Explore laptop recommendations by use case
Find the right laptop based on your needs. Whether you're a gamer, student, or creator, use this laptop buying guide to point you in the right direction.
Military & Defense
Astringo supplies ruggedised, MIL-spec, and field-ready IT equipment to defense contractors, government agencies, and military units. We specialize in sourcing hard-to-find legacy hardware, secure configurations, and custom builds for mission-critical deployments.
Recommended Specifications for Defense
- Battery 12+ Hour Field Life
- Security FIPS 140-2 Compliant
- Operating Temp -20°C to 60°C
- Processor High-level
- Connectivity Tactical Mesh Ready
- Ruggedness MIL-STD-810G Certified
Construction
Public Safety
Manufacturing
Oil & Gas
Healthcare
Operating systems
The operating system is the heart of your laptop. It manages all software and hardware, including files, memory and connected devices. Most importantly, it lets you interact with your laptop and your programs in a visual way (otherwise, you'd be typing a bunch of computer code to get anything done).
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macOS
Installed exclusively on Mac computers, macOS boasts an elegant and easy-to-use interface to complement Mac's sleek aesthetics and impressive battery life. Macs have historically had fewer issues with viruses and malware. However, MacBooks start at a higher price point than other laptops, and no Mac model to date includes touch-screen functionality.
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Windows
Windows is designed specifically around an intuitive touch-screen interface (though it can be used with a traditional mouse and keyboard), expanding your navigation options. The integrated Windows Hello feature lets you log in quickly using a look or a touch instead of a password, while remaining enterprise-grade secure. It also offers an updated task manager, streamlined file management and a suite of built-in apps.
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Chrome OS
Chromebooks are laptops that run Chrome OS – the fast, simple and secure operating system built by Google. Chrome OS is built for the web and is tailor-made to run on Chromebook hardware. Chromebooks leverage the Google Play Store, which means they can run millions of apps, including games, document creation, and photo editing apps. Google collaborates closely with popular manufacturers to ensure every Chromebook has built-in security, boots up and performs fast, and stays easy-to-use with automatic updates.
Screen features
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Touch screens
Touch-screen laptops make navigating on your computer more intuitive. Tap to select, hold and drag to move items, swipe to scroll and pinch to zoom, just as you would on a smartphone or tablet. Currently available on many Windows laptops and select Chromebooks.
Screen size
Laptop screen sizes range from about 11 up to 17 inches, measured diagonally. A larger screen is ideal for gaming, watching movies, photo and video editing, and viewing documents side by side. Keep in mind, a big screen can increase the overall size, weight and power consumption of a laptop.
Display types
Different display technologies yield different colors and brightness levels. Many laptops employ LED backlighting, which can display bright colors without draining the battery. If you plan to use your laptop to watch movies and shows with a friend, choose a display with an IPS panel for wider viewing angles. Screens with a glossy finish generally provide richer colors and darker blacks, while matte displays will reduce glare if you frequently work outdoors or near windows. Laptop models featuring a narrow bezel – the border around the screen – allow for more display space to fit within the laptop's form factor.
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Resolution
Higher resolution equals better picture quality. Laptop screens come in a range of resolutions (measured in pixels, horizontal x vertical).
- 4K Ultra HD: 3840 x 2560 and 3840 x 2160 resolutions boast four times the pixels of Full HD, creating rich colors and images for viewing and editing incredibly lifelike images and graphics.
- QHD (Quad HD) and QHD+: With 2560 x 1440 and 3200 x 1800 resolutions, respectively, the extremely high pixel density creates crisp detail and sharp text, ideal for professional photo and graphics work as well as high-def movies and games.
- Retina display: 2560 x 1600 and 3072 x 1920 resolutions are found in Apple's 13" and 16" laptop displays, respectively.
- Full HD: 1920 x 1080 resolution allows you to watch Blu-ray movies and play video games without losing any level of detail.
- HD+: 1600 x 900 resolution is great for casual gaming and watching DVD movies.
- HD: 1366 x 768 resolution is standard on mainstream laptops. Good for web surfing, email and basic computing tasks.
Processors
Your laptop's processor is like its brain. Working in combination with system memory, the power of the processor determines the complexity of software you can run, how many programs you can have open at the same time, and how fast those programs will run. Most laptops feature an Intel or AMD processor.
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Intel processors
Intel's processors give you the widest range of laptop choices among brands, form factors, display options, and even operating systems. Most prevalent are Intel's Core series of multicore processors.
- Core i9: Intel's top-tier processor for gaming experiences and high-demand content creation and editing, including 4K or 360 degree videos, high-resolution photos and high-quality audio.
- Core i7: A popular choice for power users like gamers, graphic designers, photographers and videographers. It excels at serious multitasking and multimedia creation for projects in 3D or high definition.
- Core i5: Mid-grade Core processor that is powerful enough for most computing tasks, and multitasks well so you can stream a football game while looking up stats and sending emails.
