Today there is a TV in every home, and sometimes more than one. However, technology is developing rapidly, and new models are constantly appearing on the market. All leading manufacturers update their product lines every year. In the store, next to each device, a large number of abbreviations and numbers are indicated, which are very difficult for the average buyer to understand. In order not to be disappointed in your new purchase, you need to choose the right TV.

Screen size

The choice of a new TV begins with the size of the device. Many people believe that it is worth buying a TV with the largest diagonal for which the allocated funds are sufficient. However, this is not entirely the right approach. Several years ago it was believed that optimal distance from the viewer to the screen is 3-4 diagonals of the device, and in Lately they are already talking about 23 diagonals. It should be understood that this recommendation is conditional.

The optimal solution would be to evaluate the TV before purchasing from the distance at which the person will be while watching. If the screen size is small, then you won’t be able to see all the details. However, a TV with a very large diagonal will also be uncomfortable to watch, since the entire scene will not fall into the field of view. In the kitchen, TVs with a screen size of up to 40 inches are most often installed. If the TV is installed in the living room, then you should focus on a size of 49 inches or more.

Display resolution

This parameter reflects the number of pixels placed on the panel in the vertical and horizontal direction. Since the image is formed precisely from pixels, the more there are, the better. Today in retail chains You can find TVs with several screen resolutions:

• High Definition (HD) - 1366x768.
• Full HD (FHD) - 1920x1080.
• Ultra HD (UHD or 4 K) - 3840x2160.

HDTVs will soon become a thing of history. However, you can still find such devices on sale with a diagonal of no more than 24 inches. Most people choose between Full HD and 4K. This topic is vigorously discussed, and representatives of each camp have their own arguments. FHD supporters say that there is still little content in 4K resolution, and there is no point in overpaying for the marketing ideas of manufacturers.

In addition, on a diagonal of up to 49 inches, the difference between the two resolutions will only be noticeable from a distance of one meter, but they don’t watch TV that close. Fans of modern UHD TVs claim that the amount of content is constantly increasing. In addition, the device is purchased for at least 5 years, and there is no point in paying attention to outdated technologies.

Thus, it is quite difficult to say unequivocally which TV is better to buy now. However, if you plan to purchase a large diagonal TV for your living room (from 55 inches), then you should definitely pay attention to 4K. When you buy a second TV receiver, you can stop at Full HD. In addition, what kind of content you plan to watch is also important: for broadcast television, 1980x1080 pixels is quite enough, and for films best choice will become UHD.

Types of matrices

To choose an inexpensive but good TV, you must definitely understand modern technologies panel production. A few years ago, plasma devices were popular. However, today their production has been discontinued. Manufacturers themselves explain this fact by the impossibility of manufacturing devices with small screen sizes, high power consumption and insufficient brightness to implement HDR technology.

On liquid crystals

It was this technology that replaced old TVs with picture tubes. Today, LCD TVs and monitors are extremely popular. The basis of matrices of this type is thin layer liquid crystals. Under the influence of an electric field, they rotate and completely or partially block the light source.

Liquid crystals are capable of transmitting radiation only of a certain color - red, green and blue. As a result, an image is formed. Today there are 3 types of LCD panels available:

• TN. It has low contrast and small viewing angles.
• IPS. It has large viewing angles and good color rendition. The main disadvantage of the technology is low contrast.
• V.A. It differs from IPS in high contrast, but has smaller viewing angles.

Today, LCD TVs use VA and IPS matrices. The first type allows you to get deeper blacks in a dark room, but the viewer must be positioned directly in front of the screen. When you change the viewing angle, the colors are inverted and the picture quality deteriorates sharply. Due to low contrast, IPS TVs are best viewed in a bright room. If you turn off the ambient lighting, the black color becomes grey.

When selecting a TV by parameters also The type of backlighting of LCD panels should be taken into account:

• Edge LED.
• Direct LED.

TVs with the first type of backlight are cheaper. LEDs are located along the edges of the screen on one or both sides. Thanks to the reflector system, the backlight spreads across the entire display. The main disadvantage of the technology is the glare that appears due to the non-uniform backlight of the screen. This significantly degrades image quality, especially when viewed in a dark room.

