Monday, November 25, 2019

The Ultimate Guide to Laptops for Writers


 
 A laptop is a writer's best friend.

Through thick and thin, a really good laptop should be robust enough to be used everywhere, from busy coffee shops, to travelling the world with you, and have a WiFi signal to match.

Reliability is the key to taking your writing anywhere and everywhere you go, whether you're novelist, or a freelancer.

Where Do I Start Looking for the Best Laptop?

In this post we've gathered together the best laptops, based on characteristics that are significant to most writers.  Categories such as portability, reliability, affordability, keyboards etc.

All links will lead directly to Amazon for easy browsing and shopping, and give you an insight into the reviews people have given on each laptop.  If you want more information you might want to go straight to the manufacturers' website, and look at their prices before you purchase.  Amazon has regular offers on so prices may vary from day to day.

Here are the best laptops for writers.

Most Reasonable

Money for most people is pretty tight these days, especially if you're a freelance writer, or blogger working from home.  Finding a good laptop that's budget friendly can be difficult.  But if you want a machine, and you're willing to compromise on storage space and add-ons the Samsung Chromebook 3 is great for it's simple affordability.

Samsung Chromebook

With a spill-resistant keyboard, 11-hour battery life, writers will welcome this comfortable Chromebook.  Even though this laptop has limited functionality most users will appreciate the offline performance of Google Docs which is what makes this little laptop an awesome deal.

You heard that right, you can't use Microsoft Word on a Chromebook, if that's a no-brainer, you need to see what other options are available.  As an avid user of Google Docs, you need to try the free writing platform for yourself.

Superior Battery Life


Picture yourself in your favourite cosy little coffee shop, you're writing a climactic scene.  Suddenly your laptop's battery indicator turns red, and starts flashing at you, warning you that's it about to shut down.

Bypass the scuffle for open outlets at airports, coffee shops and, libraries.

Go with the Lenovo Yoga.  With battery time up to 22 hours, you'll never have a dying battery again.

Most Movable Laptop

Laptop portability is a major factor for many writers in these days.  Whether you're a digital nomad living by the beach in Indonesia, or a small-time writer who loves working from a local coffee shop. 

Laptop movability is a key factor for many writers today.
The day's of carrying a heavy bulky laptop around are long-gone with alternatives like the MacBook Air.  Coming in at just under three pounds and less than three-quarters of an inch thick, the Air will gently blow you along wherever your writing takes you.

Best Keyboard

On the whole most people don't think twice about the keyboard on their laptop.  But for most writers having the right keyboard can become an obsession.

Not all laptops are made the same, and finding the right responsive, ergonomic keyboard, can be a real nuisance.

A good place to start is with the Lenovo ThinkPad.  It comes with an optional backlit keyboard, and gets excellent feedback from users, who value its responsive typing and spacious keys.  An added bonus is it's built-in Track-Point mouse that allows users to navigate their mouse without taking their hands of the keyboard.

Most Dependable

Upgrading a laptop is more necessisity than luxury for most writers.

The brand of laptop you choose has more influence than the model you decide to buy.  Most customers look at overall durability, customer support and warranty offers.

When Apple had the shrewd move to open stores on the high street, they became synonymous with providing excellent customer support.  This meant that Apple's customers didn't have to worry about  taking their laptop in to the store, to then be sent away for servicing.

A laptop that has stood out is the classic Macbook.

Another formidable PC brand is Dell, which also offers helpful customer service, warranty options, which include accidental damage protection, and hardware repair for laptops less than five years old (even those outside of their warranty).  The Panasonic Toughbook is built to deal with all of the hardships of first responder or field worker can dish out.

Best Screen Display

What's the point of a laptop if you spend half of your time squinting at the screen.  Bigger screens are important for writers focusing on more than one document at a time, or have revisions that need working on.

The Asus VivoBook, gets the best in-show for screen display.

With a 178-degree NanoEdge HD display, this laptop gives a wide view, to enable you to see the screen from any angle, and the 15.6" is a must-have for anyone who rates display size over portability.

If you're looking for a superior display that travels well, the Dell XPS 13.  Boasting a 13-inch display, and nearly borderless InfinityEdge that capitalizes on every inch of screen space.

Best 2-in-1

With 2-in-1 laptops you get flexibility, and the ability to use your laptop as a tablet in the morning for an interview, then swiftly change it to a full-sized keyboard later on in the day.

Regular travellers, and journalists will welcome the ease at which the 2-in-1 laptop can transform to meet their every need.

Versatility comes as standard with the Microsoft Surface Book.  Not a cheap option by any means, but neither does it skimp on features that make it the most powerful in its category.

A lower cost 2-in-1 option that won't break the bank is the Asus Chromebook Flip.  A more affordable option than many hybrid laptops, it offers a backlit keyboard and 10-hour battery life to help sweeten the deal.

Best for Entrepreneurs

Writers with an entrepreneurial flare need a laptop that will run with every task that comes their way.  From video creation, to story writing, or podcast production.

The MacBook Pro.  A cult favourite, and favourite of most entrepreneurs for years, with good reason.  This laptop offers a high quality performance, Retina display in various screen sizes, and of course excellent customer support, making it a first-class choice for business-minded writers alike.

With all of your bases covered you've got all of the information you need to choose the perfect laptop for your writing life.
 
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