The keys also give a lot of tactile feedback, as they bounce back after they’re pressed down.įor more specifics regarding the hardware you want inside your laptop, be sure to check out our comprehensive guide on how to buy a budget laptop without getting screwed, as well as our broader cheatsheet on what to look for in a laptop CPU and GPU.If you're a regular MacBook user, you probably know that just having the computer and a laptop stand might not be enough. This helps prevent accidental keystrokes. Mechanical keyboards, for example, normally have longer travel.
Depending on your personal preference, you may want either a full or short travel keyboard. In college, you’re going to be spending a lot of time typing. Most people can get by with 4GB in a pinch if you’re on a tight budget, but you won’t be able to multitask as much.
Plus, applications like Google Chrome and Spotify tend to eat up a lot of RAM. 4GB of RAM is fine and good for web browsing and basic office work, but 8GB is better for having more tabs open and whatnot. We recommend springing for 8GB of RAM or more. Things like navigating your e-mail or watching Netflix will require more RAM. That 7 to 10 hours is a good figure if you plan on taking your laptop with you everywhere. We recommend something that’ll last 7 to 10-plus hours on a single charge, unless you want a notebook that can play games on the side-gaming laptops are notorious for their shorter endurance, even during everyday tasks. That’s why we recommend a laptop with a long-lasting battery. If you’ve got a jam-packed schedule, you’ll probably be running from class to class with very little downtime in between. You can flip the screen around and use it like a tablet or prop it up like an easel for watching movies. If you want to spend a bit more, laptops with convertible touchscreens (otherwise known as 2-in-1s) offer a great deal of functionality. Chromebook prices can range anywhere from $200 up to $1,000. They’re affordable and designed to handle everyday tasks like writing papers, working on spreadsheets, and so on. How much are you willing to spend on a laptop? If you’re working with an inflexible budget, Chromebooks are a good option. This is a way to gauge how well a Chromebook runs advanced workloads.
Chromebooks, on the other hand, go through a series of web-based tests. The idea is to push the laptop to its limits and then compare it against others we’ve tested. The PCWorld team puts each and every Windows laptop through a series of benchmarks that test GPU and CPU performance, battery life, and so on. If you don’t mind the lackluster battery life, this is a great laptop for watching movies and streaming video on.Īcer Swift 3 SF316-51review How we tested This is rather unfortunate, as the Swift 3’s slim profile makes it a capable laptop for travel. However, battery life is subpar, so you’ll want to keep the charger on hand.
It features an attractive 16-inch 1080p display, a solid chassis, and an enjoyable keyboard and touchpad. If you’re a college student working with a modest budget, the Acer Swift 3 is a fantastic option.