Laptop Pc Ram Size And Performance Explained
RAM is also referred to as system memory. It is a computer part which temporarily carries software and files in current use. It enables the processor to access data much faster in comparison to accessing data on storage devices such as a hard drive or solid state drive . HDDs and SSDs hold software and files in a more permanent way, until a user uninstalls or deletes them. Software and files in RAM are loaded from these storage devices and are removed from RAM when an application is closed or operating system is shut down.
The most important positive effect of having a larger RAM size in a laptop or other kind of computer is its greater multi-tasking potential. Said differently, a greater capability to run more programs simultaneously without slowing down overall computing speed or crashing the operating system. In this article we will explain how many Gigabytes of RAM you actually need and how does its size and other characteristics affect laptops performance.
Common Laptop RAM Sizes
Todays laptops usually have two RAM slots. Some small and budget models have with only one or no slots. The laptops with no RAM slots have system memory soldered onto the motherboard. On the other side, select gaming and mobile workstation notebooks have four. Its also possible to find a laptop with soldered RAM combined with a RAM slot for expansion.
How Much RAM You Need in Laptop with Windows?
| Software |
| 3.70 |
*Values in the table are approximate.
RAM and Laptops Performance
Laptop Pc Display Specs Explained
In this article, we will explain the most important specs of laptop PC displays.
Laptop PC Display Sizes
Size of a notebook PC display is one of the most significant computing experience factors. Bigger screens are obviously more comfortable for everyday work, multimedia, and gaming. But, a bigger display means the device carrying it is heavier and bulkier. It also means a greater power consumption, since larger screens require more power. The most popular mobile PC form factor nowadays is the 15.6-inch laptop. It provides a great balance of size and portability for the vast majority of home and office users. Laptops with larger 17.3-inch display diagonals, known as desktop replacement notebooks, arent meant to be carried around much. Theres an even larger laptop display sizes but models with it are quite rare.
For folks who travel frequently or take their laptops from home to workplace and vice versa on daily basis, there are smaller models with 14, 13.3, 12.5, and 11.6 diagonals. Laptop PCs with even smaller 10.1 displays available on the market are mostly affordable 2-in-1 laptop / tablet hybrids with detachable screens. Some mobile computers, such as the popular Microsoft Surface series, have unique screen sizes which arent used by other PC vendors. For instance, the Surface Pro 6 2-in-1 PC has a 12.3 screen diagonal, while on the Surface Laptop 2 its 13.5.
Display Aspect Ratio
Screen Resolution
Viewing Angles
Touch Input Support
Tips On Choosing The Correct Laptop Size
There are two or three key factors that will determine the correct screen size for the laptop you plan to buy. These include the purpose you are buying the laptop for, the usage pattern, whether you will be carrying it around often, and so on.
Here are some useful tips on choosing the size of a laptop:
- If you are a college student and you need to carry the laptop to the classroom and back, a 13.3-inch size or even less than that should be ideal.
- If youre going to use the laptop at home to check emails, create documents or spreadsheets occasionally, then the 14-inch or 15.6-inch will be the ideal size.
- If the laptop is to play high-end games with all sorts of accessories connected to it, then a 17.3-inch screen will be your ideal choice.
- The factors to be borne in mind are that as you choose a laptop with a smaller screen size you may have to make some compromises. The laptop may not have space for many components or ports.
You May Like: How To Get Your Phone Screen On Your Computer
Solid State Hybrid Drives
If you want higher performance than a traditional hard drive but don’t want to sacrifice storage capacity, a solid state hybrid drive is another option. Some companies are referring to these as just hybrid hard drives.
Solid state hybrid drives include a small amount of solid state memory on a mechanical hard drive that is used to cache frequently used files. They do help speed up tasks such as booting up a laptop but they aren’t always faster. In fact, this form of drive is best used when a limited number of applications are used on a frequent basis.
Resolution And Screen Type
Today, all the best screens are still LCD monitors that use LED technology for a slim product that saves energy while providing ideal backlighting. Weve been waiting years for OLED technology to make the transition to PC monitors, it is finally beginning thanks to brands like LG, but the technology is still relatively rare.
One aspect of PC monitors that you do need to consider, though, is resolution. While 1080p was once the gold standard, today, its just the baseline. If youre happy to spend a little more, there are a few other options worth considering, especially if you want to improve screen space or gaming visuals. Resolution isnt the be-all and end-all of monitor features, though. In fact, too much resolution on too small of a screen can often be annoying because it shrinks all images down and forces you to enlarge everything to easily read it.
While the above are the most common resolutions youll find on monitors, some fall into more niche categories. The best ultrawide monitors offer unique aspect ratios and resolutions with broad horizontal pixel counts, but less on the vertical dimension.
