When buying a laptop for college, there are many factors you should consider to ensure you’re purchasing the right computer for your needs and budget. Rather than hand you a list of “recommended computers” that quickly gets outdated, this extensive buying guide equips you step-by-step with the inside scoop you need to interpret the tech jargon and make your own informed buying decisions.
1 Where to Shop
To ensure you get the best deal, you should shop around with multiple companies. If you’re using a modern web browser that supports tabs, you can open up multiple websites in different tabs and comparison-shop at multiple sites simultaneously.
In general, there are two categories of places where you can buy a laptop:
- Directly from the company
Buying a computer directly from its manufacturer often provides you with the option of customizing the computer to your specifications. Here are several computer manufacturers that let you customize and purchase a laptop from their site:
Apple
Dell
HP
Sony
Toshiba - From a reseller
You can also buy laptops for college students from online resellers as well as “offline,” “brick-and-mortar” stores. You can’t customize laptops that you buy from resellers because they come pre-configured. Here are some examples of online and offline companies that sell laptops made by various computer manufacturers:
Amazon
(online only)
Best Buy
Newegg
(online only)
Refurbished
As you shop, check out each vendor’s refurbished department or outlet center. You may be able to snag a deal on a lightly-used laptop.
Top Brands
As you’re shopping, you’ll come across many different brands of laptops. Every year PC World magazine does a reliability/service survey to determine the tech brands that its readers have had the best experience with. Here are the top 5 laptop brands for 2010:
2 Screen Size
As you’re shopping, one of the first options you’ll likely be presented with is the laptop’s screen size. A laptop’s screen size is measured diagonally and can range from 5″ to 18″+.
The screen size affects a variety of factors, such as:
- How much the screen can show at a time
A bigger screen can support a larger “resolution,” which is how many pixels the screen shows. More pixels means the screen can display more text at a time and can display photos and videos in greater detail. - How heavy the laptop is
A bigger screen means a bigger laptop, which means more weight. All else equal, laptops with smaller screen sizes will be more portable — an important consideration when buying a laptop for a college student. - How big the keyboard is
Keyboard of a laptop with a 15" screen
A bigger screen means a wider laptop, which means a more spacious keyboard with larger keys. Having a comfortable keyboard size can be particularly important to college students who will be typing constantly for at least an hour at a time taking class notes.Note: A major downside to laptops with small screens is that they have cramped keyboards. This can pose ergonomic and comfort problems, especially for college students with larger hands or fingers. Before purchasing a laptop 10″ or smaller, I recommend trying one out at a computer store to get a feel for whether you’ll be comfortable using a small keyboard for prolonged periods.
- What it can do
A bigger screen means a bigger laptop, which means more room for additional/better computer parts that make the laptop more powerful.- Laptops with small screens (10″ and smaller) can only handle basic tasks like email, web browsing, and word processing. These basic, inexpensive computers are called “netbooks.”
- Laptops with 11-15″ screens are generally considered “all-purpose” laptops.
- Laptops with big screens (usually 17″ and larger) can be powerful enough to replace a desktop computer (which is why they’re often called “desktop replacement” laptops).
-
How expensive it is
As the chart indicates, 15 inches is a "sweet spot" for PCs, as 15-inch laptops tend to be cheaper than laptops with similar screen sizes. (Prices as of June 2011.)
Knowing how screen size is related to price can help you with your buying decision.For example, if you’re on a tight budget, you may want to lean toward 10″ laptops, as these are much cheaper (due to having less functionality, as explained above).
In the all-purpose category, 15″ tends to be a “sweet spot,” as 15″ laptops can be $100 cheaper than a similar 14″ or 16″ laptop.
As you choose the screen size of your laptop, here are some additional factors to keep in mind:
- Backpack support
In my experience, most backpacks with laptop compartments only fit screen sizes up to 15″. Check to make sure your college backpack will support the screen size you’re considering. - Desk size
Remember that you may be using your laptop in a classroom with small desks. Having a 17″ laptop can be cumbersome in those situations.
My recommendations: Because 15″ laptops have sufficiently-large keyboards, tend to be cheaper than other screen sizes, and fit most backpacks and desks, I would recommend a 15″ laptop for most college students. Students should get a 10″ if they’re on a tight budget, need only basic functionality, and are okay with a tiny keyboard.
3 Operating System
Practically all laptops will have one of these 3 operating systems:
- Windows
- Mac OS X
- Linux (including variants like Chrome OS and Android)
If you buy a laptop from Apple, your computer will have Mac OS X. If you buy your college laptop from a different company, it’ll have either Windows or Linux.
Windows is the world’s most popular operating system and is used on more than 80% of computers. If you buy a Windows laptop, the best edition of Windows for a college student is Windows 7 Home Premium.
Some computer vendors may try to upsell you to Windows 7 Professional or Windows 7 Ultimate, but unless your university requires them (due to having a “domain” network, for example), these editions probably don’t offer any extra features that the college student will need.
If your university does require Windows 7 Professional or Windows 7 Ultimate, don’t buy it with your computer. It’s probably cheaper to buy Windows 7 Home Premium and then purchase a Windows 7 Professional Upgrade from the Microsoft Student site. It costs $65 as of this writing, while a similar upgrade from Dell will run you $130.
