Access to computing power is an essential for any scholar heading to college. When those Black Friday sales begin to show up, then, you may be inspired to act quickly, and pick up a deal. It might work out well. There’s plenty of room for mistakes, however. It’s important to do your homework before you commit yourself to buying a laptop.

First, talk to the school

When a student uses a computer at college, he or she needs it to connect to the school’s network, and the network at the library. When there is a problem connecting, the tech support department at the college needs to be able to help.

With a view to keeping the tech support complexities involved to a minimum, educational institutions tend to limit themselves to providing support for one operating system. Should a student come in with an operating system that the school isn’t prepared for, there is little support likely to be available.

College courses can come with special computing requirements, as well. It’s important to keep those in mind.

Talking to the school can come with practical benefits, as well. You may learn that the school has a discount program for its students. You could get both the laptop and all the software needed, at low, negotiated prices. School-sourced computers come with easy-to use warranties, as well.

 If what the college supplies isn’t good, get your own

When colleges offer deals, they tend to be on good models. Sometimes, however, colleges do lose the plot. Whatever model the college offers, you want to look through the specifications, and make sure that there’s nothing wrong with them. If they seem less than adequate, there are always plenty of quality, cheap laptops available online. You only need to make sure that what you get is compatible with the school’s needs and abilities.

Here’s what you should look for

If the school asks for a Windows or Linux laptop, these come cheaper now than ever before, and you can get astounding quality and performance at no more than a few hundred dollars. If you can afford it, you want to choose nothing less than a 1080p, IPS LED screen that offers sharp resolution and wide viewing angles. An Intel Core i5 processor for processing power, 8 GB RAM for speed, a 2 GB graphics card that keeps up with moderate demands, a 1 TB hard drive for storage, and a backlit keyboard for nighttime work. A capacious battery is a great plus. If it’s a Mac that’s required, the choices tend to be clearly stated.

Ask the student that you’re buying for

The school’s recommendations may help you learn about the minimum requirements for the course. Such a computer may not meet the minimum requirements that the kid has in mind, however. If it’s a gaming enthusiast that you’re buying for, it’s a whole other ballgame.

Many students heading out to college decide to buy two computers: a light, inexpensive laptop for everyday work at college, and a powerful desktop for gaming purposes. Only a desktop can handle a gaming-level graphics card, after all. In some cases, a desktop maybe all a student wants.

Buying a fine laptop isn’t hard work. You only need to head in armed with information.

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Today’s guest post is from Aimee Kirk. She has some extra time on her hands now the kids are grown, her youngest now at college. So she is spending that time writing articles and has taken up a new hobby in the form of digital art.