What computer to buy? Desktop or Laptop!

In a world as interconnected as today, the computer becomes an indispensable resource for anyone. Either in the workplace or on the idle. But what do you need to know to find the best price quality computer and that also fits what you need? What will be more convenient, a desktop or laptop?

First of all, before knowing what to look for when buying a computer, you should ask yourself what kind of computer do I need? Buying a home computer (for personal use or telecommuting) is not the same as buying a computer for your office.

Decanting to buy a laptop or desktop is not easy. It depends on several factors: budget, utility that you will give, frequency of use, performance …

There are many questions you have to ask yourself to buy a desktop or a laptop. But the first and most important is the following: What do I want it for?

To solve it, we advise you to read this super guide to buy a computer.

Table of Contents

Types of computers and Features

To know the advantages of each type of computer, we propose a series of points to decide on the model and brand that best fit you. Next, we tell you everything you need to know about them: types, features, tips and the best desktops and laptops of 2019.

To answer the question: How to know what computer to buy? It is necessary to know what differences there is between a laptop and a desktop. You should know the advantages and disadvantages of desktop computers and laptops before deciding on one.

Each type has its pros and cons. But who will win in this great war between them? Let’s see it!

Laptops

A prior, laptops are suitable for those who usually travel regularly. In addition, you can work with them for a few hours without having to keep it plugged in and they are very practical to use at any time or place. But they also have some drawbacks that we will now see. Don’t you know what to look for to buy a laptop? We help you discover it.

Pros and Cons

Laptops are very practical if you need to use them quickly, being easily accessible at any time, but at what price? …

Advantages of a laptop

Mobility: The enormous advantage of the laptop against the desktop is obviously being able to move easily. If you need to move regularly, it is your perfect option. In addition, they currently weigh less and less and endure more hours of autonomy. You can also store it anywhere, taking up much less space than a desktop.
Savings: Buying a laptop will always be more profitable than a desktop in terms of the electricity you consume, since they spend much less. It also requires buying fewer accessories, so you save the keyboard, monitor and mouse, among others.
Speed and convenience: If you prioritize having your digital applications on hand quickly and instantly, a laptop is more optimal in that regard. As long as the tools you use do not demand too much weight or power.

Disadvantages of the laptop

Electric autonomy: A laptop, no matter how long it holds its battery, will always require plugging in every so often. And if you run out of power and don’t have a plug nearby, you’ll be lost.
Aches and injuries: The advantage of being able to transport it is also its biggest disadvantage. In the sense that you get too used to bad posture and can cause you some physical discomfort in your neck or wrists. Always try to maintain a safe distance and a good position in front of your laptop.
Slowness and lower power: What you save in space you take away in power. Since when filling the laptop with programs and applications, at some point the performance may not be as effective as that of a desktop. At the same time, its ventilation system is more deficient.

Tips for buying a laptop

To know how to choose a laptop, you must look at several factors, such as …

Screen: Here the inches of the screen come into play, that is, its size. If you need it to play or design, a 17.3” team is usually advisable. If it is for a more modest use, with one of 15.6” you have plenty. If it is to take notes at the university or watch your series on the plane, one of 11.6” will come in luxury. And if you can choose an LED above LCD much better.
Processor: This element is responsible for executing the programs we have on our computer. The higher the power, the greater the resources you can start without hanging. Its fluidity will depend, therefore, on this small computer engine. There are models i3, i5 or i7. It is advisable to choose those that have, at least, i5 processors (or A8 in the AMD case). The next thing to look for is that the generation that accompanies it is higher. For example, one close to the 7th generation, which are the latest models that have been taking out and improving.
Graphic: Another fundamental piece for those programmers, designers or gamers who need great power. If this is your case, see that the graphics are the best models from Intel, NVidia or AMD.
Hard Drive: There are two basic types in the market. The HDD and the SSD. Without a doubt, the SSD will be what we want to achieve. The problem? Its price. Despite being the fastest in the market, its price means that the capacity you can get is usually much lower than what you really want. But if you are going to use it for work or tasks that do not require much space, a 256 GB SSD will be optimal. And if you need more space, you can always buy an external hard drive.
RAM Memory: This is where all the information that is used immediately is stored. This piece is also crucial for the computer to go faster. Having about 8 GB would be ideal.
Battery: If you want autonomy, pay attention to how many hours your laptop can last on. It is normal to buy one that has a minimum of 2 or 3 battery cells, which usually last about 3 hours depending on the use you give it.
Other features: Other features must also be taken into account. Such as the operating system (Windows 10, MacOS), internal CD / DVD reader or writer (even if you don’t believe it, less and less laptops come with it), the weight (that is light to carry with you), brand (HP , Asus, Acer … Do you offer a good technical service? And the warranty period?), Bluetooth, HDMI, USB 3.0 …

Best laptops 2019

The million dollar question at this point is: what brand of computer to buy? Now we will advise you some of the most recognized brands in the market to know which laptop to buy at a good price.

