Buying guides
Buy the right laptop the first time
Spec sheets are written to confuse you. These guides aren’t. Start with the one that sounds most like you.
Student Laptops
Battery life, weight and a budget that survives freshers week.
Business Laptops
Keyboards, security, ports and three-year warranties.
Gaming Laptops
GPUs, refresh rates, thermals and why weight matters.
How Much RAM & Storage?
How much memory and SSD space you actually need in 2026.
Windows vs macOS vs ChromeOS
Which operating system suits how you actually work.
The 60-second version
- RAM: 8GB is the minimum for Windows 11; 16GB is the sweet spot for most people in 2026. Chromebooks cope with less.
- Storage: always an SSD. 256GB if you live in the cloud, 512GB for most people, 1TB+ for games and video.
- Screen: Full HD (1920×1080) or better. Avoid 1366×768 “HD” panels unless the price is tiny.
- Processor: any recent Intel Core Ultra / Core i5, AMD Ryzen 5, Apple M-series or Snapdragon X is plenty for everyday use.
- Weight: under 1.5kg if it leaves the house daily. Gaming laptops are often 2–2.5kg plus a brick-sized charger.
- Check the exact model code at the retailer: the same laptop name is sold in many configurations.
Every laptop on this site shows a typical configuration. Retailers often sell several versions with different chips, memory and storage, so always check the spec on the listing before you buy.