Max. RAM
The maximum amount of RAM that can be installed on a laptop. It depends, in particular, on the type of memory modules used, as well as on the number of slots for them. Paying attention to this parameter makes sense, first of all, if the laptop is bought with the expectation of
and the amount of actually installed memory in it is noticeably less than the maximum available. So laptops can be upgraded in RAM to 16 GB,
24 GB a>,
32 GB, 48 GB,
64 GB and even more -
128 GB.
RAM type
Laptops mainly use different variants of DDR (so-called double data transfer memory). Here is a list of common types of such memory:
— DDR3. Third generation DDR RAM. Outperforms outdated DDR2 in terms of speed and power efficiency. However, it is also outdated against the background of the fourth version and new items - DDR5.
— DDR3L. A modification of DDR3 memory that supports operation at a reduced voltage - 1.35 V instead of 1.5 V (Low Voltage - hence the index L). Lower voltage contributes to both lower power consumption and better performance. Note that conventional DDR3 memory cannot be installed in such a slot, while the reverse option is quite possible.
—
DDR4. A memory standard released in 2014. Introduced further improvements in speed (up to 25.6 GB / s in the future) and energy efficiency. The most popular among laptops of recent years of release.
—
DDR5. The procession of the fifth generation of the DDR standard began at the turn of 2020-2021. It provides for approximately a twofold increase in memory subsystem performance and increased bandwidth compared to DDR4. Instead of a single 64-bit data channel, DDR5 uses a pair of independent 32-bit channels that work with 16-byte packets and allow 64 bytes of information to be delivered per clock on each channel. New memory modules require a voltage of 1.1 V, and the maximum volume of one DDR5 bar c
...an reach an impressive 128 GB.
It is worth noting that different types of RAM are not interchangeable.
Some laptops have LPDDR4, LPDDR4X, LPDDR5, LPDDR5X RAM. It was developed by a specialist for mobile devices and is non-expandable, since the corresponding memory modules are built directly into the motherboard. The use of "RAM" standards LPDDR is determined by the achievement of an optimal balance between the performance of the laptop, its size and battery life.RAM speed
The clock speed of the RAM installed in the laptop.
The higher the frequency (with the same type and amount of memory) — the higher the performance of RAM in general and the faster the laptop will cope with resource-intensive tasks. However modules with the same frequency may differ somewhat in actual performance due to differences in other characteristics; but this difference becomes significant only in very specific cases, for the average user it is not critical. As for specific values, the most popular modules on the modern market are
2400 MHz,
2666 MHz,
2933 MHz and
3200 MHz. Memory at
2133 MHz or less is found mainly in outdated and low-cost devices, and in high-performance configurations this parameter is
2933 MHz,
3200 MHz,
4266 MHz,
4800 MHz,
5200 MHz,
5500 MHz,
5600 MHz,
6000 MHz,
6400 MHz and
more.
Slots
The total number of slots for RAM modules provided in the laptop; in fact — the maximum number of slats that can be installed simultaneously in this model.
Features for upgrading RAM directly depend on this indicator. So, in low-cost models, there is often only
1 slot, and the only upgrade option is to replace the "native" bar. In more advanced devices,
two or even
four slots may be provided, while some of them may be free in the initial configuration.
A special case is embedded RAM; it is more compact and cheaper than removable modules, but does not imply replacement at all. At the same time, in some laptops, the “RAM” is
only built-in, in others it can be supplemented with
one or even two slots for interchangeable strips.
GPU TDP
The amount of heat generated by the graphics processing unit (GPU) during normal operation. TDP is expressed in watts. It allows you to evaluate the thermal characteristics of a laptop and determine its potential for working with high graphics loads. The higher the GPU TDP value, the more power the GPU consumes, which may require a more efficient cooling system to avoid overheating and ensure stable operation of the device. Laptops with higher GPU heat dissipation are better suited for gamers or graphics and video production professionals.
3DMark06
The result shown by the laptop's graphics card in 3DMark06.
This test primarily determines how well a graphics card handles intensive workloads, in particular, with detailed 3D graphics. The test result is indicated in points; the more points, the higher the performance of the video adapter. Good 3DMark06 scores are especially important for
gaming laptops and advanced workstations. However, it is difficult to call them reliable, since measurements are made on video cards with different TDPs and an overall average score is given. Thus, your laptop can have either more or less than the specified result - it all depends on the TDP of the installed video card.
LAN (RJ-45)
Laptop LAN interface version.
LAN (RJ-45, colloquially “twisted pair”) is standard connector for wired connections to computer networks. The version of this connector is identified by the maximum data transfer rate that it supports. In practice, in most cases, 100 Mbit/s is quite enough, however, the development and cheaper technology has led to the fact that more and more laptops are equipped with 1 Gbit/s LAN; such connectors are used even among budget devices. And the most advanced version found in modern laptops is 10 Gbit/s. Mostly gaming models are equipped with such interfaces: high speed, among other things, reduces lag (latency) in online games.
Webcam
The resolution of the
webcam installed in the laptop. Such cameras are usually placed above the display; Initially, their purpose was video communication (for example, via Skype), but other applications are also possible — recording videos, live broadcasts of certain events on the Internet, etc.
The resolution of the webcam in this case is indicated by the maximum video resolution that it supports. The most low-cost options give out only 640x480 and are not suitable for anything, except for the mentioned video communication; in the most advanced, this indicator can reach
Full HD quality (1920x1080 pixels) and even
Quad HD.
There are also laptops that
do not have a built-in webcam. This solution allows you to protect the user from the threat of hacker attacks through the laptop's camera and minimizes the likelihood of personal data leaking.
Battery capacity
The capacity of the included laptop battery in milliamp-hours (mAh).
Higher capacity allows the laptop to work longer on a charge, all other things being equal. However, keep in mind that the actual battery life will depend not only on the battery, but also on the power consumption of the laptop itself — and it is determined by both the hardware platform and the installed software. Therefore, only models with similar characteristics can be compared with each other according to this indicator. And if you need a
“long-playing” laptop or
laptop with very good battery life, you should choose it not by battery capacity, but by directly stated operating time.
Regarding milliamp hours, it is also worth noting that this is not a very reliable (although the most popular) unit of capacity: the actual amount of energy stored in a battery depends not only on milliamp hours, but also on the operating voltage. A more correct unit in this sense is watt-hours, for details on them, see p. "Battery capacity" below. As for specific numbers, the most modest models in this regard are equipped with batteries of
3000 – 4000 mAh and even
less.
4000 – 5000 mAh can be called an average,
5000 – 6000 mAh is above average, and the most capacious laptop batteries can h
...old 6000 -7000 mAh or more.