The largest factor in purchasing a laptop for college use is often price. This is understandable, although there are many other factors to consider. Here are a few of my suggestions for good laptops for college students. 

Cheap laptops of many brands are available, but Toshiba Satellites have shown greater quality than the competitor’s in their price range. The Toshiba Satellite C650 is a good starting point in a good, but usable laptop. It has decent battery life, and is priced in the neighborhood of 400 dollars. The Toshiba Satellite laptops have a full numberpad on the keyboard, but this takes up space that might be better spent on other keys. It is still much easier to type on than a netbook, though.

For those that have the money, and want to get the top quality for it, the Macbook reigns as one of the best college laptops. While it costs nearly 1000 dollars, the Macbook has been praised as lightweight, easy to use, high quality, stylish, durable, and well worth the investment for anyone that has the money. Some people dislike the occasional quirks in, and general lack of games available for the Mac OS.

If price isn’t an issue, but needing a solid Windows platform is, the Lenovo Thinkpad may be perfect for you. The Thinkpad T series fall at around 900 dollars, but are well built, fast, and have a large array of options. Derived from the IBM Thinkpad, the Lenovo Thinkpad has one of the lowest failure rates of all laptops, helping to insure that you will have your laptop when you need it.

The most popular computer brand on the market is undoubtedly Hewlett Packard. HP offers cheap, medium quality laptops, which fall behind the Thinkpad in performance, behind the Macbook in style, and behind the Satellite in price. However, there is definitely something to be said for mediocrity. An HP Pavillion dv6 has the raw computer power of a Thinkpad or Macbook, but lacks the high price, exacting standards, and incredible feel. The Pavillion will set you back around 500 dollars, and has a higher failure rate than the Thinkpad and Macbook, but is generally is good choice for a normal college student.

For portability, there are expensive ultraportables from the Sony Vaio to the Macbook Air that cram the power of a larger laptop into just a few pound, but the high price precludes these from the college laptop market. Netbooks are a viable way to go if you are always on the go. The MSI Wind is one of the better choices of netbooks. At around 300 dollars, the Wind is small, light, and cheap, while managing to stay on battery for longer than the average netbook today. Like all netbooks, though, the light weight ans low price come at the cost of a higher failure rate, and a miniscule keyboard. If you go this route, definitely find a netbook that you can type on for a while to insure it doesn’t drive you insane.

Ultimately, there is no single best college laptop. The choice you ought to make depends on how much you’re willing to pay, whether you value style in addition to function, and what you need from your laptop. The best laptop you can have is the one that matches you best.

If you can’t make up your mind, and just need something to type papers on, side with the Toshiba. If you’re into gaming, get a Thinkpad with a discrete graphics card. If you want something that will simply work, go with the Macbook. The Wind can be carried with you easily. The Pavillion is a good bet if you don’t really know what you want, or if you want a little bit of everything.

In the current market there are so many laptops to choose from that it can sometimes become overwhelming. Hopefully, this will help your search for the best laptop for you. The five best affordable laptops for college students, in my opinion, are explained in the following article.

Number 5 on the list is the Apple MacBook. The downside is the price, but for under $1000 you can have a smooth sleek machine that will last for years to come. Apple also offers an incredible service plan that I would recommend to any college student. The MacBook can easily keep up with the fast paced lifestyle of college and still look professional in any setting with its super slim design. The battery life is exceptional as well, and can last through the many hours of papers and internet surfing you are sure to do at all the coffee shops on campus.

Number 4 on the list is the Dell Vostro 3500 with a 2.26 GHz processor, 2 gigs of ram and a 250 GB hard drive you would expect to pay around $550. This laptop allows college students to easily create all the necessary documents throughout the day on a single charge with the correct power settings. The size and weight can comfortably ft into any backpack, but for the price I would like to see a little more performance.

The HP G62-340 squeezes into the number 3 position on the list by sporting a 2.20 GHz processor and 320 GB hard drive and 3GB of RAM standard, all for about the same price as the number 4 laptop. The HP G series laptops are built very well and can accommodate just about anything that the average college student can, I mean will, throw at it. It can create word documents and spreadsheets or help you wind down with a movie after a hard day of classes. This laptop can be found for $550 or less.

Holding the number 2 position is the Gigabyte TouchNote. This laptop contains a 1.66 GHz Processor, enough for any task a college student might need it for, accompanied by versatility. The laptop is able to become a tablet pc; this allows for notes to be “written” on the screen or typed and makes navigation with the computer a lot easier. The battery life is good and this laptop relly has all the extras that college students yearn for, all with a price tage that comes in under $500.

