The first thing to do is to develop a clear sense of exactly what you need in a college laptop. If you are primarily concerned with the basics, like word processing, internet access, wireless, et cetera, you may be fine with something as inexpensive and simple as a netbook. These are extremely compact, relatively no-frills laptops intended for basic needs. Unless you plan to study something like music or video editing, which may involve more elaborate software and capabilities, a netbook should meet virtually all of your academic needs.

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For most courses, you will only need to be able to write and edit on your computer, to participate in online discussion groups, and to e-mail, and almost any currently sold laptop will allow you to do those things. If you intend to study music or something involving video editing, you may need to do some research into higher-end laptops with more memory and possibly with more software included at the time of purchase. If you know your potential major and believe it may require particular computer capabilities, you might contact a professor or department chair to inquire about recommendations. Remember, the best laptop for college students depend on each individuals needs.

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Aside from academic needs, of course, you may want to consider other uses for your laptop. If you are interested in watching streaming video, for example, you may want to select a laptop with HD (High Definition) video capability, or higher-end wireless technology. You might also think more about audio and speaker quality than you would if you were thinking of your computer as a primarily academic tool.

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Once you figure out what features and capabilities you need, do some research about what brands are most reliable and represent the best deals. Consumer Reports is a good site for product reviews, and customer reviews on sites like Amazon.com can give good guidance. Hewlett Packard, Toshiba, and Dell are all reliable and well-reviewed throughout the range of laptop options, but each produces some specific models that are superior to others. You will also need to decide whether you want to go with a PC or a Mac. Both have advantages — PCs tend to be loaded with software that will be compatible with what most others have (like Microsoft Word), while Macs tend to be very good for music recording and similar applications.

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In closing, choosing laptops for college comes down to three steps: decide what you need for school, decide what you want beyond those necessities, and do some research to find out who makes what you need best for the best price. If you think of the process systematically like this, you should be able to make a solid choice with a minimum of worry.

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There are many options and features that that you’ll find in laptops for students in, or starting college. Since all students have different needs, there are going to be a wide variety of things that influence their decisions. This is also one of the most important investments that a student will make. I have had my laptop since I began college and have been very happy with the choice that I made.

In my opinion, cost, ease-of-use, and the aesthetic elements of a laptop are some of its’ most important features of the best laptop for college students.

First, a student should decide how much they want to spend on a college laptop. The range of prices is very large. A basic laptop can be found for around five-six hundred dollars, while pricier and more complex models can be as much as two thousand. If you are only going to use your laptop for word processing and emailing, then a cheaper version may suffice. If you play computer games, or use applications that “eat” a lot of memory (i.e. music or architecture programs), then you may want to spend more to get a better system in your computer. If money is tight, going cheap may be best as you can always upgrade a few years down the line.

Students should make sure that their laptops are easy-to-use. Go to the store and try one out or talk to other students for recommendations. Also, finding out if you are a Mac or PC person may be the first step in this direction.

Lastly, aesthetics can mean a lot to many students. If you are going to take your computer out of the house a lot, then make sure it is portable. Get a laptop that isn’t too heavy or bulky. On the other hand, let’s say a student has poor vision. In that case, a laptop with a bigger screen may be the way to go.

These are just a few aspects of a laptop that could influence a student’s decision. Sit down and write a list of what is important for you. Also, I would always advise looking long and hard for good deals. It’s not fun when you buy a laptop and then find it for sale at a different store.

IBM ThinkPad X40 from Lenovo is ultra thin and sleek and is quite ideal for many professionals as well as students. The style and performance along with its being extremely light in weight, makes it the best choice. However the most attractive and remarkable feature of this laptop is keyboard, which is simply great rather perfect. The keyboard helps in solid typing and offers a ‘full body’ feeling in addition. It is just 3.2 pounds in weight and 1.3 inches tall. It has 40GB hard drive and 256MB of RAM that is built in. The screen is 12.1 inch and is quite bright and crisp. It has all the basic features like couple of USB ports, a monitor connection, network and modem jacks, an SD Card slot and basic audio facility too.

Another remarkable feature is the Thinklight, which enables the user to type even in the dark, which really is extremely helpful for students. This also helps while traveling so that you do not disturb anyone else because of your work. The only thing lacking is the absence of touchpad, which is very helpful and easier, actually for the students. Despite this drawback, X40 proves to be one of the best laptops that has the quality of IBM and is ultra portable.

First you need to search around at different places, either on the internet or in person. Once you familiarize yourself with who is out there doing business, it will greatly help in finding what you really need and want. After that, then you can look at the different brands and models to see which one offers the best deals.

With the way the economy is at this time, there are many business’ out there that will practically beg you to buy a laptop from them. They will offer almost anything and everything (including the kitchen sink). You need to be wise and patient when shopping for the best laptop. A salesperson can smell when they have someone looking to buy. If you don’t act like a desperate buyer, they will offer you services and accessories that they normally wouldn’t offer if they thought you would buy regardless of the deal

Choosing the best laptops for college is very important  so you need to take you time and choose wisely. You might even find out there were things that you didn’t know before following these simple steps. Your laptop is something that you will be using (and quite often) for the next four years while you’re in college so take your time and do your homework. Remember, you don’t have to buy the best laptop for college students, just the best one for you.

As for some ideas for what may be best for you, you can read some of the other articles on this site or just listen to the salesperson and take notes. When a sales person sees you taking notes, they will assume that you are not buying at that moment and give you all the information that you need without pressure. Make a list of what you’re looking for and what you’re not looking for. Think about how much money you’re willing to spend.

With a little bit of pre-planning and some research, you’ll find that shopping for your college laptop will result in the perfect laptop for you.

The best laptops for college students and any others who may be on a tight budget should be looking for a laptop that will deliver the most bang for their buck. In particular, students typically want and need a notebook that is light enough for them to take back and forth all around campus but still be tough enough to take the everyday abuse it will receive being in their bag or backpack.
Key Features:

• AMD Turion 64, AMD Turion 64 X2, Intel Core Duo, or Intel Core 2 Duo

• At least 1GB of memory

• Big hard drive to hold all those MP3s

• DVD burner for backups and class projects

• Wireless and wired networking for classrooms and dorm rooms that are network-equipped

• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium or Apple Mac OS X