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So you are in the market for a new laptop? And you want to use it for gaming, streaming, video editing, school or work. But you don’t know where to start. Well, to begin, it all comes down to your workflow and priorities. The bad news is that it can be a bit challenging to pick the right laptop because there are so many options. The good news is that there are so many options out there at different price points that will fit your budget.
Many laptop manufacturers heavily market some overhyped features in their laptops, and that is where I come in. I will be giving you five laptop features you should avoid. Also you can sell your laptop to us if you need extra cash or just don’t have any use for it anymore.
Display
It is essential to understand the kind of display you want on your laptop. Many laptop manufacturers sell extra features that are just a gimmick. For example, the 360Hz refresh rate is beneficial, but the marketing term is pointless with the current hardware. Despite its high-end CPU and GPU combination, even a desktop struggles to hit a constant 360 frames per second. Therefore, laptops generally cannot push 360 FPS regardless of how much you tweak the settings.
The 360Hz screen quality provides a high refresh rate, but they cannot deliver an accurate color gamut. Even 120hz, 165hz, or 240hz give a better color gamut, and you can get their refresh rates at high resolution.
Mechanical Keyboards
To be clear, a standalone mechanical keyboard for a desktop PC is incredible, but the problem is the current state of mechanical keyboards on laptops. The execution of a mechanical keyboard on a laptop is usually terrible. I don’t think it is necessary because it adds cost to the product.
Most mechanical keyboards have a clicky clack sound that can be very annoying, especially typing in a classroom setting or shared workspace. You should note that these keys need a lot of force to actuate. Overall, it doesn’t benefit your gaming compared to a standard setup.
Speaker
A lot of manufacturers focus on the audio of the laptop for marketing. Most claim that their laptop is tuned by Dolby Atmos. This sounds great, but it does not add much to the gaming experience. Most of them use the same crappy speakers that are usually located at the bottom of the chassis. Making sound bounce off the surface resulting in minimal bass response and lower fidelity.
A few laptops come with front-facing drivers that sound excellent. But if you want to upgrade your audio experience from your existing laptop, you will still have to rely on an external setup.
Exhaust Vents
Exhaust vents that point directly to your mouse hand should be avoided. Using laptop touchpads for productive tasks might not affect you, but gamers may have a problem because you need a dedicated mouse.
It would be best to look for designs where heat dissipation is directed towards the back with less contact. Some laptop designs come with this kind of setup, but they mostly have I/O located at the back. If you have an external hard drive or USB drive plugged in, it will get super-hot.
GPU
Never assume that a high-end GPU is a high-end GPU. It is up to the laptop manufacturers to set the power limit based on cooler design, power delivery and chassis temperature that they are willing to put up with.
A low wattage high-end card can be beaten by a less expensive one sucking back more power. For instance, an RTX 3080 that features 80W will perform a lot slower than an RTX 3070 featuring 140W. This is because higher power levels enable the chips to run at higher frequencies, resulting in better performance. You should check the spec sheet to know the power level of the GPU you are about to buy.
Conclusion
No particular laptop will tick every need, but it is essential to consider what to avoid and look out for. When buying a laptop, do extensive research about the battery life and performance quality before paying. And keep in mind, that the functions of a laptop are way better than the way the laptop looks.
I hope this list of things to avoid when buying a new laptop will help save you from buyer’s remorse.
For more news on new tech, or replacing your old tech, visit sellbroke.com.