Understandably, media studies is a broad discipline. Students of the media seeking to build a career as journalists and authors will naturally have different requirements compared to media students with a keen interest in graphic design and cinematography.
Bearing all of this in mind, we have put extra consideration while conducting our elaborate research for the most ideal laptop for a media student.
We present to you the fruits of our labor below. These are some of the most wholesome laptops out there which can help you greatly in your chosen field of study.
On The Market lots of option are available that is also confusing. In this details article we show you 9 best laptops for media students that are really best currently on the market so stay with us and get your perfect one
Top 9 Laptops For Media Students – Comparison Table
Table of Contents
Product Name=> | Image=> | Features=> | Price=> |
#1 Acer Aspire E 15 Laptop, 15.6″ Full HD, 8th Gen Intel Core i5 |  |
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#2 The Ultimate Thin & Light Laptop | Huawei MateBook X Pro Signature Edition |  |
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#3 HP Envy X360, 15.6″ FHD IPS Touchscreen, 2019 Flagship 2 in 1 Laptop |  |
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#4 Microsoft Surface Laptop 1769 (KSR-00001) Intel Core i5 |  |
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#5 HP ENVY 13 Inch Thin Laptop with Fingerprint Reader and 4K Touchscreen |  |
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#6 Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD Storage) – Silver |  |
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#7 New Microsoft Surface Go (Intel Pentium Gold, 8GB RAM, 128GB) | |
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#8 ASUS Chromebook Flip C434 2-In-1 Laptop, 14″ Full HD Touchscreen 4-Way NanoEdge |  |
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#9 Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop, 15.6 inches Full HD IPS Display With AMD Ryzen 3 3200U | |
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Types Of Laptops For Media Students
Media students need easily portable laptops with high-end features. So a laptop must be eligible and budget-friendly for daily media work.
Different types of media work require laptops with excellent visuals, flawless processor, enough storage, and an extended battery.
Let’s know the types of laptops for media students.
Laptop For Video Editing
As the title suggests, video editing laptops must be capable enough to transcode videos in any resolution.
Besides, a dazzling high-resolution display with an intense CPU and GPU is a must. And storage is another notable factor. Since we are talking about media students, budget is an essential factor here.
Laptop For Film Editing
Minimum requirements for intense film editing laptops are – Core i7 processor with AMD, 8 GB RAM, 960M GPU, LED display with 1920×1080 resolution, SSD/HDD storage or both, Type-C USB, 3Ib in weight.
Making films on a laptop is not an easy task at all. With these minimum features, as a film student, you will finish a project in time.
Laptop For Graphics Design
Operating system, RAM and ROM, display and color, speed – these things are the most important while looking for a laptop for graphic design.
Again, the compatibility of graphics design software with a different OS is a must also. A user’s work, budget, and preferable software determine which laptop s/he wants.
Our Chart is Basically Sentimentalized Into 3 Categories.
- At the top of our list, we have listed those laptops have received wonderful reviews from buyers because of their exceptional performance. Additionally, these laptops are great for cinematography and graphic design.
- For the elite buyer, we’ve even included Apple’s mesmerizing Macbook.
- Near the bottom of our table, we’ve even included a few 2-in-1 laptops. These cost relatively less, but fall short in metrics of performance.
9 Best Laptops For Media Students 2020 Reviews
1. Acer Aspire E 15 Laptop, 15.6″ Full HD, 8th Gen Intel Core i5
The topper on our list is the astounding Acer Aspire E15. With its remarkable specs, the Acer Aspire E15 is a computer like no other. While buying this powerful PC requires a bit of an investment to be made on your part, but considering the excellent performance offered, the investment is definitely worth it. College life is pretty energy draining. Ever so often you will experience despair at not having enough time to get everything done. And it’s precisely because of that a college student needs to be productive.
You can only put on your A-game once you have a laptop capable of offering that kind of support. The Acer Aspire E15 comes equipped with a powerful core-i5-8250U processor which is very much capable of meeting your need for speed.
And that’s not all. Check out the features mentioned below to actually understand how great this computer really is.
