1. The Macbook Pro 15-inch MD104LL\/A<\/a><\/h3>\nAlthough Apple is putting its focus on its glossy new retina displays, they\u2019ve continued to produce traditional Macbooks for the slightly more price-conscious consumer. The high-end model comes with default price tag of $2,199.00, but for those that need to<\/p>\n
![\"Macbook](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/618\/2012\/07\/Macbook-Pro-15-inch.jpg\" "\\"Macbook")
<\/a><\/h3>\nperform heavy-duty tasks it\u2019s one of the best options available within the Macbook line. It boasts a 2.6 GHz Intel i7 processor that can be boosted up to 3.6 GHz, 8GB of RAM, and it contains both integrated graphics and a full-fledged graphics card, namely the NVIDIA Geforce 650M with 1GB of DDR5 memory. With seven hours of battery life, this thing will see you through the roughest projects and the most mundane nights of Web browsing.<\/p>\n
The traditional Macbook line is also the only way you can get an Apple laptop with a built-in Ethernet port, so it\u2019ll save you a lot of hassle if you find yourself routinely working off of a wired connection. It also supports USB 3.0, but it lacks an HDMI port, and it has a MagSafe port instead of a MagSafe 2 port. While it\u2019s one of the more expensive options, Apple\u2019s reputation for excellent hardware and robust software suites more than makes up for it. Look at it this way: The extra money you\u2019d sink into this machine would save you from having to buy Adobe Premiere if you were to get a PC. Considering how software purchases can drive up your total costs, a Mac is a better deal than it looks on the surface.<\/p>\n
2. The MSI GT70<\/a><\/h3>\nIf you\u2019re looking for something that boasts the power of a desktop computer in a portable package, this is your machine. It comes with a hefty price tag for a laptop; it weighs in at $1,479.00 on Amazon<\/a>, but for that price you get a 17 inch screen, a surprising five hours of battery life, a 2.3 GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 12GB of RAM, a 720GB hard drive, and an Nvidia GTX670M GPU.<\/p>\n![\"MSI](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/618\/2012\/07\/MSI-GT70-Review.jpg\" "\\"MSI")
<\/a><\/h3>\nThis is your all-in-one homework and entertainment machine. If you\u2019re into PC gaming you\u2019ll be able to enjoy some of your favorites so long as you\u2019re willing to turn down the graphics settings or settle for a lower frame rate, and it features a built-in blu ray player for you movie buffs out there. Of course, all this power comes with some drawbacks: It weighs around 10 pounds with the accompanying power brick, so taking it from place to place will either be exhausting or it\u2019ll be the perfect way to build your strength and stamina. It\u2019s also not the most aesthetically pleasing machine, but if you\u2019re going for power you can\u2019t be too picky. The main reason you\u2019d want to go for this is, again, you need to do video or photo work, or you don\u2019t want to give up any of the comforts of home while you\u2019re at school.<\/p>\n
3. ASUS Zenbook UX21E-DH52<\/a>\n<\/h3> 11.6-Inch Thin and Light Ultrabook<\/a>\n<\/p>This laptop is for students who want an ultra-portable, ultra-sleek machine that doesn\u2019t pack a lot of power but boasts a few nice features. It retails for $999, and even though it only has 4GB of DDR3 memory and integrated graphics,<\/p>\n
![\"ASUS](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/618\/2012\/07\/ASUS-Zenbook-UX21E-DH52-Review-.jpg\" "\\"ASUS")
<\/a><\/h3>\nit contains a 128GB solid state hard drive. If you won\u2019t need to store many large files, the solid state drive alone makes it worth the price since fewer moving parts means a longer lifespan, and solid state drives work much more efficiently than traditional hard drives so you\u2019ll need less processing power to get things done quickly.<\/p>\n
Something else that gets sacrificed for the sake of its form factor is a built-in optical drive, but the form factor isn\u2019t something to be underestimated. This machine weighs under three pounds, and although its battery life of five hours is a little less-than-impressive given the size of the machine, it automatically backs up any unsaved data when the battery is sitting at five percent and it gives the user plenty of alerts to let them know when to pack it up and give it a charge. For students on the go, there are few Windows laptops that provide comparable sleekness and portability.<\/p>\n
4. Samsung NP-QX411-W01US Laptop <\/a><\/h3>\nThis is a good middle-of-the road option for the price conscious consumer that can afford something pricier than $500 but who has to stay under $1,000.<\/p>\n
![\"Samsung](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/618\/2012\/07\/Samsung-NP-QX411-W01US-Review.jpg\" "\\"Samsung")
<\/a><\/h3>\nThe sticker price is in the high $800 range, but it\u2019s fairly easy to find this laptop for $750.00 or lower. What you get for that price is almost a steal. This machine has a 14 inch screen, a 2.3 GHz Intel i5 processor, 6GB of RAM, a 750GB hard drive, and an NVIDIA GeForce GT520M. While it definitely can\u2019t be called a powerhouse, it can handle simple photo editing and some older games. It weighs in at around five pounds so while it\u2019s not the sleekest laptop out there, it\u2019s not going to break your back, either.<\/p>\n
