Shopping for laptops is hard. It’s many times more complicated than shopping for tablets, which come one-size-fits-all. Laptops are just small computers. Like bigger PCs, two-in-one laptops have a bunch of parts that can be customized before you buy and swapped out later for better ones. When it comes to the basic specs of the PC-buying world, these are the ones you need to know.
Processor (CPU): Computers have multiple processors, but the CPU is your main one. It determines how powerful your machine is. Different CPU manufacturers include Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm, and while they all virtually make the same thing, many PC users have their preferences. As a rule of thumb, a processor with a higher number in the name and a higher price tag is going to be faster than something with smaller numbers.
Graphics (GPU): The GPU is the processor that determines graphics and rendering. If you’re planning on playing video games on your PC, pay attention to this one.
Memory (RAM): Random-access memory, or RAM, is essentially your computer’s short-term recall. Higher RAM helps with buffering and loading times and generally helps you multitask more. For a laptop, eight gigabytes of RAM is serviceable, but 12 and up is really what you should be looking for.
Storage (SSD): Pretty much all modern devices with real storage have a solid-state drive (SSD). The amount determines how much data (how many files, programs, etc.) you will be able to store on your computer. Something like 256 GB is acceptable but low for an SSD. Try aiming for something closer to a terabyte or more.
Operating System (OS): Getting a machine with a default OS that you know how to use is pretty darn important. Most of these options use Windows, but Chromebooks, for example, use ChromeOS. Others may natively run different versions of Windows that may be superior or inferior based on your needs. In case you want a change, you can always download a new operating system, but to be honest it’s a big pain.
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