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A laptop is a portable piece of technological tool that is useful not only in homes and offices but also in many colleges and universities lecture rooms. Business majors attesting to the indispensability of the laptop rave about how this equipment makes notetaking and communication virtually stress-free.
If you’re like most business students, you would want to have a laptop that best suits your needs as you strive to make each research work stress-free and complete each assignment in the easiest and fastest way possible.
Are you a business major in need of a laptop to keep up with your school, work, and personal tasks? Whether you’re in the market for a laptop that’s reliable, lightweight and has the proper specifications for handling large files, you’ll want to make sure you’re choosing the best laptop for your needs.
Luckily, there is a wide variety of models to choose from, and each laptop offers unique features. Here, we’ve compiled a list of the best laptops for business majors so that you can find the right fit for you.
The 10 Best Laptops for Business Majors
Apple MacBook Pro
Business majors who have a very high budget can’t ignore the Apple MacBook Pro for no apparent reason. However, students who are on a low budget can opt for other suitable laptops from this article.
The MacBook Pro has a 15” screen and an excellent backlit Retina Display, which is a class apart because of its True Tone Technology. It’s one jaw-dropping component of the MacBook.
This device contains a 1.6 GHz Intel dual-core i7 Processor (8th Gen) and a turbo boost of up to 3.6 GHz. It is also integrated with a superfast 512GB SSD and 16GB RAM. Students can expect a super smooth performance with this type of technical specifications.
The MacBook Pro is also built with Intel UHD Graphics 630 for playing low-demanding games. This machine connects easily with an external GPU to provide an enhanced gaming experience.
Weighing 1.8 kg (4 lbs.), it is slightly heavy since the majority of the laptops listed in this article weigh less than the MacBook Pro. However, it is still considered relatively portable compared to other units in the market.
One of the coolest features of this device to flaunt at a business school is the touch bar. This component enables students to authenticate login and pay through ApplePay using their fingertips.
The excellent audio attribute of the MacBook Pro is something students can’t fail to recognize. Students who often utilize audio/video conferencing will surely like the audio quality of the MacBook Pro.
The battery lasts for 10 hours—a feature that business majors could very well use regularly.
More About the Apple MacBook Pro:
Display: 15.6” | 1880 x 1800-pixel
Graphics Card: Intel UHD Graphics 630
Processor: 9th Gen Intel Core i7-i9
RAM: 16GB/32GB
Screen Size: 15.4” – 15.6”
Storage: 512GB/1TB/2TB/4TB
Weight: 4 lbs.
Pros & Cons:
√ Excellent Display
√ Super-Fast Performance
√ Excellent Battery Life
× Expensive
× Lack of USB Ports
× Keyboard Concerns
HP Envy x360
There are several compelling reasons why the HP Envy x360 is one of the lists as the best laptops for business majors. However, its slim, sleek design is the least of them. The 13” 2-in-1 laptop provides up to 9 hours of video playback and has a premium build and excellent performance that will get students through most of their school work and projects, without burning a hole in their pockets.
This unit is fresh out of the blocks, and the price is yet to settle. In the U.S., it’s currently a bonus in this configuration integrated with AMD Ryzen 5 3500 CPU and 8GB of RAM, all for around $800. The U.S. pricing is relatively favorable compared to other alternatives.
With its anodized all-aluminum chassis, this laptop provides a pretty passable impression of a true high-end 2-in-1 portable. In terms of build, the HP Envy x360 is robust and sturdy with little to no flex in the chassis. The same applies to its 360-degree hinge, enabling conversion into tablet mode.
With slender bezels on two out of three sides of the display component, this device is reasonably compact. With that, this laptop also feels at least as slim and sleek as the likes of other laptops available in the market, such as the Lenovo Yoga 920, which is also included in this article.
The HP Envy x360 has a USB Type-C socket and a microSD reader. This unit weighs 1.7kg, making it eminently portable, and indicates there isn’t too much penalty to be paid for the 2-in-1 convertible aspect.
In other aspects, HP has partnered with Bang & Olufsen for the sound system. Enhanced audio quality is always welcome; however, the relatively wide speaker grille on top of the keyboard has a knock-on effect.
