Startup And Shutdown Are Slow
If your desktop or notebook takes an extraordinary amount of time to boot up or shut down, it could be an indication that your computer is on its last legs. It could also be that too many applications are set to load automatically and run in the background of the operating system whenever you start your computer.
Usually, this type of issue is a starting point to diagnose what is going wrong with the machine. The simple fix might be having fewer programs auto-load in the background when you start the computer.
As for the hardware, try to keep crumbs or other debris from getting inside the computer’s keyboard. Avoid using chemicals or other cleaning materials on a trackpad. Always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for cleaning and maintaining your device.
Pay attention to other system issues too. On Windows, Disk Management can perform advanced storage tasks and free up disk space. On Macs, Disk Utility can repair system errors and partition your drive.
Finally, be cognizant of your battery’s temperature and the threats moisture poses. Both Windows and Mac computers have battery performance tools built into the operating system. You can adjust your system preferences to preserve the battery.
Key takeaway: Signs it’s time for a computer upgrade include out-of-date security, a noisy fan, long application loading times, and increased times for starting and shutting down the machine.
When Not To Buy A New Laptop
As well as there being some great times to buy a laptop, there are also some times of the year when its best to avoid buying a new device if you can help it. They include:
Early summer Early summer months like May and June are often dead months for laptop deals. Most brands will be waiting for the back-to-school season to slash their prices, leading nicely into the holiday build-up. So unless youre desperate, try and hold off buying a new laptop during these months.
Before a sale event If you know a sale event is coming up soon, then dont buy a laptop in the run-up. Firstly it will be frustrating if you pay full price only for the price to be cut just a few days later. For example, if you order a new laptop online, you might find the price has been dropped before your new laptop has even been delivered! Secondly, some brands will put their prices up right before a sale to make their discounts seem even better, so you risk paying more than you would at any other time of year.
When a price tracker shows a price hike Price trackers are a great way of checking that youre getting the deal you think you are. They allow you to see the pricing history of an item to discover if the retailer put the price up right before the sale.
As a result, you may think youre bagging yourself an amazing deal when in reality, the sale price is no different from the price you would have paid a few weeks earlier.
Physically Clean The Laptop
If the vents to your laptop’s fans are caked with dust, hair, and other grime, the internal components can heat up much faster than what’s considered safe. This can force them to work overtime which can take away their primary purpose of;keeping your laptop in tip-top working order.
Cleaning these areas of the laptop can cool down the inside as well as help prevent any hardware from overheating.
Recommended Reading: Can You Connect Airpods To Laptop
A Microsoft Account Will Be Mandatory For Windows 11 Home
Microsoft has ramped up efforts to push users towards a Microsoft account since the release of Windows 8. With Windows 11, a Microsoft account will be required if you upgrade to the Home edition, at least. You’ll also need an Internet connection to set up Windows 11 Home.
Windows 11 Pro won’t require a Microsoft account or an Internet connection, so it’s still possible to install Windows 11 without an account or Internet connection.
Upgrading from a Home to Pro version of Windows is not free, however. Upgrading from Windows 10 Home to Pro is $99. I expect the Windows 11 upgrade will be at least that much.;
What Should You Do When You Get A New Computer
Getting started with a new computer is not as simple as turning it on it has to be configured with the settings you need to succeed. Follow these four steps before settling down to work with your new computer or laptop:
Key takeaway: When you get new computers for your business, install the necessary software and security tools, transfer old files, and customize the settings before distributing them to your employees.
You May Like: How Can I Show My Phone Screen On My Laptop
Check That Keyboard And Touchpad
The most impressive specs in the world don’t mean diddly if the laptop you’re shopping for doesn’t have good ergonomics. If you plan to do a lot of work on your computer, make sure the keyboard offers solid tactile feedback, plenty of key travel and enough space between the keys. If you’re buying a Windows laptop, be sure it has Precision touchpad drivers.;
Look for an accurate touchpad that doesn’t give you a jumpy cursor and responds consistently to multitouch gestures such as pinch-to-zoom. If you’re buying a business laptop, consider getting one with a pointing stick between the G and H keys so you can navigate around the desktop without lifting your fingers off the keyboard’s home row.