5. HP DM4-3050us<\/a><\/h3>\nIf your budget is just a little higher than $500 but anything over $700 is too rich for your blood, this provides excellent val<\/p>\n
![\"HP](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/618\/2012\/07\/HP-dm4-3050us-Review-.jpg\" "\\"HP")
<\/a><\/h3>\nue for the price. It\u2019s easy to track this down for $650 or less, and it boasts a 14 inch screen, 6GB of RAM, a 2.5 GHz Intel i5 processor, and 7.5 hours of battery life. It has integrated graphics so you won\u2019t be doing any heavy-duty tasks on it, but if you like indie or free-to-play games this will run most of them, and it\u2019s got more than enough power for word processing and Internet applications. It\u2019s a pretty good bargain for the price.<\/p>\n
Some of you won\u2019t be able to afford anything above $500, and for those proud students bootstrapping their way through their education, there are a number of options that will get the job done.<\/p>\n
The Best Laptops for College Under $500<\/h2>\n#1. Toshiba Satellite C655-S5542<\/a> ![\"Toshiba](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/618\/2012\/07\/Toshiba-Satellite-C655-S5542-Review-175x175.jpg\" "\\"Toshiba")
<\/a><\/h3>\nThis offering comes with a $399 price tag and boasts a 15 inch screen, a 1.6 GHz Intel Celeron processor, 3GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive. It\u2019s everything that you\u2019ll need to get things done with a little extra on the side.<\/p>\n
#2. HP Pavilion dm1-4010us<\/a><\/h3>\n![\"HP](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/618\/2012\/07\/HP-Pavilion-dm1-4010us-Review-175x175.jpg\" "\\"HP")
<\/a><\/h3>\nAt 11.5 inches with very similar specs to the Toshiba Satellite and an average price tag of $450, what makes this laptop worth purchasing? The nine hour battery life. HP makes good machines and this one isn\u2019t an exception. If you don\u2019t have to go under $400, don\u2019t. This is one of the best budget rigs on the market.<\/p>\n
#3. Acer Aspire One AO722-0825 11.6-Inch Netbook<\/a><\/h3>\n![\"Acer](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/618\/2012\/07\/Acer-Aspire-One-AO722-0825-Review-175x175.jpg\" "\\"Acer")
<\/a><\/h3>\nIf your budget just won\u2019t stretch beyond a few hundred dollars, Acer has you covered With a price tag of $350 or less, you could do a lot worse than this netbook.This is the bare minimum of what you need to perform in college. It has an 11 inch screen, 4GB of RAM, a 1 GHz dual core AMD processor, and its battery life averages at seven hours. Overall, it\u2019s an impressive bargain computer, and while you won\u2019t be doing any gaming on it you can eke enough power out of it to watch YouTube videos and movies without worrying about choppy frame rates or skipping.<\/p>\n
College is hard, and choosing the right laptop can make your experience far less stressful and allow you to focus on what matters. Whatever you plan to do, whatever you\u2019re going to study, there\u2019s a machine out there that will fulfill your needs. If you need something powerful to get your work done but the brand new models are too expensive for you, don\u2019t give up; look on Craigslist, connect with people, and see what kind of price you can haggle. Education is important, and it\u2019s just as important that you don\u2019t settle for anything less than what you\u2019ll need to excel at it.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It\u2019s nearly impossible to make it through college without a computer, but luckily there are a number of excellent options for big spenders and frugal students alike. Of course, you\u2019ll want to do your research before you take the plunge; some colleges require you to use a certain OS, and sometimes it\u2019s a good idea […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2551,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2852","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-personal-finance"],"yoast_head":"\n
The 5 Best Laptops for College Students and the 3 Best Budget Picks<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It's nearly impossible to make it through college without a computer, but luckily there are a number of excellent options for big spenders and frugal\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/faithandfinance\/2012\/07\/16\/the-5-best-laptops-for-college-students-and-the-3-best-budget-picks\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The 5 Best Laptops for College Students and the 3 Best Budget Picks\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It's nearly impossible to make it through college without a computer, but luckily there are a number of excellent options for big spenders and frugal\" \/>\n<meta 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<\/a><\/h3>\nperform heavy-duty tasks it\u2019s one of the best options available within the Macbook line. It boasts a 2.6 GHz Intel i7 processor that can be boosted up to 3.6 GHz, 8GB of RAM, and it contains both integrated graphics and a full-fledged graphics card, namely the NVIDIA Geforce 650M with 1GB of DDR5 memory. With seven hours of battery life, this thing will see you through the roughest projects and the most mundane nights of Web browsing.<\/p>\n
