Student Laptop Buyers Guide 2018

<h2>Rich's Student Laptop Buyer Guide 2018</h2> Every summer a number of extended family members, friends, and acquaintances ask me which laptop they should buy for their young adult child who is heading off for their first year of university or college. This is my attempt to help them navigate that process so that they can buy a laptop that meets the needs of their child, and still fits within their budget. Make sure to ask the faculty your student will be entering to see if they suggest either the Mac or Windows operating system because of specific software requirements. Let's start by indicating how much you are able and/or willing to spend on the laptop: 1. [[$3200 or less]] 2. [[$1200 or less]] 3. [[$600 or less]]

Which operating system do you prefer? 1. [[Windows | Windows 3200]] 2. [[Mac | Mac 3200]] 3. [[Chromebook | Chromebook 3200]]

Which operating system do you prefer? 1. [[Chromebook | Chromebook 600]] 2. [[Windows | Windows 600]]

Which operating system do you prefer? 1. [[Windows | Windows 1200]] 2. [[Mac | Mac 1200]]

<h2><a href="https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/asus-asus-11-6-chromebook-intel-celeron-n3060-16gb-emmc-ssd-4gb-ram-chrome-os-english-c202sa-ys02/10579179.aspx?">Asus C202SA</a></h2> Cost: $289 11.6" screen weight: 2lbs Battery Life: 10 hours Note: Web version of MS Office only. <img src="https://www.asus.com/us/Commercial-Laptops/ASUS-Chromebook-C202SA/websites/global/products/bqM4xvobKQ44iv6y/img/laptop-without-antenna.png" width = "600"\>

<h2><a href="https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/acer-chromebook-15-cb515-1ht-c82n-chromebook-usa-keyboard-chrome-os-intel-ce/12288681.aspx?">Acer Chromebook 15</a></h2> Cost: $600 15.4" screen weight: 4.3lbs Battery Life: 14 hours Note: Web version of MS Office only. <img src="https://multimedia.bbycastatic.ca/multimedia/products/1500x1500/122/12288/12288681.jpg" width = "600"\>

<h2><a href="https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/acer-acer-chromebook-r-13-3-touch-laptop-white-mediatek-corepilot-m8173c-32gb-emmc-4gb-ram-chrome-os-cb5-312t-k8v3/10497408.aspx?">Acer Chromebook R</a></h2> Cost: $499 13.3" touch screen weight: 3lbs Battery Life: 12 hours Note: Web version of MS Office only. <img src="https://multimedia.bbycastatic.ca/multimedia/products/1500x1500/104/10497/10497408_7.jpg" width = "600"\>

Which is more important to your student: 1. [[Light weight laptop|Light weight laptop 1200]] (3lbs or less & 13.3" screen) 2. [[Large screen size|Large screen size 1200]] (15.4" or greater and heavier)

In this price range you currently only have one option in the Apple laptop lineup: 1. [[MacBook Air]]

<h2><a href="https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/apple-macbook-air-13-3-intel-core-i5-1-8-ghz-128gb-ssd-8gb-ram-english/10749364.aspx?">MacBook Air</a></h2> Cost: $1199 13.3" screen weight: 3lbs Battery Life: 12 hours Note: No graphics card. <img src="https://multimedia.bbycastatic.ca/multimedia/products/1500x1500/107/10749/10749364_1.jpg" width = "600"\>

Which is more important to your student: 1. [[Light weight laptop|Light weight windows 3200]] (3lbs or less & 13.3" screen) 2. [[Large screen size|Large screen windows 3200]] (15.4" or greater and heavier)

Which is more important to your student: 1. [[Super light weight laptop]] (2lbs or less) 2. [[Light weight laptop|Light weight mac 3200]] (3lbs or less & 13.3" screen) 3. [[Large screen size|Large screen mac 3200]] (15.4" or greater and heavier)

<h2><a href="https://store.google.com/product/google_pixelbook">Google Pixelbook"</a></h2> Cost: $1299 to $2100 12.3" screen weight: 2.4lbs Battery Life: 10 hours Note: Touch Screen. Web version of MS Office only. <img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/HTUpIGOaUtrZ1-Hi4EVM4OIXhCL0pgt1PPOk7mNiz8y-BE_u58hfZgzsOJ2AYqU5E8T7SSGQJk0gCsbuC0KnlaC8uYYhrKgcZhWfAQ=s2048" width = "700"\>

