Which laptop should you buy for everyday use?

You don't need the most expensive model, just the right one for what you do.

The answer in 2 lines. For browsing, email, documents, photos and video calls, a basic or mid-range laptop is enough. Which? recommends an SSD of at least 256GB and at least 8GB of memory (RAM), with 16GB if your budget allows. Check how long the model will get security updates. A refurbished laptop from a business is often good value, and you have the same consumer rights as with a new one. If you buy online, you usually have 14 days to change your mind.

The first 3 steps

List what you'll use it for: browsing, email, online forms, photos, video calls, simple games.
Set a budget, and include refurbished laptops sold by a business, not just new ones.
Compare models on the same points: storage, memory, screen, weight, battery life and how long it will get security updates.

Stop: danger

A laptop whose case bulges, or whose keyboard or trackpad lifts: this is usually a swollen battery. Don't buy it. If it's yours, stop charging it, switch it off and contact the seller or a qualified repairer.
Cheap unbranded chargers: counterfeit chargers often fail UK safety standards. Use the original charger or a genuine replacement from a seller you trust (Electrical Safety First, London Fire Brigade).
Smoke or fire from a laptop: get out, close the door and call 999.

The specs that matter

Spec	For everyday use	Why
Storage	An SSD of at least 256GB, or 512GB if you keep lots of photos	An SSD makes the laptop much faster than older types of storage
Memory (RAM)	At least 8GB, or 16GB if your budget allows	Lets you keep several tabs and programs open without slowing down
Screen	14 to 15.6 inches, Full HD (1920 × 1080), preferably matte	Easier to read, with fewer reflections
Processor	A recent entry-level or mid-range model	Enough for documents, browsing and video
Battery life and weight	Look at independent tests, not just the maker's figure	Matters if you carry it around
Ports	At least one USB-C port (ideally one that charges the laptop), a standard USB port and HDMI	Plug in a memory stick, mouse, monitor or TV without an adapter

The storage and memory figures come from Which?'s buying guides; adjust them to what you do.

Operating system, updates, new or refurbished

Operating system: choose the one you already know, or the one the person who helps you uses.
Security updates: the National Cyber Security Centre advises choosing a device that will get updates from the manufacturer for as long as you plan to use it. Without updates, a device is easier to hack. Check the manufacturer's website before you buy.
Very cheap models with little storage fill up quickly with updates.
Refurbished from a business: you have the same consumer rights as for a new item, judged on the laptop's age, price and condition. Check the stated battery condition, the cosmetic grade and any extra warranty.
From a private seller: you have far fewer rights. Before you start using a second-hand laptop, do a factory reset (NCSC).

What not to do

Paying for 'set-up' packages or extra software when you don't know what they're for.
Feeling pushed into a paid extended warranty: your legal rights apply anyway.
Buying from a site you can't check, especially when the price looks too good to be true or it only accepts bank transfer.
Letting a laptop heat up on a bed or cushion, where its vents get blocked.

Your rights in England

Faulty laptop: within 30 days you can reject it for a full refund. Within 6 months the seller must repair or replace it, and if that fails you can ask for a refund. After 6 months, you may have to show that the fault was there when you bought it. You have up to 6 years to make a claim (5 in Scotland). Deal with the seller, not the manufacturer.
Bought online, by phone or by mail order: you usually have 14 days from the day after delivery to cancel, then 14 days to send the laptop back. The seller must refund you within 14 days of getting it back, or of receiving proof that you posted it. Citizens Advice's Changing your mind page explains each step and links to a template letter. Fill it in, send it to the seller and keep a copy.
Your old laptop: when you buy an equivalent new item, the shop must give you a free way to get rid of the old one (GOV.UK). Back up your files first, then do a factory reset.

Where you live: help and recycling

Recycling: on GOV.UK Recycling collections, enter your postcode to reach your council's page. It explains where to take computers, usually your local household waste recycling centre.
A problem with a seller: call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm), or use the online chat on its contact page.
Fake shop or scam: report it to Report Fraud, the service that replaced Action Fraud, on 0300 123 2040 (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). Tell your bank straight away if you paid.

Good to know

Set up a backup on day one, to an external drive or online storage.
Turn on automatic updates and a screen lock or password as soon as you set the laptop up (NCSC).
Register the laptop with the manufacturer so you hear about any safety recall.
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own Citizens Advice pages, and Scotland has a different time limit for claims.

Pauline, in Stoke-on-Trent, wants a laptop for email, online forms and video calls with her grandchildren. She's tempted by a very cheap model with 4GB of memory. In the end she buys a recent refurbished laptop online from a business, with 8GB of memory and a 256GB SSD, for a similar price. She checks it will get security updates for several more years and keeps the order confirmation in case she needs to cancel within 14 days.

A made-up story, for illustration.

Bobby

Sources, verification, confidence

Verified on 6 November 2026, for England. Confidence: high for your consumer rights, the 14-day cancellation period and the take-back rules; medium for the technical specs (storage, memory), which come from consumer association guidance and depend on what you do. Prices change all the time, so we don't give any. No brand is recommended.