How and which laptop to choose in 2020: TOP 7 best and modern models

Lightweight and thin, compact laptop that can easily fit in a backpack or small bag, and it does not take up much space on the desktop. At the same time, both the keyboard is full, and the screen is large enough - 14-inch. It occupies 92% of the surface thanks to its ultra-thin bezels, which are difficult to find on other models. Moreover, the screen is matte, and therefore the eyes are less tired after prolonged work at the laptop. At the same time, we are very pleased with the stylish modern design and high-quality assembly of the laptop. He is not afraid of shaking, or high (or low) temperatures, or humidity. Great for travel and carry to work / study. True, the case gets very dirty, so you will have to wipe it down constantly.

The set of ports on the ZenBook 14 UX433 is basic: one USB 3.1, one - 2.0, as well as USB-C 3.1, and, of course, HDMI. In addition, there is a headphone port and a microSD card slot. In general, everything you need.

Autonomous laptop operating time - 13 hours (according to the manufacturers). In fact, when surfing and working in text documents, the charge lasts for 8 hours, and when watching videos / games - for 5 hours. Quite good, albeit imperfect.

The model has several modifications, they differ in the amount of internal memory, "RAM", processor, video card. Of course, depending on this, the cost also changes. So, the ASUS ZenBook 14 UX433 laptop can be purchased with Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processors, RAM from 8 to 16 GB, memory from 256 to 1024 GB, Intel UHD Graphics 620 or NVIDIA GeForce MX150.

MACBOOK AIR (2018)

The 2018 MacBook Air has an Intel Core i5-8210Y processor with a base clock speed of 1.6 GHz. The calculated maximum power is 7 W, which is several times less than that of the MacBook Pro. But the model presented is thinner and lighter, has a Touch ID sensor in the upper right corner, as well as a keyboard with a trackpad. The storage capacity is either 128 or 256 GB.

Working with such a laptop is pleasant thanks to the narrow bezels around the screen. There are two Thunderbolt 3 ports (USB-C connector). The laptop itself is thin and quite compact, so it's easy to carry it with you to work or school. The screen is mirror-smooth, fingerprints are very visible on it, unfortunately, so you will have to wipe it often.

It is unlikely that it will be possible to launch and work in "heavy" programs on the MacBook Air, but its power is quite enough for text documents and browsers. As for the autonomy, this moment will certainly delight laptop owners - with "simple" work tasks, the charge will be enough for 6-7 hours, if not more. For Apple fans, the 2018 MacBook Air is definitely not a bad model, although it also has its drawbacks.

Apple MacBook Pro 15 (2019)

A relatively new laptop model from Apple, the price of which is, of course, quite high, but worth it! It will be difficult to find a laptop similar in characteristics and capabilities. Its performance really stands out and differs significantly from the "competitors" - this is due to the Intel Core i9 processor (in some modifications - i7) and a large amount of RAM (from 16 to 32 GB). Such a laptop will completely "pull" even heavy programs, or rather long-term work in them, and you will not have to wait long for it to "sag" and come to its senses - this simply will not happen. It is also worth mentioning the high speed of the SSD in this model.

The display is undoubtedly pleasing - it is large, clear and bright, so it will be convenient and pleasant to work. In addition, one cannot fail to note the high sound quality thanks to the excellent speakers. The battery life is more than 10 hours even with active use: an excellent indicator for those who are used to taking a laptop to work or study.The design of the Apple MacBook Pro 15 is classic, stylish and pleasant. The laptop weighs a little, and it is very easy to fit it into a bag.

Other useful features include TouchID, with which it is easy to unlock a laptop and verify your identity, TouchBar, a comfortable and reliable keyboard. The number of ports on this laptop is limited to 4: all of them are Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C). There is also a headphone jack.

Dell XPS 13 7390 (2019)

A laptop that has received many awards and positive reviews, which is distinguished by pleasing design, performance and high build quality. Although its price is not too budgetary, this laptop is what you need to work with "heavy" programs. The model is regularly updated by the manufacturer, so the build of each year is better than the previous one.

The RAM size for Dell XPS 13 is from 8 to 16 GB, depending on the modification, the processor is either Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7. GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 620. As for the storage, this model has an SSD with a capacity of 256 to 1024 GB.

It is convenient to work with such a laptop due to the comfortable arrangement of the keyboard keys, a bright 13.3 ″ display with thin bezels around it. Dell XPS 13 7390 (2019) makes almost no noise during operation - something can be heard only at 100% load (in this case, the noise from the fan reaches 46.5 dB (A)).