When using Direct LED backlighting, the LEDs are located behind the LCD panel, so the entire display area is illuminated evenly. In addition, the backlight LEDs are controlled by the TV operating system and are turned off if necessary, which allows for high-quality Local Dimming.

It is also worth mentioning the QLED technology developed by Samsung. Although the Korean manufacturer positions it as new, in practice this is not the case. When producing QLED matrices, another layer of quantum dots is added to a conventional LCD panel between the backlight and liquid crystals. Similar technologies are used by LG (Nano Cell) and Sony (Triluminos).

LCD panels have the following advantages:

• high brightness;
• long period of operation;
• low power consumption;
• relatively low cost.

Disadvantages of the technology include color distortion when viewed at an angle, as well as the lack of true black.

Organic LEDs

The most modern TV is OLED. So far, only LG engineers have managed to set up the production of panels based on organic LEDs. This thin film polymers consisting of two layers:

1. Emission.
2. Conductive.

At the edges of organic LEDs there is a cathode and anode for supplying power voltage. OLED TVs do not require additional backlighting, as organic LEDs emit light on their own. Thanks to this, you can create thin displays and also achieve perfect black color. In addition, OLED TVs have maximum viewing angles and full color gamut.

If earlier opponents of the technology spoke about the high cost of such devices, today their price is quite comparable with top models on LCD matrices. However this new technology, and LG engineers continue to improve it.

The main disadvantage OLED TVs today is an afterimage. For example, if you watch one channel for a long time, a faint imprint of its logo may appear on the screen.

To combat this effect, a self-cleaning system is used. To activate it, just switch the device to standby mode and do not disconnect it from the network. The promising nature of the technology is evidenced by the fact that SONY, Panasonic and Philips have now started producing TVs with OLED panels. However, they have to purchase matrices from a South Korean concern, which leads to an increase in the cost of the final product. If you buy a TV mainly for watching movies and TV series, then you should pay attention to OLED TV.

Other options

To choose a good TV, you need to pay attention to a few more technical characteristics. The first of these is the screen refresh rate. In inexpensive models this figure is 60 Hz. Top TVs refresh the image at a frequency of 120 Hz. The effectiveness of the smoothness improvement system depends on this indicator.

The fact is that when viewing dynamic scenes, the image may twitch and shake. Each manufacturer has its own system that eliminates this drawback. For example, LG calls it True Motion, and SONY calls it Motion Flow. On 60Hz TVs you can only adjust one smoothness setting, while on 120Hz TVs you can adjust two. It is in the second case that maximum image smoothness is achieved.

In a slim body modern TVs It is difficult to install a high-quality sound system. In most cases, the user is offered sound quality of average quality. It's definitely enough for watching over-the-air TV. Expensive models have a built-in sound system, but some users still prefer to purchase external speakers.

It is also worth noting a few more important parameters, without which you will not be able to choose the right TV for your home:

• Contrast. Allows you to show how much brighter the white areas of the display are than the black areas. Expressed in a ratio, for example, 1500:1. The higher this indicator, the better the image will be.
• Brightness. Reflects the luminous intensity parameter for each square meter, the unit of measurement is cd/m 2.
• Response time. Shows the time it takes for a pixel to transition from one state to another. It is most important for TVs to which you plan to connect game consoles.

Additional functionality

In many modern TV models you can find a large number additional features. The most popular among these features is Smart TV. With its help, you can connect your TV to the Internet using Wi-Fi or a patch cord with an RJ-45 connector. However, when choosing a TV, you should focus on picture quality. If necessary, you can always purchase an inexpensive Android set-top box that allows you to expand the capabilities of your TV.

UltraHD TVs use HDR or high dynamic range technology. It allows you to display more shades in overly lit or overly shaded areas. Its implementation requires a powerful CPU and a high brightness display. Currently, several types of this technology are used - HDR 10, Dolby Vision, HDR 10+ and HLG. The enhanced color gamut feature is activated automatically if the content you are viewing supports it.

When choosing a TV, much depends on the user's personal preferences. It's difficult to give specific advice here. First you need to decide where to install the TV and the content that will be viewed on it. But also great importance also has a budget allocated for the purchase of a new TV.

