☕ WAS THIS VIDEO HELPFUL? BUY ME A COFFEE!! www.buymeacoffee.com/techgeartalk What's up everyone?! I hope this laptop buying guide was helpful. Did I cover what you wanted to know? What else did you want to see or learn about? Have you ever made any of these mistakes? What other laptop buying tips do you have?
1. Overlooking Ergonomics (0:18) 2. Overpaying for a Laptop (1:02) 3. Buying the Cheapest Laptop (1:35) 4. Overlooking Portability (2:10) 5. Ports (2:42) 6. Storage (3:18) 7. Obsessed with One Spec (4:00) 8. Not Buying Enough Power (4:39) 9. Size Doesn’t Matter (5:35) 10. Forgetting the Future (6:20) 11. 2-in-1 is Not Laptop (6:52) 12. Not Watching Reviews (7:33) 13. Brand Loyalty (7:59) 14. Glossy Display (8:32) 15. High Resolution (9:00) 16. (BONUS) Other People’s Needs (9:17) Thanks for the video! Just needed to organize this for myself. Hope this helps others too.
@@voxeldraco lol my comment was 3 months ago... I commented when he uploaded the video when the chapters were not up yet. In fact, I bet he referenced some of my timeline when he made those chapters! You're the fool here :P
Biggest problem is You can watch all the reviews you need but when you visit the store , they have all different models than what you have shortlisted based on your reviews 😂 happens all the time with me 😂
Well , you have to do your homework on as as many different models and make the best judgment you can , if not you may end up with something that does not fit your requirements.
@@mikldude9376 true but often there is a mismatch between online reviews and suggestions and models available at your local stores , as a matter of fact even models available in online sites like Amazon tend to be different. Maybe because reviewers tend to follow new releases closely whereas stores doesn't bring new stock till old models in stock are sold out.
@@dinaturlao6771 well you need to first understand what you will use it for . For example 60% work and 40% personal use Only ms office , youtube , netflix , primevideo Or heavy application like light room , Adobe premiere etc Will you be in situations where you would not be able to charge your laptop that often Will you travel a lot with your laptop Some questions if you answer it truthfully , you will get some idea what you want 🙂
@@dimitrz2000 do I need to look for a brand too? I'm so confused between Acer swift 3 and Asus x415 they have the same specs and price range. I want a good laptop with longer lifespan.
Your needs are absolutely the basis for any purchasing decision. It's also important to have a more complete view of what to include in the "needs" list.
@@TechGearTalk I literally just need a laptop for school work and assignments and gmail, maybe to watch a bit of UA-cam and Netflix but other than that, that’s literally all I need it for, I was thinking of getting a cheap chrome book for €160 but not sure, it comes with a celeron and 64gb of storage which would be enough for me
M1 was also my first reaction. But repairable just say no because repair costs are shamelessly high (apple policy) Upgradeble....no. (only the very expensive ones....andnot even the chip) In short, no apple for me. I suspect that windows machines also come with a phone chip
@@ghostieeitsohg If you meant or I distrust Apple I have to say yes. But it's a beautiful product in itself.....however, I find it very unfortunate that in the modern laptops the processor can no longer be replaced. (good for the sale) And I don't understand that run to ever-thinner laptops either. Among other things, it ensures that a decent tactile keybord no longer fits in it (real crap)
Where I live there's a saying thats similar it goes "good things not cheap and cheap things not good" similar meaning, I bought a super cheap tablet and it's useless after 3 months, so now I live by this saying.
Buying my first big girl laptop (upgrading from a basemodel HP pavilion to something suitable for gaming and After Effects) you'd better freaking believe if I'm spending an entire paycheck on one piece of technology I'm making sure every INCH of it is perfect
I actually did everything you mentioned. One additional very important part for me is software support. In the end it came down to two models. One was a tiny bit cheaper, but was about two years older. Therefore the chances of less software support were pretty high. I, therefore, chose the newer model in order to have an even more future proof laptop.
Love your directness, no fluff, no bs. Your style gets the point across quickly which is why when it comes to tech, I first check you out to see if you made a video on the subject I am interested in. You save people like me so much time. Thank you and keep up the good work.
Nick, I'm super grateful for you taking the time to leave such kind feedback. I'm glad the videos are helpful and I appreciate you being part of the channel!
These are some really good tips for people in the market for a device. There is SO much choice out there and it is very easy to spend your money on the totally wrong device. I see it a lot with parents buying laptops for their kids etc.. In some cases I would recommend writing a list of 5-10 things you commonly do in a week on your laptop, and showing that to a sales person and giving them your budget. The problem with this is most sales staff on shop floors don't really know the devices they sell as well as they should, and will make a lot of incorrect assumptions.
This is such a well put together, very easy to follow list! I would also add "build quality." It isn't needed but nothing feels worse than using a device that feels cheap. My current Dell laptop started to get a loose, broken hinge and it wasn't sturdy. Trackpad barely works, subwoofer is awful, and the soft plastic feel is meh.
@@ian1352 Of course there are. But in terms of buying a laptop, build quality is one of my biggest concerns. Buying an expensive device where everything starts falling apart is frustrating. I would rather sacrifice power, size, and other features for something like a MacBook or anything else that holds up.
@D R I'm not really sure. I hear their XPS products are pretty solid. If those are the only issues with your tablet, that may not be so bad. I wonder if it is a software issue.
Could not agree more. Buying a laptop where the hinges start cracking after normal use for a year or 2 is a BIG no no for me. Always buy a metal chassis. That’s my rule of thumb. Another rule of thumb for me is that your laptop should cost more than your phone if you want quality. It’s just common sense
The biggest mistake I made was spend 1150$ on a laptop which is used for writing, watching videos and using basic stuff like Microsoft 365. I could have gone for half the cost and gotten the same output
been binging your vids while canvassing for laptops. i love how direct to the point and easy to understand they are especially for someone who doesnt know anything about laptops and gadgets. thank you! you earned a new subscriber here :)
Great video. I appreciate you getting right to the point. One thing to be aware of is the product cycle of CPUs/GPUs as you don't want to purchase hardware as the current technology is outgoing and the newest technology is incoming and thus you end up overpaying for a notebook that is going to have a significant price drop.
Unless there is a dramatic change, like Apple producing their own processors, most of the time the performance from one generation to the next is almost the same.
@@ian1352 That is true, however prices for the last-gen model will drop significantly (especially on the used market) after the new release. Plus, often times manufacturers release new models together with new CPU/GPU options, so maybe they'll also include some other change (better trackpad or speakers or so) than you want, so it's worth waiting for that.
Good point about the glossy displays. I have had 2. They look great in perfect conditions but any sun or backlight causes reflection. My matte display doesn't look quite as vivid but close enough and it's more consistent with lighting changes.
I am trying to choose between Acer Swift Vivióbook and Inspiron 14.. in store the two in one screens on the vivia look great but they're glossy anyways I want a good quality machine..best bang for the buck..basic use some music editing later perhaps. I thought I'd go for 14 inch so it's a little more portable can always use a monitor at home..suggestions between these or others?
I first discovered matte display when I had my first Dell in 2018. Then I switched to Mac and really suffered with the glossy display. Went to Amazon and bought a matt foil which i put on my Mac and could not be happier since then. Its still on my Mac since 5 years.
Reviews are the best way. If you see something you like, look up a review. Most people don't know how to assess a laptop as pointed out in this video. For example, how do they know how much ssd or ram they will need? How do they know if a laptop will last them 5 years? How do they assess portability and how useful it will be for them? What is portable?
I love glossy displays and I'd take one over matte any day. Even in a bright office glossy displays work fine in my experience. It is only really outdoors that they become a problem. The best compromise though are the semi-glossy displays that have a very slight antireflective coating that doesn't mess up the image the way matte displays do. I can't see the point in paying for a fancy high resolution display with excellent colour reproduction and then wrecking it with a matte coating. In my opinion the first thing to do is figure out your price ceiling, then only look at models that are less than that amount. Otherwise you risk the lure of just this one more feature and just that one more feature and before you know it your price is far more than you intended.
I’m in that trap rn. “Oh the next tier of ram is only $100 more” Really easy to just click on buttons and next thing you know your budget goes from $1200 to $1800 lol
Personally, a matt display is a deal breaker. It is sad when I bought my laptop in 2017 I had to eliminate many good options because they had a matt display. Now I am replacing my laptop and the options for glossy displays are lesser but it's a better landscape than 2017.
