How to Buy a Laptop - Ultimate Guide (2024)

Back-to-school season is here! You might need a new laptop, but with all the options out there, it can make your head spin. That’s why we came up with the ultimate guide on how to buy a laptop. Watch along as we give tips on what to look for when purchasing your next laptop.

Check out some laptops you might want to consider:

Budget Friendly Gaming Laptops:

Thin & Light Laptops:

Chromebooks:

Creator Focused Laptops:

High End Gaming Laptops:

MacBooks:

Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group.

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MUSIC CREDIT
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Intro: Laszlo - Supernova

Outro: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High

CHAPTERS
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0:00 Intro
1:22 What do YOU need your laptop for?
2:30 A "faster" laptop isn't necessarily better
4:00 How to choose the right CPU
6:47 What about Snapdragon laptops?
8:10 Budget laptops and Chromebooks
10:12 Upgrade your old laptop
12:34 Laptop display tips
17:00 The all-important trackpad
17:30 Keyboard tips
18:23 Weight and battery
19:15 Nice to haves
20:26 Outro

[DriantX]

I'm 38. Still something in me hurts when I hear "back to school".

[johnathanclayton]

If you have a big family, something we found was helpful was trying to get laptops with compatible chargers. It doesn't always work, and it's a lower priority, but being compatible is nice for just grabbing any cord around.

[JarrodsTech]

3:31 *painful flashback to months of testing*

Haha hope people find it useful 😁

[iuhzgqj]

It's refreshing to see a focus on teaching how to shop smart rather than just listing products.

[akshdesai]

If I wasn’t told this was shot on a phone, I wouldn’t even know

[werlii]

10:24 Usually, Crucial lists if your laptop is eligible for an SSD or RAM upgrade aswell. They typically give information about that for even the most obscure laptops.

[artemisDev]

SORRY YOU MUST BE KIDDING ME. Literally for the first time in my life I felt the need for a laptop and started doing a bit of research today.
I have no words for this timing.

[RILDIGITAL]

It's true that getting the right machine requires more than just looking at specs.

[KarlToastbrot]

Maybe I didn't notice this, but there is no mention of USB-C charging? My laptop for school had a brick and it was a pain to bring it with me all the time. Now I'm using a laptop with USB-C for work and it made my life easier. If you forgot yours, someone will always have one available. The normal charger might still be large, but you can keep it home and get a separate 65W one, which may be a lot smaller and better to travel with. It is definitely more than a "nice to have".

[mangne]

Trying to pick a laptop without knowing laptops is like riding a bike through a minefield but the bike has giant wheels and every mine you hit costs you $600

[steventevoortwis]

"How to Buy a Laptop" - My mind: "maybe just use money"

[WilliamHaisch]

_”Give someone a laptop recommendation and they’ll eat for today.”_
_”Teach someone to eat a laptop and they’ll find their own way home.”_
—Confusedus the Pondered 😂

[Izapertron]

Just upgraded my 11th gen i5 framework to a 8 core ryzen 7 for my degree
Buying a framework was easily the best tech decision I've made for years

[babylion]

I did NOT expect to be told "Shot on iPhone" from Linus of all people. Wow.

[TheLikeys]

13:24 those small pulsating _particles_ as “where to look”indicators are really thoughtful - nice!

[alnair]

Glad Jarrod got a shoutout here. He does amazing work with his reviews, covering pretty much everything you need to know.
You just can't go without him when talking about laptops.

[JumboTrent]

Absolutely love the bit about showing them 'how' to buy and not 'what' to buy. I try to do this whenever I'm asked and both parties have time, but most people don't want to hear it.

[yellingintothewind]

Going to give Framework a mention, since you guys didn't. The price premium up front hurts a bit, but the case is quite solid for a thin and light, the performance with the ryzen chips is great, and the platform longevity _should_ mitigate that price premium. Even if framework doesn't come out with upgrades, the ability to source repair parts and fix what breaks means a reasonably cared for framework _should_ last a decade or so. Oh, and it's the first thin-and-light I've seen in a long time that doesn't cook its own battery under full load. Just note the 16" is supposedly not _quite_ as well polished as the 14".

[minoplaysMC]

Thank you for making a update to this series a WEEK AFTER i bought my laptop love you guys 😂

[thomasmoustakas]

Im not even looking for a laptop, I dont know why I clicked the video but I am glad I did. What an EXCELLENT job guys, really appreciated!