If you need a laptop for surfing the web, working with documents, watching videos and photos, then Dell XPS 13 7390 is even too powerful for this. But for "heavy" tasks that regularly need to be performed by advanced users, this model will be the ideal option.

Huawei MateBook X Pro

Laptops from Huawei are a kind of "curiosity", as this manufacturer is more famous for its smartphones, modems, tablets and other devices. But the model MateBook X Pro will undoubtedly delight you with both its appearance and performance. The laptop is lightweight, it will be convenient to carry with you, while the diagonal of its screen is 13.9 ″ - this is quite enough for comfortable work. The cost of such a laptop may vary depending on the modification. For example, the processor can be either Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7. RAM - either 8 or 16 GB. Internal memory for all modifications is 512 GB.

The display has a rather "unusual" aspect ratio - 3: 2. This will be especially convenient for those who work a lot with text documents. The screen is not matte, but the touchscreen.

The body is made of metal. The comfortable backlit keyboard will also please. The camera is located rather unusual - between the keys F6 and F7, and if necessary, it extends. This is for the privacy of laptop users. There is also a built-in fingerprint scanner - in general, the Huawei MateBook X Pro has plenty of various modern "chips".

RAZER BLADE 15

Do you spend a lot of time playing games or often working with particularly "heavy" programs (for example, video editing)? Then you might be looking for a powerful 2019 RAZER BLADE 15 laptop that can handle any challenge. Moreover, his "appearance" does not say anything about the fact that he is ideal for gamers and generally amazes with his power. It weighs only 2 kg and is almost 18 mm thick.The screen diagonal is relatively large - 15.6 ″, which makes this notebook very comfortable to use. The bezels are very thin, the keyboard and touchpad are as comfortable as possible.

The processor of the laptop is Intel Core i7-8750H, and the video card is either NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080. Of course, any games will work amazingly with this hardware. Moreover, the RAZER BLADE 15 has heating control. There is plenty of "RAM" here - 16 GB, and the capacity of the SSD is 512 GB. As for the ports, such a laptop has four - three USB Type-A and one Type-C with support for the Thunderbolt 3 standard. Of course, this model is quite expensive, but it has everything that any gamer needs - and for a couple of years. There is definitely enough hardware to run and play comfortably.

ASUS ZenBook Classic

In 2019, ASUS released several ultrabooks from the ZenBook Classic line at once. They differ in screen diagonal and some characteristics. For example, the ZenBook 14 UX434 is compact and has very thin bezels. This is ideal for those who use a laptop every day, not only at home, but also at work or school. The ZenBook 15 UX534 model is also popular, which, logically, has a 15-inch screen. It is more powerful thanks to a discrete graphics card, an increased SSD-drive. Despite the fact that the diagonal is larger here, the laptop does not look bulky - it can easily fit into a standard-sized backpack or even a handbag.

Both models are equipped with an intelligent touchpad, a unique ASUS technology. The case looks great, but, alas, it is very easily soiled - you will have to constantly wipe it down. In terms of hardware, the processor in laptops is either an Intel® Core ™ i7 or Intel® Core ™ i5 (for the cheaper models). GPU: NVIDIA GeForce MX250 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q. There is enough RAM - from 8 to 16 GB, and built-in memory - from 256 to 1024 GB.

Choosing a laptop: the main criteria

A laptop, if you often work with text documents, play games or just surf the Internet, should be convenient to use, moreover, it should please the owner with its "appearance". Of course, the hardware is very important, but the design must also be attractive, since it will be almost impossible to change it later. Remember that the laptop always looks pretty, it is better that its design is laconic and strict enough, although, of course, it all depends on your taste.

What should be a laptop case

The body must be both beautiful and durable. Aluminum is an excellent option - it is scratch-resistant, almost never prints on it, moreover, it is reliable, so this material is considered universal. Although quite often there are models made of plastic, which are often decorated "like aluminum" to make it look more expensive.

The prints always look "so-so", so it is better to choose models with non-staining cases. They are especially visible on dark glossy surfaces, so it is better not to choose such models. If you decide to buy a laptop with a plastic case, a light or silver material is a good option.

Laptop screen

First of all, you need to pay attention to the laptop matrix. Usually one of two types is found - IPS or TN. The first is more expensive, but its color rendering is excellent, but the second is cheaper, but the viewing angles and color rendering "suffer" from it.It is better to personally see the screen "in action" in order to understand whether it will be convenient to work with a laptop, because according to the characteristics described, everything may not be entirely clear. One way or another, it is better that the maximum brightness is at least 200 cd / m2, and the viewing angles are 170/160 or more.