- Core i3: The entry-level Core processor, more than adequate for everyday email, internet browsing and productivity tasks. It's also fine for common activities like listening to music.
- In value-priced laptops, you'll also see Intel's Pentium and Celeron processors. These are adequate for basic email, internet and productivity tasks, but their speed and multitasking capabilities are limited relative to those of the Core family.
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AMD processors
From work to play, AMD Ryzen mobile processors with Radeon Vega graphics deliver multitasking performance, stunning visuals and healthy battery life, while allowing for a sleek form factor. Options include:
- Ryzen 3: Start here for performance on the go. Maximize browsing, streaming and creating with 4 ultraresponsive 7 nm Zen 2 cores and AMD Radeon graphics. Great for home, school and office productivity with up to 4K resolution.
- Ryzen 5: The responsiveness you need for all-around multimedia performance. Ideal for home, school and office, 6 ultraresponsive 7 nm Zen 2 or Zen 3 cores with integrated AMD Radeon graphics stream in up to 4K. Great for AAA and esports gaming, as well as image and video editing.
- Ryzen 7: Accelerate everything you do. Experience desktop-caliber performance with smooth frame rates while editing videos, running demanding applications, and playing the latest games and esports. 8 high-performance 7 nm Zen 3 cores are optimized for pairing with high performance discrete graphics cards.
- Ryzen 9: AMD's premium processor delivers performance for elite gaming and content creation. 8 high-performance 7 nm Zen 3 cores are optimized for pairing with high performance discrete graphics cards. Great for AAA and esports gaming, intensive image and video editing, and gaming while streaming and recording.
- Athlon 3000 Series with Radeon graphics: Discover a world of quick apps, beautiful entertainment, modern features, and long-lasting battery life. Ideal for everything from completing everyday tasks to streaming your favorite movies – at home or on the go.
- AMD A Series processors prioritize value and are geared toward your everyday productivity tasks.
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Apple processor
The Apple M1 chip is Apple's first chip designed specifically for Mac, and can be found in the latest generations of MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. The Apple M1 system on a chip (SoC) integrates the CPU, GPU, Neural Engine, I/O and more, and delivers on performance, custom technologies and power efficiency.
Memory
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Random-access memory, or RAM
Random-access memory, or RAM, is important because it helps your processor tackle multiple tasks at once. A minimum of 2 gigabytes (GB) is required for basic computing, and 12GB or more is recommended if you're into graphics and advanced photo or video editing. Most laptops have 4GB-12GB pre-installed, and some have up to 64GB. If you think you might need more memory later, choose a model that lets you expand the RAM.
Internal storage
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Internal storage
Traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) offer larger storage capacities, but add to a laptop's weight and thickness while generating heat and noise. Alternatively, solid state drives (also known as SSDs) and flash storage are much lighter, faster, cooler and quieter than hard drives – but they're also more expensive per GB, so typically provide less storage space.
Hard disk drives
Traditional, mechanical hard disk drives are still found in some laptops because they're relatively inexpensive and offer huge capacities for your money. However, as noted above, they also add significantly to a laptop's weight and thickness, and generate both heat and noise. Hard drives come in two standard speeds – 5400 rpm drives, sufficient for day-to-day web surfing, emailing and document creation, and 7200 rpm drives, which transfer data more quickly. The faster 7200 rpm is worth considering if you regularly work with large files.
Solid state drives
SSDs are many times faster than hard disk drives, but typically offer less capacity (although their overall affordability has improved considerably in recent years). SSDs also offer tremendous advantages in physical size, weight and power efficiency, along with negligible heat production and noiseless operation, making them an ideal choice for ultraslim, ultralightweight laptops. And unlike hard disks, SSDs have no moving parts to wear out; this also makes them better able to withstand bumps and jolts as you carry them with you.
Battery life
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Battery life
Manufacturers' battery-life claims range from just a few hours up to 12 hours or more.
- Laptop enhancements – such as increased processing power, larger and higher resolution screens, faster hard drives, or the addition of an optical drive – will drain your battery more quickly.
- Other laptop features – for instance, a solid state drive instead of a mechanical hard drive – can improve power efficiency.
Best laptops and tablets for military & defense
Choose a laptop or tablet that can keep up with you.
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DELL Latitude 7030 Rugged Extreme Tablet i5- Intel Core i5-1240U Processor
- 16GB DDR5
- 256 GB SSD
- 10.1” 16:10 FHD (1920 x 1200) @ 60 Hz, sRGB 100%, Water/Glove-Capable Touchscreen, Anti-Glare and Anti-Smudge, Polarizer, Corning® Gorilla® Glass, 1000 Nit Outdoor-Readable, Active Pen Support, Passive Pen Support
- Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
Find your next rugged device
Durable tablets meticulously crafted to excel in environments where standard devices struggle to keep up.