How To Choose a Laptop for Home Use

Jan 13, 2023

Are you looking for a laptop for a member of your household? For instance, possibly a young student who will use the laptop for schoolwork, a budding creative whizz who likes to share their passion online, or an adult who enjoys streaming movies on lazy Sundays. With a myriad of laptop options available in the market, each boasting a unique set of features and specifications, it's crucial to navigate this sea of choices with a clear understanding of your needs. Here are some tips on choosing laptops for different types of home users, depending on needs. We’ll also include some ASUS recommendations.

When choosing a laptop, there are a few things you will want to consider. First, you’ll want to determine which form factor fits your needs best. Some of the more common form factors include the traditional ‘clamshell’ laptop, a two-in-one convertible laptop (with a 360° hinge that allows you to use it like a tablet), or a laptop with a detachable keyboard. Then there are the more novel options, such as laptops with a foldable screen or even a dual screen.

Laptops are available in various screen sizes, and the screen size will determine the size of the chassis. Most laptop displays are between 13 and 17 inches. Thickness and weight are additional factors to consider. If you have a preference, you may want to check the materials used for the laptop. Plastic or aluminum are commonly used due to their durability and weight. It’s also great if the laptop has been tested to the toughest standards of durability, such as the U.S. military 810H standard.

Next, you will want to check the specifications. Key components to consider are processor (CPU), graphics card, memory, and storage. These will determine how fast your laptop will process common and complex tasks, how many processes you’ll be able to run at once, and how many files the laptop will hold.

Next, there are different display technologies. We recommend OLED screens, such as ASUS Lumina OLED options. They promise more accurate, vivid colors and good visibility in different light conditions, and are healthier for the eyes — emitting up to 70% less potentially harmful blue light.

On the theme of health, some laptops also feature an antimicrobial coating that can help inhibit up to 99% of microbial growth over a 24-hour period.

Finally, there are other features that will determine the convenience of use. These are things like connection ports, touchscreen, different ways to navigate the laptop (such as dial control or compatibility with stylus), and software features such as AI noise cancellation, webcam image enhancement, and laptop management apps. Some of the newest laptops also come with AI tools that make life easier — namely Microsoft Copilot and Designer. Some of these tools make it possible to carry out tasks with a simple text command to an AI helper.

It may also be a good idea to check the battery life of the laptop and see if it features fast charging.

Now that you have some idea of key considerations, let’s jump into identifying the right combination of features and properties for various kinds of users.

Most adult home laptop users need a machine that will allow them to surf the internet, use Microsoft tools, stay connected with friends and family via video calls, and stream entertainment. For users with such needs, a 14-inch laptop may prove optimal. A relatively small chassis of less than 1.5 kg makes it easy to carry it around the house and use in many different places — at the desk, on the sofa, or in the kitchen.

Long battery life is always beneficial, allowing you to roam around the house with your laptop.

It’s great if the laptop has an OLED screen. This way, you’ll enjoy a rich gamut of colors every time you use the laptop. Besides vivid colors and deep true blacks, higher brightness perception with lower nits in addition to lower blue light emission compared to traditional LCD screens also make viewing easier on the eyes.

When it comes to specifications, most casual users would be fully satisfied with a laptop equipped with mid-range components. This kind of laptop may feature a processor such as an Intel® Core™ i5 or equivalent, an integrated graphics card, memory of 8 or 16 GB, and about 512 GB or more of storage.

A convertible form factor and touchscreen are options to consider, as they make it possible to easily use the laptop as a tablet.

Our Pick: ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED

ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3405) and ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (UM3406) are a great home laptop options for casual users. It’s an ultraportable laptop with a 3K OLED touchscreen and a powerful 75 Wh battery. It’s a very compact laptop with a 14-inch screen and a 1.2* kg lightweight chassis. It’s packed with useful features, such as AI Noise-cancellation and ASIS AiSense camera for better meeting quality and Microsoft Copilot. It’s an elegant, durable machine that will look appropriate in any setting, and its durability has been tested to the strictest U.S. Military standards. You can choose up to Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 processor with an integrated Intel® Arc™ graphics card in the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3405), and an AMD Ryzen™ 7 8840HS mobile processor with integrated AMD Radeon™ graphics is featured in the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (UM3406). Up to 1 TB of fast PCIe® 4.0 SSD storage, and up to 32 GB or memory are offered in both models.

