For those of us who value the flexibility of working from anywhere, smaller screens are treasured companions. They’re lightweight and easily portable, effortlessly fitting into our bags. Yet, choosing a smaller laptop inevitably reduces screen real estate and could impact overall laptop performance.

A laptop’s screen size, however, is just one factor among many to consider in ensuring effective multitasking capabilities.

By identifying the appropriate specs and features, you can make the right investment in a new laptop or optimize the performance of an existing one with the necessary capabilities.

A laptop that makes good multitasking possible has a strong processor such as a Core i-series, AMD Ryzen or Apple processor, and at least 8-16 GB of RAM. Further, a decent screen size (12 inches or more), connectivity to devices, and built-in multitasking tools would make multitasking easy.

You’d want both the right specs that support multitasking on a laptop, as well as knowledge of how you can best utilize your laptop’s built-in tools, shortcuts, and ports.

Tip: Equipping your laptop for multitasking can simplify your life in various work environments. Whether you're dealing with inconsistent internet speeds, limited access to power outlets, or high noise levels in cafes and airports, these challenges might 1) stress you out and 2) slow down your laptop. By properly equipping your laptop, such as equipping it with sufficient RAM and processing power, you can work more effectively and comfortably, regardless of your surroundings.

What Specs Are Most Important for Multitasking?

For good multitasking, you want many things to go right operationally on your laptop. The first place to start is by looking at the specs. 

This is critical when you are about to invest in a new laptop.

The most important specs to prioritize in a laptop for good multitasking are its processor (CPU) followed by the amount of RAM it has. Generally, the specs you need are at least an Intel i3, AMD Ryzen, or Apple silicon processor, as well as 8GB of RAM.

Let’s expand on CPU and RAM but it’s also important to dive deeper. 

After you invest in the right laptop, you should know and operate the relevant tools and software. How do you set up organized snap layouts? What are the shortcuts? What are your options to connect to peripheral devices?

When it’s time to optimize an older or problematic laptop, what are the upgrades that you can perform?

9 Key Factors That Matter for Good Multitasking 

Before you get overwhelmed, I’ll list 9 factors that matter in a laptop for good multitasking, some more than others.

Factors 1-4 are the main specs that render efficient multitasking possible on your laptop. Having a strong processor, sufficient RAM and SSD, and an efficient operating system are quite crucial.

Beyond that, other operations support multitasking, such as connecting a second monitor and utilizing split screens and shortcuts.

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1. Strong Processor: Core i-series, AMD Ryzen, or Apple Silicon

A processor or CPU is essentially the brain of your computer. It is the most important thing as it is the driving force behind everything that happens on your laptop. It divides and allocates resources to the tasks you need to execute and ensures that your laptop can manage multiple tasks at once.

Different processors have different performance levels. What you want is any processor from the Core i-series (i3, i5, i7, i9), AMD Ryzen, or Apple silicon. 

Most well-known brands (Lenovo, Asus, HP, Dell, etc.) use adequate processors. Simply perform a check to ensure that the specific laptop you are exploring has a strong processor. 

These processors will suffice for activities such as web browsing and general office work. 

However, if you are programming, designing, or gaming, you want an i5 processor and above – any of such specialized tasks would demand an average to high-intensity processor.

Note that it’s normal for older processors to become outdated over time. If you’re concerned about ‘future-proofing’ and ensuring your laptop lasts a long time at high performance levels, you may want to consider investing in a laptop with a newer and more powerful processor to ensure it meets your needs for a longer time.

2. RAM: At Least 8GB

Unlike the processor, you can upgrade RAM later if your laptop constantly runs out of RAM. Essentially, it is a temporary memory bank that stores the software and files that are in use.

The more programs you run at any given time and the more you multitask, the more RAM you need.

How much RAM do you need? 4 GB of RAM is easy to exceed with just a few regular office applications. It’s common to experience your laptop slowing down and lagging if you try to cut costs and go with the bare minimum of 4GB.

You want at least 8-16GB of RAM. If you are unsure, start with 8GB. 

Having 8GB of RAM enables comfortable multitasking with office applications and web browsing. Unless you’re engaging in tasks like photo/video editing or programming, 16GB may not be necessary. The price of a laptop with 16GB of RAM built-in is often much higher than a laptop with 8GB of RAM. However, if you find yourself multitasking extensively and seldom closing tabs or applications after use, you may benefit from the extra memory.

Since RAM can be upgraded, you can explore this option later on if you need it. 

3. Sufficient Storage and SSDs

While the storage capacity of your laptop doesn’t directly impact multitasking performance, it does affect overall system responsiveness.

You will be inconvenienced if you constantly run out of storage and have to delete photos, documents or apps. This can slow you down and lead to inefficiency.