Rule of thumb: If you’re getting a Windows laptop, get Windows 7 Home Premium unless your university requires Windows 7 Professional. If it does, you can save $65 by buying the Professional upgrade from the Microsoft Student site instead of getting it with your laptop.
The cheapest Windows laptops usually come with Windows 7 Starter, which has fewer features than Windows 7 Home Premium. Some of Windows 7 Starter’s feature omissions are annoyingly arbitrary, such as not being able to change your desktop wallpaper. I’d avoid this edition unless you have only basic computing needs and are on a tight budget.
For more details on the various editions of Windows 7, go to Microsoft’s Compare Windows page and click the “Feature comparison” tab.
Tip: Although Windows 7 is the current edition of Windows right now, Microsoft will be releasing the next version, Windows 8, sometime in autumn 2012.
The bad news is that Windows 8 won’t be ready in time for students getting a laptop for the fall 2012 semester. The good news is that if you buy your laptop from a major manufacturer after June 2, 2012, it should come with a coupon that’ll let you upgrade to Windows 8 for only $15 when it comes out.
If you’re buying a laptop this summer, wait until after June 2nd to purchase, and once you do purchase, make sure you get that coupon!
Mac OS X and Linux are less popular than Windows. This is both good and bad news. The good news is that hackers don’t write as many viruses for these operating systems because fewer people use them. The bad news is that you may run into software that you’d like to use but only works on Windows.
Chrome OS is a new Linux variant introduced summer 2011. Before you buy a laptop with Chrome OS, you need to realize that “Chromebooks,” as they’re called, are Internet-only machines. They’re designed for accessing the Internet only, nothing else. Instead of using traditional software, Chromebooks use “web apps” for tasks like writing documents. While Chromebooks may work for some students, I’d personally prefer a laptop that can access the Internet but also run regular software if I need it to.
The bit architecture of an operating system indicates how much memory it can support. A 32-bit operating system can handle up to 3.25 GB of memory. You should only get a 32-bit operating system if you have basic computing needs (email/web/documents). Otherwise, get a 64-bit.
As you choose an operating system for your college laptop, keep these additional factors in mind:
- What software or games do you plan to use on your computer, and what operating systems can they run on?
- Does your university have laptop specification requirements? If so, what operating systems are on the list?
- What operating systems does your school’s IT office support? If you ever need help with your computer, will they be able to provide support for your operating system? All university tech support will provide support for Windows, and most will support Mac OS X, but support for Linux/Android/Chrome OS will be much more scarce.
- Will you be taking any classes that need you to run special software on your laptop? If so, what operating system is required?
- Do any of your textbooks come with CDs that need a certain operating system to run?
My recommendations: My first choice is Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (unless your university requires otherwise). Since Windows is the most popular operating system, you’ll rarely run into software that won’t work or a tech support desk that can’t help you. Windows comes on a wider variety of laptops than other operating systems do, and Windows laptops are almost always significantly cheaper than Mac laptops.
Mac OS X can also be a fine operating system choice if you’re willing to pay hundreds of dollars extra for an Apple computer and/or your college major involves a lot of Mac software.
Tip: Purchase OS recovery media if possible. Some computer manufacturers will charge you extra for it, but it’s well worth it. OS recovery media is a DVD that’ll let you (or a tech-savvy friend) repair or reinstall your operating system in the event of a major crash.
4 Processor
The processor is the brains of the computer. A faster processor lets the computer process data faster, which often translates into a faster computer. (I say “often” because if the rest of your computer’s parts are slow, then the processor still has to wait on those other parts to get things done, regardless of how fast it is.)
When you’re shopping for a college laptop, chances are you’ll run across processors made by two companies: Intel and AMD. Each company makes a variety of processor families.
This handy chart gives you an approximate overview of how the various processor families compare to each other. Admittedly, this comparison is overly simplistic, but it should give you a general idea of today’s processor lineup.
| Most Powerful | Least Powerful | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Usage (heavy media/games) |
Typical Usage (light media/games) |
Basic Usage (primarily email/web/documents) |
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 Core i7 (2-4 cores) |
 Core i5 (2 cores) |
 Core i3 (2 cores) |
 Pentium (2 cores) |
 Celeron (1-2 cores) |
 Atom (1-2 cores) |
 A8 (4 cores) |
 A6 (4 cores) |
 A4 (2 cores) |
 E2 (2 cores) |
 E Series (1-2 cores) |
C Series (1-2 cores) |
| Most Expensive | Least Expensive | ||||
Within each processor family, there are various processor models. For example, there are dozens of processor models within the Core i7 family. Although there are many variables that differentiate processor models, these are the two most important variables you should consider:
- How many cores does it have?
Think of a “core” as a “brain.” Typically, each core can handle one task at a time. The number of cores determines how many things your computer can do at once. All else equal, a dual-core processor (a processor with two cores) can handle twice as much as a single-core processor. - How fast is each core?
The “clock speed” of each core determines how fast each core can accomplish a task (or “thread”). The clock speed is measured in gigahertz (GHz), for example, “1.4GHz.” A higher clock speed means faster cores. So, for example, a Core i5 2.6GHz would be slightly faster than a Core i5 2.5GHz.
5 Memory
A computer’s memory (or RAM) is its “short-term memory” that stores what you’re currently working on. The more memory your college laptop has, the more data it can handle at a time. The amount of memory in a computer is measured in gigabytes (GB).
