Best College Laptops 2010
This is another guest post from John May, one of our long time readers. Thanks John!
The best laptop computer for college students definitely depends upon the student’s major field of study. Some people will tell you the only choice is a Mac; others might say that a PC is better. How do you decide which is for you? here is my choices for the best college laptops 2010.
If price is no problem, and user-friendliness is your major concern, in my opinion Mac is the best choice. With laptops ranging in price from $900 to well over $2000, it’s a lot of money to drop on a single piece of technological equipment. There’s also the question of transferability; Mac programs typically don’t read well on Windows machines. Thankfully, there are a host of programs to ease that gap, including free programs such as OpenOffice, which is an open-source version of Microsoft Office with a user interface closest to that of the 2003 generation. Macs are great for students in humanities or social science-related fields, as they typically require very little user attention when it comes to security, cache cleaning, and virus worries. They’re great for visual arts majors, as visual arts have used Macs for decades.
But what about PCs? If your eye is on your budget, Macs are most definitely out of the question.
Asus, Acer, and Dell all have netbook or netbook-like options that range in price from $300 – $500. Asus, in particular, has a fully-functioning computer that comes in a convenient, portable 10-inch size. While the keyboard is obviously smaller on these machines, and some of them don’t hold the most memory, they’re a great buy for a first laptop. They’re durable, the work well, and they get the job done.
The only programs college students absolutely NEED on their computers are a Microsoft Office suite, a photoshop-type program for visual arts majors, and a music player. Beware though: netbooks and similar machines very rarely, if ever, have a CD driver included. This is something that has to be bought separately and connected to the computer through USB cables. If budget isn’t a huge concern and you’re stuck on PCs, perhaps the best option is Toshiba. They build reliable computers that can last for years, and have security features available that can really blow your mind, including a fingerprint reader. Feeling like James Bond yet? Prices for these machines run anywhere upwards of $1500, so be prepared to shell out big cash for them. If your college student absolutely requires a Blu-Ray player with his or her laptop, Samsung has the best deal: You can get a laptop with a Blu-Ray player, top-of-the-line graphics card, and great additional features for between $700 and $900, which isn’t bad.
No matter what type of laptop you decide to buy, you need to be sure of one thing: buy the warranty. College is a place where mistakes happen faster than you can blink, especially if your student is living in a dorm, and that shiny new laptop may end up with pop spilled all over its keyboard, or stepped on, or somehow tossed out a window. It’s better not to take any chances; dish out the extra bucks for the warranty, and rest assured that the good money you spent on that laptop wasn’t wasted in the slightest.
READER QUESTION: What is your choice for best college laptop of 2010 and why?
- Laptops For College: Coupon Codes -
Tags: acer, asus, ASUS Eee PC, Best College Laptops, College Laptops 2010, dell, laptop, Mac, Macintosh, Macs, microsoft, netbook, Netbooks, Samsung, toshiba
Tags: acer, asus, ASUS Eee PC, Best College Laptops, College Laptops 2010, dell, laptop, Mac, Macintosh, Macs, microsoft, netbook, Netbooks, Samsung, toshiba
Posted on: November 25, 2010
Filed under: College Laptops 2010, Toshiba Laptops
9 Comments
mace21
December 3rd, 2010 at 2:42 am
As much as I don’t personally like them, I have to say the MacBook is a good pick for 2010 as best college laptop. One being the price, they have been moderately priced from the begining. They run roughly 900 and that being you get what you pay for. They are well protected against viruses and have the most up to date art and modeling programs some of which are used in the graphics industry today. They are lightweight and user friendly you simply can’t beat that!
S.Gayathri
December 3rd, 2010 at 3:31 pm
In my opinion, the best laptop a student can buy is the Apple MacBook. Though this laptop is priced much higher than the other brands of laptops, it certainly has all the essential features that will benefit any college student. The computer
comes with an in-built battery that can last for almost ten hours once charged fuly. The new high performance NVIDIA graphics is a special feature that enhances the speed and efficiency of the computer. The trackpd is large and offers
easier navigation and Multi-Touch gestures. Though very sleek in appearance
the MacBook’s sturdy unibody design makes it easier to carry around.
lotti
December 4th, 2010 at 2:26 am
Yeah I agree with the words that good money spent on the laptops is always an investment. Before consideration of buying a good deal we must plan first for buying a pc or laptop. It all depends on the mindset of a student and his usage. If he is more concerned about the portability he may go for a laptop. If it is only for the academics, then he can choose a desktop where hit can sit and use it relaxed at home.
Billy
December 4th, 2010 at 11:16 am
Great article! Thanks for sharing.
MKade
December 5th, 2010 at 2:49 pm
As a PC person, my choice for laptop is the Compaq Presario with a 15 inch screen. I used it during 4 years of college and it continues to function perfectly after all that time. I had friends with Toshibas and they always seemed to be broken, despite the care and attention given to their well being. And forget netbooks– I knew plenty of people with various brands of netbooks, and none of them ever survived more than two years of use. If you’re someone who can stand and afford a Mac (I’m not), then I agree, they are a must-have for students in the visual arts. They also stand up very well to college use. But personally, I can’t imagine working with anything other than my Compaq Presario.
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Cali
December 6th, 2010 at 3:21 am
I would have to agree – Macs are definitely a great choice for college students. I had a Powerbook G4 that went with me through undergrad and I couldn’t have asked for a better computer. Now that I’m in graduate school I’ve upgraded to a new MacBook, and I’m super happy with it. It helps a lot, too, that Macs are becoming more and more compatible with Windows programs, giving the user versatility and the security one has come to expect from Apple.
Cassy
December 8th, 2010 at 12:56 am
I would have to say that a Dell laptop would be the best choice for college students. I don’t use any other brand. Dell also sometimes has rebate offers for students that buy one. I had a Dell for college, it never had any kind of an issue and also came with a very decent warranty. Toshiba’s would be my last pick. I would also consider a Mac. I have heard nothing but good things from Mac users.
jeswanth
December 8th, 2010 at 6:15 am
I do agree with all others Mac book is a perfect choice for college students. It gives full value for money. Mainly its sleekest design and its less weight make it easy to carry. But, considering what one can afford may be Mac wouldn’t be the best choice. There are many windows running laptops that can be afforded by many. The HP Pavilion would be best for the college students according to my opinion considering its low cost and the features it provide.
Katsbelle
December 8th, 2010 at 10:54 pm
Although there seems to be a lot of mac users here, i’m also going to go with a PC. I’m going to say I like the HP 17.3 inch dual processor G72 the best. I actually bought one (for a pretty decent price on black friday) and so far it’s been a dream. I love the giant screen so it also kind of doubles as my tv in my dorm for now. Unfortunately it only came with a teaser package of Norton but so far so good! Last year I had a Toshiba and although it was definitely cool at first, after a while it started to get too hot and shuttind down. I called a couple of places and apparently Toshibas are more difficult to fix than HPs or Dells. Thanks for the great blog!
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