For many young users, a laptop is their daily companion. Between schoolwork (more and more online and in digital formats) and entertainment, they need a machine that can handle well a lot of different tasks while being easily portable and having a long-lasting battery. It’s good if the laptop can also support the user’s hobbies, such as some light content editing or gaming.

Young users will want to strike a good balance between having a big enough screen to see a lot of content at once while being compact and lightweight. A 16-inch OLED screen should be a great option. Ideally, the laptop would weigh no more than 1.5 kg so it’s highly portable. A metal body could be beneficial as it makes the laptop more durable.

When it comes to components, to ensure that the laptop can handle any task a young user throws at it, you’ll want more powerful specifications. A good combination would be something like an Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 processor or above with at least 16 GB of memory and up to 1 TB of storage.

Another important consideration is the connection ports. Young users will likely want a laptop that has Thunderbolt™ 4 and a USB Type-A port, as well as an HDMI port and an audio jack. It’s great if at least one of the Thunderbolt™ 4 supports power delivery and features fast charging.

Finally, you’ll want a machine that has youthful yet universal aesthetics, with interesting colors and design details.

Our Pick: ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED

The new ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED (S5606) is a great option for young users. It’s a thin (starting at 13.9 mm) and lightweight (starting at 1.5 kg) laptop with a 16-inch 3.2K 120 Hz OLED display — a true visual wonder. It features powerful components that will handle any everyday task, as well as more complex processes, such as light content editing and casual gaming. You can choose up to an Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 CPU with a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) for AI processing. It comes in two attractive colors (Neutral Black and Mist Blue) and features a customizable ErgoSense keyboard with single-zone RGB backlight and an enlarged touchpad. The thin, lightweight body packs a strong 75 Wh battery and full I/O ports for convenient wired connectivity.

For young users who are starting to dabble in digital arts or have ambition to develop a career in content creation, a powerful, specialized laptop is optimal. These users will need a machine with high-performance components that can handle complex tasks, such as video editing, graphic design, and even 3D content. It would be great to have a high-end processor, such as an Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 CPU and a dedicated, latest-generation graphics card, such as NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4060 laptop GPU. I/O ports will also be key or convenient use of peripherals. A great bonus would be something like the ASUS DialPad — a virtual rotary input device, embedded in the touchpad, that gives users an intuitive and accurate way to control hundreds of apps, including the Adobe Creative Cloud suite of apps.

Our Pick: ASUS Vivobook Pro 15 OLED

The new ASUS Vivobook Pro 15 OLED (N6506) is a great option for digital artists and content creation enthusiasts. This laptop is driven by the latest Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 185H high-performance processor and is equipped with a dedicated NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4060 GPU with NVIDIA® Studios Drivers. These robust components deliver peak performance for creative tasks and empower users to leverage AI for enhanced creativity and productivity. Uninterrupted workflows are ensured with up to 24 GB of DDR5 5600 MHz memory, offering upgradeability through 1 SO-DIMM slot, and a fast 2 TB SSD. The visual output on this laptop is nothing short of spectacular, showcased on the 3K 15.6-inch ASUS Lumina OLED display featuring a 120 Hz refresh rate.

Adding to its innovative features, this laptop includes the ASUS DialPad — a virtual rotary input device seamlessly embedded in the touchpad. This useful tool provides users with an intuitive and precise method to control a myriad of applications, including the Adobe Creative Cloud suite.

The above are just some examples of laptops that are great for different kinds of home use. However, every user has varying needs. But worry not — there is something in the ASUS laptop offering for everyone! Click the button below to discover the full lineup of home-friendly laptops from ASUS.

*Depending on the specification, the weight can vary between 1.2 kg, 1.22 kg, and 1.28 kg.