Read Also: How To Share Phone Screen To Computer
Most Common Laptop Sizes How Large Is My Laptop Screen
10-inch laptops
10-inch laptops are generally the most portable and lightweight laptops on the market today.
As they usually weigh less than a kilogram, most 10-inch laptops are great for commutes, travel, and on-the-go work.
TheMicrosoft Surface Go 2 has one of the smallest screen sizes on the market, measuring just 10.5 inches. Thanks to its ultra-light design and 10-hour battery life, and high-res touchscreen display, the Surface Go 2 is a solid contender for the best portable laptop.
11 to 12-inch laptops
11 to 12-inch laptops are also lightweight, weighing about 2.5 to 3.5 kilos. Theyre also great for use while on the go, but functionalities are generally limited to editing documents, browsing the web, and watching videos.
However, some 12-inch laptops can keep up with heavier work such as photo and video editing.
The HP Chromebook 11is a travel-friendly laptop with long battery life and versatile functionalities for gaming, connectivity, and work. Its integrated with Google Chrome and Android apps for seamless productivity.
13 to 14-inch laptops
Most 13 to 14-inch laptops already come with powerful hardware to accompany their sufficient screen size. These usually weigh about 4 pounds.
While not particularly the most portable size, 13 to 14-inch laptops are comfortable enough to carry in your bag for commutes.
These are the best-sized laptops if you do a hybrid of fieldwork and on-site work.
15-inch laptops
17 to 18-inch laptops
Write Down Your Measurement
When youve successfully measured the size of your screen, write it down so you dont forget it. If youve measured in inches, you wont need to do any converting.But if you have measured in any other unit, it would be best if you would convert the unit to inches.You might be wondering why is that necessary?Its a standard in the screen industry to label screen sizes in inches unit. Whether it is a laptop screen, desktop computer screen, or even a television the unit will be inches.
You May Like: Shutdown Laptop With Keyboard
Pick A Platform: Windows 10 Vs Mac Vs Chrome Os
This is not an easy question to answer, especially if you’re not familiar with both Macs and PCs. But this quick overview of each platforms strengths and weaknesses should help.
Most laptops come with one of three operating systems: Windows, Chrome OS or MacOS . Choosing the right one is a personal preference, but here’s a quick summary of what each offers.
Windows 10
The most flexible operating system, Windows 10, runs on more laptop models than Chrome OS or MacOS. Windows notebooks range in price from under $150 to several thousand dollars and offer a wide array of features from touch screens to fingerprint readers to dual graphics chips. Windows 10, the latest version of Microsoft’s flagship operating system, provides a number of improvements over Windows 7 and 8, including the ability to switch between tablet and desktop modes, a revamped Start menu with Live Tiles and the Cortana digital assistant.
Since its launch in July 2015, Windows 10 has also added a host of improvements, including the ability to use follow-up questions with Cortana, search your email using natural language and use your stylus to scribble almost anywhere. Windows 10 laptops are great for students, researchers and business users, and they’re the only machines gamers should consider.
Apple macOS
MORE: MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: What Should You Buy?
Chrome OS
MORE: Best Chromebooks Available Now
How Do I Determine My Laptop Size
There are four ways to find out your laptops size. The first way is by simply measuring it yourself if you happen to have a tape measure handy. The second easiest way is by asking Windows 10.
If you have Windows 10, open the Search panel in the taskbar and type Display. Click on the Display Settings and click Advanced Display Settings. Youll see the display specs listed, including the size.
A third option is by checking the manufacturers site. Once youre on the manufacturers website, look for your model, and check its specs. Heres how to find out the model of your laptop.
The fourth way is by flipping the laptop over. Not always, but sometimes there may be a sticker on the bottom of the laptop thatll give you information about your laptops specifications that includes its physical dimensions .
Don’t Miss: Where Can I Sell My Hp Laptop
How To Know Which Laptop Case Or Bag To Buy
The best way to buy a laptop case or a bag for your laptop is to search for the products specially made for your laptop model.
For example, if you own a MacBook Pro, that would help you find specific laptop bags and cases for your laptop.
However, you will also need to know the approximate year of your laptops made , and you will need to know the screen size too.
If your laptop isnt very popular or doesnt come from a big manufacturer, it might be a bit harder for you to find specially made products for your laptop.
But that doesnt mean you wont be able to find suitable laptop cases or bags.
You will only need to spend a bit of extra time to find laptop cases and bags that match the size of your screen.
At the same time, pay attention to the body thickness too. And keep in mind that some cases specially made for exact laptop models might not work on other laptops.
Most of the time, quality manufacturers will give more details and information on the size
Some Common Screen Sizes
With all of this screen size measuring, you may be wondering what the most common sizes of laptop screens are. Here are some popular examples:
- 15.6 inches
- 17 inches
As a general guide, laptop screens start at around 11 inches at the smallest end and go up to around 17 inches at the larger end. Therefore, you have quite a choice here. If you are buying a new laptop, decide on the screen size that you want first. You are going to pay more for a larger screen.
