Each year, technology advances faster and programs require greater specifications to run properly. Luckily for consumers with different needs, tech companies have made producing more powerful gadgets packed with amazing hardware a top priority — and 2016 is no exception.
Tech Times has listed down some of the best laptops released in 2016 for (almost) every need.
For Students: HP Chromebook 14 Or HP Pavilion X2
Just to clarify, Tech Times is looking mostly at high school or college students who are not required to do heavy editing or programming tasks. Basically, the laptop in this category offers basic functionality and can be considered quite affordable for basic day-to-day tasks.
Students can choose between the HP Chromebook 14 or HP Pavilion x2, which both have a retail price of under $250. The differences between the two models are the size of the unit and Operating System (OS) the student would be using to accomplish their tasks.
The 14-inch HP Chromebook 14 runs on 6th generation Intel Celeron with Intel HD Graphics, has a 2 GB to 4 GB RAM, and 16 GB to 32 GB eMMC internal storage. Since it is a Chromebook, it runs on the Chome OS, which means one should not expect to run the usual software because it uses Google Chrome Applications instead. The downside is that internet connection is a definite must in order to run those apps, so if the student is not always connected, it is better for the student to just choose the Pavilion x2.
The 10.1-inch HP Pavilion x2 runs on Intel Atom Z8300 with Intel HD Graphics, has a 2 GB RAM and 32 GB eMMC internal storage, and operates on Windows 10. Again, it is quite a basic device but it gets the job done, especially if all the user needs is a device that will enable them to research, take notes, write papers, create presentations, and watch some videos.
For Entrepreneurs and Professionals: Leonovo Thinkpad 13
Professionals, entrepreneurs, and small businesses require a little more from their computers to keep up with their tasks, but they do not need expensive powerhouses that could bankrupt the business before it even opens or hits the ground running. This is where the Leonovo Thinkpad 13 comes in.
The Thinkpad 13 comes equipped with a 2.3 GHz Intel Core i3-6100U CPU with 4 GB RAM that is upgradeable to 16 GB, Windows 10 Pro OS, and 128 GB hard drive capacity. It is very durable and sells for less than $600 so a startup won't have to shell out too much.
For Gamers: Alienware 13 R3
Alienware is definitely popular for its gaming laptops so it is no surprise that it released the best one in 2016. For gaming, Tech Times chose the Alienware 13 R3 despite its less than ideal battery life. Now here is the best bit: the technical specifications.
Alienware 13 R3 is equipped with the 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor with a 16 GB RAM that is upgradable to 32 GB, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060/Intel HD Graphics 530 GPU and a video memory of 6GB, a 512GB PCIe SSD Hard Drive, and a Windows 10 Home OS.
Don't forget about its 13.3-inch OLED Display producing clear, crisp, gorgeous graphics. As a bonus, the Alienware 13 is VR-ready and already supports the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive headsets. Alienware 13 has a retail price of over $1,100 but if the gamer in you wants a small, VR-ready device, this is a great choice.
This is just a quick sweep of the laptops out in 2016 for specific needs. Take a look at Part 2, which lists down winners in their respective categories.
