Most bloggers start out with computers or hardware they already have. But as you become a more professional blogger, your computer equipment may require an upgrade to better serve your reader base. As a blogger, don’t spend money on just any computer that shows up for a bargain on Amazon. You need to carefully choose your laptop or desktop, and here’s a brief guide to help you do that:
Table of Contents
Assess Your Blogging Requirements
If your blog consists mainly of journal-like entries of text—like how MySpace was back in the day—then you don’t need to spend a lot of money on a computer. A basic computer with a decent processor, at least 4GB of RAM and at least 500GB of storage should suffice.
However, these requirements will change depending on the nature of your blog. For example, is your blog about graphic design? If so, you may need to edit photos. Most bloggers these days embed videos in their blogs as well. Computers need more processing power to run the photo, video, or other media editing software. You would have to choose a computer with specs that match these needs.
All in all, think about what you need to do on your blog, including performing tasks such as web design. Make sure the computer you have in mind has the processing power to match these needs.
Check Out What Other Professionals in Your Field Recommends
When you have a blogging niche, you can research what people who are well known in your field recommend for computing needs. For example, an overwhelming number of graphic designers recommend the Apple MacBook Pro as the choice computer for fellow designers. Look around the internet for recommendations like this that may benefit you.
Choosing a Computer for Gaming and Video or Photo Editing
If you are a gamer who likes to blog, then you would first need to buy a computer to match your gaming needs. Remember that in the future, the games you blog about may become more data and graphics intensive. Similarly, as mentioned above, video and photo editing require significant amounts of processing power. Therefore, you need to choose future-proof specs if your blogging field is in this area.
Gamers and video editors should ideally choose a computer with an Intel Core i7 new generation chip, or the AMD equivalent in the Ryzen category. Intel Core i7 is the most advanced processor available to consumers and will continue to be until the brand releases a new one.
Aim for as much RAM as possible. You should have at minimal 8GB of RAM on a gaming or an editing computer. Choosing an SSD over an HDD for storage will give you a leg up in speed, which is something important for gaming. However, HDDs offer a lot more storage that can go over 1TB.
Gamers, designers, and graphics editors alike should focus more on the graphics card in the computer. Keep in mind that GPUs of laptops cannot be replaced, unlike in desktops. The graphics card will largely determine how well you can play games or edit high-quality images. You should spend some money on a high-end GPU to truly future-proof your computer.
Pick a Computer that would Meet Your Travel Needs
Some bloggers also work on the go. If you are an adventure or a travel blogger, you will have to get a computer that is reliable as it is portable. Your ideal computer would most likely be a slim device. You can use a netbook or even a tablet to make traveling with your office much easier.
Conclusion
Ultimately, you need to purchase a computer that has the right specs for the type of blogging you do. Buy a computer with extra processing power to future-proof your purchase. Learn about what the experts in your field suggest. This way, you will be able to get yourself a great computer to help advance your blogging career.
