PERFORMANCE
Basically, A laptop performance is based on 5 main pillars.
1. Processor 2. RAM 3. Internal storage 4. Battery 5.Graphics card
Each laptop's specifications are based on different combinations of these 5 aspects. Lets Explain -
Processor
The processors are made primarily by two companies - intel and AMD.
Intel has its Pentium, Celeron and Core i3,i5 & i7 & i9 series (in increasing order of processing power).
AMD has A,FX and Ryzen series of processors(in increasing order of processing power).
RAM
More RAM = Better Multi-tasking
RAM stands for Random Access Memory and is what stores all the open apps,files and games you may be playing
More RAM allows more of them to be running simultaneously.
Typically laptops come with 4,8 or 16GB of RAM.
RAM types
DDR4: Faster,efficient power consumption
DDR3: Older,slower & consumes more power
Buy a laptop with DDR4 RAM as it saves power, improves battery life,and future-proofs your laptop. DDR3 RAMs are cheaper,but there is a good chance that DDR3 may soon be obsolete,and any upgrades or replacement
RAM Upgradability
With time,the applications and operating system you use will be upgrade to newer versions, and would need more RAM. This may cause some slow-down in performance or the system to hang frequently.
This is when upgrading the RAM can keep the laptop usable for longer,especially if you've bought a laptop with just 4GB of RAM.
one more tip- For most users, we recommend 8GB RAM given how much programs use today.However, if you plan on gaming or using heavy software like Photoshop,AutoCAD etc,you should consider at least a 16GB RAM
Internal Storage
This is also referred to as the hard drive size or capacity of lrptop.
Storage on a laptop is where the operating systems(like Windows or Mac OS) are installed. This is also where all the documents,photos,apps,games and movie are stored.
Without sufficient storage,you will not be able to store anything, and it will also impact the speed of performance.
For those ona budget, HDDs are a better option while those into gaming or media editing are best off choosing an SSD
Usually, laptop storage is of 3 types: Hard Disk Drive(HDD),Solid-State Drive (SSD) & Solid-State Hybrid Drive(SSHD)
-----Internal Memory Types-----
Hard Disk Drive(HDD)
A mechanical hard disk drive (often shortened to HDD) is a type of storage which gives you lots of capacity on budget.
A HDD is considered slow because it has moving parts that spin to read data
Solid-State Drive(SSD)
A solid state drive(sometimes called SSD) is a type of drive that is faster,but also more expensive, than HDDs
ssds can start up windows in less than 5 seconds.
programs will run faster if you're using an ssd.
however,all this performance comes at a higher price.
Solid-State Hybrid Drive(SSHD)
sshd is a combination of the hdd and the ssd, which means you not only get large storage space, but everything loads faster too.
example: an sshd unit could have a 128gb ssd paired with a 500gb 0r 1tb hdd.
the operating system(os) would be installed on the ssd along with other programs while the hdd part is used for storing documents,movies atc. this means that your os and programs start up faster.
Battery
Bigger Battery = More hours of usage (& also heavier laptop
The battery is what keeps your laptop running when it isn't plugged into the power outlet.
Usually measured in watt-hour (WHr). More WHr = More battery life.
Bigger batteries usually mean heavier laptops.
Things like screen brightness,wi-fi and bluetooth connectivity, type of processor and even the load on your CPU will impact battery life.
Gaming video playback, heavy editing etc can all speed up battery drain noticeably.
Graphic Card
A graphic card is a dedicated chip inside your laptop,responsible for the quality of visuals you see on your screen.
Just like RAM the more the GBs in your graphics card, the smoother your games will run, even in Full HD or 4K resolution.
Photo and video editing software like Photoshop,design software like AutoCAD,and of course most modern games require a dedicated graphics card to function smoothly.
Integrated vs Dedicated
Intergrated
Integrated graphics card are present on most laptops and are suited to let you watch movies or do very light photo-editing.
Usually intel & AMD processors contain an integrated graphics chip which is sufficient for everyday needs.
Dedicated
Dedicated graphics cards are required for heavy gaming,photo & video editing as they are more powerful than integrated graphics card.
Nvidia and AMD are 2 popular companies making dedicated graphics cards.
unless you plan to use the laptop for heavy gaming,an integrated graphics should serve your purpose.