THE BEST LAPTOPS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS IN 2022

Whether for remote learning or carrying around campus, start your "best laptops" short list with these top-rated, value-focused models.

- JOHN BUREK & TOM BRANT

For students, a laptop is as essential as textbooks and a school ID-and not just for taking notes and doing homework. It should also be able to handle your big extracurricular activities: keeping up with your social networks, streaming movies, listening to music, posting photos, gaming, and video chatting with the 'rents back home.

Laptops are more necessary now than ever, as many colleges and universities have implemented a mix of in-person and remote learning as part of their response to the coronavirus pandemic. If you're learning from home a few days a week and heading to campus the rest of the time, a laptop you can use wherever you are is essential.

A laptop for college students also needs to be budget-friendly and last for the long haul, preferably through four years of undergrad and maybe a year of grad work. Luckily for you, we have many recommended models that fit that description perfectly-and since most of them are below $1,000, they won't drain your savings account in a big way (at least, relative to tuition payments).

Here are the basics you should keep in mind while you're looking for a laptop for college.

FIRST: RESEARCH YOUR COLLEGE

The first and most important thing to do is to check with your school for specific system requirements. It may have hard-and-fast hardware recommendations (or not).

Some colleges and universities want their students equipped with Windows-based laptops, to cut down on software incompatibility issues or to keep technical support concentrated on one platform. Others don't care which operating system you use: Windows, macOS, or even Linux, if you're a hardcore type. Some institutions have onsite computer repair centers that service only laptops purchased from the university or an affiliated computer store on campus; when you use one of these facilities for repairs, the turnaround time will be much quicker than if you have to send it back to the manufacturer.