Choosing a computer is hard.
There are a huge number of options and most are expensive. You don’t want to be stuck with an annoying, slow, or problematic computer. So you go looking on the internet for recommendations.
You have come to the right place.
Whenever friends and family ask me for computer recommendations, my first questions is “What are you planning on doing with it?” My second question is “What is your budget?” What I have found is there are a few common uses, but a wide range of budgets.
The following are my top recommendations for the most common uses.
Laptop Computer Recommendations
Best Laptop for Normal Home Use
Most people are going to do 3 things with their computer:
- Visit websites of all kinds
- Work on text documents and spreadsheets
- Watch videos
And you don’t need much computer for this. Since most modern browsers are a little memory and processor hungry, I still recommend a laptop with a bit of muscle.
Lenovo Thinkpad
The Thinkpad is generally my go to recommendation for everyday computer usage.
It has a good track record. There are a handful of different models with some minor differences. Filter down by Intel’s i5 and i7 processors (and/or AMD Ryzen 5 and 7). I recommend paying attention to screen size and keyboard layout first. I like having a full keyboard with a number pad myself, but that might not be important to you. After that, look at how much Memory/RAM and hard drive space comes with it.
Aim for 8 GB of RAM at the minimum and at least 256 GB of hard drive space (though you may want more of this depending on how many pictures and videos you store.
Best Laptop for Gaming
So you want to play games … on your laptop.
I am gonna have to assume you want to play the latest releases or something equally as taxing. Hopefully, you have been saving up. Many games require the highest end of highest end consumer hardware to run at their best.
MSI Raider GE77HX
MSI Raider’s series has high refresh displays along with top end processors and independent RTX3080 graphics processors from NVIDIA.
If you are looking to game, look no further than the Raider.
Best Laptop for Artist
The key for an artist is what they can see.
You will likely need decent graphics quality and a high end display. Plus, you will want decent storage space for your files (please back them up somewhere else anyway).
ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15
The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo offers a 4K display for clear views at the art you are creating. Backed by a high speed processor and independent graphics, the ZenBook offers enough power to do video editing, 3D model creation, and much more.
The second touchscreen at the keyboard level allows for 2D artists to draw with a stylus without the need for a peripheral device.
Desktop Computer Recommendations
Everything said about laptops above holds true for desktops with a couple exceptions.
- Desktops can typically be upgraded later in certain areas (storage capacity, memory, graphics processing), and are also easier to repair if a part goes bad.
- You will need peripherals for desktops such as a monitor, a mouse and keyboard, possibly speakers. Factor these into your budget.
Best Desktop for Home Use
Dell has made some reliable workhorses in their Optiplex series.
I recommend finding an Optiplex for your basic home / business needs. Same general rules of thumb as for the laptops as far as specifications. An extra thing to pay attention to is form factor. If you get a small or narrow form factor machine, it may have fewer USB ports and monitor connections (and you need at least 2). It will also be harder to upgrade later as their is no internal space for upgraded parts.
Dell Optiplex Series
You can find just the right amount of power at a good price.
Best Desktop for Gaming
The actual advice I have for someone who wants to game is to build the desktop yourself.
Research the parts, follow some guides. This isn’t the fastest way but it will make it easier if you want to upgrade certain parts later. And it can be fun.
Assuming you want to run the newest releases on the latest graphics or even some alpha and beta testing on games that have not been optimized. A gaming machine can be fairly expensive.
If you must buy a prebuilt gaming machine, go for something like:
MSI Gaming Desktop
If you don’t need to run the latest games at the highest graphics settings or are on more of a budget, try out Neweggs’ Gaming PC Finder.
Best Desktop for Artists
Artists typically need some similar features to gamers.
Art programs can take a fair amount of processing and graphics power. It all depends on the kind of art you do. 3D art and videos will take more and 2D art will generally take less. You will also need storage space for your artwork.
For these needs I would recommend the:
Lenovo IdeaCentre 5
Make sure to pair a high quality display with your machine so you can see your art clearly.
FAQ
Should I buy a laptop or a desktop?
Will you need to move it? Can you buy both?
Students and people who travel for work are likely better off with a laptop. Many people who only use their computer occasionally should get a desktop and can do most of their mobile work from their smartphone.
If you are a full time remote worker, get a desktop and spend time setting up a optimized workspace.
What if I have a tight budget?
Buy a refurbished machine with similar specifications (processor, memory, etc) to the computer mentioned above that fits your use case.
Refurbished machines are usually just as good as new (if done by an official refurbisher), and come in way less expensive. I have recommended several to family and friends who were shopping on a tight budget.
During my research I found a refurbished Thinkpad that I would happily recommend to a family member for home use for under $150.
What if I want to mine crypto currencies?
It probably isn’t worth it.
Follow me on this. Crypto can be very processor intensive. This means very power intensive too. The typical electrical cost incurred by running a mining machine is higher than the value of the crypto you will mine. Not to mention the cost of the machine you will mine it with.
The only reason to do this is if you have access to free / fixed cost power or have your own electricity generation that costs less than the value of the crypto you are mining.
What if I want to run X program?
Most software programs have their own recommended minimum computer specifications listed somewhere.
You typically want a computer with a little better than the minimum specification (as most people have more than one program running at once). Pick the recommendation from above that has better hardware than the recommended list from the program you want to run.
Ask for a Recommendation
Are you looking for a computer for a completely different use case and want a recommendation?
Email us at: worksmart at remoteworkalpha.com
Include the answer to “What are you planning on doing with it?” and “What is your budget?”
In the meantime, you can learn how to choose a computer for your self.