Here are my memory quantity recommendations:
| Power Usage (heavy media/games) |
Typical Usage (light media/games) |
Basic Usage (primarily email/web/documents) |
|---|---|---|
| 8+ GB | 3-6 GB | 1-2 GB |
Here are some additional notes to keep in mind:
- DDR3 memory is newer/better than DDR2 memory.
- 32-bit operating systems can only use up to 3.25 GB or memory; anything more than that will go unused. If you have a 32-bit operating system, don’t get more than 3GB. If the chart above indicates you need more than 3GB, get a 64-bit operating system.
6 Storage Drive
The storage drive is the “long-term” memory of your laptop. Not only will laptops for college students need space to store class notes, but likely audio-recorded lectures and photos/videos as well.
Here are 4 factors to consider:
- Storage Capacity
This is how much data the hard drive can hold. Storage capacity is measured in gigabytes (GB). 1 GB can store roughly 300 photos or 10 minutes of video. In determining how much space you need, you should set aside 30 GB for your operating system and programs. - HDD or SSD?
Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) use magnetic platters to store your data, while Solid State Drives (SSDs) have no moving parts. SSDs are very fast and are more likely to survive if you drop your laptop, but are very expensive and come in smaller capacities than HDDs. If you don’t plan on having much data to store and can get a good deal on an SSD, I’d say go with it; otherwise, stick with an HDD. - Rotational Speed
Rotational speed only applies to Hard Disk Drives (which use magnetic platters). The faster the rotational speed, the faster the magnetic platters spin, which means the faster your laptop can get to your data. For laptops, the two options are 5400 RPM or 7200 RPM. I recommend going with 7200. - Head Parking
If you drop a laptop with a Hard Disk Drive, automatic head-parking technology will detect the fall and quickly adjust the hard drive’s moving parts to minimize damage. I’d recommend getting this upgrade if it’s offered. (If you’re getting a Solid State Drive, you don’t have to worry about this since SSDs don’t have any moving parts.)
7 Disc Drive
When shopping for your college laptop, you’ll likely run across 3 different types of disc drives:
- DVD Burners (also known as DVD±RW drives, CD/DVD burners, SuperMulti DVD burners, SuperDrives, etc.)
- BD Combos (also known as a BD-ROM drive or a “Blu-ray player + DVD burner”)
- BD Writers (also known as BD-RE drives, Blu-ray Triple Writers, etc.)
This table shows the functionality of each of these types of disc drives:
| DVD Burner | BD Combo | BD Writer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reads CDs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Writes CDs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reads DVDs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Writes DVDs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reads BDs | No | Yes | Yes |
| Writes BDs | No | No | Yes |
Some laptops (such as Apple’s MacBook Air) don’t include a disc drive, with the implication that disc drives, supposedly, aren’t really needed nowadays. When it comes to the needs of a college student, I disagree. Without a disc drive, you can’t…
- Reinstall or repair the operating system in the event of a major crash
- Install software that comes on CDs
- Use CDs that may come with your textbooks
- Burn CDs or DVDs for class assignments
- Rip CDs or play DVD movies
Therefore, if you get a laptop without a disc drive, I recommend purchasing an external disc drive
- For 99% of college students, I’d recommend a DVD burner. If you get a laptop without a disc drive, get an external drive
- Don’t get a BD Writer. Pretty much the only thing you can use it for is for burning backups, but there are cheaper and more convenient backup options available (which I’ll mention later in this article). In college, you aren’t going to want to take the time to burn a BD-R backup every week.
- Only get a BD Combo drive if you already have a collection of Blu-ray movies you want to play on your laptop. But even then, chances are there won’t be much noticeable difference between a DVD and a Blu-ray on your small laptop screen. If your school has communal high-def TVs and Blu-ray players, I’d recommend playing your movies on there and sticking with a DVD burner for your laptop.
8 Video Card
The GPU (graphics processing unit) generates what you see on screen. There are two types of GPUs:
- Integrated graphics are built into the motherboard or processor and can handle everyday graphics output.
- Dedicated video cards are add-on cards that replace or supplement integrated graphics, and provide the graphics output power needed for heavy 3D gaming, video editing, etc. A disadvantage of dedicated video cards is that they usually use more power than integrated graphics, thus reducing your laptop’s battery life.
My recommendations: Get a dedicated video card if you plan on using your college laptop for heavy 3D gaming, video editing, or other graphics-heavy work. Otherwise, stick with the cheaper integrated graphics option.
9 Battery
A laptop with a 9-cell battery
The more “cells” a battery has, the more power the battery can hold. When you’re shopping for your college laptop, you may have the option of upgrading your battery.
A larger-cell battery may “jut out” as illustrated in the picture to the right. But that may not be a bad thing: the larger battery lifts the rest of the laptop off your lap or desk, providing some additional room for air circulation.
In addition to having the option of increasing the capacity of your primary battery, you may have the option to buy a secondary battery that you can swap out if your primary battery dies.
Here are some factors to keep in mind as you assess battery options for your college laptop:
- What is the estimated battery life of the laptop(s) you’re considering, and by how much would a battery upgrade extend that?
- Do your university’s classrooms have outlets so you can plug in during a class if your battery runs low? Do all classrooms have them or just some?
- Do you have room in your backpack for your power cord and/or do you want to hassle with it?
- What’s the longest amount of time you’ll be away from your dorm room or other housing?