Buy Best Laptops On Emi
Finding the best laptop that serves you right with perfect features and specifications may fall heavy on your pocket. To ensure you get the best and most reliable laptop from the best brands, Bajaj Finserv EMI Network offers you to buy laptops on EMI. You can use your EMI Network Card to avail instant financing at any of our partner stores across 1,900+ cities in India. Heres how you can:
I accept the T & C
Terms and Conditions
You May Like: How To Make Space On Hp Laptop
Best Laptop Accessories For College Students
When buying a laptop for school, accessory selection is important. Logically, youll need a backpack, sleeve or carrying case for your laptop to keep it protected on-the-go. For newer Apple laptops, they lack USB-A ports so youll need to purchase a USB-C to USB-A adapter. If you need more than 1 USB-A port, a USB hub would be very helpful for you.
If youre looking to hook up your laptop to external monitors, a docking station is a great call, which also gives you the added benefit of additional USB ports, and who doesnt want that? Some stock charger cables are very short, so you should possibly consider getting an extension cable. If you want to draw on your 2-in-1, youll need a stylus. Extra chargers never hurt either, keep one in your dorm and one in your backpack and youre always set!
The Answer Is Simple For Most People
ByAnyron Copeman, Senior Staff Writer| 22 Jul 2021
Since Windows 10 first launched in 2015, theres never really been a bad time to buy a new laptop or PC.
Its worth timing your purchase to coincide with a sales event like Black Friday and watching out for new models around the corner, but you probably wont regret it at any time of the year.
However, the announcement of Windows 11 muddies the waters. Microsofts new desktop OS brings about significant visual and functionality changes to the Windows experience, and its something most of the 1.3bn+ Windows 10 users will want to take advantage of. But is there any value in buying a new PC running the soon-to-be-outdated software right now? Heres what you need to know.
You May Like: How To Change Your Keyboard Color On Msi Laptop
The Computer Has Multitasking Issues
If your computer has difficulty running two or more applications simultaneously, it might be time for a new machine. When you can’t jump quickly between open applications, it’s a signal that your computer is reaching the end. A similar issue might arise when you are switching between open tabs in a web browser.
Typically, the culprit here is insufficient RAM, especially if there are multiple memory-hogging applications in use. If a computer was once only used for web browsing but now needs to be used for editing spreadsheets or more intense programming tasks such as web design, photo editing or graphics work you may need a more robust machine.
Choosing A Processor An Os And More
Speed matters. Processors with multiple cores can process more data simultaneously, with four cores now increasingly common on laptops. Our ratings say how many cores a laptop’s processor has.
Clock speed, measured in gigahertz , along with the number of cores and other factors, determines how quickly a processor can process information. Many processors can up the speed a bit for a brief time to yield maximum performance. Generally, within a processor family, the higher the clock speed, the faster the processor. Clock speeds typically start at around 1 GHz for a mobile processor. Speeds can exceed 5 GHz for a desktop processor.
Power ConsumptionAnother important factor when choosing a processor, especially for laptops: Lower power consumption equals longer battery life.
If you’re looking for a very basic or budget computer to browse the web, email, and work on Office documents, basically every processor on the market should be sufficient.
If you plan to watch high-resolution videos or play mainstream games, the Intel Core i5 and AMD Ryzen 5 line of processors should be your starting point.
How Much Memory?The more memory a computer has, the faster it is, up to a point. Memory is measured in gigabytes . On both desktops and laptops 8GB has become common, with 16GB or more found on higher-end devices. Unless you regularly have multiple large apps open at the same time, 8GB should be your target.
Read Also: Can Airpods Connect To Hp Laptop
Everything You Need To Find A Laptop Youll Love
In this guide we cover the most important things to consider before buying a new laptop, along with all the information you need to make sure your new laptop does exactly what you want it to do.
If you still have questions or want to see the latest features and tech for yourself, why not call into your nearest store and speak to one of our colleagues, who will happily help you find the perfect laptop.
CONTENTS:
Which Screen Size Will Work For Me
If you want a perfect mix between portability and visibility, a laptop with a 14 screen is ideal. Smaller screens, such as 11.6 and 10.6, are even easier to carry around but may be too small if you spend a lot of time typing documents or looking at spread sheets.
