Laptops for MBA Students
B-schools have moved beyond classroom interactions and reference books. With the latest technology grappling even the b-school, it has turned into a norm to carry a laptop to college. The days of taking down notes have given way to google searches and excessive information download requiring more hard disk space. From internet surfing to high end software application, a management student requires his laptop to give optimum performance even while multitasking- just like him. Most classrooms in B-schools are Wi-Fi enabled which allows students to access internet wirelessly. Keeping the general B-school student requirements in mind, the following features need to be looked at:
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Processor: Processor defines your computer speed, the rate at which programs run. Make sure you have a processor speed of 1.6 GHz or above. Depending on the softwares you wish to run, please check with processor requirements before purchase. Certain softwares such as Adobe CS 5 need higher processor speed.
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Memory: For a student laptop, a minimum of 2 GB is needed. Again if you use memory intensive programs and games, make sure to have 4 GB.
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Hard disk: Most of the laptops now come with atleast 160 GB space. Depending on your requirements go for more hard disk space or you can always purchase a portable hard disk.
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Battery Life: Battery life is a very crucial feature for student laptops. Depending on your requirements look into this aspect carefully. Make sure to atleast get 2-3 hrs on battery life for your laptop and if possible try going for a 12 cell battery instead of 9 celled.
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Screen size: For a student laptop anything above 13” inch would be a good idea.
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Connectivity: Although most latest laptops come with all kinds of connectivity options, make it a point to check for bluetooth, Wifi and sufficient number of USB ports (4 ports would be ideal).
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Webcam: Most of us under- estimate the power and importance of a webcam for students. As a management student Video-con (video conferencing) is very essential and important. Most of the projects, especially work from campus projects require students to work/ brain storm as a team online and hence the power of a webcam cannot be neglected. Make sure to include this feature.
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Laptop Bag: Not a necessity but if they are giving a laptop bag with the purchase, nothing like it. Make sure to ask for the laptop bag and other goodies that come free with the purchase.
As far as configuration goes, the above features will help guide you to a better purchase. But do make sure to keep an eye on the budget. As a student, always go for the best laptop that suits your requirements within the stipulated budget. Target the best deals, worth every penny!
Some good laptops for management students include-
Dell Studio 15: very good choice bringing with it a strong configuration along with good looks and most importantly not as heavy on your pockets as others. Dell is infact very popular among students and if you wish for a slightly better model go for Dell Inspiron series, if you can extend your budget a little..
Acer Aspire Series: Acer has some of the best deals for students. They have good laptops within the Aspire series which are reasonably priced. If you do decide on Acer, make sure you go for the new models in this series, especially the ones with i3 processor (Acer Aspire 5471 for instance, would be a good choice for management students).
Sony Vaio E series: If budget isn’t a constraint for you, make sure to check out the Sony Vaio series. Some of the most stylish designs with the latest configurations are available under Sony’s name. The latest one comes with an Intel i3 processor and 2 GB RAM. Make sure to keep an eye on the price at the same time (though Sony Vaio VPCEB12 EN comes well within budget for most students).
HP Thinkpad: the newest of the Thinkpad models comes with Intel i3/i5 processor with 2 GB RAM and 14” inch screen. Thinkpad is a good purchase, interms of basic necessities under a reasonable price.