Category
🤖
TechTranscript
00:00Hey guys, I'm Tomatechchap, and I think there's three questions that I get asked all the time.
00:05What phone am I using?
00:06How do I make money on YouTube?
00:08And what's the best laptop?
00:10Well, to be honest with you, there's no such thing because any one of these could be the
00:14best laptop for you.
00:16And then there's the question of whether you can actually afford it.
00:19So instead, here are my top 10 tips to help you find your best laptop.
00:24And if you do find this useful, and hopefully you do, then a cheeky little like and subscribe
00:28would be lovely.
00:29Okay, so first up, do you really need to spend top dollar on the latest 2021 laptops with
00:36the newest tech?
00:37Does it really make much difference?
00:38Well, yes, actually, I had originally sort of researched and written this point, this
00:44tip to say no, it doesn't because really, in the last couple of years, the biggest jump
00:48we've seen is in terms of graphics performance, particularly integrated graphics on the processors
00:53as well as new GPUs, of course, but aside from that, nothing really night and day.
00:58But then I went to look to see if I could actually get some good deals on, you know,
01:01all the 2020 2019 models.
01:03And unless you're happy to buy a second hand used model off, say, eBay, maybe with little
01:08to no warranty.
01:10Most of the time, I would say actually buying the newest one is a better bet.
01:13Take the latest Dell XPS 13, for example, 900 quid right now.
01:17And that's actually a really good price for what you get.
01:20And it's hard to find an older model that's significantly better value.
01:24So yes, if you can buy the latest models, because you'll get a better spec, it'll be
01:28faster to use, so it will last you longer, a fresh warranty.
01:32And as I say, outside of buying second hand, you're not really paying that much more released
01:36in my experience.
01:38Number two, DIY upgrades.
01:40This is really important, actually, whether you're buying a new one, or you've got an
01:43old laptop that's seen better days, because upgrading the RAM or the SSD yourself is not
01:49only often more cost efficient, but you'll get better performance.
01:53And it'll give your laptop new life.
01:55So every laptop is a bit different when it comes to upgrading it.
01:58And well, don't even think about it with the likes of a MacBook.
02:01So make sure you do your research and maybe read a few reviews to see if your laptop is
02:04actually capable of being upgraded.
02:06They mostly are.
02:07Although you can always just take the bottom off and then have a look for yourself.
02:10But I can't recommend enough what a difference a fresh, faster SSD can do or, you know, upgrading
02:16from four or eight gigs of RAM to maybe 16.
02:19Now, bear in mind that you can't really upgrade the CPU, the graphics or the screen on laptops,
02:24at least not easily.
02:26So concentrate on those specs first when you're buying a new laptop.
02:30Maybe pay a little bit extra for the i7 or the higher quality screen.
02:33And then don't worry too much about if you only have eight gigs of RAM and 256 storage,
02:38because assuming the laptop supports it, you could always just upgrade that down the road.
02:41OK, tip number three.
02:43And speaking of MacBooks, Apple is in this weird transition right now from using Intel's
02:47chips to their own silicon.
02:50And I get a lot of messages saying, should I get the Intel or the M1 version of the MacBook
02:54Air or the Pro?
02:56Well, here's a couple I made earlier.
02:57I've got the Air and the Pro here, and this is nice and easy.
03:01100 million percent get the M1, unless there's a very specific app or program that you use
03:06that you know will only work on Intel's architecture.
03:09Although you could maybe just go into an Apple store or book a genius appointment and test
03:13it there.
03:14Go with the M1.
03:15If you're looking at anything up to double the performance and double the battery life
03:19with almost no heat or fan noise, it's really no contest.
03:23Oh, and while I've got these in hand, the question of should you go with the Air or
03:27the Pro?
03:28Well, we are expecting new refreshed Pros in September, October time, so keep an eye
03:32out for those.
03:33But right now, when anyone ever asks me this, I always say get the Air.
03:37The main difference with the Pro is you have a touch bar, which rumors are they're getting
03:42rid of anyway soon, so that's not a big deal.
03:45So a slightly brighter screen and a fan inside.
03:48The Air is fanless, but it doesn't make that much difference.
03:51Really that fan only comes into play if you're doing sort of sustained load tasks, like rendering
03:57videos or playing games.
03:59Then you'll get a sort of more consistent frame rate or performance, less throttling.
04:03But for everyday use, I think the £1,000 MacBook Air with the M1 is the one to go for.
04:09Tip number four, and this could be a whole video by itself, but let's keep it nice and
04:13simple.
04:14What specs should you go for in a laptop?
04:16Well, very high level, I would recommend the latest 11th Gen Intel i5 or i7 processors.
04:22Pair that with 8 gigs of RAM and ideally 512 gigs of storage and you're set.
