Our Experts CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise. What to consider Price Statistically, you’ll hold onto your next laptop for at least three years. The current sweet spot for a reliable laptop to handle average work, home office or school tasks is between $700 and $800 and a reasonable model for creative work or gaming is upward of about $1,000.
The key is to look for discounts on models in all price ranges to get the best configuration you can for your money. Operating System Choosing an operating system is part personal preference and part budget. For the most part, Microsoft Windows and Apple's MacOS do the same things but they do them differently.
Unless there's an OS-specific application you need, go with the one you feel most comfortable using. MacBooks currently start at $999, so if you need a laptop for significantly less, it’s Windows. A Chromebook running on Google’s ChromeOS is an excellent (and less expensive) alternative to Windows or MacOS if almost everything you do is in a web browser.
They can’t run Windows or Mac software. Size Remember to consider whether having a lighter, thinner laptop or a touchscreen laptop with a good battery life will be important to you in the future. Size is primarily determined by the screen, which in turn factors into battery size, laptop thickness, weight and price.
Screen When it comes to deciding on a screen, there ar.
