Here is our rundown of 2017 Computer Recommendations. Particularly, what are the best items to spend a little extra money on that will allow the machine to be usable for a longer timeframe!

Processor

Go for an Intel i5 or above processor. Try to find a 6th , or better, a 7th generation Intel chip. This will be well work the cost as it will give you better battery life and better graphics capabilities!

RAM

Get at least 8GB RAM. This is true for Windows 7 or Windows 10. The more RAM you have, the more smoothly your computer will run as you open more and more programs. Having more RAM is always beneficial – so get as much as will fit in your budget.

Hard Drive

Try to get a Solid State Drive. They offer much faster performance and are not as likely to fail from mechanical failure because there is no spinning platter to fail. Make sure your Solid State Drive is at least 256GB in size, otherwise you will be perpetually frustrated with not having enough space. I personally think that a 512GB Solid State Drive is a great compromise of space and cost.

If you can not afford a Solid State Drive, then look at a Hybrid Drive or a HArd Drive that spins at least 7200 RPM. The Hybrid drive mixes a small Solid State Drive with a traditional spinning drive to offer some of the increased performance of the Solid State Drive without all the cost.

Graphics

Unless you are doing gaming, then you will want to shy away from a discrete graphics (external or extra) card. The 6th and 7th generation Intel processors run graphics wonderfully, and the extra card only used more energy, which can shorten battery life on laptops and add unnecessary weight.

Your Thoughts

Do you have questions or tips? Be sure to add them as comments below!