Tools for Buying a New Laptop
Compare specs, calculate value, and cut through the marketing noise before you spend $800.
Laptop buying has two hard parts: decoding the spec sheet (what does a 5-series GPU actually mean?) and figuring out whether the discount on today's model is real or just inflated anchoring. These tools handle the math so you can focus on the decision.
None of this uploads your data anywhere — it's all in-browser arithmetic. For the actual research (benchmark comparisons, reviews), the external tools section below points you at the best sources.
Strips away marketing and lets you compare two models on a consistent per-unit metric in seconds.
Open Unit Price CalculatorPrice and value math
Is the sale price real? What does it work out to per GB of RAM?
- Percentage CalculatorEvery percentage calculation in one place: X% of Y, X is what % of Y, change from A to B, add/subtract %, add tax. Runs entirely in your browser.
- Discount CalculatorCalculate sale price and savings for any discount percentage. Includes common presets (10%, 20%, 30%, 50%, 75% off).
- Unit Price CalculatorEnter multiple products with price and quantity — the calculator ranks them by price per unit (per oz, per lb, per kg, per sheet, whatever) and highlights the best deal.
Spec conversion
Screen size in cm vs inches, weight in lbs vs kg.
Warranty and purchase docs
Merge receipts and warranty PDFs into one file.
- Merge PDFsMerge two or more PDF files into a single document. Reorder pages, remove unwanted pages, and download the result — all in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
- Compress PDFShrink a large PDF right in your browser. Great for scanned documents and photo-heavy PDFs — pick a quality level and download a smaller file. No upload.
- Images to PDFTurn one or more images into a single PDF file. JPG, PNG, and WebP supported. Reorder the pages, pick page size and fit mode, download — all in your browser.
Or reach for a broader tool
Third-party products that fit this use case. Our built-in tools cover the small technical jobs; these cover the bigger workflows around them. External links, hand-picked, not sponsored.
| Tool | Pricing | Best for | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| RTings.com The most rigorous laptop and display test lab on the internet. | Free | Buyers who want data, not opinions — RTings measures what manufacturers claim and publishes the numbers. | Free |
| NotebookCheck In-depth laptop reviews with full benchmark suites. | Free | Spec researchers who want to compare GPU and CPU performance tiers before committing. | Free |
| Wirecutter The New York Times' product recommendation site — opinionated, hands-on picks. | Free articles · NYT subscription for full access | Buyers who want a trusted shortlist and a clear "just buy this" recommendation rather than raw benchmarks. | Freemium |
- RTings.comFreeThe most rigorous laptop and display test lab on the internet.
- Lab-measured benchmark scores — not just manufacturer specs
- Objective display, battery, performance, and thermal tests
- Side-by-side comparisons with consistent methodology
Best for: Buyers who want data, not opinions — RTings measures what manufacturers claim and publishes the numbers.FreeVisit RTings.com - NotebookCheckFreeIn-depth laptop reviews with full benchmark suites.
- Standardised benchmarks across thousands of models
- GPU and CPU performance hierarchy tables
- Display measurements (brightness, sRGB coverage, response times)
Best for: Spec researchers who want to compare GPU and CPU performance tiers before committing.FreeVisit NotebookCheck - WirecutterFreemiumThe New York Times' product recommendation site — opinionated, hands-on picks.
- Hands-on tested recommendations with clear winner picks
- Organised by category (best budget laptop, best MacBook, best Windows, etc.)
- Updated regularly as new models release
Best for: Buyers who want a trusted shortlist and a clear "just buy this" recommendation rather than raw benchmarks.Free articles · NYT subscription for full accessVisit Wirecutter