Dads & Grads: Top 10 laptops for college students, class of '09
As if the last 18 years (and the next four years of tuition bills) isn't enough.
To help Moms and Dads choose a balanced value laptop -- somewhere in the $700-$1,200 range, depending on your kid's priorities -- here's a list of machines that can get the homework done and allow for a little play, too.
We can't control his or her Facebook account, though. You're on your own there.
Before you begin shopping
Put yourself in your student's shoes and consider what's important to them: Weight? Size? Looks? Raw computing power?
Weight and size are important because a student must be able to move the computer around his or her dormitory, to the library across campus, (occasionally) to class and -- this one's usually forgotten -- home for holiday breaks. A 13-in. machine is perfect; 15 inches is doable on occasion. Consider the size of your student before purchase, too. (To cover all bases, I've included some 17-inchers on the list.)
Looks are important because college is as much a social experience as it is an educational one. If your student is studying business, consider a minimalistic approach (read: no Toshiba Qosmio) that won't look out of place with a suit. If your student cares about looks in an abstract way, avoid anything that blinks or shines too much, but also avoid utilitarian (in other words, no classic Lenovo). And whatever you do, don't buy anything in pink. Unless your student doesn't mind graduating with the color. Most grow out of it.
One more thing: Netbooks. With all the chatter about these underpowered portable machines, you may think that might be a cost-effective way to go. And it may be, provided you'll replace it every season. But if you plan on your college student-to-be hanging on to their system for more than a year, you simply must consider a full-featured machine.
Consider a typical student's activity on the computer: E-mail via a web-based school client, instant messaging of some variety, lots of web surfing, word processing, music playing and basic image editing -- often two or three of these at a time. Netbooks simply aren't up to the task of being a primary machine.
Oh, and by the way: time your purchase. Windows 7 and Mac OS X Snow Leopard are due out before the semester begins, and back-to-school deals are expected. Consider this when you shop around.
Here are ZDNet's Top 10 Dads & Grads picks for the class of '09:
Budget, about $750: My kid checks e-mail, surfs the Web and IMs friends
Available only through Best Buy, this 13-in. "Blue Ribbon" laptop is an all-around star. Its backlit keyboard is a nice touch, its HDMI and eSATA ports are useful for media hounds and it's got both great performance and battery life. It's got a 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P7350 processor and weighs just 4.6 lbs. It can be had for $750. For a non-Best Buy exclusive configuration, the HP Pavilion dv3z is your answer.
This 15-in. laptop isn't the sexiest of the bunch, but it gets the job done for cheap. The IdeaPad Y530 counts Dolby Home Theater sound with four speakers plus subwoofer as a feature, and has decent battery life to power it all. It's got a 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P7350 and weighs 6.6 lbs. A barnstorming high-performance version can be had for about $750, but cheaper versions can be had for $550.
If your student works with numbers, this 16-in. laptop has a feature many do not: a separate number pad, just like on a desktop. This is a heftier laptop, at 6.6 lbs., but the 16:9 display and good performance (2.0 GHz Intel Pentium Dual Core T4200) and battery life will make this a good choice for a student who uses their computer frequently at home. It can be had for about $650.
The HP Pavilion dv4 is a 14-in. laptop that weighs 5.1 lbs. and has long battery life. This particular model has a subtle design on the lid that separates it from the pack (but tacks a little more on the price tag). It's heavy for a laptop of this size -- you'll get a better deal with the larger 15-in. Pavilion dv5-1235dx -- and the 2.1 GHz AMD Turion X2 processor can be sluggish. Opt for HP's updated dv4t model with Intel inside and you'll be much happier. It can be had for as low as $700.
Lower mid-range, $900: My kid does all of that, but likes playing movies, too
Toshiba Satellite Pro U400-S1001X
The 13-in. Satellite Pro U400 is intended for business professionals, but the price tag makes it a sweet deal for a student whose computing is important. At 4.4 lbs., the U400 is ready to be moved places, and the 2.1 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 keeps it performing admirably. Battery life is a bit on the short side, and maxing out the RAM is recommended, but it's a solid machine that's good for several years of use. It can be had for about $875. (If you're looking to save a few bucks, Toshiba's Satellite E105-S1402 is also an excellent choice.)
The Pavilion dv7 is a multimedia-friendly, 17-in. laptop that's meant for students who like to have movie nights. At 7.7 lbs., it's a real doozy to move, comparatively speaking, but if your kid watches a lot of television, it's a great stand-in machine for one. It's powered by a 2.1 GHz AMD Turion X2 processor and has pretty good battery life for a computer of this size. Oh, and it's pretty good looking, too. It can be had for about $900.
Mid-range: My kid plays the movies at the same time as the other stuff
This 14.1-in., 5.7-lb. machine is a good compromise between form factor, performance and price. Inside, it packs a 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T6400 processor and 4GB of RAM, with a DVD+RW drive on the side. It's the only white laptop on this list, evoking Apple cues, and its three USB ports allow for lots of connectivity. This configuration, which includes a 250GB hard drive, can be had for $940, but other configurations are available for as low as $789.
Like its 13-in. siblings the M1330 and Studio 15, which are also good student picks, Dell's M1530 is a sleek machine with power under the hood for most multimedia applications. This 15-in. laptop, which weighs 5.7 lbs., sports a 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 processor, 4GB of RAM, DVD+RW, an HDMI port and an 8-in-1 card reader. It's one of the thinnest laptops on this list, too. This configuration can be had for $999, but as with all Dell computers, it can be customized to your content.
Upper mid-range: My kid occasionally plays visually-intensive games, too
Sony's FW series is a head-turner, and this 16-in. laptop offers excellent battery life, a 16:9 screen perfect for movies and at 6.4 lbs., is pretty decent for what amounts to a portable desktop. It's 1.5 in. thick and packs a 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 processor with 3GB (4GB max) RAM. It sells for about $1,075.
This black-with-red-trim, 17-in. Gateway is made for the student gamer on a budget. It's got a 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 processor, 4GB of RAM, 320 GB of storage, and an NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GPU. The 17-in. TFT screen can go to 1400x900, it's got eSATA and FireWire out back. It's available for about $1,250.
If you don't dig any of the suggestions above, here are a few more systems worth considering, with a rating out of 10 and average price in brackets:
- 11-in. Lenovo IdeaPad U110 [8.0] [$1,349]
- 13-in. Apple MacBook [8.5] [$1,500]
- 14-in. Gateway T-6836 [8.1] [discontinued; soon replaced by T-6859u]
- 14-in. Sony VAIO VGN-CS215J/W [7.9] [$900]
- 15-in. Sony VAIO NS140E/S [7.4] [$800]
Do you have experience with any of these systems? Have a suggestion that's not on the list? Tell us in TalkBack.