As for the laptop’s 13” touch screen, it is relatively reasonable as students can expect from a price point of view. Thanks to its IPS technology, colors are accurate, and the viewing components of the panel itself are excellent quality, while maximum brightness components are reasonably good—though not stellar.
More About the HP Envy x360:
Display: 13.3” diagonal FHD IPS (1920 x 1080)
Graphics Card: AMD Radeon Vega 6 – Radeon Vega 10
Processor: Intel Core i5/i7
RAM: 8GB/16GB
Screen Size: 13”
Storage: 256GB/1TB SSD
Weight: 2.8 lbs.
Pros & Cons:
√ Fast Performance
√ Improve Battery Life
√ Slim and Sleek Design for a 2-in-1 Unit
× CPU Performance is fairly adequate
× Graphics Performance
× No Thunderbolt 3
Dell XPS 13 9360
As a business major, have you ever wished for a fast laptop with a magical display at a reasonable price? Good news, Dell has answered your prayers and granted your wishes!
The Dell XPS 13 9360 integrates excellent features and performance, but it also provides the durability and sturdiness that Dell units are known for. Moreover, it delivers a host of features at a reasonable price.
The Dell XPS 13 9360 has the 8th Gen Intel Core i5 7200U processor. The XPS 13 is integrated with 8GB RAM, Intel HD 620 graphics, and 128GB M.2 SATA SSD. Built with a 13.3” 4K Ultra HD infinity edge touch display, the company promises to captivate business majors with a screen that seems floating. They can enjoy movie time with family and friends to the fullest.
Naturally, enrolling in a business school means sharing assignments or projects as well as exchanging documents and even movies. The XPS 13 provides plenty of ports for file sharing as it comes with 1 USB Type-C with Thunderbolt 3 port, 1 USB 3.0 Type-C, and 2 USB 3.0 ports.
The unit weighs 2.7 lbs. (1.2 kg) which is lightweight, and even students don’t need an extra bag to carry around.
Students can expect a decent battery life of 6-7 hours for normal usage such as streaming and browsing. They can also expect more while doing lightweight tasks such as using Excel, Notepad, Word, and other Microsoft applications.
Overall, the Dell XPS 13 9360 is one of the top laptops for business majors at this price range.
More About the Dell XPS 13 9360:
Display: 13.3” FHD (1920 x 1080p – Non-touch) – UHD (3840 x 2160p – Touchscreen)
Graphics Card: Intel HD Graphics 620
Processor: Intel Core i5-7200U
RAM: 8GB DDR3
Screen Size: 13.3”
Storage: 128GB SSD
Weight: 2.7 lbs.
Pros & Cons:
√ Strong Performance
√ Long Battery Life
√ Extremely Lightweight and Portable
× Shallow Keyboard
× No Distinct GPU for the Price
× Small Upgrade
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
Lenovo’s X1 Carbon is not named accidentally. It is considered one of the lightest and slimmest laptops, making it a sensation as Lenovo’s ultrabook.
The design and feel of the unit are sensational. Students will be mesmerized by its design. It is considered sturdy yet stylish.
The processor of this unit is Intel Core i7-8650U, and the laptop is built with 512GB SSD and 16GB RAM, making it an excellent device capable of multi-tasking and running sophisticated software programs.
X1 Carbon’s 14” display with 500 nits provides a high-quality glossy experience and is wide enough to allow for productive homework. Business majors generally need Windows stacked side by side, picking facts from different management journals and integrating their arguments across assignments and research works.
Weighing as little as 2.5 lbs. (1.1 kg), students have the power to carry their laptops everywhere they go during school hours, at the basketball court, the library, and even the canteen.
As for business majors who need to keep plugging things into their laptops, this device will make them happy. The X1 Carbon is integrated with 2 USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports, the HDMI port, a 4-in-1 MicroSD card reader, and 2x USB 3.0 ports.
More About the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon:
Display: 14” | 1080p or 2560 x 1440p or 4K
Graphics Card: Intel UHD 620
Processor: Intel Core i5/Core i7
RAM: 8GB – 16GB
Screen Size: 14”
Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB
Weight: 2.5 lbs.
