How to Choose the Right Laptop for Your Needs
Specs can be confusing. We break down what actually matters so you don't overpay for power you don't need.
Quick Recommendations
- Student/Office: Air-style ultrabook, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD.
- Creator: MacBook Pro or XPS, 32GB RAM, Color-accurate screen.
- Gamer: RTX 4060 minimum, High refresh rate screen.
The Processors War: Intel, AMD, or ARM?
In 2026, the lines have blurred. ARM chips (like Apple's M-series and Snapdragon X Elite) offer unbeatable battery life and are plenty powerful for 90% of users. x86 chips from Intel and AMD still reign supreme for raw gaming performance and legacy compatibility. If you need battery life, go ARM. If you need brute force, go x86.
RAM: 8GB is dead
Do not buy a laptop with 8GB of RAM. Just don't. OS overhead and electron apps eat memory for breakfast. 16GB is the new minimum for a comfortable experience. 32GB is the sweet spot for peace of mind, especially if you dabble in video editing or keep 50 tabs open.
Screen Quality Matters More Than You Think
You stare at the screen all day. Don't cheap out here. Look for at least 400 nits of brightness. If you can afford it, OLED or Mini-LED panels offer vastly superior contrast that makes movies and games pop. And once you try a 120Hz refresh rate, you can never go back to 60Hz.