College dorms, coffee shops and late-night hangouts are filled with college students who live and breathe by their laptops. Who doesn’t love the freedom of wireless and portability? You can leave your cramped dorm room behind and escape your annoying roommate who won’t stop singing “Waiting for Tonight” before his date.
But maybe you’re among the college students who are stuck in their room, tied to a clunky desktop, resorting to your iPod to try to tune out your roommate’s American Idol ambitions.
Even if you’re living on a college student budget, it doesn’t mean a laptop isn’t within your financial reach. Laptops are faster, sleeker, and more affordable than they’ve ever been.
They’re also becoming indispensable for on-the-go college students. Tote your laptop to class, and you can speed-type your notes instead of frantically scribbling with your pen, trying to keep up with your professor. Are you trying to write a term paper while there’s a frat party going on down the hall? Take your laptop to the library and pick up right where you left off, writing the rest of the night in peace.
If you need a computer for school and you’re considering getting a laptop, take a look at our side-by-side chart. We put five different laptops head-to-head to help you comparison shop and give you an idea of what you can get in a laptop for around $650–$1,100, so you can find the one that’s right for you and your budget.
 |
| Specs |
Apple |
| Model |
MacBook |
| Price |
$1,099.00 |
| Display |
13.3" |
| Processor |
Intel Core 2 Duo |
| Speed |
2.0 GHz |
| Hard Drive |
80 GB SATA 5400RPM |
| Memory (SDRAM) |
1 GB |
| Video Card Memory |
64MB (shared) |
| CD, CD-RW, DVD |
CD-RW/DVD-R Combo |
| Battery Life (max) |
up to 6 hours |
| Weight |
5.1 lbs. |
| 56K Modem |
Yes |
| Wireless Card |
Yes |
| USB Ports |
2 USB 2.0 |
| FireWire Port (iLink) |
Yes |
| Operating System |
Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger |
| Anti-Virus Software |
Not included |
| CD/DVD Burning Software |
Included |
| Standard Warranty |
1 year |
 |
| Specs |
Dell |
| Model |
Inspiron 1501 |
| Price |
$848.00 |
| Display |
15.4" |
| Processor |
AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 Dual-Core Mobile Technology TK-55 |
| Speed |
1.8 GHz |
| Hard Drive |
160 GB SATA 5400RPM |
| Memory (SDRAM) |
1 GB |
| Video Card Memory |
256 MB (shared) |
| CD, CD-RW, DVD |
CD-RW/DVD-R Combo |
| Battery Life (max) |
up to 5.5 hours |
| Weight |
6.19 lbs. |
| 56K Modem |
Yes |
| Wireless Card |
Yes |
| USB Ports |
4 USB 2.0 |
| FireWire Port (iLink) |
No |
| Operating System |
Vista Home Basic |
| Anti-Virus Software |
Trial offer |
| CD/DVD Burning Software |
Not Included |
| Standard Warranty |
1 year |
 |
| Specs |
HP |
| Model |
Pavilion dv6645us |
| Price |
$874.99 |
| Display |
15.4" |
| Processor |
Intel Core 2 Duo T5250 |
| Speed |
1.9 GHz |
| Hard Drive |
160 GB SATA 5400RPM |
| Memory (SDRAM) |
2 GB |
| Video Card Memory |
559 MB (shared) |
| CD, CD-RW, DVD |
CD-RW/DVD-/+R Combo |
| Battery Life (max) |
up to 3.5 hours |
| Weight |
6.14 lbs. |
| 56K Modem |
Yes |
| Wireless Card |
Yes |
| USB Ports |
3 USB 2.0 |
| FireWire Port (iLink) |
Yes |
| Operating System |
Vista Home Premium |
| Anti-Virus Software |
Trial Offer |
| CD/DVD Burning Software |
Included |
| Standard Warranty |
1 year |
 |
| Specs |
Sony |
| Model |
Vaio NR-160 |
| Price |
$829.99 |
| Display |
15.4" |
| Processor |
Intel Core 2 Duo T5250 |
| Speed |
1.5 GHz |
| Hard Drive |
160 GB SATA 5400RPM |
| Memory (SDRAM) |
1 GB |
| Video Card Memory |
224 MB (shared) |
| CD, CD-RW, DVD |
CD-RW/DVD-/+RW Combo |
| Battery Life (max) |
2.5 - 4.5 hours |
| Weight |
6.2 lbs. |
| 56K Modem |
Yes |
| Wireless Card |
Yes |
| USB Ports |
4 USB 2.0 |
| FireWire Port (iLink) |
Yes |
| Operating System |
Vista Home Premium |
| Anti-Virus Software |
Trial Offer |
| CD/DVD Burning Software |
Included |
| Standard Warranty |
1 year |
 |
| Specs |
Toshiba |
| Model |
Satellite A130-0ML02E |
| Price |
$917.00 |
| Display |
15.4" |
| Processor |
Intel Core 2 Duo-T5200 |
| Speed |
1.6 GHz |
| Hard Drive |
120 GB SATA 5400RPM |
| Memory (SDRAM) |
1 GB |
| Video Card Memory |
256 MB (shared) |
| CD, CD-RW, DVD |
CD-RW/DVD-R Combo |
| Battery Life (max) |
4.0 hours |
| Weight |
5.79 lbs. |
| 56K Modem |
Yes |
| Wireless Card |
Yes |
| USB Ports |
4 USB 2.0 |
| FireWire Port (iLink) |
Yes |
| Operating System |
Vista Home Basic |
| Anti-Virus Software |
Not included |
| CD/DVD Burning Software |
Included |
| Standard Warranty |
1 year |
If you need a computer for school and you’ve already used all your federal financial aid options, you might be able to get the money you need with a private student loan. NextStudent Private Student Loans feature generous borrowing limits to help you pay your education-related expenses, including tuition, room and board, transportation to and from school, and school supplies like a laptop. There are no application deadlines, so you can apply for your NextStudent Private Loan at any time during the school year.
Since Federal Student Loans generally offer more attractive terms than private student loans, you should always use your federal financing options first. But if you find that, even after your federal student loans and grants, your education-related costs still exceed your available financial aid, you may be able to get the remaining money you need with a NextStudent Private Student Loan.