It can be confusing to buy the best laptop for office use. It can be confusing to find the right model, even if you are familiar with all aspects of it. It can be frustrating to navigate the manufacturer’s websites in order to purchase the model you desire.
This guide is intended to help you navigate the maze of modern laptops. Here’s a list of every component that you will need to know when looking for your next computer. We simplify the technical jargon to make it more understandable.
Before you start looking at laptops, it is important to determine which operating system (OS), works best for your needs. You can determine what hardware you require by thinking about the software you use and which operating systems it runs.
There are four main operating systems for computers. Each system has its own strengths and weaknesses. Here is a summary of each:
Windows: Although Windows isn’t getting much press these days, it does the job. If you require Microsoft apps such as MS Office, Access or Outlook, it’s the best option. Windows has more options than any other OS. Check out our top picks for the best laptops, best gaming laptops and best budget laptops to get an idea of some of the options.
MacOS: Apple’s MacOS can be a little easier than Windows but is tightly integrated with Apple’s hardware. If you don’t have an iPhone or iPad, it may not be your first choice. Your options are limited to MacBooks. Check out our guide on how to choose the best MacBook.
Chrome OS: Chrome OS is great if you are able to do most of your laptop tasks through a web browser. Chromebooks, also known as Chromebooks, are among the most affordable (and least powerful!) laptops you will find. This OS is worth looking into if you have a limited budget. Unfortunately, apps such as Adobe’s Creative Suite and Microsoft Office will not run on Chromebooks. While some apps, such as Office, may be compatible with your Android tablet or phone, I have found that Android apps are often not well-supported. Check out our guide to the best Chromebooks.
Linux: Linux can be installed on almost any laptop hardware made. Popular apps such as Adobe’s Creative Suite and MS Office won’t work on Linux. There are open-source alternatives available like LibreOffice, Darktable, Adobe Lightroom replacement, and GIMP (Adobe Photoshop substitute).
Once you have an idea of which operating system you prefer and what software you will be using, you can determine the minimum hardware requirements you’ll require. We recommend starting with the processor. Also known as the chip, or the CPU, this is what we recommend.
There are basically two companies that produce laptop processors: Intel or AMD.
Intel Processors
The Core i3, Core i5, Core i7 and Core i9 are Intel’s core processors. Core i3 is the smallest processor, while Core i9 the most powerful. Because it becomes repetitive, we usually remove the “Core” from the name.
Intel uses cryptic strings made up of numbers and letters to give more information about each chip line. It will make it easier to make informed buying decisions. (Here is Intel’s guide for model naming.
The Intel Core i5-10510U may be the name of the processor that a laptop manufacturer might use to list it.
Let’s take a look at it. The first number (“10”) is the generation. In this instance, it’s a 10-generation chip. The i5-9510U is a chip of the ninth generation, but it’s likely to be one year older.
Performance is measured by the next two to three numbers (“510”). These numbers indicate how powerful the chip is. However, this is only true for the specific chip line. Although slightly faster than the Intel Core i5-10210U and much more powerful than that of the Intel Core i7-10350U, the Intel Core i5-10510U has a lower power than the i5-10210U. The i7 chip has a higher power than the i5, but the difference is larger than that between two chips from the same chip series.
The Intel designation for the purpose of the chip is the letter at the end (U in this example). The letters at the end of the chip name for laptops are Y, U and H. You don’t need to worry about the Y series chips. They are optimized for battery longevity. This is a good option if you are frequently away from the plug for long periods of times. However, it comes at the cost of some performance. H chips are optimized to perform, while U chips are “power efficient”, but not as “extremely efficient” like the Y line.
AMD Processors
The chip naming system for AMD is as hard to understand as Intel’s.
The AMD Ryzen 5 3600X name refers to the generation. Higher numbers are better. While the “3” indicates how old the chip is, the “6” indicates its power. This example would have a “6”, which would mean it is a medium-powered chip. A 3 or 4 would be slower (weaker). The numbers below don’t really have any impact. The end of the number indicates high performance. U is for ultra-low power.
Are there significant differences between AMD and Intel chips? I have tested dozens of them each year and my experience is that it all depends. A Ryzen 5 Ryzen 5 is not easily distinguished from an Intel i5 except for very specific benchmarks. When you browse the internet or edit documents, they are very similar. This is true for both the Intel i7/Ryzen 7, the Intel i3/Ryzen 3.
