Hi
I need to purchase a new laptop but want to make sure I future proof myself as my data skills develop.
I use Excel a lot and am learning to use Power BI/Automate, Sharepoint , Snowflake etc.
Just wondering if anyone has some tips in what to look for so that I have enough grunt for working with data.
Thanks
Hello @KieftyKids …
I am no expert, but Ideally you would need a machine with lots of RAM and decent processing power.
I see a lot of people recommending 16 GB RAM. RAM is cheaper nowadays, so add in another 8 GB or so, just to be on the safer side.
If you are working with larger datasets and multiple PBIX files, go for 32 GB RAM.
Power BI is capable of using multiple CPU cores.
Clockspeed is also important.
The i7s and the Ryzen 5s are great value for money.
SSDs can greatly improve performance, especially while opening and loading big files.
NVME SSDs are better than traditional ones, and most new machines have native support for NVME drives.
Finally, performance on portable devices comes at a premium.
So if you do not intend on travelling, go for the desktop counterpart.
It will definitely save you a few bucks.
I am not suggesting any particular model, but these are general guidelines.
Thank you.