Although making a poor laptop is no longer an easy task at a technical level, finding the perfect balance between performance, portability, and comfort is still a huge challenge for manufacturers.
The eternal contradiction between performance and portability
In the case of stronger performance, generally speaking, it means a larger heat dissipation module and a larger battery, which will directly lead to an increase in the size and weight of the device. For example, the thickness and weight of high-performance notebooks equipped with Intel Core i9 processors and independent graphics cards are often difficult to control, making it a burden to carry around. On the other hand, some products that pursue extreme thinness and lightness, such as some models that only weigh about 1 kilogram, have limitations in processor performance and are difficult to handle heavy-duty tasks such as video editing.
Keyboard and touchpad experience core
Laptops have core input components that are different from mobile phones and tablets, which are the keyboard and trackpad, and their feel will directly affect work efficiency. An excellent keyboard must have moderate key travel, crisp rebound, and even backlighting. Like the ThinkPad series and some high-end business notebooks, their keyboard feel has always been praised by professional users. As for the trackpad, it requires a large enough area, accurate tracking, and support for rich gesture operations. In this regard, Apple's MacBook series has set an industry benchmark.
The key to screen quality
The component with which users interact the longest is the screen, and its quality is of vital significance. A high-quality screen needs to have high resolution, high brightness, a wide color gamut, and accurate color reproduction. For example, the optional 4K OLED screen of Dell XPS 15 can provide deep blacks and vivid colors, which is very suitable for imaging workers. In addition, the anti-privacy screen technology used in the HP Specter x360 13.9-inch model can effectively protect user privacy in public places.
Practical considerations for battery life
Battery life is a basic guarantee for mobile office. However, the duration advertised by manufacturers is often based on specific test conditions. In actual use, screen brightness, background software and network connections will have a significant impact on battery life. For example, when some laptops are browsing the web at the highest screen brightness, their battery life may be only half of the official nominal duration. When making a selection, you should pay more attention to the watt-hour (Wh) capacity of the battery and refer to the moderate use evaluation results of actual users.
Thermal design affects performance
The prerequisite for the processor and graphics card to continue to perform high-performance output is to have an efficient cooling system. If the laptop is poorly designed, under heavy load conditions, the processor will overheat, resulting in a sudden drop in performance, and the fan will be very noisy. For example, some early models of MacBook Air have this problem when used intensively. Excellent heat dissipation design requires a reasonable heat pipe layout, a large area of vapor chamber, and efficient air inlet and outlet ducts.
Comprehensive trade-off between price and value
Within the budget, there is such a behavior of looking for products with strong adaptability. This is what consumers will eventually do. For example, high-end products, such as the 16-inch MacBook Pro, have a high price. However, they provide powerful and usable tools for people who are professional in audio and video work, and products like the Lenovo Yoga A mid-range 2-in-1 notebook like the C740 offers a sturdy body, reliable performance, and long battery life at a price of less than $800. Its price-performance ratio is highlighted. Users must understand their core needs and never pay for functions they cannot use.
Among the many influencing factors, which factor do you think should have the highest priority in terms of daily office work and study: the battery life to ensure that you can work in an off-grid state all day long, or the keyboard that can provide a comfortable input experience?