The traditional Macbook line is also the only way you can get an Apple laptop with a built-in Ethernet port, so it\u2019ll save you a lot of hassle if you find yourself routinely working off of a wired connection. It also supports USB 3.0, but it lacks an HDMI port, and it has a MagSafe port instead of a MagSafe 2 port. While it\u2019s one of the more expensive options, Apple\u2019s reputation for excellent hardware and robust software suites more than makes up for it. Look at it this way: The extra money you\u2019d sink into this machine would save you from having to buy Adobe Premiere if you were to get a PC. Considering how software purchases can drive up your total costs, a Mac is a better deal than it looks on the surface.<\/p>\n
2. The MSI GT70<\/a><\/h3>\nIf you\u2019re looking for something that boasts the power of a desktop computer in a portable package, this is your machine. It comes with a hefty price tag for a laptop; it weighs in at $1,479.00 on Amazon<\/a>, but for that price you get a 17 inch screen, a surprising five hours of battery life, a 2.3 GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 12GB of RAM, a 720GB hard drive, and an Nvidia GTX670M GPU.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/h3>\nThis is your all-in-one homework and entertainment machine. If you\u2019re into PC gaming you\u2019ll be able to enjoy some of your favorites so long as you\u2019re willing to turn down the graphics settings or settle for a lower frame rate, and it features a built-in blu ray player for you movie buffs out there. Of course, all this power comes with some drawbacks: It weighs around 10 pounds with the accompanying power brick, so taking it from place to place will either be exhausting or it\u2019ll be the perfect way to build your strength and stamina. It\u2019s also not the most aesthetically pleasing machine, but if you\u2019re going for power you can\u2019t be too picky. The main reason you\u2019d want to go for this is, again, you need to do video or photo work, or you don\u2019t want to give up any of the comforts of home while you\u2019re at school.<\/p>\n
3. ASUS Zenbook UX21E-DH52<\/a>\n<\/h3> 11.6-Inch Thin and Light Ultrabook<\/a>\n<\/p>This laptop is for students who want an ultra-portable, ultra-sleek machine that doesn\u2019t pack a lot of power but boasts a few nice features. It retails for $999, and even though it only has 4GB of DDR3 memory and integrated graphics,<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/h3>\nit contains a 128GB solid state hard drive. If you won\u2019t need to store many large files, the solid state drive alone makes it worth the price since fewer moving parts means a longer lifespan, and solid state drives work much more efficiently than traditional hard drives so you\u2019ll need less processing power to get things done quickly.<\/p>\n
Something else that gets sacrificed for the sake of its form factor is a built-in optical drive, but the form factor isn\u2019t something to be underestimated. This machine weighs under three pounds, and although its battery life of five hours is a little less-than-impressive given the size of the machine, it automatically backs up any unsaved data when the battery is sitting at five percent and it gives the user plenty of alerts to let them know when to pack it up and give it a charge. For students on the go, there are few Windows laptops that provide comparable sleekness and portability.<\/p>\n
4. Samsung NP-QX411-W01US Laptop <\/a><\/h3>\nThis is a good middle-of-the road option for the price conscious consumer that can afford something pricier than $500 but who has to stay under $1,000.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/h3>\nThe sticker price is in the high $800 range, but it\u2019s fairly easy to find this laptop for $750.00 or lower. What you get for that price is almost a steal. This machine has a 14 inch screen, a 2.3 GHz Intel i5 processor, 6GB of RAM, a 750GB hard drive, and an NVIDIA GeForce GT520M. While it definitely can\u2019t be called a powerhouse, it can handle simple photo editing and some older games. It weighs in at around five pounds so while it\u2019s not the sleekest laptop out there, it\u2019s not going to break your back, either.<\/p>\n
5. HP DM4-3050us<\/a><\/h3>\nIf your budget is just a little higher than $500 but anything over $700 is too rich for your blood, this provides excellent val<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/h3>\nue for the price. It\u2019s easy to track this down for $650 or less, and it boasts a 14 inch screen, 6GB of RAM, a 2.5 GHz Intel i5 processor, and 7.5 hours of battery life. It has integrated graphics so you won\u2019t be doing any heavy-duty tasks on it, but if you like indie or free-to-play games this will run most of them, and it\u2019s got more than enough power for word processing and Internet applications. It\u2019s a pretty good bargain for the price.<\/p>\n