Modern life trends dictate new rules, and now the best assistant for most of us is a laptop. Therefore, it is very important to choose a truly high-quality device that meets all your requirements.

In this article we will try to give practical recommendations regarding how to choose a worthy portable friend. The main characteristics of laptops will not be left without attention, since it is almost impossible to choose a laptop correctly and not take into account the parameters.

For convenience and quick transition, a brief summary is provided:

Laptop manufacturer

Such a characteristic as the laptop manufacturer is not predominant when choosing. This follows from the fact that almost all laptop manufacturers do not have any distinctive characteristics regarding the hardware, since they use identical products from well-known manufacturers of video cards, processors, hard drives and other components. The only thing that remains with the manufacturer is the organization of a good cooling system, high-quality assembly, proper appearance devices and a very small list of other small items. Therefore, you can safely choose from all well-known manufacturers: Apple, Sony, Lenovo, Asus, HP, Acer, Samsung, DELL, etc. Regarding Apple and Sony, this is a rather controversial issue, since they like to increase the cost “per brand”, but the quality is also appropriate. Famous and reliable grant, is the Asus company, and with very affordable prices for products for the mass consumer.

Before choosing a particular model, I recommend that you read reviews and user reviews so as not to run into an unsuccessful model in terms of cooling or build quality. Unsuccessful models and even lines slip through all manufacturers without exception.

Selecting a laptop 2013. Hardware specifications

When choosing a laptop, hardware specifications are the most significant and difficult factor. First of all, you need to discard all aesthetic tastes and focus on the insides of the device in order to weed out all unsuitable models.

Before evaluating the hardware characteristics of the device, you need to give a clear answer to the question: what do you need a laptop for? That is, evaluate it from a positioning point of view. You can rank laptops based on a variety of parameters, but it’s better to highlight a few basic ones in terms of performance:

• Entry level performance. Positioned for working with text, watching videos, simple games and other similar types of tasks. Their main advantage is their low price;
• Average level of performance. Such laptops can already perform more resource-intensive tasks; to the tasks described above, you can add the ability to play most games at medium settings, the ability to work comfortably in some graphics packages, which as a result makes them more suitable for replacing a home PC. Their price is slightly higher than entry-level laptops, but they have much more features;
• High level of productivity. This includes expensive laptops that can show fairly high performance in demanding games and programs. Such laptops can become an almost complete replacement for a home PC, but of course with a number of disadvantages.

So, we have completed the conditional gradation. The important thing to understand here is that entry-level performance laptops will be a very viable option for some, but for some, even mid-range laptops will not be enough. Therefore, we move directly to the hardware characteristics so that everyone can model the necessary device for themselves.

Choosing a processor for a laptop

Choosing the right processor is the key to success. We will not go too deep into the jungle of specific models, but will briefly talk about the main series.

It is worth noting that the processor in any system is responsible for computing performance, that is, to a greater extent for the work of programs aimed at this. For example, with a more powerful processor, file unpacking, video conversion, any type of encoding will be much faster; the operation of almost all types of programs (data processing time in them) depends on the processor. Now regarding specific lines from leading manufacturers AMD and Intel:

• If you need a laptop for undemanding tasks, then you should choose among the Intel lines - Celeron, Pentium processors, or at worst Atom. In some cases, you can pay attention to the Intel Core i3 from those that are less productive and cheaper in price. If the processor is from AMD, then here we look at the Trinity A4, AMD E, AMD C series. Both Intel and AMD products look good in this class.
• When it comes to the middle class of laptops, the Intel processors that come under our gaze are: again, the Intel Core i3 and some of the not very productive Intel Core i5, which are affordable. From AMD: Trinty A6,A8 and in some cases A10. Phenom – not recommended.
  In this class, it is recommended to take a closer look at AMD Trinity processors, especially in conjunction with an AMD video card. Such laptops at an affordable price will provide the best performance in this class. So, if you want a cheap gaming laptop, the AMD Trinity is for you. But don't have any illusions about these processors: they will provide the best gaming performance for their price, but not exorbitantly and are only suitable for average games.
• Gradually we have reached the class of high-performance laptops, here we will demand the best from Intel and AMD. Unfortunately, AMD in this class cannot compete with its competitor practically anything (the maximum is A10, and even then it will not be entirely correct here). From the Intel series, these are the top-end Intel Core i5 and i7. A powerful gaming laptop with these processors is a rather ambiguous thing. Often, it is better to complete the desktop and buy a mediocre laptop. The price won't be much more, but you will have the insane gaming performance of a desktop and good portability of a laptop.