Features
- CPU: a powerful core-i5-8250U processor boasting an impressive clock-speed of 3.4 GHz
- RAM:8GB Dual Channel Memory
- Storage: 256GB SSD which reduces bootup times and optimizes performance
- Display: 15.6″ Full HD
- A powerful battery life
- Camera:720p HD camera
- OS: Windows 10 Home edition
- Large number of different ports: 1) a USB-C 3.1 port 2) two USB-A 3.0 ports 3) a USB-A 2.0 ports 4) HDMI ports 5)VGA port 6)Ethernet connection 7) combo audio jack 8) WiFi and Bluetooth features
Pros
- The computer has an impressive battery life.
- Allows for light gaming
- The presence of 256 SSD ensures a super-fast boot-up and also boosts performance.
- Back lit keyboard makes it easier to use the computer in dark spaces.
- 720p HD Camera – Camera is great as well, far better than 480p cameras in other laptops
- It comes equipped with a backlit keyboard.
Cons
- Designed with thick bezels
- The laptop uses a non-removable battery. (Basically the battery is directly connected to the motherboard.)
Considering the price paid, the Acer Aspire E15 laptop offers excellent performance. Not to mention, the laptop has also got a full-HD screen and SSD memory, making up the ultimate combo.
While there are better premium notebooks out there in the market, nothing comes close to the Acer Aspire E15. With solid performance and good build quality, the Acer Aspire E15 is perfect for the media student. Don’t miss out!
2. The Ultimate Thin & Light Laptop | Huawei Mate Book X Pro Signature Edition
The 14-inch MateBook X Pro is a fine piece of tech and has proven to be quite the sensation. Craftily designed by the Chinese tech giant, Huawei, the ultra-slim notebook has made quite a name for itself in both home and abroad. The alluring silver rectangle is elegantly designed and has a gorgeous high-res display. Not only does the machine flaunt an attractive exterior, but it’s also garnering attention with its noteworthy performance and excellent battery life.
While at first glance, critics might call it an excellent imitation of Apple’s Macbook Pro, the Matebook X Pro’s keyboard offers greater comfort.
Since its release into the market, the price of the laptop has gone down considerably. All things considered, it’s an excellent choice and is worthy of its place on the list of suitable laptops for media students.
Features
- CPU: a powerful 8th Gen Intel Core i7 8550U processor
- RAM:8GB Dual Channel Memory
- Storage: 256GB SSD which reduces bootup times and optimizes performance
- Display: 13.9 inch, 3K touchscreen which offers a stunning visual experience
- Powerful graphics card: Nvidia GeForce MX150 Graphics Card
- A powerful battery life
- Home-theater feature with 3k touchscreen
- a rock-solid spill-proof keyboard
- OS: Windows 10 Home edition
- One-touch power button: Identity verification via Windows Hello
- Powerful Wifi adapter, Bluetooth feature and audio sockets
- Useful ports including: 1)USB-A port 2) USB-C port 3) HDMI port and 4) VGA port
- Other miscellaneous benefits: 1 year of warranty plus 1 year of free Office 365 for personal use
Pros
- Brilliant battery life (can last up to 8-10 hours when used moderately)
- Excellent display making it easy to use in outdoor settings
- High-quality speakers
- Aesthetic and elegantly designed
- Comes equipped with a fingerprint sensor
Cons
- Webcam in awkward position
- Poor heat dissipation
With aesthetic design and top-notch performance, the Huawei Mate book X Pro is in a league of its own. Other than the awkwardly positioned webcam, the Matebook X Pro is almost flawless.
Having informed you about the amazing nature of this marvellous machine, it’s time for you to take a decision, mate.