If what you want is to know what computer to buy for home (in case of being autonomous or you are going to give it a personal use) this is one of the best models of this year:

LENOVO V130-15IKB: This laptop offers you the ideal features to perform the most basic tasks at a very balanced performance for the price you have. Features: Screen: 15.6″. Processor: Core i3-7020U. RAM memory: 4GB. Disk: 256GB SSD Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620. Operating System: FreeDOS.
ASUS S530FA-BQ048T: For a higher performance that starts programs that require a higher performance, this computer has a processor and RAM that will allow you to do it, in addition to having Windows 10 series. Features: Screen: 15.6 ″. Processor: I5-8265U. RAM memory: 8GB. Disk: 256GB SSD Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620. Operating System: Windows 10 Home.
Macbook air i5 128GB: Features: Display: 13.3 ″. Processor: Core i5. RAM memory: 8GB. Disk: 128GB SSD Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 617. Operating System: Mac OS.

Desktop Computers

The vast majority of companies usually work with desktop computers, why will it be? For the great advantages in terms of performance and useful life, it refers. But there are also other benefits to consider. At the same time disadvantages. Now we will see what characteristics you can find in this type of equipment and recommendations to know which ones to buy.

Pros and cons

Which is better, a desktop or laptop? In some aspects, such as the following, the desktop earns a lot …

Advantages of a desktop computer

Great performance: With better materials and greater cooling, the desktops are able to work at a higher power for long periods of time. In addition, you can add better ventilation systems to increase their performance. Therefore, if you are going to use it for many hours, a laptop desktop is better.
More economical: Comparing the same features of a desktop PC and a laptop, the desktop is cheaper. Occupying more space had to be compensated in some way. So a desktop of a range similar to a laptop can cost you a third cheaper (not counting peripherals such as the mouse or keyboard that you add later, which will increase the cost if you do not have any to reuse).
Modifiable and greater durability: You can add and remove items to your desktop to a desktop computer. If you need a hard drive with greater capacity or a better graphics, you change it. You can manipulate its benefits and continue extending its useful life.

Disadvantages of the desktop computer

Space: As much as brands try to reduce their size, it is still large. You will need a very spacious place to properly locate your PC.
Less practical: If you are looking for comfort, laptops are a better option. The desktops are very impractical if you want to consume movies, series or read. However, it is the ideal option if you need a gamer computer to play video games.
Cable messes: Let’s be honest, we all hate cables. And a desktop computer will always have the inconvenience of having to be connected to the power and with cables on the floor.

Desktop Recommendations

What to look for when buying a desktop PC? Well, in addition to what has already been said in the notebook section, you should also consider the following …

Custom or brand: It will always be preferable to choose the components that best suit you. But many times it is preferable to not worry about this issue and choose the one you see with the minimum benefits you will need. The brand ones are usually more expensive but they have warranty and technical service.
Powerful or standard: If you need a high-power gamer computer, you will also need more expensive components, since they consume more resources. High-power computers are also recommended for workers who use programs that need high performance as designers. If, on the contrary, it is to use at home, surf the internet for a couple of hours, watch a movie or do university work, with a standard one you will do well.
Mini PC / Barebone or tower: The Barebone are small computers that are created with the basic components that a PC needs. They are easy to transport, make little noise and require less space. It serves as a substitute for the tower and is more manageable. It is ideal if you know what you need, you want something small and you do not plan to buy a device with too many features.
AIO or all-in-one: In this case, all the PC hardware is behind the monitor. It is a mixture between a laptop and the desktop. It saves space but offers less customization, lower performance and is usually expensive. In addition, however clustered everything is, a laptop can be transported much better.
Other extras: Other elements such as ventilation systems (effective and quiet), peripherals adapted to your tastes and needs (keyboard, mouse and monitor), tower size (depending on the power of the equipment) …

Best desktop computers 2019

At this point, you will be wondering: what desktop computer to buy?

Since, as we have said before, choosing the custom components ends up being more economical and efficient. All of them come with monitor, keyboard and mouse included.

A good economic PC option for frequent office automation would be a Swift Office range.

Features: Processor: AMD AM4 Athlon 200GE. RAM memory: 8GB. Hard Drive: 128GB SSD / 1TB HDD. Graphic: R7 240. Operating System: Windows 10.

If you are looking for something with higher performance you can choose the Swift Pro.

Features: Processor: AMD AM4 Ryzen 5 2600. RAM memory: 8GB. Hard Drive: 128GB SSD / 1TB HDD. Graphic: NVIDIA GTX 1050Ti. Operating System: Windows 10.

And a balanced and cheap model with which to work or roam interchangeably is the Swift Sierra.

Features: Processor: Intel i3-9100F. RAM memory: 8GB. Disk: 128GB SSD / 1TB HDD. Graphic: NVIDIA GTX 1050. Operating System: Windows 10.

So … Which is better, a laptop or desktop?

In short, if you were wondering what desktop or laptop to buy, here is the summary to the eternal question about whether the desktop or laptop is better:

A laptop will always be better for those who use it for a few hours and prioritize comfort or autonomy to performance. However, you may need to retire it in a shorter period of time than the desktop, since you will not be able to modify it so easily. If what you are looking for is a greater power for using it for a long time or for using applications that consume a lot of memory and capacity, get a desktop PC. But also consider the problem of space.

Tags: Computer, Desktop, laptop