You’ll also notice a difference in graphics performance. My testing revealed that AMD’s integrated graphic cards performed better than Intel in graphics-intensive tasks such as editing video or playing games. Although the gap has been closed significantly by Intel’s latest series of chips, AMD still holds an advantage. If you are a gamer or video editor, you may be able to benefit from an AMD machine. But what you really want is a dedicated GPU card. (Read more in the GPU section.)
What amount of processing power do you need?
We recommend a laptop with an Intel Core i5 8th-generation processor if you are a typical user who uses a web browser, Microsoft Office Suite and possibly photo editing software. This would look something like “Intel Core i5-8350U.”
An Intel i7 chip is a great upgrade that will make your laptop feel faster if you have the funds. You’ll have to consider your needs and balance the extra power with the shorter battery life. For example, a gaming laptop would require an i7 or i9 chip. However, an i3 and i5 are fine for more demanding tasks.
The AMD Ryzen 5000 series is sufficient for most users, but the Ryzen 7000 is a great upgrade, again at the expense of battery life.
Are You a Power User?
You will need more processing power if you are a programmer, a video editor, or work with large databases. I recommend an Intel i7/Ryzen 7. It’s also important to upgrade your RAM. But, we’ll get to this in a moment.
The Best Processors to Use with Chrome OS Laptops
Lenovo Flex 5
Chrome OS is built around Google Chrome browser. It runs most software in the browser. It doesn’t require powerful Intel chips. At least that’s the theory. Chrome OS performs best with an Intel i3 or AMD Ryzen 4000 chips.
My favorite Chromebook chip set is the AMD Ryzen 4000 series. Here are my top Chromebooks. This series is powerful enough to handle most tasks and has a long battery life. It’s a combination that’s harder to find with Intel-powered Chromebooks.
You can find high-end Chromebooks with Intel i5 and i7 chips. But unless you are really into Chrome OS, you should consider buying a Windows laptop that is more capable.
Intel Celeron series processors may be used in the cheapest Chromebooks. The Celerons are best if you have very limited needs and only use the internet to browse. The Celeron processors won’t work well if you want to install Android apps or run Android apps on your Chromebook.
What about a Graphics card?
Although all laptops technically have graphics cards (also known as “discrete” graphics or GPU), most of them are integrated into the motherboard with their processor. This is called “integrated graphics”, and it’s fine for most users. It will be possible to view HD movies and play casual games with no problem.
A discrete graphics card is a more powerful and dedicated graphics card for gamers or video editors. Nvidia and AMD are the most common brands of graphics cards found in laptops.
The majority of Intel-based laptops will come paired with an Nvidia GeForce graphics card. This is usually one of the Max Q cards. It is Nvidia’s power-efficient and laptop-friendly version of its desktop cards. These cards are typically labeled with their card names and then the Max-Q, such as the GeForce GTX 1080 max-Q. A card with a 2,000-level rating will have a higher power but a shorter battery life. Although Max-Q cards have a lower power than desktop models, they are still powerful enough for video editing and gaming.
AMD’s GPU line, Radeon, is named after the Radeon R9, which is faster than the Radeon R7, and is also more powerful than Radeon 5 series.
How much RAM do you need?
The more, the better! Your laptop’s random-access memory (or RAM) is what it uses to store data while the processor processes it. Consider RAM your desk. Your desk should have enough space for all the items you are working on right now. Things will fall off if your desk is too small and you won’t be able to work on them. The same goes for RAM. If you run out, you will not be able open more tabs in your browser or complete compiling your video. Your laptop will eventually freeze and you’ll need to restart it.
For the average Windows user, eight gigabytes should suffice. However, upgrading to 16GB will increase your laptop’s performance (and be a necessity for gaming). Before you buy RAM, make sure it is properly soldered to your motherboard. It is impossible to upgrade RAM if it has been soldered.
You’ll need 16 GB minimum if you are programming, compiling, or editing video clips. If you have the budget, 32 GB will be more than enough.
Chrome OS is similar to processors in that it requires less. You can get by with 4GB RAM in a Chromebook, but upgrading to 8GB will allow you to open more tabs in Chrome without slowing down.
DDR4 RAM is the best. DDR stands for double data rate. DDR4 RAM can be fast and do what you need. DDR3 RAM is less common and older. DDR4 RAM is the most common type of RAM in laptops. However, manufacturers will list the type next to the amount on their websites, so make sure you check before buying.