How to Pick a Computer When You Don’t Know a Mouse from a Muffin

Step 1: Ask yourself, “What am I actually going to do with this thing?” Is it for epic gaming battles, pretending to work, or just watching cat videos? Be honest.

Step 2: Check your wallet. If it’s full of cobwebs, maybe don’t look at the super fancy models. If you just won the lottery, go wild!

Step 3: Decide if you want a desktop (the big box that sits on your desk and collects dust) or a laptop (the skinny one you can carry to the couch, bed, or bathroom—no judgment). Both have their perks and quirks.

Step 4: If you just want something for home and you’re not planning to launch rockets, focus on the basics:

- Does it turn on?

- Can it connect to Wi-Fi?

- Will it let you watch videos and send emails without bursting into flames?

Step 5: If you’re still confused, scroll to the end for a magical table that makes decisions for you (or at least helps a little)!

Must have!

• Computer Size: Pick a size and weight that works for you.

• Screen resolution: 1920x1080 (or Full HD 1080 progressive scan). Smaller laptops may have lower resolutions like 1366x768, but for general use, they are usually sufficient.

• CPU (Central Processing Unit). Suggestion: a processor speed of 2.5 GHz to 3.5. GHz is a unit of measurement for a CPUs', which indicates how many cycles it performs per second. One GHz equals one billion cycles per second, so a 3.5 GHz processor can execute 3.5 billion instructions per second. A higher clock speed generally means the processor can perform more operations more quickly.

• Random Access Memory (RAM) suggestion: Eight gigabytes of RAM should be plenty for the average Windows user, though upgrading to 16 GB will make your laptop much more capable (and is a necessity for gaming and perhaps future need).

• Storage suggestion: A 256GB Solid State Drive (SSD) is a reasonable size and adequate for most typical users.

• Ports and Connectivity: 

  • HDMI and USB-C are the two most used display options. I suggest at least one of each.

  • USB 3.0 and USB-C are the two most common plug shapes. I recommend at least 2 USB ports.

• Your budget: How much are you willing to spend?

• Software. You can always browse the internet and even some tools (like the Google free ones) as long as you have internet access. But I highly recommend you get a relatively good anti-virus protection software package. Unfortunately, they are usually on a subscription basis and I have not found any good free ones.

Additional considerations:

• Battery life. For how long will you use your laptop without an electric plug nearby? Plan accordingly.

• Camera. Most laptops come with a camera to do teleconferences or meet someone via video. You can always get an external camera (but why?); but then you need to carry it with you.

• Monitor. Do you want a Touchscreen or are you ok with using the touch pad or an external mouse?

• Keyboard. Most laptops come with the basic QUERTY keyboard. You can always get an external keyboard with more keys; but then you need to carry it with you.

• Mouse. Most laptops come with an integrated mouse. You can always get an external mouse which I find easier to use for beginner; But, again, you will need to carry it with you.

• Graphics card to match your needs. The more graphics intensive software you will use (as for gaming), the better graphics card you need. All laptops technically have graphics cards (also called “discrete” graphics and GPU), but most are bundled into the motherboard with the processor. This approach, known as “integrated graphics,” is fine for most users.

Tidbit! Remember computer technology advances at a very rapid pace, often doubling its capabilities within a few years or even months. This rapid pace is known as Moore’s Law, which states that computing power roughly doubles every 18-24 months.