In fact, you can find laptops as cheap as $250 if you don't mind using Google's ChromeOS. Of course, if you want a Windows laptop that will last, something $500 or more is still your best bet.
That leaves the problem of how do you pick from the hundreds of choices available. What's the difference between Core i5 and Core i7? Why is a $1,000 laptop better than a $500 laptop? Does battery life really matter? What's the best brand?
I'm going to answer these questions and more to help you find the $500+ laptop that perfect for you. Let's get started.
Software
Before I talk about laptop hardware, let's take a second to talk about software, specifically Windows. You can still find a few laptops with Windows 7, but the vast majority of laptops will have Windows 8.1If you haven't used Windows 8.1 yet, then you're in for a bit of a learning curve, and for some people it's not easy. In fact, I know several people who hate Windows 8 with a passion and have gone out and bought another computer just to have Windows 7 again.
If your need for a laptop isn't urgent, you might want to wait until later this summer to buy one. Windows 10, which fixes Windows 8's major problems and adds some great new features, is supposed to arrive at the end of July. Also, if you wait until later in the summer, you can take advantage of back-to-school sales, which usually gives good discounts on laptop prices.
For those who need a laptop now, though, go ahead. Windows 10 is going to be a free upgrade for Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 users. So you won't be stuck with Windows 8.1 for long if you don't like it.
You can also sidestep the issue and get a Mac. However, that comes with its own costs and learning curve if you're used to Windows.
Brand
One question I get asked regularly is what brand of laptop is best. Everyone has their own stories of laptop brands that failed them, or that they've used forever with no problems.However, according to various studies, the consistently best laptops for reliability and repair are Apple, Dell, ASUS and Lenovo. Apple is my personal favorite, but ASUS generally has the best reliability-to-cost figure. Dell's reliability figures are actually not as good as the others, but its customer service and repair policies are better than anyone else.
At the other end, Acer, Gateway and HP laptops tend to have the highest failure rate at 22% to 26%. That doesn't mean you can't happily use one of these, but you'll run a higher risk of needing to return it.
Want to know more? Click here for a full Tip talking about laptop reliability.
Once you have the operating system and general brand sorted out, there are only a few main points to consider with the hardware. Really, for basic, or even intermediate, computing any laptop is going to work fine, so it comes down to how much you're willing to pay in certain areas.
Processor
At prices above $500, your main processors are going to be the Intel Core i5 and Core i7. You'll also encounter AMD processors, but those aren't as efficient or powerful.If you're using the laptop for basic to intermediate tasks, such as Web browsing, email, watching videos, playing casual or older games, or light photo and video editing, then the Core i5 is plenty. The Core i7 is more useful if you're going to be doing hardcore gaming, or serious photo or video editing.
When you're looking at the processor number, you want it to be either a 4,000 or 5,000 number as those are the latest. If there's a "U" at the end, it means it's a mobile processor and has the best performance vs. energy efficiency, which means better battery life. If there's any other letter after the number, or there is no number, then it's a desktop processor. That means it could be faster, but your battery life might suffer.
RAM
Any laptop about $500 is going to have 4 gigabytes of RAM minimum. You might consider going up to 8GB or 16GB if you're doing a lot of multitasking or video editing.HDD vs. SDD
Most laptops now ship with 500GB or 1 terabyte conventional hard drives. That's fine if you want a lot of storage space, but if you don't mind paying a bit more, say in the $700 range, you should consider a solid-state drive.I got into more details on the benefits of HDD vs. SSD here, but the basics are that SSDs are faster, lighter, more reliable and use less energy. The negatives are that you won't get as much storage (128GB to 256GB is the norm) and it will cost you more.
However, prices on SSDs are dropping and people don't use as much storage space on a laptop as they think. That could be worth it to have your computer start up in less than 20 seconds and load programs in a snap. Plus, you can always grab an external hard drive if you need more space.
Graphics
Both Core i5 and i7 processors have a built-in graphics system, either Intel HD or Intel Iris. Iris is better, but it uses up your battery quicker. Either is strong enough for anything up to mid-level computer games, such as watching videos.However, if you're doing high-end gaming, you want a discrete graphics card from Nvidia or AMD. Nvidia's products are the GeForce GTX series, and the 980M is the best. AMD has the Radeon R series, with the R9 being the best.
Some laptops also have SLI or Crossfire version that have dual graphics cards working together. However, for these you'll be paying well over $1,000, so it isn't for most people.
Screen size/resolution
Laptop screen sizes range widely from 11.6 inches up to 17 inches. The larger they are, the more money you'll pay.Smaller screens make sense for frequent travelers, but they can be harder to work on for extended periods. A 15.6-inch screen is standard if you're looking at a home laptop. For gaming or video editing, something larger than 15.6 inches is popular.
You also have to pay attention to resolution. A laptop in the $700 range might have a large screen with a low resolution, say a 15.6-inch screen with a 1366 x 768 resolution. A $1,200 laptop could have a 15.6-inch screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080.
Again, if you're doing photo or video editing, the higher resolution is great to have. For everyday use it's nice, but not essential. However, if you're looking at two similar laptops and one is way more expensive, that could be one of the reasons.
Weight
Another big factor in price is weight; lighter laptops are going to cost more. If you're always leaving your laptop sitting on a desk, this doesn't matter.If you're traveling, however, pay attention to the weight. Even a pound can make a difference if you're lugging around a laptop bag all day, especially when you include accessories.
Battery life
Like weight, good battery life can drive up the cost; less expensive laptops tend to have smaller batteries. If you aren't traveling much, then battery life really doesn't make a difference. Any laptop over $500 is going to last five hours or more.However, if you need a lot of battery life, you'll want to look at a more expensive laptop. A smaller screen would also be better as it draws less power to run.
Connections
Definitely take stock of what you use on your current laptop and make sure you have the connections you want. The Apple MacBook starting at $1,299, for example, is super light but comes with a single USB port. If you want to plug in more than one thing at a time, you need an adapter, which is crazy for a laptop that expensive and that got it some well-earned criticism.Since you're buying a new laptop, be sure to grab one with USB 3.0. That will help it be more compatible with newer and faster gadgets coming out.
You might also want an HDMI port so you can connect the laptop up to a TV or external monitor if you want. A DVI or DisplayPort connector can work, too, for a monitor.
When it comes to Wi-Fi, 802.11ac is ideal, but if you want to save some money getting a laptop with the older 802.11n, that's OK.
Conclusion
With hundreds of laptops out there, it's hard to recommend one that's a "must-buy." It's going to depend on your needs and budget.Be sure to shop around to see what's available and what fits with your lifestyle. However, don't worry yourself to death in the decision.
As I said, just about any laptop over $500 will do 95% of what you want, no problem. So, just figure out what that extra 5% is and you'll be happy with your purchase.
