Like everything else in technology, laptops are undergoing a rather dramatic evolution across a variety of performance fronts. For instance, they are becoming thinner and more stylistic. They are also becoming more powerful and more commonly fitted with high-resolution cameras.
That said, many upgrades might seem whimsical if they come with an exaggerated price. Whether an upgrade is something that you will need depends primarily on whether you can determine that it fits your particular work needs. Considering the following purchase tips will help you get a laptop that will potentially increase the amount of profit you make from your indie work or the amount of fun you get from gaming.
Generally speaking, you will want to find a laptop with the following features to ensure premium computing experience.
The following features will provide you with either a professional-grade computer or a niche computer that allows you to accomplish specific types of work.
Phones are often visible right up to the edge of the casing. In the laptop industry, this type of broad visibility is called gem cut. For graphic designers or anyone in the new gig economy, this type of feature is an improvement over older screens that have the style and design of a bulky picture frame.
First, the style is more modern. However, functionally speaking, any screen that is gem cut offers research-supported increased productivity. For instance, as any creative person will tell you, an inspirational environment will boost productivity and the ability to tap into that creativity. A laptop with this type of screen increases the aesthetics of the creative work environment, making a new trend of minimally invasive laptop bodies something that is worth the extra cost of you making your living doing design work.
Moreover, 17-inch screens that are common in a lot of laptops will come in handy for design work or video production. However, with the advent of e-sports, a larger screen or a standard screen with a larger viewing area easily brings a competitive advantage. If you have the opportunity to find a laptop with a substantially increased viewing area, you can justify the extra costs as it can also make watching hi-definition videos all that more enjoyable. If you can find a laptop that offers a 17-inch screen along with being gem cut, you can actually enjoy a viewing experience that is close to 18 inches.
When it comes to spending extra money, one of the most worthwhile trends is the one involving powerful graphics cards. For instance, more laptops are currently using high-powered cards from the Nvidia RTX series. These graphics cards chew through 4K and 8K video and power some of the most resource-starved games for virtual reality.
Similarly, these types of graphics cards make for a shorter production day when it comes to editing video or doing any type of work involving 3D models. Finally, these graphics cards enable gamers to either enjoy hi-resolution game experiences or compete in e-sports while enjoying the texture settings tipped over into the red.
The growing availability of 5G internet access pretty much demands that laptops be able to take advantage of it. Consequently, new laptops without 5G are pretty much non-existent. Moreover, the trend toward faster connectivity does not come at a premium price because 5G connectivity is quickly becoming the standard. As such, whenever you are shopping for a new laptop, ensure it features 5G support. If it does not, it is an older model that will soon be obsolete.
A growing number of laptops are being built with a kill switch. These types of switches actually disable wireless connections that a hacker can use to take over a camera or microphone.
Additionally, popular security measures include facial recognition. Laptops equipped with this feature have the ability to recognize the primary user and grant access. For shared laptops, authorized users can ensure only those people authorized and recognized by the AI facial recognition will be able to access confidential information. As such, this feature is perfect for anyone wanting to protect creative, personal, or proprietary data.
If you are shopping for a new laptop, one of the best security upgrades you will want in your laptop is a suite of pre-packaged security software. In the past, pre-packaged software has included web browsers or games, which have all been hated to one degree or another. However, malware protection that proactively scans the computer for signs of intrusions can help protect novices and professionals alike from malware or ransomware.
Many laptop companies are pursuing something known as lag-free computing, which diminishes or eliminates the lag between the pressing of a key and the completion of the desired action. Additionally, it helps eliminate incoming data freezes, which are common in games played over the internet.
This trend is one of the most budget-worthy trends, and it is accomplished by mixing and matching powerful CPUs, GPUs, and memory. For instance, if you are shopping for a laptop and want continuous play capability, you need to ensure your laptop is equipped with the latest i7 CPU matched with either a new GPU or even an older GTX graphics card. Doing so will ensure minimal lag as long as the laptop's RAM peaks out at 16GB or more.
Similarly, a newer RTX graphics card along with 16GB of RAM can be the supporting combination for a mid-level i5 CPU. In this second scenario, a laptop will often have a lower price point even though the overall performance for most users will be perceived as top tier.
Overall, the strategic balance of hardware components for a lag-free performance is as desirable as having a large viewing area or a seriously powerful GPU.
For so-called gig workers, battery life can be instrumental to a productive day in that many workers often park themselves outside on a bench or inside at a communal desk. For those that work from their vehicle or camper, extra battery life is instrumental to getting work done between trips to a plugin.
Finally, battery life largely depends on modern CPUs and graphics cards because upgraded components achieve higher performance on less electricity. As components become more efficient, batteries are achieving run times of 14 hours or more. Of course, this lifetime varies according to use, but even a professional gamer can expect seven hours or more on a single charge.
For many employees doing creative work, laptops are being fitted to achieve such things as graphic design or game development. These types of laptops are available in a wide array of technical configurations, but the primary component often consists of 16GB to 32GB of RAM. High amounts of RAM enable a laptop to operate many pieces of software at the same time. In addition to RAM, design computers usually should have a decent GTX or RTX graphics card.
Moreover, as many people develop games for VR, many of the laptops are designed to be VR ready right out of the box. This readiness involves the laptop being equipped with three to five USB ports and one to two HDMI ports.
Although it is not necessarily always a functional feature, an illuminated keyboard or laptop can provide critical light during gameplay in dark environments. This type of LED upgrade helps when the adrenaline surges and fingers might get lost in the action. However, whether you are a hardcore gamer or just an enthusiastic trigger puller, this type of upgrade always looks awesome, making it a fun upgrade no matter what.
The trend for greater privacy is worth every sawbuck. HP and other manufacturers are fitting their laptops with a privacy filter that basically ensures light is emitted only at the person directly in front of the monitor.
This ensures that people cannot sit off to the side of the laptop and watch the screen. Although this type of upgrade is not necessarily the best for entertainment purposes that might justify a wide-angle viewing screen, the trend for greater privacy is a godsend for creatives working in public environments.
For many people who run a YouTube channel or aspire to be a passive-income influencer, having a high-quality camera is not a perk. Instead, it is a standard feature. Consequently, the slow trend toward higher-resolution cameras offering 1,920 x 1,080 video quality is important for people making tutorials. Although cameras of 1,280 x 720 pixels are considered high definition, they do not provide the quality that a more powerful camera offers.
Premium sound is a must for high-quality gaming. Additionally, you should look for surround sound or 3D sound, which can improve game performance. When it comes to music, you should look for a laptop that offers either 5.1 Dolby or TrueHarmony. Other sound enhancements should include a responsive microphone, which can detect and accurately record your voice from across a mid-size room.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional consultation or advice related to your health or finances. No reference to an identifiable individual or company is intended as an endorsement thereof. Some or all of this article may have been generated using artificial intelligence, and it may contain certain inaccuracies or unreliable information. Readers should not rely on this article for information and should consult with professionals for personal advice.