Tech This Out

Whether it’s to talk on Skype with mom and dad, listen to music, keep up with high school friends on Facebook, or even (gasp!) study, most college students today simply have to have a laptop.

The problem is, laptop models often outnumber even the hours spent filling out college applications, so many students end up making uninformed decisions when it comes to their computer. Here are a few guidelines for choosing a laptop that will last through college, and hopefully beyond.

1. Don’t even bother with a netbook. Though they have become quite the fad in the tech world the last couple of years, these mini laptops are not a replacement for the real thing. They’re usually not worth the money. Netbooks are too big to fit in a pocket like a smartphone, but too small to have a decent-sized keyboard or a powerful processor. They are simply not fit for college students.

2. Make sure you get a laptop that can run the operating system it comes with. As I’ve said before, computer manufacturers love to under-power their lower-end models, often equipping laptops with processors that are two generations old. Most new PCs being sold today will come with Windows 7, so with that in mind, here’s what you actually need: a dual-core processor, 2 GB of RAM, and preferably a dedicated graphics card.

To explain: don’t buy any laptop that has a Celeron or Pentium processor. These work fine with Windows XP, but not with Vista or 7. But even dual-cores are becoming outdated. If you really want a laptop that can last for more than four years, check out the newest Intel Core processors. They come in three models: the i3, i5, and i7 (the higher the number the more powerful the processor), and can boost performance when your computer needs the extra power while saving energy the rest of the time.

As far as RAM goes, just make sure that your laptop of choice has at least 2 GB of it; the more RAM you have, the more you’ll be able to multitask. Graphics cards, meanwhile, are a little more complicated. Although they do meet the minimum requirements of Windows 7, I would not recommend buying any laptop that has a “Graphics Media Accelerator” or something similar. These will use the computer’s system RAM instead of dedicated video RAM for graphics, decreasing the amount available for other applications. Make sure your laptop has a quantity of RAM listed next to the graphics card; this is the amount of dedicated video RAM and should be at least 256 MB.

3. Get rid of trial software! Many computer manufacturers (Dell, HP, and Acer, this means you) also love to load new machines up with trial software, most of which serves no useful purpose other than to try to get you to spend more money buying the real software. So if you have the option to customize your college laptop, uncheck any box with the word “trial” next to it!

Otherwise, simply uninstall the software once you get your computer. In the Start Menu, go to Control Panel and click on “Uninstall a Program.” This will pull up a list of all the programs installed on your computer. When it comes to trials, antivirus software is often the biggest offender. Uninstall any antivirus that came with your computer; it will most likely not only be ineffective, but slow down your computer tremendously. Instead, download and install Microsoft Security Essentials, Microsoft’s own free alternative, at http://www.microsoft.com/security-essentials. Also uninstall any Internet toolbar (Google Toolbar, for example) or desktop dock (like the Dell Dock); these are meant to make your computer simpler but will only slow it down.

4. Get it right the first time. Honestly, if you can spend a little more on a computer, do it. You’ll be better off in the long run with a more expensive, longer-lasting computer than with a cheaper one that will have to be replaced before you graduate. And this leads to my fifth and final guideline:

5. Just get a Mac. Even after reading this column, does the computer market intimidate you? Does all this discussion about processors and graphics cards and trial software seem confusing and unnecessary? It is. This column has been written with the unfortunate assumption that most college students-to-be will look only at PCs when shopping for their next computer. But for anyone who’s open-minded and willing to spend a little more, go to http://www.store.apple.com. If you choose to buy a Mac, the first three of these guidelines will become irrelevant, because they will automatically be met. Apple always equips its computers with the hardware they need to run its operating system, and doesn’t force trial software on anyone (not to mention the fact that Macs don’t need antivirus). Above all, a Mac will last a lot longer than any PC, regardless of which PC you buy.