Whether you're buying your first laptop or replacing your old one, there are lots of factors to consider in order to pick the right model for you. The intimidating number of products available on the market, each of them with hundreds of features and specs, often makes it difficult to find the best laptop for your needs.
This guide will help you choose and buy the best laptop in 2021 by showing you the most important features to look into and the questions you should ask yourself before making a purchase.
Start with the basics
If you want to find the best laptop in what looks like a haystack of microchips, the first question you need to answer is what your needs actually are. Most people only use their laptops for tasks such as browsing the Internet, sending emails, and watching TV shows and movies.
If that's the case, the good news is that almost all new laptops on the market will do what you need them to. At the same time, it's difficult to discern between models and features. Should you get expensive and desirable, or cheap and cheerful?
A good all-around laptop that you can use for work applications such as presentations and spreadsheets while also having no problems watching on-demand services such as Netflix typically starts about $500.
If you're looking for a laptop that allows you to play video games or edit photos and videos without a hitch, you should expect to pay over $1,000. As with most things in life, the more you spend the better quality and experience you will get, so it's up to you to determine whether that experience matters.
Consider what specs you need
Once you have decided what you're going to use the laptop for, it's time to look at specs. The most important specifications to look for include:
- CPU — a fast CPU allows your computer to process different tasks and programs without slowdowns or any lag. It's a good idea to invest in a computer that comes with at least an i5 processor or equivalent.
- RAM — this is another component that helps users enjoy a lag-free experience. Unlike in the case of other components, you can add extra sticks of RAM to many laptops.
- GPU — the graphics processing unit is an important spec to consider if you're interested in gaming. Most laptops have integrated graphics chips attached to the CPU. That's more than enough if you only need the laptop for general purposes. If you're interested in gaming, you need a model with a separate GPU.
Find the best laptop deals for 2021
Once you have decided what type of laptop would be a good choice for you, it's time to look at the best cheap laptop deals currently available online.
You can use websites such as TechRadar.com or TomsGuide.com to browse the latest deals from being online stores such as Best Buy, Walmart, and many others.
Deals websites make it easy to filter through hundreds and thousands of laptops to find one that ticks all your boxes, ranging from budget to specifications.
Most websites that bring you’re the latest best deals on laptops from major sellers also have comprehensive buying guides available, making it easy for you to find the best model from brands such as Lenovo, Asus, Apple, Samsung, Acer, Dell and many more others.
Here are some of the best deals to look out for:
1. Samsung Chromebook 4 11.6-inch Laptop:
$199.99 reduced from $229.99 at Walmart