But if you are serious about buying a gaming laptop and expect decent performance from it, then look at models starting from $1200. At the same time, everything must be balanced, and the main thing here is– powerful discrete video card.

Laptop video card - integrated or discrete?

To select video card for a laptop, you again need to build on the positioning classes. If the tasks assigned to the laptop are not high in relation to gaming performance: simple games, watching movies and listening to music, as well as working in simple programs (text editors, etc.), then an integrated (built into the processor) video card will be enough for you . Therefore, for the budget and middle class, laptops based on AMD Trinity are very good. AMD Trinity processors have the most powerful integrated graphics; they have no equal in terms of integrated video cards. As a result, in the price range up to $600-700, it is better to give preference to the integrated graphics of these processors, but, again, if the tasks are primarily not gaming, but computing, then in some variations the integrated graphics from Intel will be acceptable.

Rising into the slightly more expensive middle segment of $700-1200, we can already talk about discrete video cards. Here, in terms of graphics, a combination of AMD A10 + Radeon HD 7670 video card will look good and accessible. In this case, the operation of both the integrated and discrete video cards will be implemented in a joint mode using Dual Graphics. This bundle will be good for graphic loads (games, movies high quality etc.). If you need more computing performance, then some discrete video card from Nvidia with CUDA, paired with an Intel processor, would look better here.

Moving into the segment of high-performance laptops from $1200 and far upward, we completely forget about integrated graphics - it has no place here. Among high-performance laptops, we can mention Dell Alienware, but there is too much pathos, for which they want to charge a very large sum. But the characteristics are impressive: two HD7990M video cards in Cross Fire mode.

There are also less pretentious, cheaper models. It is advisable that they have a video card installed with a performance somewhere around GTX650M or higher, otherwise it will not even be possible to parody comfortable gaming and work in applications that are demanding on graphics resources.

Other hardware characteristics

Other hardware characteristics of the laptop include volume random access memory and hard drive capacity.« There is no such thing as too much RAM» - It follows from this that it is worth choosing models with a large amount of RAM on board. But if we arrange gradation by class, we can distinguish the following dependence:

• For entry-level laptops, 2-4 GB will be enough;
• For laptops of average performance level, 6 GB of RAM will be quite optimal (if there are no specific tasks present);
• For laptops high level performance, requires 6-8 GB or more.

If we talk about the volume of the hard drive, then everything is purely individual. For one, 250 GB will be enough, and for another, 750 GB will not be enough. But, as a golden mean, we can call a volume of 500 GB.

Display selection

When choosing a display, you should, again, take into account the positioning of the laptop. When it comes to diagonal size, the golden mean is precisely 15.6 inches; such laptops can boast both the convenience of working in stationary conditions and good portability. If the focus is on portability, then you should take a closer look at 10-13-inch models. If you plan to buy a desktop laptop (desktop laptop for home), then you can raise the bar to 17 or 19 inches.

Resolution will be important here. It would seem that the higher the resolution, the better. But not everything is clear here, especially in the case of laptops with weak hardware. If an entry-level laptop (in terms of hardware characteristics) operates with a display resolution of 1920x1080, then its graphics subsystem (which most likely is integrated graphics) will simply die, even when watching high-quality movies. Therefore, balance is very important here. If this is an entry-level laptop, then with a diagonal of 15.6 inches, a resolution of 1366x768 pixels would be the best option.

For mid-range laptops, you can aim for 1600x900, but 1366x768 is also a good option, in this case the hardware will reveal itself even more effectively.

For the class of high-performance gaming and home laptops, it is reasonable to select a resolution from 1600x900 and higher, that is, you can aim for Full HD - 1920x1080, fortunately the hardware allows you to “pull it out”.

