In California, there are about 150,000 students that need laptops for school, and across the country, those numbers are even higher.
If you’re trying to find the right laptop for school, you’re definitely not alone.
But what are you supposed to look for when trying to decide on a laptop? With how expensive they are, this is a purchase that you should take your time and research.
Thankfully, we’ve already got some information to help you get started, so keep reading!
Operating System
The most important thing you should consider when trying to find the right laptop is what operating system you want to use. When you buy a laptop, it will most likely come with one of these operating systems: Windows or Mac.
Windows is most commonly used across all kinds of brands, but the Mac operating system only comes with MacBooks and Apple Products.
Windows
Windows might be the most popular and flexible operating system because it runs on more models of PCs. Chances are that you probably used a Windows computer at some point, so you might like it and be familiar with it.
Windows actually makes their own laptops, and they’re good quality too. However, you might have to pay a little bit more in order to get it.
With Windows 10 (their latest update), you’ll be able to use all kinds of interesting features, like Cortana, your personal digital assistant. With that, you can use it to search your email or take down notes very easily.
The Microsoft Suite, like PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, and Excel will be able to run easily on Windows computers as well. If you’re going to be writing a lot of papers or giving a presentation, this might be the best option for you.
MacOS
On the other hand, if you’ve grown up with Apple products, you may be more familiar with the Mac operating system.
It functions similarly to Windows 10, but it has a completely different interface and setup. It may take a while to get used to, but it is a very powerful system.
Instead of Cortana to help you, you’ll have Siri, and it will also sync up with any of your other Apple Devices. Because of its sync-ability, you’ll also be able to FaceTime, send texts, or even make Apple payments from your laptop.
However, one of the biggest downsides of a Mac operating system is that it doesn’t have the capability to support touchscreens. So if you want a touch screen to take notes or draw, you’ll either need to get an iPad or a Windows computer.
Storage
Another thing you’ll need to consider is the storage space on your device.
Most newer laptops come with an SSD, which is the amount of storage that you’ll be able to have for your local devices. A computer takes about 2GB to run the basic tasks, and any applications or files you store on there will just take up more space.
Most laptops will come with at least 256GB of SSD, but some of them can hold up to as much as 1TB. When deciding what size to get, you should really decide how much you’re going to need to store on your laptop.
If you’re going to be storing a lot of files on a cloud system, you may be okay with the 256GB.
CPU and RAM
The CPU is basically like the computer’s brain, and it controls how everything operates. Because of that, you need to make sure you choose a good CPU.
The two main CPU providers are AMD and Intel, although Intel is more common. Intel comes out with all kinds of great updates and technology advancements, but AMD also offers cheaper pricing if you’re on a student budget. If you are on a student budget, make sure you check out lenovo.com for all kinds of great pricing and sales!
However, both of them are still effective and will ensure that you can get all your schoolwork done.
Another component to consider is the RAM. This will determine how fast your computer can handle certain tasks. If you’re just using it for basic school needs, you probably only need between 2 to 4 GB of RAM.
However, if you’re a graphic designer or will need to use a lot of apps and programs, you should probably get somewhere between 4GB to 8GB of RAM.
Portability
If you’re going to be going from class to class and walking across campus, you’ll probably want a laptop that’s not going to weigh your backpack down. However, if you’re going to just be taking online classes, you might be okay with getting something a little bit heavier and durable.
If portability is important, you should consider the main different sizes that laptops can come in.
11 to 12 Inches
These are some of the smaller and thinnest laptops that you’ll be able to find. These may not work well if you want to game or run large programs, but they are great if you just need it for simple tasks.
These laptops will normally weigh somewhere between 2.5 and 3.5 pounds, so it will fit perfectly in your backpack.
13 to 14 Inches
These laptops generally weigh under 4 pounds.
While they’re still small, they are normally the perfect balance between having everything you need while also not weighing a whole lot.
15 to 16 Inches
This is probably the most popular and standard size for laptops. However, depending on the brand you get, it could weigh between 4 to 5.5 pounds.
This laptop will have a large screen, but you may not want to get this one if you are planning on carrying it everywhere you go.
It’s also difficult to find Windows laptops that have 16-inch screens. If you want a 16-inch screen, you’ll likely have to purchase a Mac.
17 to 18 Inches
Lastly, you’ll have the larger of the laptops. This size of a laptop will have to stay at your desk all day, so if you’re going to be only taking online classes, this should work perfectly.
These types of laptops normally also have larger computing power, so you’ll be able to enjoy playing video games after all of your schoolwork is done.
Battery Life
If you’re going to be going from class to class, you may not have time to sit down and actually charge your laptop.
Thankfully, there are laptops out there that will last up to twelve hours, which should be enough to get you through the day. However, some of the older laptops will only have a battery that lasts a few hours.
Some of the main things that drain your battery is having a larger screen, a higher resolution, more processing power, or a faster hard drive can all affect your battery life. Make sure you take note that these are all things of what to look for in a laptop.
Budget
You’ll need to figure out how much you’re willing to spend on a laptop because this will help you narrow down which ones to look at.
If you want to buy a used laptop, you can normally find some decent ones between $200 and $500. However, if you’re willing to spend a little bit more, you can get one that is better quality, runs faster, has a good display, and will last you a while.
$350 to $600
If you buy a laptop in this range, you’ll likely be able to get an Intel Core i5 processor, which should be enough to run most programs. You’ll also get between 4 to 8GB of RAM, and at least a 500GB hard drive.
However, these laptops normally won’t have an SSD, but an actual hard drive.
$600 to $900
This is when you’ll be able to start finding the nicer laptops, including ones that have a metal finish instead of a plastic one.
You’ll be able to get an SSD as well, along with better screen quality.
$900+
While this may be a little bit out of your budget, this is where you’ll find some of the best laptops.
They’ll be both powerful and portable, and you’ll have perfect graphics and faster processors. These laptops will last you a lot longer as well, so they’re a great investment.
If you’re going to be spending this much on a laptop, make sure that you look at the particular one and read all the reviews you can about it before deciding.
Learn More About How to Find the Right Laptop for School
These are only a few things to consider when trying to figure out how to find the right laptop for school; however, there are many more specifications to look at.
We know that it can be overwhelming to try and wade through all of the new technology that’s out there, especially when you have so much homework that needs to be done.
That’s why we’re here to help make sense of it for you! If you enjoyed this article, make sure that you explore our website to find more articles just like this one!
Leave a Reply