Back-to-School: Top 5 Laptops for Students

We live in an age ruled by computers. Frankly, it is impossible for a student to achieve his or her full potential without a computer. This fall, help the student in your life make the most of his education by helping him select the perfect laptop for the back-to-school season.

Choosing the right student laptop can be hard. That's why we've done the work for you. Recently, I had to find a new laptop to replace my aging Apple iBook. Before buying my new laptop, I went through the laptop lineups from some of today's biggest computer manufacturers, such as Apple and Dell. I then compared their laptops, keeping an eye on vital factors such as price, weight, speed and technological capabilities. Afterwards, I rounded them all up and wrote down the five laptops that topped my lists and exceeded my computing expectations.

But I didn't want to keep the information to myself. Take this information, and rest assured that these laptops are the very best computers your student could purchase to go back to school with this year.

The Top 5 Laptops for Students

1. Apple Macbook

Walk the halls of any high school or college campus, and you will see droves of students using Apple's ubiquitous white Macbook student laptop. I'm not exaggerating when I say that these student laptops are popular! But why do students love them so much? First, they're thin and light with a long battery life (more than enough to last through a couple of boring lectures!). Second, students are concerned with looking good, and these laptops really look classy. Third, Apple Macbooks are student-friendly, stable machines, and come pre-installed with numerous productivity software and Apple's legendary Leopard OS X operating system. Students love knowing that their laptop will work reliably without a hitch. And finally, the price factor: At under a grand, you can get a piece of Apple's exclusive pie without shelling out too much money.

2. HP Pavillion dv2915nr

This student laptop from computer manufacturer HP doesn't have the design factor that Apple's Macbook has, but it's got all the basic computing power you need. Students are all about entertainment, and this laptop's 14-inch LCD screen is perfect for watching movies.

3. Averatec Voya 6494

If your student wants to be an engineer, or just has a habit of throwing his stuff around, the Averatec Voya is the perfect laptop for a student like that. It's heavy, but it's built to withstand abuse. Of course, you should skip over this student computer if you're just a stereotypical student that doesn't plan to take her laptop into the African safari.

4. Dell Inspiron 1525

This laptop has a HUGE screen, which is perfect for the video gamer student who wants to mix some recreation with his school studies. The huge screen is also a drawback, because it makes this student laptop bigger and heavier than the other laptops I looked at. However, it makes a good desktop computer replacement laptop if you plan to keep the laptop stationary on your desk for most of the time.

5. Lenovo IdeaPad U110

The Lenovo IdeaPad U110 is an excellent student laptop if you're looking for a tiny, ultra-portable computer that is light and thin and perfect for slipping into your backpack before you trek across the school campus. It's also one of the best designed laptops we've seen outside of the Apple universe. Perfect for the stylish student who wants to be cool and stand out from among his classmates.