Buying a laptop shouldn’t require a computer science degree. Manufacturers make it confusing on purpose. Here’s what actually matters — and when not to buy.
Repair-first rule: if your current machine can be restored with an SSD, clean, battery, or screen for under ~50% of a replacement, start there.
Start with what you use it for
If you browse, email, stream, and write documents — you do not need a £1,000 laptop. A £300–£500 new machine, or a £150–£250 refurbished one, usually covers it.
Home office with Office, Teams, and many tabs — aim for 16GB RAM and an SSD. Roughly £400–£700 new, or £200–£400 refurbished.
Video editing, CAD, or gaming — that’s when budgets rise. Most people are not in that group.
What actually matters
Storage type: SSD, not HDD. Biggest day-to-day speed factor.
RAM: 8GB minimum; 16GB better. 32GB only if you know why.
Processor: Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 class is enough for most people.
Screen: 14-inch Full HD is a solid all-rounder.
Ignore: touchscreens you won’t use, speaker marketing, vague “AI-powered” badges that do not change the chassis.
Prefer repairable machines
Business lines (ThinkPad, Latitude, EliteBook) are usually easier to service: replaceable storage, better parts availability, longer useful life. That is practical right-to-repair — see iFixit and Right to Repair Europe.
Consider refurbished (with numbers)
ADEME’s assessment of refurbished digital products finds that a refurbished laptop vs new avoids about 27 kg CO₂e and 127 kg of raw materials per year of use. Manufacturing dominates laptop climate impact, so skipping a new build is the big win.
A 2–3 year old business laptop with a fresh SSD and clean Windows install is often the best-value purchase you can make.
We source and check machines on request — refurbished laptops.
Our buying advice (Lewes)
Free 10-minute chat to point you the right way, or a written recommendation for £20 covering models, where to buy, and what to avoid. No commission. Based in Lewes, serving East and West Sussex.