04:27That is pretty much all you need.
04:28And actually, the integrated graphics in these latest 11th Gen chips and AMD CPUs are actually
04:34pretty decent.
04:35You can get away with some 1080p medium gaming in the likes of Rainbow Six Siege or Overwatch
04:39or some older, less demanding games.
04:42If you do need a little more oomph, though, for creative apps or rendering, aim for 16
04:47gigs of RAM and ideally a laptop with a dedicated graphics card, like an RTX 3050, 3050 Ti or
04:533060.
04:55For gamers, you'll definitely want an RTX 3000 series card for the more horsepower but
05:00also better game drivers and RTX extras like DLSS.
05:04Plus, very important for a gaming laptop, make sure you get a high refresh screen.
05:08They mostly do these days and for around £1,000, maybe £1,200, you can get something
05:13with an RTX 3060 and a 1080p 144Hz screen and that's probably all you need.
05:19For more serious gamers, though, I think the sweet spot right now is an RTX 3070, although
05:25keep in mind your TGPs, the total graphics power, because different cards have different
05:30power levels.
05:31You can check out my little tips for buying a gaming laptop video.
05:34Bear that in mind, but I think an RTX 3070 with a Quad HD 165Hz screen is kind of like
05:40the sweet spot right now.
05:41But depending on what kind of gamer you are, if you're into eSports, then you're going
05:45to want something with a 300Hz, 360Hz Full HD screen to get that smoothest, fastest experience.
05:52Okay, so this is the new Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 and a big thank you to Samsung for
05:57partly sponsoring this video and giving me the chance to play with the 360.
06:02And it's one of three new Galaxy Books, all with the latest 11th Gen Intel processors
06:06and fast Iris Xe graphics, and also both Pro models boast gorgeous AMOLED screens.
06:13But as it says on the tin, the 360 is the only one that could compete at the Olympics
06:17with its twisty-turny, fully rotating hinge.
06:20So you can basically use it any way you like.
06:23Tent mode is handy for watching movies if you're maybe tight on space, or maybe in
06:26tablet mode if you're drawing or designing, or you know, just pretending to be important
06:30and walking around the office with it in your arm.
06:33So with this, we get a 13.3-inch 1080p AMOLED screen instead of your regular LCD, so deep
06:39inky blacks and accurate colours.
06:41And that's along with a nice big responsive trackpad, comfy keyboard, and all the latest
06:46specs, including Wi-Fi 6E, Thunderbolt 4, plus this thing weighs just 1.04kg.
06:52And thanks to the more efficient hardware, we're looking at a solid 9 hours of real-world
06:56battery life with this, so it really is the perfect travel companion.
07:01And with that 360 hinge, you've got a ton of flexibility in how you actually want to
07:04use it.
07:05And I'll leave a link below if you want to check out the Galaxy Book Pro 360.
07:09Oh, and also if you're wondering, this is actually the Galaxy Book Pro, the non-360,
07:14so we've got the regular clamshell hinge here, still with that gorgeous AMOLED screen.
07:18So this is definitely worth having a look at as well.
07:21But while I've got this in hand, this uses Intel's 11th Gen processors with the pretty
07:25decent Iris Xe graphics, but it's not going to blow you away when it comes to gaming.
07:29So there is another way you can play games on laptops, any laptop, in fact, whether it's
07:34a MacBook or a Chromebook, and that's by streaming, whether it's GeForce Now or Google
07:39Stadia through Chrome, or even something like Shadow, which gives you a full streamed Windows
07:44experience.
07:45All these do require a fairly fast and reliable internet connection, but with something like
07:50GeForce Now, you can essentially play the best, most demanding games fully maxed out
07:55on any laptop, regardless of the spec.
07:58And because it's all streamed, you don't need any of that powerful hardware in your physical
08:01laptop.
08:02It also doesn't heat up or use much battery, and it's a great alternative for gaming.
08:07Okay, tip number six.
08:09And while I do love a good laptop, I have to be honest, when I come home to the office
08:14slash dining room currently, because the new studio is being built, I prefer using my desktop
08:19PC, not just for the extra power, because I've got a 3090 in there, but actually, because
08:24of this guy, I've got a 38 inch ultra wide monitor, which makes, well, everything I do
08:29feel a whole lot nicer and easier.
08:32So whatever laptop you have, I can't recommend highly enough getting a good second screen.
08:37I mean, even a basic 24 inch 1080p for a couple hundred quid gives you so much more screen
08:43real estate, and it makes the laptop feel less confined.
08:47Now sticking with screens, and actually one of the best trends in laptops over the last
08:52couple of years is this switch to a 16 by 10 aspect ratio instead of your regular old
08:5716 by 9.
