HP 17-CP3001na Laptop – Ryzen™ 7

Given just how many options are available, the search for a new laptop can be a difficult one. That’s particularly true when you’re shopping on a budget and looking to get the best bang for your buck without sacrificing performance.

Fortunately for consumers, HP® has an extensive range of prices and configurations across its home laptops and work laptops. With so much variety available, your budget doesn’t have to be an insurmountable barrier to a laptop that’s reliable and easy to use.

HP® also offers loads of choices for customization across most of its tech, not just with their budget laptops. While you shop, you’ll find many customizable models singled out within a particular family or line. These laptop models have extra information indicating that they feature a deep selection of optional hardware or peripherals to choose from before checkout.

Even with strong choices available to you, figuring out how to balance your own unique needs with budget constraints can be quite challenging. And it’s made that much more difficult if you don’t fully understand the hardware you’re considering.

To help prepare yourself before shopping, you should find the answers to a few simple questions that relate to how you generally prefer to use your laptop.

By mapping out your priorities in advance, you can save on overall costs because you know how to compare different features. You’ll also know with certainty what is absolutely necessary for you to have, and when it may be safe to make sacrifices.

While more is typically better when it comes to technology, what does that mean for your own needs? RAM (random access memory) is what your computer will use to load programs and run applications. Having enough RAM is the difference between the smooth operation of your laptop and frustrating slowdowns and crashes.

For demanding routines that handle a lot of complex software, it’s a good idea to start with at least 8GBs of RAM. 16GBs is a great mid-range option if you can afford it. However, for those interested in cloud-based computing, the importance of memory decreases because storage and more complex processes often aren’t reliant on your physical device.

Still, for the most demanding routines, you can future-proof yourself a bit if you focus more on next-gen processor options from AMD or in the i5 range or above when considering laptops with Intel® processors. With less intensive workloads that revolve around only occasional use though, you won’t need to worry too much about getting the latest processor model or the one with the most cores.

Internal storage can be a less sensitive consideration because external hard drives are now both compact and affordable. That being said, it can still come into play if you prefer a streamlined routine without peripherals or if you need the quickest possible access to your files.

If you don’t mind using cloud storage or working with external solutions, internal storage won’t be a big priority for you. Depending on your multimedia habits, actively keeping your laptop’s built-in hard drive clean and clear can often offset the need for deeper storage space anyway.

For less intensive gaming and streaming routines, laptop models with integrated graphics – designed to share memory with their CPU – are often adequate. But if you need more power, pay attention to graphics card options and be sure to check out the section explaining HP OMEN gaming laptops below.

While a graphics card does factor into plenty of other activities, you may not need a medium or high-end card if you’re multimedia habits are more casual.

For some users, one of the main considerations is preserving a high degree of mobility when choosing the right device. Whether it’s for work or travel, a crowded workspace, or just a long commute on foot, there are plenty of reasons to keep your eye out for a compact model.

Many of HP’s notebook lines boast thin and light designs in addition to long battery life for when you’re stuck away from a power source. But there are other factors to keep in mind if flexibility is paramount.

To preserve the utmost freedom as far as your style of work and preferred computing routine, you’ll also want to consider some of HP®’s 360-degree convertible laptop models. Otherwise known as detachables or convertibles, these 2-in-1 laptop designs feature strong hinges to support a variety of work modes and combine the best features of a laptop and tablet.

Whatever you choose, make sure to stay focused on how you’ll actually use your device. For example, your choices for the best budget laptops for students will no doubt differ from the best budget gaming laptops.

Be sure to think about portability if you spend a lot of time on foot, and definitely consider screen size if you stream a lot or mostly use your laptop for homework or simple work projects. Again, it all depends on you.