What’s the best Student laptop?

Shopping for a laptop can be stressful if you or your children will be learning online for the first time. Students of different ages have a range of different laptop use cases and different needs. And as the choices for best laptop and best Chromebook evolve, so do students’ needs. Every student is different. Before making a decision, you will want to make sure you read reviews and try out devices yourself if you can.

For younger students, a touchscreen device is easier to use than a keyboard and touchpad. It may be worth investing in a keyboard case if you go the tablet route. Typing meeting codes and passwords can be cumbersome on the iPad’s flat screen. As children get older, their best laptop choice will vary depending on their needs. As a parent, it is important that you and your child are in sync about how they intend to use it and the size of the programs they want.

Audio quality is an important consideration for students’ laptops. Students use their devices to watch YouTube videos in addition to their online classes. Battery life is also a plus, even for distance learners who may not be far from a wall outlet. Durability is also worth paying for. If you are using a tablet, get a protective case. If a reasonably-priced insurance or replacement policy is available, it is usually worth the extra expense.

Middle school students do not use their laptops for much more than web-based schoolwork and browsing.

Do not be too concerned about power, prioritize a machine that is comfortable and easy for the student to use. The most basic Chromebook is totally perfect. The most basic Chromebook serves all the needs of the middle school student. Most eighth graders are not going to be running any video games on their laptops or any software that requires a lot of power.

Eighth graders mostly use their laptops for Google Classroom applications, including Gmail, Slides, Google Docs, and Google Sheets. The apps are very easy to use on a basic run-of-the-mill Chromebook. That said, if your child is starting middle school this year, it could be worth checking with their teachers to see what operating system is most compatible with their workflow.

Even children with more demanding hobbies think a budget device can get the job done. For most middle school students, any processor developed within the last two years will be able to handle any tasks the school can throw at it. What is worth paying for is a comfortable keyboard, many middle school students are not used to typing for long periods of time.

You should also look for a device that is compact and easy for students to carry around, particularly if they are preparing for in-person school.

Go for an 11- to 13-inch model, certainly nothing larger than 15 inches. High school students’ laptop needs can vary based on their interests, but most do not need powerful machines with lots of bells and whistles, especially if they come with glitches or serious downsides that could interfere with schoolwork. A high-end device can be overwhelming. There is so much other stuff that students do not use very often, something simpler might be a little more straightforward.

The best operating system may depend on what your child is used to. Almost every student agreed that the most important feature of a high school laptop is portability. Students attending in-person classes may be carrying their device around for much of the day with a stack of other books. Students also recommend something sturdy. Most high schoolers will throw their laptop in their bag without too much care.

Backpacks can be jostled in the hallway as well. Anything can happen. Battery life is another key feature. It can be a real struggle to find a place to charge while in class. Unlike college students, many high schoolers do not have frequent breaks to juice up their devices, so try to find something that can last a full day. Many students recommend a touchscreen with stylus support.

The touchscreen is always a bonus for drawing diagrams, whereas if you are using a laptop it would be a whole process to submit a diagram you drew.

Students find it useful to take notes on the same screen as their online lessons. Depending on the broadband situation in your area, you may also want a laptop with multiple connectivity options. That is hard to find on smaller laptops, but there is a slew of affordable dongles and docks to consider. College students are justified in spending a bit more money than other age groups.

Some students can expect to do some fairly demanding work. Electrical engineering students need to run simulation software for assignments, a lot of coding, in addition to creative work in Premiere Pro and Photoshop, and gaming. Students also noted that it is worthwhile to pay for a laptop that will last for a few years after graduation. That means you will not have to worry about finding and financing your next device until you are settled into a job.

But among high-end, capable devices are still a wide range of options. Students stressed that a college laptop should be light. Expect to bring it between classes, meals, meetings, the library, and other locations on campus. It is a boon that students can carry their laptops as well as some notebooks without feeling like they are carrying too much for six hours a day.

Another universally-lauded feature is battery life.

The all-day juice gives students the flexibility to study in a bunch of different locations, and even outside. Speakers and webcams are often overlooked, even in top-end devices. But students say it is worth looking for good ones if you are starting college. Though many college students are now back to in-person classes, some will still be meeting with clubs and attending events online.

Laptops’ low audio and picture quality can make it difficult to pay attention in class and to engage with other students. Many students will need to invest more in areas tailored to their interests and schoolwork needs. A dream laptop would include a stylus and touchscreen for creative work as well as a high-end GPU. Some students would prefer to prioritize a large screen to keep track of their multitasking.

In August 2020, scenes of crowded entertainment districts and bars on the first weekend many university students returned to campus are raising new questions about safety during the covid pandemic and whether college football can be played this year. In Tuscaloosa, where bars are required to close at 11PM this fall to help stem the spread of covid. The crowds just move to houses once the nightclubs close.

Most students could care less about wearing masks.

It happens every night, it is an ongoing party. Throngs have gathered in an area near campus called The Strip, and University of Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne tweeted a photo that showed dozens of people, many not wearing face masks or staying away from others, waiting to get in a popular bar. Obviously these people do not want college sports this fall.

Police and firefighters now have to come in early and are actively enforcing pandemic regulations. Wearing a mask and practicing social distancing is not much to ask for to protect yourself and others. Tuscaloosa police officers issued 12 citations for mask violations and arrested 4 people, but the problem was not just at the University of Alabama. Photos on social media also showed large crowds and relatively few masks around Auburn University over the weekend.

Public health officials worry that crowds on college campuses, combined with the resumption of classes in elementary through high school grades, will increase the spread of covid. While some campuses are teaching classes primarily online and some collegiate athletic leagues have canceled fall sports, the Southeastern Conference (SEC) which includes Alabama and Auburn, is moving ahead with plans to play games beginning September 26th. The SEC planned to announce its revised game schedule on Monday.

Universities have enacted rules meant to enforce mask wearing and social distancing on campus, and Alabama has a statewide rule requiring masks in public places.

But the rules are being ignored. More than 104,000 cases of covid have been confirmed in Alabama and at least 1,830 have died of the illness, which usually results in only mild to moderate symptoms but is particularly dangerous for the elderly and people with other health problems. Meanwhile, four clusters of covid have been reported at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Since students began arriving two weeks ago, several videos have appeared online showing them at off-campus parties or gathering in crowds. Now exposed or infected students are being moved into isolation. The choices of a small few have really impacted the overall student body.