Choosing a New PC – What I Recommend (and What I Don’t)

Written By Jordan Duggins

If your current setup is slowing down or reaching the end of its life, you’ll eventually find yourself staring at pages of laptops and towers, wondering what any of it means. Clock speeds, cores, storage types, graphics cards. It’s a lot. And not all of it matters as much as the sales pages suggest.

So here’s a straight answer to a question I get asked all the time: what should I buy?

Start with what you actually do

The right PC for you depends on how you use it. You don’t need a gaming machine to browse the web, and you don’t need a business laptop just because the label says so.

Here’s how I usually break it down:

  • Everyday use (email, web, documents):
    You don’t need workstation specs for day-to-day tasks, but you do want it to feel snappy. Look for 16GB of RAM, a PCIe NVMe SSD, and a recent processor like Intel Core Ultra 5 (Lunar Lake) or AMD Ryzen 5 8640U (Strix Point). These chips handle browsing, calls, and multitasking effortlessly—while sipping battery on laptops.

    It’s an easy category to overbuy in—slick sales pages love throwing in buzzwords. If you're unsure, I can help match what you actually need to the right machine, without wasting money on stuff that won’t matter.

  • Creative work (photo, video, design):
    If you’re editing photos, cutting together videos, or designing anything heavier than a newsletter, your setup needs to keep up. That means at least 32GB of RAM these days—64GB if you’re working with high-resolution footage or complex layers.

    The newer chips like Intel’s Core Ultra and AMD’s Ryzen AI HX series offer more than just speed—they come with dedicated AI acceleration, which helps with tasks like smart filters, background rendering, and live previews. If you’re working in 4K or doing any GPU-accelerated effects, you’ll want dedicated graphics—an RTX 4060 or higher, or Radeon RX 9070 XT, depending on your preference. They’re powerful, stable, and supported by most creative software.

    As for storage, don’t get caught up in size alone. What matters more is speed. A PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD will save you hours over time, especially when working with large files or loading libraries. Faster drives exist, but they’re noisy, hot, and not always worth the premium unless you know you need it.

  • Gaming:
    This depends entirely on what you play. Modern integrated graphics—like AMD’s Strix Point or Intel’s Lunar Lake—handle casual and indie games surprisingly well. But for more visual fidelity, higher frame rates, or 1440p and above, you'll want a dedicated GPU.

    • Mid-range upgrade: RTX 5060 / RTX 5060 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT deliver smooth 1440p gaming and excellent value.

    • Step-up performance: RTX 5070 Ti / 5080 or RX 9070 / 9070 XT bring serious power for high-refresh 1440p and decent 4K, plus AI features like DLSS 4 MFG or FSR 4.

    • Enthusiast 4K / ultimate PC: RTX 5090 and RX 9070 XT (or beyond) are for gamers pushing maximum detail, multi-monitor setups, or top-tier video capture. The RTX 5090 dominates 4K, but power draw and cost are significant.

    Choose based on your resolution target and frame-rate goals—DLSS 4 and FSR 4 offer noticeable boosts, especially if you're stepping up within the same GPU tier

  • Remote work or multitasking:
    This is where balance really matters. 16GB of RAM is your starting point, but if you're juggling video calls, spreadsheets, email, and browser tabs all at once, go for 32GB. A fast NVMe SSD keeps things smooth, especially when switching between tasks. Look for CPUs with built-in AI support—like Intel Core Ultra 7 or AMD Ryzen 7 8840U—which help manage background load and keep your machine feeling responsive.

    If you’re not sure what level of power you really need, I can help you figure that out—no upsells, just something that won’t lag behind when you need it most.

What I recommend (most of the time)

  • Stick to brands that show the real specs: Lenovo, Dell, ASUS, HP’s business range, Framework, and Apple.

  • Always pick SSD storage. NVMe if possible. Never settle for a spinning hard drive unless it’s a second drive for backup.

  • Go one CPU tier higher than you think you need, especially if the price jump is small. That extra headroom goes a long way.

  • For laptops, pay attention to the screen and keyboard. Great specs don’t mean much if the experience is uncomfortable.

  • Buying used or refurbished? Battery health and screen condition are the first things to check, not just the price.

What I don’t recommend

  • Don’t go for the absolute cheapest listing. A £300 laptop with a slow hard drive and weak CPU will struggle right out of the box.

  • Don’t be distracted by high RAM or storage numbers if the processor is slow. Balance matters more than big numbers.

  • Be cautious with brands you’ve never heard of. A glossy spec sheet doesn’t always equal build quality or long-term support.

How I help

I offer free diagnostics and advice if you’re not sure what your current machine can still handle. If it’s time to move on, I’ll help you find something that fits your actual needs, not what’s being pushed in the ads.

If you’ve already bought something and just need help setting it up, I can sort that too. Whether it’s file transfers, updates, software installs, or general setup, I’ll make sure everything works the way it should.

Final thoughts

Buying a new PC doesn’t have to be overwhelming. You just need the right information and someone who’s not trying to upsell you. That’s where I come in.

If you’re stuck, unsure, or just want to run an idea past someone, I’m happy to help.

Jordan Duggins
Next

Gaming Laptops vs. Desktops – Which Lasts Longer and Why?