VERY REALISTIC. Too many times video presenters tend to 'sell' what they review. Perhaps they get a benefit, but its nice to find your basic straight talk video which helps. My difficulty here in the UK is knowing what brands are more reliable and what is more gloss than workhorse. I prefer a larger screen, to help with photo editing, and although I like to see videos and films, I do not want it for gaming and price £1000- £1500 max
One of the things I look at first when checking out a laptop is the access to upgradable parts like the hard drive and memory. My old Lenovo Z580 has an access panel underneath and removing one screw gives me all the access I need to replace the hard drive, upgrade memory and clean the fan. So my top three things to look for is Build Quality, Processor speed and ease of access.
When I got the 2022 ASUS ROG g15 last Tuesday, I felt it was in the sweet spot of heavy gaming and portability as I have tested the 2021 version. I agree with a lot of these mistakes as when I got my Lenovo legion Y250, I completely didn’t realize that portability, and design was an issue and resulted in difficulties as I play medium level gaming.
Would you recommend it?I am planning to buy ı laptop mostly for collage and gaming.I know it is a bit of an ovekill for collage but ı also need it for heavy gaming.I am planning to get the 3070 version
@@burakcangur3407 certainly, it suits well for my gaming needs with my most intensive being war thunder and is much more portable than my older laptop. It’s speakers are also very good and can be tweaked to specifically what you are watching or listening. But I recommend keeping it on wall power for gaming and be prepared for a slightly noisy fan as even the 3060 version I have reached 86 Celsius quite often when playing intensive games. Still, do your own research as the Malaysian version comes with Ryzen 7 6800HS and not Ryzen 9.
😃 👍 You made some excellent points and I feel people fall for the marketing hype vs what they will use it for. I have an professional IT and technical background, but I will spend as much time as it takes to make sure I buy or invest in the right product. Research is very important in my opinion. On a personal perspective I see laptops as tools with base life necessities and I look at what tool will work for me while it provides my everyday basic needs too.
Love the video…… I haven’t found any in-store refurbished laptops to test, my big concern would be warranty. I would’ve loved to hear at the end your suggestions on what you think is the best affordable laptops, and ones with consistent problems to avoid (overheating/fan, Windows 10 versus 11, cannot upgrade memory). Thanks !
I absolutely love my new MacBook Air, upgraded from a late 2008 MacBook. I don't really need this much power. Previous computers were Windows, and having to replace every couple of years, and on top of that, got tired of my luck was clicking on an app, or program several times to get Windows to respond. Never happens with Apple. Or updates taking hours, and usually when I'm in a crunch to do something or Skype/Zoom, forcing me to use another computer or calling on phone defeating the purpose of having the ability. My Grandson used his laptop for remote school, every other day it was something, even if I started it up an hour before class, many times he had to do class on my tablet, which I also upgraded to the iPad Air, I hated the tablet before that purchase. Your reviews really helped in my decisions too. Now I can video on the laptop while working on the tablet with zero issues, and everyone concerned is looking to follow my lead. Thank you so very much TGT!
I keep buying laptop once every few yrs due to my laptops starting to slow down and have to replace parts. It’s really frustrating. Once I heard about the MacBook longevity. I bought my first Mac . So far it’s flat out worth it. I won’t be buying a new MacBook anytime soon.
My wife’s laptop is starting to bug out, so I looked for a replacement. I’m a programmer and do a lot of things that require more power. She looks at Facebook, the web, email and uploads photos. I decided to go with a Chromebook, and didn’t want to spend much money. I found one on Costco (ends in late June, 2023) that was $150 off, priced at $250. Elsewhere, it was a minimum of $333 (It’s an Acer Chromebook Spin 514 CP514-1H-R22H w/ 8Gb RAM and 128Gb SSD). I jumped on it, because I think it will be perfect for my wife. I’ve finally gotten over spending way too much for specs she doesn’t need.
I'm using exclusively laptops for work and private use since the late 90s, and bought and used quite a few laptops over this time. First thing to mention: I use my laptops usually for 3 or 4 years, until they either fail, fall apart or are not powerful enough anymore for the type of software I use. And my laptops are switched on and in use for usually at least 12-14 hours a day. With this in mind, my buying mistake no. 17, which simply costs you a lot of money and easily adds up to a five digit number over the decades: Don't buy the latest version of the laptop you want to buy, buy the previous version. On average, you save at least a third of its price, and the mostly only slightly better performance of the latest version usually isn't worth this by far. Today, this is even more true then it was 10 years ago. Plus, the previous versions usually have all their earlier kinks being ironed out already, while the latest one is still on its public test bed. Tip no 18: Don't buy a brand new laptop out of the shop or over the manufacturer's website. Buy one which was sent back by its original purchaser for some reason and has been thoroughly checked by the technicians of the company which resells such returned laptops. View this as a very in-depth and detailed additional quality check, which "normal" laptops from a shop simply don't get.
Don't forget compatibility! Apple/windows. As an audio engineer I'm running into issues with the m1 Mac vs the Intel Mac because of third party plugins not supporting arm yet. And then my issues with windows are that most of my music software was built for apple (Intel) first AND THEN windows. So I'm in a bit of a rut.
Wow ! How could you be as specific as you did in this video. You didn't waste our 10 minutes listening to every word you say and even let me nod and agree with what you were saying. Because of that, subscribed !!!!
7:36 I always make sure to do this. I was thinking of purchasing a laptop. It was within my price range, and the reviews on multiple websites seemed good. However, people on reddit or UA-cam did not like it. It’s honestly hard to trust online website reviews nowadays.
I'm reading reviews about Yoga Pro/Slim 7, and all tests agree about 10 hours on batteries, yet many users get only 3-4 hours with basic tasks and power saving mode... same for fan noise.
Excellent video! I just decided on a laptop after 2 weeks of research. Your points are completely essential for customers to get the full use of a new laptop. Check refurbished units. Most laptops are upgradable! At least memory and storage.
Regarding screen resolution, it's common that it's bundled with other features one actually need. For example - few years back I've purchased a Lenovo 910, which was a very good computer for me, and I was happy with it for the durations. I really didn't need 4K screen. actually, it was set to 1080 the whole time for battery life reasons. BUT, there was no way to buy a 16GB RAM without the 4K screen, and 8GB was too little for my needs...
These are all great tips, I myself look at reviews and although on the shopping site there are a lot of fakes. There is a ton on UA-cam that are from legit users and testers.Another great point is to look at the ports that you will use or need,and lastly is it up gradable. Many sales of laptops lower the cost by not having the upgrade but getting it yourself is a money saver. This reminds of the fact that a laptop will sell for what's inside(hardware) and you will give up on somethings to gain another,two things I look at is processor and integrated GPU,the rest are up gradable and it's always a good idea to look into how much upgrade you can do. Thanks for posting,great video.
17. Display's color accuracy. After using latitude 7280 for 3 years+, I really can't stand the displays of most mid-range laptops, they look so colorless. Another reason to go for Macbooks, honestly, they are valie for money as long as you're going for the base model.
I just finally bought a new laptop to replace my laptop i have been using since windows 8 and yes it is slow "now days" but I got my moneys worth out of it. I had a budget for a new one keeping it under $ 1,000 and found one I liked and how I use it so I'm a happy camper. Didn't need a gaming laptop so that saved me money. the one thing a can suggest to buying a laptop is get an extra battery for it. I have never had a battery last very many years before they wont hold a charge anymore.
@mike605 so funny! I am currently replacing my Asus Zenbook that I bought with windows 8. I am Thinking about Lenovo ideapad pro 14” but I haven’t decide regarding i5 or i7 and graphics card…
Great sum up of buying mistakes. Tho wish you covered the improtance of Brightness nits and color accuracy of displays. As many find out after purchase that they can't use it outdoors or bright light situations. Due to sub-par less then 400nits or edit images because color accuracy is terrible coupled with bad viewing angles due to sub-par TN panels. And disagree about 2in1. As my Surface Pro 6 has superior screen,high resolution nits and color accuracy. Keycover keyboard is fantastic to type on. And the upper echelon of portability and tablet touch writing capabilities I find very needed and useful over a standard clam shell laptop. Top kudo's to you on addressing the Brand fanboyism and kudo's warning about the need of 4k displays on smaller screen and the impact on battery life is a no-go for me.
