Laptop Buying Guide: Don’t Make These Mistakes

Hello guys, are you are also wondering what to look for when buying a laptop? Check out our laptop buying guide! We’ll show you how to find the perfect laptop, whether you’re a student, coder, programmer, office worker, editor, gamer, or casual user. All the steps you need to follow before buying are in one place. This article might be a little long because I will try to cover all things to consider before buying a laptop, so stay tuned.

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Set a Budget before selecting a laptop

The first and most important thing you must do is to set a budget. You can get a laptop for 15000, or you can get one for 2 lakhs. Set a budget according to your needs. Many laptops from different low-standard companies cost around Rs. 9000 to 10000. You should never purchase those laptops because they are like use-and-throw laptops. They don’t give you a good performance. They lag even in playing a video and forget about gaming. A laptop costing around Rs. 25,000 to 30,000 is ideal for everyday use. Refurbished laptops from trusted companies can cost around Rs. 15,000 to 18,000. Around Rs. 40,000, you can get a laptop that can do almost any task except high-end gaming and video editing. For high-end gaming and video editing, set your budget above Rs. 60,000. The more budget you set, the more sweet output you will get.

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Check the Build quality

One of the key factors to consider when following a laptop buying guide is the size and weight of the laptop. Normal laptops are typically lightweight and have a sleek, compact design. On the other hand, gaming laptops are heavier due to their powerful components and cooling technology. If a laptop is advertised as a “slim gaming laptop,” it will likely be underpowered and not worth its price. You have to pay more for a slim laptop, and the performance isn’t that good. Sleek laptops are good to carry but generally don’t have many components inside them. For example, Many don’t even have fans for cooling as they don’t have a powerful processor for heating issues. You can go for a sleek laptop if you want normal usage, but if you are going for a gaming laptop, you should not go for a sleek one.

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Major Specs to consider

What are the main features of a laptop? These are the 4 major Specs to consider while buying a laptop:

CPU (Processor)

Mainly two companies manufacture CPUs for laptops, Intel and AMD. You can go for any one of them. AMD CPUs had certain heating issues; however, with the newly released processors, they worked on it and tried to overcome it in some parts. For now, you can choose Intel to be on the safe side, but AMD is also a decent option. Both of them are excellent and function well on laptops.

Go for the latest generation of processors for the best performance. Intel’s i3, i5, i7, and i9 are all great options depending on your budget. So if you have two options in your budget, either take the i5 10th gen or the i3 12th gen; choose the i3 12th generation over the i5 10th generation. If both are of the same 12th generation, go for the i5.

It’s also important to research the different versions of Intel processors, like the U series, P series, and H series. U series are low-power and are more suitable for normal laptops. High-power CPUs are better for desktops because they have better power supplies. So google these things before buying one laptop.

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RAM

If you’re looking for a laptop, your basic options are 4GB, 8GB, 12GB, and 16GB of RAM. There is a high ram in high-budget laptops. You should get as much RAM as possible if you want to do heavy tasks and gaming or editing. 8GB is a sweet spot and good for normal usage of laptops. In comparison, you can go for 4GB in a very low-budget laptop but don’t expect too much, as apps nowadays require much more RAM to work properly.

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Storage

Regarding storage, there are two main options: HDD(Hard Disk Drive) and SSD (Solid State Drive). HDDs are typically found in standard laptops and are slower than SSDs. SSDs are faster but more expensive and can be found in expensive laptops. An HDD will do the job for a budget laptop, but you should opt for an SSD if you have a higher budget. For the ultimate speed and performance, you can go for an M.2 SSD but be prepared to pay a premium price for those laptops.

Try to get at least 1 TB of storage. Go for at least 512 GB of storage if your budget is extremely tight.

