Do you need a laptop for college? Gone are those days when we used to think a laptop was an extravagance item for a college student. Like our textbook, the laptop also has become one of the essential items for a student. So it is better if every college student has a laptop. But now the question is, do I need a laptop for college? What do I really need as a college student? Desktop VS Laptop? What should you know about buying a laptop for college? How hard is it to go to college without a laptop? Should I bring the laptop to my class at college? Do I need a laptop for college if I have a desktop? Also, there might be many more questions you can have in your mind if you are getting a laptop for college.
Having a personal laptop or computer can make things easy for a college student. They need a laptop for college for many things. Those days are gone when we considered laptops a luxury item for students. Computer technology has been growing nowadays. This one also has become one of the essential things for a student. It is a necessary item equal to textbooks. Sometimes because of your major subject, you have to get your laptop in your college.
As a student, it is normal for you to have many thoughts and questions before you get a laptop for your college. Also, there are many reasons to get a laptop for college or school.
Do I Need A Laptop For College?
Having a laptop surely makes things easier for you. It is not a luxury. Instead, it is a necessary item that will make your education at college simple and easy. In this modern era, having a laptop can help you with many coursework and college projects. That is why it is something you need.
In this pandemic situation after COVID-19, online classes are essential for all students to complete their courses. Other than this, a laptop is something easier for you to carry. So you can keep all of your work there. It will also help you not to carry too many things for you. There are many reasons for a student to get a laptop for their college. And, one of them is, that you can not instantly on the laptop without any problems. For online classes and courses, it would be the best thing you have ever gotten for yourself.
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What Do I Really Need As A College Student? Desktop VS Laptop?
Some people might tell you to get a desktop instead of getting a laptop. And as a student, it is common for you to get confused about which one would be portable and useful for you. There are not so many differences between them. However, some of the critical differences can help you to choose one. So here we will discuss the differences and pros, and cons between laptops and desktops. It would be up to you which one fulfills your needs.
| Desktop | Laptop |
| 1. Desktop takes much space. You have to make a full setup for it. | 1. The laptop comes in full set-up. It doesn’t take up too much space as it is a self-contained computer. |
| 2. As the desktop comes with a separate monitor and is large, it would be tough to take it from one to another place. | 2. On the other hand, the laptop is not large it comes in a compact size. So you can carry it with you in a laptop bag or your backpack. |
| 3. You can get desktops at the low price range for a full package. It will have a powerful system. | 3. For a laptop, you have to keep your budget at a higher point. Because the low cost will not give you proper service. |
| 4. On desktop computers, you will get several internal drives. So you will get a larger space to keep things. | 4. However, a laptop has only one internal drive. So you have to replace the drive if you want more storage. |
| 5. You have to use different external drives with different data ports. And numbers can be high. | 5. You also have to connect the laptop to data ports. But the numbers are fewer. |
| 6. Monitors of desktops can be larger like TV. | 6. Laptops have a small screen for convenient use. |
| 7. Desktops need more power. They have to use a higher-wattage power supply. | 7. The laptop doesn’t need power like a desktop. It has smaller components. So you don’t need to worry about it. |
| 8. Desktop is easier to fix. You can easily repair it. | 8. With a laptop, you might find it hard to fix things. It is not easy to get the parts. |
What Should You Know About Buying A Laptop For College?
While getting a laptop for your college, there are some things that you have to think about before anything. You need to know about the laptop requirement for college students. You have to understand the features of laptops for students. That’s why in this part of this article, we will tell you things to consider before buying a laptop. It will help you to understand what you need to do.
Operating System
Before you get a laptop for your college, you have to know which operating system you are going to use. Nowadays, Windows 10 is popular among everyone. Many laptops have already pre-installed this operating system. It will install any soft water. That’s why you will be able to use it easily.
However, on a Windows laptop, you won’t be able to use anything related to the Mac software package. However, if you find MacBook expensive, then Windows would work well. Better to get those laptops that come with Windows pre-installed. It will help you to save some money. So consider the operating system before you choose anything.
Processor and RAM
If you are going to use the laptop for only college assignments, then you can use a basic software-based laptop. But for heavy programming or graphics-intensive software, it would be better for you to get some high-cost processors such as Intel Core i7, Intel Core i5, AMD A10 processors, etc. These would be perfect to use.
Most laptops nowadays have 4GB of RAM. And it is ideal if you are using the laptop for Microsoft Office, web browsing, watching series, movies, etc. However, if you have to do some tasks with heavy software, then it would be better to use a laptop with 8GB of Ram. It will not make your laptop slow.
Storage
How much storage does a college student need on their laptop? As you are a college student now, you might have many things to store on your laptop. It can be photos, movies, educational documents, presentations, etc. So you have to choose one that has enough storage to keep your necessary things without any problems. As these are all important things, you have to choose based on the storage.
Usually, for a college student, 512GB would be a great minimum of storage for you to keep your documents, assignments, presentations, etc. However, if you need more space, you can get 1TB. Or you can also install an external hard drive. It will give you enough storage.
Battery
Having a proper battery in your laptop is as valuable as RAN and processor. If you are a college student, then you might need to carry it for a long time. Not every time you are going to get a chance of charging it. So if the battery has a great backup, it would be perfect for you to use.
It would be better if your laptop has a great capacity. In this way, even if you don’t have enough chance to charge the laptop, it won’t be a big problem for you to use. So make sure to look for the battery capacity before you buy a laptop.
Portability
We all know laptops are easy to carry. However, some laptops are heavy that can be a hassle for you to take them with you daily to college. As it is something that you need daily for your work, you have to know whether it is portable or not. Other than looking for hardware specifications, you also have to check its size, design, weight, etc.
As you may have to take your laptop all day, you have to get a lightweight one. It should be portable enough for you not to hurt your back when you carry it on your back.
Budget
There are many price ranges when you are getting a laptop for your work. So you have to make a budget before you buy one. If you want to get good service and use the laptop for a long time, you have to spend some money on it. Although there are affordable ones, for the great support.
You can do market research before you buy a laptop for yourself. It will help you to understand which one would work best for you.
How hard is it to go to college without a laptop?
Using a laptop for writing notes is a common thing among students. But you can also do it with a pen and paper. Because using pen paper can be easy for you. Some people even use IPad with keyboards. So why do people think it is going to be hard to college without a laptop?
The answer is, with the help of a laptop, you can do your online assignments quickly. Students with CS majors always need a laptop beside them. You can even save documents and projects on it. You can also prepare your assignment anywhere in your college. On the other hand, if you don’t have a laptop, it is going to cost you too much time to prepare an assignment.
Should I bring Laptop To My Class At college?
Yes, you should bring a laptop to your class at college. As we have said before, laptops have become an essential item for education. So you can almost do everything there for your educational purposes. So it has become vital for all college students. You can even complete your assignment in the college library or do any other things. That’s why it would be better if you bring a laptop to your college.
Do I need a laptop for college if I have a desktop?
Having a laptop is great as it will help you in your college work easily. However, if you already have a desktop or PC in your house, then you don’t need it. If the desktop is already decent, then you shouldn’t have any problem using it.
It might be physically impossible for you to carry around it with you. However, you can do everything at your home with a decent PC.
Conclusion:
Using a laptop for your educational purpose is a great idea. It maximizes your options for doing assignments and other things. In this advanced technology era, it would be better if you can cope with it. So you can say you would need a laptop for college. It will make things easier for you.