@@ian1352 True tho I find 500 nits a bit more usable in more higher light situations. A bit more readable in the shade then a 350nit laptop. But Not in direct sunlight. Tho for truly outdoor all cases need more closer to 1000 nits or more. And am surprised by lack of users demanding usability outdoors.
Hello, even this is video is from 2 years ago, I am still find out these are very neutral opinions for considering buying a laptop. I appreciate for the tips for saving my money!
He talked about marketing getting people to believe one spec is crucial and that is true. In 2009, I worked in the electronics department of a big box store. Everyone shopping for a TV was convinced that they had to have the TV with the highest contrast ratio. Fortunately, that fad went away in about 6 months.
I think that it is being overly dismissive of a 2-in1 to think that you are buying it thinking that it can just be used to replace both a laptop and tablet. If, for example, you edit photos, the touch screen coupled with a stylus allows you to easily make precise selections on a photo for selective editing or object removal. This is most easily done with the device in “display” or “tent” mode-neither clamshell nor tablet configuration. So, it is the combination of touch screen and 360-degree hinge that makes this possible, not the idea of using it as a full-blown, but heavy, tablet.
Accidentally coming across your video made me feel good since I purchased a new laptop yesterday, and without even watching this video, I applied all your advice.
Yea I'm guilty of a few of these. Got a MacBook pro (13" with 16gb ram) and it was a bit heavy and had more specs than I needed. I'm ultimately happy but I would have likely been just as fine with a smaller and cheaper model.
If it will sit on your desk most of the time buy a larger screen-size and don't worry about battery-life. If you need to move it around a lot buy a smaller screen-size (for portability) and DO worry about battery-life.
#20: Protection. It’s a really good idea to purchase a UPS. In short, why spend money and the device has problems after a spike in your local electric company. The UPS helps reduce power issues during brownouts, blackouts and sudden spikes from the power grid.
@Khayzee Lin good question. Sadly no. UPS protects by regulating the flow of electricity in to the UPS thereby acting as a barrier prior to reaching the device. Better to burn out a UPS unit or it’s battery than the investment you made on the devices connected to it. Note: Read directions prior to using the UPS.
That’s such good advice to keep in mind. I needed to hear that. I’ll throw in one more - do some research about the agents that fix the laptop brand in the country in which you reside. So currently I‘m in Egypt. While I love Apple, they only have two certified agents here. Other than being incredibly over-priced, the wait time for getting your laptop serviced if something goes wrong is just insane. Also they always have to ship in spare parts, making the wait time longer. Also they tend to have such an attitude - so much so that I’ve completely scrapped all Apples off my shopping list.
@@seeyouagain911they don’t run windows and if you want to use anything that’s not on the Google play store you have do to this stupid lengthy Linux installation and most of the specs are garbage
Always been a laptop fan, however I've recently converted to chromebook. I have pretty basic needs - web surfing, some business needs (google docs) and movie streaming etc. $500 for a mid range chromebook had me covered totally - and I'm surprised how fast and snappy it is.
My first generation Microsoft Surface Book is warped. Still works great, but so disapponted in the build. I use my S7 Tab with Dex more these days. Just wish Dex was more refined. Great video.
my first laptop 10 years ago was something from HP that was 17". i was a fresh student and thought i NEEDED that huge monitor, but my shoulders and back hurt every day carrying it at the university :D
I definitely went overboard with storage capacity on a laptop in the past But I have a pretty good home network now. With terabytes of storage on NAS (Network Attached Storage). So for me, a 128gb solid state drive is all I can ever see needing in a laptop. Other important things - is the keyboard as close as possible to a standard keyboard (without the number keypad, which is only practical on a laptop 15.6 or larger). And yes, it should have a ports for an SD card, HDMI and three USB ports. I have everything I need on my desktop. The laptop is just for convenience. So the 14 inch HP 360 I purchased back in 2017 is perfect for my needs. Lightweight and even great graphics (though in the end I've never used the 360 degree functionality - which turns it into a tablet.) And !!! except that the very speedy processor is not Windows 11 compatible. Who knew?
I keep all my important files and folders on an external hard-drive so laptop storage isn’t really a priority for me, but I still always buy laptops with double the storage I need…just to have enough room left in case I had to move everything to my laptop for whatever reason.
first select a screen size, weight and build quality, then look for the specs. Everyone has a different taste, like 14inch might be small for some people, but I like it as I use most apps fullscreen and its a blessing when moving places, not just outside, but even at home.
Lol perhaps those 3 parameters mean the most to you but for the majority of the people, specs always win over everything else. The first question you always ask yourself is WHY you need the laptop, ergo what specs would cater to your required set of work. In most cases than not, the sizes and the built types follow the specs.
Such a nice video. I made everyone of them. I bought this Mac book Pro (2018) with "only" USB C type ports and I was just stuck with it for 3 years before the technology caught on with other devices. Definitely over paid too.
There’s a lot to like about the Samsung galaxy book pro 360 laptop. The Evo chipset seems ideal, because the computer runs cool and fast. It does show fingerprints awfully bad, though. The deal breaker for me though is that 6 weeks after getting it, the screen cracked. $450 repair, and Samsung support is chaotic and say, well SOL. I’m mad and upset. I baby my devices and have never broken one. When I first got it, the lid felt way to light and fragile, and now I got exactly that, a money pit. Reminds me of my 10yr old $2600 flatscreen from Samsung. It burned out within a few weeks. Though they repaired it, the case never went back together and to this day has to be held together with packing tape. No more Samsung products for me!
Phones, tablets and memory modules is what Samsung do best. And maybe the simpler electronics like vaccuum cleaners. Stuff like laptops are not Samsung's stronger side...
I gotta replace my laptop after 6 years and it's so complicated and exhausting! After a few days of research I found the nearly perfect match to my needs but it's not available in my country T^T I fried my brain with all the info and I'm still without a new laptop lmao "Buy nice or buy twice", too true it hurts...I can't afford to buy twice so to me it' just "buy nice or suffer with your poor choice"
The video was useful but I just got my laptop for college last month got the M1 MacBook air I guess it would be enough for business students I got the 512gb so I think it should last me 5 years Btw love your videos From Kerala south India 🇮🇳
Right, laptops should not replace a pc. Laptops are simply made for bringing text, pics or other stored stuff from A to B. Actual work or gaming should be done on a solid PC.
I'm a writer, so when I was considering buying a laptop, I tried a lot of the keyboards in store. I either open a note app or a WPM test online to test them. I ended up buying the early 2020 Intel Macbook Air because it was cheaper than the Dell XPS 13 and Surface Laptop 13 inches that had the same specs. I had bad experiences with my previous 2 Windows laptops, so I was looking for premium options this time.
@@zahitemremetin606 I bought mine in April 2020, months before M1 released. I also rarely buy first iterations of new hardware, so I wasn't sure how the support for M1 would go for third party softwares and how the M1 would go overall.
This was one of the most complex buying advice tips but put in a very simple descriptive format. Thank you very much for your advice and input. It is greatly appreciated!!!
I fell for the 17 inch laptop mistake - terrible battery life, too heavy for any practical daily use, and regretted that buying decision very quickly. The laptop ended up being plugged in permanently and just used like a desktop PC
The 16th point must be the first one. Most people listen to other peoples expectation and buy a new machine. Unless your are not someone who can afford, M1 machines are the safest option.
MacBooks are also limited on a lot of things, so buying them because your peers have one, your status is more important than your actual needs, friends are judging you, or you're trying to hang with the Joneses, you have major problems. I went from an everyday laptop to a basic gaming laptop, the performance was substantial, but battery life was the trade-off, along with VRAM, so I upgraded to a more powerful gaming laptop with all the ports needed, but had to install more ram and storage, and was well pleased, without the status of a MacBook.
After enjoying this video I was curious. What laptop would you recommend for photo editing? I will say that at least for me touch screen that’s a 2in1 is pretty important, unless it brings the quality of editing down a lot.
Great video! These points are things which i often try to explain to friends. I am not a fan of future proofing, particularly of notebooks. I know some people who are great with taking care of their notebooks and can get a lot of life out of them. You are paying a premium to say buy a better processor (like upgrading to an i7 over an i5) but there is also a decent chance you get unlucky and buy a lemon or over a long period of time you get unlucky and lose it or spill water on it fans get clogged. Potentially upgrading processors could be running the device hotter/harder.
this is a great video! thank you for adding cc, it rlly helps me as a non-native english speaker☺️ i have a quick question: do you recommend buying a product that just came out or would it be better to wait 3-6 months and see people’s reviews of the product before buying it?
