List of factors to consider when buying a computer 2023

When it comes to buying a computer, it’s a confusing process. There are tons of options out there, even if you have a budget. In this article, I try to simplify things by talking about a list of factors to consider when buying a laptop or desktop powered by Windows 10.

List of factors to consider when buying a computer

Keep in mind that your budget is likely to increase by 10% to 20% each time you go to buy a computer. Anyway, the list of main factors is as follows:

Where are you going to use it?
Office vs laptop
Hard drive vs SSD
RAM / memory
Dedicated GPU
Motherboard specifications
Processor / CPU
Keyboard / mouse / touchpad

Remember that you can get a powerful machine at a lower price if you choose a desktop computer rather than a laptop. However, it depends on the nature of your work.

1]Where are you going to use it?

I think this is the first question you need to ask yourself. Do you have to take it every day at the office? Do you need it for your children? Will your family members use it with you? How intense is the nature of your work? If it is high, like games or editing graphic files, or if it is an occasional navigation?

While these are tons of questions, they are the most crucial of all. If it’s occasional browsing, you can get a great PC at a lower price, but still great hardware.

2]Office vs laptop

Here is a rule of thumb, if its more than one or two users, then get a desk, otherwise a laptop should do. While laptops offer portability, too many users can cause improper handling and damage the computer. If you plan to use the computer for long extended delays, then we recommend a desktop computer for ergonomic reasons.

Two other things add to the benefits of owning an office. You can easily improve an installed desk and changing it every few years will cost less. Likewise, if you choose an all-in-one, any repair would involve bringing the entire unit to the service center.

When it comes to laptops, drums, and weight are crucial. Note how long the battery lasts and how quickly it charges. Anything with a USB Type C loading port will recharge quickly. The next line is the weight. If you have to carry it around a lot, buy a light weight.

3]Storage: space vs speed

There are two types of SSD and HDD storage devices. The former is known for its speed, but it is relatively expensive and has a slightly shorter lifespan, while the latter is slower, lasts longer and offers more storage capacity compared to the SSD. Although I talked about how the SSD can improve the performance of the computer, here is how to buy.

To go Hybrid! Get a 256 to 512 GB solid state drive on which you can install Windows and apps. Since the SSD offers better read-write speed, Windows can boot in less than 10 seconds, shutdown even faster, and applications can launch and process much faster than the hard drive.

With SSD, invest in a high storage hard drive, which you can use to store data, create backup, etc. A mixed storage strategy will work best in the long term.

4]RAM / memory

This again depends on the type of apps you are going to use, but make sure you get a minimum of 8 GB DDR4 RAM at least. They are fast and any causal user would need this amount of RAM. In addition, if your motherboard allows it, get several of 4 GB of RAM instead of several of 8 GB.

5]Dedicated GPU

Even if you don’t have intensive GPU work, I highly recommend getting a dedicated GPU card with 4 GB of RAM. It will make sure that if you install a utility that works better on a dedicated GPU, it will help you.

6]Motherboard specifications

The Windows operating system has evolved a lot and now supports Sandbox, which needs virtualization. Also, getting a UEFI-supported motherboard is better than the BIOS.

Apart from these, if you are planning to upgrade your PC, make sure it has expansion slots, an option to add a dedicated GPU, etc.

7]CPU / Processor

Get the latest version; make sure it has more GHz and processor cores. The higher they are, the more they will cost. So, depending on your budget and the market review, get the best you can. Decide all of this with your budget and type of work in mind.

8]Keyboard / mouse / touchpad

When you choose to buy a laptop, you have to live with everything that comes with it. If you plan to use it longer, the form factor and experience of the touchpad matters a lot. So be sure to keep this in mind. A backlit keyboard makes sense!

When it comes to desktop computers, you have a plethora of choices. You can get a decent mechanical keyboard, a mouse that offers a lot of gestures can be a gaming mouse and a keyboard with LEDs and so on.

Although I have tried to cover all aspects, there might be a few hiccups, and if so, let us know in the comments. Although I think this list of factors to consider when buying a computer should be good enough for you to make a decision. Apart from that, be sure to pass peer reviews, ask people on social media and if someone has first hand experience, there is nothing better than that.

Read more: Health problems caused by overuse of smartphones.