A new laptop for college doesn’t need to cost you $1,500. Don’t let the flashy ads and giant headlines fool you: You don’t need 4GB of RAM or a 2.4GHz dual-core processor to handle everything you need to do for class, even if you want to be able to download a video or blast your master playlist at the same time.

 

Save your money for food and rent; you can get all the college capability you need and all the digital entertainment center you want without the steep price tag.

 

Here’s a list of six relatively inexpensive yet powerful laptops from all the big-name manufacturers.

 

 

1) Dell Inspiron 1525

 

Starting Price: $499^*

 

This modest laptop packs all the processing power and entertainment capability most students will need, with a 1.86GHz Intel Celeron processor, 512 MB RAM, Windows Vista pre-installed, a 15-inch display, and a CD burner. With its built-in 802.11g wireless network card, the Inspiron comes ready to jump on your school’s wireless network. Best of all, you can make this laptop yours for monthly payments as low as $15.

 

 

 

2) Compaq Presario C700T

 

Starting Price: $449.99^*

 

Think of this bargain laptop as “the little computer that could.” It isn’t quite as powerful as its HP Pavilion cousin, but with a 1.6GHz Intel Pentium dual-core mobile processor, a healthy 512MB RAM, and built-in wireless card, this Presario is more than enough for the average student’s needs. And $16 a month is all you’ll need to take it home.

 

 

 

3) HP Pavilion dv6700t

 

Starting Price: $649.99^*

 

For a slightly higher price tag than the Presario, this laptop from HP offers an even better educational bang for your buck. With an Intel Pentium dual-core mobile processor cruising at a speed of 1.6GHz (with the option of upgrading up to a blazing 2.50GHz), a full 1GB RAM, a 15.4-inch display, built-in wireless, and a FireWire port plus 3 USB ports, the Pavilion puts power and speed at your fingertips for about $20 a month.

 

 

 

4) Toshiba Satellite Pro A210-EZ2202X

 

Price: $749^*

 

With the AMD Turion 64 X2 dual-core mobile processor on this Toshiba laptop, you’ll plow through your assignments at 1.9GHz. Your barrage of PowerPoint presentations, Excel spreadsheets, 20-page term papers, embedded videos, and multi-tab Internet research won’t stand a chance against the Satellite’s arsenal of 1GB RAM, 80GB hard drive, DVD burner, 4 USB ports, 15.4-inch display, and built-in wireless — all yours for about $24 a month.

 

 

 

5) Sony VAIO VGN-FZ290 CTO

 

Starting Price: $788.98^*

 

This Sony laptop is more than just a pretty case. Beneath the VAIO’s sleek exterior lies some serious hardware, including a 1.5GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor (you can upgrade to 2.2GHz for just $150 more), 1GB RAM, a colossal 120GB hard drive, a DVD/CD burner, a 15.4-inch display, and built-in wireless with integrated Bluetooth. For $25 a month, you can crank out all your assignments and projects with computing muscle, memory, and style.

 

 

 

6) Apple MacBook

 

Starting Price: $1,099^*

 

Besides the eye-catching interface and hip factor that define all things Mac, the MacBook comes loaded with the dazzling and ultra–user-friendly Mac OS X Leopard operating system, a lightning-fast 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 1GB RAM, an 80GB hard drive, a 13.3-inch display with dual-display support, built-in AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, a FireWire port, 2 USB ports, and a built-in iSight camera. And with their iLife suite of audio- and video-editing software, Apple laptops and desktops are the prime choice for anyone studying graphic design or digital imaging, mixing, or video.

 

 

  * Manufacturer prices as of February 11, 2008.