I'm so glad the CC helped. If you can wait, I wait, because it reduces risk. But if you're need something, and you've watched some reviews from people you trust, I would feel comfortable. Could something come up in the future? Sure, but that's always true.
I heavily recommend purchasing refurbished/renewed laptops. I recently purchased a refurbished MacBook off of amazon, and I am very satisfied with it now. At first, I was very skeptical before purchasing because I was afraid that my MacBook would arrive in bad condition, which is reasonable to think about. The good thing about amazon is that it has a 90-day return policy for renewed items, so if your device stops working within then you can return it for free. You can also get MacBooks for fractions of their normal prices.
@@josephpuchel6497 it still works great!! i haven't had any issues with it, although i did end up replacing the battery because it did come a little bit worn, which wasn't necessary but i wanted my battery to last longer since i travel with it often. i bought a new battery off amazon as well for only like 40 bucks. i was able to just read the instructions and did it in about 10 minutes. its an older MacBook, but it works better than some of the newer ones. i would highly recommend buying refurbished from a trusted site!!
Sorry about myself as Asus Vivobook 4x Pro. Let's started watching German channels like yours. I do this all the time looking for tips and tricks reviews even though I already seen them already. To validate what I just purchased. In the common mistakes you posted here basically I went through my head at the store. Sometimes an impulse buyer and then sometimes I want to go and buy something that I really need. So thank you for your hard work on this video appreciate everything you said. And have yourself a wonderful day. And if you got this far you're lucky because I'm going to tell you that I'm now a new subscriber.
Nice video. I always tell folks that: A) the TWO things that you enter act with on a computer are the keyboard and screen so you better TRY the keyboard and get the best screen you can afford and B) whatever you buy you have to lug around so imagine the device (and any/all accessories) in your back pack, brief case, laptop case or whatever you use to transport it BEFORE buying it.
Excellent vlog. It's often hard to evaluate laptops based on your needs. For example, I want one with extreme portability, because we plan to do a lot of traveling with it. So, looking at Ultrabooks and lightweight laptops. You'd be amazed how many marketing pitches tout the laptops as lightweight or extremely portable, but completely fail to mention specifics about things like weight, build quality, and durability. It's been really frustrating. That said, I think I have it just about nailed down, finally.
the problem for me is that I use my laptop as my main machine, choosing between portability vs functionality really became a problem , I tried a x1 carbon and while I love the light weight, the audio was horrible compared to my t570 and for some reason it didn't perform as well when it had better specs. Ended up getting a t15g, the weight kind of scares me but I would rather carry more weight than lacking power Edit: got the t15g. While it is heavy, it has everything I asked for and more in terms of functionality
.. I saw tons of reviews.. In my perception,.. There are some laptops with practically the same espf.. and that's when other factors count.. Design, kind of keyboard, thickness, .. gamer or workstation style.. etc.. It's overwhelming today...
I made the same mistake with my 17inch. Not to mention, i just checked the laptop weight and forgot the charger weight which adds a ton to my backpack. Good video. Gave it a like.
Some of the computer shop put the dummy model on table and then only open the real model when it comes to the processs of purchasing 😂 Hard to trust the consumer then how the consumer can trust them ? I dunno tho.
Brand familiarity was a trap I fell into. I love HP omen laptops and when mine broke I got the omen 16. It was awful. The trackpad was the worst I've used, it was much heavier, constantly loud. Returned it for a M1 MacBook Air
Just bought an HP Omen 15 and its on the way. From someone who has no brand familiarity with that brand, I dunno if I'm having second thoughts about it. FYI its the R7 4800H 1660 Ti one. Gonna be mainly using it for video editing, 3D design, simulations on MATLAB and occasional rounds of Assetto Corsa.
☕ WAS THIS VIDEO HELPFUL? BUY ME A COFFEE!!
www.buymeacoffee.com/techgeartalk
What's up everyone?! I hope this laptop buying guide was helpful. Did I cover what you wanted to know? What else did you want to see or learn about?
Have you ever made any of these mistakes? What other laptop buying tips do you have?
Can you do an iPad 8-1 year review?
What type of coffee do you want..like Starbucks or
Can you do a review on the best budget laptops?
First mistake of buying any product (Avoid Apple by any means)
@@oliver-nation4377 Why?
1. Overlooking Ergonomics (0:18)
2. Overpaying for a Laptop (1:02)
3. Buying the Cheapest Laptop (1:35)
4. Overlooking Portability (2:10)
5. Ports (2:42)
6. Storage (3:18)
7. Obsessed with One Spec (4:00)
8. Not Buying Enough Power (4:39)
9. Size Doesn’t Matter (5:35)
10. Forgetting the Future (6:20)
11. 2-in-1 is Not Laptop (6:52)
12. Not Watching Reviews (7:33)
13. Brand Loyalty (7:59)
14. Glossy Display (8:32)
15. High Resolution (9:00)
16. (BONUS) Other People’s Needs (9:17)
Thanks for the video! Just needed to organize this for myself. Hope this helps others too.
Thank you for this!!
Just watch the Video ffs
There is a view chapter button YOU FOOL
@@voxeldraco lol my comment was 3 months ago... I commented when he uploaded the video when the chapters were not up yet. In fact, I bet he referenced some of my timeline when he made those chapters! You're the fool here :P
@@ZeroGravity23 Do you have a fit when you see a table of contents in a book? No. So chill.
Biggest problem is
You can watch all the reviews you need but when you visit the store , they have all different models than what you have shortlisted based on your reviews 😂 happens all the time with me 😂
Well , you have to do your homework on as as many different models and make the best judgment you can , if not you may end up with something that does not fit your requirements.
I've been searching for months still I can't find what I really want aside from having no money 😂
@@mikldude9376 true but often there is a mismatch between online reviews and suggestions and models available at your local stores , as a matter of fact even models available in online sites like Amazon tend to be different.
Maybe because reviewers tend to follow new releases closely whereas stores doesn't bring new stock till old models in stock are sold out.
@@dinaturlao6771 well you need to first understand what you will use it for .
For example 60% work and 40% personal use
Only ms office , youtube , netflix , primevideo
Or heavy application like light room , Adobe premiere etc
Will you be in situations where you would not be able to charge your laptop that often
Will you travel a lot with your laptop
Some questions if you answer it truthfully , you will get some idea what you want 🙂
@@dimitrz2000 do I need to look for a brand too? I'm so confused between Acer swift 3 and Asus x415 they have the same specs and price range.
I want a good laptop with longer lifespan.
"But mom i need that Rtx 3080 laptop for PowerPoint"
😂🤣👏🏻
Don't laugh! That's how I convinced my parents MANY years ago to get me a much better PC than use-case claimed by me 😂
😂😂😂
at some point i was
Why
“Buy it nice or buy it twice “ are good words to live by. Couldn’t agree more 👍
In the end, it was 15 ways of saying "What do YOU need?" Not a bad thing, that is the most important factor when buying anything.
Your needs are absolutely the basis for any purchasing decision. It's also important to have a more complete view of what to include in the "needs" list.
@@TechGearTalk I literally just need a laptop for school work and assignments and gmail, maybe to watch a bit of UA-cam and Netflix but other than that, that’s literally all I need it for, I was thinking of getting a cheap chrome book for €160 but not sure, it comes with a celeron and 64gb of storage which would be enough for me
@@jamesdonnelly7194 the issue with laptop storage is that we tend to underestimate how much we need. Then again you know your needs better than I do.
“They get in your head that you can’t live with this one thing…”
Me: **sweats vigorously*
My Brain: M1 Chip 🤤
🤣😂👍🏻
That's me these days 😭 but m1 don't support steam that much
M1 was also my first reaction. But repairable just say no because repair costs are shamelessly high (apple policy) Upgradeble....no. (only the very expensive ones....andnot even the chip) In short, no apple for me. I suspect that windows machines also come with a phone chip
@@henkholdingastate suspect ?
@@ghostieeitsohg If you meant or I distrust Apple I have to say yes. But it's a beautiful product in itself.....however, I find it very unfortunate that in the modern laptops the processor can no longer be replaced. (good for the sale) And I don't understand that run to ever-thinner laptops either. Among other things, it ensures that a decent tactile keybord no longer fits in it (real crap)
I love your saying, “Buy it nice, or buy it twice”. That’s become my mantra. Loved this video. Please keep up the good work.
