Does it matter what computer I buy?

Short answer

It does matter. Sometimes. But more often than not, any brand new computer you buy will be sufficiently powerful for your business or personal needs.

Long answer

The speed, power, and storage capabilities of even the most modest of laptops and desktop computers in 2026 is staggering. As similar to the same phenomenon in the automotive industry, “luxury” features and options are increasingly the norm and no longer the exception. No longer do you need to shell out four digits to get a powerful laptop. For most business and personal needs, there is little tangible difference among the price tiers. If these activities comprise the majority of your computer activity, you likely do not need a computer with any special or extra capabilities:

• Office suites (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, etc.)
• Email
• Web browsing
• Organizing files, contacts, photos, etc.
• Listening to music
• Watching movies/shows

There are, however, situations where you might need a machine that has a little more “under the hood.” Some example activities that might warrant this:

• Photo or illustration workflows (Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.)
• Code development
• Product design
• 3D rendering (e.g., ProKitchen, Autodesk, etc.)
• Computer gaming

These sorts of activities might require more storage, more speed, more graphics capability, or even a combination of these factors. For example, code development can be a very CPU-intensive¹ task. A professional contractor specializing in kitchen remodels might use ProKitchen to show clients realistic, 3D renderings of kitchen designs. This sort of program needs extra graphics capability as well as RAM², in addition to a powerful brain (CPU). A computer gamer would need lots of brains and graphics power but also a special screen that refreshes fast enough that they don’t miss critical elements in their gameplay.

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Footnotes

1. CPU = Central processing unit, i.e., the brain power of the computer. ↩

2. RAM = Random access memory, i.e., how many things your computer can be thinking about at once. Think of it like the surface area of your desk. A tiny school desk can only have so many projects on it visible at once, whereas a huge boardroom desk has significantly more surface area. ↩