Some of you won\u2019t be able to afford anything above $500, and for those proud students bootstrapping their way through their education, there are a number of options that will get the job done.<\/p>\n
The Best Laptops for College Under $500<\/h2>\n#1. Toshiba Satellite C655-S5542<\/a> <\/a><\/h3>\nThis offering comes with a $399 price tag and boasts a 15 inch screen, a 1.6 GHz Intel Celeron processor, 3GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive. It\u2019s everything that you\u2019ll need to get things done with a little extra on the side.<\/p>\n
#2. HP Pavilion dm1-4010us<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/a><\/h3>\nAt 11.5 inches with very similar specs to the Toshiba Satellite and an average price tag of $450, what makes this laptop worth purchasing? The nine hour battery life. HP makes good machines and this one isn\u2019t an exception. If you don\u2019t have to go under $400, don\u2019t. This is one of the best budget rigs on the market.<\/p>\n
#3. Acer Aspire One AO722-0825 11.6-Inch Netbook<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/a><\/h3>\nIf your budget just won\u2019t stretch beyond a few hundred dollars, Acer has you covered With a price tag of $350 or less, you could do a lot worse than this netbook.This is the bare minimum of what you need to perform in college. It has an 11 inch screen, 4GB of RAM, a 1 GHz dual core AMD processor, and its battery life averages at seven hours. Overall, it\u2019s an impressive bargain computer, and while you won\u2019t be doing any gaming on it you can eke enough power out of it to watch YouTube videos and movies without worrying about choppy frame rates or skipping.<\/p>\n
College is hard, and choosing the right laptop can make your experience far less stressful and allow you to focus on what matters. Whatever you plan to do, whatever you\u2019re going to study, there\u2019s a machine out there that will fulfill your needs. If you need something powerful to get your work done but the brand new models are too expensive for you, don\u2019t give up; look on Craigslist, connect with people, and see what kind of price you can haggle. Education is important, and it\u2019s just as important that you don\u2019t settle for anything less than what you\u2019ll need to excel at it.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It\u2019s nearly impossible to make it through college without a computer, but luckily there are a number of excellent options for big spenders and frugal students alike. Of course, you\u2019ll want to do your research before you take the plunge; some colleges require you to use a certain OS, and sometimes it\u2019s a good idea […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2551,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2852","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-personal-finance"],"yoast_head":"\n
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<\/a><\/h3>\nThis is your all-in-one homework and entertainment machine. If you\u2019re into PC gaming you\u2019ll be able to enjoy some of your favorites so long as you\u2019re willing to turn down the graphics settings or settle for a lower frame rate, and it features a built-in blu ray player for you movie buffs out there. Of course, all this power comes with some drawbacks: It weighs around 10 pounds with the accompanying power brick, so taking it from place to place will either be exhausting or it\u2019ll be the perfect way to build your strength and stamina. It\u2019s also not the most aesthetically pleasing machine, but if you\u2019re going for power you can\u2019t be too picky. The main reason you\u2019d want to go for this is, again, you need to do video or photo work, or you don\u2019t want to give up any of the comforts of home while you\u2019re at school.<\/p>\n
3. ASUS Zenbook UX21E-DH52<\/a>\n<\/h3> 11.6-Inch Thin and Light Ultrabook<\/a>\n<\/p>This laptop is for students who want an ultra-portable, ultra-sleek machine that doesn\u2019t pack a lot of power but boasts a few nice features. It retails for $999, and even though it only has 4GB of DDR3 memory and integrated graphics,<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/h3>\nit contains a 128GB solid state hard drive. If you won\u2019t need to store many large files, the solid state drive alone makes it worth the price since fewer moving parts means a longer lifespan, and solid state drives work much more efficiently than traditional hard drives so you\u2019ll need less processing power to get things done quickly.<\/p>\n
Something else that gets sacrificed for the sake of its form factor is a built-in optical drive, but the form factor isn\u2019t something to be underestimated. This machine weighs under three pounds, and although its battery life of five hours is a little less-than-impressive given the size of the machine, it automatically backs up any unsaved data when the battery is sitting at five percent and it gives the user plenty of alerts to let them know when to pack it up and give it a charge. For students on the go, there are few Windows laptops that provide comparable sleekness and portability.<\/p>\n