My recommendations: Since an upgrade from a 6-cell to a 9-cell battery (for example) usually only costs around $40, I’d go for it unless you absolutely can’t stand having the battery jut out in the back. I would usually discourage getting a second battery, as I expect most college students won’t be away from an outlet for long enough to justify the cost.
10 Ethernet & Wireless
Here are the 4 primary connectivity technologies that come with laptops today:
- Ethernet
An ethernet port on your college laptop will let your computer plug in to the Internet using a cable. If your dorm room or other housing only offers ethernet Internet, having that port will come in handy! If you get a laptop without an ethernet port, I recommend having a USB-to-ethernet adapter - Wifi
Wifi is a must on today’s connected campuses. Practically all laptops today come with built-in Wifi. Most laptops today come with Wireless-N technology, though you may find a few stragglers that still have the older Wireless-G variety. Either one should be able to connect to your university’s network. - 3G or 4G
Some laptops (specifically netbooks and Chromebooks) may come with 3G or 4G technology that lets you access the Internet over a cell network, meaning you can use the Internet anywhere you can use a cellphone. 4G is newer and faster than 3G, but it’s available in fewer areas.Note: In order to use 3G/4G Internet, you need to have a laptop that supports it and you need a data plan with a cellphone company like Verizon. Some 3G/4G laptops come with a data plan and some don’t. If you buy a 3G/4G laptop but not a data plan, you won’t be able to use the Internet any more than you can use a cellphone without a cell plan.As with a cell plan, you’ll almost always need to pay for a data plan monthly. This monthly cost can add up, and will probably put 3G/4G out of the reach of most college students’ budgets.
The primary benefit of 3G/4G is being able to access the Internet in places where neither ethernet nor Wifi options are available. But since most campuses today have Wifi connectivity, you probably won’t need 3G/4G unless you’re in off-campus housing that doesn’t have any other way to access the Internet.
- Bluetooth
Bluetooth lets your computer wirelessly connect to nearby devices (unlike the other technologies listed here, Bluetooth is not used for connecting to the Internet).I suspect that college students will have two main uses for Bluetooth:
- Listening to music with wireless Bluetooth headphones
- Transferring photos from their cellphone to their computer
If you don’t envision using Bluetooth for these or other scenarios, you probably don’t need it. If you don’t get built-in Bluetooth and decide you need it later, you can always buy a USB Bluetooth adapter
- Listening to music with wireless Bluetooth headphones
11 Resolution & Aspect Ratio
- The resolution of your laptop screen indicates the maximum number of pixels your screen can display horizontally and vertically. A larger maximum resolution means your screen can display more textual data at a time, and can display photos and videos with more detail, but it also means everything will be smaller on your screen.
Be aware that when you pay for a resolution upgrade, you’re paying to make everything on your screen smaller so you can fit more on at a time.
- The aspect ratio of your laptop screen is the ratio or horizontal pixels to vertical pixels. Chances are your laptop’s aspect ratio will be 16:10 or 16:9. The selling point for 16:9 is that 16:9 happens to be the aspect ratio for HDTV (high-definition TV episodes) and HD camera/camcorder footage. If you get a screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio, high-def video will fill up the screen perfectly when played in fullscreen mode. However, the video content on many DVDs and Blu-ray discs does not use a 16:9 aspect ratio.
My recommendations: Few DVDs and not all Blu-ray discs will play in 16:9, so don’t pay extra for 16:9 with the intent of a better movie-watching experience. Only pay extra for 16:9 if you’ll be watching a lot of fullscreen HD TV episodes or HD video from your camcorder and you can’t stand black bars on the top and bottom of your screen. For most college students, I’d say stick with the cheapest option.
12 Office Software
Office software is crucial for the college student. It lets students create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
Warning: Lots of laptops today come with Microsoft Office 2010 Starter. However, Office Starter won’t cut it for a college student laptop, for one important reason: it doesn’t let you insert footnotes in Word. If you’re going to be writing college papers, you need a word processor that supports footnotes.
Rule of thumb: If you’re a college student, never buy Microsoft Office with your laptop, not even the Home and Student edition. There are cheaper options and alternatives.
- If you’re on a tight budget, download LibreOffice. It’s free, it has the important features students need, and it can open and save to Microsoft file formats.
Your university may have a special agreement with Microsoft that lets your university sell Office at highly-discounted prices. Check with your university’s bookstore.- Microsoft sells Office University 2010 to college students for only $100. It’s cheaper than Office Home and Student and it comes with more Office programs.
These 3 options can help a college student get their hands on an office suite for much less money than getting it with their laptop. (But if you’re not a college student, buying Office with your laptop may be your cheapest option.)
13 Security Software
If you’re shopping for a Windows laptop, chances are the store or website you’re shopping at will try to get you to buy security software. On top of the initial purchase price, these security suites require an annual subscription fee.
What those sales clerks and websites won’t tell you is that Microsoft makes a 100% free antivirus product called Microsoft Security Essentials. Just download and install it on your laptop after purchase.
Rule of thumb: You don’t need to buy security software when you purchase your college laptop. Mac and Chromebook laptops don’t need it, and Windows laptops can use Microsoft security software for free.
14 Miscellaneous
One extra feature you shouldn’t forget:
- All laptops for college students should have a webcam and microphone so you can Skype your family back home!
