The majority of college courses require extensive access to both the Internet and some form of word processor. If you know what course you’re doing, find out if there are any specific computer programs you’ll need - if so, find out if they are only compatible with Windows or if they’ll work with Mac too.
If you’re looking at computers with Windows operating systems, you’ll see there is a huge choice. There are a number of things to consider when purchasing
- Budget
- Screen Size
- Processor
- Hard Drive Size
- Battery Life
- Weight
Other factors worth considering - insurance, carry case, external hard drive.
I would not get a laptop with a screen bigger than 15.6” - there is absolutely no need for a screen that big to do college work, also, it’s just extra weight that you’ll have to lug around with you. While I think the small 10” notebooks are great, it’s not ideal for long hours typing!
Offers worth checking out:
Lenovo Ideapad: 15.6-inch screen €349 - Harvey Norman
- Intel Celeron Processor
- 4GB RAM
- 500GB Harddrvie
Acer Aspire 15.6-inch screen €449 - Harvey Norman
- Intel Pentium Processor
- 8GB RAM
- 1 TB Harddrive
Acer S5 13.3-inch screen €999 - Harvey Norman (€100 cashback)
- Intel Core i5 processor
- 8GB RAM
- 256 GB SSD
HP 15-af163sa 15.6– inch screen - €399.00 down from €650 - Currys
- Windows 10
- AMD A8-7410 APU
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 1 TB
Accessories of note:
Micorsoft Sculpt Mouse €30 at Harvey Norman
- Buy an external mouse… it’ll be worth it in the long run
Trust Urban Revolt Portable Charger €25 at Harvey Norman
- An incredibly handy tool to have in your backpack – this can charge your smartphone three times over
