Laptop purchase guide (2025): How to choose the right PC (Passo-Passo Guide)

For some people, however, it may be useful to think about which software you need to perform and on which operating systems it works best will help you determine the hardware you need. And let’s not forget: Chromeos and Linux are still alternative options. So, here’s how the four available operating systems break.

Windows: Windows is the predefined Stalwart operating system. Windows is the largest and most used operating system, supporting the greatest number of applications and hardware. It could be requested by your job or because you need it to perform a specific app. But above all for the purchase of a laptop, going with Windows 11 gives you the wider range of devices to choose from. Thanks to its open nature, the new laptops are leaving throughout the year, ranging from low cost laptops to bling-out gaming laptops. There is also a variety of 2 in 1 laptops to consider, with adventurous design and integrated touchscreen. Regardless of your budget, you will have more time to find something in the Windows ecosystem that works for you.

macOS: Apple Macos is a little more suitable for Windows beginners, but is strictly coupled with the company’s hardware. Your purchase options are limited to MacBooks. Since Apple uses their chips and MacBooks are a different beast, we have a separate guide to choose the best MacBook. If you are already purchased in the Apple ecosystem with iPhone or iPad, MacBooks have different software features (such as Airdrop and Universal Control) which are legitimately convenient.

Chromeos: If you can carry out most of the laptop activities in a web browser and you are trying to save some money, Chromeos is a good choice. The Chrome laptops (called Chromebook) are also among the cheapest (and less powerful) that you will find, so it is worth considering the operating system if you have a limited budget. Although Chromebooks are often associated with school laptops that are lent to high schools, they have become something more. The “Chromebook Plus” designation launched at the end of 2023A way to emphasize the high -end Chromebooks that use faster processors, more memory, more memory and better cameras, such as on the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus. However, the same limitations are still there. You cannot perform the creative suite of Adobe or Microsoft Office. Some apps, in particular Office, have a version of Android telephone/tablet Could be be able to Install on your Chromebook (or a web version), but I found the Android apps often don’t work well. Read our best Chromebook guide for more information.

Linux: If you don’t need MS Office and you don’t mind a learning curve, you can install Linux on any piece of hardware for laptops never created. As with Chromeos, the grip here is that popular apps like MS Office and Adobe’s Creative Suite do not support Linux. However, there are free open source alternatives such as Bookoffice, Darktable (Replacement of Adobe Lightroom) e GIMP (Replacement of Adobe Photoshop). Look at our best Linux laptop guide for some of our favorites. And if you are wondering Linux’s support on the new Snapdragon X CPUs of Qualcomm … is in progress. There is a Experimental version of Debian You can install now, but it is still rough around the edges. Qualcomm’s road map It indicates that full support is probably at least six months.

Understanding of the names of processors (CPU)

Once you know which operating system you want and you have an idea of ​​the software you perform, you can understand the minimum hardware specifications you need. The first thing we suggest is to look is the processor, also indicated as chips or CPUs. In these days, there are four competitors in the laptop space you need to know.

For decades, few things in technology have been iconic like the “Core I” brand of Intel. CPUs are complicated (and usually involve a string of numbers), but you could at least know that the Core i7 was faster than the Core i5. Intel introduced New brand in 2023However, which replaced “Core i5” with “Core Ultra 5.”

The latest generation of Intel chips, for example, is its 15th generation of processors, also known as Intel Core Ultra Series 2. You will know that you are getting the latter chips for the first issue in the SKU. For example, the most common laptop chip in this line is the Ultra 7 258v core. Once you are in the right generation, the letter at the end of the SKU is also very important, especially in this current generation of chip. Here is a simpler break: