Watch this BEFORE You Buy a Laptop!

Summary

This video guide helps viewers make informed decisions when purchasing a laptop, emphasizing the importance of understanding components like processors, graphics cards, and RAM. It discusses different scenarios for laptop use, such as gaming, rendering, and office work, and provides tips on choosing the right laptop based on performance needs and budget.

Takeaways

• 📚 The video aims to educate viewers on how to choose the right laptop based on their needs and avoid common pitfalls when purchasing.
• 💻 Desktops are generally more powerful than laptops for the same price due to the cost of compact engineering in laptops.
• 🎮 For gaming laptops, the graphics card is the most important component, but a capable processor is also necessary.
• 🖼️ In performance-intensive tasks like 3D modeling and video editing, both a powerful processor and a good graphics card are crucial, with Nvidia cards being preferable for CUDA cores' rendering capabilities.
• 🔍 When comparing processors, the generation and the specific model numbers indicate their performance and capabilities, with 'H' suffix indicating higher performance.
• 🛒 It's important to compare prices across different stores to avoid overpaying for a laptop.
• 🔋 'U' and 'Y' suffixes in processors indicate lower power consumption and longer battery life, suitable for non-performance intensive use.
• 💡 Nvidia RTX series graphics cards offer ray tracing and DLSS technologies, which are currently superior on Nvidia compared to AMD.
• 📈 Use websites like laptopsreviewer.com and laptopmedia.com to compare processor and graphics card performance to make informed decisions.
• 🗂️ A minimum of 16GB RAM is recommended for current games and programs, with 512GB SSD being a practical starting point for storage.
• 🖥️ For gaming, a laptop with at least a 144Hz screen is recommended for better performance, while color accuracy is important for non-gaming professional use.

Q & A

What was the main reason for creating this video?

The main reason for creating this video was to provide information about laptops, as many people asked for a similar video to the one about PCs in the comments of the previous video.

What is the potential issue when buying a laptop without knowing about its components?

The potential issue is that you might end up buying a laptop that is not powerful enough for your needs or is overpriced, due to a lack of understanding of the components like the processor, graphics card, and RAM.

Why are desktop PCs more powerful than laptops for the same price?

Desktop PCs are more powerful because the engineering work of the components in laptops is more costly, resulting in higher prices for laptops compared to desktops.

What are the three main scenarios for using a laptop as described in the video?

The three main scenarios are: 1) Gaming, where the graphics card is the most important component. 2) Performance-requiring tasks like 3D modeling, video editing, and rendering, where both the processor and graphics card are important. 3) Office use, where less power consumption and long battery life are prioritized.

Why is the processor model and generation important when choosing a laptop?

The processor model and generation are important as they indicate the performance level and the latest technologies available in the processor, which can affect the laptop's overall performance.

What does the letter at the end of a processor model indicate in terms of power consumption and performance?

The letter at the end of a processor model indicates the power consumption and performance profile. 'U' indicates low power consumption, 'Y' indicates ultra low power consumption, 'G1' and 'G7' indicate the level of the internal graphics card, and 'H' indicates high performance.

How can you compare the rendering performance of laptop processors?

You can compare the rendering performance of laptop processors by searching for benchmarks like 'laptopsreviewer cinebench r23' and checking the ranking of processors on websites like laptopsreviewer.com.

What are the key factors to consider when choosing a graphics card for a laptop?

Key factors to consider include the manufacturer (AMD or Nvidia), the series and model number (higher numbers are more powerful), and the wattage consumption (higher wattage indicates better performance but also more power consumption).

Why is RAM capacity important for laptops used for gaming and rendering?

RAM capacity is important because it affects the ability to run multiple applications and handle large files, especially in tasks like gaming and rendering where high memory usage is common.

What are the recommendations for SSD size and laptop screen refresh rate for gaming?

For gaming, it is recommended to have at least a 512GB SSD to accommodate the large sizes of modern games and a screen with at least a 144Hz refresh rate for smoother gameplay.

Why are Apple's MacBook series with M1 and M2 processors considered good for high-performance work without being plugged in?

MacBooks with M1 and M2 processors offer incredible performance and can maintain this performance for a long time without being plugged in, making them suitable for high-performance work on the go.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Introduction and Common Laptop Buying Mistakes

The author introduces the video as a response to requests for a laptop buying guide following the success of their previous PC buying guide. They recount a common scenario where a buyer, lacking knowledge, purchases an overpriced, underperforming laptop based on superficial specifications like an 'i7' processor and an 'mx' graphics card without understanding the components. This scenario illustrates the importance of understanding laptop components and doing price research to avoid overpaying.

05:06

💻 Desktop vs. Laptop: Purpose and Key Components

The author explains the advantages of desktop PCs over laptops for those who do not need portability, as desktops offer more power for the same price due to less expensive engineering. The importance of determining the laptop's purpose is highlighted through three scenarios: gaming, performance-intensive tasks like 3D rendering, and office use. For gaming, the graphics card is crucial, while for rendering, both the processor and graphics card are important. Office laptops prioritize battery life and low power consumption.

10:07

🔍 Understanding Laptop Processors

The author delves into the specifics of laptop processors, including the differences between Intel's i-series (i3, i5, i7, i9) and AMD's Ryzen series. They explain the significance of processor generation numbers and the various letters (e.g., 'H', 'U', 'Y', 'G1', 'G7') that indicate performance and power consumption characteristics. Practical advice is given on comparing processor performance using benchmark lists and choosing processors based on intended use, like rendering or gaming.

15:11

🎨 Graphics Cards and Their Importance

The discussion moves to graphics cards, emphasizing the importance of Nvidia's RTX series for technologies like ray tracing and rendering performance due to CUDA cores. AMD's RX series is also mentioned. The author advises using benchmark lists to compare graphics card performance and highlights the importance of considering wattage for power consumption and performance. The process of selecting a laptop with an appropriate graphics card for rendering and gaming scenarios is demonstrated.

🛠️ Additional Components: RAM, SSD, and Screen

The author briefly covers other essential components: RAM, SSD, and screen. They recommend a minimum of 16GB RAM, at least 512GB SSD storage, and explain the importance of high screen refresh rates for gaming and color accuracy standards like NTSC and sRGB for professional work. The flexibility of choosing components based on specific needs is emphasized, with an option to use an external monitor for better color accuracy.

🍎 Special Scenario: Apple's MacBook

The author introduces an additional scenario for those who need high performance without being plugged in and do not play games. They recommend Apple's MacBooks with M1 and M2 processors for their excellent performance and battery life, unlike most Windows-based laptops that throttle performance when unplugged. MacBooks are also suggested for music production due to their powerful processors.

📢 Final Advice and Conclusion

The video concludes with practical advice for those overwhelmed by the technical details. The author suggests using forums to seek recommendations based on budget and needs and emphasizes the importance of researching laptop prices across multiple stores to avoid overpaying. Viewers are encouraged to share the chosen laptop model on forums to check for any chronic issues or better alternatives. The video ends with thanks and an invitation to comment with video suggestions.

Keywords

💡Processor

A processor, or CPU, is the central unit in a computer that performs most of the processing inside the computer. In the video, processors are discussed in detail, including the different models (i5, i7, Ryzen 5, Ryzen 7), their hierarchy, and the importance of the processor in tasks like rendering and gaming.

💡Graphics Card

A graphics card is a component of a computer that renders images, videos, and animations for display. The video highlights the significance of graphics cards for gaming and rendering, explaining the differences between Nvidia and AMD cards, and the importance of features like CUDA cores and ray tracing for performance.

💡RAM

RAM, or Random Access Memory, is a type of computer memory that can be accessed randomly and is used for storing data temporarily while the computer is running. The video recommends at least 16GB of RAM for modern games and applications, especially for tasks like rendering where even 16GB can sometimes be insufficient.

💡SSD

An SSD, or Solid State Drive, is a type of storage device that uses integrated circuit assemblies to store data persistently. The video advises buying a laptop with at least a 512GB SSD to handle the large sizes of modern games and applications, highlighting the speed and efficiency benefits of SSDs over traditional hard drives.

💡Screen Refresh Rate

Screen refresh rate refers to the number of times per second that the image on the screen is refreshed. For gaming laptops, the video recommends a screen with at least a 144Hz refresh rate to enhance gaming performance, especially in competitive games where smooth visuals are crucial.

