If you or someone you love will be heading off to college soon, a laptop will be absolutely essential. But where to start? Nowadays, students' computers are just as important as their student ID. But where to start?
College is expensive enough, so it's important to shop smart. But not to worry. My EC team and I have done the hard part, figuring out our picks for Best Inexpensive laptops for students in 2018.
First, determine what your student will need in a laptop. Not sure? Here's a quick list of what I believe the typical college student needs to do:
—Write papers.
—Access the Internet.
—Email.
—Store photos and music.
—Stream Netflix, movies and videos.
—Skype with friends and family.
Both of our picks below — one Chromebook and one Windows — are best for college and graduate students, but they'll work for those in high school, too. And you can expect these laptops to last at least five years, which, in most cases, will take a student through an entire college or grad school experience.
BEST INEXPENSIVE CHROMEBOOK LAPTOP
ASUS Chromebook Flip C302CA. While not the cheapest Chromebook out there, I believe this ASUS Flip is the best for the money. It works as both a laptop and tablet, flipping into either style. It's super powerful with 4GB DRAM and an Intel Core m3 processor. It starts up in seconds and lasts up to 10 hours on one charge. It weighs just 2.65 pounds. It has a backlit keyboard and a touch screen. It's a dream machine! It costs about $450.
By way of review, a Chromebook runs on the Chrome OS operating system and is designed to be used primarily while connected to the internet, which is not a problem, as Wi-Fi is expected as part of today's campus experience both from an educational and social perspective. Students expect fast Wi-Fi so they can learn anytime and anywhere on campus, as well as always be available for friends and family.
There are countless Google apps (software) for Chromebooks, and they're all free. Just remember a Chromebook is not a Microsoft Windows computer. The site https://chromebookvswindows.com/ does a great job of listing the differences and why a Chromebook is so much better (and so much cheaper) in many situations. For example, the Chrome OS operating system is secure, fast and super simple.
A Chromebook laptop is ideal for the student who wants to be able to write papers, surf the internet, communicate by email, stream movies and videos, manage lots of photos and collect tons of music, relying on cloud storage of documents and files. Chromebooks have become so popular they now outsell Apple's range of Macs.
BEST INEXPENSIVE WINDOWS LAPTOP
The ASUS ZenBook UX330UA. For students enrolled in classes requiring a Windows-based laptop to download powerful software so it's onboard, this ASUS ZenBook is my pick. This is a beautiful machine offering super-long battery life. It's lightweight with 8GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, or solid state drive. It has a 13.3-inch screen with full HD and backlit keyboard. It comes with Windows 10 pre-installed. For the money, you just can't beat this ASUS ZenBook. It costs about $750.
If you would like more information and resources for these computers, go to EverydayCheapskate.com/laptops2018 .
Mary invites questions, comments and tips at [email protected], or c/o Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Suite B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com, a personal finance member website and the author of "Debt-Proof Living," released in 2014. To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
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