With so many options available, choosing the new laptop can be difficult. Certainly the best way to find the right laptop is to go to a nearby electronics store and test them live with your own hands and eyes.
How to know which is the most reliable notebook manufacturer, so to buy a device that lasts at least 3 years without breaking "> How to choose the new Notebook
The factors that I recommend to judge before buying a new laptop are:
1) Screen size
You can buy a PC with a screen of different sizes, from 10 "or even less to 18" or more.
The size of the screen is important: a small screen can be difficult to read, but it is lighter and easier to carry, a large screen is more bulky and large, it can have less battery life, but it looks much better.
The ideal screen size is around 15 inches, so as to achieve a good compromise between weight and visibility; larger screens are only good for playing (and it's not always the right choice), smaller screens only make sense if we don't need a lot of power but we focus everything on lightness.
The screen resolution is no longer tied to the size as it once was: small laptops with a very high screen resolution can now be found.
The minimum recommended is 1024x768, but we can also find FullHD screens that look very good (although at first it may seem small, we will get used to it soon).
2) Keyboard
On most laptops the numeric keypad is missing which can be superfluous unless you are used to working with it; in this case there are USB numeric keypads to be connected to take advantage of this part of the missing keyboard on laptops for obvious reasons of space (it is integrated on the buttons present, in order to use it you need combinations that are difficult to use quickly).
3) Weight
A 1 or 2 kg difference between different models can make a big difference when you carry your laptop bag every day.
The latest generation laptops weigh all around 3 kg (the times of the mega notebooks of 5 or 6 kg are over!) And, for the ultralight models, the weight starts from less than 2 kg.
A light notebook can be carried anywhere without getting tired, but it may not be very powerful; a slightly heavier notebook will be bulky but will offer comparable power to a mid-range desktop PC, so it all depends on our needs.
4) Optical drive
The optical drive (DVD burner) seems to have run its course, even if it is still present in a multitude of models due to the installation discs of the programs.
Instead of an internal DVD drive it is possible to place an additional hard disk or an SSD, so as to speed up or get more space on the laptop; if we still need to read or burn an optical disc it is better to point to an external DVD burner that can be connected via USB only when necessary.
5) Processor and video card
In a laptop the choice of a powerful processor is a must; even if it doesn't make much difference if you only use your PC to check e-mail, surf the Internet and write documents, the processor ensures that you can watch HD movies and open heavy programs without difficulty.
Let's make sure that the processor has at least four cores, whether they are physical or recognized as logical (i.e. a dual-core CPU with HT system to double the computing capacity) and a minimum frequency of 2 GHz, so as to run at the great any program or any web page.
The same can be said for the video card, but since laptops are rarely suitable for playing, even the latest generation of integrated video cards are fine.
6) Hard disk and RAM
The minimum amount of RAM recommended on laptops is 8GB, enough to open the operating system and all the main programs, without fear of major slowdowns.
Hard drives mounted on laptops always have a large capacity (minimum 500 GB), so there shouldn't be any big space problems, but you should consider the idea of placing a nice SSD right away (better if it's already included), which guarantees high read and write performance, plus it allows the notebook to turn off and on in seconds.
Our advice is to buy one with a traditional hard disk and then add the SSD instead of the DVD player by paying for the intervention at the computer store.
7) Touchscreen screen
Many notebooks with Windows 10 also have a touchscreen.
Although it may seem like a nice idea that gives a new feeling and that makes a lot of scene, in the end it raises the price and it may not be very practical, since we will still use the touchpad or mouse for most of the operations.
8) Other components
Other requirements that may be important are the USB 3.0 ports (at least 3), the HDMI port to connect the laptop to the TV, support for Bluetooth technology, the front webcam, the various microphone and headphone jacks, the support for a docking station and the removable screen (which turns the laptop into a tablet).
Sites where you can see some laptops and get opinions and comments
1) Amazon, the most obvious choice, in Italian, to find those for sale in Italy and full of comments, good and bad.
2) Newegg a popular site in English with reviews that are often more technical in nature.
3) Test Freaks ideal for researching how computers are rated on sites such as Amazon, CNET, Best Buy and others (in Italian)
4) HWUpgrade Forum the best Italian site to ask and find comments on the various portable models.
What is the best brand of laptops?
Every laptop can break, but some manufacturers have a better reputation than others.
