So you’re starting a college course and maybe wondering what kind of laptop you need or maybe you’re thinking a tablet style computer may be better. It’s a safe bet you’re on a budget too so maybe you’re thinking of buying a second-hand or refurbished laptop?
Do Your Need a Laptop for College or University?
The simple answer to this question is that you can manage without but if you can afford to buy one then you’ll certainly be at an advantage. You are going to need to store and organise an awful lot of written information and there is no more efficient way of doing this than on a laptop or pc.
Laptop, Netbook or Tablet – Which is Best?
Each have their advantages and drawbacks. With a laptop you get all-round benefits of performance, storage and portability. A netbook will be easier to carry around and cheaper to buy but you’ll need some extra storage space and you might struggle with advanced programs. A tablet is the trendiest option but may not be that practical. Obviously you’ll have your own preference but try to be objective about it.
Laptops
Expect to pay £300 upwards for a decent quality laptop. The most basic models will usually have at least 3GB of RAM and Hard Drive storage of 250GB or more – which should be ample for most people. Unless you are using very advanced drawing programs or play a lot of games in your spare time then a laptop at this level will be ideal.
Style wise you tend to be limited to plain black at the lower end of the price range but if you want a trendy pink laptop or some other customised design then you’ll need to pay a little more. Don’t forget also that you’ll also need a carry case and a separate memory stick and external mouse at the very least.
The Dell Inspiron15 is one of the best selling budget level laptops and, at just over £299 for the base model, we reckon it’s hard to beat. If you can afford to upgrade the processor then you should do so but for an entry level machine this is a good deal.
If you want to spend a little more then amazon and tesco direct usually have some good deals and are retailers you can trust. It’s worth pointing out also that John Lewis offer a standard 2 year warranty on all laptops. If a laptop is going to fail then it is much more likely to do so in the second year – so this is something worth thinking about. Of course you can buy extended warranties elsewhere but they tend to be expensive and have a lot of exclusions.
Netbooks
A standard laptop has a 15″ screen which is about right for everyday use. Although you can buy laptops with 12″ and 13″ screens the smaller and lighter netbook style computer with a 10″ screen have been a popular choice of late. Aside from the smaller screen size you are going to, inevitably, compromise on performance and storage capacity but if the reduced weight-load and portability appeal to you then you will be impressed by how well these little machines can perform overall. Look out for battery life on these computers though as it can vary a lot – from less than 2 hours to over 8.
In terms of price you can pay as much for a good netbook these days as you can a standard laptop. However, there is a fair range of choice at the £200 to £240 level and the HP Mini 110 would be our top pick. Like most netbooks it has 1GB of memory and a 250GB hard drive – but it also comes in a range of colour options and has a battery which will last up to 6 hours between charges.
Tablets
Tablet PC’s are slim and lightweight alternatives to both the laptop and netbook. The Apple iPad is, of course, the most well known and popular example but don’t rule out other makes such as Dell’s Streak and the Motorolla Xoom.
Tablets win hands-down when it comes to simplicity of use and portability – for taking notes in class and showing images you’ll be very impressed. However, when it comes to storing lots of files and writing assignments you’re going to struggle. It’s also worth noting that there are lots of software packages which simply will not work on some tablets and although there are lots of apps available to get around this problem they can be expensive or jam packed with spy-ware.
In an ideal world you’ll have a standard laptop or desktop for doing standard tasks like research and writing and a tablet you can take into class and carry around with you during the day. If you do decide to go for the tablet option then please take your time to compare the various options – don’t just go for the trendiest or coolest you can afford.
Ultimately it will come down to personal choice – there isn’t a right or wrong answer – but think about your budget, what kind of tasks you’ll need to do frequently, how much storage capacity you need and how long the battery will last. If want further advice or to recommend an option then please leave a comment below.
Insuring Your Laptop
You can buy an insurance which will cover you in the event of loss or damage to your laptop. However, these policies often represent quite poor value over the long term. The first thing you should do is to enquire about your existing household cover – it may already insure you for loss of valuable items outside of the home; or it may be available as an inexpensive option.
Failing this you are probably better buying a student insurance policy which covers everything – not just a laptop. This is often a good idea anyway and may not cost that much more anyway. We recommend student insurance cover at E&L which can cost less than £2 a month – but there are plenty of deals available elsewhere.