While some upgrades are good to have, you’ll also likely be presented with a ton of upgrades you don’t need, especially if you’re shopping for a college laptop online. This is a non-exclusive list of extras that you can, in my opinion, skip:
- Multi-touch
Tablets like the iPad have made multi-touch screens (screens that let you “click” things by touching them on the screen) the “cool thing” to have.I would discourage getting a multi-touch screen on your laptop, for these reasons:
- Using the touch screen means holding your hand up to the screen to touch things. If you do that for long periods of time, your arm will get tired, and eventually you’ll fall back to using the keyboard and trackpad. Unlike tablets, laptops just aren’t designed for comfortable touch-screen use.
- Every time you touch the screen, you’ll leave fingerprint oils behind. With phones and tablets this isn’t a big deal because you can just use your shirt to wipe off the screen — but try doing that with a laptop.
In my opinion, the impracticality isn’t worth the cost.
- Facial recognition
Some laptops give you the option of using your face to log in to your computer instead of having to remember passwords. I’m no visual-algorithms expert, so don’t quote me on this, but couldn’t someone just hold up a picture of your face to the camera? My advice: forgo facial recognition and stick with using strong passwords. - Fingerprint recognition
Some laptops have finger-print readers by the keyboard that let you log in with your fingerprint instead of using passwords. Your results may vary, but in my experience, I’ve had trouble getting laptop fingerprint readers to recognize my fingerprint, and I’ve often triggered the system by brushing the reader with my wrist while typing. I personally avoid fingerprint readers and stick with passwords. - 3D
Laptop upgrades that let you watch 3D content are another “cool” feature that I’d skip. Chances are, 99% of college students don’t own any 3D movies and don’t own 3D cameras or camcorders. A 3D upgrade will make more sense in the future when 3D content becomes more widespread, but right now 3D media is too scarce to justify the cost of getting support for it on your laptop. Unless you really, really want to look at your Nintendo 3DS photos on your notebook, I’d pass on paying for the 3D upgrade.
15 Backup Solution
The last thing you want is to be stuck without class notes in the event your laptop is lost, stolen, or crashed the week before finals. Backup is a must. (However, if you have a Chromebook, it doesn’t need to be backed up because Chromebooks store all your data on the Internet.)
The two best backup solutions for a college student are an external hard drive or an online backup service.
| External Hard Drive | Online Backup Service | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $50-100 one-time | $5+ per month |
| Backup Speed | Fast | Slow |
| Restore Speed | Fast | Slow |
| Off-Site? | No | Yes |
| Automatic? | No | Yes |
Backup speed is how long it takes to backup. Restore speed is how long it takes to get up-and-running again. Off-site is whether your backup is stored in a remote location away from the original copy of your data.
Here are the two options in detail:
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External hard drive
Tip: Although you may have the option of ordering an external hard drive bundled with your laptop, you may be able to buy it cheaper separately. Don’t assume that you’ll get a better deal on the hard drive just because it’s bundled with the laptop. When shopping for an external hard drive, get one that can store at least as many gigabytes as your college laptop’s internal storage drive.
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Online Backup Service
Mozy and Carbonite are two popular online backup options.
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I personally use an external hard drive because I have over a terabyte of data to backup, which would take me weeks to restore from an online backup service, but I imagine most college students don’t have that much data. 
16 Accessories
These accessories will supplement whatever laptop you purchase and will help improve your tech experience at college. These addons were selected with the needs and budget of the college student in mind.
Tip: Although university bookstores do sell many of these items (which can save unprepared students a trip into town), it does pay to get them ahead of time. You can get these much cheaper online, even taking into account shipping. Also, it’s almost always cheaper to buy these separately than to buy them bundled with your laptop.
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Printer A printer will come in handy when it comes time to print your college papers and other homework. Yes, you can often print papers at your university’s computer lab, but it can be a hassle, especially if you live off-campus or if the lab isn’t open 24/7. You’ll probably want to buy an inkjet printer, not a laser printer, since laser printers that can print documents in color ink can be quite expensive. A decent inkjet printer will cost around $50. Most printers come with a USB cable to hook the printer up to your computer, but if not, you can buy the needed “USB A-to-B” cable separately for $5 online.
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Headphones If you plan on using your laptop to listen to music, you may want to get headphones out of courtesy to your roommate. You can buy regular wired headphones that you plug in to your computer, or you can opt for wireless Bluetooth headphones that don’t tie you to your desk. If you get Bluetooth headphones, be sure you get a laptop that supports Bluetooth.
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USB Flash Drive A flash drive (also known as a jump drive or USB stick) is useful for transferring files to a friend’s laptop or a university lab computer. I’ve used them countless times in college. Flash drives cost only $10-30 online.
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Surge Protector A surge protector guards your gear from power surges from lightning, etc. You can get a cheap one online for $10. At that price, it’s well worth the protection it provides.
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Ethernet Cable If your dorm or other housing offers Internet via ethernet, you’ll need a cable to plug your computer into the ethernet port. Even if your housing has both ethernet and Wifi, you still might want to get an ethernet cable in case you experience Wifi connectivity issues. If you get the cable online, it’ll only cost $5, shipping included.
