How do I choose a laptop?

Laptop specifications are presented in an order that suits marketing rather than experience. Processor generation gets the headline, but for ordinary use — browsing, documents, video calls, media — memory, storage type, screen quality and battery life determine whether a machine is pleasant to use.

Step by step

1. Write down what you'll actually do with it, honestly.Browsing, email and documents need very little. Video editing, gaming, large datasets and software development need specific things — and they're different things.
2. Set the storage requirement: SSD, always, and at least 512GB unless you know you need less.A mechanical hard drive in a new laptop in the 2020s is a false economy. 256GB fills up faster than people expect.
3. Set the memory: 16GB for most people, 8GB only for genuinely light use.Memory is often soldered and non-upgradeable now, so this is a permanent decision made at purchase.
4. Judge the screen properly — resolution, brightness and panel type.You look at it constantly. A dim, low-resolution screen makes an otherwise good machine unpleasant. Aim for at least 1920×1080 and 300 nits.
5. Check real battery life from reviews, not the manufacturer's claim.Manufacturer figures come from idealised tests. Independent reviews measure something closer to reality.
6. Consider weight if it will actually be carried.The difference between 1.2kg and 2kg is very noticeable daily, and almost invisible in a specification list.
7. Check the ports against what you own.A machine with two USB-C ports and nothing else means a dock. That's fine if you know in advance.
8. Only then compare processors, and only within your use case.For light use, almost any current processor is sufficient. For heavy work, the specific chip matters — but by then you know what you need it for.
9. Check repairability and how long the manufacturer supports it.A replaceable battery and available parts add years of useful life.

Tips

• Type on it before buying if you can. Keyboard feel and trackpad quality are entirely subjective and completely determine how the machine feels.
• Last year's premium model is usually better value than this year's budget one, and often better built.
• Beware of very cheap laptops with eMMC storage rather than an SSD — they're markedly slower and often can't be upgraded.
• If you have a specific demanding application, check its own published requirements rather than generalising.

Common mistakes

• Choosing on processor alone — For most uses, memory, storage and screen affect the experience far more.
• Buying 8GB of soldered RAM to save money — It can't be upgraded later and it's the most likely thing to make the machine feel old.
• Ignoring the screen — It's the component you interact with continuously, and a poor one can't be fixed.
• Trusting the manufacturer's battery figure — It's measured under conditions nobody uses a laptop in.

Questions people ask