4. Samsung NP-QX411-W01US Laptop <\/a><\/h3>\nThis is a good middle-of-the road option for the price conscious consumer that can afford something pricier than $500 but who has to stay under $1,000.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/h3>\nThe sticker price is in the high $800 range, but it\u2019s fairly easy to find this laptop for $750.00 or lower. What you get for that price is almost a steal. This machine has a 14 inch screen, a 2.3 GHz Intel i5 processor, 6GB of RAM, a 750GB hard drive, and an NVIDIA GeForce GT520M. While it definitely can\u2019t be called a powerhouse, it can handle simple photo editing and some older games. It weighs in at around five pounds so while it\u2019s not the sleekest laptop out there, it\u2019s not going to break your back, either.<\/p>\n
5. HP DM4-3050us<\/a><\/h3>\nIf your budget is just a little higher than $500 but anything over $700 is too rich for your blood, this provides excellent val<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/h3>\nue for the price. It\u2019s easy to track this down for $650 or less, and it boasts a 14 inch screen, 6GB of RAM, a 2.5 GHz Intel i5 processor, and 7.5 hours of battery life. It has integrated graphics so you won\u2019t be doing any heavy-duty tasks on it, but if you like indie or free-to-play games this will run most of them, and it\u2019s got more than enough power for word processing and Internet applications. It\u2019s a pretty good bargain for the price.<\/p>\n
Some of you won\u2019t be able to afford anything above $500, and for those proud students bootstrapping their way through their education, there are a number of options that will get the job done.<\/p>\n
The Best Laptops for College Under $500<\/h2>\n#1. Toshiba Satellite C655-S5542<\/a> <\/a><\/h3>\nThis offering comes with a $399 price tag and boasts a 15 inch screen, a 1.6 GHz Intel Celeron processor, 3GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive. It\u2019s everything that you\u2019ll need to get things done with a little extra on the side.<\/p>\n
#2. HP Pavilion dm1-4010us<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/a><\/h3>\nAt 11.5 inches with very similar specs to the Toshiba Satellite and an average price tag of $450, what makes this laptop worth purchasing? The nine hour battery life. HP makes good machines and this one isn\u2019t an exception. If you don\u2019t have to go under $400, don\u2019t. This is one of the best budget rigs on the market.<\/p>\n
#3. Acer Aspire One AO722-0825 11.6-Inch Netbook<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/a><\/h3>\nIf your budget just won\u2019t stretch beyond a few hundred dollars, Acer has you covered With a price tag of $350 or less, you could do a lot worse than this netbook.This is the bare minimum of what you need to perform in college. It has an 11 inch screen, 4GB of RAM, a 1 GHz dual core AMD processor, and its battery life averages at seven hours. Overall, it\u2019s an impressive bargain computer, and while you won\u2019t be doing any gaming on it you can eke enough power out of it to watch YouTube videos and movies without worrying about choppy frame rates or skipping.<\/p>\n
College is hard, and choosing the right laptop can make your experience far less stressful and allow you to focus on what matters. Whatever you plan to do, whatever you\u2019re going to study, there\u2019s a machine out there that will fulfill your needs. If you need something powerful to get your work done but the brand new models are too expensive for you, don\u2019t give up; look on Craigslist, connect with people, and see what kind of price you can haggle. Education is important, and it\u2019s just as important that you don\u2019t settle for anything less than what you\u2019ll need to excel at it.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It\u2019s nearly impossible to make it through college without a computer, but luckily there are a number of excellent options for big spenders and frugal students alike. Of course, you\u2019ll want to do your research before you take the plunge; some colleges require you to use a certain OS, and sometimes it\u2019s a good idea […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2551,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2852","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-personal-finance"],"yoast_head":"\n