Where I live there's a saying thats similar it goes "good things not cheap and cheap things not good" similar meaning, I bought a super cheap tablet and it's useless after 3 months, so now I live by this saying.
@@phay9929 In spanish, we have one that roughly translates to, "what is cheap is expensive."
Buying my first big girl laptop (upgrading from a basemodel HP pavilion to something suitable for gaming and After Effects) you'd better freaking believe if I'm spending an entire paycheck on one piece of technology I'm making sure every INCH of it is perfect
Congrats!!! I’m glad you’re being super thoughtful and intentional about this purchase.
Whicj did u get.?
I wish there were free laptop deliveries to my country from the US. I'd probably be saving a quarter of the retail price charged here.
@@nephronpie8961 then the douane says.....pay
What did you get? I hope it‘s serving you well!
This was an excellent video, especially with back-to-school deals for laptops cropping up now.
Thanks so much Darren - I hope this ends up helping buyers!
@@TechGearTalk ok
Jzjsksuzi
Jesus loves us all that's why he died for our sins.
@@trspanda2157 he isnt dead
I actually did everything you mentioned.
One additional very important part for me is software support.
In the end it came down to two models. One was a tiny bit cheaper, but was about two years older. Therefore the chances of less software support were pretty high.
I, therefore, chose the newer model in order to have an even more future proof laptop.
Appreciate you sharing your experience. Thank you for being part of the channel!
which laptop did you end up with ?
Macbook Pro 14'' M2. @@BenDover-bk5on
Which one
@@Nikky10000 MacBook pro 14 M2. Would go with the M3 toady since it was released shortly after, but I still enjoy it a lot. Great device.
Sagi: MISTAKE, Not watching reviews! Find someone you trust!
Me: Tech Gear Talk
Appreciate you!!!
I had to sub'
Love your directness, no fluff, no bs. Your style gets the point across quickly which is why when it comes to tech, I first check you out to see if you made a video on the subject I am interested in. You save people like me so much time. Thank you and keep up the good work.
Nick, I'm super grateful for you taking the time to leave such kind feedback. I'm glad the videos are helpful and I appreciate you being part of the channel!
These are some really good tips for people in the market for a device. There is SO much choice out there and it is very easy to spend your money on the totally wrong device. I see it a lot with parents buying laptops for their kids etc..
In some cases I would recommend writing a list of 5-10 things you commonly do in a week on your laptop, and showing that to a sales person and giving them your budget. The problem with this is most sales staff on shop floors don't really know the devices they sell as well as they should, and will make a lot of incorrect assumptions.
I really appreciate your feedback and your contribution to the community!
Where I live, sales people have no idea about the devices they are selling. So even if you tell them exactly what you want they can't help you.
This is such a well put together, very easy to follow list!
I would also add "build quality." It isn't needed but nothing feels worse than using a device that feels cheap. My current Dell laptop started to get a loose, broken hinge and it wasn't sturdy. Trackpad barely works, subwoofer is awful, and the soft plastic feel is meh.
There are plenty of things worse.
@@ian1352 Of course there are. But in terms of buying a laptop, build quality is one of my biggest concerns. Buying an expensive device where everything starts falling apart is frustrating. I would rather sacrifice power, size, and other features for something like a MacBook or anything else that holds up.
@D R I'm not really sure. I hear their XPS products are pretty solid. If those are the only issues with your tablet, that may not be so bad. I wonder if it is a software issue.
@@Drstrange3000 the latitude are better.
Could not agree more. Buying a laptop where the hinges start cracking after normal use for a year or 2 is a BIG no no for me. Always buy a metal chassis. That’s my rule of thumb. Another rule of thumb for me is that your laptop should cost more than your phone if you want quality. It’s just common sense
I just realised
You are offering the captions in Hindi language too
Thanks for putting this much efforts in your videos
I am glad that they are helpful! Thanks for being part of the channel!
The biggest mistake I made was spend 1150$ on a laptop which is used for writing, watching videos and using basic stuff like Microsoft 365. I could have gone for half the cost and gotten the same output
Best points ever! Saved in my shopping list, will re-watch before getting new laptop. Thanks a lot.
Glad it helped! Appreciate you being part of the channel!
been binging your vids while canvassing for laptops. i love how direct to the point and easy to understand they are especially for someone who doesnt know anything about laptops and gadgets. thank you! you earned a new subscriber here :)
Great video. I appreciate you getting right to the point. One thing to be aware of is the product cycle of CPUs/GPUs as you don't want to purchase hardware as the current technology is outgoing and the newest technology is incoming and thus you end up overpaying for a notebook that is going to have a significant price drop.
Thank you for the kind words. Outstanding advice!!! Thank you for being part of the channel!
Unless there is a dramatic change, like Apple producing their own processors, most of the time the performance from one generation to the next is almost the same.
@@ian1352 That is true, however prices for the last-gen model will drop significantly (especially on the used market) after the new release. Plus, often times manufacturers release new models together with new CPU/GPU options, so maybe they'll also include some other change (better trackpad or speakers or so) than you want, so it's worth waiting for that.
Are you russian? Просто вы написали не лэптоп а ноутбук. Если да, то у вас потрясающий английский
Good point about the glossy displays. I have had 2. They look great in perfect conditions but any sun or backlight causes reflection. My matte display doesn't look quite as vivid but close enough and it's more consistent with lighting changes.
Are there specific specs for glossy vs matte, or is it just the look? How do you know?
Slightly less glossy is the best. Matte is awful. And even glossy displays aren't as reflective as the old CRTs were.
I am trying to choose between Acer Swift Vivióbook and Inspiron 14.. in store the two in one screens on the vivia look great but they're glossy anyways I want a good quality machine..best bang for the buck..basic use some music editing later perhaps. I thought I'd go for 14 inch so it's a little more portable can always use a monitor at home..suggestions between these or others?
@@ian1352 Matte is not awful. If you don't care about color accuracy which I don't matte is king.
I first discovered matte display when I had my first Dell in 2018. Then I switched to Mac and really suffered with the glossy display. Went to Amazon and bought a matt foil which i put on my Mac and could not be happier since then. Its still on my Mac since 5 years.
Reviews are the best way. If you see something you like, look up a review. Most people don't know how to assess a laptop as pointed out in this video. For example, how do they know how much ssd or ram they will need? How do they know if a laptop will last them 5 years? How do they assess portability and how useful it will be for them? What is portable?
I love glossy displays and I'd take one over matte any day. Even in a bright office glossy displays work fine in my experience. It is only really outdoors that they become a problem. The best compromise though are the semi-glossy displays that have a very slight antireflective coating that doesn't mess up the image the way matte displays do. I can't see the point in paying for a fancy high resolution display with excellent colour reproduction and then wrecking it with a matte coating.
In my opinion the first thing to do is figure out your price ceiling, then only look at models that are less than that amount. Otherwise you risk the lure of just this one more feature and just that one more feature and before you know it your price is far more than you intended.
I’m in that trap rn. “Oh the next tier of ram is only $100 more” Really easy to just click on buttons and next thing you know your budget goes from $1200 to $1800 lol
Glossy displays become very annoying anywhere near a window. Fuck no.
Personally, a matt display is a deal breaker. It is sad when I bought my laptop in 2017 I had to eliminate many good options because they had a matt display. Now I am replacing my laptop and the options for glossy displays are lesser but it's a better landscape than 2017.
VERY REALISTIC. Too many times video presenters tend to 'sell' what they review. Perhaps they get a benefit, but its nice to find your basic straight talk video which helps. My difficulty here in the UK is knowing what brands are more reliable and what is more gloss than workhorse. I prefer a larger screen, to help with photo editing, and although I like to see videos and films, I do not want it for gaming and price £1000- £1500 max
Portability is a HUGE factor that I didn’t consider with my last laptop and regretted it.
Same team - unfortunately 🤦🏻♂️
These are all great criteria to consider when shopping for a laptop, especially when looking for those in the $1K+ range. Thanks!
You have got a real scientific mind. I love how you emphasize critical thinking to your decisions.
One of the things I look at first when checking out a laptop is the access to upgradable parts like the hard drive and memory. My old Lenovo Z580 has an access panel underneath and removing one screw gives me all the access I need to replace the hard drive, upgrade memory and clean the fan. So my top three things to look for is Build Quality, Processor speed and ease of access.