More About Lenovo X1 Carbon:
√ Attractive, Lightweight Design
√ Excellent Performance with its Amazing Specifications
√ Excellent Battery Life (On 1080p Model)
× Expensive for a Student
× No MicroSD Slot
× 4K Model has a shorter battery life
Huawei MateBook X Pro
The Huawei MateBook X Pro is a mid-range gaming laptop and one of the best value-for-money laptops in this era. Business majors who have a budget ranging from $1000-$1500 must consider purchasing this laptop.
The laptop comes with a 512GB SSD and 16GB DDR3 RAM and it is running on an Intel Core i7 8550U. Students are also getting GeForce MX150 for a decent gaming experience. It is wonderfully designed with the right strokes at the right places. Whether business majors carry it for schooling or a style statement, the MateBook X Pro is the best suitable laptop for your business school.
The Windows Hello Feature in Huawei’s MateBook X Pro has an 8-second start-up.
With almost 14” of screen display and immersive touchscreen functionality, the company is boosting this product to its competitors. The hinge resistance of this device is impressive. Students can effortlessly flip the lid open with a finger.
With this laptop, business majors can view videos and images in vivid detail as well as read books and assess business and marketing data, without too much strain and hassle.
The laptop comes with a Mate Dock for connectivity with numerous ports – a VGA port, HDMI port, USB-C port, USB-A port, and USB 2.0 port.
It is very lightweight weighing only 2.9 lbs. (1.3kg), making it easier to travel and carry around almost anywhere.
Huawei is claiming to provide 12 hours of battery usage in this device; however, students can expect 8-10 hours with regular usage, which still evidences excellent battery life.
In summary, the Huawei MateBook X Pro is an excellent laptop for business majors that provides stuff for its price range.
More About the Huawei MateBook X Pro:
Graphics Card: GeForce MX150
Processor: Intel Core i7 8550U
RAM: 16GB DDR3
Screen Size: 13.9”
Storage: 512GB SSD
Weight: 2.9 lbs.
Pros & Cons:
√ Great Performance
√ Good Value for Money
√ Very Portable
× Heats Up while playing heavy games
Apple MacBook Air
Apple’s MacBook Air is a 6-pack bodybuilder disguised as a ballerina for its light yet rugged features. Integrated with an 8th Gen Intel Core i5, UHD 617 Graphics from Intel, 256GB SSD, and 8GB RAM, the latest unit of MacBook Air is an improvement over its older versions.
This laptop provides business students with a Retina Display, a remarkable 4 million pixels jam-packed into a 13” screen. It will surely display perfectly crisp text and vivid colors, especially recommended for business students since they mostly work with too many images, texts, and graphs. Indeed, it will be helpful for them.
The keyboard is considered more stable and ergonomic for precise and quicker typing – a handy component in the office. Business majors will admire Apple’s Butterfly keyboard, which is very smooth to type on.
Apple’s MacBook Air has 2 Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports with support for charging, file, or data transferring through Thunderbolt, a USB-C 3.1 2nd Gen port, and a display port.
Having a robust yet lightweight laptop is almost everyone’s desire, and Apple has made it possible since the MacBook Air weighs only 2.7 lbs.
This laptop is integrated with a built-in fingerprint scanner that enables students password-less access and also enables them to pay more conveniently through ApplePay.
Lastly, it provides 12 hours of battery with mixed usage, making it one of the ideal laptops for business majors.
More About the Apple MacBook Air:
Display: 13.3”, 2560 x 1600p
Graphics Card: Intel UHD Graphics 617
Processor: 8th Gen Intel Core i5
RAM: 8GB
Screen Size: 13.3”
Storage: 256GB SSD
Weight: 2.7 lbs.
Pros & Cons:
√ Excellent Battery Life
√ Lovely Design
√ Screen Display is excellent
× Expensive
× Lack of Storage Space
× Underpowered
Asus VivoBook S
The Asus VivoBook S has been reasonably priced at around $900, which is worth spending for someone who is considering buying a laptop for business studies.
This model has a 15.6” display, providing a full HD resolution with a 100% RGB color component. Students can watch movies and play videos with excellent color accuracy and high viewing angles.
Asus VivoBook runs on the powerful Intel Core i7 8550U that handles more cumbersome tasks easily. When it comes to playing games, this laptop has a GeForce MX150 with 2GB GDDR5 VRAM. It is considered an entry-level graphics card; therefore, students can expect to play low to moderate games at reasonably high frame rates per second.
