6 Key Considerations When Buying a Laptop for Students

In today’s era of technology, having a good laptop has become essential for students. From storing lectures to writing essays, a laptop is what they’ll need. The problem is that there are so many options and different opinion that it’s tough to choose the right one.

A salesman can try to persuade you that you need the most expensive one, and your parents might think that the cheapest one will do the trick. The truth is that you should focus on certain characteristics and what you’ll need it for.

Consider the following tips when browsing for a laptop to find the perfect match

1. What will you use it for?

This is the first question you need to ask yourself. Defining usage is the very basis of choosing a suitable laptop.

If you’ll only going to use it for browsing the web for information, taking notes, and writing assignments, then you’ll need something basic. In this case, you can easily aim for a more affordable option since you won’t need any special features.

On the other hand, if you’ll be using some development software or practicing design, you’ll need something more powerful.

In that case, you should look for a laptop that at least has:

• extra RAM
• high-res display
• dedicated graphics (GPU),
• high-performance CPU
• Independent Software Vendor (ISV) certifications

2. Think about durability

Depending on where and how you plan to use the laptop, you might just need one that has a long-lasting battery.

You don’t want to come in a situation when you realize too late that you’ve made a mistake.

Moving from one class to other, or studying where you don’t have an outlet to charge your laptop can be challenging. That is why you should do some research on whether the laptop you want has a decent durability.

Business-class laptops are mostly build to endure long trips so they have some extra power in them. For example, HP’s EliteBook lineups or Lenovo’s ThinkPad business-oriented laptops can do the trick.

3. Read reviews carefully

Reviews and testimonials can tell you a lot about laptops that salespeople will never will.

Buying a new laptop isn’t something you should do on a limb. It takes dedication and thoughtfulness if you don’t want to waste your money.

Bridgette Hernandez, a blogger, and writer at GrabMyEssay shares her experience:

“During my college years, I had to be very considerate about my money but at the same time, I needed a new laptop for studying and freelancing. You wouldn’t believe how much reading the reviews helped me. I could hear amazing things about a certain laptop from a salesman but then reviews would tell a completely different story. It saved me.”

Read as many reviews as you can to get a general idea of what type of laptop you need and which ones are worth your money.

4. Don’t forget about portability

Some students rarely move their laptops from their desk, while others will carry it everywhere. That is why portability is one of the key considerations.

Think about how moveable and lightweight you want your laptop to be. Also, consider if you want a laptop that can be converted into a tablet.

Those who need portable or detachable laptops should pain close attention that this characteristic is specified.

Portability is not a problem for manufacturers and you can find very light-weight and ultra-thin laptops if that is what you need.

However, if portability is not an issue for you, your options will be wider.

5. Set a budget

All those options and amazing features can easily get you carried away. One minute you’ll be browsing for laptops and the others you’ll be buying a laptop that is way above your budget.

You need to be realistic about your possibilities. Make a distinction between what you desire and what you can actually afford when buying a laptop.

No one needs another loan or another debt. As much as you would like to have the best of the best, sometimes you’ll just have to settle for less.

With so many options, you can definitely find something that will fit both your budget and your needs. However, in order not to get mesmerized by a laptop, you can’t afford, set your budget ahead.

Think about how much money you can spare for this shopping spree and stick to that decision.

6. Don’t stress about the storage

Even though the storage might be one of the first things that’ll pop in your mind, it isn’t a crucial aspect anymore.

The days when you had to hunt the largest hard drive that can fit all your files are long gone. Thanks to the power of the Internet, you can store everything in the cloud.

Don’t spend unnecessary money on storage when the Internet has your back. If you need a laptop for basic usage, just store documents in Google Drive or Office Online, play music on Spotify and watch movies on Netflix. What more could you ask for?

This doesn’t mean that you should only hunt for a smaller-capacity hard drive. But do consider it if your budget is limited. A solid-state drive with a smaller capacity will make your laptop faster and more usable. Not to mention that it will extend the battery’s life.

A piece of information such as this can really save any student that wants a functioning laptop without paying a ton of money. Because in that case, it is better to opt for speed than for storage.

Some final thoughts

There are some outstanding devices that can provide you with what you need, you just need to be careful before you make the choice. The important thing is that you don’t rush your decision. Give yourself some time to decide on what you want and inquire about laptops that’ll fit your needs. The above-mentioned tips can serve you as a guide in this pursuit. Good luck and choose wisely!