3. HP Envy X360, 15.6″ FHD IPS Touchscreen, 2019 Flagship 2 in 1 Laptop
Have you ever seen a gadget so fine that it leaves you in awe for prolonged periods? Well, the HP Envy X360 falls under that category. This laptop is state-of-the-art tech. The machine’s processing power is on a whole new level. However, that is to be expected considering the fact that the laptop is equipped with a quad-core processor. And that’s not all, folks. 8GB DDR RAM and 256 GB SSD only add to the awesomeness of this machine
Features
- CPU: AMD Quad-Core Ryzen 5 2500U processor(with a base clock speed of 2GHz and a turbo frequency of 3.6GHz)
- RAM:8GB Dual Channel Memory
- Storage: 256GB PCle SSD which optimizes performance
- Display: 15.6″ Full HD IPS touchscreen
- A powerful battery life
- Backlit keyboard
- 802.11 ac Wifi adapter
- Bluetooth adapter
- Webcam
- OS: Windows 10 Home edition with zero bloatware
- Essential ports including: 1) one USB 3.1 Type-C port 2) Two USB 3.1 ports 3) one HDMI port 4) Headphone/microphone audio sockets 5) microSD Media Card Reader
Pros
- Excellent 2-in-one laptop
- Lightweight and portable
- Webcam kill-switch for increased privacy
- Beautifully designed with thin-screen bezels
- Powerful processor
- Comes pre-installed with Windows 10 Home Edition
- Backlit keyboard
Cons
- The battery life could be better
- Noisy in its operations
When you think of a small portable powerhouse, think of the HP Envy X360. With its unique brilliance, it will not fail you.
As a media student, having a powerful portable computer like the HP Envy X360 might be just what you need to build a bright career for yourself. Get yours now from Amazon now!
4. Microsoft Surface Laptop 1769 (KSR-00001) Intel Core i5
Going to college often involves commuting. Portability thus plays a decisive role here. So, Number 3 on our list is a detachable- the Microsoft Surface Pro. It’s easy to carry and has a terrific battery life. The machine is a literal powerhouse. Armed with powerful intel Core i5 processors, this machinery never fails to deliver in terms of performance. Expect nothing short of excellence while using this powerful 128 GB or 8GB RAM SSD powered laptop.
Features
- CPU: AMD Quad-Core Ryzen 5 2500U processor (with a base clock speed of 2GHz and a turbo frequency of 3.6GHz)
- RAM:8GB Dual Channel Memory
- Storage: 256GB PCle SSD which optimizes performance
- Display: The sleek machine brandishes a beautiful 13.5’’ touchscreen
- A powerful battery life
- Unlock the best of Office and Windows: The Microsoft Surface Laptop is designed for Windows 10 S and optimized for security and performance
- Convertible: Easily convert from laptop to tablet form
Pros
- Ultra-light and versatile
- Easily convertible from tablet form to laptop form
- Excellent battery life (*7hrs 52 minutes)
- High quality microphones
- Decent performance
- Touch-responsive display
Cons
- Comes configured with Windows 10 S
- Small selection of ports
The Microsoft Surface Pro is a beautiful blend of power and portability and is ideal for media students on the go.
If you’re looking for the perfect balance of power and performance, then Microsoft Surface Pro is ideal for you. Break your limits and reach new surfaces with your Surface Pro.
5. HP ENVY 13 Inch Thin Laptop with Fingerprint Reader and 4K Touchscreen
A laptop which has got envy in its name is bound to incite some envy. And that’s precisely the reason why this enviable machine comes equipped with state-of-the-art security features. This means that your information won’t be compromised easily. Starting from beautiful graphics to optimizing performance, the HP Envy does it all. Heck, what more could you ask for?
HP really did it again when they released the HP Envy 13 inch into the market. This machine is so very powerful and yet it doesn’t cost that much either.
The HP envy takes security to the next level. Equipped with a fingerprint reader, 4k touchscreen, 16GB of RAM, the machine is literally astounding.
Features
- CPU: top-tier Intel Core i7-8565U processor (with a base clock speed of 1.8GHz and a turbo frequency of 4.6GHz)
- RAM: A massive 16GB of RAM
- Storage: 512 GB of SSD adds an extra-dimension to the machine’s performance
- Display: 13’’ screen
- Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce MX250 Graphics
- A powerful battery life
- Fingerprint scanner
- OS: Windows 10 Home
- Convertible: Easily convert from laptop to tablet form
Pros
- Has a long battery life when operating on a 1080p screen resolution
- Decent audio quality
- The screen is designed in an elegant manner with thin bezels
- Offers top-notch performance
- Memory intensive programs can be easily run because this model has 16 GB of RAM
Cons
- Much to our disappointment, the powerful 4K model has a short battery life
- Thunderbolt 3 port absent
The HP Envy is one of the most furnished laptops out there in the market. Exceeding expectations with both portability and performance, the HP Envy is highly recommended for media students starting their college journey.
