This is a sponsored post by Walmart. All opinions are 100% mine.
How to Choose the Best Laptop for Back to School
Ok, I may be showing my age here but when I was in Elementary and High School back to school shopping meant clothes, notebooks, maybe a trapper keeper, pencils and pens. How times have changed in just a few short years. Now back to school means technology! There are so many choices laptops, desktops, tablets, Chromebooks; it can make your head spin. A laptop should last a few years, so you want to purchase one that fits your needs and budget. I want to make your back to school technology shopping at little easier with some tips on How to Choose the Best Laptop for Back to School.
- Child’s age and computer knowledge – A younger child who may not take care of the laptop or have much experience with technology may need a more budget friendly basic laptop.
- What is your back to school technology budget?
- What programs or tasks will your child need to perform with the laptop? – If your child needs to use heavy duty programs such as video or photo editing software, have multiple programs open at once, you may need a higher performing laptop.
Once you know what your needs are and the amount of your budget, you can begin to shop for your back to school technology purchases. I recommend stopping by your local Walmart to shop for your back to school laptop. You’re going to be there purchasing your other back to school supplies, so swing by the electronics department and check out their selection of laptops. Walmart carries a wide selection of brands in all budget ranges.
If your child needs a robust computer with plenty of hard drive space and power to run programs such as productivity software, video or photo editing software or other power hungry programs, I would suggest you check out the HP Flyer Red 15.6″ Laptop PC .
This laptop comes packed with the following features:
- Intel Pentium N3540 processor
- 4GB memory
- 500GB hard drive
- Windows 10 Home
- VGA webcam
- Multi-format digital media card reader
- 2 x USB 3.0 ports, 1 x USB 2.0 port, 1 x HDMI port, 1 x RJ-45 port
If your child will be working with basic documents (think term papers), internet research and other basic computer functions you may like the HP 11″ Stream Laptop PC.
This laptop comes with these features:
- Intel Celeron N3050 Dual-Core processor 1.60GHz
- 2GB DDR3 SDRAM system memory
- 32GB eMMC hard drive
- 802.11b/g/n Wireless LAN
- 11″ WLED-backlit anti-glare display
- Microsoft Office 365 Personal (1-year subscription)
- Intel HD Graphics
- HP TrueVision HD webcam
- microSD memory card reader
- 1 x USB 3.0 port, 1 x USB 2.0 port, 1 x HDMI port
- Windows 10 Home
If you are looking for a budget friendly laptop or maybe you’re looking for a basic laptop for a younger child take a look at the Acer Granite Gray 15.6″ Chromebook PC. Chromebooks are a different “breed” of laptop. They do not run a Windows or Apple iOS operating system. They run on a Google operating system similar to what is installed on your Android smart phone. Chromebooks are designed to be used with online applications. They will not run a standard Office program or Photoshop. A Chromebook will use Google apps such as Google docs, and other applications that can be accessed via the cloud. If you decide on a Chrombook make sure that the user has access to a reliable internet connection.
This laptop has these features:
- Intel Celeron N2830 Dual-Core processor 2.16GHz
- 2GB DDR3 SDRAM system memory
- 16GB hard drive
- 15.6″ HD widescreen LED-backlit display
- Intel HD Graphics
- Built-in HD webcam
- SD memory card reader
- Bluetooth v4.0 technology
- 1 x USB 3.0 port, 1 x USB 2.0 port
Once you have picked out the perfect laptop for your child, you may need some accessories. Just like in choosing the laptop, you’ll need to know what tasks your child will be performing with the laptop before purchasing accessories. Here are some to consider: