Which processor is enough for office work and study?

The entry or middle tier of the current generation (Core i3 or i5, Core 3 or 5, Ryzen 3 or 5) is enough with headroom. More important are 16 GB of memory and an SSD; they decide how responsive the laptop feels. Upper tiers make sense for video editing, development and games.

How much memory should a laptop have?

16 GB is the sensible base for office and home today, 32 GB for creative work, virtualisation and demanding games. In many thin laptops the memory is soldered and cannot be increased later, so choose the capacity now; we state in the specifications whether the memory can be upgraded.

Is a laptop without an operating system worth it?

Yes, if you have your own Windows licence, a company installation or want Linux. It is cheaper and otherwise the same. If you want to switch the laptop on and use it, choose a model with Windows; the licence is then tied to the machine.

A laptop if you need to carry it or have little space. A desktop gives more performance for the same money, runs quieter and lets you replace parts later. The configurator proposes a home PC from parts in stock and we assemble it in Písek.

Guide

How to choose a laptop: for office, study, gaming or creative work

Last updated October 23, 2026

Four kinds of laptop

A laptop is chosen by what you will do with it most, because each purpose stresses a different part:

Office and study – light, long battery life, a good keyboard and a sharp matte display. Performance is not the topic; any current processor is enough.
Gaming – a dedicated graphics card, a 144 Hz or faster display, serious cooling. Weight and battery life come second.
Creative work (photo, video, 3D) – an accurate display with sRGB coverage of 99 % and above, 32 GB of memory, a fast processor and ideally dedicated graphics.
General home use – the compromise: 15–16" display, 16 GB of memory, 512 GB SSD, integrated graphics.

The processor in plain words

Makers label processors in tiers with the same logic: the lower tier for office work, the middle for everything, the upper for demanding work.

Entry tier (Intel Core i3 / Core 3, AMD Ryzen 3) – web, office, learning. Enough unless you also compile code or edit video.
Middle tier (Core i5 / Core 5 / Core Ultra 5, Ryzen 5) – the right choice for most people; handles photo editing and the occasional game.
Upper tier (Core i7 / Core 7 / Core Ultra 7, Ryzen 7 and above) – video editing, 3D, development, gaming models.

More important than the tier number is the generation: this year's middle tier is usually faster and more frugal than the upper tier from three years ago. Low-power processors (U suffix) give longer battery life; high-performance ones (H, HX) give more speed but a heavier, louder laptop.

Memory and drive

8 GB of memory is too little today even for a browser with many tabs; 16 GB is the sensible base, 32 GB for creative work and virtualisation.
A 512 GB NVMe SSD is the base, 1 TB for games and video. A hard disk has no place in a laptop any more.
Check upgradeability: in many thin laptops the memory is soldered and cannot be increased; others have two SO-DIMM slots and a free M.2 bay. We list what can be added in the specifications; more in the guide DDR4 and DDR5 memory.

Display: what you will look at most

Size: 13–14" for travel, 15–16" for desk and travel, 17" as a desktop replacement.
Resolution: Full HD (1920×1080) or 1920×1200 is enough up to 16"; higher resolution makes sense for creative work.
Surface: matte for office work and desks by a window; glossy has richer colours but reflects.
Brightness: 250 nits is the base, 300 and above for work by a window or outdoors.
IPS panel or OLED; cheap TN panels have poor colours and angles. For games 144 Hz and above.

Ports and connectivity

Thin laptops often have USB-C only. Check what you need: USB-A for older peripherals, HDMI for a projector, a card reader for a camera, Ethernet for an office without Wi-Fi. USB-C with Thunderbolt or DisplayPort Alt Mode connects a monitor and charging with one cable – at a desk it replaces a docking station. Wi-Fi 6 or 6E is standard today; what that means is in the guide Wi-Fi router or mesh.

Windows or no operating system

A laptop with Windows preinstalled is ready to use and the licence is tied to the machine. A model without an operating system is cheaper and suits you if you have your own licence, a company image or want Linux. In both cases we can help with installation at pickup in Písek.

Warranty and buying from us

New laptops carry a 24-month warranty, bazaar pieces at least 12 months. In the Laptops category you filter by diagonal, processor, memory, drive and graphics card; laptops in stock ship within 1–2 working days and delivery is free from CZK 6,000. If you do not need portability, compare the price with a home PC from the configurator – for the same money you get more performance and upgradeability.

Frequently asked questions

Which processor is enough for office work and study?: The entry or middle tier of the current generation (Core i3 or i5, Core 3 or 5, Ryzen 3 or 5) is enough with headroom. More important are 16 GB of memory and an SSD; they decide how responsive the laptop feels. Upper tiers make sense for video editing, development and games.
How much memory should a laptop have?: 16 GB is the sensible base for office and home today, 32 GB for creative work, virtualisation and demanding games. In many thin laptops the memory is soldered and cannot be increased later, so choose the capacity now; we state in the specifications whether the memory can be upgraded.
Is a laptop without an operating system worth it?: Yes, if you have your own Windows licence, a company installation or want Linux. It is cheaper and otherwise the same. If you want to switch the laptop on and use it, choose a model with Windows; the licence is then tied to the machine.
Laptop or desktop?: A laptop if you need to carry it or have little space. A desktop gives more performance for the same money, runs quieter and lets you replace parts later. The configurator proposes a home PC from parts in stock and we assemble it in Písek.