The laptop comes with a backlit keyboard that helps in the dark. It is ideal for business students who work on a lot of typing. The keyboard is excellent to type on, and with a 1.4mm travel space between keys, students will find themselves typing quicker and better.
This unit comes with several ranges of connection alternatives – a Type A USB 2.0 integrated with HDMI ports, a USB 1st Gen port, headphone ports, and a USB 3.0 port.
Asus VivoBook weighs 0.3 lighter than the Apple MacBook Pro. It is not considered a lightweight machine, but transporting around with this device won’t cause any major discomfort.
With that said, business majors can get many things done without plugging in the battery since it has 8-9 hours of battery life. Students who are planning to travel with this model will not worry about charging for long periods.
In summary, Asus VivoBook S is one of the top choices for business students who are seeking to own a laptop at a mid-range price.
More About the Asus VivoBook S:
Graphics Card: GeForce MX150
Processor: Intel Core i7 8550U
RAM: 8GB DDR4
Screen Size: 15.6”
Storage: 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD
Weight: 4 lbs.
Pros & Cons:
√ Slim and Sleek Design
√ Decent Performance
√ Several Ports
× Slow HDD
HP Spectre x360 13-T
HP’s Spectre x360 is an all-beauty and brains kind of laptop. It has a trendy touchscreen and a stunning look.
The screen size is 12,” and its 1080p technology is an excellent blessing for business students’ visual senses. The color quality is unmatched compared to similar laptops and beats several high-end competitors. This device flaunts an impressive HD panel and supports an HD Active Stylus pen, Thunderbolt 3 support, and a backlit touch screen.
Integrated with an 8th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and 4GHz processing speed, it contains 16GB DDR3 memory and 512GB SSD. This feature indicates that this laptop can multitask even heavier applications without slowing down the laptop’s performance.
The Spectre x360’s Intel Core i7-8550U processor is blazing fast and perfect for multi-tasking.
It only weighs around 2.8 lbs, which isn’t considered heavy. Business students do not need to worry about traveling around with this laptop.
Students can add a compatible stylus to this device, and they will find themselves making all kinds of notes and To-Do’s utilizing the excellent touchscreen component.
The battery life is excellent, and when HP says 7 hours, business students can even stretch it more if they use it consecutively.
Though HP’s Spectre x360 is priced a little pricey around $1500, it provides a lot of premium components which is challenging enough to ignore.
More About HP’s Spectre x360 13-T:
Graphics Card: Intel HD Graphics 620
Processor: Intel Core i7 8550U
RAM: 16GB DDR4
Screen Size: 13.3”
Storage: 512GB SSD
Weight: 2.8 lbs.
Pros & Cons:
√ Lightweight and Portable
√ Reliable Performance
√ Convertible Laptop
× Sometimes Overheats
Lenovo Yoga 710
Lenovo Yoga 710 is an affordable 2-in-1 laptop priced around $600, making it one of the best laptops for business majors for its price.
It comes with a 15.6” IPS touchscreen display, which has excellent color accuracy and high viewing angles. The build quality of this laptop is decent enough for its price. This unit weighs slightly heavier than others. Business majors considering a highly portable laptop might not opt for this.
The Yoga 710 integrates a memory of 256GB SSD, Intel Core i5-7200U processor, and 8GB DDR4 memory. The cherry on top of this device is the Intel HD Graphics 620, which provides neat graphics; however, business students can’t expect higher from this graphics card.
As a business major, few things will provide you with the Lenovo Yoga 710 – it has an amazingly accurate 10-point multi-touch screen, and it is backlit too. They can switch their laptop into tablet mode whenever they need to.
Lenovo Yoga 710 comes with a fingerprint reader, and business students can protect all their data without worrying about your passwords and credentials. No matter where they leave their laptops, only their fingers will hold the key to unlock the device.
Business majors can expect 9 hours of battery life with the Yoga 710 laptop. Nine hours’ worth of battery life is more than enough for a business major who wants to carry around his or her laptop to college or university.
More About the Lenovo Yoga 710:
Graphics Card: Intel HD Graphics 620
Processor: Intel Core i5-7200U
RAM: 8GB DDR4
Screen Size: 15.6”
Storage: 256GB SSD
Weight: 4.4 lbs.
