We were all students once: studying stressed and running low on funds. Now due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, students need a good laptop to attend their online classes and do their necessary coursework. Students are always online now because their work–and now yours too–is online.
You know as a student that buying a new laptop doesn’t come cheap. This is why it is important to find the best student laptop deals out there. It will help you save money and get a powerful machine ready to work for you.
You don’t need the best, most expensive laptop for your schoolwork: you need one that will help you do your work well!
If you are not sure where to look, don’t worry! Here are three ways to find the best student laptop deals in 2022.
1. Check the Big Brands for the Best Laptop Deals
The big brands not only have some of the best laptop deals from time to time: but they also have the best student laptop deals.
When checking the big brands for the best deals on laptops, there are some questions you can ask yourself to help you find the best laptop for you on a student budget.
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Why Are Laptops Expensive?
Laptops can be expensive due to a variety of reasons.
Compared to desktops, building compact hardware for a laptop is a large development cost. While the hardware must be compact, it also needs to work well for the user. The laptop must perform well in addition to being built well.
CPU, graphics, RAM, the laptop’s cooling system, and more are all important components of a laptop that can drive up the price. Despite these seemingly high costs, you can still find great student laptop deals.
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Where Can I Find the Best Student Laptop Deals?
When looking for the best laptop deals, make sure you check out the “sales” and “deals” sections of laptop brand websites. Many brands offer discounts to those who are students if you show proof of your school or institution.
If you are shopping in person, engage with workers on the sales floor. Ask questions, and let them know that you are a student. They can help you calculate your costs or find the best laptop on sale for you.
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What Brands Are Offering Student Laptop Deals?
Apple has great student discounts, but they are not the only ones. Other brands are also offering great savings for students!
Some of the best laptop deals are found on Asus, Dell, and Lenovo laptops. Whether you are buying online or in a store, make sure you inquire about the best student laptop deals specifically. Don’t be afraid to stick to your budget, too.
2. Know Your Budget
What is your budget for buying a laptop? This all depends on how much you are going to need to use the laptop and what you will use it for. You do not want to buy a cheap laptop when you need to use it a lot for your coursework and more. That said, it is hard to find the best student laptop deals when you are working on a tight budget too.
Never fear! Here is a helpful guide on how you can break down laptop costs below.
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A Cost-Effective Laptop (Under $300)
If you are looking for something to just check emails to type up a few documents, then you can purchase a fairly cheap laptop to help you get the job done. Chromebooks are great, cost-effective options to more expensive laptops. You can browse the internet, check emails, and type up documents well enough on a Chromebook.
However, if you are hard on your laptops, you may want to reconsider if you want a cheap or more expensive laptop. Normal wear and tear are expected, but you do not want to find yourself frequently paying for repairs or needing to purchase a new laptop. Manufacturers will forgo good material and quality when they are building a cheap laptop to sell.
The CPU on budget laptops is usually an i5 or an i3, so the processing power isn’t too great. If you are doing more than your usual daily browsings, such as gaming or photo/video work, then a cost-effective laptop may not be the best choice after all.
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A Laptop That Can Get the Job Done ($300-$600)
A laptop in this price range has more power and ability than a laptop that is $300 and under. The CPU processing power is usually at an i5 or maybe an i7, which allows you to do more demanding tasks such as video editing and more.
Disk-spinning drives are going out of style, and it is all about the SSD drive. A laptop at this price will also likely be lighter in weight and have a bigger screen than a budget laptop. Plus, the graphics are great!
For doing research or other intense work, buy a laptop that can get the job done.
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A Well-Made Laptop That Works Well Too ($600 and above)
These laptops are the more expensive ones, but they will last. Their i7 processing power is unparalleled: your laptop’s performance is guaranteed to be quick and efficient.
You can count on your battery life lasting long and well, without your machine overheating too much. Don’t worry about weight either because these laptops are slim.
There is a downside to purchasing a well-made laptop: it is more expensive than the other options. If you are doing intensive work such as video editing, a more expensive laptop may be worth the price.
3. Trade In an Old Laptop or Buy Used/Refurbished Laptops
The last way to find some of the best student laptop deals out there is to help you offset the cost of a new laptop. One way you can do this is to trade in an old laptop.
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What to Know About Trading In
You do not have to keep your old laptop around. You can trade it in to receive some credit in helping purchase a new laptop.
One thing to keep in mind is you may not receive as much of a deal compared to selling it yourself, but it can offset your cost. The other alternative in this is to sell your laptop yourself and use the money you make from that to help your purchase your new laptop.
Before you trade in or sell your laptop, remove all of your data off of the machine. Without doing this, you may be subject to more charges or risk losing that data and having it exposed.
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What to Know About Used/Refurbished Laptops
A good, cost-effective alternative to buying a brand-new laptop is buying a used or refurbished laptop! Depending on what deals you are looking at, you can save hundreds of dollars when you buy a used or refurbished machine.
There are pros and cons when buying a used or refurbished laptop. Here is a closer look below at what those are.
Advantages
Buying a used or refurbished laptop is good because you save money. If you don’t buy from a private seller, you still have warranties and other benefits as a consumer.
The icing on top of the cake is that the environment will thank you. E-waste is an increasingly important issue to talk about. By 2030, the E-Waste Monitor predicts the world will increase its e-waste by 16%.
Disadvantages
All of that said, there are downsides to buying a used or refurbished laptop. Your warranty will not last as long as it would on a new laptop. If you buy from a private seller, then you won’t even have a warranty.
The battery life of a used or refurbished laptop may not be what it would be for a new laptop. Consider the advantages and disadvantages with care when looking at purchasing a used or refurbished laptop.
Find the Best Student Laptop Deals
The best student laptop deals are out there. With the help of this guide, you can find them!
Remember: Big brands have student discounts you can inquire about. Stick to your budget, and you will find something within your ideal price range that will work for you. Another option for a good laptop deal is to buy a used or refurbished machine, but make sure you consider this carefully.
A laptop shortage won’t stop you from finding the right laptop for you. Good luck with your search!
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