Are you one of the millions of students who lug a laptop to class every day? If so, you’re in good company. A recent study by Nielsen found that 78 percent of college students take their laptops to class.
But if you are about to become a student and need a bit of help choosing the right laptop for you, you will be glad to know that you’re not alone! It can be overwhelming when choosing a device to help you through your studies, and with the financial constraints that come with being a student, you don’t want to spend too much!
Here are some useful tips to help you choose the right laptop to match your budget and your academic requirements.
Price
The most important factor is price. You don’t want to break the bank on a laptop, but you also need something that will last through all of your classes and assignments. You’ll also want to think about the type of work you’ll be doing on your laptop. If you’re mainly going to be using it for note-taking and research, then you don’t need as powerful a machine as someone who will be doing a lot of video editing or gaming.
Of course, many students get around this problem by purchasing second-hand machines, but this can be problematic due to a lack of warranties. Many brand-new laptops are available at Lenovo, which also provides the advantage of having a warranty and return policy.
Battery Life
As a student, you will likely take your laptop to university and on trains and buses, giving you more time to work on assignments. So, you will want a laptop that has a good amount of battery life. Aim for one that can offer between 6-8 hours of battery life when fully charged.
Compatibility with Programs
Suppose you are studying for a psychology degree. You will need a laptop that can download and run certain programs, such as SPSS. So, when buying a laptop, you will need to determine its compatibility with the programs you need it for. If you opt for a Mac, you will have more issues with downloading and running SPSS, but you may not have issues with code writing programs. Do your research first!
Portability
Laptops are designed to be moved around. But if you have issues with your mobility, or have purchased a heavier laptop, then this can present a real issue.
So, always be sure to ask (if buying second-hand) how heavy the laptop is, and, if buying first hand, check the specs. Make sure you will be able to carry it without causing injury.
Memory
If you are a student studying to be an architect or another visual course, you will likely need to run programs that will take up a lot of memory on your laptop. It is therefore worth investing in a laptop that has as much memory as you can afford to prevent lagging or programs running slowly. Alternatively, be sure to check that your laptop can have a memory card installed.
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