√ Convertible as Laptop or Tablet
√ Great Display
× Relatively Heavy
Asus Chromebook Flip
The Asus Chromebook Flip is considered a student-friendly device and one of the top-rated laptops on Amazon. Business majors who have a budget under $500 can consider purchasing this laptop for their business studies.
For the uninitiated, the Chromebook is a laptop built by Google to run Google Chrome and other Google applications. It can be utilized if students connect to the Internet; otherwise, most of the applications in the Chromebook become unusable. In addition, they can’t install the majority of the 3rd party apps on this device.
The modern sleek and slim design of the Asus Chromebook Flip has a 12.5” touchscreen protected with Gorilla Glass, an all-metal unit, and a Chrome Operating System.
This model is built with an Intel Core m3-6Y30, 64GB Flash Storage, and 4GB of memory. This might make it inferior compared to other laptops with similar memory sizes.
Considered as a budget-friendly laptop, Asus Chromebook is a business student’s best friend, especially when parents provide a limited budget to invest in gadgets and gizmos.
This is another convertible laptop and can flip a full 360 degrees to transform from a laptop to a tablet device. The transformation is considered smooth and glitch-free.
Another top feature is a backlit functionality, that starts up in seconds and provides a battery life of up to 10 hours.
Featuring the latest and fastest 802.11ac Wi-Fi, the Chromebook provides internet speed of up to three times faster than 802.11n. The C302 has a power-efficient Bluetooth 4.0, allowing students to share or transfer files to fellow Business majors quickly.
Moreover, this Chromebook has a USB 3.1 Type-C port. While a lack of other ports might bother some students, this port is considered “future-proof.” Guaranteed, this laptop will not become outdated for a need for faster data transfer.
Asus Chromebook weighs around 2.7 lbs, which is relatively a bargain. However, business majors might be ready to test a slightly different operating system with this laptop as well as be cautious when multi-tasking.
More About the Asus Chromebook Flip:
Graphics Card: Intel HD Graphics 515
Processor: Intel Core m3-6Y30
RAM: 4GB
Screen Size: 12.5”
Storage: 64GB Flash Storage
Weight: 2.7 lbs.
Pros & Cons:
√ Affordable Option from Asus
√ Easily Portable
√ Good Build Quality
× Unable to install 3rd Party Applications or Software
How Exactly Does A Business Major Benefit From Using The Right Laptop? We Count The Ways!
⇒ Knowledge and Research
Business students use the Internet to broaden their horizons or advance their creativity. They go online and browse through the countless ideas and inspiration to craft the most convincing essays or proposals.
The Internet gives them access to information that will shape their perspective and boost their faculty of knowledge. Going online keeps students abreast of current events or the news. To go online, students need to own a top-performing laptop.
⇒ Notetaking
Manually taking notes can be generally time-consuming. Using a laptop, business students can type their notes immediately into a word-processing document. Electronic note-taking is also quicker, enabling them to organize their study resources automatically, allowing them to share their notes with colleagues, and enhancing faster retrieval of information by keywords.
Furthermore, electronic notes can be saved and stored for future reference to prevent them from being misplaced. On the other hand, paper notes may be damaged or even lost. Although business majors can write their notes on desktops while at home, a laptop is more appropriate for note-taking while in the classroom since they gain more information, and they can retrieve their records anytime, anywhere since laptops provide portability and convenience.
⇒ Different Options for Writing and Editing
Laptops help business majors write papers more efficiently. Typing makes the writing activity faster, and applications in word processing make it easier for them to modify their work. By note-taking on laptops instead of desktops, learners can study in the library, at home, or even during work hours in class.
According to the National Writing Project, an initiative to provide students with laptops in the classroom in Maine resulted in a rise in students’ writing accomplishments. 80% of students in the project reported they would prefer using their laptops to complete their work and were more likely to modify their work using laptops. Moreover, 75% said that laptops help them to become more organized, while 70% said laptops assist them in improving the quality of their work.
⇒ Accessibility and Connectivity
One of the most critical advantages of laptops is that they allow business majors to access information wherever they can connect to the internet. With several places offering free Wi-Fi, obtaining the internet is easier than ever.
This accessibility enables business students to study whenever they have the time – anywhere for as long as there is internet connectivity. Easier access to notes and educational resources like academic programs and websites can enhance the student’s performance inside and outside the classroom.
