University laptop advice!

Hi, I'm going to university in September and need a laptop. All I want is something with a good battery life so I can take it to lectures and take note and also write essays etc on it. It would be good if it had an alright screen for youtube but I could just get a tablet on the side for films and stuff if the laptop is cheap enough.

I ideally wouldnt want to spend more than £450 but could stretch that if it was necessary.

What would you recommend? :s

Reply 1

EdwardBarfield9

What kind of PC/Laptop do you use currently?

Reply 2

Pinocchiolewis

Original post by EdwardBarfield9

What kind of PC/Laptop do you use currently?

I currently have a refurbished Packard bell which I got for around £120, not sure what model it is specifically though...

Reply 3

EdwardBarfield9

Original post by Pinocchiolewis

I currently have a refurbished Packard bell which I got for around £120, not sure what model it is specifically though...

As it's a windows device I suggest sticking with a windows device so you can transfer and use and file or programs from your current device to the one you're planning to buy.

Reply 4

SophieSmall

If battery life is very important to you and you only really need it for writing essays. I thoroughly recommended a Chromebook. I personally use google documents, but you can get MS office extensions and either way you can convert google docs documents to MS documents easily, as I do this for uni and it hasn't been a hassle at all. I prefer google documents anyway as it saves automatically every second and I can access my work anytime anywhere.

I have this chromebook: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Toshiba-CB30-B-103-Chromebook-Celeron-Launched/dp/B00RK7LFHS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1468794587&sr=8-2&keywords=toshiba+chromebook

It has an advertised battery life of 8 hours maximum, however I frequently am getting 10-12 hours out of a single full charge if I have it on the lowest brightness setting. And that is with a lot of internet browsing, you tube and sometimes watching films too. I got this at Christmas and the battery life is still going strong and have noticed no lowered battery life in that time, as I had with laptops in the past.

I also love watching things on this Chromebook as it has a matte screen so there is no glare from lights or sunlight so can even use it outside, good picture too.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 5

M451

I'd suggest having a look at the Dell Inspiron 5000 series 13 inch. It's a portable 2-in-1 with good battery life.

I'm personally using a HP Elitebook 820. Very powerful and portable with a decent battery which usually goes for £850+ but can be had for as little as £450 if you're looking at sellers on eBay, totally new and boxed.

As someone has suggested, Chromebooks are a good consideration but the majority of them are weak in terms of power and they are dependent on an internet connection. That might work for some people but I prefer having more power. It all depends on what you need.

If you're going down the Chromebook route, I'd also suggest looking at tablets with keyboard options. One of the best is the Google Pixel C. An amazing tablet but capable of dealing with essays since it should be able to use Google Docs and even Microsoft Office.

Reply 6

mesbahuddin

Go for any HP Laptop. I am currently using HP. With you budget, you will get decent HP Laptop.

Reply 7

umar39

Chromebooks combine long-lasting battery with low prices. The battery can last for quite a long time (8 hours- although it's not uncommon for it to last between 10-12). You can pick up a Chromebook for as little as £120!! They're light so can be carried around easily enough. Yet, they are not very powerful. So, it really does depend what you will be using the laptop for.