Laptop Buying Guide 2025 - How to Choose the Right Laptop

Here is a laptop buying guide to help you identify a laptop best suited to your needs. 12.5 to 14-inch screens offer the best balance between usability and portability. Larger screens are fine if you don't travel much and smaller models are great for kids. Processor + RAM + Internal memory + Battery + Graphics card = Performance. If you're spending over $600, shoot for these minimum specs: CPU: Core i5 or Ryzen 5 Screen: 1920 x 1080 IPS RAM: 8GB Storage: SSD instead of a hard drive 9+ hours of battery life in our test is ideal if you plan to take your laptop anywhere. Consider a 2-in-1 laptop (either a convertible or detachable) if you want to use your laptop as a tablet. If not, a standard clamshell notebook may be a better choice. Laptop buying guide Laptop buying guide 2025 amazon