Laptops with 15.6 screens are the most common and are great if youre spending more time working at a desk than on the go.
The largest screen size available today is 17.3. While laptops with this screen size can be difficult to carry around, they offer the clearest view of your content and are great for multimedia.
Read Also: Can You Connect Airpods To Laptop
Cable Connecters Or Go Wireless
Those USB, power-cable and monitor connections youve become used to? Mostly gone.
The new industry standard for connecting power-drawing accessories is the smaller USB-C. It can be used for anything. The downside is that you may;need an adapter to plug in older devices or accessories.
You can get a hub starting at around $20. And many peripherals dont require plugging in at all. Since your last computer purchase, your keyboard, mouse and printer have gone wireless, often via Bluetooth.
Three Of The Best Laptops
Only the very best laptops from our tough lab tests achieve Best Buy status. Here are three models that impressed enough to make the grade, with one MacBook, one Windows and one Chromebook to get you started.
Ready to shop right now? Browse all thebest laptopsfrom our tests or answerthree;quick questions to find the best;laptop;for you.;
You May Like: How To Connect Airpods To My Laptop
Best Laptops For College Students
As a student, youre probably a little more budget-minded after having dropped an untold amount of money on textbooks. For college students, you should consider your classes and what kind of performance you need out of your computer. If youre a liberal arts major, you may not need as powerful a laptop as a web design major who uses GPU-intensive apps such as the Adobe Creative Cloud, a music major composing multilayered tracks in Apple Logic Pro X, or a video game developer running 3D modeling software.
Other college majors that require power-intensive laptops include anything data-analysis heavy, including business, sociology, data science and engineering. Adequate RAM is essential for these disciplines and you should aim for at least 16GB. Check if you can upgrade RAM before you buy, since you can do this later, too. SSD storage should be your second priority, followed by an adequate CPU. The more you can afford, the better. Particularly if you plan on running Spotify, YouTube, your messenger app and everything else at once, you need a laptop that can handle the workload.
Art majors or people who really enjoy more traditional notetaking could stand to benefit from a 2-in-1 writing things down can help you remember the material. Its also great to save on overall backpack weight rather than carrying around a tablet and a laptop to every class if youre someone who likes to use both.
What Is A Usb Port
USB ports let you connect your laptop to a number of different accessories and devices including your external mouse, printer, camera and mobile phone.
USB-C is a new type of USB port. It is smaller and has no right way up, so cables and devices can be plugged in first time, every time. USB-C is backwards compatible with older USB ports too, although youll need an adapter to connect devices with USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports.
USB 3.1 is a variety of USB-C, which features the fastest data-transfer speeds ever from a USB port. Although currently not that common, USB 3.1 is worth looking for if you regularly transfer large files between your laptop and other devices, such as uncompressed images or external storage.
Also Check: Can You Connect Airpods To Laptop
How Powerful Does My Laptop Need To Be
In short: If you need a laptop for light use and note taking, look for Intel Pentium or Intel Core i3 and at least 4GB of Ram for a great experience. Go for Intel Core i5 and i7 and AMD Ryzen 5 and 7 and at least 8GB of Ram if youre a heavy user. Look for dedicated graphics from Nvidia and AMD if you want to game.
This really matters if youre planning on using a laptop for photo or video editing, or are an otherwise very heavy user, opening lots of programs and browser tabs.
When looking at laptop processors, youll see two main specifications beyond the product name: clock speed and number of cores.
Think of clock speed as the speed limit on a road and the number of cores as the number of lanes. As on a road, depending on traffic conditions the tasks being done on your computer ;a road might see a greater benefit from more lanes or a higher speed limit.
In the simplest way possible, more of both is better, and each of our reviews will describe what sort of tasks a laptop is good for.
Think of Ram like a desk and your hard drive like a filing cabinet. You pull files out of the cabinet and it takes a while, but once theyre on your desk, you can reach for them instantly. The same is true of Ram; once you have loaded a file from the hard drive, its now in the Ram and can be accessed almost instantaneously.