2017 Laptop Recommendations

You can literally buy any computer and it will be fine for your purposes from the sounds of it. They all have exactly the same parts inside, even Apple products. If you want a laptop/tablet hybrid check out Microsoft Surface - I'm a fan. What is the software? My school requires some software but it can be run on an iPad.

Agree with @Rionoir, except on the surface. Save your money if you want a laptop/tablet hybrid. There are other options that are cheaper and just as good but without the microsoft name, like the lenovo yoga or the acer R3-471(what I have, it's really good for just about everything except gaming). You really shouldn't need to spend more than $500 on a new laptop if you're only using it for schoolwork.

We have like 4 or 5 programs for the computer, plus we have to buy a preloaded ipod touch. I guess I just want something that's gonna last!

A computer lasting a long time depends more on you not clicking spam links that are going to destroy your hard drive than anything else. Have you tried just reinstalling Windows on your current one and/or upgrading the memory- it's pretty cheap these days.

My current laptop (Lenovo g510) worked great until the Windows 10 update. I tried getting my old windows 8 back, and even had prpffesional help. Not long after that, my computer started having issues connecting to the Internet by ethernet and wifi. I tried to reinstall and update all related drivers, and even had someone else double check for me, and I still have issues. I know a couple of other people with the same or similar laptop as me and they were having some major issues also.

My current laptop works fine for typing up an essay in word or making a powerpoint, but even then it will restart itself or freeze. Right now, it's saying that I have no WiFi signal when every other device in my house is picking up strong signals! I guess I'm just afraid of spending more money on getting it repaired, just to have it crash in 6 months anyway!!

I've been researching this as well and have found some great videos on how to use the surface pro 3 for students. You can get one on Amazon barely used or refurbished for as low as $350, the laptops with more gigs are about 500-800! One note allows you to take notes and record the lectures at the same time. You can also draw diagrams and go back to what you were drawing/writing on the recording, so you can listen to what the professor was talking about at the exact time you were taking those notes.

I use a surface pro 4 I5 processor and it works fine for school. look at 2 in 1 laptop/ tablet designs as it is really nice to have a stylus and be able to write on the Powerpoint and PDF lectures.

The main reason I got surface is that if I have a problem, both the hardware, operating system and main software of office 365 which is free through the university as a student is all made by the same company. So if I have issues, MS cannot blame the computer manufacturer or software package and vice versa.

Oh, If you buy it with an amazon visa you get a 1 year warranty extension from chase, Costco will also give you an extra year. I bought my 10 year old daughter a Surface clone, asus or acer and got a 3 year damage/drop protection for it for about $80

Amazon.com : Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (128 GB, 4 GB RAM, Intel Core i5) : Computers & Accessories

I am using an Asus UX303U for school and it is PERFECT. Lightweight, fast, quiet. It has a touchscreen if that's important to you. I think I paid about $750 last fall for it.

I recently purchased an HP Omen. They cost roughly around your budget. I wanted to buy as much laptop as I could afford with a decent graphics card. It also came with a HDD/SSD hybrid which helps with speed of operation. Over the years I've always had great luck with HP laptops. I also find them budget friendlier.

I ended up going with the lenovo yoga 710, which has an ssd! So far so good and I got a Memorial day deal on it. But I'm still going to get an accidental protection plan just to avoid any bumps in the road í ½í¸Š

I ended up going with the lenovo yoga 710, which has an ssd! So far so good and I got a Memorial day deal on it. But I'm still going to get an accidental protection plan just to avoid any bumps in the road ������

Congrats on your new laptop! That should have you covered for school with no problem!