Buying a new laptop is one of the most important processes today especially for us designers. We buy them for work, personal, entertainment and not for pleasure reasons. But although cost can obviously be a determining factor and we are usually on the lookout for the best deal, we shouldn't sacrifice functionality and efficiency for the price.
Over time, we may regret our decision due to lack of space, slowness, lack of CD / DVD, connectivity or compatibility problems, etc.
This article aims to review the most important features today to make this purchase, especially for 1st-semester students who are looking for the equipment of their dreams to realize their dreams.
1. Hard disk (solid-state SSD 120GB + HD 500GB minimum)
(Solid State Drive) is one of the most desirable features of new equipment. It is much faster in reading and processing, which translates to extremely fast computer startup (even with new operating systems), applications also respond better, consume much less energy, which gives more life to the computer battery and they generate much less heat than traditional hard drives. The only downside could be the storage space they offer but in my personal experience, I use the SSD to install the operating system and software that I only need. For the storage of files, photos, videos, etc. I use another hard disk of greater capacity or I combine it with the storage in the cloud.
2. Keyboard with light (optional?)
It is not really a "requirement" we can live without it but again for us designers who are used to living at night and the light from a spotlight can annoy our partner, our roommate, our parents or simply because we are fascinated by being in the dark This feature can solve some of the problems already mentioned and we will not have to guess which key we are pressing if we lack light.
3. Monitor size and resolution (15 ′ to 16 ′ HD resolution)
Look for monitors that can support an HD resolution (1280 × 720) or more. The resolution of the monitor is very important. Know that we can see and that it cannot be a determining factor in terms of the workspace. The interfaces of specialized design software generally have many panels, tools, menus and features that on a low-resolution screen could saturate and make difficult its use. Another important feature, the size in inches, personally when I bought my equipment I got carried away by a BIG 17-inch monitor and I'm not complaining about it, the problem comes from wanting to transport it. At least here in Mexico, it has been hard for me to find a backpack to transport it, most of the backpacks are maximum of 16 inches and believe me,
4. Intel i7 processor (desirable)
For the demand of the softwares and the same files that we handle, I recommend at least an Intel i5 preferably an i7 of the 5th generation onwards. The processor is the heart of the laptop, it is what moves data from one place to another and keeps the circulation of the operating system running. Having a slow processor is like having an old or defective heart, when you want to run fatigue it is immediately noticeable. Specifically in design careers, having a good processor is the key to making our equipment last longer before having to replace it or buy new equipment.
5. 8GB Ram memory (minimum)
RAM is another important aspect of speed but it works differently than the processor. It supports much more in the graphic processes while the processor is in charge of the mathematical processing. Here my recommendation is to go for a laptop with recommended 8GB RAM. Why? because it is cheaper. Nowadays increasing the RAM memory of a computer has become much cheaper and expanding it is very simple. Buying from the factory a laptop with a lot of RAM is more expensive than doing it on your own and does not require a specialized technician to do it, just buy the right model. The only thing that we should take into account when buying the equipment is to what extent that memory can be expanded since they all have a limit, the recommended is up to 16GB and the desirable up to 32GB.
6. Weight
The weight of a team is one of the characteristics that most forget or do not consider. We must think that it is a partition that we will carry sometimes all day and transporting it either in our backpacks, bags or hands can become a determining factor, especially with prolonged use. Related to this point but that could be a separate point is comfort. If they have the opportunity to test the equipment, the keyboard and the response of the track or touchpad could also be a factor for their purchase.
7. Antivirus
Computer equipment is an investment and protecting it from the start is the best they can do. Here I am going to emphasize that you invest in a “LEGAL” antivirus, to have all the support and guarantee of the professional support that you will obtain. My personal recommendation is ESET NOD 32 either in its Antivirus or Internet Security version. It is very efficient and does not encourage teamwork, very safe and complete. Additionally, some versions of the software include an anti-theft system that in my personal experience helped me recover a computer days after it was stolen.
What do you think, are there more points to consider when buying equipment that we have not taken into account? I invite you to leave your comments and write your recommendations. or if you're looking for the laptop for different purposes like programming, designing, graphics or any other heavy work I suggest you to check our 10 best laptops under $1000 reviews.
