Laptop computer for students
Students need a laptop that can give them the best value
for money with unnecessary features not included as they are
usually on a tight budget. Students can opt for a used laptop,
a refurbished laptop, or a cheap laptop, which they can get
at a notebook computer sale hosted by a notebook shop. They
need a laptop notebook that they can carry along with them
to the school and back home. The notebook computer also has
to be hardy enough to withstand the jerks felt while carrying
in a notebook backpack. Notebooks due to their small size
are easily stolen, and the cause of late submission of project
assignments as reported by most students is the theft of their
laptop notebooks. Best computer notebook for a student would
be which has adequate computing power yet is light enough
to carry and cheap enough to buy.
Why does a student need a laptop?
Slowly and steadily, it is becoming a rule at every University
that all first-year undergraduate students must arrive with
laptop notebook computers. Consequently, students find laptops
a major necessity as it helps them in many ways. They use
their notebooks as portable libraries, communication ports,
and laboratories. It extends their educational reach beyond
the classroom walls and enhances their education. Most campuses
provide a mobile learning environment, and have Internet connections
in the library, the common room, and every residence hall
room. The classrooms are "smart" in the sense, that
they have Internet connections on every seat allowing students
to explore the immense resource of the World Wide Web. Lugging
the laptop along with them, they can effectively converse
with the professors, and get their doubts cleared. They can
show their project assignments on the laptop screen to their
guides and make necessary additions and alterations as required.
General specifications of a laptop for student use
For windows based platform
- Operating System: Windows XP Professional SP2 (XP Home
is usually not allowed due to increased security threats-
manufacturers will not uphold warranties for XP Home systems
if XP Professional is installed after the purchase. XP Tablet
PC Edition and Media Center Edition 2005 is allowed with
SP2 installed)
- Software: Microsoft Office 2003 Professional.
- Processor Speed: 1.8 Ghz
- Memory: 1024 MB (1GB) RAM
- Hard Drive: 60 GB
- Optical Storage Drive: 24X CD-ROM (DVD/CDRW/DVD-RW Optional)
- Network Card - wired: Integrated or PCMCIA 10/100 Mbps
- Network Card - wireless (Optional): Integrated 802.11
b or g
- Modem (Optional): 56k, v.90
- Warranty: 4-year parts and labor (on-site strongly recommended)
- Insurance: Comprehensive breakage, theft, hazard (strongly
recommended)
- Virus & Spyware Protection Software: Symantec Antivirus
or any other software
- Ethernet cable: These are required for wired connections
on campus.
- Optional:
- USB Memory Storage Devices are strongly recommended
- 128 MB Graphics Card or higher (Microsoft Vista ready)
For Apple Macintosh based platform
- Operating System: Macintosh OS 10.4 or above. Please
note that Bootcamp and Windows XP on a Macbook system have
to be configured before windows based applications can be
used on a MAC.
- Software: Microsoft Office 2004 Professional for MAC.
- Processor Speed: 1.83 Ghz
- Memory: 1024 MB (1GB) RAM
- Hard Drive: 60 GB
- Optical Storage Drive: 24X (DVD/CDRW/DVD-RW Optional)
- Network Card - wired: Integrated 10/100 Mbps
- Network Card - wireless: Airport or Airport Extreme
- Modem (Optional): 56k, v.90
- Warranty: 3-year parts and labor (on-site strongly recommended)
- Insurance: Comprehensive breakage, theft, hazard (strongly
recommended)
- Virus & Spyware Protection Software: Symantec Antivirus
or any other software
- Ethernet cable: These are required for wired connections
on campus.
- Optional:
- USB Memory Storage Devices are strongly recommended
Students can opt for any laptop system as per their liking,
and budget.
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