Displays with IPS matrices have the best image quality, so it is preferable to select laptops with such displays. But if you come across other types of matrices in budget options, you shouldn’t “twist your nose.” Now any of the matrices have enough good quality Images.

Extra options

Additional factors include the weight and dimensions of the device. You should pay quite close attention to this when choosing a laptop. For some, the device's battery performance will be the most important parameter. It is better to evaluate this characteristic based on reviews and reviews of various laptop models, since developers do not always provide objective information regarding this parameter.

There should also be a standard set of interfaces for communication with the outside world - Wi-Fi, USB, 3G, a sufficient number of USB ports, for some quite specific interfaces will be useful, such as Thunderbolt, used mainly in laptops from Apple. Here, too, everything is purely individual, and you need to determine, according to the characteristics, what you need and what you don’t.

conclusions

It remains to summarize all of the above. Of course, it was not possible to describe all the parameters and nuances of choosing a laptop. The most important thing is to clearly define for yourself the tasks of the future laptop, soberly assess your budget for the purchase and the capabilities of laptops in this price range. These factors are the key to a successful purchase.

Good luck in choosing a laptop! If you have any questions to choose from, you can leave them in the comments.

| Computer Science and Information and Communication Technologies | Lesson planning and lesson materials | 9th grade | Planning lessons for the school year (according to the textbook by N.D. Ugrinovich) | Information society

Lessons 61 - 62
Information society

§ 4.1. Information society

Information society. Population employed in the information sector

Information society
Population employed in the information sector

Population employed in the information sector. According to the UN, since the 90s of the 20th century, the number of workers employed in the information sector (for whom information processing is the main production function) has increased by approximately 50%.

Computers and information technologies are intensively penetrating into the sphere of material production. Engineers, farmers, and specialists in other traditional professions increasingly have a computer at their workplace and use information and communication technologies in their professional activities.

With the development of communication technologies and mobile communications More and more people are carrying out their production activities remotely, i.e. working at home rather than in the office. Distance education and job search through Internet. The global market for information and communication technologies has a turnover of trillions of dollars. At the same time, less than half of the amount of money received is spent on purchasing hardware; most of it is invested in software development, computer network design, etc.

The information society is a society in which the majority of the population is engaged in receiving, processing, transmitting and storing information.

The computer science course plays a special role in the era of transition from an industrial society to an information society, as it prepares school graduates for life and activity in the information society.

Control questions

1. What role did matter, energy and information play at various stages of the development of society? Prepare a report.

2. By what basic parameters can we judge the degree of development of the information society and why?

3. Describe the changes taking place in the lives and activities of people in the process of transition from an industrial society to an information society.

Tasks for independent completion

4.1. Search the Internet for data on the growth of its users and servers.

Laptops are still in stable demand among most users. And there is every reason for this - only on a laptop can you play the most “heavy” games, work autonomously, and when the time comes to uninstall operating system, then it can be quickly reinstalled thanks to the optical drive.
Choosing new laptop , the first thing you need to pay attention to is the screen diagonal. And then onto the matrix of the LCD monitor.

In gaming laptops A 17” diagonal is predominantly used, in budget versions (this is 85% of sales) a 15.6” diagonal, but for offline work it is preferable to choose a computer with a diagonal of no more than 10-12”. This will help you to increase your working time laptop offline and dramatically reduce weight.

The matrix can come in very different forms. Most of them use a proven TN-film matrix, excellent for low power consumption and high brightness. If you need a laptop to work with a graphics editor, you should choose an S-IPS matrix, excellent for excellent color reproduction and visibility up to 180 degrees. But there is also a disadvantage of such a matrix - high energy consumption, slow response to commands and high cost. As an intermediate option, it is quite possible to choose MDVA technology, which is distinguished by high brightness and contrast. The viewing angle of the latter will be 160 degrees.

Monitors can be either glossy or with an anti-reflective coating, i.e. matte. If you need to work in bright sunlight, it is recommended to immediately choose a matte monitor. But the glossy version wins in terms of brightness.

CPU could be anything. For the most part, for “quiet” work, users prefer to choose Intel processors, especially those with SpeedStep technology, which can dramatically reduce power consumption computer at minimum load. But nevertheless, if you have to work hard with graphic editors or need to play computer games, it is preferable to choose AMD processors.

