Say goodbye to your iPhone; in college, your laptop will be your new BFF. Here’s where it all happens: the notes on your classes, your study schedule, writing those papers – your whole life is here!
Make sure you’re fully equipped to give it all you’ve got by weighing all of your options before buying a laptop or notebook. We’ve made the job easier for you by reviewing the best picks for college students today.
1.) Dell XPS 13
Price: $800-$949
For a laptop that looks amazing and is super-powerful and functional, the Dell XPS 13 is a great choice.
- Specs:
CPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i3 – Intel Core i7
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620 – Intel UHD Graphics 620
RAM: 4GB – 16GB
Screen: 13.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080; non-touch) QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800; touchscreen)
Storage: 128GB – 1TB SSD
- Pros: Strong battery life, Webcam orientation, Sleek, pretty exterior
- Cons: Poor speaker placement, Relatively expensive in comparison to similar models
2.) Samsung Notebook 9 Pro
Price: $875-$999
The 2-in-1 laptop that outperforms nearly every other one on the market, the Samsung Notebook 9 Pro’s best feature is its stylus, equipped with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity to make sure you don’t miss a word. Best of all, this nifty little gadget attaches to the Notebook and doesn’t need to be charged separately.
- Specs:
CPU: 7th generation Intel Core i7
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620 – AMD Radeon Graphics (2GB GDDR5)
RAM: 8GB – 16GB
Screen: 13.3-inch – 15.6-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) LED display with Touch Screen Panel
Storage: 256GB SSD - Pros: Excellent for the stylus, Sleek look and feel, Lengthy battery life
- Cons: Downward-firing speakers, Touchscreen has only 1080 pixels
3. Asus Chromebook Flip
Price: $450-$499
Asus has slashed the price on Chromebooks while equipping the laptop with a 360-degree hinge for easy flipping.
- Specs:
CPU: Intel Core m3
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 515
RAM: 4GB | Screen: 12.5-inch, Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) LED backlit anti-glare
Storage: 64GB eMMC + TPM - Pros: Stunning, vivid screen, Excellent price for performance and features, 360-degree hinge
- Cons: No out-of-box Android app support, Average speakers
4. Microsoft Surface Prol9
Price: $375-$899
Finally, the next generation of tablets has made its debut. This tablet is so well-equipped that it can easily replace your laptop. The Surface Pro has several different versions, and as usual, the more you pay, the more you’ll get.
- Specs:
CPU: 7th generation Intel Core m3 – i7
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 615 – Iris Plus Graphics 640
RAM: 4GB – 16GB
Screen: 12.3-inch, 2,736 x 1,824 PixelSense display
Storage: 128GB – 1TB SSD - Pros: Improved battery life, Sleek, modern design, Large selection of accessories
- Cons: Surface Pen no longer included in package, Only the i7 version can compete with Apple’s less-expensive iPad Pro
5. Samsung Notebook 7 Spin
Price: $ 699 – $1200
With the Samsung Notebook 7 Spin, you’ll get the performance you’d expect from a MacBook Pro, for the price of a MacBook Air.
- Specs:
CPU: 6th generation Intel Core i7
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce 940MX (2GB DDR3L); Intel HD Graphics 520
RAM: 12GB – 16GB
Screen: 15.6-inch Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) LED with touch panel
Storage: 1 TB HDD – 1TB HDD; 128GB SSD - Pros: Extremely versatile, Full HD touchscreen
- Cons: Heavyweight, Graphics don’t quite measure up to the competition
6. Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming
Price: $699-$799
Need a computer that offers the perfect mix of functionality and gaming options? Look no further than the Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming.
- Specs:
CPU: 7th generation Intel Core i5 – i7
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050; Intel HD Graphics 620 – GTX 1050 Ti; Intel HD Graphics 630
RAM: 8GB – 16GB
Screen: 15.6-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – UHD (3,840 x 2,160) anti-glare LED-backlit
Storage: 1TB HDD – 1TB HDD; 128GB SSD - Pros: Affordable gaming setup, Excellent battery life
- Cons: Trackpad isn’t fully reliable, Screen is deficient
7. Acer Swift 3
Price: $429-$699
If you’re looking for a budget laptop that will still do its job well, you’ve just found it. The Acer Swift 3 offers performance and value, complete with Ultrabook-class Core i processors and an incredible 8 hours of passive battery life.
- Specs:
CPU: 7th generation Intel Core i3 – i7
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620
RAM: 4GB – 8GB
Screen: 14-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) ComfyView IPS
Storage: 128GB – 256GB SSD - Pros: Powerful for its price, Strong battery life
- Cons: Boring looks, Down-firing speakers
Your Turn: What’s your favorite laptop? How does it make tackling studies or doing course work easier and/or more productive?
SOURCES:
https://www.lifewire.com/best-laptops-for-college-students-to-buy-4071769
http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/laptops/10-best-laptops-for-students-983385
https://www.pcmag.com/roundup/285524/the-best-laptops-for-college-students