When I got the 2022 ASUS ROG g15 last Tuesday, I felt it was in the sweet spot of heavy gaming and portability as I have tested the 2021 version. I agree with a lot of these mistakes as when I got my Lenovo legion Y250, I completely didn’t realize that portability, and design was an issue and resulted in difficulties as I play medium level gaming.
Would you recommend it?I am planning to buy ı laptop mostly for collage and gaming.I know it is a bit of an ovekill for collage but ı also need it for heavy gaming.I am planning to get the 3070 version
@@burakcangur3407 certainly, it suits well for my gaming needs with my most intensive being war thunder and is much more portable than my older laptop. It’s speakers are also very good and can be tweaked to specifically what you are watching or listening.
But I recommend keeping it on wall power for gaming and be prepared for a slightly noisy fan as even the 3060 version I have reached 86 Celsius quite often when playing intensive games.
Still, do your own research as the Malaysian version comes with Ryzen 7 6800HS and not Ryzen 9.
@@jiaweichew3370 Thanks mate ! I ‘ve just bought it and so far it looks really good
😃 👍 You made some excellent points and I feel people fall for the marketing hype vs what they will use it for. I have an professional IT and technical background, but I will spend as much time as it takes to make sure I buy or invest in the right product. Research is very important in my opinion. On a personal perspective I see laptops as tools with base life necessities and I look at what tool will work for me while it provides my everyday basic needs too.
Thank you so much for the kind words and for your insightful perspective - based on your experience!
What kind of laptop do you recommend for upcoming IT students? just like you
Sorry for bad eng
Love the video…… I haven’t found any in-store refurbished laptops to test, my big concern would be warranty. I would’ve loved to hear at the end your suggestions on what you think is the best affordable laptops, and ones with consistent problems to avoid (overheating/fan, Windows 10 versus 11, cannot upgrade memory). Thanks !
I absolutely love my new MacBook Air, upgraded from a late 2008 MacBook. I don't really need this much power. Previous computers were Windows, and having to replace every couple of years, and on top of that, got tired of my luck was clicking on an app, or program several times to get Windows to respond. Never happens with Apple. Or updates taking hours, and usually when I'm in a crunch to do something or Skype/Zoom, forcing me to use another computer or calling on phone defeating the purpose of having the ability. My Grandson used his laptop for remote school, every other day it was something, even if I started it up an hour before class, many times he had to do class on my tablet, which I also upgraded to the iPad Air, I hated the tablet before that purchase. Your reviews really helped in my decisions too. Now I can video on the laptop while working on the tablet with zero issues, and everyone concerned is looking to follow my lead. Thank you so very much TGT!
I keep buying laptop once every few yrs due to my laptops starting to slow down and have to replace parts. It’s really frustrating. Once I heard about the MacBook longevity. I bought my first Mac . So far it’s flat out worth it. I won’t be buying a new MacBook anytime soon.
I'm so glad you found a device that will last you!
@@TechGearTalk is there any Windows Laptop that will last as Long as Macbooks?
@@jayjaytv2563 cheap used thinkpads. cheap i7 to ryzen 5. others will lose value quickly. demo or used unit less than a year is a bargain.
@@kamilazman2943 any other laptop under than those?
My 2015 MacBook Pro is just as fast as the 2019 MacBook Pro i9 so I returned it and waiting for the m2 chip.
My wife’s laptop is starting to bug out, so I looked for a replacement. I’m a programmer and do a lot of things that require more power. She looks at Facebook, the web, email and uploads photos. I decided to go with a Chromebook, and didn’t want to spend much money. I found one on Costco (ends in late June, 2023) that was $150 off, priced at $250. Elsewhere, it was a minimum of $333 (It’s an Acer Chromebook Spin 514 CP514-1H-R22H w/ 8Gb RAM and 128Gb SSD). I jumped on it, because I think it will be perfect for my wife. I’ve finally gotten over spending way too much for specs she doesn’t need.
I'm using exclusively laptops for work and private use since the late 90s, and bought and used quite a few laptops over this time. First thing to mention: I use my laptops usually for 3 or 4 years, until they either fail, fall apart or are not powerful enough anymore for the type of software I use. And my laptops are switched on and in use for usually at least 12-14 hours a day.
With this in mind, my buying mistake no. 17, which simply costs you a lot of money and easily adds up to a five digit number over the decades: Don't buy the latest version of the laptop you want to buy, buy the previous version. On average, you save at least a third of its price, and the mostly only slightly better performance of the latest version usually isn't worth this by far. Today, this is even more true then it was 10 years ago. Plus, the previous versions usually have all their earlier kinks being ironed out already, while the latest one is still on its public test bed.
Tip no 18: Don't buy a brand new laptop out of the shop or over the manufacturer's website. Buy one which was sent back by its original purchaser for some reason and has been thoroughly checked by the technicians of the company which resells such returned laptops. View this as a very in-depth and detailed additional quality check, which "normal" laptops from a shop simply don't get.
Don't forget compatibility! Apple/windows. As an audio engineer I'm running into issues with the m1 Mac vs the Intel Mac because of third party plugins not supporting arm yet. And then my issues with windows are that most of my music software was built for apple (Intel) first AND THEN windows. So I'm in a bit of a rut.
I got an i7 16gb ram 512gb ssd 12 inch MacBook and I love it I know this is still under powered to todays standard but it still get the job done
Wow ! How could you be as specific as you did in this video. You didn't waste our 10 minutes listening to every word you say and even let me nod and agree with what you were saying. Because of that, subscribed !!!!
I’m so glad the video was helpful! Thank you for being part of the channel!
7:36 I always make sure to do this. I was thinking of purchasing a laptop. It was within my price range, and the reviews on multiple websites seemed good. However, people on reddit or UA-cam did not like it. It’s honestly hard to trust online website reviews nowadays.
I'm reading reviews about Yoga Pro/Slim 7, and all tests agree about 10 hours on batteries, yet many users get only 3-4 hours with basic tasks and power saving mode... same for fan noise.
Excellent video!
I just decided on a laptop after 2 weeks of research.
Your points are completely essential for customers to get the full use of a new laptop.
Check refurbished units.
Most laptops are upgradable! At least memory and storage.
So glad it was helpful. Congrats on the new laptop!
Regarding screen resolution, it's common that it's bundled with other features one actually need.
For example - few years back I've purchased a Lenovo 910, which was a very good computer for me, and I was happy with it for the durations. I really didn't need 4K screen. actually, it was set to 1080 the whole time for battery life reasons. BUT, there was no way to buy a 16GB RAM without the 4K screen, and 8GB was too little for my needs...
Exactly to the point!! I like this video more than any laptop advisers that would've spent 30mins to explain less than what u did in 10
So glad it was helpful. Thank you for being part of the channel!
A 3yr old video titled 2024?
Heyoo
I laughed at this ... what is happening here
Man 2020 now it's gonna be 4 yr old video
It’s still relevant
I’ve been doing a deep search for a high-end gaming/school laptop as Black Friday approaches so this was really helpful!
No joke, I was just looking for a new laptop, then I stumble upon your video
Hope it was helpful!
These are all great tips, I myself look at reviews and although on the shopping site there are a lot of fakes. There is a ton on UA-cam that are from legit users and testers.Another great point is to look at the ports that you will use or need,and lastly is it up gradable. Many sales of laptops lower the cost by not having the upgrade but getting it yourself is a money saver. This reminds of the fact that a laptop will sell for what's inside(hardware) and you will give up on somethings to gain another,two things I look at is processor and integrated GPU,the rest are up gradable and it's always a good idea to look into how much upgrade you can do. Thanks for posting,great video.
17. Display's color accuracy.
After using latitude 7280 for 3 years+, I really can't stand the displays of most mid-range laptops, they look so colorless. Another reason to go for Macbooks, honestly, they are valie for money as long as you're going for the base model.
Good point. If you’re going to do photo or video editing - that is important. Thank you!
"Find someone who you trust" - that may be difficult...
you're quickly becoming one of my fave tech reviewers... thanks so much man
I just finally bought a new laptop to replace my laptop i have been using since windows 8 and yes it is slow "now days" but I got my moneys worth out of it. I had a budget for a new one keeping it under $ 1,000 and found one I liked and how I use it so I'm a happy camper. Didn't need a gaming laptop so that saved me money. the one thing a can suggest to buying a laptop is get an extra battery for it. I have never had a battery last very many years before they wont hold a charge anymore.
