How to choose the best laptop for your studies
Laptops provide comfortability to students and help make academic activities simpler. Every student would want to own a laptop to cover majority of presentations, assignments, research, internet surfing and many others.
Choosing the right laptop for studies depends on many factors to consider as a student.
1. Consider your study needs
It will be of much great value for you to assess the purpose for which the laptop is needed for. If the laptop is to be used generally for things like note-taking, internet browsing, document editing etc then a laptop capable of running word processors and web apps is required. The laptop has to be physically healthy as well as ease of usage.
However, for engineering, graphic design, programming ,getting a faster processor, more RAM, and a good GPU is key for maximum performance.
Also, for uses like Online classes and video calls: a laptop with a good webcam, microphone, and stable Wi-Fi connectivity is required for optimum performance and reliability.
2. Key features to look for
a.Performance (Processor): Using a laptop with a faster processor facilitates performance and makes it easier to use by students.
Intel Core i5 or i7, or AMD Ryzen 5 or 7 are solid choices for most tasks.
b.RAM: For normal usage, a RAM of 8GB is the good for multitasking. However, for advance usage where the student looks forward to installing powerful apps, 16GB would be ideal.
c.Storage: 256GB is enough for storing a lot of media and academic files , if the student needs more space he or she can opt for 512GB or more.
d.Battery life: A laptop with at least 6-8 hours of battery life is good for students.
e.Display: A 13-15 inch screen would be ideal to use as a student . Also for resolution, Full HD (1920×1080) would also be required.
3. Portability
As a student, a light weight computer is ideal to carry around. This will make students feel more comfortable.
4. Operating system
a.Windows: This has become a very common operating system on many laptops around the world. It is very suitable for engineering, programming, and other technical tasks.
b.macOS: This operating system by Apple company runs on many Apple products. It is very good for graphic design, video editing and other creative tasks.
C. Chromebooks: This is mainly used for web browsing, Google Docs, and simple tasks. It provides ease access to many users.
5. Budget
Students have to always consider their financial strengths before making a decision on which laptop to go in for. Even though the purpose might influence the amount to be used to purchase it however, students should choose moderately if not having enough funds.
Students who require high-performing laptops for studies are however advised to make that purchase for their academic gains.
6. Examples of laptops for students
Apple MacBook Air (M1 or M2), Dell XPS 13,Lenovo ThinkPad, HP Envy or HP Spectre, Acer Chromebook or ASUS VivoBook etc.