2 of 20

Write now Article Tools

Choosing the Best Computer for a Student, a Quick and Simple Guide!

Choosing the right computer is not a daunting as you may think, having been a Student myself, with many friends still at University, I can share with you exactly what you will require as a student, in a straight forward and easy manner.

SOFTWARE should be the first thing that is considered, before buying any computer. Once you have established exactly what software you will be running, you will know exactly which computer will be the most suitable for the job.

In order to determine the software needed, several elements should be considered:

A) The subjects that the student will be taking and there hobbies and interests. IE Will they need Excel (spreadsheets) for Maths? Will they need a good word-processing program that has word count, Grammar Check, and other of the finer features?

B) Find out what software comes with the computer, this could potentially save you Hundreds of dollars. Software on its own is not cheap to buy. Microsoft Office 2007 costs upwards of $250+ depending what bundle you need. Buying a computer that already comes with Microsoft Office 2007 will make you a huge saving.

C) Without doubt, a Laptop is the far superior choice, as against the standard Desktop PC. A Laptop gives a student mobility, especially for University or College students, as they will able to work on assignments when at home on holidays, and stay in touch with friends and loved ones via email.

Here is my personal suggestions, based on what I have experienced, and seen:

1) MEMORY: I would recommend One Gigabyte for a standard user; however, if it is likely that the user will be doing larger tasks, you may want to consider doubling that.

2) HARD DRIVE: 100 Gigabytes would be sufficient for most users, however, if the user is considering Video and Audio editing, you will need 180 250 Gigabytes, and even more if the budget enables

3) DVD Burner is a must, especially for users with a smaller Hard Drive, this will enable you to off-load large non essential files onto disk. (you can also copy a few DVD's too)

4) Microsoft Vista Operating system: There is a great debate between Vista & XP, but the fact is, almost all new software is being written for Vista. This means eventually, sadly, XP will be made redundant. Keep this in mind when purchasing

5) A`Good Laptop Bag, to protect your new Investment. Don't get a cheap and nasty bag, this is one thing you shouldn't skimp on; there are some really trendy ones available, with the dense, memory, and shock absorbing foam. Try and talk the dealer into throwing it in with the deal.

Summing up, don't be forced into a more expensive Laptop than what you actually need. I have found that you can get a good, new, Laptop, to suit most students for as little as $695 which have all of the above specs I have mentioned, including Wi-Fi (wireless broadband Internet), which is a stock standard feature on all new Laptops these days.

Thanks for reading, and happy hunting!

Learn more about this author, David Cadman.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Tips for buying a computer for a student?
We want to hear your view. Write now!