💡CUDA Cores

CUDA cores are parallel processors found in Nvidia graphics cards that are designed to handle complex calculations, often used in rendering tasks. The video emphasizes the importance of CUDA cores for rendering performance, making Nvidia cards a preferred choice for tasks like 3D modeling and video editing.

💡Ray Tracing

Ray tracing is a rendering technique that simulates the way light interacts with objects to create realistic images. The video mentions that Nvidia's RTX series cards are particularly known for their ray tracing capabilities, making them a good choice for users interested in high-quality graphics.

💡Battery Life

Battery life refers to the duration a laptop can run on a single charge. The video discusses how laptops designed for high performance in gaming and rendering often have shorter battery lives due to higher power consumption, whereas laptops for office use tend to prioritize longer battery life.

💡Macbook M1/M2

Macbook M1/M2 refers to Apple's line of laptops equipped with their own M1 or M2 processors, which offer high performance and long battery life. The video suggests considering Macbook models with M1/M2 processors for users who need powerful performance without being plugged in, especially for tasks like music production.

💡Overpayers Club

The 'Overpayers Club' is a term used in the video to describe people who overpay for laptops due to a lack of research and knowledge about the components and prices. The video aims to educate viewers on how to avoid joining this club by providing detailed information on how to choose the right laptop components and conduct price research.

Highlights

The video aims to provide comprehensive information about laptops to help viewers make informed decisions.

Many people mistakenly believe that a higher processor model number or an 'i7' label automatically indicates a better laptop.

The importance of understanding laptop components like processors, graphics cards, and RAM before making a purchase is emphasized.

Desktop PCs are generally more powerful than laptops at the same price point due to engineering costs.

The purpose of the laptop (gaming, rendering, office work) should guide the choice of components.

Graphics cards are crucial for gamers and those involved in 3D modeling and video editing.

Nvidia graphics cards with CUDA cores are recommended for rendering tasks due to their performance.

Processor generation does not always equate to better performance, and newer technologies are not always superior.

The letter at the end of processor models (U, Y, G1, G7, H) indicates power consumption and performance.

Laptop processors can be compared for rendering performance using benchmarks like Cinebench R23.

Nvidia RTX series graphics cards are preferred for ray tracing and DLSS technologies.

Higher wattage graphics cards generally offer better performance but consume more power.

At least 16GB of RAM is recommended for modern games and programs.

A minimum of 512GB SSD is advised for storing large games and programs.

For gaming, a laptop with a high screen refresh rate (at least 144Hz) is recommended.

Color accuracy for non-gaming laptops can be evaluated using NTSC and sRGB standards.

Business laptops like MSI Summit, Huawei Matebook, Lenovo Thinkpad, and Asus Zenbook are designed for office use.

Apple MacBooks with M1 and M2 processors offer high performance without needing to be plugged in.

Engaging in forum discussions and doing price research can help avoid overpaying for laptops.

Transcripts

You know, a month ago, I uploaded the "Watch this BEFORE You Buy a PC!" to Youtube.

Thank you very much for your interest and for your comments.

By the way, I'm reading them all.

But in the comments many people asked me to make the same video for laptops.

So I decided to make this video.

I will try to give you all the information about laptops in the video, but if you are

not computer-related, you can take note of what I will tell you, it may seem a bit confusing

to you.

Then let's get started.

Now, first of all, let me tell you what you will experience if you try to buy a laptop

without knowing about laptops.

You got up in the morning and went to the computer store to buy a laptop.

Upon arriving at the store, a store employee greeted you.

He asked you what you wanted.

You said "I need a powerful laptop for work or play".

He recommended this laptop model to you.

You looked at the laptop in detail.

You saw that the graphics card was something with “mx”, you thought it was a very good

card, then you looked at the processor, when you saw that the processor was i7, you said

ok, this is the laptop I was looking for.

You didn't look at the price in other stores because you were too impressed with the laptop.

You bought the laptop and then went home and installed the programs and games.

But you didn't get the performance you expected.

The performance you get in games is very bad, and the rendering times in programs take a

long time.

But you still think you're getting the best laptop you can get for this price because

you don't know about laptops.

Is the processor model of the laptop good?

Is the graphics card good?

Is the ram capacity of the laptop enough?

You don't have the slightest idea.

Actually, you could have bought a better laptop.

but you bought a weak laptop model that is not enough for you.

It's not just these.

Because you didn't do price research from other stores, you bought the laptop for $150

more than its normal price.

Welcome to the club of overpayers.

So what should you do to avoid joining the overpayers club?

Actually, the answer is very simple.

You need to have some knowledge about components such as processors, graphics cards and RAM

in laptops.

In this video, I will explain the components to you as much as I can, but first we need

to agree on a few things.

1) Desktop or Laptop?

If you have a budget and you plan to buy a computer in this budget, desktop PCs that

you can buy for the same price are more powerful than laptops.

Because the engineering work of the components in laptops is more costly than desktops.

As a result, laptops cost more than desktops.

Therefore, if you do not travel a lot and do not need to move the computer, building

a computer is much more advantageous than buying a laptop.

I think you understand this.

2) Purpose of using the laptop.

You need to decide on the purpose of using the laptop.

Let me put it this way: We have several scenarios in front of us.

In the first scenario, there are laptops for gamers.

If you're going to play games, the most important component is the graphics card.

Of course, the processor is also important for you, but you do not need an incredible

processor.

When we move on to the second scenario, the laptop will be used mostly for performance-requiring

tasks such as 3d modeling, video editing and rendering.

So these laptops will be for rendering.

The important component for us in this scenario is the processor, but now you also need a

good graphics card for these tasks.

But why?

We know that while playing games, we can get higher performance according to the performance

of the graphics card, but why is the graphics card important in rendering?

Let me explain it to you this way: Until a few years ago, render engines were able to

render mostly using the cores in the processor, but now render engines use the cores of the

graphics card instead of the processor cores.

Although this is a newer technology, especially in the 3d rendering industry, many of the

render engines can now render with the graphics card.

In addition, rendering using the graphics card takes much less time than rendering using

the processor.

That's why I find the graphics card as important as the processor in this scenario.

By the way, let me give you another important information.

For this scenario, you need to choose a laptop with nvidia graphics card.

Because the cores called "CUDA" in Nvidia graphics cards are very performant in rendering.

You may be a little confused by this point, but don't worry, you will understand it all.

Let me also say this: in this first and second scenario, they both have the disadvantage

of short battery life due to the high power consumption.

Therefore, in these two scenarios, we use the laptop mostly plugged in.

In the third scenario, there are laptops that will not be used for gaming and rendering,

less power and long battery life to be used in the office.

You have to choose a scenario that matches your purpose.

You have 5 seconds.

Now let these 3 scenarios stay here, we will come back to them.

Let's take a look at some components.

1) Processors.

If you looked at the laptop models, you may have seen names such as i5, i7, Ryzen 5 and

Ryzen 7 in the title.

These are the processor models found in laptops.

Ryzen processors are produced by AMD, the processors on the other side are produced

by Intel.

The performance hierarchy in Intel processors is as follows: i3 includes entry-level, i5

mid-range, and i7 and i9 high-end processors.

The same hierarchy exists in AMD's Ryzen processors.

We understand this info, but I see some numbers and letters next to the processor, what do

they mean?

For example, let's take the processor in this laptop as an example and examine it.

Now we look at the 4th and 5th digits from the right.

These numbers will show us the generation of the processor.

One, two, three, four and five.

As you can see, the fourth and fifth digits show the number 11, so this processor is an

11th generation i7 processor.

So, does the performance increase as the processor generation increases?

Actually, that's not exactly the case.

But of course, there are newer technologies due to the later release in a newer generation

processor.

We understood the processor and generation connection.

Let's continue to examine the processor in detail.

Now listen carefully to what I have to say, this is very important here.

As you can see there is a letter at the end, the letter "H".

What does this letter mean?

At the end of the processors you will see things like "H", "G1", "G7", "Y" and "U".

These are very important for you to choose the laptop you will buy.

Processors with the letter "U" at the end are processors designed for low power consumption.

These processors are not very performant, but they provide long battery life.

This allows us to use these laptops for a long time without being connected to the charger.

So if you see the letter "U" on the processor of a laptop, know that that laptop is designed

for low power consumption.

