Our Guide to Buying a Windows Notebook

If you need to get work done on-the-go, then a desktop PC, and even a tablet, won’t cut it in terms of functionality and ease of use. That’s why we recommend purchasing a Windows Notebook, which is slim, fast, powerful (and portable!) and can help you work, surf the web, and stay secure anywhere.

But what should you look for when you start considering your next tech purchase? Below are our guidelines to buying a Windows Notebook this season:

Determining Your Needs

The key to buying any piece of hardware and using is successfully is understanding what you need it for before you buy it. That way you can choose hardware that will deliver the graphics, speed, or processing power that you need to get things done.

For example, if you’re an avid gamer who lives for Steam Humble Bundle sales, then you may want to avoid purchasing a Notebook which has been designed with graphic design and media creation in mind. Alternatively, if you’re just looking for a portable way to surf the web, respond to emails, and work in Excel, then you don’t need to over-spend on a super-fast machine with a lot of memory.

For School

If you’re looking for a Notebook for your child or teen to use at school, then don’t stress too much about getting something powerful and long-lasting. We don’t recommend spending more than $500 on your Windows Notebook, since all they need is a cheap, light option to take back and forth with them to school.

Working & Productivity

If you want to use your laptop to check your email, store files, and manage your business or work, then you don’t need to take much into consideration. We recommend looking for a Core i5, or a Core i3 PC, and focusing instead on battery life – your laptop should last a minimum of 6-7 hours without being plugged in (that way you can work on flights and while travelling without worry).

Gaming & Multimedia

If you’re going to be using your Notebook for gaming, then your main focus should be on ensuring that your Notebook has the best display possible, so you’re going to be looking for the most powerful NVIDA graphics card you can source out, and should look specifically for Core i7 or even Core i6 processors.

You may also want to increase your RAM or storage at some point in the future, so make sure to check the chassis to make sure that you can upgrade it as technology changes and better options for hardware become available.

Our Recommendations

Used Toshiba Z40-08Q i5 Laptop
Used Toshiba Z50-090 i7 Laptop
Used Toshiba Z50-01X

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