<h2><a href="https://www.dell.com/en-ca/shop/dell-laptops-netbooks-and-tablets/xps-13-laptop/spd/xps-13-9360-laptop">Dell XPS 13</a></h2> Cost: $999 13.3" screen weight: 2.7lbs Battery Life: 13 hours Note: No graphics card. <img src="https://i.dell.com/sites/imagecontent/products/PublishingImages/xps-13-9360-laptop/combo/notebook-xps-13-polaris-pdp-design-3.jpg" width = "600"\>

<h2><a href="https://www.dell.com/en-ca/shop/dell-laptops-netbooks-and-tablets/xps-15-laptop/spd/xps-15-9570-laptop">Dell XPS 15</a></h2> Cost: $1199 15.4" screen weight: 4lbs Battery Life: 10 hours Note: No graphics card. <img src="https://i.dell.com/is/image/DellContent//content/dam/global-site-design/product_images/dell_client_products/notebooks/xps_notebooks/xps_15_9570/pdp/notebooks-xps-15-9570-laptop-pdp-design-mod1.jpg?fmt=png-alpha" width = "600"\>

<h2><a href="https://www.dell.com/en-ca/shop/dell-laptops-netbooks-and-tablets/xps-13-2-in-1/spd/xps-13-9365-2-in-1-laptop">Dell XPS 13 Touch Screen</a></h2> Cost: $1999 13.3" screen weight: 2.7lbs Battery Life: 8 hours Note: Touch Screen, but no graphics card. <img src="https://i.dell.com/sites/imagecontent/products/PublishingImages/xps-13-9365-2-in-1-laptop/cs1601g0012_xps_13_9365_2in1_pdp_module7.jpg" width = "600"\>

<h2><a href="https://www.dell.com/en-ca/shop/dell-laptops-netbooks-and-tablets/new-xps-15/spd/xps-15-9570-laptop/nxps1570_bt_s1609e">Dell XPS 15 Performance</a></h2> Cost: $3200 15.4" screen weight: 4.5lbs Battery Life: 8 hours Note: Graphics card. <img src="https://i.dell.com/is/image/DellContent//content/dam/global-site-design/product_images/dell_client_products/notebooks/xps_notebooks/xps_15_9570/pdp/notebooks-xps-15-9570-laptop-pdp-design-mod5.jpg?fmt=png-alpha" width = "600"\>

<h2><a href="https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/apple-macbook-12-laptop-w-retina-intel-core-m3-1-2ghz-256gb-ssd-8gb-ram-space-grey-english/10749348.aspx?">MacBook 12"</a></h2> Cost: $1729 12" screen weight: 2lbs Battery Life: 12 hours Note: No graphics card. <img src="https://multimedia.bbycastatic.ca/multimedia/products/500x500/107/10749/10749348.jpg" width = "600"\>

<h2><a href="https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/apple-macbook-pro-13-3-laptop-w-touch-bar-intel-core-i5-3-1ghz-256gb-ssd-8gb-ram-space-grey-eng/10749338.aspx?">MacBook Pro 13.3"</a></h2> Cost: $2399 13.3" screen weight: 3lbs Battery Life: 10 hours Note: No graphics card. <img src="https://multimedia.bbycastatic.ca/multimedia/products/500x500/107/10749/10749339_2.jpg" width = "600"\>

<h2><a href="https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/apple-macbook-pro-15-4-laptop-w-touch-bar-intel-core-i7-2-8ghz-256gb-ssd-16gb-ram-space-grey-fre/10749345.aspx?">MacBook Pro 15.6"</a></h2> Cost: $3199 15.6" screen weight: 4lbs Battery Life: 9 hours Note: No graphics card. <img src="https://multimedia.bbycastatic.ca/multimedia/products/500x500/107/10749/10749345_4.jpg" width = "600"\>

Which is more important to your student: 1. [[Light weight laptop]] (2lbs or less and 11.6" screen) 2. [[Lightish laptop and medium size screen]] (3lbs or less & 13.3" screen) 2. [[Large screen size]] (15.4" or greater)

<h2><a href="https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/asus-vivobook-15-6-laptop-grey-intel-core-i5-8250u-1tb-sshd-8gb-ram-windows-10-open-box/12529329.aspx?">ASUS Vivobook 15.6" Laptop</a></h2> Cost: $599 15.4" screen weight: 3.7lbs Battery Life: 8 hours Note: No graphics card. <img src="https://multimedia.bbycastatic.ca/multimedia/products/500x500/125/12529/12529329.jpg" width = "700"\>