HDD(HDD) can be found in different types - mechanical and solid-state. When a large HDD capacity is on the agenda, you should immediately choose a mechanical one HDD. In this case, it is recommended to pay attention to the number of spindle revolutions - it should be in the range of 5400-7200 rpm. Of course, there are also higher-speed hard drives, but this will negatively affect the battery capacity. The internal buffer size must be at least 4 MB, and the response speed must not exceed 10 ms.

If you need a highly economical laptop, it's worth considering a solid-state hard drive (SSD), which has no moving parts at all. SSD is great for travelers because it is absolutely not afraid of shaking, high and low temperatures. But there are also disadvantages - small capacity and high price.
RAM should be as high as possible. Already, some versions of gaming laptops have 12 GB of RAM. But for work and “heavy” games, you can choose the 2-4 GB option.

The keyboard can be found in two versions - solid and island. In the latter case, the keys are located further apart from each other, thereby increasing the typing speed significantly. But the solid keyboard is different in another way – it’s cheap. And that is why it is often installed on most laptops.

Despite the aggressive expansion of tablet computers, netbooks are still in strong demand among many people. If it is important for a child to purchase a full-fledged computer for school or college, which will not be large in size and weight, then the choice is obvious - only a beautiful and stylish one netbook!

Choosing a netbook, first of all you need to look at the diagonal monitor. If it is 10-12 inches, then this will be the most optimal option for daily work or travel - the netbook will be compact in size and light in weight. However, in last years You can find netbooks with a monitor diagonal of 14 inches. But it is important to understand that as the monitor diagonal increases, both the load on the battery and the weight of the computer itself increase.

Particular attention should be paid to the quality of the matrix. Mostly inexpensive netbooks The TN-film matrix is ​​used, excellent for its brightness and energy efficiency. When a user needs a netbook with high color reproduction, it is preferable to choose S-IPS technology, which has excellent color reproduction and a large (up to 180 degrees) viewing angle. But this choice has its drawbacks - high price and heavy load on the battery.

Most netbooks use proven 4-cell batteries to ensure that netbook with “quiet” operation it can function for up to 8 hours! This is what netbooks are sometimes bought for!
Power also affects the reduction in energy consumption processor. If you choose a single-core processor with a clock frequency in the range of 1-1.6 Hz, then this will initially turn out to be a good choice.

Netbooks can be equipped with both mechanical (HDD) and solid-state (SSD) hard drive. The former are more popular due to their low price and large (up to 320 GB) capacity. But SSDs have another advantage - they are absolutely not afraid of mechanical shocks. And sudden temperature changes. Moreover, the operating system loads faster in them. But SSDs have their disadvantages – small capacity and a high price.

RAM is also high - it is quite possible to choose an option with RAM above 1-2 GB even on budget versions of netbooks. If there is not enough RAM memory, you can increase it at any time by unscrewing back cover and installing a new memory block.

Modern versions netbooks capable of supporting multiple interfaces - Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and even HDMI, if you need to watch a movie on the big screen.

Netbooks do not have an optical drive in their design. That is why reinstalling the operating system can present certain difficulties for an unprepared user, since you will have to use the installation in a flash drive. But if there is such a master who can cope with such work, then buying a modern netbook is still considered a profitable investment.

The first thing you need to pay attention to when choosing an iron is its manufacturer. That is, having received a certain amount of knowledge from this article, you will immediately limit your choice of iron precisely by this indicator, since the quality of the iron itself and its service life depend on the manufacturer. The more famous and popular the iron brand, the more likely your iron will work longer and better than an iron from some unknown and even hard-to-read company.

Today, the most popular iron manufacturing companies are:

• Bosch


• Braun


• Delonghi


• Moulinex


• Panasonic


• Philips


• Rowenta


• Scarlett


• Tefal

Outsole material

The next thing you need to pay attention to when choosing an iron is its sole. A lot depends on the sole, since it is the sole that comes into contact with the clothes, and the quality of ironing and the safety of things depends on this. What does it mean? The better the material of the sole, the better the iron will smooth out wrinkles, and also eliminate the formation of stains and burning of clothes. Also, based on the material of the sole of the iron, its glide depends, and therefore, the better the iron glides over clothes, the easier it will be for you to iron it and you will get less tired doing it, especially if you have to iron a lot of things. How to choose an iron sole? Iron soles are made of the following materials: stainless steel, aluminum, ceramics, cermets.