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11.6-Inch Thin and Light Ultrabook<\/a>\n<\/p> This laptop is for students who want an ultra-portable, ultra-sleek machine that doesn\u2019t pack a lot of power but boasts a few nice features. It retails for $999, and even though it only has 4GB of DDR3 memory and integrated graphics,<\/p>\n it contains a 128GB solid state hard drive. If you won\u2019t need to store many large files, the solid state drive alone makes it worth the price since fewer moving parts means a longer lifespan, and solid state drives work much more efficiently than traditional hard drives so you\u2019ll need less processing power to get things done quickly.<\/p>\n Something else that gets sacrificed for the sake of its form factor is a built-in optical drive, but the form factor isn\u2019t something to be underestimated. This machine weighs under three pounds, and although its battery life of five hours is a little less-than-impressive given the size of the machine, it automatically backs up any unsaved data when the battery is sitting at five percent and it gives the user plenty of alerts to let them know when to pack it up and give it a charge. For students on the go, there are few Windows laptops that provide comparable sleekness and portability.<\/p>\n This is a good middle-of-the road option for the price conscious consumer that can afford something pricier than $500 but who has to stay under $1,000.<\/p>\n The sticker price is in the high $800 range, but it\u2019s fairly easy to find this laptop for $750.00 or lower. What you get for that price is almost a steal. This machine has a 14 inch screen, a 2.3 GHz Intel i5 processor, 6GB of RAM, a 750GB hard drive, and an NVIDIA GeForce GT520M. While it definitely can\u2019t be called a powerhouse, it can handle simple photo editing and some older games. It weighs in at around five pounds so while it\u2019s not the sleekest laptop out there, it\u2019s not going to break your back, either.<\/p>\n If your budget is just a little higher than $500 but anything over $700 is too rich for your blood, this provides excellent val<\/p>\n ue for the price. It\u2019s easy to track this down for $650 or less, and it boasts a 14 inch screen, 6GB of RAM, a 2.5 GHz Intel i5 processor, and 7.5 hours of battery life. It has integrated graphics so you won\u2019t be doing any heavy-duty tasks on it, but if you like indie or free-to-play games this will run most of them, and it\u2019s got more than enough power for word processing and Internet applications. It\u2019s a pretty good bargain for the price.<\/p>\n Some of you won\u2019t be able to afford anything above $500, and for those proud students bootstrapping their way through their education, there are a number of options that will get the job done.<\/p>\n This offering comes with a $399 price tag and boasts a 15 inch screen, a 1.6 GHz Intel Celeron processor, 3GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive. It\u2019s everything that you\u2019ll need to get things done with a little extra on the side.<\/p>\n At 11.5 inches with very similar specs to the Toshiba Satellite and an average price tag of $450, what makes this laptop worth purchasing? The nine hour battery life. HP makes good machines and this one isn\u2019t an exception. If you don\u2019t have to go under $400, don\u2019t. This is one of the best budget rigs on the market.<\/p>\n If your budget just won\u2019t stretch beyond a few hundred dollars, Acer has you covered With a price tag of $350 or less, you could do a lot worse than this netbook.This is the bare minimum of what you need to perform in college. It has an 11 inch screen, 4GB of RAM, a 1 GHz dual core AMD processor, and its battery life averages at seven hours. Overall, it\u2019s an impressive bargain computer, and while you won\u2019t be doing any gaming on it you can eke enough power out of it to watch YouTube videos and movies without worrying about choppy frame rates or skipping.<\/p>\n College is hard, and choosing the right laptop can make your experience far less stressful and allow you to focus on what matters. Whatever you plan to do, whatever you\u2019re going to study, there\u2019s a machine out there that will fulfill your needs. If you need something powerful to get your work done but the brand new models are too expensive for you, don\u2019t give up; look on Craigslist, connect with people, and see what kind of price you can haggle. Education is important, and it\u2019s just as important that you don\u2019t settle for anything less than what you\u2019ll need to excel at it.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It\u2019s nearly impossible to make it through college without a computer, but luckily there are a number of excellent options for big spenders and frugal students alike. Of course, you\u2019ll want to do your research before you take the plunge; some colleges require you to use a certain OS, and sometimes it\u2019s a good idea […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2551,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2852","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-personal-finance"],"yoast_head":"\n<\/a><\/h3>\n4. Samsung NP-QX411-W01US Laptop <\/a><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/h3>\n5. HP DM4-3050us<\/a><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/h3>\nThe Best Laptops for College Under $500<\/h2>\n
#1. Toshiba Satellite C655-S5542<\/a>
<\/a><\/h3>\n#2. HP Pavilion dm1-4010us<\/a><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/h3>\n#3. Acer Aspire One AO722-0825 11.6-Inch Netbook<\/a><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/h3>\n