Budget Laptop Buying Guide In 2020 During Pandemic

| Published: Saturday, August 1, 2020, 16:23 [IST]

Work from home and learn from home is the new normal for both professionals and students. This pandemic has changed our lives completely and a laptop is something that everyone might want during these times.

Budget Laptop Buying Guide In 2020 During Pandemic

The price of laptops varies from a couple of thousand rupees and it can go up to 10 lakhs. If you are on a strict budget, then you are likely to go to stores or e-commerce websites to look into the cheapest possible option.

This could be a bad choice to make, as most of the entry-level laptops might not be able to handle your web browsing needs with just three to four tabs open. When it comes to purchasing a budget laptop, it is best to keep your mind open and stretch your budget a little to get the best possible device.

Unlike smartphones, we don't regularly update laptops and a notebook is expected to last around four to five years without any major issue. So, here are some of the guidelines that could help you while getting your next budget laptop, probably for you or your children.

Minimum Of 8GB RAM

Though the processor plays an important role when it comes to the performance of the laptop, RAM or memory also has an equivalent role. If you are planning to get a budget laptop, then it is likely to be running on Windows 10 and 4GB RAM is not going to be sufficient even for the general operation.

A laptop purchased in 2020 should have at least 8GB RAM. This not only offers better multitasking performance, but it also improves the longevity of the device.

SSD Based Storage Solution

A similarly specced laptop with 1TB HDD and 256GB SSD is likely to be priced identical. Right off the bat, it might look like going with an HDD storage option might make sense, as it offers almost four times the storage as an SSD. However, an HDD will be much slower when compared to an SSD (both SATA and NVMe SSD) and it could actually ruin the whole laptop using experience due to read and write bandwidth.

A laptop with an SSD will offer faster system boot speed and will also open apps and software much quickly. Not just that, an SSD based laptop will offer silent operation and consumes less power when compared to an HDD based laptop.

HD/FHD Display

It is advised to go with a display with at least HD or 720p resolution and if you can get a laptop with 1080p panel, it will be an added bonus. If you like a much compact form-factor, then consider a laptop with a 14-inch display, else go with a 15.6-inch screen.

Most of the budget laptops are likely to offer either a TN or a VA panel and it doesn't matter that much when it comes to normal day-to-day usage. A modern laptop will have thinner bezels across the screen, offering a higher screen-to-body ratio along with a modern look.

Quad-Core Or Quad-Thread Processor

When it comes to processors, it gets a bit complicated, as there are plenty of options out there. Always try to get a processor from the current generation and it could be from either Intel and AMD, as both companies offer some great CPUs for budget smartphones.

If you are going with a low core count processor (dual-core) then make sure that it supports hyperthreading or go with a quad-core CPU. These CPUs are likely to include an integrated GPU, capable of handling basic graphics tasks and powering an external display with up to 1080p resolution. However, don't even think about playing games on a laptop with a budget CPU and integrated GPU.

Brand And Pricing

It doesn't matter which brand you choose, as most of the companies offer a similar build quality. Just get a laptop that checks all the aforementioned points and you should be good to go. As per the market survey, a laptop with the aforementioned specifications is likely to cost anywhere around Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 40,000. Most of the time, these laptops will be on sale on platforms like Amazon and Flipkart, so keep a tab on the as well.