Every parent wants to provide the best for his/her child, but how to choose the best laptop for a college student? There are so many options, and what a teenager deems top priority may not be as important to the parents. Of course, whoever is paying for the laptop gets the final say, but parents and students who can agree on a few key features will find themselves breathing sighs of relief. To avoid embarrassing fights in the computer store, here are the top three options that you and your college student may want to discuss ahead of time.
1. PC or Mac
PCs are everywhere, but Mac lovers are a fiercely loyal breed. Both of these have software that makes files readily compatible with just about any computer. PC laptops have more software choices – and games – and are priced more economically. However, PCs become outdated more quickly than Macs and are more vulnerable to viruses and other dangerous elements on the Internet.
Macbook laptops look cool, are easy to use, and are powerful and efficient. In general, Mac users experience less software crashes and frustrations than PC users. These computers are more pricey but tend to last longer.
When debating the merits of a PC versus Mac, bear in mind that the processors cannot be compared directly due to differences in the nature of the computer hardware. To gauge relative speed and power, look at how each computer performs: How responsive is the system? Is there a lag time? How much time does the computer need to complete a given task such as opening a large file?