Regardless of your occupation, computers play a serious role in each of our work activities. Ideally, to kill two birds with one stone, desktops offer increased customization at a lower price point, when compared to laptops. However, desktops aren’t portable, and unless you are working from home, they will prove to be rather useless, since they cannot be moved to and back from work easily. This is where laptops come in with their shining characteristic of portability.
We all have different needs, preferences, and are given dozens of different brands to choose from, as such, it becomes immensely more difficult to make a successful choice. Writers, for instance, require no more than a sturdy and reliable keyboard for their jobs. That is not the case for graphic designers, who will require more advanced, upscale specs. With that said, here is your guide to choosing the perfect laptop to fit your working needs.
Size
One of the first things you should look to think about is the size of your laptop. This should be determined by your preference, budget, and work. Note that size is usually indicative of the specs powering the machine. Besides, large sizes are preferred by artists and designers, as well as multitaskers and gamers.
Although it seems reasonable to always opt for the bigger sized machine, it is strongly recommended that you first consider the utility of the laptop and how much it weighs. Look for a laptop that matches your needs and maximizes productivity. When considering the size of the laptop, you should keep the portability in mind. Next comes the ease of use, in terms of keyboards or display, since larger models offer more immersive experiences.
Form Factor
After having decided on the ideal size to best suit your needs, you will then need to choose a form factor. There are numerous different form factors, each of which can be used to maximize efficiency. The traditional laptop will work for most, if not all, jobs. However, if you are an artist, designer, architect, etc., perhaps a touchscreen can give you the edge you need to advance and get ahead.
Manufacturers today have also created an abundance of 2-in-1’s, which is typically a laptop that can be folded into a tablet. The 2-in-1’s can be great for when you would like to unplug and kick back while enjoying a video before getting back to work. From a professional standpoint, these machines can help take your skills and efficiency to a whole new level, making your work move seamlessly and almost effortlessly.
Keyboard
Many people tend to overlook what type of keyboard their money is getting them, which is almost always ill-advised. If a keyboard breaks down, or even if just one key stops working, your entire workflow will suffer, and everything will take ten times longer than they used to. This is critical for writers, especially since a faulty keyboard can only do so much at a time. As explained in this useful guide, you need to consider some factors to enjoy the typing experience. First, the keyboard should feel great for typing, second, the design is well-thought-out, and third, it is reliable and powerful enough to provide optimal performance.
Touchpad
The mobility of laptops and their convenience are both unrivaled, in that laptops do not need accessories, such as a mouse. Instead, laptops have a touchpad, with the option of connecting an external device, such as a wireless or wired mouse.
Depending on whether or not you want to use a touchpad, you have to make sure to carry out extensive research. Many of the touchpads you will find may be better suited for a specific audience, while others simply offer a very poor touchpad experience. Plenty of touchpads do not respond well to gestures and movement, so do not just rely on reviews and instead look to test the available different touchpads until you find one that works well for you.
Performance & Graphics
When it comes to the performance of your machine, you should always make sure that your laptop features at least a 4 GB RAM. However, that is only if your job does not require heavy-duty operations, since 4 GB may not hold up otherwise. If you work in design or will be focused on video-editing, you will need an 8 GB RAM. The processor makes up the other half of your machine’s performance, so make sure to pay it at least some thought so that it may fit your needs. Aim for no less than an Intel i3 processor, which can easily cope with traditional, day to day work. However, as your job requires more, you will require a more powerful processor, such as an i5, i7, among others.
All in all, when you are looking to pick and purchase the perfect laptop for your work, you must take your time when making all these various considerations, to not commit a mistake you might regret. And remember to pay the most consideration to the two most important things, keyboard, and size. When you find your keyboard, everything else will work out perfectly.