⇒ Facilitates Group Work
Group work and collaboration are crucial to a student’s success. Business majors who learn how to collaborate in a team and benefit from the strengths of other learners in the group learn something in a new way or from a different perspective.
Laptops facilitate group work by enabling students to meet at any location – whether it’s in a student’s home, in the classroom, or a library – and gain access to the learning resources they need such as slideshows, classroom notes, software for creating videos or presentations, online articles, journals, and other resources related to their study. Wherever they have connectivity to the web, they can conveniently share documents.
⇒ Communication
Modern laptops are undoubtedly made with the business student’s needs in mind. Because college students are usually far from home, owning a laptop gives them the tools to stay in touch with their loved ones. The majority of laptops are designed with microphones and webcams to allow for more personalized communication through the Internet.
Laptops For Business Majors: What To Consider?
Let’s say these business majors have already landed in their internship program or even the job of their dreams. They’re taking classes, and they have already figured out the career path they intend to follow. There is one crucial question that we usually don’t ask, which is this, “Does their laptop keep up with them?”
As a business major, there is a lot on their plates, and being worried about organizing your notes and documents shouldn’t have to be a primary concern.
♠ Do You Require A Business Laptop?
The laptops listed in this article are recommended for business majors like you. However, the idea is that you own a device that will last you past college, your master’s degree, evening classes, or even into the professional career pathways afterward.
If you’re a regular user, a business laptop will surely have plenty of power for your daily internet needs, but you may not utilize all of the features it provides and could be equally content with a more affordable unit or model. On the contrary, a model with a higher power is almost certain to have a longer lifetime of usage.
♠ Battery Life
As both a business major and a business professional, you may not be able to locate an electrical plug everywhere you go, and you don’t want to be bothered about finding one when you have more important things to accomplish. Make sure to purchase a laptop with a battery life that will last the whole day, so that you don’t need to desperately find an electrical outlet once your battery goes low during an important presentation.
♠ Portability
Getting down to business doesn’t just exist in an office or at your desk, which indicates that portability is essential to a suitable business laptop. It is crucial to look for smaller, 13” screens combined with light frames that aren’t going to give you discomfort such as back pains when you bring them with you. Make sure the design isn’t too fragile as well – while you can always purchase a protective case for your laptops, it’s more practical to own a laptop that is built to last for a longer time.
♠ Performance
As a business major, you require performance. While improvised graphics might work for a creative student, they’re more than enough when you’re running PowerPoint or QuickBooks. You’ll surely want 8GB worth of RAM or even more, and you must also look for a Windows 10 Professional Edition O.S. or even the latest version of macOS if you prefer Apple.
Guidelines For Best Laptops for Business Majors
If you are considering a foreign university to pursue post-secondary education as a business student, chances are that you need to spend a lot of money to get there and complete your studies with distinction.
With that, owning a reliable and sturdy laptop is essential until you have obtained that degree. In a business school, your laptop will mostly be utilized for your degree program and other course-related work. You need equipment that will store everything course-related such as team projects, assignments, presentations, and events, and you will surely need one that will never fail you.
ø Why Do I Need a Laptop?
Most colleges and universities already have public workstations connected to a secure and fast Wi-Fi connection. These are readily available in the hallways, libraries, classrooms, and other common areas. All the programs/curricula are available online too.
Students are recommended to make use of these while on the school premises but the majority of these academic institutions encourage students to bring their laptops. That way, they can access or check their lecture notes or complete any research while on the campus premises. They can also study from the comforts of their homes anytime they want.
ø Here’s Why It Isn’t Always Best to Use Your Old Laptop
Do you love your old gaming laptop? Fair enough, but students need to ensure that they carry an extra battery and upgrade it with all the features required. Research the information offered by business schools on their respective university websites for all the needed configurations.
Some business colleges and universities such as the University of Connecticut do not encourage the use of Mac as the courses and programs are mostly accessible on Windows configurations. The University also urges having 30GB of internal storage space in the hard drive, with Intel Core i7 as the suggested CPU Processor.
A similar scenario applies to the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, which endorses utilizing Windows, but if students use Mac, then it would require them to buy or install parallels to run some applications and programs.
