Are you searching for a laptop that would serve as a spare for you or your family’s needs? These days, when everyone is mostly at home either to work or attend online classes because schools have not totally opened yet, it would be wise to have as many backup laptops as possible so as to avoid having a member of the household running helter-skelter one random day because his or her device suddenly just stopped working. You surely don’t want to implement a scheme that would require you and another family member to take turns in your “family” laptop because you don’t have a spare. That would be such a hassle, not to mention that it would greatly affect your and your entire family’s levels of productivity.

Thus, you need to be on the lookout for a laptop t6hat would be powerful enough to deal with your family’s daily work or study requirements. Do prioritize this capability and not settle for a gaming laptop or a unit that would be great for entertainment purposes. That is not really the priority at the moment. While things are looking better and the COVID19 situation may be over soon (hopefully), the fact is, things may not really go back to 100% normal anytime soon, meaning even if the pandemic becomes manageable, you and the rest of the fam would have realized that working or studying from home does have its perks and therefore, you may want to continue with the setup more than returning to work or school and spending the entire week there. So, prioritize looking for a device that would best serve work or school requirements.

Looking into Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Other Connectivity Options
A majority of laptops these days have wireless networking features already integrated into them. This means that with the use of such laptops, you don’t need separate equipment to plug into it if you want to log on to the internet or sync your other devices to your laptop via Bluetooth. The average laptops these days would have Wi-Fi 5 technology. But if you’re after the most advanced, go for Wi-Fi 6 technology, which gives you as much as a 60% boost on your Internet speeds. As for Bluetooth, most laptops should already have this feature built-in, which should give you the advantage of syncing your other devices to your laptop easier and allow you to be more mobile even when you’re attending a voice conference as it supports headsets and headphones.

Few PCs are used completely in isolation. Even laptops—with their built-in displays and power source—usually need to connect to something. The internet, a printer, a wireless mouse or a thumb drive. Without the necessary ports and wireless options, a laptop may not be able to perform functions you assume it will.

(Via: https://blog.bestbuy.ca/computers-laptops-tablets/laptops/buying-a-laptop-the-connection-options-you-should-consider)

Should you for a Chromebook?
If you think that you only have a choice of a Macbook or a Windows-operated laptop, then you may have most likely forgotten an alternative that is quite popular these days – the Chromebook. Chromebooks, as their name suggests, run on Google’s Chrome OS. Chrome OS is quite light compared to Mac or Windows, thus allowing for better portability. They are perfect for those who want a user-friendly unit that is easy on the budget. The downsides to a Chromebook include its limited storage, relatively shorter battery capabilities, and limited offline capabilities, as most of its apps (that’s programs for you, boomer, GenX-er, or early millennial) are highly dependent on the device being connected to the Internet for proper functioning.

Compared to the usual laptop, Chromebooks are quite a bit less expensive. This is due to its compact design. Chromebooks weren’t built with a large amount of ability to run programs, however, they are good for general internet use and writing if you’re storing your writing over the cloud. Chromebooks are more affordable than most other options out there.

(Via: https://www.groovypost.com/unplugged/5-pros-and-cons-of-using-a-chromebook/)

Can you build your own computer?
If you are a brave DIY-type who’s game for an adventure and looking for a machine that is truly personalized and specific to your needs, that you have one more option to consider – you might want to make your own computer. The parts you will need are readily available, not to mention that a lot of us have more spare time since we work from home. Building your own computer or laptop doesn’t really require a lot of physical labor, so if you worry that it will take a lot of strength and muscle power, it doesn’t. You will need handyman skills, though, and a website that will guide you in your efforts in building a laptop for yourself or the family.

No matter what your experience level is, you should use PCPartPicker. It not only has everything you need to buy, it also lets you build your PC piece by piece right there on the website, making sure all your hardware will play nicely together. It even has a few example builds you can tweak to your liking.

(Via: https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-build-a-pc/)

Now, if you need assistance because your laptop’s hard drive acted up, you may consider professional help instead of risking DIY-ing. Get in touch with us ASAP or check out: https://www.harddriverecovery.org/laptop.html.