Laptops are an essential part of any student’s life. They are a gateway to social networking, important homework resources, and of course games, videos and other forms of entertainment. Because of the cost and difficulty of transporting laptops long distances to different countries, most students who choose to study in England purchase a laptop upon their arrival. This is because the power grid and much of the telecommunications structure in England is different from that of other countries, and so it is often easier to buy a laptop intended to work in England than to import one and purchase the necessary upgrades and adapters.
The key is to purchase a laptop that will remain current and useful for the entire duration of your stay, so that you don’t need to buy another one or upgrade it beyond a few simple hardware upgrades (such as adding more RAM). With that in mind, it is important that you consider the following:
How long will you be studying in England? If you will only be studying for a few months, then a very simple, stripped down laptop is probably the best solution. After all, you won’t be using it for very long, and you will most likely be selling or donating it when you leave.
If you intend to stay for awhile, though, you should choose a powerful laptop that will be current for several years and can be upgraded over time. Investing in a high quality laptop for the long haul will pay off by eliminating the need to purchase expensive upgrades or a new machine as technology changes.
What will you be using the laptop for? Students who are going to be using the laptop primarily for taking notes and social networking should consider very small, light laptops such as Notebooks or other sub-notebook computers. The ease of use and portability of these units makes them ideal for highly mobile students, and they are also comparatively inexpensive.
These advantages come at the cost of processing power, however, and they are therefore inferior as far as gaming goes. They also tend to be difficult or impossible to upgrade and are low on storage space.
After reading this guide we hope students will be well informed of the things to consider when purchasing a laptop for when traveling overseas.