The number 1 position belongs to the HP Mini 110-3130nr, a small netbook that can easily surf the web, type all of your college papers or watch your favorite video between classes. The built in camera allows you to keep in contact with everyone from home or record the pesky roommate who’s sneaking into your secret stash. The keypad is about 92% the size of the average keyboard but after a few sentences you don’t even realize that it’s any different. Its compact size allows college students to carry it anywhere without the bulk and weight of a laptop in your bag. The battery life is great as well, even with the standard battery, but if you want more time the optional extended battery allows hours of useful life without a plug-in. the best news for college students is that you can pick one up for under $300. In my opinion this tough, compact laptop is the best college laptop.

While no laptop is necessarily better than another for a person, its use must truly be considered and any of these five laptops will accommodate the needs of a college student. I hope that these recommendations help in your search for a laptop.

So you need a laptop, but you’re a little low on cash. You’re not alone. Over 55 million college students buy laptops each year, though, and with a little advice on the best value laptops, you can afford one no matter what your budget.

Try to avoid purchasing the cheapest laptop you can find. You don’t want to end up with something that is low quality or wont function well. Processing speed, RAM and Hard Drive space are all essential aspects to consider. What follows is a list of the best college laptops around for the money.

ASUS A52F-X3 15.6-inch

For as little as $550, this laptop packs a lot in. The medium speed Intel dual core i3-350M processor and 4GB of RAM provides average to good performance. It isn’t very compact, and its built in web-cam has low resolution, however with a dual layer DVD burner, a 320GB hard drive, and a 15.6-inch display, you can’t go wrong for the price.

HP G62t

Another laptop with a 15.6 inch display, athis may be one of the best budget choices available right now. With a 500gb 7200 rpm hard drive, and 4GB of RAM, it can handle all your email, web browsing and media playing with ease. Gamers should look elsewhere, however. Its graphics card can’t handle anything visually intense. But when the price is 600 dollars, it provides exceptional function for what you will pay.

HP G42-240

 One of the downsides of many budget laptops is their unwieldy size. While the thickness of this laptop can’t compete with some of the more expensive compact laptops, with a 13.5×9 inch footprint and weighing less than 5 pounds, it is more portable than others. Contains an AMD Turion II P520 dual core processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 320GB, 7200 rpm hard drive. The interfact design takes a bit of getting used to, but you can’t beat the price, at as little as $550.

Samsung R780

A notebook in the slightly higher price range of 800 dollars, the Samsung R780 is beautifully designed, and its 1GB nVidia graphics card can handle even graphics heavy gaming. Its large17.3-inch display makes it a bit heavy to carry to class, but with the weight you get an Intel dual core with 2.26 GHz speed and 8 GB of RAM.

Dell XPS 15

Dell is a popular choice for many students due to their comprehensive technical support. The XPS 15 contains 2.4 GHz Intel quad core, 4GB of RAM and 500GB 7500 rpm hard drive, as well as the nVidia GeForce GT 420M 1GB graphics card. If you can afford it and don’t mind the 5.9-6.4 lbs of weight, it’s well worth the 800 dollars. If the prices still seem a bit steep for you, you can try to find a refurbished laptop in this range. Refurbished items usually come with a full guarantee, and work just as well as new ones, sometimes for a price as low as $300.

With budget laptop options improving constantly, whatever the state of their pocketbook, every college student can afford a good quality laptop this year.

This is a guest post by Shawn Poolern, a longtime reader and friend.
Preparing to go to college can be very exciting, but it can be easy to overlook one important piece of equipment: your laptop. The best college laptop for you will depend on what you are studying: a student studying photography or film will need to use complex editing programs, and will need a lot of hard drive space while a student studying a humanities subject such as English or history, or a studying for a business qualification will have different requirements again. This post will discuss the best college laptops for a student who mostly intends to write essays and complete written coursework.

The type of laptop required for more specialized courses is something which should be discussed with people experienced in the field, and possibly your prospective school as they will be able to advise on what capabilities are needed to complete the college degree.

First is the HP Pavilion dv6-3120us 15.6” laptop. With 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive it will run quickly and won’t fill up with data too swiftly unless you store a lot of movies and music on your computer. It comes in an attractive champagne colour, and has a full size keyboard. You might think worrying about the key board is a trifling matter, and it’s what’s ‘under the hood’ which counts, but you may find you feel differently after tapping out a 2500 word essay.