08:58And it means you get a little bit more vertical space on your screen, which means especially
09:02on smaller 13 inch laptops like this, it's again, just a lot more comfortable to use.
09:07And so we've got the likes of the Dell XPS range, MSI Z16, and also, of course, MacBooks
09:12have been using that aspect for years now.
09:15If possible, I would recommend 16 by 10.
09:17It's just quite a bit nicer to use.
09:20Tip number eight, and as well as that, also think about the actual quality of the screen
09:24itself, because you've got the best laptop, most powerful thing in the known universe,
09:28but if you've got a really rubbish panel that has sort of greys instead of blacks, and rubbish
09:33colour accuracy, and it's really dimmed, you can't use it outside, it's not going to be good.
09:37So most laptops are full HD now, aka 1080p, and that's fine, but look out for colour accuracy,
09:43which is usually measured by how much of the sRGB, Adobe RGB, and DCI-P3 colour spectrums
09:49a screen covers.
09:50So if colour accuracy is important to you, then look for a laptop that has something
09:54in the area of 100% sRGB, and anything really above 90% Adobe RGB and P3, the higher the better.
10:02And also at least 350 nits of brightness, but ideally 400 to 500 nits, so it's comfortable
10:07to use out and about, and also think about matte versus glossy, because the former is
10:12generally better for gamers, and the latter for a more vibrant, contrasty look, but bear
10:17in mind you'll probably end up making friends with your own reflection.
10:20OK, number 9, and consider different form factors, because while pretty much all of
10:24these are your regular clamshells, you've also got flippy, turny, fancy 360 ones, like
10:29the Galaxy Book Pro 360, which naturally comes with a touchscreen, and they mostly offer
10:34stylus support as well, or, even crazier, maybe think about a dual screen laptop.
10:39The ASUS ZenBook Duo is worth a look, or even their super high-end gaming oriented
10:44ROG Zephyrus Duo.
10:46You are definitely paying a premium for these, but if you're working or gaming on the go,
10:51and don't have a ton of room for a proper second monitor, having a second, albeit smaller
10:55screen on your actual laptop can be really useful for your Discord, your media files,
11:00your emails.
11:01And I really hope this is a trend that we see more of, because right now there are only
11:04a handful of laptops like this.
11:07Or, bit of a curveball here, what about an iPad?
11:10This is the new Pro 12.9, so it's got that fancy mini LED screen, and the M1 chip inside.
11:18Now altogether this costs like £1400 or something, so it's a lot of money, but you don't have
11:22to spend that much.
11:23The 4th gen iPad Air, the current iPad Air, also is compatible with Magic Keyboard, so
11:28I think that's a great combination for an almost laptop-like experience.
11:33I still don't think they fully replaced it, because we are on this mobile iPad OS, you
11:37can't get full desktop apps like Premiere Pro.
11:40But at the same time, having this gorgeous touchscreen, and obviously it's 120Hz with
11:44the Pro models, which makes it a bit more responsive if you're going to pair it, say,
11:48with the Apple Pencil, if you're a designer, doodler, drawer kind of person.
11:52And together with the incredible App Store, with obviously a ton of really good creative
11:56apps out there, this could be, depending on how you use it, a better option than a regular
12:00old laptop.
12:01So it's worth considering.
12:02Okay, last but not least, tip number 10, and try it before you buy.
12:07I think this is pretty self-explanatory, because don't spend, you know, hundreds or thousands
12:11of pounds on a laptop when you might not actually like it.
12:14Go into a store and try the keyboard, see if it feels good, does the touchpad have a
12:18nice texture to it, do the fans wear off as soon as you open a single Chrome tab, what's
12:23the screen like?
12:24A lot of stuff you won't really appreciate unless you're in person, or maybe you watch
12:27a ton of reviews from people like me, perhaps, or buy it and return it.
12:32In the UK, at least, we have this thing called the DSR, the Distance Selling Regulations,
12:36so you can actually buy it, test it and use it as if you were in a store, and then if
12:41you don't like it, you can return it.
12:42As I say, don't abuse those policies, but they're there for a reason, to help consumers
12:46out.
12:47So this is obviously a pretty big investment, buying a new laptop, so you want to make sure
12:50it is the right one for you.
12:52And breathe.
12:53That was it, my top 10 tips.
12:55Hopefully that was helpful, fingers crossed.
12:57If not, then we've both wasted a whole bunch of time there.
13:00If you think I've missed out on any great tips, then share them in the comments below
13:03so the rest of the Tech Chap community can enjoy your wisdom.
13:07And if you want to see more from me, then as I say, a little like and subscribe would
13:10be very much appreciated.
13:11Check out the Galaxy Book Pro 360, I'll leave a link in the description below, and I'll
13:15see you next time right here on the Tech Chap.