@mike605 so funny! I am currently replacing my Asus Zenbook that I bought with windows 8. I am Thinking about Lenovo ideapad pro 14” but I haven’t decide regarding i5 or i7 and graphics card…
Great sum up of buying mistakes. Tho wish you covered the improtance of Brightness nits and color accuracy of displays. As many find out after purchase that they can't use it outdoors or bright light situations. Due to sub-par less then 400nits or edit images because color accuracy is terrible coupled with bad viewing angles due to sub-par TN panels.
And disagree about 2in1. As my Surface Pro 6 has superior screen,high resolution nits and color accuracy. Keycover keyboard is fantastic to type on. And the upper echelon of portability and tablet touch writing capabilities I find very needed and useful over a standard clam shell laptop.
Top kudo's to you on addressing the Brand fanboyism and kudo's warning about the need of 4k displays on smaller screen and the impact on battery life is a no-go for me.
Are you comparing that Surface Pro to an equivalently priced product?
I find even 500 nits is completely useless outdoors.
@@ian1352 True tho I find 500 nits a bit more usable in more higher light situations. A bit more readable in the shade then a 350nit laptop. But Not in direct sunlight.
Tho for truly outdoor all cases need more closer to 1000 nits or more. And am surprised by lack of users demanding usability outdoors.
Hello, even this is video is from 2 years ago, I am still find out these are very neutral opinions for considering buying a laptop. I appreciate for the tips for saving my money!
I’m so glad the video was helpful. Thank you for taking the time to leave such kind words. I appreciate you for being part of the channel!
He talked about marketing getting people to believe one spec is crucial and that is true. In 2009, I worked in the electronics department of a big box store. Everyone shopping for a TV was convinced that they had to have the TV with the highest contrast ratio. Fortunately, that fad went away in about 6 months.
But that Sansui TV says it has a 1,000,000 : 1 dynamic contrast ratio, doesn’t that make it better? Plus it’s only $98. Score!
1:13 "buy it nice or buy it twice"
I think that it is being overly dismissive of a 2-in1 to think that you are buying it thinking that it can just be used to replace both a laptop and tablet. If, for example, you edit photos, the touch screen coupled with a stylus allows you to easily make precise selections on a photo for selective editing or object removal. This is most easily done with the device in “display” or “tent” mode-neither clamshell nor tablet configuration. So, it is the combination of touch screen and 360-degree hinge that makes this possible, not the idea of using it as a full-blown, but heavy, tablet.
Good perspective, David 👍
Accidentally coming across your video made me feel good since I purchased a new laptop yesterday, and without even watching this video, I applied all your advice.
Glad to hear it - CONGRATS and enjoy your new laptop!
Yea I'm guilty of a few of these. Got a MacBook pro (13" with 16gb ram) and it was a bit heavy and had more specs than I needed. I'm ultimately happy but I would have likely been just as fine with a smaller and cheaper model.
Not really much in it between the air and the pro from a weight point of view.
If it will sit on your desk most of the time buy a larger screen-size and don't worry about battery-life.
If you need to move it around a lot buy a smaller screen-size (for portability) and DO worry about battery-life.
“Size doesn’t matter” 😂😂😂 bro knew what he was doing
🤣😂
#20: Protection. It’s a really good idea to purchase a UPS. In short, why spend money and the device has problems after a spike in your local electric company. The UPS helps reduce power issues during brownouts, blackouts and sudden spikes from the power grid.
@Khayzee Lin good question. Sadly no. UPS protects by regulating the flow of electricity in to the UPS thereby acting as a barrier prior to reaching the device.
Better to burn out a UPS unit or it’s battery than the investment you made on the devices connected to it. Note: Read directions prior to using the UPS.
That’s such good advice to keep in mind. I needed to hear that. I’ll throw in one more - do some research about the agents that fix the laptop brand in the country in which you reside. So currently I‘m in Egypt. While I love Apple, they only have two certified agents here. Other than being incredibly over-priced, the wait time for getting your laptop serviced if something goes wrong is just insane. Also they always have to ship in spare parts, making the wait time longer. Also they tend to have such an attitude - so much so that I’ve completely scrapped all Apples off my shopping list.
no.1 mistake:buying a chromebook
facts
Why?
@@seeyouagain911they don’t run windows and if you want to use anything that’s not on the Google play store you have do to this stupid lengthy Linux installation and most of the specs are garbage
Chrome books are great, said no one ever
True
Always been a laptop fan, however I've recently converted to chromebook. I have pretty basic needs - web surfing, some business needs (google docs) and movie streaming etc. $500 for a mid range chromebook had me covered totally - and I'm surprised how fast and snappy it is.
Cap
What did you get?
@@gabrielschons2568 don’t get chrome book bro trust me
@@gurb4371 yeah nah I wasn’t really thinking about it, thanks for looking out
Very helpful video! The overpaying part is true. I see a lot of same spec laptops with varying prices with minimal differences.
My first generation Microsoft Surface Book is warped. Still works great, but so disapponted in the build. I use my S7 Tab with Dex more these days. Just wish Dex was more refined. Great video.
Thanks for the input Larry! I appreciate you sharing!
i never knew how usefu dex was until i got my tab s7. I use dex every single day, and it makes the tab feel more optimized for a keyboard and mouse
my first laptop 10 years ago was something from HP that was 17". i was a fresh student and thought i NEEDED that huge monitor, but my shoulders and back hurt every day carrying it at the university :D
I definitely went overboard with storage capacity on a laptop in the past
But I have a pretty good home network now. With terabytes of storage on NAS (Network Attached Storage). So for me, a 128gb solid state drive is all I can ever see needing in a laptop. Other important things - is the keyboard as close as possible to a standard keyboard (without the number keypad, which is only practical on a laptop 15.6 or larger). And yes, it should have a ports for an SD card, HDMI and three USB ports.
I have everything I need on my desktop. The laptop is just for convenience. So the 14 inch HP 360 I purchased back in 2017 is perfect for my needs. Lightweight and even great graphics (though in the end I've never used the 360 degree functionality - which turns it into a tablet.)
And !!! except that the very speedy processor is not Windows 11 compatible. Who knew?
I keep all my important files and folders on an external hard-drive so laptop storage isn’t really a priority for me, but I still always buy laptops with double the storage I need…just to have enough room left in case I had to move everything to my laptop for whatever reason.
first select a screen size, weight and build quality, then look for the specs. Everyone has a different taste, like 14inch might be small for some people, but I like it as I use most apps fullscreen and its a blessing when moving places, not just outside, but even at home.
Lol perhaps those 3 parameters mean the most to you but for the majority of the people, specs always win over everything else. The first question you always ask yourself is WHY you need the laptop, ergo what specs would cater to your required set of work. In most cases than not, the sizes and the built types follow the specs.
Such a nice video. I made everyone of them. I bought this Mac book Pro (2018) with "only" USB C type ports and I was just stuck with it for 3 years before the technology caught on with other devices. Definitely over paid too.
There’s a lot to like about the Samsung galaxy book pro 360 laptop. The Evo chipset seems ideal, because the computer runs cool and fast.
It does show fingerprints awfully bad, though. The deal breaker for me though is that 6 weeks after getting it, the screen cracked. $450 repair, and Samsung support is chaotic and say, well SOL. I’m mad and upset. I baby my devices and have never broken one. When I first got it, the lid felt way to light and fragile, and now I got exactly that, a money pit. Reminds me of my 10yr old $2600 flatscreen from Samsung. It burned out within a few weeks. Though they repaired it, the case never went back together and to this day has to be held together with packing tape. No more Samsung products for me!
Phones, tablets and memory modules is what Samsung do best. And maybe the simpler electronics like vaccuum cleaners. Stuff like laptops are not Samsung's stronger side...
I gotta replace my laptop after 6 years and it's so complicated and exhausting! After a few days of research I found the nearly perfect match to my needs but it's not available in my country T^T I fried my brain with all the info and I'm still without a new laptop lmao "Buy nice or buy twice", too true it hurts...I can't afford to buy twice so to me it' just "buy nice or suffer with your poor choice"
The video was useful but I just got my laptop for college last month got the M1 MacBook air I guess it would be enough for business students I got the 512gb so I think it should last me 5 years
Btw love your videos
From Kerala south India 🇮🇳
CONGRATS on the new Air - such a good laptop!!! Thank you for the kind words and support!
@@TechGearTalk always your one of the ge of my fav reviewers I consider
This is a great video. Thanks for sharing. I recently bought a laptop and I can say some of the things mentioned here are truly overlooked.
