Student Laptops

Buying a student laptop

To ensure a good fit for your studies, here’s a list of specs to assess before you start shopping.

Size & weight

Students frequently dashing between classrooms or lecture theatres will want a slim lightweight laptop that can be tucked neatly into a bag or carry case and not add to the existing burden of study books. Ultraportable laptops such as the MacBook Air are amongst the thinnest and lightest laptops you can buy weighing in at 2 to 5 pounds or just over 1kg. They are built using high end materials such as lightweight metal rather than the bulkier plastics and are more robust and durable than budget, entry level models. Expect to pay a premium for the superior build quality but you'll end up with a laptop that's built to last the course of your studies.

Battery life

A long battery life will also be important, especially if you're away from a plug socket for hours at a time. Look out for models advertising 8 - 10 hours which should give you enough power to get through the day assuming low to moderate usage. Battery life does depend on usage though - if you watch a lot of videos, play games or run processor intensive apps, expect it to drain a lot quicker.

Processing power

Your laptop's performance will largely be driven by the type of processor installed. For mainstream use, writing essays, email and web browsing pretty much all current laptops can cope comfortably. You'll find two main processor manufacturers listed in most laptop specs; Intel Core and AMD Ryzen. Both offer comparable processor models and similar performance. A Core i5 or i7 or AMD Ryzen 5 or 7 processor is a good choice for many students but if you're studying a subject like CAD/CAM or engineering that calls for more horsepower, look for models with beefier CPUs such as Core i9 laptops (or Ryzen 9 models) and laptops with dedicated graphics cards.

Memory (RAM)

The more memory (RAM) the laptop has the better. Most laptops are now shipping with 8Gb of RAM installed as standard which is adequate for running most mainstream applications. If you envisage using your laptop for serious multitasking working with lots of apps simultaneously or need to work with very large file sizes, it's worth either upgrading to 16Gb/32Gb or picking a model with more RAM installed for better performance.

Operating system

Another thing to think about is which operating system to go for. There are three types to choose from. Most laptops ship with Microsoft's Windows which is the most popular and most familiar operating system. Windows also works with the widest range of software and hardware making it a great choice for education use. The Mac iOS operating system is exclusive to Apple computers and is popular with designers running Photoshop and InDesign. iOS works seamlessly with other Apple devices so if you already own an iPad or iPhone, it's easy to transfer files between your devices. The ChromeOS is designed by Google for easy web access and web based computing. Installed on all Chromebook laptops, ChromeOS is a streamlined operating system with a lot of features found in the other operating systems stripped out so is not compatible with most PC software.

Ergonomics

To work optimally, you need a laptop with good ergonomics. That means picking a model with design features that allow it to be used comfortably and effectively, particularly over long periods of time. There are a few things to weigh up including the keyboard size and layout. How well spaced are the individual keys? Is the touchpad well placed and uncramped? Can the laptop be used effectively in low light and bright/outdoor conditions? Look for laptops with backlit keyboards and matte screens that help to reduce glare.

Accessories & warranty

There are a number of accessories and add-ons you ought to consider to make the most of your laptop investment. Most new laptops come with a manufacturer warranty that's typically either 1 or 3 years but there are often options to increase the warranty period or upgrade to a better level of cover such as faster response times if you need a repair. Other options include an external mouse, keyboard or monitor which could all make studying that little bit easier if you're used to working on a PC for example. Think also about portability accessories such as a good quality, sturdy bag to protect your laptop on the move as well as a spare battery and power charger.

Backing up your data

Finally, don't overlook protecting your important documents and coursework. If your laptop's hard drive failed, you could instantly lose all your files so it's wise to either invest in an external drive to back your data up to and/or set up a cloud backup service to Google Drive, Microsoft One Drive or similar to ensure your precious data is suitably protected.