Let's move on to the letter "Y".

Processors with the letter "Y" consume even less power than processors with the letter

"U".

So they are ultra low power consumption.

The letters "G1" and "G7" indicate the level of the internal graphics card in the laptop.

The internal graphics card of the processor with the G7 is more powerful than the processor

with the G1.

Of course, the processors I have shown so far are not very powerful processors.

We can't get a very good performance.

If we are doing things that require performance such as playing games, 3d modeling and rendering,

we need to choose processors with the letter "H" at the end.

Now let's put these processors in the scenarios I just showed.

This is the current state of the table right now.

If you remember, I just told you that the processor is very important for rendering.

So how can I compare laptop processors according to their rendering performance?

First of all, I go to Google and type "laptopsreviewer cinebench r23" in the search box and search.

I go to the site laptopsreviewer.com.

After scrolling down a bit, I click on this option.

And in front of me are the laptop processors lined up.

The rendering performance of these processors decreases from top to bottom.

Let me explain in a way you can understand better.

For example, a laptop with a 12900HK processor gives better rendering performance than another

laptop with a 6800H processor.

You can take advantage of this list of processors when choosing a laptop that fits your budget.

Let me even tell you how to choose the laptop.

Let's choose a processor here as an example.

I choose the 12900H processor.

I am searching for i7 12900H laptop on google.

It lists laptops with 12900H processors for me.

I check laptops but these laptops are out of my budget.

I go back to the list and select another processor at the bottom of the list.

I do the same search for this processor.

And I find these laptops fit my budget.

So the best laptop processor I can buy at this price for rendering is 12700H.

But there are two different laptop models that fit my budget.

So which one will I choose?

Here you need to choose the graphics card.

2- Graphics Cards.

First of all, know this: There are 2 most preferred manufacturers for graphics cards.

One is AMD, the other is Nvidia.

If the graphics card has RTX, GTX, Quadro in its name, this card is produced by Nvidia.

If the card has RX in its name, this card is produced by AMD.

RTX series cards developed by Nvidia are known for technologies such as ray tracing and DLSS.

Ray tracing is a technology for creating realistic images that calculates reflections in the

image.

If you are interested in this technology and you say "it is indispensable for me, what

would I do without this technology", you have to choose laptops with Nvidia RTX cards, because

this ray tracing technology does not work very well on AMD cards at the moment.

It even works pretty badly.

On the other hand, if you are interested in rendering, you still have to choose a laptop

with an Nvidia card, because if you remember, I just told you that the cores called "CUDA"

in Nvidia cards are very performant in rendering.

Therefore, it will be much better for you to choose Nvidia cards.

So how do we compare graphics cards?

How can I know which card is more performant?

First of all, know this: in a video card series, the higher number of video cards is more powerful

than the other.

For example, 3080 is better than 3070 and 3060 is better than 3050.

So there is no list of it?

of course there is.

I typed "laptop gpu benchmark list" in the search box and searched.

I clicked on the site "laptopmedia.com".

When I scrolled down, I saw a list of graphics cards.

The performance of the graphics cards here decreases from top to bottom.

If you have noticed, there is the letter "w" next to the graphics cards.

This tells us the maximum wattage consumed by the graphics card.

Of the same two graphics cards, the model with higher wattage is more performant and

consumes more power than the other.

As you can understand from here, not only the "model" of the graphics cards is important,

the watt values consumed are also important.

You can find out this consumed watt value from the specifications of the laptop.

Now let's go back to the render laptop, if you remember we were undecided between the

two models.

As you can see here, one has an RTX 3050 TI and one has an RTX 3060 graphics card.

The laptop with the RTX 3060 inside is more powerful.

I choose the laptop with RTX 3060 and add it to the render category in the table.

We chose our render laptop.

Now let's move on to the gaming laptop category.

As I said before, our first priority in a gaming laptop is the graphics card, not the

processor.

So I go back to the graphics card list and here I choose a graphics card from the top

of the list.

For example, we can look at the price of laptops with 3070 Tİ graphics cards.

I found a model that I can afford, and I'm adding it to the game category.

By the way, you can play games on the laptop we chose for rendering, you can also render

on the laptop we chose for the game.

