Whether a working professional or a student, choosing an ideal refurbished laptop that satisfies all your needs is difficult. With several choices in the market, and a new model launching almost every other day, you are bound to get confused.
Here are five important things you should consider before making this big purchase:
1. Operating System
Today, there are three main operating systems (OS) in the market: macOS, Windows, and Chrome OS, so select the right OS that suits your needs. Windows is an affordable OS best suited for students, gamers, and working professionals.
Apple’s macOS is known for providing top security. If you have other Apple products, you can sync with them and create an entire ecosystem for easy accessibility of messages, contacts, apps, and other services.
Chromebooks with Chrome OS have fewer features when compared to macOS and Windows. It is a good choice if your usage is only for internet browsing, assignments, and consuming media.
2. Display and Graphics
Most laptops today come with integrated graphics. This means that the GPU is attached to the motherboard. You will only need a laptop with a dedicated GPU if you do heavy-duty gaming or video editing. Otherwise, basic lightroom or photoshop can be operated on laptops with Intel and AMD GPU.
Another thing to consider is the display. Today, you can get laptops with screens as huge as 17-inches to as small as 11-inches. Explore the options, and select the one that fits your liking. The screen resolution also plays a vital role. Invest in a laptop with at least 1920×1080 resolution. The higher the resolution, the crispier the screen gets.
3. Storage Capacity
More storage gives the second hand laptop access to better background performance. Ensure the storage capacity aligns with your needs so that you can seamlessly save files.
4. CPU and RAM
Intel and AMD’s Ryzen CPUs are among the most popular ones today. If you are thinking of an Intel processor, go for the latest 11th generation chipsets with the performance increase from Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, and Core i9, according to your performance needs.
The AMD Ryzen 4000 and 5000 series are the newest versions with the same or better performance and lesser price than Intel Core i5 and i7. For Apple, their latest M2 silicon chip was unveiled in June 2022. It includes an 8-core CPU and supports 9 to 10 GPU cores.
For RAM, a minimum of 8GB is enough to carry gaming and other bulky tasks. If you have the budget, there’s no problem going for 16GB for smoother functioning.
5. Battery Life
Based on your usage, battery life may influence your laptop-buying decision. If you want to use it for a basic purpose like Word processing, an average battery life works. However, if you have heavy media usage like Netflix streaming, you will need a laptop with long-lasting battery life.
Remember that the manufacturer claimed battery backup life is not always accurate. Take the battery life to be around one hour lesser than what they mention.
Make a Wise Choice!
Finding the best laptop that ticks all the boxes for you takes time. Make sure you conduct thorough research before finalising since you would use it in the long run. So, decide accordingly. If you think your needs may grow over the next years, expand your budget so that you gain the benefit of it in the future!
If you cannot afford to expand your budget now, there are several other financing options – one of the most popular ones being a quick loan. Applying for a quick loan online helps you fund miscellaneous buying needs. Claiming this loan digitally from a fintech start-up shortens your processing time while giving you full access to funds anytime you want!
Author bio:
Shikha Ahuja is part of the content marketing team at KreditBee – India’s fastest personal loan platform where professionals can easily avail of personal loans in just a few minutes when in need of quick funds. Shikha writes to create awareness amongst her readers on topics related to loans, personal finance, and budgeting. Being a part of the FinTech industry keeps her on her toes, but she keeps herself grounded through yoga and meditation, and loves to host game nights during the weekends.