The Kelley School of Business at Indiana University in Bloomington also runs on the latest version of Windows. It would not recommend cloud storage and recommends 256GB or larger on hard drive capacity. It also encourages students to get different flash drives as emergency storage devices.
There are two primary reasons why students must buy a laptop as they attend a Business school:
- Business students’ laptops need to have configurations in place before classes officially start. Avoid an old laptop that does not match the technical specifications required by the academic institution.
- Business students can scout the school store to purchase some student discounts for laptops, which will be suited to the school’s technical specifications or requirements.
Your chosen school may be available to help you with the configurations should you encounter technical problems. In many cases, almost all colleges or universities would prefer students not to utilize laptops that are two years old as technology keeps updating even as they read this. With that, two years is a long time for laptop configurations to become outdated.
It is the specifications and features students look for in laptops that will ensure their productivity and efficiency in the coming years. They will save themselves from rushing their laptops to get repaired now and then in a foreign land, spending lots of resources to upgrade or repair them.
Essential Checklist For Choosing A Laptop
Purchasing a new laptop is preferably the ideal way to have the laptop all to yourself. Since your B.S. degree will be a four-year program, the laptop you should purchase must offer you an extended warranty.
Most colleges and universities will have student stores to allow students to purchase with a student discount. It is recommended that students should check it out. They may find their dream laptop, which has all the needed configurations that your college or university requires you to have. It must have the right amount of battery power as you don’t want to carry the cord all the time.
Make sure your device is lightweight. A bulky laptop means pain in the hand, shoulders, or back. Remember you carry it with you everywhere from—public transportation to the classroom to the coffee shops, and all else in between. Students must also invest in a smart, business-like laptop bag that is smart to sport around and easier to carry.
Will you work while also pursuing your undergraduate degree? Make sure that the laptop doubles up as your school computer as well as your work laptop, with the correct configurations, enhanced functions, and extra memory.
1. Install the Basic Software/Applications
After purchasing a new laptop for your undergraduate business needs, go immediately to the configuration settings. The important thing is not to bombard it with just about any type of software or application.
Install the basics initially. Discover what kind of configurations your prospective business school recommends and install them. Basic Microsoft Office is more or less a must for your laptop. 8GB of RAM storage is recommended in most places, while a hard drive of 100GB and bigger is preferred.
The memory capacity may differ from school to school. Since all these academic institutions have a Wi-Fi connection, they would recommend having a wireless card or a USB port to connect to the internet.
Lastly, students must not forget to install a firewall for possible virus attacks. Try not to download as many free games, movies, songs, games, and other applications, as the probability of making your laptops vulnerable to cyberattacks and viruses will be higher. Purchasing original software applications is crucial too.
2. Avoid the Unnecessary
If you’re a Business student who wishes not to draw unnecessary attention to your laptop, it is best to go for the simple type. Touchscreen laptops are already available; however, there is nothing as reliable as a good old mouse and a keyboard.
Touchscreen laptops use up power quickly as they have better resolution. Even if you disable them, you still end up using a lot of battery power, according to some reviews. They are also heavier to carry around. Touchscreens reflect the light, so you need to continually configure them, aiming to keep away the room/natural light from it.
3. Read Laptop Reviews
It is recommended that you read essential reviews, pros and cons, and technical specifications of the laptop you are planning to purchase. Speak to the current undergraduates and other business students for some recommendations. Some of them may recommend something simple such as buying an external monitor for the laptop.
With that, owning such is a helpful device when it comes to analyzing data or other related information when you have to work between too many pages or documents. Preparing Excel sheets and presentations as well as working on graphics brings your workload down. There may come an awful instance when you realize your laptop has crashed or doesn’t respond or operate, or perhaps the screen got damaged due to some unwanted accident.
During those unpleasant times, having backups is a life-saving essential. Some students recommend running a backup once in a while, specifically every quarter. Furthermore, you can save your work on the cloud or any external devices such as memory cards or external hard drives.
4. Optional: Consider Purchasing a Printer
E-reading is the ideal way, but there are certain times that students need to have printed copies to present, such as a CV for interviews. Some may want to copy specific pages from a library book or an online source. A printer or scanner may come in handy as a big help. Several colleges or universities allow students to access their facilities; however, it is always better to have these for yourself.