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Many future college students will buy a new computer in the summer before they leave for college. These days, a computer is an invaluable tool for students, so buying the best one for you is essential. Although computers are expensive, luckily these days prices have dropped significantly, so even if you’re on a small budget, you should still be able to get a great computer for about $600 or less.

This is a guide to finding the absolute best laptop for you to use in college. I strongly recommend buying a laptop over a desktop computer, as laptops are far more portable and useful in a college setting. This guide is written assuming you’re buying a laptop, though most things hold true for both.

If you’re buying a computer soon, you might want to wait a bit.

I definitely recommend customizing a computer to your needs. Most computer brand will have an option to “Customize this computer”, where you can take each part in a computer and specify what you want. Decide what you’ll be using your computer for mainly and what you’d like to store on it, and then make the decisions of where to upgrade parts according to what you want. Luckily, if you’re not a heavy gamer, many upgrades will be cheap and powerful.

So, let’s begin!

Cost

When buying a new computer, you should always set a maximum budget beforehand. Make the bare minimum choices for the components, and then upgrade as you wish until you reach that maximum cost. You may not be able to have your dream computer, but you can still get a great machine.

Also bear in mind that there are extra costs in buying a computer, such as tax and shipping. Many computer manufacturers will have frequent deals, where you’ll be offered free shipping or a free upgrade. Keep an eye on these.

What brand?

Unless you’re particularly partial to one brand over another, I recommend looking at HP and Dell. Those are the two most common PC types, though you can look into other brands if you’d like, including Gateway and IBM.

Personally, I’m not a big fan of Apple. While the operating system is great for computer novices, the price you pay is significantly higher. This guide is more devoted to Windows computers than to Macs.

Screen size

The size of your screen basically determines the size of your laptop. If you want a more portable and smaller laptop, you’ll want a smaller screen size (14 inches or less). A typical laptop is 15-16 inches, and larger laptops are usually 17 inches or larger. Remember that screen size is measured diagonally.

A larger laptop may give you more visual room, but it will also likely be heavier and more awkward to carry around. Smaller laptops are more portable, but the smaller screen could be a nuisance. Compromise as much as you’d like.

Processor

The processor determines a laptop’s general speed. Speeds of processors are measured in gigahertz (GHz), and a higher number typically refers to a faster processor. A dual-core of about 2.1 GHz is just fine, and you can definitely get by with less.

• Dual and quad core: Dual core computers have two processors, and quad core computers have four. Having two processors does not mean the computer runs twice as fast as a computer with one — it means that the computer can handle more tasks at once.

Memory

Memory (aka RAM) determines how much a computer can “do” at a time — in other words, how many different things you can be running.

These days, RAM is pretty cheap, and a computer with two gigabytes will perform just fine for an average user who uses a computer mainly for instant messaging, Internet, and word processing. I do not recommend having less than two gigabytes. If you are heavily into multitasking, a gamer, or a power user, you’ll definitely want more than two gigabytes — I would recommend three or four. It’s definitely worth noting that if you do buy more than three gigabytes of RAM, you’ll need a 64-bit edition of Windows to use it.

Hard drive space

The size of a hard drive determines how many files you can hold on it — how many pictures, songs, movies, and so forth.

Hard drive space is also pretty cheap, and the average user should be fine with about 160 GB – 250 GB of hard drive space. To determine how much space is right for you, consider again what you’ll be using your computer for.

• Pictures: Pictures generally take up an insignificant amount of space on your computer. You could take tens of thousands of pictures and only fill up about ten gigabytes of space.
• Music: Music takes up more space. 1,500 songs will usually take up around ten gigabytes. If you’re planning on having a large music collection (such as over ten thousand songs), you might want a larger hard drive.
• Movies: Movies definitely take up the most space. A single movie can take up nearly a full gigabyte, so if you have fifty movies saved onto your computer, that’s fifty gigabytes about. If you love to save every movie you see, you’ll want a larger hard drive.
• Games and large applications: Most modern video games take up a lot of space on a computer, usually about five to ten gigabytes per game these days. If you like to play new games, you’ll want a larger hard drive. However, simple games (like Tetris, solitaire, etc.) take up an insignificant amount of space, and older games (like Diablo or World of Warcraft) take up little space. It’s the newest games that take up much more. Large power applications (like Photoshop or other Adobe programs) will take up a lot of space as well.

Graphics card

A graphics card is mainly used to generate 3D images and displays. A graphics card is mainly used for gaming, though it is used elsewhere as well.

• Integrated Graphics Cards: Many pre-made computers come with a default “integrated graphics card”. This is not really a true graphics card, and if you’re ever interested in playing a modern game, you should not get this card. However, if your only real interest is in using the Internet, instant messaging, and so forth, then you should be fine with an integrated graphics card.
• As a rule of thumb, if they have a size next to it (512 MB, 256 MB, 1 GB, etc), then it is a proper graphics card.

Networking

All computers come with an Ethernet connection, meaning you can plug in a cord for Internet. However, if you’re buying a laptop, you’re going to want a wireless connection of some kind so that you can reach the Internet when you’re within the range of its signal. Most laptops will come with a wireless card by default these days, but make sure you specify one. Many colleges offer wireless Internet.

Battery (for laptops)

Your battery basically determines how long your laptop can last without being plugged in. How much life you get out of your battery depends on what you do while it’s unplugged — for example, playing a game will drain the battery faster.

Usually, you don’t need a long battery — many times you can bring a power cord with you and plug in your laptop wherever you are, but if you like to use your laptop outside or in other places, you might want a more powerful battery.

Software

When buying a computer online, you’ll be given a choice to buy many different kinds of software. Personally, I don’t recommend buying any of them (except perhaps Microsoft Office, if you have the money). There is a lot of free software — including anti-virus and software for word processing — which can save you a lot of money.

What should I upgrade if I want…

• …a faster computer? Upgrade the processor (more GHz, or upgrade from dual-core to quad-core).
• …to hold a lot of music/movies/videos? Upgrade to a larger hard drive (more GB).
• …to play 3D games with beautiful graphics? Buy a nicer graphics card (more GB or a better model)
• …to do a lot at once? Upgrade to more RAM (more GB).

In the end, you should definitely buy the best machine that’s suited to your needs. You’ll probably be using this laptop for the next four years of college, so make sure you choose the one that’s best for you. If you have any other general questions about buying a computer, please, ask away!

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