Buying a laptop

• Random Access Memory (RAM) allows your device to multitask and run smoothly
  
• Measured in gigabytes - usually 8GB or 16BG per computer
  
• You will need more RAM for running advanced games and design suites
  
• Read-only Memory (ROM) is permanent memory storage for data that doesn’t change
  
• Virtual memory is part of a hard disc used to store data on a temporary basis
  
• It swaps it in and out of RAM as required
  

It’s a good idea to buy your computer with enough RAM and storage space to last you for at least five years. Bear in mind that operating system updates can take up a lot of room, as do photos and videos. How much you need depends how you use your computer - use our tables below to work out what would suit your needs.

The advantage of buying a laptop with both an HDD and SSD is that you could store your operating system and apps on the SSD and the rest of your files on the HDD. This would mean that your software would run faster than it would on an HDD.

SSDs are much faster than regular hard drives. Images will appear faster, game levels will load more swiftly, booting up will happen much faster, not to mention resuming from sleep-mode. They don't use moving parts to work, making them quieter and more reliable and use less battery power. Laptops with an SSD are unlikely to suffer any damage if dropped due to the lack of moving internal mechanisms.

For most people who aren’t heavy gamers, 64GB - 128GB SSD combined with a 1TB HDD would be plenty of storage.

If you’re buying a computer with either an SSD or an HDD then you will need more storage overall.

As an example, 1TB could hold: 17,000 hours of music, 1000 hours of video, 310,000 images and 500 hours of movies. However, these quantities would vary from person to person because each file comes in a different size, depending on length and quality.

Also, some people may store more video files than music files, for example. To make an assessment it’s best to look at your current computer storage - analyse how much storage you already use, and what type of files take up most space.

Tip

• Calculates the colour, position and size of all objects on the screen
  
• ‘Shared’ or ‘integrated’ graphics cards use the computer’s built-in RAM
  
• For example, Intel’s HD Graphics and AMD’s Radeon HD ‘G’ series
  
• They provide superb visual performance for everyday use, such as watching HD videos and viewing photos
  
• Advanced or ‘dedicated’ graphics cards enable you to run complex games or design packages more smoothly
  
• Dedicated graphics cards have built-in RAM to perform with increased power
  
• The NVIDIA GeForce range and AMD’s Radeon HD ‘M’ series are vital for those who love advanced image and video editing, as well as games
  
• 3D cards are often a prerequisite for many of today's best-selling games
  

• Also known as the microprocessor
  
• The brain of any laptop, controlling all functions and actions
  
• Its speed is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz), respectively millions or billions of cycles per second
  
• Different processors are designed for different computing tasks
  
• The most undemanding tasks (streaming, web browsing, emails, using Microsoft Office) will run smoothly on a dual-core processor
  
• Processors with ‘Turbo Boost’ can deal with complex tasks for a short period of time
  
• The majority of computers come with two processor options, AMD and Intel
  

Tips for gamers or video editors

Few laptops come with storage disc drives, particularly ultra mobile models such as the MacBook Air and Microsoft Surface Laptop. However, some still do and may feature a:

Digital Video Disc (DVD) drive

• Reads DVDs as well as audio CDs and software CD-ROMs
  
• Stores up to 4.7 gigabytes of data
  
• DVDs can store much more data than a CD-ROM
  
• The majority of DVD drives will also write to DVD-R, DVD-RW, CD-R and CD-RW discs
  

DVD-RW drive

• 'Writes to' (records onto) a blank DVD, as well as reading it
  
• Useful for burning home movies to DVD
  

BD (Blu-Ray) drive

• Reads Blu-Ray discs containing high definition video or data
  
• Usually reads video or data DVDs as well as audio or data CDs
  
• Has a storage capacity of up to 50 gigabytes (GB) of information
  
• Many BD drives can also write (record) to Blu-ray, DVD or CD media
  

If you are buying a laptop without a DVD drive, you can buy an external DVD writer to read and write your discs.

Matt or gloss?

• Connect to your home network (using a wireless router) or public Wi-Fi hotspots
  
• Some laptops include slot for a mobile SIM card
  
• Connect to wireless phone networks using 3G or HSPA+ data signals
  
• Some larger or gaming laptops feature Ethernet ports
  
• These give you the option to connect to your router via a cable for a faster, more secure connection - although this also depends on the cable you use
  

• A sound card generates the computer's audio capability
  
• It produces all the sounds required for audio tracks, games and so on
  
• Built in to laptops and tablets
  
• For the best experience purchase a set of external loudspeakers or connect to your home speakers using bluetooth or NFC