Your bags are packed, you’ve connected with your dorm mates on social media, and you’re ready to take on the next four(ish) years of life at your new school. But in order to put your best foot forward during this next step in your academic career, you should consider the features you’ll need and want to have in your laptop. We’re taking a look at the 5 best features you need to help you succeed in your new venture.
1) Flexible features
Much of college is about finding balance—balance between a social life, coursework, and other extracurricular activities. This often means that you’ll often find yourself working on-the-go as you move from one commitment to the next. Thankfully some of the best 2 in 1 laptops on the market make it easy for you to work wherever you are with lightweight construction, tablet mode, and touch screen display.
Here’s what to look for:
● A touchscreen with digital pen enables you to take notes, design, draw, and catch up on reading as you’re on the bus, walking to class, or squeezing in a few minutes of study time at home.
● Detachable laptops can work great for an active student that wants a lightweight design to carry around to class. It can be used as either a laptop or tablet simply by disconnecting the keyboard.
2) Strong battery charge
In addition to constantly studying, you may also be running complex programs on your device which can
suck the life out of your computer’s battery pretty quickly. Make sure your computer’s battery has a charge that can last about 10 hours or more.
This way, if you forget to charge it overnight, you’ll likely be okay to spend most of the day on campus without having to find an outlet. But for those times that you may need a little extra “juice,” you should invest in a wireless charging device to recharge your phone and laptop.
3) Wifi hotspot
Relying on other people’s wifi is an unnecessary stresser in college. Even your university’s wifi can be spotty and get in the way of important projects and draft-saving. If you can, invest in a computer that is hotspot enabled so that you can connect and keep working, whether or not you have wifi connection.
Keep in mind, you can also opt for an external mobile hotspot plan if you decide to get a computer that doesn’t already have an integrated hotspot. Mobile hotspot plans are generally billed monthly, with the overall cost depending on the connection speed.
4) Adequate storage space
Ask any college student about their recurring nightmares, and it’s probably got something to do with missing class or losing a final draft of their thesis. Having a solid amount of storage at your disposal is essential to having a successful college career, and avoiding the anxiety of losing your hard work. The good news is, there are plenty of other cloud based storage options to make up for less storage on your SSD. The other advantage of using cloud storage instead of local storage is that your files are accessible from other devices and are automatically backed up in the event that your computer encounters any complications.
5) An insurance plan
Life is unpredictable—and if you’re like most college students, you don’t have room for accidents in your budget. Getting your laptop insured from damage and theft is a good idea to help minimize costs and stress in case anything happens to your device. Many manufacturers offer some level of insurance for their devices, but you can also get your laptop warrantied using a third-party insurance provider.
When shopping for a laptop insurance plan, make sure these incidents are covered:
● Liquid damage
● Mechanical and electrical failure
● Screen failure
● Hard Drive failure
● Power failure
● Wifi connection failure
Go a step further and invest in a bluetooth tracker to help you keep track of your device! Simply attach the tracker to your laptop and you can track it from any other device as well as keep track of other items with the tile attached.
In conclusion
With the right tools and technology on your side, you can find the ideal synergy between your school, social life, and world of opportunity you’ll find in college. Use these tips to help you find the best laptop for college!
