Back to school: How to choose the right laptop for your needs
With students returning to campus, choosing a laptop suited to specific academic needs can save money and frustration.
By WALLA! TECH A student studying at her desk with a computer(photo credit: INGIMAGE)
The academic year is kicking off with thousands of students entering a wide range of institutions and disciplines. However, one shared need connects them all—a laptop, now a core tool for students across fields.
Not all laptops are created equal, though. Selecting the right one to meet your academic demands can save both money and frustration. A mismatched laptop can slow you down, especially if it doesn’t support the software your program requires.
Whether you’re studying engineering, graphic design, social sciences, or life sciences, each field has specific performance, display, weight, and portability requirements. So, how do you choose?
Dell Technologies Israel’s Avichay Ne'eman shares everything you need to know about picking the perfect laptop.
Key Criteria for Choosing a Student Laptop
Portability and Weight: As a student, you’ll likely be moving your laptop between classrooms, the library, the cafeteria, and home. A heavy or bulky laptop can become a hassle, so portability is key. Laptops between 1.2 and 2 kg are ideal for daily use.
Battery Life: Long battery life is a crucial advantage of a laptop, allowing you to work throughout the day without needing to plug in. Students who often study in different places should look for laptops with at least 10 hours of battery life. Keep in mind that battery duration depends on screen brightness, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth usage, and background music.
Performance: Ensuring your laptop can handle demanding software is essential. An Intel i5 processor with at least 8GB of RAM will serve most students well.
Storage: Today’s laptops come with SSD storage for faster performance than traditional hard drives. A minimum of 512GB of storage is recommended. If you need more space, consider cloud storage options.
Screen Size and Display Quality: For students in graphic work, video editing, or programming, screen size and quality matter. A 15-inch screen offers a good balance between portability and usability. A Full HD resolution will ensure sharpness and color accuracy. Many screens range from 13.3" to 17.3" and can connect to external monitors for even more workspace.
Budget: Not every student has an unlimited budget, so balancing cost and performance is essential. High-quality laptops in the NIS 1,900-2,390 range can meet most students' needs.
AI Features: Artificial intelligence is also making its mark, with Intel’s latest processor generation (AR Gen 1) and Microsoft’s CoPilot operating system, which make tasks smoother, faster, and more intuitive.
Dell Vostro 3520 (credit: PR)Dell’s Top Laptop Picks for Students
Dell offers several models in its Vostro 3520 series tailored to different student needs:
Vostro 3530 (credit: DELL)Here’s a breakdown of recommended laptops for different fields.
Engineering and Computer Science
Students in fields like software engineering, computer science, and electrical engineering require powerful laptops with Intel Core i5/i7 processors, at least 16GB of RAM, and SSD storage of 256GB or more. For tasks like graphic processing or 3D software, a dedicated graphics card like NVIDIA GeForce GTX/RTX is essential. Look for long battery life (8-10 hours), a high-quality 13-15-inch Full HD screen, and portability for ease of use in class or the library.
Graphic Design, Animation, and Video Editing
Graphic design, animation, and video editing students need high-quality screens, ideally OLED or Retina with 4K resolution, a powerful graphics card like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX, and at least 16GB of RAM for software such as Adobe Creative Suite, Blender, or After Effects. SSD storage of 512GB to 1TB will help manage large files, while high-speed processing is more important than extended battery life.
Social Sciences and Economics
Students in social sciences, sociology, psychology, and economics benefit from light, portable laptops with long battery life (8-10 hours), particularly when library or lecture hall outlets are scarce. A reliable laptop for document management, data analysis, and tools like Power BI, SPSS, or Excel is key. An Intel Core i5 processor with 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD storage will suit most needs. A 13-14 inch Full HD screen provides comfort for reading and document creation. Avichay Ne'eman (credit: DELL)
Education and Teaching
Education and teaching students need flexible, reliable laptops for classroom work, lesson planning, and online learning tools like Google Classroom and PowerPoint. A lightweight laptop with at least 8 hours of battery life allows all-day use. An Intel Core i5 processor with 8GB of RAM and a 13-14 inch Full HD screen should meet their needs, while touchscreen functionality can be beneficial for classroom presentations.
Architecture and Civil Engineering
Architecture and civil engineering students rely on resource-heavy 3D design and modeling software like AutoCAD, Revit, and SketchUp. Laptops with dedicated graphics cards like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX, a robust Intel Core i7 processor, at least 16GB of RAM (32GB for complex projects), and SSD storage of 512GB or more are ideal. A 15-17 inch Full HD or 4K screen ensures accuracy in viewing plans and drawings.