Stainless steel is a very strong and durable material, and also the most inexpensive. An aluminum iron soleplate will heat up very quickly in a short period of time, but over time, micro scratches will form on the aluminum surface, which can subsequently have a negative impact when ironing delicate fabrics. The best, and at the same time the most expensive, coatings are made of ceramics and metal-ceramics: these coatings glide perfectly, do not wrinkle the fabric, and are also easy and simple to clean, but they are very fragile and even with a slight impact of the surface on a durable object, the surface can simply crack or chip. The most optimal is considered to be a sole material whose material has a Teflon, titanium or glass-ceramic coating. But most modern manufacturers often do not indicate the material of their soles, hiding it under their brand name.

Iron power

Next we move on to the power of the iron. The power of the iron is the third main parameter that is very important to consider when purchasing. The speed of heating it to the required temperature depends on the power of the iron, that is, the higher the power of the iron, the faster it will reach the set temperature, and therefore time will be saved. Also, the power of the iron affects the speed and amount of steam generation. But when choosing the power of the iron, be sure to take into account the power of your apartment wiring, as it may not withstand such a load.

What power should I buy an iron? If you have a large family, or you iron often and a lot, then it makes sense to purchase a powerful iron, the power of which will be over 2000 W. For simpler tasks, we recommend an iron with a power of 1600-1900 W.

Operating modes

As a rule, we use an iron to iron various types of fabrics, which require their own temperature indicator. For this purpose, irons have special modes for different types of fabrics, which is very convenient for ironing. Switching modes in the iron can be done either using a disk or using a special button, where the selected mode will be displayed on the iron display. The more modes, the better.

Spray function

This function in the iron allows you to moisten the fabric you are ironing with water. Humidification occurs through a special sprayer, which is located on the spout of the iron. This function is very useful for fabrics whose manufacturer prohibits steam ironing.

All modern irons include a constant steam function. The continuous steam feature helps iron out difficult fabrics and fabrics with wrinkles. Steam perfectly softens the fibers and helps smooth them out. Steam is supplied using water located in a special tank. The resulting steam escapes through special holes located on the sole of the iron. By the way, also pay special attention to the placement of these holes, since the quality of ironing depends on this: small holes should be located throughout the sole of the iron, but a larger number of holes should be concentrated at the nose and back; as for large holes, they should be placed on the sides. The number of holes also matters; the more, the better.

The speed of constant steam supply is also important for the steam generation function. Accordingly, the higher the steam supply speed, the more complex areas and types of fabrics the iron can handle. Optimal speed steam generation 25-30 grams per minute. But remember that the more steam is produced, the more water is wasted from the tank, so to avoid adding water to it too often, choose an iron with a large water tank. These iron models usually include a steam speed control sensor, which will be very convenient.

If you are ironing very complex types of fabrics, the creases on which even the maximum steam supply speed cannot be smoothed out, some iron models have a “steam boost” function. The function is that the iron delivers a one-time powerful supply of steam under very high pressure, which helps get rid of very deep folds in the fabric. The steam supply rate during the steam boost should be within 90 grams per minute, which is a sufficient indicator.

Modern iron models include a very useful function - “vertical steaming”. Thanks to this function, you can iron such things as a jacket, coat, raincoat, etc. without removing them from the hanger. Ironing occurs in a non-contact mode, using the steam boost function, which allows you to iron such things without contact with the hot surface of the iron.

The last thing worth mentioning here is the volume of the water tank. If you often use the spray and steam functions when ironing things, we recommend purchasing an iron with a large water tank. The larger the volume of this tank, the less often you will need to add water to the iron, but there is one caveat - the larger the volume of this tank, the larger the iron itself will be, and this in turn will affect the weight and ease of ironing.

