Walk into any college classroom and you’re likely to see a row of
MacBook Pros. Apple’s laptop is a staple of college life because it’s
particularly well suited for it. It is equally useful for productivity
and entertainment, making it perfect for anyone who owns a single
computer.
The only problem is price. I never owned a MacBook in college because
I could never afford one. If you’re in the same bind, I have good news –
there are Windows alternatives that work well for student life and cost
less than $600.
The Critera
Students demand a lot from their laptops. They need it to be portable
enough to take to class or to a study session, but they also need
adequate performance. Selecting a laptop is made even more complex by
the fact that students also use laptops as gaming machines, portable
boom-boxes and televisions.
The laptops listed here meet these needs. They all have powerful
dual-core or quad-core processors, they can all last at least four hours
on a charge and they’re all capable of handling basic 3D games, HD video and other entertainment needs. And, as mentioned, they’re all available for $600 or less.
If you are looking for a thin, light and attractive laptop that
doesn’t need to be a gaming wonder, the Dell Inspiron 14z is an
excellent choice. It is built to be a 14-inch ultraportable, which
