No matter your primary purpose for using a laptop, speed is one of the most important factors. Without it, using laptops can be maddening, especially when you’re working on a tight deadline, editing important photos, or one of the seemingly countless processes computers do for us.
Having a fast computer is essential, but what, exactly, makes laptops fast? What gives some the edge over others and allows them to give us the quick functionality many of us have grown accustomed to? Let’s find out.
Whether your laptop is fast or could be faster, it’s important to understand that virtually all laptops share the same internal components, albeit with variations designed to suit certain needs or compensate for other elements. These variations are common, even among the same brand.
RAM (Random-Access Memory)
RAM is an essential element of any laptop. It is measured by the time its memory module takes to recall and send user-requested data. Think of it as your laptop’s short-term memory, and capable of handling temporary data storage needed to recall and bring up data immediately or in the next few seconds. It is also responsible for volatile data, or data that can be lost if it loses connection to a power source.
At roughly 20 to 100 times faster than a hard disk, RAM makes running multiple applications at once possible. Most laptops with around three to four gigabytes (GB) of RAM are considered fast, depending on your needs.
Hard Drive
Unlike RAM, hard drives store long-term and more sensitive data. Your hard drive’s memory space has a greater capacity than your laptop’s RAM, with sizes ranging from 500GB to 8 terabytes (TB). And while RAM immediately recalls volatile data, your hard drive houses non-volatile data and only allows that data to be read from within it and doesn’t clear its memory of that data.
Hard drives don’t need a consistent power supply to retain memory content and are used to increase your laptop’s storage capacity. Conversely, RAM’s main functionality is to boost your laptop’s overall speed. If you need more hard drive space, you can always connect an external hard disk.
Processor
Another key component in achieving faster laptop speed is your processor, or CPU (central processing unit). The CPU will adjust its speed and power consumption depending on how many applications you’re running at any given time. Dual-core processors generally improve laptop speed but can be a significant source of power consumption, requiring a greater need for a constant flow of power. So, when weighing whether or not you want a laptop with more speed, you must also consider how that speed will impact your energy efficiency: do you want a laptop that runs the programs faster, or want it to execute those same programs while consuming less power? If speed is what you’re after, go with a dual-core processor, or ask a team member at DOHA.Inc and we can help you find the device that meets your needs.
No two people use laptops exactly the same, and we want you to find the one that’s right for your everyday (and not-so-everyday) usage. Curious about how our subscription-based model works? Or want to know how you can get the fastest laptop available? Let’s talk.