The study taken into consideration is from 2012 by SquareTrade which examined the breaking frequency of laptops in three years and found that Asus PCs break less than HP laptops.
With HP, there is a one in four chance that the laptop will break in three years while for Asus the percentage drops to 15%.
The reliability ranking, from best to worst, is as follows:
Asus: 15.6%
Toshiba: 15.7%
Sony: 16.8%
Apple: 17.4%
Dell: 18.3%
Lenovo: 21.5%
Acer: 23.3%
HP: 25.6%
According to this study, which will not be the Bible but is always a starting point and a respectable point of view, Apple is less reliable than Asus, Toshiba and Sony which may be a surprise for many.
Related to the reliability ranking is that of technical support .
If you plan to keep a computer for several years, it is important to know what type of support is offered to the customer and what happens if that laptop breaks down or has defects.
I personally hate having to deal with customer support and ideally would prefer to sell a laptop before the warranty expires so I can sell it well and buy a new one.
If instead you want a computer that has good assistance behind it, then, according to another study by Consumer Reports, you should buy an Apple computer or a Lenovo or Asus if you want a Windows PC.
The ranking, from best to worst, is:
Apple: 86
Lenovo: 63
Asus: 62
Dell: 60
Toshiba: 59
HP: 58
Acer: 51
Sony: Not available
Statistics, however, are not to be taken at face value; in the end, each manufacturer put on the market at least one very reliable portable jewel, flanked by models that are much poorer in terms of reliability.
It also depends on how much you spend and it is clear, for example, that a 2000 Euro Apple computer will tend to be better in terms of reliability than an Asus 500 PC (see also: Comparison of Windows PC vs Mac: which computer is better to buy? ).
Best and reliable notebooks: buying guide
After seeing which are the most reliable manufacturers, let's take a look at the best models that can be purchased for each manufacturer, so as to choose only the best of each.
The products will respect the requirements shown to the letter and the reliability ranking shown above.
Keep in mind that Toshiba and Sony no longer produce laptops, so they won't be listed.
1) Asus VivoBook N580VD-DM160T - Pro N15
The best Asus notebook we can buy is the Asus VivoBook N580VD-DM160T - Pro N15, which has an Intel Core i7-7700HQ octa-core 2.8 GHz processor, 128 GB SSD and 1000 GB HDD, 16 GB of RAM, 15.6-inch FullHD screen, aluminum body, nVidia GeForce MX 1050 and Windows 10 pre-installed.
We can view this model from here -> Asus VivoBook N580VD-DM160T - Pro N15 (€ 957).
2) Apple MacBook Air
The best Apple laptop is definitely the MacBook Air, really light and elegant but with a soul powerful enough to do anything.
The Apple MacBook Air features an Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM, 128 GB SSD, Dual Band WiFi, 13.3-inch screen with Retina resolution and updated MacOS XZ operating system.
We can view this model from here -> Apple MacBook Air (€ 878).
3) DELL XPS 9560
One of the best laptops around is definitely the DELL XPS 9560, which has a 15.6 "Full HD screen, i7-7700HQ 2.8GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) i7-7700HQ processor, 8GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, GeForce GTX 1050 4GB and Windows 10 operating system.
We can view this model from here -> DELL XPS 9560 (1245 €).
4) Lenovo 520S-14IKBR
A good brand that can combine quality and price is Lenovo, also thanks to the 520S-14IKBR model which boasts an Intel Core I5-8250U processor, 8 GB RAM, 1TB HDD, 128 GB PCie SSD, Nvidia 940MX Graphics Card. 14-inch FullHD screen and Windows 10 Home.
We can view this model from here -> Lenovo 520S-14IKBR (739 €).
5) Acer Swift 3
Acer has always been a good manufacturer of mid-range laptops, as in the case of the Acer Swift 3, which has a 14 "FHD screen, Intel Core i5-7200U, 8 GB DDR4 RAM, 256 GB Intel PCIe SSD and Windows 10.
We can view this model from here -> Acer Swift 3 (€ 719).
6) HP Pavilion 15-ck003nl
HP is not at the top of the charts in terms of reliability, but still offers good products such as the Pavilion 15-ck003nl, which has a 15.6 "HD Display, Intel i7-8550U processor, 1 TB SATA HDD, 12 GB RAM, GeForce 940MX and Windows 10 as the operating system.
We can view this model from here -> HP Pavilion 15-ck003nl (899 €).
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