Which computer guide

Five crucial questions you need to ask to find the best laptop for your needs and budget. We reveal some of the best — and how to pick the perfect model. Best laptop deals chosen by Which? Our pick of the laptop deals include budget laptops, Ultrabooks and MacBooks. Chromebooks, Apple MacBooks and Windows are all fighting for your cash.

Discover the pros and cons of each so you can choose the laptop that's right for you. Do you want to cut the cost of your next laptop? Opting for a second-hand or reconditioned laptop could get you heavy discounts on some great technology.

What does a solid-state drive do for a laptop that a hard-disk drive doesn't? We explain everything you need to know about picking a computer with an SSD. We round up the best laptops for students from our expert lab tests to help you find the very best student laptop for school, college or university life.

Viruses, bloatware and your settings can all cause your computer to run slowly. Read on to find out how to make your computer faster. Consider which of the following categories you fit into:. A cheaper computer built to cover all basic activities such as browsing the internet, writing emails and occasionally using office productivity software. An all-rounder for web browsing, email, office programs and other general purpose software and casual games.

This type is typically aimed at families, students and business people. Mid-range computers can run most software and games, but may struggle a bit with high-end programs such as video editing and high-level games that require very fast graphics processing. The sky's the limit with both performance and cost. Most people will only require a mid-range system — and there's plenty of scope available in this category, depending on the type of processor, graphics card and storage that you choose.

Don't just consider your current needs, though. Look to buy a system that will still serve you well for the next three years or so.

Check which parts can later be upgraded — for example, can key components such as processor, graphics card and hard drive be easily replaced with better ones at a later date? Mini PCs are generally compact and basic versions of the bigger tower and mini-tower desktop PCs.

Unlike a laptop computer, their main processor is usually the sort of mainstream unit that can be found in all-in-one desktops or even some modular desktop models. Being compact, they may also find use in the lounge room as an entertainment hub for streaming video and music. Some makes come as "bare bones" DIY kits you can build yourself, which requires advanced computer skills, but there are off-the-shelf units that anybody can buy and set up easily.

Though mini PCs are in the minority, they've been around for a long time and for good reason. They can do everything most people use a larger and noisier tower-case PC for, but they take up relatively little space and cost less to buy. They're also more economical in the longer term because you don't have to replace anything but the main box when it comes time to upgrade.

Though there is little or no expansion inside the box, these days a lot of expansion happens outside the box, via plug-in hard drives and other external devices. Because mini PCs have a very compact case, they have limited or no space for expansion or upgrading of the hardware internally.

You need to do your upgrading before you buy, not after. Check the specifications carefully before you buy, making sure you have enough memory RAM and storage drive to cope with your foreseeable future needs as well as your current requirements. Possibilities include creating a mini home entertainment computer for streaming video and music without tying up your main PC; a school PC where screen, keyboard and mouse are supplied ; a simple PC for home or in the office, mainly for email and light web browsing; or watching videos off a local network.

They could also be good for presentations at work, or for small businesses or clubs that want to set up their own digital signage with looping still images or SD videos. Lack of processing grunt, however, means they obviously won't make a good gaming PC — unless you're happy with nothing much more demanding than good old Solitaire. The choice of which operating system to go with is a watershed decision that will have long-term ramifications.

In fact, it's arguably the most important decision you'll make, because it will affect your software choices and may affect your hardware decisions definitely, in the case of OS X, which only runs on Apple's Mac family. There are pros and cons to each:. It has the lion's share of the market, with the widest range of programs available. It can also be used to supply power to your laptop.

USB ports let you connect a variety of add-on devices, such as digital cameras or external hard drives, as well as flash drives for copying files to and from the hard drive.

Having these ports at the front of the desktop case makes connecting devices more convenient. An Ethernet port or wireless network card lets you link several computers in the household to share files, a printer , or a broadband internet connection. Thunderbolt, a very fast data-transfer port, is also used for connecting external devices. However, there are fewer compatible devices available for it than there are for USB. This list comprises the major computer brands.

In choosing a brand, consider the manufacturer's technical support and reliability as shown in our surveys. We respect your privacy. All email addresses you provide will be used just for sending this story. Sign In. Become a Member. Remember Me. Forgot username or password? Not a member? Need further assistance?

Please call Member Services at Sign in or Become a Member. Laptops Desktop computers Chromebooks. Computer Buying Guide Last updated: February 26, Find the Best Laptops and Desktop Computers We test, evaluate, and compare the latest computers to keep you connected.

Laptops Laptops let you use your computer away from your desk, but you pay for that mobility with keyboards that some consumers may find a little small, especially when it comes to laptops less than 13 inches wide. A to inch laptop is best for people frequently on the move. This size range offers the ideal balance of performance, portability, and price for many users.

Other Types Lighter and less expensive than most laptops, these highly mobile devices offer an extra dose of portability and many—but certainly not all—of the features. Desktop Computers Desktops typically offer a better bang for your buck compared with laptops, delivering more power and performance per dollar spent. Laptop Video Buying Guide For more, watch our video below.

In general, Consumer Reports recommends solid-state drives over hard drives. Computer Features Although most computers come with a basic, predefined set of features, that doesn't mean you don't have choices.

Monitors for Desktops Screen sizes measured diagonally generally range from 15 to 24 inches, but you can find larger ones. Displays for Laptops A to inch display should suit most people. Touch Screens Borrowing from tablets , companies have begun including touch screens on many laptops. Networking For connecting to the internet, all desktops come with an Ethernet port that lets you run a cable between your desktop and your router.

Wireless Mouse Most of those that come bundled with desktops are optical, meaning light sensors on their undersides track movement. Photo: Google. Computer Brands This list comprises the major computer brands. Acer Aspire laptops and desktops run the gamut of computers from budget to high end, including a full line of thin-and-light laptops, and detachables. Acer also produces Chromebooks. Its gaming line is known as Predator. Apple computers usually cost more than similarly configured Windows-based systems.

Macs can also run Windows using specialized software. The Mac Pro desktop is its professional line. Asus offers a full lineup of both desktop and laptop computers, including thin-and-light and 2-in-1 laptop models under its ZenBook line. For higher performance and gaming systems, Dell offers the XPS line, which includes convertibles. For gamers, Dell offers Alienware systems. All-in-ones include the Inspiron , , and series, as well as the higher-end XPS series. Dell also offers a small line of Chromebooks.

Google currently makes only one Chromebook of its own, the PixelBook. It also has a handful of tablets, including the new as of late Pixel Slate and older Pixel C. HP is the top seller of desktops and laptops in the U. For laptop users it offers the budget HP line, the mainstream Pavilion line, the higher-performance Envy line, and the premium Spectre line, some of which are convertible and detachable. Desktops and all-in-ones include the Pavilion and Envy lines. Gaming models are the Omen line.

HP also offers a line of Chromebooks. Lenovo also offers gaming, budget, and thin-and-light models; detachable convertibles; and Chromebooks. Lenovo ThinkPads are its business notebooks; ThinkCentre models are business desktops. Consumer desktops and all-in-ones include Yoga Home, , , , and series. It has a gaming line called Legion.

The Surface Book is a larger detachable laptop. Samsung offers a variety of laptops in different sizes under the Notebook 5, 7, and 9 lines, and an all-in-one PC known as the All-In-One. Samsung also produces Chromebooks.