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Choosing the Best Laptop for College
College students spend hundreds of dollars on textbooks and other university essentials each semester, but one school supply is more important than the rest: a laptop.
Most assignments are completed and submitted online these days. And some classes are completely virtual — more than ever these days. For these reasons, the best laptops for college students have a built-in camera, microphone and any program-specific needs, such as clear graphics for art and design students. Before making a purchase, consult your program director to see if a certain model is required for all students.
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Best Overall
Dell XPS 13
The Dell XPS is a great all-around solid laptop for college students — and anyone. It comes with 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB of SSD space, a touchscreen, backlit keyboard, a full HD display, bluetooth and an Intel Core i7 processor, giving it enough power for everyday use with plenty to spare for streaming, gaming or other activities when you’re not studying. This laptop will let’s you do everything.
The flicker-free, anti-glare screen will help reduce eye strain during those marathon cramming sessions. It weighs less than three pounds, so you can haul it around between classes without straining your back. And it will fit on those tiny flip-up desks in college classrooms. With a 14-hour battery life, you won’t have to constantly search for an outlet. It’s got a headphone jack, two Thunderbolt ports and a microSD card reader built into it, plus it comes with a USB-A adapter.
