If you are looking for a computer that will start up quickly, will not slow down when you open a lot of tabs, has plenty of speed, loads of hard drive space, and has all the bells and whistles that will make you smile every time you use your laptop, just keep on reading because I’m going to show you:

1. What you really need to worry about when buying a laptop
2. Which laptop I purchased after a month of researching, reading reviews and comparing prices

Key Considerations When Choosing Laptop Options

I have loved computers since they first hit the market.  The week after I graduated college I got my first grown up job.  To my immense joy, I landed a job in a computer software company and I will always remember the utter elation I felt when I was permitted to take a computer home.  Unfortunately, it was a Commodore 64 and was bigger than carry-on luggage and much, much heavier!  Regardless, my interest in computers never waned and I am now quite qualified to help unravel the mystery of a great laptop!

Here’s what I look for, and my reasons why:

1. Build Quality – Brand Names

• Everyone has an opinion on which brand is best. For me, it’s always been Lenovo, made by IBM. Now, this is maybe/probably because I had a career at IBM and saw firsthand the good things that went on behind the scenes. But truly, most highly recognized brands are likely a safe bet. This is where reading reviews is important, but hey, I’ll be recommending my top pick, so maybe you won’t have to read reviews for yourself.

2. Operating System – Most Recent Windows Version (Currently Windows 11)

• In the US, Windows is by far the most popular choice of operating systems, and with good reason. Windows laptops are by far the most affordable and compatible that you will find. 
• In case you do not know what an operating system is, I’d point to the fact that you’re likely to have heard of other operation systems, namely Apple MacIntosh and Google Chrome/Chromebooks.  The operating system is basically the “how” of the computer – how you get things done.  Each of these top 3 operating systems look a certain way.  I choose Windows because of the reasons I stated above.  I’ve owned both the MacIntosh and Chromebook, but I recommend Windows.

3. Size – 15.6”

• Unless you’re carrying your laptop around a whole lot, I suggest a laptop with a large screen. It’s easier to see, which is the whole point of a screen! Plus, if you get the larger laptop, you’ll also have the numeric keyboard.  I LOVE having the numeric keyboard, which is something you don’t realize you’re going to miss until you do not have it.  

4. RAM – 16GB

• This is where some people tune out, but RAM is very important because you want a laptop that is going to keep up with the times. Images and software always evolve over the years, using more and more memory, and the right amount of RAM is what keeps your system running quickly and smoothly.  
• My recommendation is at least 16GB of RAM—the more, the better. Could you get by with less? Perhaps, but personally, I always purchase the most RAM that I can reasonably afford. That extra speed is absolutely worth it. And speaking of speed, the next thing to pay attention to is…

5. Processor – Intel i5 or Ryzen 5

• The processor is another very important consideration for a good laptop experience. It affects the speed as much as RAM, but in different ways. We’re keeping this simple for you, so suffice it to say that an Intel i5 or Ryzen 5 processor would be fine choices.
• You can go down a whole rabbit hole to learn about processors, their ranking system, and such. If you don’t take my recommendations here, just remember, research this before you buy!

6. Core – The Higher, The Better (Minimum 4, Quad-Core)

• You should look for a quad-core at a minimum; more is better, but most people will be okay with the quad-core.

7. Hard Drive Storage – SSD, 256GB or More

• The hard drive is where all your files and photos get stored. Because we’re not getting into too much info you don’t really care about, I’ll just say you should make sure you look for a drive that is SSD and has a minimum of 256GB. Mine is 512GB, and I doubt I will ever use that much, but it’s great to know it’s there!

8. Price – $600+

• It’s hard to pin a price down, but from my research, I can firmly say that somewhere around $600 is where I drew the line. It seemed like laptops under that mark just didn’t have the qualities that are most important.
• For example, I could go on and on with my list of things that are important to look at, but when you purchase a laptop in the range of $600+, you’ll most likely automatically be getting the other things, like:
• Better screen resolution
• Graphics
• Responsive touchpad

Features That Make the Laptop Stand Out

Speaking of bells and whistles, the laptop I ultimately chose had some things I really wanted. At the top of the list was plenty of ports – for plugging in things like USB or SD cards, a microphone, headphone, HDMI cable. I think that’s about all you’d need!

Besides the ports, there’s the webcam you can turn off, fingerprint and facial recognition so you don’t have to type in a password when you start up, backlit keys, which are sooo pretty! A stylus, which I thought I’d use a lot, but which I never use!

Why I Chose This Laptop

So, if you haven’t guessed by now, the images you’ve been seeing are of the laptop I ultimately chose. It’s a Lenovo, and I must tell you, I’ve had it for a few months now, and I absolutely love it.

By the way, if you are getting any value out of this video, please hit that like button – it would really be encouraging to know that you found this information useful.

Back to the laptop options—well, this may sound silly, but one of my favorite aspects of it is that it starts up in under 30 seconds. I have never seen a Windows computer do that!  I know, I know, I am sooo impatient!  

I should also point out that it’s very quiet. My last Lenovo, which I purchased back in 2013, lasted an incredible 11 years, but the fan did get noisy toward the end! I have never even heard the fan on this new Lenovo.  I use the laptop for hours on end each and every day and I must say I am NOT missing the fan noise.  

Conclusion: My Final Thoughts

So, wrapping up, I’ve placed a link below so you can take a look at the Lenovo ThinkBook for yourself. I haven’t provided the specific price here because the prices fluctuate depending on when you are reading this.  So, please just click the link to see the current price as well as all of the professional photos. My link is an affiliate link, meaning that if you purchase the laptop, Amazon pays me a small – amount at no cost to you. But don’t let that bother you, because like anything else I give high praise to, I really do own and love this laptop!

Link:  Lenovo Laptop Shown

🔔 As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support my channel at no extra cost to you! Thanks for your support. 😊