Thank you for the kind words and feedback.
Very spot on about what people do (just walking around and looking at the spec).. Great vid as usual brother..keep em coming
Thanks brother!
Right, laptops should not replace a pc. Laptops are simply made for bringing text, pics or other stored stuff from A to B. Actual work or gaming should be done on a solid PC.
I'm a writer, so when I was considering buying a laptop, I tried a lot of the keyboards in store. I either open a note app or a WPM test online to test them.
I ended up buying the early 2020 Intel Macbook Air because it was cheaper than the Dell XPS 13 and Surface Laptop 13 inches that had the same specs.
I had bad experiences with my previous 2 Windows laptops, so I was looking for premium options this time.
Why didn't you get the M1 MacBook Air?
@@zahitemremetin606 I bought mine in April 2020, months before M1 released. I also rarely buy first iterations of new hardware, so I wasn't sure how the support for M1 would go for third party softwares and how the M1 would go overall.
@@zahitemremetin606 if his main work is typing, then he doesn't need a very powerful CPU his main need is a good keyboard
This was one of the most complex buying advice tips but put in a very simple descriptive format. Thank you very much for your advice and input. It is greatly appreciated!!!
I’m so glad it was helpful!! Thank you for the kind feedback.
“Do you need a 4K display”
*cries in professional photographer* 🤣😭
I fell for the 17 inch laptop mistake - terrible battery life, too heavy for any practical daily use, and regretted that buying decision very quickly. The laptop ended up being plugged in permanently and just used like a desktop PC
when you bought it what did use it for?
The 16th point must be the first one. Most people listen to other peoples expectation and buy a new machine. Unless your are not someone who can afford, M1 machines are the safest option.
MacBooks are also limited on a lot of things, so buying them because your peers have one, your status is more important than your actual needs, friends are judging you, or you're trying to hang with the Joneses, you have major problems. I went from an everyday laptop to a basic gaming laptop, the performance was substantial, but battery life was the trade-off, along with VRAM, so I upgraded to a more powerful gaming laptop with all the ports needed, but had to install more ram and storage, and was well pleased, without the status of a MacBook.
After enjoying this video I was curious. What laptop would you recommend for photo editing?
I will say that at least for me touch screen that’s a 2in1 is pretty important, unless it brings the quality of editing down a lot.
Why not yoga 7 or 9 with 12 gen core cpu or 6000 seriez ryzen. Comment isalmost year old, so probable choice was made
Great video! These points are things which i often try to explain to friends.
I am not a fan of future proofing, particularly of notebooks. I know some people who are great with taking care of their notebooks and can get a lot of life out of them. You are paying a premium to say buy a better processor (like upgrading to an i7 over an i5) but there is also a decent chance you get unlucky and buy a lemon or over a long period of time you get unlucky and lose it or spill water on it fans get clogged. Potentially upgrading processors could be running the device hotter/harder.
Do you recommend microsoft surface laptop go ? I’m a business student i want it to use excel and Microsoft apps
Love how I bought a laptop and this comes into my recommendation when I didn’t do any of the things you mentioned
this is a great video! thank you for adding cc, it rlly helps me as a non-native english speaker☺️
i have a quick question: do you recommend buying a product that just came out or would it be better to wait 3-6 months and see people’s reviews of the product before buying it?
I'm so glad the CC helped. If you can wait, I wait, because it reduces risk. But if you're need something, and you've watched some reviews from people you trust, I would feel comfortable. Could something come up in the future? Sure, but that's always true.
@@TechGearTalk great, thank you so much for answering!
I heavily recommend purchasing refurbished/renewed laptops. I recently purchased a refurbished MacBook off of amazon, and I am very satisfied with it now. At first, I was very skeptical before purchasing because I was afraid that my MacBook would arrive in bad condition, which is reasonable to think about. The good thing about amazon is that it has a 90-day return policy for renewed items, so if your device stops working within then you can return it for free. You can also get MacBooks for fractions of their normal prices.
Hey I’m trying to save little bit of cash How is the refurbished one you purchased ? Thinking M1 myself Thank you
@@josephpuchel6497 it still works great!! i haven't had any issues with it, although i did end up replacing the battery because it did come a little bit worn, which wasn't necessary but i wanted my battery to last longer since i travel with it often. i bought a new battery off amazon as well for only like 40 bucks. i was able to just read the instructions and did it in about 10 minutes. its an older MacBook, but it works better than some of the newer ones. i would highly recommend buying refurbished from a trusted site!!
Sorry about myself as Asus Vivobook 4x Pro.
Let's started watching German channels like yours. I do this all the time looking for tips and tricks reviews even though I already seen them already.
To validate what I just purchased.
In the common mistakes you posted here basically I went through my head at the store.
Sometimes an impulse buyer and then sometimes I want to go and buy something that I really need.
So thank you for your hard work on this video appreciate everything you said.
And have yourself a wonderful day.
And if you got this far you're lucky because I'm going to tell you that I'm now a new subscriber.
Glossy displays should only be on touchscreen devices, where they are kinda necessary. There is no excuse for MacBooks to have a glossy screen.
The main excuse is that many people prefer them. Matte screens are awful.
I will take glossy over matte any day. Rather deal with a little bit of glare than feel like my screen has a big smudge across it all the time.
@@GeneralChangFromDanang You say smudges don't exist on glossy displays?
@@dustojnikhummer Not naturally.
@@GeneralChangFromDanang Then why is that an issue on matte displays?
Nice video. I always tell folks that: A) the TWO things that you enter act with on a computer are the keyboard and screen so you better TRY the keyboard and get the best screen you can afford and B) whatever you buy you have to lug around so imagine the device (and any/all accessories) in your back pack, brief case, laptop case or whatever you use to transport it BEFORE buying it.
Thank you for the kind words - and you give wise advice!
Excellent vlog. It's often hard to evaluate laptops based on your needs. For example, I want one with extreme portability, because we plan to do a lot of traveling with it. So, looking at Ultrabooks and lightweight laptops. You'd be amazed how many marketing pitches tout the laptops as lightweight or extremely portable, but completely fail to mention specifics about things like weight, build quality, and durability. It's been really frustrating. That said, I think I have it just about nailed down, finally.
the problem for me is that I use my laptop as my main machine, choosing between portability vs functionality really became a problem , I tried a x1 carbon and while I love the light weight, the audio was horrible compared to my t570 and for some reason it didn't perform as well when it had better specs. Ended up getting a t15g, the weight kind of scares me but I would rather carry more weight than lacking power
Edit: got the t15g. While it is heavy, it has everything I asked for and more in terms of functionality
.. I saw tons of reviews.. In my perception,.. There are some laptops with practically the same espf.. and that's when other factors count.. Design, kind of keyboard, thickness, .. gamer or workstation style.. etc.. It's overwhelming today...
Absolutely brilliant.. crisp n clear .. and no riff raff talk .. perfect !!!
1) Overlooking Ergonomics
2)Overpaying
3)Buying cheapest laptop
4) Overlooking Portability
5)Ports
6)Storage
7) Obsessed with 1 spec
8)Not buying enough power
9)Size
10) Forgetting future proofing
11)2 in 1 as laptop
12)Not watching reviews
13)Blind brand loyalty
14)Display
15)High resolution
16)Others needs
I made the same mistake with my 17inch. Not to mention, i just checked the laptop weight and forgot the charger weight which adds a ton to my backpack. Good video. Gave it a like.
Some of the computer shop put the dummy model on table and then only open the real model when it comes to the processs of purchasing 😂 Hard to trust the consumer then how the consumer can trust them ? I dunno tho.
You are by far my favourite tech youtuber! I don't even need a new laptop but I'm watching all your laptop videos!
Thank you for the kind words and support.
Brand familiarity was a trap I fell into. I love HP omen laptops and when mine broke I got the omen 16. It was awful. The trackpad was the worst I've used, it was much heavier, constantly loud. Returned it for a M1 MacBook Air
Appreciate you sharing your experience, Joseph. Thank you for being part of the channel!
Good choice!
Just bought an HP Omen 15 and its on the way. From someone who has no brand familiarity with that brand, I dunno if I'm having second thoughts about it. FYI its the R7 4800H 1660 Ti one. Gonna be mainly using it for video editing, 3D design, simulations on MATLAB and occasional rounds of Assetto Corsa.
i like how fast you went you got straight to business