How much memory do I need on my Laptop for college? The laptop is a must-have device for every student in the 21st century. Because it can make complex calculations, research work, and assignments very easy.
But how can you find the most suitable laptop for you in the market as a college student? It is not easy to choose a suitable one among the variety of laptops available in the market. You find different specifications in a student laptop compared to a gaming or office laptop. If we talk about space, A gaming laptop needs more space if you even play simple games.
An office laptop requires less space than a gaming laptop. Children and home laptops also need not too much space because you run only films and dramas or a few lesson plans on them.
A laptop for a college student will need more space for complicated software and lengthy assignments to solve. Here we will give you a detailed review of what to look for in a laptop for college students.
The laptop memory requirement for college students:
College life is a memorable part of life for everyone. You spend time with friends and save your memories in the camera’s eye. On the other hand, you have to prepare yourself for tests, quizzes, and assignments.
All this demands a laptop with massive storage space. But the question is how much memory( in GB) will be suitable for you as a college student. Keep reading this article to determine how much memory you need for a college laptop.
Keep in mind that the following properties of a laptop are measured in gigabytes:
- Hard disk drive (HDD)
- A solid-state drive (SSD)
- Random Access memory
If you want to know more, look at this article till the end.
Hard disk drive:
A hard disk is a nonvolatile storage accessory. Nonvolatile means a storage device that keeps saved files after shutting down.
Most hard disk drives have a storage capacity between 250GB to 1TB (1000GB).250 GB is more than enough for a home user. But if you are a student or office user, you will need up to 500GB to store your large files.
Unfortunately, no hard drive with unlimited storage capacity has not introduced yet. Students can’t save their data, files, and recorded lectures when data size touches the maximum storage capacity of hard disk drives.
External hard drives of 1TB to 12TB are available in the market to use as portable devices. Students can use it to overcome storage problems. However, their magnetic properties sometimes cause issues in their work.
A solid-state drive(SSD):
Hard disk drives ( HDDs) have been replaced and work like hard disk drives. You can use them as storage devices in computers, laptops, iPhones, smartphones, and digital cameras.
Their fast working, less space, quick boot timing, high internal resistance, minimal noise, and less power consumption make them more popular than traditional hard disk drives. However, they are comparatively more expensive than HDDs.
We are here to help you search for a solid-state drive for your laptop as a college student. 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB are prominently available sizes. However, 64GB SD cards and 4TB drives are more common in use. At the same time, 8TB drives are also present if a college student wants to store data.
Despite all their benefits, SSDs can not compete with HDDs in size available in 16TB.
RAM (Random Access Memory):
RAM is available in laptops, computers, and smartphones. RAM (random access memory) is standard to measure a laptop’s memory. It means how many bytes of memory are available for a program to use.
When the device is shut down, the stored data is removed. It is standard to check how many programs a laptop can run at a time. The higher the RAM, the more programs your computer will run at a time.RAM requirement for a student laptop depends on the programs they want to run.
Although 4GB of RAM is enough to run AutoCAD, photoshop, and Office apps, the latest models are now moving to 8GB. It is adequate if you are using Windows 10. If you are a game lover or video editor, 16GB will be more suitable for you.
Network Attached Storage (NAS) device:
In the digital world of the 21st century, you feel it is easier to study online, which is impossible without having a laptop.
Online study trend makes it a daily routine for you to solve your assignments, research projects, quizzes, and perform many other tasks on your laptop computer.
It can maximize your storage capacity. How can this problem be overcome? You can use hard disks or solid-state drives as portable devices to save and transfer their data from one place to another.
But you can’t access your data if you leave external HD in your college.
Network-attached storage (NAS) can become an issue because it is a device that is connected to a network instead of being attached to a laptop. It consists of an operating system and a processor to run apps. NAS makes it possible for you to save images, films, and music into a central location and then send them to another device.
Top 3 Laptop issues that a college students faces:
Most college students don’t know how to resolve the problems with their laptops? Where can they go for help? The following paragraph presents some significant issues and their solutions that you face as a college student:
Battery charging issue:
Laptops have titanium batteries. With time, batteries become unable to charge entirely or save charging. The best possible solution is to replace your battery with a new one. Contact an expert technician if you want to change your laptop battery; otherwise, you can damage its backside.
Internet connectivity problem:
The most common problem that every laptop owner faces is internet connection problems. The first solution to this issue is to unplug your router and then plug it in again after some time. If this doesn’t work, troubleshoot your network. You will find a built-in option in all windows operating systems. If it still doesn’t work, check and repair your graphics card.
Overheating:
You have to face overheating issues if you use your laptop in your lap or a quiet place for a long time. Such a rough use can block laptop vents. It creates a problem for air to pass through a laptop. The only solution is the careful use of your device.
Top 3 laptops for college students:
1. Intel Celeron N4020
The Intel Celeron processor has many prominent features that make it useful for college students. It has 8GB of RAM AND 64GB Micro SD Card, making it ideal for a college student.
Some prominent features are:
- An Intel HD Graphics 600
- 92 lb weight
- White color
- Lithium-ion 41Whr 3-cell battery
2. Acer Aspire 5 slim:
Acer introduced the Laptop with Windows 10 in S mode with AMD Radeon Vega 3 Mobile Graphics.
It has the following features.
- 6GHZ Dual-Core processor, which can boost up to 3.5GHZ
- Full HD widescreen display
- Two built-in microphones and stereo speakers
- Back-lit Keyboard
3. Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Laptop:
Lenovo Ideapad is a 15-inch laptop with Windows 11. The features that make it suitable for college students are:
- AMD Ryzen 5 mobile processor
- 512 GB SSD storage
- 6-inch FHD
- Dual Microphone
- USB-C and USB 3.2 ports
Final words:
A good laptop is a must-have device for every student. You can’t perform well in college without a computer. A computer with all the software you need to prepare your assignments, notes, and exam is the best.
Every software creates junk files while running, which can be problematic for you as a college student. So it is necessary to consider storage space before buying a laptop.
We can decide on suitable storage space based on the study level. A maximum of 256GB will be enough for a school student, but a college or university student will need higher storage space because of his academic work.
This article was a complete guide about the storage needs of a college student. We have tried to enlist the three best laptops currently riding on Amazon’s best choice.
You May Also Need to know:
- How to keep your laptop from overheating-Tips and Guides
- How to improve laptop battery life – Tricks & tips
- How To Turn On A Laptop Without Power Button-Ultimate Guide
- How To Setup A Windows 10 SSD And HDD Combo