In other words, there is no rule that rendering is not possible on a gaming laptop.

It's just a matter of preference.

For whatever purpose you will use the laptop, you can choose it.

Well I understood everything so far but other components like ram, ssd and laptop screen

are not important?

Of course, they are important but because the options are more limited and it is easier

to choose, I want to tell them all together quickly.

3-Ram.

For today's games and programs, you have to buy a laptop with at least 16 gigabyte ram.

I even think that after a few years even 16 gigabyte ram will be insufficient.

Even now, I can get insufficient ram errors in my detailed after effects works.

Therefore, the laptop you will buy must have at least 16 gigabyte ram.

It is true that you do not need high-capacity ram in games, but when it comes to rendering,

even 16 gigabyte ram can be insufficient.

But 16 gigabyte ram is enough for entry level.

4-SSD.

My advice to you is to buy a laptop with at least 512 gigabyte ssd.

The size of today's games and programs has increased a lot, so buying less than 512 gigabyte

ssd may be the wrong choice.

Over time you may have to delete something to free up disk space.

5- Laptop Screen.

If you are going to play games with a laptop, it will be much better for you to buy a laptop

with a high screen refresh rate.

Because playing on a screen with a high screen refresh rate, especially while playing competitive

games, increases your performance in the game.

For this reason, I recommend you to buy a laptop with at least 144 hertz screen for

gaming.

But if you're not gaming and need more accurate colors, you need a screen with high color

accuracy.

There are standards such as NTSC and sRGB that have been developed to determine this

color accuracy.

If you look at the detailed technical specifications of the laptop you will buy, you will see the

percentage values of these standards.

This means that this screen can display 72% of the NTSC color gamut.

The higher this percentage value, the more saturated and accurate the colors are.

Therefore, you need to choose a laptop with high color accuracy.

Of course, it is a hard to find all these features together, but if you have a budget,

you can solve this problem by buying an external reference monitor.

Now let's move on to the laptop in third scenario . I have already explained the processors

in this scenario.

In such laptops, there are special series of known brands.

For example, Msi's Summit series, Huawei's Matebook series, Lenovo's Thinkpad series,

Asus' Zenbook series can be given as examples.

You can look at the laptops in these series and decide on the laptop you will buy according

to your needs.

Now we have finished the whole table, but I would like to make one more addition to

the work and render scenario here.

If you remember, I told you that in first and second scenarios we would have to stay

plugged in because it consumes so much power.

But I want to do my work and render at high performance without being plugged in.

Also, I don't play any games.

For this, we create an additional scenario to this scenario and add Apple's Macbook series

here.

By the way, know this: There is a problem with most windows-based laptops: If we want

to get full performance from the processor and graphics card in these laptops, we have

to use it plugged in.

Because after unplugging the laptop, the processor and graphics card reduce their performance

to save power.

Therefore, we cannot get high performance from these laptops without being plugged in.

On the other hand, old macbooks with intel processors are not included, but the new Macbooks

with M1 and M2 processors are both incredible performances and can give this performance

for a long time without being plugged in.

Therefore, if you travel a lot and do not play games, you can look at macbook models

with m1 and m2 processors.

Also, let me add something.

If you are interested in music production programs such as fl studio and Logic Pro X,

you do not need a powerful graphics card, but you need a powerful processor, so you

can look at new Macbook models.

Now let's finish the video, but before that I want to say two things:

If you say "bro, I am not interested in computers, I did not understand anything from this video,

what should I do".

You can do this: You enter a forum.

After entering the forum, you open a topic and ask for a laptop recommendation by typing

the features you are looking for with your budget.

After waiting for a while, you will get the answer you are looking for from forum users.

I would also like to say this: Please share the model you decided on in a forum before

you buy the laptop.

Laptop has chronic problem?

Can you get a better laptop for this price?

get the answers to the questions.

And look at the price of the model you will buy from many stores, do a price research

on the internet.

You can find it cheaper in other stores.

The first rule of the overpays club is "never research".

For this reason, it is useful to take some time and do a price research.

Okey, thank you for watching.

If you have video suggestions, you can comment.

And if you like the video, you can like it, if you don't you can dislike it.

See you in the next videos, take care and goodbye!