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Best College Laptops

Choosing the best laptop for college

A laptop is essential equipment for college students today. Student laptops are required for a wide range of activities – from taking notes in class and completing assignments to streaming movies late at night in the dorm. When looking for the best college laptops, the options can be overwhelming, and it’s important to know exactly how you plan to use the device and what features are indispensable. It is recommended to use a laptop that is easy to carry, can process an array of programs, and has enough storage to save all your work.

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The best college laptops: features and benefits

Answering several key questions can help you choose the best college laptop for your higher-ed experience.

School requirements
Does your college or university or your require specific features in a laptop? Many schools provide guidelines before the semester begins about purchasing the appropriate technology. What are the specific needs you may have in relation to your major? Business majors will use a lot of office applications, while engineering students may use their laptops for design, modeling, or even coding. It is important to get a laptop that is equipped to support applications that you will use most frequently in school.

Ideal size and weight
While a laptop for college with a 17-inch screen may be fun for watching movies, you may grow weary of constantly having to carry such a large device around campus. Many students find that a 13-inch or 15-inch screen is ideal.

Processing power
While having a superfast computer is nice, it’s also more expensive and unnecessary for many activities. The best laptops for writers, for example, tend to be devices with mid-range processors but with a comfortable keyboard that makes it easy to spend long hours typing away. However, if your classes require you to run processing-intensive applications like AutoCAD, Vectorworks or Adobe Premiere Pro, you’ll want to consider the latest generation processors with multiple cores and faster clock speeds.

Graphics card
Choosing the right graphics card will depend on what kind of coursework you have. If your curriculum requires you to create high-end multimedia, an 8GB discrete graphics card may be best. Students who frequently craft presentations, create graphs and images should consider a 4GB discrete graphics card. If you regularly use typical productivity applications, an integrated graphics card will suit you best.

Touch screen options
If you are used to working with a touch screen or using a digital pen to interact with your device, you’ll likely want to look for a touch screen laptop. Touch screens can also help promote collaboration in group exercises. Moreover, a 2-in-1 touch screen laptop allows students to take notes with a stylus, replicating the effective and traditional way of note-taking.

The best college laptops from Dell

The best college laptops from Dell
Dell offers a wide range of laptops and 2-in-1s that give college students maximum choice when picking their personal devices.

XPS laptops
Dell XPS devices offer some of the best college laptops for high-performance workloads and immersive viewing experiences. Precision-crafted with premium materials, XPS laptops are built with the perfect balance of weight, size, performance and durability. XPS displays feature Corning® Gorilla® Glass for tough, damage-resistant, durable, and elegant screens. With screen resolution up to 4K UHD+, XPS laptops deliver vivid visuals with stunning color accuracy, high contrast ratio and Eyesafe® technology to reduce harmful blue light emissions. Up to the latest processors and graphics cards deliver unrivaled performance, while groundbreaking thermal design helps keep everything cool.

Inspiron laptops
Dell Inspiron devices are some of the best laptops for students who want easy-to-use technology that simplifies their life. Built with durable yet lightweight materials, Inspiron laptops and 2-in-1 touchscreen laptops offer robust memory and storage, up to the latest generation Intel® and AMD processors, and up to UHD displays for immersive audio and visuals. Thoughtful designs offer options and features that fit student’s lives. 2-in-1 devices transition easily between laptop, tent, tablet and stand modes, while optional active pens let students draw and write naturally on the screen to sketch or take notes. Plus, Dell has devices with ComfortView Plus, a low-blue light hardware solution.

Why choose Dell laptops?

Why Dell Student Laptop
Expert technical help
Every Dell system includes technical support offered online and over the phone, along with a 1-year limited hardware warranty. Dell also offers additional support programs and upgraded warranties that let you choose the level of support that’s right for you. More details here.

Price Match
The Dell Price Match program ensures you’ll get the best price on your Dell product. If you see a lower price advertised online before your purchase, Dell will match it. And if the price drops within 30 days after your purchase, Dell will refund the difference.

Free shipping & returns
Your Dell product ships free of charge with standard delivery and no minimum purchase. And if you don’t love your laptop, you can return it easily within 30 days. More information here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best college laptops?
The best college laptops provide students with sufficient computing power for coursework while also offering options for entertainment after class. Dell strongly recommends XPS and Inspiron laptops for college students.

What’s important in a laptop for college?
College laptops need to have the appropriate features that will help students with their coursework.
• Compliant with school requirements
• Ideal size & weight
• Sufficient processing power
• Appropriate graphics card
• Touch screen options
Intel® Core™ Ultra Processors
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