Don’t Miss: Refurbished Laptops Means
Whats The Best Laptop Size All Around
The best laptop size depends on you. If youre a hardcore gamer or work in graphic design, youll need a large screen. Users that participate in either of these activities love 15-inch laptops because while they provide an immersive enough viewing area. Theyre also manageable enough to go wherever you need to go.
Once again, the most beloved laptop size for business professionals is 13- to 14-inch notebooks. These are primarily going to be Ultrabooks, which feature along with a svelte and lightweight chassis, fast wake times from sleep mode and other laptop features beneficial to a business environment, like TPM security.
On the other hand, if you dont need your laptop to be that mobile. And you desire a larger screen real estate for an epically immersive viewing experience. DTRs have screen sizes that start at 17.3-inches and can range up to 24-inches. And as the category name suggests, these laptops are perfect for the kind of portability from their personal computer a bulky desktop just cant offer.
Generally, the most sought-after size in the market is 15.6 inches. But that doesnt mean its the best one all around. The worlds smallest laptops are a picayune 10- to 11-inches. These are mostly Chromebooks and theyre perfect starter laptops for kids.
Average Laptop Size In Inches
The size of the laptop is usually the size of the display screen, though the actual dimensions of the laptop could be different. The universal practice is to mention the laptop screen size in inches only.
So, if you consider a 13.3-inch laptop, the average measurements on the outside will read 11.3-inches on the length and 7.1-inches in depth. The average thickness would be less than an inch in these laptops and when you open the laptop, it could go to a height of around 8-inches from the surface.
The same measurements for a 14.1-inch laptop will be 12inches and 8.4inches respectively. Please remember that the display screen size is measured diagonally and you may find 13.3-inch and 14.1-inch laptops with the same length. The depth may vary. These sizes can also vary with each brand and each model. These are the average sizes.
Recommended Reading: Watchfioslive
The Best Monitors You Can Buy
For those who want more than that, though, there are plenty of sizes to choose from. Monitors that stretch 27 inches diagonally are increasingly popular, and there are plenty of options beyond 30 inches that are affordable. If you want to go extreme, weve even tried some great computer monitors that get close to 50 inches, like Samsungs CHG90.
While youll need to sit well back from those, theres no denying that they look amazing. They give you the same screen as multiple smaller monitors without a bezel dividing them down the middle. They tend to be rather expensive, though, and if you go really wide, youll struggle to find media that can display at close to its native resolution, leaving the picture to either look stretched or surrounded by black.
Anywhere between 24 and 30 inches is going to be perfectly fine for most users. They let you make the most of modern resolutions and color clarity, and they also fit a couple of different web pages open at the same time without needing to use two monitors, which is handy for many professionals. They dont tend to be too expensive at that size, either, unless you opt for the top-end models.
Ports And Connections Are Important To Get Right
There are several different ways to connect a laptop to an external display, and the technologies have moved in and out of favor over time. You want to make sure that whatever monitor you buy will connect to your laptop. I’ll walk you through the different types of ports here, including DisplayPort, Mini DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI, VGA and USB-C.
Most modern monitors will come with at least an HDMI port on the back.
If your laptop has an HDMI port that looks like this, you’ll only need a regular HDMI cable. Note: new monitors often don’t come with HDMI cables. So buy one.
If you have an older laptop you may see a blue or black VGA port, which connects to the left side of the adapter in the picture below. That won’t support a full 1080p resolution on its own, so you’ll need an adapter like this VGA to HDMI cable for your monitor:
Some laptops particularly gaming rigs have a DisplayPort input, which is marked with a little rectangle with two lines on each side of it, and connects to an input that looks like the picture below. You can order a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter here.
Some laptops, such as Microsoft Surface computers, also have mini DisplayPort plugs, which connect to the left side of the adapter below. This is the adapter you’ll want for that.
Recommended Reading: How Can I Connect My Airpods To My Laptop
Inch Laptop Vs 15 Inch Laptop
When confronted with this choice between a 13-inch laptop and a 15-inch laptop, a large number of users vote for the larger 15-inch laptop. The only ones who believe the 13-inch machine is better of the two are those who stress the portability factor.
The arguments put forth by users who love the 13-inch laptop include its lighter weight and ease of use. When you are sitting in a crowded airport or while traveling by tube, the 13-inch laptop can be comfortably kept on your lap and you can work on it.
The overwhelming opinion in favor of the 15-inch laptop is based on the better specifications, power, and performance of the machine. You can get a better CPU and other components accommodated inside the 15-inch laptop. This group also recommends that you choose a 15-inch laptop that weighs less.