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HDMI Cable With an HDMI cable, you can hook up your laptop to an HDTV in the student lounge and show a home video or an iTunes movie to your friends on the big screen. For this to work, both your laptop and the TV need an HDMI port and you’ll need an HDMI cable to connect the two. (Disclaimer: some older HDTVs may not have HDMI.) If you think an HDMI cable is something you’d use, be sure to get it online. A store will try to charge you anywhere from $20 to $200 for it, but you can get it online for $5, shipping included.
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17 Before You Order
Quick Tip: If you’re buying online, do a Google search for the store or company you’re buying from, followed by the word “coupons,” e.g. “dell coupons.” You may just find a code that can give you a discount on your purchase.
18 After the Purchase
Here are some words of advice for after you purchase your college laptop:
- If you buy a Windows laptop, chances are the manufacturer loaded on useless software, special offers, trial links, advertisements, and various doodads that you probably won’t need. You can uninstall these programs yourself of course, or you can use the free PC Decrapifier program to do it for you.
- Rather than go through the time-consuming process of downloading and installing Skype, iTunes, Microsoft Security Essentials, and other programs one-by-one, let Ninite install them all for you in one fell swoop at no charge.
19 Conclusion
This “laptops for college students” guide was based on years of personal experience in computer purchasing and in college laptop usage. I hope it aided you in your buying decision. Please feel free to send a link to this guide to students or parents who might find it helpful!
I originally wrote this post in June 2011 and have since then updated it with the latest information in July 2011, December 2011, and on May 17, 2012.
Great article, John! It’s quite comprehensive.
What about using an online backup/sync service like Dropbox.com? Although it’s not strictly a backup system, I’ve found it invaluable to keep documents in sync between my computers and mobile devices. I like it more than Mozy.
Anyway, keep up the good work! I’m considering referencing this article as a resource for new TKC students – would that be OK?
@Jordan: Thanks for stopping by!
A limitation with Dropbox is that everything you want backed up has to be located in your Dropbox folder. This is impractical for backing up, say, POP3 email or browser bookmarks. Mozy or Carbonite, on the other hand, let you backup any set of folders or file types on your system, regardless of where they’re located. Dropbox works fine for backing up the occasional important document, but I wouldn’t recommend it for a primary backup system.
And yes, please feel free to pass this article on to new students!
Thank you for all of the tips because I’m completely computer illiterate! but I think I narrowed it down to a Laptop to save up for thank you!
Hey John, fantastic article. Clear, concise and simple for all to read. Thanks for helping me make up my mind on which laptop to buy. I’m starting college in 2 days time. (But I have an old laptop that belongs to my mum, just in case I dont find one)
Thanks again, John.
Keep up the good work!
Just wondering if anyone at the campus offered anti virus software at a discounted price and where I would go to find this.
Thx so much!
Check out Section 13 (titled “Security Software”) in this article.
so glad i found this!
What a FANTASTIC ARTICLE about buying college laptops. More complete and detailed than any article going from very detailed info to explaining with clear summaries. THANK YOU THANK YOU
thanks for such a great article! i just transferred to a university from a community college and i feel like im one of the only students without a laptop. this really helps narrow my search for my laptop purchase and i plan on saving my pennies & dollars for black friday and hope i can get a decent deal. thanks again for a great article..
Why do you recommend inkjet printers over laser? Is it because of cost or something else?
Yes, primarily because of cost.
am so.. so.. glad that I found a right article to purchase a right lap.Thank you a lot
About to graduate and head off to college, been browsing through the internet and asking for advice for a while; this article is hands down the best and most helpful info and advice ive gotten.
Thanks A Bunch for writing this article.
THANK YOU SO MUCH THIS SITE HELP ME FIND AND KNOW WHAT TO PURCHASE!
<3
Hi john I am currently a 1st year student taking up information technology and I want to buy a loptop for programming. I already found one and its a dell inspiron 14r with intel b950 and 2gb ram..the cost of ram upgrade here is very cheap so here is my question, should i upgrade it to 6gb and install 64bit OS or upgrade it to 4gb ram and install 32bit OS? Well, after reading your guide i think i should go for 64bit but i just want your opinion so ill know that im on the right track coz eventhough im an IT student im still very noob to this kind of stuff..hehehe
Thank you so much for the guide and hope to hear from you soon..
I’d recommend going with the 6GB and 64-bit option.
This article is much comprehensive and informative than just the list of best laptops that might be backed by computer companies’ advertisement. Thank you! I have one question with the outlet website. Are the new laptops they sell worth it? I found some good deal on Lenovo website but on its official website the models are not available any more even though all of their functions are still pretty updated.
It depends on whether it’s important to you to have the latest-and-greatest or whether you’re okay with having something that’s a generation old. If you are okay with having something a bit older but still functional and if you’re on a budget then I’d consider it for sure.
Your an angel! This is my far the BEST article on this subject. Its helped me so much, very informative.
I’m a freshmen in college and the laptop I have now is on its last leg. I plan on getting another HP laptop. Do you think its a good idea to get the Care Pack Services when I’m buying the laptop or separate?
Thanks
And What about anti-theft device for laptop?
Good point Bharat, it looks like I forgot that. I’ll add a discussion on anti-theft options next time I update the post.
Thank you so much for this. I have to buy a new laptop before my old one dies and this will help. There’s nothing worse than walking into a big box store and everyone treating you like the dumb woman who doesn’t know a thing about computers. You will save me a ton of money and frustration!
Glad I could help, Jackie!