Power cord length

The list of basic parameters for choosing an iron includes the length of the power cord. What you should know about this is that the length of the cord should not be short, so as not to limit your movements when ironing, but also not long, so as not to step on the cord with your feet. The optimal cord length is 2 meters, that is, the cord should ensure free movement of the iron from one end to the other end of the ironing board.

Additional parameters of irons

Button groove

A button groove is a recess between the soleplate and the iron itself so that you can easily iron things in the area of ​​buttons, zippers, fasteners and other linings on clothes. The thinner this groove is, the thinner buttons you can handle without problems.

Attachment for delicate fabrics

Some iron models are equipped with a special nozzle, which has a smooth surface and does not heat up above a certain temperature, which allows you to iron delicate and thin fabrics. Thanks to this attachment, you don’t have to worry about the fact that a thin item may be damaged or singed. But if you have chosen an iron whose sole eliminates the possibility of ruining the item, and the iron’s modes do not allow the sole to exceed the maximum temperature for ironing a given material, then, in fact, there is no need for such an attachment.

Dry ironing possible

Pay attention to such a function as the possibility of dry ironing. This function allows you to iron things without steam, since not all fabrics can be ironed using steam.

Anti-scale system

You have probably encountered the problem of scale formation more than once in previous models of your irons. Scale formed on the walls of the water tank and appeared in the steam holes, which in turn forced you to constantly clean the iron. To avoid such problems, irons are equipped with special anti-lime rods and cartridges, which need to be changed approximately once a month, but there are also cassettes that do not require replacement; they occasionally need to be cleaned of deposited scale. These devices help protect the iron when pouring water from the tap, acting as a filter. But nevertheless, even with this protection system, try to pour settled or distilled water into the iron, since tap water is very “heavy” and has various impurities.

Self-cleaning system

It is worth noting that the iron can self-clean. Self-cleaning is necessary in order to clean the steam chambers from scale using steam shock. By the way, very useful feature, which will extend the life of the iron and will promote full steam supply, without clogging small channels and holes.

Anti-drip system

Perhaps you encountered such a problem in an old model of iron, when steam simply did not have time to form in the iron and water flowed out of the steam holes. This situation can negatively affect thin and white fabrics, leaving stains on them, and even worse, even stains. In order to eliminate such unpleasant moments, the irons have an anti-drip system that prevents water from leaking out.

Automatic shutdown

If you often find yourself wondering whether you turned off the iron or not, then with the automatic shut-off feature you no longer have to worry about this. If you often forget to turn off the iron, then if automatic shutdown is possible, it will turn off from power when idle in a horizontal position after 30 seconds, and in a vertical position after 15 minutes.

How to choose an iron with a steam generator

Specifically speaking about the characteristics, the length of the steam hose must be at least 1.7 meters. The water reservoir should be about 1.5 liters. The optimal steam supply speed in the iron is 120 grams per minute.

Which iron to choose

What cheap iron to buy

Bosch TDA 2630

From budget models Among irons, according to reviews, the Bosch TDA 2630 iron has proven itself well. The power of this iron is 2000 W. There is a function of constant steam supply with the ability to regulate its speed, as well as a steam boost of 80 g/min, with vertical steaming. It is worth mentioning the availability of dry ironing and an automatic shut-off function. An anti-scale system, a self-cleaning system and an anti-drip system are also included.

Iron price: from 2500 rubles.

Which iron is better to choose

Philips GC 4870

If you want to choose a good iron, then we advise you to opt for the Philips GC 4870. The power of this iron is 2600 W. The iron includes a function of constant steam supply with the ability to adjust its speed. This iron model has a steam boost function with a speed of 200 g/min and the possibility of vertical steaming. Also worth noting is the possibility of dry ironing, autonomous shutdown and heating indicator, self-cleaning system, anti-scale protection system and anti-drip system.

Iron price: from 3500 rubles.

How to choose an iron with a steam generator

Philips GC 7320

Having given preference to a steam generator iron, we recommend paying attention to the Philips GC 7320 iron; this model has the best price-quality ratio. The power of the iron is 2200 W, the maximum pressure of the steam generator is 4.5 bar, the length of the hose from the steam station to the iron is 1.7 meters. Also, this iron has a steam boost function, dry ironing and an anti-scale protection system.

Iron price: from 9,000 rubles.