining parameters are suitable. RAM, if necessary, can be expanded by installing additional "dies". The main thing - to clarify the consultant, is there any free slots for additional memory, how many and which type of RAM is used.
It is important to remember that the operational memory of different types is not summed.
Screen
We have already decided with a diagonal, but this is not the only parameter of the screen that interests us. [When choosing a laptop, you need to specify the type of matrix and screen resolution. From the type of matrix there will be angles of reviews and color reproduction. The most suitable type of laptop matrix is IPS. In such matrices, the wider viewing angles and excellent clarity, but there is a minus from the point of view of color reproduction - not enough deep black. However, hardly this lack for us is important.
As for permission, it will be more common to meet 1366 × 768 (HD) on models with a diagonal of up to 15.6 inches. Although within our price limit, you can find laptops with FullHD resolution (1920 × 1080). 15.6 inches is just the "border" diagonal, at which the difference is already visible (the number of points per inch). If a diagonal is less, you can hardly catch the differences between HD and FullHD.
Type of drive
In 2020, laptops with HDD disks, perhaps there should no longer be places on shop windows. The presence of the SSD disk is extremely important for the speed of the device. According to tests, the laptop with SSD develops speed up to 600 MB / s with read operation, while analogue with HDD is only 150 MB / s.
From the minuses SSD - high cost, a small amount of memory (on average 256 GB) and a limit on the number of recording cycles. Experienced users level these flaws using external hard drives and store the most massive files on them.
Other criteria
There are still a huge number of less important criteria, which must be mentioned at least casual:
- Wi-Fi module. It is important that it be two-way apart, that is, it worked at a frequency of 5 GHz. This will get more high-speed Internet.
- Number of connector. For comfortable work with a laptop, a minimum of 3 USB Type-A connectors are needed - and the more of them will be versions 3.1 / 3.0, the better. When they lack them, the user will have to buy a splitter. It is also important to have an HDMI output by which the laptop can be connected to the TV.
- battery life. It is worth choosing a laptop whose battery will allow it to work without recharging at least 5-6 hours.
Quality of the video card We will not be considered as a selection criterion, since in our case it is not important.
Which laptop Select: Top 3 Models for home
In accordance with the criteria defined by us, we picked up 3 current models of laptops, the purchase of which will allow us to meet the budget.
Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15 AMD
- Screen: 15.6 inches, 1920 × 1080, Anti-glare, Tn
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, 2100 MHz
- RAM : 8 GB DDR4
- Custom memory (type of drive): 256 GB, SSD
- connectors: USB 3.1 Type A x 2, USB 3.1 Type-C, yield HDMI, microphone / headphones Combo
Lenovo IDEAPAD L340-15 AMD - laptop, which can be called perfect for paranoids. The model is equipped with a curtain with the wise name TRUBLOCK Privacy Shutter, with which you can cover Web chamber. So in the long run there will be savings by refusing to buy Scotch.
Speaking seriously, the model is interesting primarily by its autonomy. The laptop was provided with a powerful battery capable of work without feeding 8.5 hours, and a quick charging technology Rapid Charge. Thanks to her, the battery can be charged to 80% in just an hour.
HP 15-DB1140UR
- Screen: 15.6 inches, 1920 × 1080, Anti-glare, TN, SVA
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 3 3200U, 2600 MHz
- RAM: 8 GB DDR4
- Custom memory (storage type): 512 GB, SSD
- Connectors: USB 2.0 Type A, USB 3.1 Type A x 2, HDMI Output, Microphone / Combo Headphones
Model From HP more expensive, but here "on board" SSD volume of 512 GB is a big rarity for budget laptops. From Lenovo, it is advantageous of its number of USB connections: three of them, and two - third versions. HP 15-DB1140UR demonstrates excellent autonomy (7-9 hours without recharging), while it has a minimum weight (1.8 kg), so it will suit those who love to work away from the outlets. Its main drawback is an appearance. Someone calls such a classic design, but in fact he is just no.
Acer Aspire 3 (A315-42-R987)
- Screen: 15.6 inches, 1920 × 1080, widescreen
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 3 3200U, 2600 MHz
- RAM: 8 GB DDR4
- Custom memory (Type of drive): 256 GB, SSD
- Connectors: USB 2.0 Type A x 2, USB 3.1 TYPE A, HDMI output, microphone / headphones Combo
In response, users "sing the diffilaments" Acer laptop Aspire 3 (A315-42-R987), calling it the smallest cheap. The Ryzen 3 3200U processor is complemented by quick RAM, which operates at a frequency of 3200 MHz - in the aggregate it gives the performance that is enough to open a dozen tabs in the browser, YouTube and "Decade" the whole thing is Photoshop. However, the model gets criticized the quality of the image on the screen - according to user, the viewing angles are too small.
Let's sum up
Of course, to print to Word, you can take the most cheap laptop - but remember that "appetite comes in food Time". Word, of course, it will not be limited to - you will probably install a bunch of programs, as well as extensions into the browser and antivirus. And so in order to save nerves and avoid the desire to hysterically knock on the keyboard when the device takes a pause on meditation, it is better to refuse to buy the cheapest device.
Reflecting on how to choose a laptop, consider the 3 options offered by us and, possibly, others. We recommend not to save on the "stuffing" in favor of an attractive design. The device will lose its external attractiveness during a couple of weeks, but you will have to endure it "Tugodum." You will have much longer.
