Technology Now

Most college students are acutely aware that a laptop is an invaluable tool for note taking, research, and assignments while in school. Of course, while the decision to purchase a laptop may be essentially quite straightforward, the actual process of choosing a computer can be somewhat daunting. There are numerous types of laptops available out there with many different features, so how do you know which one to choose?

In college, it seems that price is a top consideration, though other factors may affect your opinion of value besides the bottom line. Consider the following factors when choosing best value laptops. Many college students only need basic computer functionality - internet, email access, and word processing will take you a long way. From this angle, it’s important to select a machine that has wireless capabilities so that you can complete your assignments anywhere.

A good portion of students seeking top college laptops need not only the functionality of the "Value" approach, but also require specialized software to complete their assignments. Auto CAD and Adobe Photoshop are just two examples of software that demand quality processors to perform at their best. Students should prioritize RAM and storage space (2 gigs or more and a 160 gig hard drive) and processor speed (1.8GHz or better) in order to ensure that the laptop they purchase has the performance they will need to run the required software. Prioritizing the features you need rather than buying a general purpose model will help prevent "overbuying" of unnecessary technology and save money in the long run.

Another value opportunity is learning to take advantage of discounts. Most colleges and universities offer discounts for laptops, and the manufacturers certainly do.

By being a savvy shopper and learning what discounts may be available to you, a top college laptop at a good value may be closer to your budget than what you may have thought. In conclusion, laptops can be a smart investment for your future as well as a powerful tool to help you through college. By shopping smart, you will secure a top quality machine that will carry you through school and work to make every penny of its expense worthwhile!

As students enter the wild world of college, one thing they must be equipped with is a good laptop. A student cannot function to their fullest if they do not have a great laptop. Laptops are needed to write papers, look up important information, get directions to the nearest McDonalds; all activities that are essential to a college career.

There are multiple different laptop computers on the market to choose from. Laptops can be compared in many categories from the size of the screen to how much memory it holds. Two different competing brands are Toshiba and Apple. Both produce laptop computer, but they are different on many levels. The best laptop computer for college students is decided ultimately on a case by case basis.

Toshiba makes a robust computer that can stand up to some heavy wear and tear. It offers a variety of different screen sizes, and usually costs about 900 dollars. It has plenty of memory, and can come with a compact printer. The Toshiba usually comes with a standard 3 year warranty, and has the option of buying an extended warranty.

While the Toshiba can withstand some heavy loving, Apple has some of its own very respectable features. Apple usually runs a little more expensive, 1,200 for the Macbook Pro, but it is known for its ability to fight off viruses. Apple computers do not get viruses, making it unnecessary to buy virus protection, which is important to college kids who will be surfing the web, making their computers susceptible to viruses. The Mac has a three year warranty that does not cover loss or damage that was inflicted by the user, including screen damage.

Both of these computers are acceptable for college students taking community college classes.  The choice depends on the price range and important features of the buyer. A buyer should take into account the price, warranty, screen size, amount of memory, virus protection, and any other features they think are key when making the decision to purchase a laptop. The best laptop computer for college students is debatable, but the fact that every college student needs a computer is not. For more suggestions, see; Best college laptops 2010.

Recently my cousin was returning back to college and he gave me the daunting task of helping him choose the best college laptop that would suit his needs. And there I was, spending some hours doing my own research on what could be the best ones . Few hours and few coffees later, I settled down on a few that would just do the job that he wanted to do at college - work on spreadsheets, browse the internet and run a few resource intenstive programs simultaneously . Here are the few that I picked for him.

1) Samsung R780 - Good , Sleek and value for money . Comes for just under $800 with a good 17 inch monitor, with a core i5 processor with 4GB worth of RAM. Oh I forgot to mention - it comes with a 1 GB NVdia Graphics card.

2)ASUS Eee PC 1001p - If you are looking for a simple netbook - here it is. Comes for $300 and has essentially all the running power for just about the essential things you might end up doing while at college. ( Including the 802.11n wireless ) The monitor is a 10 inch one and the speakers are located on the bottom front end. If you are really tight on your resources ( budget wise ) , go for this.

3) ThinkPad X100e - Like all thinkpads - its built to last - built to resist all the rough use - sturdy and has a definite macho look ! This one comes with a single core AMD Athelon and comes at around $450 ( depening on where you buy it from ) . Comes with a pre-installed Windows 7 O/s and a screen size of 11 inch.

4) Alienware M11x - Comes with a 1.3 Ghz Intel Core Duo, with the latest windows 7 O/s and with 4 GB RAM ( upgradable to 8GB) . and with a monitor size of just above 11 inch. The unique cooling technology makes sure it does not heat up like a toast. And the coolest feature of all - the lighting around the keys - lets you use it in the dark and looks cool too !

5) And if you believe that Apple is going to conquer the world and you want to be ready - Apple Mac Book Pro 13” is a head turner and would surely get some eyeballs rolling . Powerful, long battery life and cool - a 2.4 GHz Intel Coer Duo, NVDIA GeForce 30M , 4GB RAM and what more - the 2 year Apple warranty ! ( check out the students discout option for this piece )

So there it is - my pick of the best college laptops. Like all research- write down what you need to do and find what suits you the best . This is how I thought I would share the research I did, so that you dont have to do it. All the best for your college.