Decision Support System for Selecting the Best Laptop for Students Using the SAW Method

Abstract

The development of digital technology has increased public demand for laptops to support various
activities, such as work, education, and entertainment. The many variations of laptops with different
specifications and prices often make it difficult for users to choose the right device for their needs. Therefore,
a system is needed that can help in the decision-making process in an objective and organized manner. The
purpose of this study is to develop a Decision Support System (SPK) for laptop selection using the Simple
Additive Weighting (SAW) method. Data for the study was collected through a questionnaire distributed to 30
respondents with reference to five criteria, namely RAM, price, internal memory, warranty, and processor. The
SAW method is implemented through several steps, ranging from determining the match rating, normalizing
the decision matrix, calculating preference values, to an alternative ranking process. The findings of the study
show that MacBook alternatives get the highest preference value, which is 0.9625, followed by Asus at 0.9369,
HP at 0.9122, and Lenovo at 0.9057. These results confirm that the SAW method is effective in helping users
in making decisions to choose the best laptop according to their criteria.