Second is the Acer Aspire AS1551-4755 11.6” laptop. It’s lighter on RAM and hard drive space (3GN and 250GB, respectively) but it’s also physically lighter. At about 3lbs, this laptop is ideal for carrying from class to class to take notes on the go.

Next we have the Apple MacBook MC240LL/A 13.3” laptop. Some people prefer Apple operating systems to Windows, and if you’re one of them this is a fantastic option. Not too big, not too small and in the classic Apple white this is a stylish option packed with 2GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive.

Also worth considering is the Toshiba Satellite L655D-S5102 15.6” laptop. It has a large screen, making it a good multi-tasker, suitable for watching movies on and completing course work. The Satellite also has a built in webcam for keeping in touch with friends and family, and has enough power – 4GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive – to run smoothly through day to day tasks.

Last but not least is the smallest of today’s selection: the Sony VAIO VPCW222AX/WI 10.1” laptop. It’s small enough to pop in your bag and carry between classes without dragging you down, but with a 250GB hard drive and an Intel Atom processer, it’s certainly not a toy.

When it comes down to it, your choice of laptop is as much about personal preference as the specifications of one versus another, but don’t let a pretty exterior fool you into ending up with a substandard piece of technology. Any one of these five laptops will get the job done right, and look good doing it.

As a student at a junior college, I will be the first person to admit that many of us are strapped for cash. In addition to unit and material costs, many college courses today are difficult to excel in without a decent laptop or notebook. And not just any notebook will do; it has to conform to a huge list of requirements, such as wireless internet access, easy portability, and lots of disk space. It can be difficult and troubling to spend hours searching online for a laptop that will both meet your needs and not bleed your wallet dry.

Here are what I believe to be the two best value laptops under 500 for college students.

#1. The Dell Inspiron Mini (base model) – $300
Another goodie brought to you by Dell, this mini notebook easily took it’s spot at my list of top college laptops. In addition to being the only one of these laptops that I’ve personally owned, it beats all the others that I have tested that are in the same price range.

The Good: The most basic version of this laptop has everything the average college student needs; a decent processor, twenty-four hours of battery life, a built-in 160GB hard drive and the best portability of any notebook on the market (under three pounds) . At approximately ten inches by seven inches, this laptop fits easily in any backpack and even inside many purses, and has the capacity for your daily needs, such as Word processing, emailing, social networking. The base model comes with Windows XP, and not Windows 7, but if you are looking for functionality, this is an amazing laptop. The more expensive versions have Windows 7, increased processor speed, and are even a little bit smaller. However, these upgrades can run up to $300 more than the base model.

The not-so-good: I’m never going to say anything about this laptop is bad. However, it is not a laptop for, say, a video production student, because it doesn’t have enough ram or processor power for the more intense applications, nor does it have the large screen that most people are used to expecting. The only other down side is that it doesn’t have a built-in CD drive; but with more than enough USB ports, it’s not too difficult to plug in an external drive.

#2. Acer Aspire Laptop with AMD Athlon Single-Core Processor - $400
The Acer Aspire is another amazing college buy. If you are looking for a laptop with a larger screen and keyboard than those of the mini notebooks while not spending a huge amount of money, this is the laptop for you. However, with greater size comes a greater footprint, and this laptop is approximately ten inches by fifteen inches and weighs a good six pounds. Nonetheless, it offers everything a college student needs.

The Good: This laptop comes stock with Windows 7. It can support up to 4GB of ram, and comes installed with 3GB. It also comes with a CD/DVD read-write drive. Oh, and did I mention? It starts at only $370. As with all other computers, you can upgrade it, but it’s going to cost more money.

The not-so-good: It’s size can be a concern. Whereas one can slip the mini-notebook into a small compartment in a backpack or purse and not even notice the weight, cramming this laptop into a backpack along with books and binders can be a hassle. And again, as with most budget to mid-range college laptops, you aren’t going to be using this laptop to edit a movie anytime soon.

If you are a college student looking for a laptop that will meet your basic needs, either of these laptops is an excellent choice. The Dell Inspiron Mini is the best mini-notebook on the market and offers premium portability, while the Acer Aspire has a good-sized screen and can do everything the mini notebook can. Whichever laptop you choose, I’m sure you will not be disappointed.