It is also important to take into account the diagonal of the screen. The "standard" indicator is 15.6 inches, but today models with screens of 13-14 inches are often popular. It is quite comfortable to play and work with such laptops. You also need to pay attention to the screen resolution - it is better that it be at least 1920x1080. With this resolution, images and videos will be crisp and vivid.

Important! Matte screens are more pleasing to the eye and do not reflect objects behind the laptop. If possible, it is better to choose a model with a matte screen.

Laptop processor

The processor is the "brain" of the laptop, so when choosing a device it is important to take into account its characteristics. It depends on how fast the laptop will be, whether it will slow down. At the same time, it will be almost impossible to upgrade the processor in any way after buying a laptop, so you need to immediately approach its choice with full responsibility.

Some laptops have AMD E1 and E2 series processors (for example, E1-7010, E2-9000, E2-9000e) - their speed is quite low, but A4 and A6 series processors (for example, A4-9120, A4-9125 , A6-9220, A6-9225) have higher performance, and with processors of the A8, A9, A10 and A12 series (for example, A8-7410, A9-9420, A9-9425, A10-9620P, A12-9720P) you can work comfortably even in powerful programs. In expensive laptops, you can see the A10 and A12 series processors - they have a built-in video card that allows you to run modern games, albeit at minimal settings. Please note that although these processors are found today, they are still obsolete.

Modern laptops are equipped with AMD Ryzen processors, which are both energy efficient and fast.

But just as often, you can find Intel processors in laptops. Weaker - N series models (for example, N3050, N3060, N3350 and N4000), the speed of Intel Pentium N series processors (for example, N3700, N3710, N4200 and N5000) is slightly higher than the previous ones, but models of Intel i3 and i5 and affordable, and in terms of "nimbleness" are not bad. They have built-in video cards with which you can run weak games, for example.

The best processors from Intel today are the i7 and i9 models.

Laptop graphics card

The more powerful and modern the video card is, the more convenient it will be to work with a laptop, graphics in games will be smoother, and videos will play better. True, most often due to the fact that laptops are small in size, they do not have discrete video cards - they use those that are built into the processor.

Consider the most popular laptop processor models and their performance.

CPU	Performance
Integrated graphics
AMD Ryzen 5 and Ryzen 7	Maximum
AMD Ryzen 3; Intel i3, i5, i7	High
AMD A10, A12 series; Intel i3, i5, i7	Average
Intel i3, i5, i7	Low
AMD E1, E2, A4-A9 series; Intel N series	Very low
Discrete Graphics Cards
GeForce 1070, 2060, 2070, 1660Ti, 1080 and 2080	Maximum
GeForce 1650 and 1060	High
GeForce 1050 and 1050Ti; Radeon RX 560X	Average
GeForce MX110, MX130, MX150 and MX250; Radeon 540 and 540X	Low
GeForce 920M, 920MX, 940M, 940MX; Radeon R5 M330, R5 M430, 520, 530	Very low

Laptop RAM

In order to use a laptop conveniently, there must be at least 4 GB of RAM. It is important to understand that the system itself will "eat" about 1 GB, and all other processes need about 3 GB. Of course, if you plan to run heavy games, work in "complex" programs, then the RAM should be even more - 8 or 16 GB, a larger volume is rare.Of course, for the RAM to be able to "open up" properly, both the video card and the processor must be efficient enough.

Laptop battery

The capacity and quality of the battery determines how long you can use the laptop in offline mode, i.e. without network connection. Remember that the duration of operation in this mode, in addition, is also influenced by the power of the "hardware".

Modern laptop models can run from 4 to 10 hours on battery - the duration depends on what applications you use, what screen brightness you have set. The specified specifications are valid for batteries with a capacity of approximately 37 Wh.

Summing up

When choosing a laptop, of course, first of all, you need to focus on how much you are willing to pay for it. But it is important to understand that the smaller it is, the weaker his hardware will be. In this regard, you need to determine for yourself the purpose for which you are purchasing it: for example, if you need a laptop to work away from an outlet, then you will have to take a more powerful model that can work 8-10 hours offline. And if a laptop is needed only for reading articles on the Internet, "light" games and watching videos at home, then a more budget model will do.

Remember that you need to take into account, in addition, the quality, screen diagonal, processor, video card, RAM size, the presence of various ports. It is better to study this issue in advance so that later you will not encounter inconveniences while using the laptop. Our article will help you decide on all the criteria - the experts talked about all the most significant parameters that are important for consideration. You just have to choose a specific model.