I’ve been known to spend hours or even days before
deciding whether or not to purchase one electronic
product over another. Indeed, last summer, I probably
spent more time reading reviews about laptops than
using the one I eventually bought! While this type of
behavior is probably perplexing to most people, it
prepares me for writing an article like this one, since
I’ve pretty much looked at every laptop in existence at
one point or another. Below, you’ll find a list of laptops
perfect for people going back to college. I’ve put
together an assortment of options that should please the
minimalists, average users, gamers, and Apple lovers.
The following laptops aren’t arbitrarily ranked from best
to worst (or vice versa); each serves a different need.
Enjoy!



1: The Acer C720 Chromebook


Chromebooks are fascinating little devices. You won’t be
able to use any programs like Microsoft Word or
Photoshop on them, but you will be able to use the
Google apps that correspond to those, like Google Docs.
If you aren’t a heavy gamer and aren’t married to
Microsoft Word, these are a viable option for you. The
C720 is extremely lightweight, which means it’ll be a
breeze to carry to classes. Additionally, because it’s such
a minimalist device, the processor barely consumes any
power. This means that it can stay on without being
charged for nearly 9 hours – a huge benefit if you’re
stuck in the library without your adapter (which happens
a lot, trust me).
If you just want something that’ll get the essentials done,
this is the device for you.
Basic Details:
Built-in dual band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Intel Celeron 2955U 1.4 GHz (Haswell micro-
architecture)
16 GB Solid-State Drive
11.6-Inch Anti-Glare Screen, Intel HD Graphics
HDMI port, 8.5-hour battery life

2. ASUS Chromebook C300MA-DB01

This is another highly rated Chromebook. What separates
it from the Acer C720 is the fact that it has a slightly
larger screen at 13.3”. Additionally, it has better battery
life at 10 hours and more of a substantial built quality.
The flip side of course is that it costs about fifty dollars
more.
Additionally, its processor is a bit slower than the
C720’s, though you shouldn’t run into too many issues
if all you do is browse the web (just don’t open too
many tabs). The ASUS’ keyboard is roomy and perfect
for any humanities majors who need to crank out essays
every other week.
Basic Details:
10-Hours battery life
802.11ac wireless
Intel BayTrail-M N2830 Dual Core 2.16 GHz
processor (turbo up to 2.41 GHz)
16 GB solid state storage. 13.3″ HD LED display
1.2MP camera. 1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, HDMI, SD
card slot (SDXC), Bluetooth 4.0

3. HP ProBook 450 G1

We’ve moved beyond the Chromebooks now and entered
the world of Windows powered devices. The ProBook is
a minimalist laptop that runs Windows 7 (which is a plus
in my book since Windows 8’s “upgrades” are negligible
at best and annoying at worst). If you didn’t like the
idea of having to do all of your work through the Internet
via Google Chrome, this is a good jack-of-all-trades
laptop that will run Microsoft Word and do pretty much
everything you need to do without breaking the bank.
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On the other hand, it won’t run any newer games well
(due to its integrated Intel graphics chip). If you aren’t
a gamer or power-user though, this device should have
plenty of juice for you. Its processor is a Core i3, which
I’m quite familiar with. You shouldn’t run into any
issues browsing the web, watching videos, writing
papers, etc.
Basic Details:
Intel Core i3 4000M (2.4GHz)
4GB Memory 500GB HDD
Intel HD Graphics 4600
1366 x 768
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
DVD+/-RW

4. ASUS ROG G56JK-EB72

The laptop I bought last summer for college was an ASUS
gaming laptop, sort of like this one. The only difference
is that mine isn’t an “ultrabook” whereas this baby is.
For about the same price as I paid for my laptop, you
get nearly as much power in a slim, lightweight package.
This is the machine you’ll need if you’re a serious gamer
(and don’t want to lug your desktop to your dorm/
apartment), or need the power for your major
(engineering for example).
Despite how expensive this laptop is, it’s still a thousand
dollars less than my next suggestion.
Basic Details:
Intel Core i7 4710HQ (2.50GHz)
12GB Memory 1TB HDD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M 2GB GDDR3
1920 x 1080
Windows 8.1 64-Bit
DL DVD+-RW/CD-RW

5. Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display

If you’re a Mac person through and through, then this is
the product for you. Sure, it’s expensive, but even I
have to admit that its build quality is pretty off the
charts. Not only do you get a classy looking device, but
you’ll also be getting top-of-the-line hardware and
software. While you could get the former in a
PC for
much less (see #4), the latter is what colors the decision
making process of most Mac users, and I can’t really
judge you since I use an iPhone.
MacBooks are extremely lightweight and they’ll last you
for years if you take proper care of them. My old
roommate’s lasted him all of college, and my other
roommate’s lasted him through high school and college.
Basic Details:
Intel Core i5 2.60GHz (4th Gen Haswell)
8GB Memory 512GB PCIe-Based Flash Storage SSD
Integrated Intel Iris Graphics
2560 x 1600
Mac OS X v10.9 Mavericks
To close, I’ll go over some of the common themes tying
all five of these laptops together. First off, they’re all
pretty lightweight. Unless you’re crazy like me and
purposefully went for the 17.3” behemoth of a laptop
based solely on the power of its graphics chip, you’ll
value portability over all else when choosing your college
computer. You never know when a lecture or study
group will call for you to have your laptop with you, and
when they do, you’ll want something light and easy to
carry. Second, all of these devices have processors more
than capable of doing your basic college work (like
writing essays, doing research, and procrastinating),
though you may need something more powerful than the
first three options if you’re a gamer or have a major that
demands the extra juice.

Beingtrill#