How do you know what are the best laptops for college? What do college students think the best laptop they have owned is? First is best to look at what type of feature is most important to you. Speaking as a college student, there are a couple of main categories that you want to look at. These include: price, size and portability (convenience), amount of memory and programs it is packaged with, and the type of operating system.

Usually most important for college students, is price. College students don’t have a lot of money to throw around and though a laptop is essential to college life, you cannot sell a limb to get it. The price needs to be low. Most of the time, the best laptop for college students can be found for under $1,000. A laptop is a big investment and a solid laptop usually ranges anywhere from $500-$1000. As a final note on price, the best laptop is one that is one sale. Stores know the season when college students are heading off, and thus give great deals that cater to students. Look for them and you will not regret the savings.

The second most important aspect is the size and portability of a laptop. In general, the smaller the laptop the better it will be for college students. Many times this laptop will go into a backpack, be carried around the shoulder in a pack, or be carried in-hand. College students already have a lot of books, papers, and notebooks to carry around so adding a few extra pounds is never good! Always strive for a laptop that makes an effort to be more portable by weight and size. Screen size also determines the main bulk of the laptop. Usually, while 13” is a little small for some of the fun activities college students do like watching TV, movies or playing games 17” is too large to carry. Thus, 15” is usually the perfect middle ground.

The third most important aspect is the amount of memory and programs a laptop is packaged with. These I will combine to form “packaged features”. Memory is always important for a college student to store their documents and anything else they may need later on their laptop. A good laptop has at least 250GB of memory on the hard drive. This will help college students store everything they may need. Regarding programs, it is always best to look for a laptop packaged with Microsoft office. Most importantly, Microsoft word, excel, and powerpoint. These are the programs are the most common ones college student will use.

The last deciding factor is operating system. Namely, Macintosh or Windows. The trend has lately been to go for the more hip Macintosh that is more user-friendly. However, many students may need to use programs in classes that run on Windows only. It is best for students majoring in technical things like engineering and computer science to go for a Windows computer. Ultimately, it is up to the customer to weight the individual criteria listed above. For some people, one aspect may be much more important than another. If one sticks out, make that one the most important and look for one that meets all the other criteria but excels in that specific category.

The top 5 laptops that meet much of these criteria are:

1. Sony Vaio EA Series $599.99 640GB hard drive 14.2” screen, 5.2 pounds Windows 7 Professional

2. MacBook $999.00 250 GB hard drive 13” screen, 1.08” thick and 4.7 pounds Macintosh operating system.

3.Dell XPS 15 $799.99 500GB hard drive 15.6” screen, 6.1 pounds Windows 7 Home Premium

4. Toshiba A215-S4807 $779 160GB hard drive 15.4” screen, 6.3 pounds Windows XP

5. Samsung R780 $849 500GB hard drive 17.3” screen, 6.4 pounds Windows 7 Home Premium

There are many things to consider when looking for the best laptops for college. One of the main things to consider is your budget. There are many laptops out there for those who are looking for the cheapest laptop that will get them by. There are also many people out there who are willing to spend much more to get all of the extras.

When sorting through the many options available, you will find that there are many different sizes to choose from. There are netbooks that have 10.1” screens. This may be convenient to carry around, but the keyboards are typically much smaller and may make typing more difficult for those who are used to typing on a regular keyboard. You can also choose the other extreme and purchase a laptop with a screen that is 18.4”. This may be good for watching movies and playing video games, but having a laptop that big will be difficult to carry around. Choosing a laptop in the middle of the size range may be the best option for you. Top college laptops with a screen size of 14” or 15.6” tend to give you the best of both worlds. You still get the portability that you do with a smaller laptop, but you get a decent size screen to go along with it.

If you are looking for the cheapest thing to get you buy, you may beinterested in a 10” Coby NBPC1023XP. This has an N480 processor, 1GB of memory, and a 160GB hard drive. This netbook is meant for those on a very limited budget, who are looking for the bare minimum to get them by. You can get this netbook for around $250.00.

Another option for those on a budget is the 15.6” HP G56-129WM. This laptop will run you approximately $375.00, but is worth the extra money if you can afford it. This comes with an Intel Celeron 900 processor. It also has 3GB of memory and a 250GB hard drive.

For $450.00, you can get an Acer Aspire A55736Z-4016. This has an Intel Pentium Processor T4500. It also comes with 4GB of memory and a 320GB hard drive. This also has a 15.6” screen. This would be my pick for the best laptop for college students.