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GPU

You’ll get an integrated Intel graphics card if you’re looking for a budget laptop. This is great for normal use, but if you want gaming or high-end editing, you’ll need to invest in a laptop with a dedicated graphics card. Both AMD and Nvidia graphics cards are good choices, but the more you spend, the better the card you can get. For the best performance, go for an Nvidia RTX series, the latest cards for ray tracing and DLSS support. You can also go for AMD but choose the latest version. Currently, Nvidia outperforms AMD graphics cards, but that doesn’t mean AMD is bad. You can review our other article about Nvidia GPUs vs AMD GPUs for a more detailed comparison. If you have a budget of over 60000, look for a GPU with at least 4GB of VRAM.

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Resolution

Screen resolution varies depending on the laptop size. 13-inch laptops can usually manage 1366×768 resolution, while 14-inch and above should go for Full HD 1920×1080 resolution. Bigger screen size doesn’t always mean a bigger budget, but a higher resolution does. Gaming laptops usually do not provide 4K video due to its effects on FPS because most of their graphics power will be consumed in running a 4k quality video. However, many laptops do support 4K. They are ideal for image/video editing and watching high-quality videos and images.

It will help if you also keep the screen refresh rate in mind. Getting at least 120 Hz screen refresh rates in laptops is recommended for gaming.

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Upgradability

Try to purchase a laptop with upgradeable features, such as adding RAM or eventually upgrading the storage. Check the upgradability options available if you are spending more than 40,000. Even in lower-priced models, you may be able to find one with these features – if so, that’s great! Otherwise, go for a normal laptop.

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Battery

When buying a laptop, ensure the battery is good and can provide at least 3.5-5 hours of backup. The mAh rating can be deceiving, so read reviews before purchasing.

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Minute things to consider:

These are some minute things people don’t notice while purchasing a laptop and make mistakes.

Pre-installed windows

Sadly, some laptops still don’t have windows pre-installed. Always go for a laptop with pre-installed and genuine windows, not a cracked one. Even if you are getting a refurbished laptop, you should get one with pre-installed genuine windows. It doesn’t matter if you have to run a different operating system.

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Webcam

Generally, laptops don’t provide a great webcam experience. It’s best to get a laptop with a decent-quality webcam.

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Connecting Ports and Keyboard Backlight

Check the ports available in the laptop because some laptops have very few ports to connect other devices to your laptop. To avoid issues while working in the dark, see if your laptop keyboard has a backlight.

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Wifi card

To get the most out of your laptop, make sure it supports 5GHz signals. Invest in a laptop with the latest wifi card that can handle 5GHz signals. Without this, your laptop won’t be able to pick up 5GHz wifi signals.

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Buying a laptop Online vs Store

Try in person to check the offers and to find a good spot to purchase online or offline. Check the big e-commerce websites. Find the offers and research the best time to buy a laptop in India. Visit big stores to purchase a laptop; they will let you try it in person. You can check everything personally. Compare prices online and in-store, then purchase from the cheapest option available.

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Laptop Buying Guide PDF

Many times, people wonder, “I want to buy a laptop next week or next month,” and they read a guide on google like this one. But when they reach the store, they become flabbergasted by the options available and then again wonder, “what should I look for when buying a laptop?”

So, I am attaching a laptop buying guide PDF file here. It is in table form. You can download it as a quick laptop purchasing guide for your reference.

Here is the list of some top laptop companies:

• Apple
• Dell
• HP
• Lenovo
• Asus
• MSI
• Acer
• Xiaomi

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Guys, there are always some exceptions. Apple Macbook is good for office use, work, editing, etc. But it is not that good for gaming. That doesn’t mean that it is a weak laptop. In fact, it is the most reliable laptop for many things. So don’t get confused by the stylish look of a gaming laptop. Read our guide about gaming laptops vs normal laptops and then choose the right one according to your needs.

So, these are the few common things you should keep in mind. When following a laptop buying guide, read customer reviews and consider your preferences before making a final decision. Regarding a laptop purchase, it’s important to research and know what you’re looking for. Weigh your options, and ensure you get what you need. Good luck!

Still finding it difficult to select one laptop? Here are our handpicked lists of gaming laptops that you can choose from:

• Best Gaming Laptops Under 70000