Buying a laptop is a longer-term commitment than most other electronics purchases. A smartphone you might replace in two or three years; a good laptop should last five or more. That makes the buying decision more consequential, and it makes local support infrastructure more important than people often realise.
I have bought and used four laptops in Czechia over the past four years, ranging from a budget Lenovo to a premium Dell XPS. Here is what I have learned about what actually matters when buying in the Czech market.
The Warranty Question
Czech consumer law provides a 24-month warranty on all electronics sold by EU retailers. This is the legal minimum. Many manufacturers offer extended warranties — often one or two years beyond this — but the terms vary significantly.
More important than the warranty duration is the service process. Some brands have authorised service centres in Prague and Brno that can handle repairs in days. Others route everything through central European hubs, which can mean two to three weeks without your machine. For a work laptop, this difference is significant.
Brands with reliable local service in Czechia include Lenovo, HP, Dell and Apple. ASUS has expanded its service presence. Some newer brands, despite competitive pricing, still have limited local service options.
Processor Choice: Intel, AMD or Apple Silicon
The processor landscape has changed substantially in the past few years. Apple's M-series chips offer exceptional performance-per-watt, which translates to longer battery life and less heat. If you are buying a MacBook, the M3 or M4 chips are genuinely impressive for productivity work.
On the Windows side, AMD's Ryzen 7000 and 8000 series offer strong competition to Intel in the mid-range and high-end segments. For most productivity tasks — documents, spreadsheets, video calls, light photo editing — the difference between a well-configured AMD and Intel machine is minimal. For heavy video editing or 3D work, the specific GPU matters more than the CPU brand.
What I recommend for most users
For general productivity work, a laptop with an AMD Ryzen 5 or Intel Core i5 processor, 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD covers the vast majority of use cases comfortably. Going below 16 GB of RAM in 2025 is a false economy — Windows and modern browsers consume memory quickly.
Display Quality: What the Specs Don't Tell You
Display specifications are frequently misleading in laptop marketing. A "Full HD IPS" display can range from excellent to mediocre depending on the panel quality. The specifications to look for beyond resolution:
- Brightness: 300 nits is adequate for indoor use; 400+ nits is better for working near windows.
- Colour accuracy: For creative work, sRGB coverage above 90% matters. For general use, it is less critical.
- Refresh rate: 60 Hz is fine for productivity; 120 Hz makes scrolling noticeably smoother.
- Anti-glare coating: Glossy displays look vivid in controlled lighting but are difficult in bright environments.
If possible, see the display in person before buying. Czech retailers like Alza and Datart have floor models. The difference between a good and mediocre display is immediately apparent when you see them side by side.
Battery Life: Managing Expectations
Manufacturer battery claims are measured under light workloads with the display at reduced brightness. Real-world battery life for productivity work — multiple browser tabs, video calls, documents — is typically 60–70% of the claimed figure.
A laptop claiming 12 hours of battery life will realistically give you 7–8 hours of mixed productivity work. That is still good. A laptop claiming 8 hours might give you 5–6, which is marginal for a full working day without access to a charger.
USB-C charging has become standard on most modern laptops, which means you can charge from a portable battery bank in a pinch. This is worth considering if you travel frequently.
Specific Recommendations for Czech Buyers
Budget range (under 15,000 CZK)
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 series consistently offers good value in this range. Build quality is reasonable, the display is decent, and Lenovo's service network in Czechia is reliable. The ASUS VivoBook 15 is another solid option with good availability at Czech retailers.
Mid-range (15,000–30,000 CZK)
This is where the most interesting options sit. The Dell Inspiron 16 Plus offers a large, high-quality display and strong performance. The HP Spectre x360 is a premium convertible with excellent build quality. For AMD fans, the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED offers a stunning display at a competitive price.
Premium (above 30,000 CZK)
The MacBook Air M3 is the most compelling premium laptop for most users — the battery life is exceptional, the display is excellent, and it runs cool and quietly. For Windows users, the Dell XPS 13 and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon remain benchmarks for build quality and keyboard comfort.
Where to Buy in Czechia
Alza.cz and CZC.cz are the most competitive on price and both have reasonable return policies. Datart and Euronics have physical stores where you can see devices before buying, which is valuable for a laptop purchase. Manufacturer direct stores (Apple has two in Prague) are worth checking for promotions.
Avoid buying laptops from marketplace sellers without verified EU warranty documentation. The savings rarely justify the risk.
For technical specifications and independent reviews, NotebookCheck.net provides thorough benchmarks and real-world testing that I find consistently reliable.