Your Guide To Picking The BEST Laptop For College
These days, it’s impossible to function without our crucial technologies – phones, TVs, computers, you name it. In college, the major key comes in the form of a laptop. From taking notes and researching big papers, to uploading photos and binge watching Netflix, they serve as our college life line. But deciding on a laptop is not a one-size-fits-all operation. When making such a big (and expensive) purchase, it’s necessary to find the right one for YOU. Here’s a guide to help choosing the best laptop for college.
For The Gamer
Lenovo Legion Y540 Laptop
This laptop’s for the hard core gamers out there. The legion features discrete graphics, a hi-def display, and surround sound. This slim, lightweight, portable gaming PC will easily play your games seamlessly… and it even works to do homework!
For The Everyday Student
Samsung Notebook 9 Pro
This laptop comes complete with a keyboard, touchscreen capability and the S-Pen. Taking notes, typing up essays and creating projects has never been easier. Not to mention, this 13.3″ screen has a brilliant LED display!
*If you’re a student: don’t forget to take advantage of the Samsung student discount program: Sign up for a Studentrate account with a valid .edu email address from your current school. You will get access to Samsung exclusive student discount program with up to an additional 20% off regular pricing
For Those On A Budget
Samsung Chromebook 3 11.6”
The Samsung Chromebook 3 is the best laptop for all students on a tight budget. It truly packs a punch for the price tag! With up to 11 hours on a single charge we love how lightweight it feels when carrying it to class. You can use as a traditional notebook or recline 180° to share your view, which is awesome for group projects.
For Maximum Portability
MacBook Air
The MacBook Air comes in two sizes – 11 inch and 13 inch – and is as sleek as they come. It fits perfectly in a smaller sized bag, and is as light as a feather. This laptop is great for students who are constantly on the go, and those who take a lot of quick notes (I’m looking at you, journalism majors). Don’t forget that Apple is offering a Free pair of Beats headphones with the purchase of an eligible Mac or iPad Pro for college. And you can save on a Mac or iPad Pro with Apple education pricing!
For The Designer
Acer Aspire V Nitro
This one’s for those who can appreciate the intricacies of video editing projects and movies. With the Nitro, you can choose from a 15 or 17 inch display, including a 4K Ultra HD option for ultimate clarity. This laptop also features Intel® standard-voltage processing, NVIDIA® GeForce graphics, and DDR4 memory.
For The Netflix Obsessed
Samsung Notebook 7 Spin
If you’re having trouble between a laptop or a tablet, the Samsung Notebook 7 Spin is for you. The Notebook 7 has a 365-degree hinge (which is perfect to watch Netflix), a strong processor, and 1TB of memory.
Since it is a 2-in-1 with touchscreen means it can be used like a traditional laptop or as a tablet, which is awesome. The recently updated model added stylus support which is a great bonus.
For The Science Major
Dell XPS 13
This Dell is great for science majors, with its essentially border-less screen that helps make notes and graphs pop. This laptop allows for portability – with just a 12 inch screen and weighing less than three pounds – while still creating the illusion of a spacious screen.
For Maximum Storage
HP Chromebook
The Toshiba Chromebook offers pros to both the hard working and entertainment loving student. It comes with built in cloud support, which is a plus for students who have endless files to store. Be careful though, because Chrome OS does not yet support Crucially, Skype, iTunes and VLC media player.
For Maximum Battery Life
MacBook Pro
The MacBook Pro is a major contender for longest battery life, for those who just can’t get their hands on a charging station (think travel, long class days, all-nighters studying in odd places on campus). The Energy Saver is key here, which alters power levels for your MacBook at any given time. If your laptop’s not plugged in, you can set a preference for the battery saving mode to kick in, which dims the screen to a more energy efficient level. Now that’s a smart machine.
For Maximum Durability
Lenovo ThinkPad
For those clumsy students (I should probably look into this computer, come to think of it) choosing the best laptop for college can be a frightening feat; try the Lenovo ThinkPad. It’s renowned for its strong build quality and components. This durable design tends to last longer than your average laptop model. And as a bonus, it’s got one of the best battery lives in town.
anandtech.com
For The Presenter
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 10
For those business majors that present on the reg, this one’s for you. Not only is this video tablet easily portable, it features four different usage modes with an integrated projector. Another advantage? It gets up to 18 hours of battery life, so you’re smooth sailing on presentation day.
zdnet.com
Choosing the best laptop for college takes times, so make sure to do ample research and test them out if you can. Best of luck, collegiettes!
Have any tips to choosing the best laptop for college? Comment below!
*This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.
Abagail is an editor at Society19. She is a graduate from Northeastern University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.