If you are looking to spend a little more money, you can choose a Toshiba Satellite. The L655-S5100 has a 15.6” screen. It comes with an Intel Pentium P6100 Processor, 4GB of memory, and a 500GB hard drive. The Toshiba Satellite Helios L655D-S5110WH comes with the AMD Phenom II Quad Core P940 Processor. It has 4 GB of memory and a 500 GB hardrive.

When buying a laptop, there are many additional things you can add on. You can add features for gaming, music, and music. These features aren’t a must, but would be appreciated by most college students. So when you are out looking for a new laptop for college, just remember to use every penny of your budget wisely. Choose the features that are best for you and your needs.

The search to discover the best college laptop isn’t always a simple one. The thing to remember is that not every student needs the same things from their computers. If you are a parent who is looking for notebook deals for for your college bound daughter or son, then you should figure out your kid’s personal requirements. Once you know what your daughter or son needs in their computer, do your research and find an affordable laptop that fulfills your kid’s needs. To help you out, here a list of the top 5 laptops for college students:

The Apple MacBook Pro is one of the top college laptops. It can get a little expensive, but it’s worth every penny. It is equipped with a decent processor, which comes in handy. The battery seems to last a lot longer than most laptop batteries do. It’s a bit heavy, but that is to be expected with computers of that size. You can get the MacBook Pro 13, which has a screen that is about 13 inches long. You can also get the MacBook Pro 14, which has a screen that is about 15 inches long. Overall, the quality is great and The Apple MacBook Pro is highly recommended.

The ASUS Laptop with Intel Pentium Processor is another good choice for a college student’s laptop. When it comes to speed, this computer has it. A lot of computers, even really good computers, tend to get slow on us. But, the ASUS Laptop does a good job at maintaining that quick loading speed that doesn’t leave you feeling frustrated with your computer. This computer has several function keys that other computers don’t have. For example, it has a function key that allows you to adjust the brightness of the computer screen.

The Acer Aspire Laptop with Single Core Processor AS5532 is one of the best value laptops on the market. If you’re looking for the best performing computer for the college student to use, then this is not the computer for you. But, if you are looking for a computer that works decently and is affordable, then you might want to give it a try. Just be prepared for the possibly of your pages loading slower than you would like.

The HP Pavillion DV6-2162NR is another affordable computer and it works decently. This computer has High Definition graphics, which is something most college students would appreciate in a laptop. This computer allows you to rip DVDs to an archive, which may come in handy. This computer is built in a way that allows for great quality entertainment while using the laptop and it also comes with the basic things that a college student will need in their computer.

The Gateway NV5387u Laptop also comes with High Definition graphics. It allows you to store videos and movies on the computer. If the college student loves to listen to music, then this computer will also allow them to save their music to their own media library. It has many features and the computer’s performance is good.

So, there you have it — the five best college laptops available to students. Every one of them is different, just like every college student is different. Every student has their own needs when it comes to computers. Some people require speed, while other people can get by with a slow laptop. Some people need High Definition graphics, while other people have no use for them. Just do your research and find out which laptop computer fits your needs.

There are many things a college student such as yourself worries about these days. Money, relationships, parents, and homework all can cause massive headaches. One thing that I believe a you shouldn’t have to stress about is finding the best value laptops for your budget.

When you buy a laptop for college, I would look at three things: price, size/weight, and RAM/Processor speed. Higher RAM lets you run more programs at once. A faster processor makes your laptop run faster.

If you are someone who is very mobile and doesn’t play video games or use Photoshop, a netbook is best for you. They usually cost about $200-500, include 1 gigabyte of RAM, and have an 10 inch screen. They usually weigh about 2 pounds, have about 5 hours of battery life, and have a smaller keyboard than normal laptops, which can be uncomfortable for long periods of typing. I would recommend testing a netbook in a store before buying it to make sure its keyboard and screen size are right for you. A netbook is best for people who only run a few programs at once and spend most of their time on the Internet and typing up homework and is one of the best laptop buys for someone who doesn’t have a lot of money to spend.

If you need some more power or a bigger screen but don’t want to lug around a giant laptop everywhere, I would recommend a laptop with a 13 inch screen. Their prices vary widely, but an average one will cost you from $200-700. They usually include 2-4 gigabytes of RAM and are about 4 pounds. Their battery usually lasts 4-5 hours. They have enough power to play most games and run many programs at once, but are also portable enough to bring with you wherever you go. These are among the top college laptops available on the market.

