I'm going to college for engineering soon and need to buy a laptop. What are some affordable options that are good for taking classes and handling engineering software? Any suggestions would be appreciated!
When considering laptops for engineering students, it's important to ensure that the device can handle the software used in various engineering courses.
One laptop that is widely appreciated in this regard is the Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop. It boasts an AMD Ryzen 3 3200U processor that can handle many of the engineering software applications, 4GB DDR4 memory and a 128GB PCIe NVMe SSD for fast boot times and quick access to your files. It provides an excellent balance between cost and functionality, and it usually runs about $400-$600.
On the slightly higher end of the spectrum, but still somewhat budget-friendly, you'd have the Lenovo IdeaPad 3. It has a robust AMD Ryzen 5 3500U mobile processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM, and a 256 GB SSD. This model typically retails for around $500-$750.
Remember, these are just guidelines and actual prices can vary. Before making a decision, check the specific needs of your engineering program. They often provide suggestions for hardware configurations that align with their instructional program, so that would be a good place to start your search. Also, be sure to watch for sales events like Black Friday or seasonal back-to-school sales, which could offer additional savings.
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.