So you’ve decided to purchase a laptop and you now have a particular model in mind. You saw it on the manufacturer’s website and you liked what you saw. While websites provide accurate description of the laptop parts, it really can’t asses the performance. It’s like buying a guitar without trying it first. You wouldn’t want to buy a guitar that sounded bad right?
Therefore, testing is imperative when shopping for a laptop. Before you go into any testing though, look for a store that allows hands – on testing, instead of just barely touching the laptop with your fingers and guessing how good it performs.
Remember, laptops don’t adhere to the “what you see is what you get” adage. Laptops can be ugly, but have insane power. They follow the “you get what you pay for” saying.
That being said, here are some steps to follow when testing a laptop.
- Time the Boot Up
One good way to gauge the performance is to use a stopwatch to time how long it takes the computer to reach the desktop view.
Of course, the faster the boot up, the better it is. Normally, everything finishes loading in under a minute. If not, try looking for a better alternative, if budget permits.
- Type on the Keyboard
It’s pretty obvious that you’ll be using the keyboard do whatever you need, so it’s important to test it.
Do your fingers feel cramped? Do you feel that it has enough space? Try typing a few things into Microsoft Word to check if everything feels nice. If you don’t make too many mistakes, then that’s good.
- Test the Touchpad
The touchpad is one important part that will dictate how well your user experience will be. Some laptops have an inconstant touchpad. Other ones have very good usability.
Try navigating the interface for a couple of minutes, such as browsing the Internet. If you find the whole experience smooth, then you’re good to go.
- Check the Viewing Angle
Although not really important, the viewing angle is a part of the overall quality of the laptop’s screen. Does the screen change colors when you tilt your head to the left or right?
Normally, a good laptop has wide viewing angles, allowing you to tilt your head comfortably as you see fit. This allows your body to relax, such as using your laptop in your bedroom.
If you have good viewing angles, your body won’t be cramped into only one position.
- Check the Display
Does the display have a glossy screen? It’s important to check the overall quality of the display. Try doing some tests, such as calibrations. You can also perform glare experiments.
Does the screen have a lot of glare? That will dictate how you will view the laptop.
Conclusion
All in all, these are basic steps you need to do when testing the laptop. As much as possible, try to perform every single test you can think of.
That way, you can be sure of the laptop’s quality and it will help you make a decision.
Tagged: laptop boot up, laptop parts, laptop screen, new laptop, touchpad
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