If you are a hardcore gamer or use video editing or graphics editing programs, you’ll need a laptop with more power. I recommend a laptop with a 15 inch or 17 inch screen. They cost from $400-1500 and include 4 gigabytes of RAM. They usually weigh around 6 pounds and offer about 3 hours of battery life. I would not recommend these laptops unless you need the computing power that they give you.

Buying a laptop may sound daunting, but it is easy if you know what you are doing. Before you buy one, do some research on the Internet. Read customer and expert reviews, go to the product’s website, and see what other people say about a laptop. Ask your friends what laptops they have. With enough information, you’ll do fine buying a laptop.

More tips for saving money on a laptop:
• Buy programs like Microsoft Office from your college’s store. They offer deep discounts!
• I know this sounds counterintuitive, but get the service contract/extended warranty. Computers get viruses, overheat, and get dropped.
• Go to sourceforge.org or search the Internet for open source software. It’s free and can be just as good as paid programs!

Finding the best college laptop while preparing for the new, exciting experience of undergraduate education is, nowadays, a very important task for any student. More and more, mobile computing has become a staple, if not a requirement, of higher education. Selecting a laptop that will meet the student’s needs for portability, ease of use, power, and features is imperative. This article will showcase five of the best college laptops currently available.

Best value laptops: At rank five on our list is the Dell Inspiron 17R. The Inspiron 17R gives quite a bang-for-your-buck at only $499 for the base model. It comes stock with a powerful Intel Core processor, which can be upgraded to a Pentium Dual Core for additional horsepower. A pre-loaded copy of Windows 7 Home Basic or Premium allows for usefulness for years to come. The screen is 17″, but don’t be misled- it is only 17″ wide, not the traditional 17″ diagonal measurement seen in most laptops. It therefore has a squatter, wider profile when open. It is recommended thus to try this out in a store or display area before choosing it. Still, a strong choice.

Next is the HP G62x, an inexpensive standard laptop from Hewlett-Packard, an industry standard name. Only slightly more expensive than the Dell Inspiron 17R, this model boasts a 16:9 widescreen display, which is more standard and expected. HP is currently running a nice sale providing a few free upgrades with your purchase of a G62x, including nearly doubling the on-board RAM free of charge, making this a powerful deal.

The HP Pavillion dv6 is a very powerful media laptop, packed with an AMD Quad-core processor for intensive computer work. The added power gives this machine the ability to run many programs at once. It also has the option of including a DVD-burner/Blu-ray-reader with LightScribe technology, which can be very useful to a college student with many files to backup. The dv6 is more expensive, at $749, but the extra performance justifies the cost in this case.

The Apple MacBook – the quintessential college laptop – weighs in at number two on our list. Apple has a reputation for providing powerful computers which function flawlessly, often with more stability than traditional PC-based computers. However, Apple is also notorious for their high-priced products, which is precisely what knocks the MacBook out of contention for first on our list. At over one thousand clams, it may be out of the budget for many college-goers. There are discounts available for college students through the Apple Store, but this reviewer felt that $40 off of a $1,200 computer was lackluster at best. When choosing a Mac, however, keep in mind that the majority of computer infrastructures at most colleges are PC-based, so incompatibilities may become a problem later.

Top college laptops: Our grand champion college laptop is the HP dv7. The next model up from the above-discussed dv6, the dv7 is an even more powerful machine for a marginally higher price. The key feature of this laptop is its longevity. It is designed primarily as a “desktop replacement” – that is, it has all the power of a desktop on a mobile platform. While this is never entirely true, this machine does have the chops to perform well for years to come. Its powerful 64-bit processor, 6GB of RAM, 750GB hard disk drive, integrated ATi Radeon graphics, and more are perhaps overpowered for today’s applications. This means that as software becomes more computer-intensive over the next decade, the HP dv7 will still be slugging it out with the best of them. Added HP features such as ProtectSmart, Lojack, and TrueVision-webcam are more than enough to make this a unanimous choice for the best college laptop of December 2010.

In closing, the selection of a laptop for college purposes is an important task. Affirming a wise choice now will allow for years of use without the need of replacement or augmentation. This list is a good place to begin, but the true decision of what laptop to select lies with the student and his or her individual requirements, desires, and financial ability.

This post continues our Best College Laptops 2010 series.