For most people, a storage capacity of 256GB to 512GB should be sufficient for general computing tasks, including office work, web browsing, multimedia consumption, and light content creation. Another option is leveraging cloud storage services, which reduce the reliance on local storage on your laptop.

Ensure you are using an SSD. Solid State Drives (SSDs) are way faster than traditional Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) due to the faster read and ride speeds. This means that you have faster application load times and quicker data transfer.

4. Efficient Operating System: Windows, macOS, Linux (maybe: Chromebooks)

An efficient OS robustly manages system resources and helps you multitask like a pro. Windows, macOS, Linux are popular options. 

Pick an operating system that is best suited to your needs. If you are a gamer, go with Windows rather than macOS, as many games aren’t designed to run on Mac amongst other reasons. For video editing, you may run into some issues using a Chromebook.

Keep your OS up to date. Without you knowing, your computer’s OS may contain glitches and updates can fix these bugs and existing problems. Regularly update your OS when newer versions become available. This simple habit can improve performance and help your system run optimally.

5. Screen Size: 13 inches and Above

What is the ideal size for a laptop for multitasking? A smaller laptop may be more portable but less ideal for multitasking. Here are two main reasons:

• A smaller laptop generally has less processing power.
• A smaller screen means you have less screen real estate to work with.

Despite the reduced processing power, a 10-11 inch laptop might work for you, if you are mainly dealing with Microsoft Office and Google Docs. If you work on resource-intensive tasks, it’s better to be safe – do your research.

A smaller display means you have less screen space for displaying and working on multiple apps at once. More screen real estate leads to higher productivity (generally speaking), so you’d be making a sacrifice here.

It’s also kind of tough to upgrade your screen size later.

I’d recommend going for at least 13-14 inches to avoid the above issues. Get a powerful 13-inch laptop that is still adequately light and portable.

6. Ports: Connectivity to Peripheral Devices

Ports on a laptop do not directly translate to its multitasking capabilities. However, they help you to ensure connectivity to other devices, so you can get your best work done seamlessly.

Ensure that your laptop has at least the following:

• USB port to enable data transfer and connect peripherals such as external hard drives, mice, and keyboards
• Video output ports such as HDMI or DisplayPort to connect external monitors or projectors
• Audio ports such as a headphone jack or microphone input
• Ethernet port for stable and potentially faster internet

If you want to be mobile (travel light and work anywhere) and not rely on multiple adapters or docking stations, I’d suggest that you have a sufficient number and variety of ports built into your laptop. This removes the need for additional accessories.

This consideration is more important if you are someone who would typically require accessories or peripherals to support your work.

Keep in mind that certain laptops, such as Macbooks, feature minimalist designs with fewer ports, sometimes excluding common ports like Ethernet. Ultra-thin laptops, 2-in-1 laptops, and Chromebooks may also omit video or Ethernet ports. With fewer ports you may encounter inconvenience if you want to connect to multiple peripherals simultaneously — you’d likely need docking stations and adapters for that.

7. Split Screen Capabilities

How does split screen functionality relate to multitasking? This is rather straightforward:

• Comparing and referencing info: You can effectively compare and reference info, when you place two windows side by side.
• Working on multiple documents simultaneously: You can copy/paste materials between documents, conduct research while writing an article/report, so on and so forth.
• Monitoring: You can monitor team chats or emails while working on a task (if necessary).

Fortunately, most modern laptops have split screen capabilities. Most operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux) support this.

But some laptops have better split screen functionality than others. Take Windows 11 for example. Windows 11 has a ‘Snap Layouts’ feature, so rather than placing two apps side by side, you can choose up to six different layouts to align your windows.

Of course, the benefits of split screen are enhanced when you have a slightly larger laptop screen. It’s a little difficult to align 3 windows neatly on a 10-inch convertible laptop. 

8. Battery Capacity: At least 6-8 Hours

This is more important if you like to work beyond your home like I do. If you are constantly worried that your laptop will run out of battery, you’d also worry about multitasking. 

Imagine you are out with a laptop with shitty battery life, and unfortunately, a charging socket is out of reach or you forgot your charger. You’d likely worry about draining the battery faster while running multiple apps simultaneously. Consequently, you might be more cautious and try to conserve battery power, resulting in slower work progress. You might find yourself resorting to using your phone for research, frequently putting your laptop into sleep mode, and so forth. This affects your productivity and can waste your time.

The solution? Just get a laptop with 8 hours of battery at least. If you are using an older laptop, try to optimize and ensure its battery can last at least 6 hours. This will make your life easier.

9. Dedicated graphics card

This is an optional requirement and truly only matters if you are any of the following: a gamer, a video/photo editor, or a 3D rendering specialist. Otherwise, you do not need a dedicated graphics card to generate crisp, clear and sharp graphics. Any integrated graphics card that is built into your laptop’s processor will do and most laptops will work fine.