Thank you.It was very useful
Your article is quite helpful, but it still leaves me with one question. When I go to a retailer like Stables, I get the feeling that the salesperson is more interest in making money than helping me make the right decision on which computer to buy. Our granddaughter is headed to college in August and we want to get her the right computer for her. The college recommends these minimums: intel, 4GB Ram, 250GB Memory, wireless, USB, Windows 7 Professional (not Premium), 15″ screen, 64 bit. I think that’s all. Would you recommend a computer by brand name and model number? This may be outside your comfort zone but it sure would help us.
Hi Ray,
I wish I could recommend a specific model, but unfortunately I can’t, because (#1) I’m not able to test/review every brand/model out there, (#2) the models that are available are constantly changing, and (#3) I don’t know what your granddaughter’s exact computing needs are. All I can do is help you understand what the specifications mean so that you can narrow down all the options out there and make an educated purchase.
Since you haven’t had a good experience at retailers, I’d recommend shopping online. First, use the minimum specifications provided by your granddaughter’s college and study the info provided in the article in order to make a list of the ideal specifications of your granddaughter’s laptop. Second, go to the websites of various computer companies (Dell, HP, etc.) and pick out the models that most closely approximate the specifications list you made. If you have a specifications list already made, usually you’ll be able to narrow it down to only a couple models per company. Also, the websites should have “customize” buttons that let you further fine-tune the exact specifications of the models to match what you have on your list. Third, once you’ve narrowed it down to a few models, compare the prices and use Google to look up reviews of those models. Online reviews can help you decide which model to go with once you’ve narrowed it down to a few options. All this online research can be a lot of work, but in my opinion it’s worth the work to help make sure the purchase is a good one.
Hopefully that’s of help. Best of luck as you make your purchase!
Thank you so much. This is the BEST article. I just got back from computer store and for once felt like I was on the same playing field as the salesperson. You have explained everything and made it easy to make an educated decision!!
So glad you found the article helpful, Maureen! Feel free to share it with anyone else who might find it helpful as well.
Thanks for leaving a comment!
thank you so much.. this is the best article .. i’ve learned a lot in buying a laptop for a college student like me
.. more power
Buying for my granddaughters who will attend colleges this fall. This was an outstanding article you put together. Thank you so much. Your info to check things out with the schools, before buying, in order to know what they recommend was superb.
Article was very helpful, I feel empowered now to buy the correct laptop.
I need a good computer to take to college next fall. I will need it for my IT classes and good graphics for gaming. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Forrest
I need a windows operating system to view discs. I am a MAC user. Thought on buying a refurb windows laptop? Is there an external disc drive for my mac which will read a windows disc?
Thank you.
Hi Helene. Could you please elaborate on what you mean by Windows disc? Do you mean a CD/DVD that is burned with the Live File System format?
it is a very helping article .but can you help me with buying a laptop .tell us some thing about different laptop companies heating problem.what do you think about dell 15r n5110 core i5 with dedicated graphic card.500 gb ,5400.4 gb ram.in price range of $650.kindly tell me do you recommend it or hp ,acer or lenovo are better .
I have been looking at tons of labtops and this website truly helped me alot. But i just cant seem to find one thing, is there a difference between any good labtop and a ultrabook? Is one better then the other? I seen some are more money then others. The price dont matter i just need one the will late me ALL the way throught college.
Hi Chris,
Ultrabooks are a new type of laptop that focus on portability over power. I’d get an ultrabook only if you have basic computing needs (documents, email, etc.) and/or if portability (light weight / small size) is your #1 priority. Otherwise, I’d say go for a regular, higher-powered laptop. Regular laptops will be heavier and thicker than ultrabooks, but regular laptops will also tend to be faster and more capable.
- John
hey first i would like to say this website is very helpful when trying to buy a good Labtop for school. It helped me get a pretty good view of what I want and will need. But i have one question. I found A Labtop, The Labtop say it had a 1TB hard drive with a 8GB of ExpressCache technology. Is this good? and what is ExpressCache? and if not, should i go for a Labtop with a 128SSD hard drive or one with 500-750HHD hard drive?
A storage drive with ExpressCache combines HDD and SSD into one drive. The makers of this technology claim that these “hybrid drives” give you the large capabilities of a HDD while at the same time give you SSD-like speed.
So in other words, here are your options listed in terms of speed:
1. SSD (fastest)
2. ExpressCache HDD/SSD hybrid
3. HDD (slowest)
The 128GB SSD drive would be fastest, but it’s a very small drive. If you’ll be storing photos and videos on your computer, you’ll run out of space pretty quickly. So unless you’ll be storing mostly text documents, I’d say go for the 1TB hard drive with ExpressCache. It’ll be slower than the pure SSD drive, but it has about eight times more space.
Don’t go for the 500 or 750GB HDD, since those drives would be both smaller and slower than the 1TB HDD with ExpressCache.
I have been searching online for a laptop for college. My search was to find a laptop that can run all services you need for college and every day life. That being said we both know that doesn’t require alot of computing power, but my dilemma is if i buy a low powered laptop it will conk out alot faster than the nice ones out there. My family bought two cheep $200 laptops and they took several minuets to launch programs after a year. Through my search i could only find two computers that meet my parameters, mind helping me out here?
