With the pandemic still not over in the country, distance learning is the best alternative to have our students continue their education. Phones and tablets can be used for this, but a laptop is most ideal since it’s built more for multi-tasking, which is needed especially if you’re in the higher levels of schooling.
There are a number of factors in getting a laptop but the minimum are – 4GB RAM, an Intel Core i3 (or AMD Ryzen 3) processor, and 256GB SSD. Other laptops would have either a 1TB HDD or 128GB + 1TB storage – these are the only alternatives to a 256GB SSD, giving you lots of storage in place of a durable and fast hard drive.
These specs ensure that you will be able to perform your basic tasks, and enough storage for additional apps and files you will need.
Grade school
Just because your kid is still in grade school doesn’t mean you can buy the cheapest laptop available. You must still follow the minimum specs stated before because they’ll be using apps that will need a bit more resources.
Avoid laptops with Intel Pentium processors or those with only 128GB of storage. It would be slow and the storage is barely enough for the operating system, much less if you install Microsoft Office in there.
Ideally, a laptop for a grade school student should have a Core i3 processor (or Ryzen 3), 4GB RAM, and 256GB SSD. The HP 14S DK1057AU is a perfect example of a laptop that meets those criteria for only P22,990. It has a 14-inch monitor, a webcam, and comes with a backpack to keep it safe and dust-free.
High school
A laptop for highschool students must be a bit more robust since these days, they’re doing more than just Word and Excel. You’ll be surprised by the amount of tasks they’re doing to meet requirements.
They’ll need a laptop that can handle multi-tasking and basic photo and video editing. To do that, look for a laptop with Core i5 (or Ryzen 5) processor, at least 8GB of RAM and 512GB SSD or 128GB SSD + 1TB HDD. The dual hard drive setup means you should install the operating system and all apps in the SSD to make them load faster, then all files in the HDD so in case you need to reformat your laptop, all files would remain intact.
Laptops that meet that criteria usually fall on the P40k mark so if you’re on a budget, the Acer Aspire 3 A315-56-596K is a good alternative. It has the newest Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM that’s upgradable up to 12GB, 256GB SSD + 1TB SSD, and already comes with Windows 10 all for P32,999. A great bargain especially considering the storage you’d have for the price.
College
Choosing a laptop for a college kid is a bit tricky since their demands would depend on the course they’re taking or hobbies they have.
Just like in the high school recommendation, it would be best if they start with a laptop with Core i5 (or Ryzen 5) processor and at least 8GB RAM. This would ensure they can do the multitasking required for their daily needs, especially once thesis semesters kick in.
The Lenovo Ideapad 3 fits the bill with its 15.6” screen, Ryzen 7 processor, 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD + 1TB HDD combo. It also has Microsoft Office pre-installed with a lifetime license, all for P37,995.
If they’re into media, fine arts, advertising, engineering, architecture, or any course that will need heavy visuals, they will need a laptop with 16GB RAM and a dedicated graphics card with at least 4GB GDDR5 memory. This would let them work faster and render their projects at a tolerable pace.
Remember these are just recommendations and it would be best to go to a store you could trust for the options you have on your budget. You can check this video by Villman for more info or to see available laptops they have, visit their website.