Asus X53U-RH11
Acer Aspire AS5733-6600
I have been looking at laptops. Most of them say they have 5400rpm while other say 7200rpm. I have notices that the 7200rpm are also more money. Is it worth it to spend the extra money for the 7200? or is the 5400 not that much slower.
As mentioned in the article (under the “Storage Drives” section), 7200rpm is faster, and for that reason I recommend getting a laptop with 7200rpm.
Wow! THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!
This was entirely helpful!
seriously!!! This was great advice and information!
planning to buy asus x53e r71,for computer science engineering.
can you please provide me its review or any better option.
Thank you so much for this incredibly useful guide. It’s the best I’ve seen and will be very helpful in helping me select a laptop. Thanks again!
thank you john!!! i am very happy and glade to visit your website. i got all the information that i have to. can you illustrate the price of all the devices like HDDs , SSD etc. ?????
Sir I am Manzoor Husain from Bangladesh. I am Planning to buy a laptop. My choice is ACER and budget is from 500 USD to 500 USD can you tell me which ACER brand should i select.
My choice is ACER ASPIRE E1-571 core i3 how is it ?
Is there any other brand do you recommend than this one ? I can also buy dell/hp.
thanks
Very comprehensive and thorough, plus points for recommendations and prepared links. I give this report a 10, wait.. double that!
This really helped me a lot. I gained 8x more knowledge i had before reading this article.
i hope you continue making more guides and reviews like these.
Thank you so much this has really helped understand what I need to look for in a computer. And I really liked how you catagorized teh processors, they were the most confusing part of finding a computer for me.
Fantastic Job! This was very informative and helped tremendously with my decision. I am heading off to college later this year and I was starting to get worried that I would be paying an arm and a leg for a decent computer but thanks to this, I was able to realize what functions were not necessary as well as what things can also come in handy. Thanks a lot!
You’re very welcome, Vince! Good luck at college!
Awesome article. I’m purchasing 2 computers for college freshmans and your information was ” just what the doctor ordered”. It has cut my search time in half. So much information that helped me make the decision.
Please continue these great articles
Thanks again
Glad to hear it, Thelma! Thanks for the comment.
Thank you so much for your clear and concise article. It made clear several points that I have had trouble with in the past when shopping for computers.
Thank you for compiling and publishing, free of charge, the information on purchasing laptops. I have read through the information, but I have to admit, I became really “lost,” or maybe just had information overload, even though it was very nicely broken down. So, here is my conundrum: I’m a 53 year old grandmother of 10 month old triplet granddaughters. So, I need a laptop that can “handle” a large amount of photos and videos. I know that it is the software that will allow me to edit, print, take snapshots videos, but I would like to know your recommendation for a laptop suited to my needs. I do play general games: solitary, words with friends, Facebook, etc. and I have an Apple iPad 2 that I use quite a bit, so even though I DEFINITELY prefer Windows ( the only one I’ve had any real “computing” experience with), I would like to be able to transfer pics and video between the two devices. I NEED at least a 15″ screen, although my current desktop, which is “broken,” has a 17″ that I still have trouble seeing at times. I type occasional letters, I’m working on writing a book, using microsoft word, and I email; that’s about it…….
Soooooo, any recommendations? Money is NOT the most important criteria, but I do like a deal.
Thank you so much in advance for your help!
Have a blessed day. 0:-)
Karen
am looking for a laptop, please tel, which to buy , del i7 vs sony vaio i5 ?
i am Mba student, range is $700
Thanks, This was very helpful and informative.
John, this is a really great article/guide. I need to purchase a new desktop computer..what specs would be different from the laptop specs you provided. Is a desktop guide coming soon? I am sending this article on to all my “moms of college students” friends- it really will be invaluable to them
Thanks for passing on the article Anne! I don’t have a desktop guide yet, but maybe sometime I’ll work on one. Thanks for the suggestion.
Sir!
Dis is a boon for me!
Never before, I had dis much knowledge bout laptops. But now,m a confident person!
Thanx a ton!
I wonder, if u have written some buyin tips for a busines traueller also!
Regards
Glad you found it helpful. I haven’t written a business laptop buying guide yet — maybe someday
Great Article. You covered things that I didn’t think about and things that I’ve been racking my brain about and you just said, don’t buy it, it’s a waste! I bought a computer today and am confident after the knowledge I learned here I made a good choice.
Thanks!
Your article’s brilliant and is easy to understand! I would like to get a computer with 7200 rpm preferably with SSD, with i7 core and graphic card with dedicated memory. At least 8gb ram. This is required for Sibelius 7 software. We have now a Toshiba satellite P850 10g which has only 5200 rpm, not the 7200 rpm specified. Will it cope with this Sibelius software at all? Do you happen to know Asio compatible sound card? Which laptop has got this sound card please? Please don’t say Apple as we know it! Anybody with advice or experience to share
Hey John great article and information. In your opinion what are the two most important features fo a colledge laptop?
Thank you.
Loved everything recommended, except, the decrapifier! I’m just a parent, not a pc authority, but after downloading it sent me to a website that wanted to tell me what the “crap software, etc” was but also wanted me to buy for $29.95. I didn’t want to pay for deleting and uninstalling the crap files, I thought it was free? Even with the hiccup, I will forward your guide to anyone ready to buy a laptop, with or without a college student. Thanks for the info!
Awesome, I have been trying to find the best and affordable laptop and phone for school, if only you could write a review on phones.