More importantly, the HP Envy is futureproof, so you’d be very pleased with investing in this brilliant laptop.
6. Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD Storage) – Silver
Desc: Apple, the iconic brand is renowned for its line of classy computers. Elegantly designed, the Apple Macbook Air is the perfect choice for the elite media student.Equipped with a powerful core-i5-processor, generous amounts of RAM and SSD, this machine doesn’t disappoint in terms of performance.
More importantly, if you are someone who spends considerable amounts of time editing documents, then this computer is ideal for you.
The wonderful thing about Mac computers in general, is the amazing typing experience. The keyboard is nothing short of brilliant
Features
- CPU: Powerful core-i5-processor
- RAM: 8GB Dual Channel Memory
- Storage: 128 GB SSD which optimizes performance
- Display: High quality Retina display
- Long battery life: (10hrs 26 minutes)
- Unlock the best of Office and Windows: The Microsoft Surface Laptop is designed for Windows 10 S and optimized for security and performance
- Convertible: Easily convert from laptop to tablet form
Pros
- Superior typing experience due to excellent keyboard
- Strong battery life (10hrs and 26 minutes)
- Superb retina display
- Doesn’t fail to deliver in terms of performance
- Comes with a 1 year warranty
Cons
- Heavier than competitors
- The storage space is kind of low and external hard-drives may be needed
The MacBook Air is unmatched in its brilliance. Admittedly, it is a tad heavy, but considering the performance offered, this is definitely one of the best laptops for college students. Order your own Macbook Air now!
7. New Microsoft Surface Go (Intel Pentium Gold, 8GB RAM, 128GB)
Combining the functionality of a tablet with that of a laptop is no easy feat. But Microsoft has pulled it off flawlessly. The New Microsoft Surface Go is a thing of beauty. The display in particular is eye-catching. You can touch it, view it and even write on it. Owing to its light-weight, it’s portable and you can easily use it while commuting to college. The superb battery life just goes to show the electrical stamina of this marvelous gadget.
Features
- CPU: a decent 1.6GHz dual-core processor
- RAM: 8GB Dual Channel Memory
- Storage: 128 GB SSD which optimizes performance
- Display: Magnificent high resolution 10-inch PixelSense Screen
- Lightweight: The machine weighs only 1.15 pounds and is extremely easy to carry around
- Long battery life: capable of running for 9 hours non-stop
- Convertible: Easily convert from laptop to tablet form
- OS: Windows 10 Home in S mode
- Backlit keyboard
- Touch-screen feature
- Multi-tasking USB-C ports
- Ambient light sensor
Pros
- Amazing 2-in-one laptop, which can be used as both a tablet as well as a laptop
- Runs much faster than other budget Windows laptops
- Elegantly designed
- Amazing graphics
- Equipped with Windows Hello which enables users to login using facial recognition
- Top-notch sound quality due to excellent speakers
- Powerful processor
- Backlit keyboard promotes functionality in dark spaces
- Comes pre-installed with Windows 10 Home Edition
Cons
- Windows Desktop Mode feels cramped.
- Comparatively less powerful than the iPad
- Users have to buy keyboard and pen separately
- Battery life needs to improve
In terms of portability, the New Microsoft Surface Go is the best option for you. You’ll be able to carry it wherever you want and use it while commuting. Hence, the New Microsoft Surface Go is a great choice for the college-going student. Grab yours now!
8. ASUS Chromebook Flip C434 2-In-1 Laptop, 14″ Full HD Touchscreen 4-Way NanoEdge
It was in recent years that Google came out with their intriguing Chromebooks. These portable powerhouses run on Google’s own OS- the Chrome operating system.
You might be wondering, with so many reputed laptop makers out there, why would anyone even want to buy a chromebook? Well, the thing is, the Chromebook is unbelievably efficient and chromebooks allow you to download android apps in your computer.
Other PCs just don’t offer that feature. A strong battery life further adds to the allure of the Chromebooks.
Pros
- Strong battery-life (can last for up to 9hrs 58 min)
- Smooth trackpad allows for comfortable navigation
- Option to download android apps on Chrome OS
- Slim bezels to promote screen real estate
- Excellent split-screen feature
- Backlit keyboard that makes typing a delightful experience
Cons
- Low quality speakers
- Some apps like Photoshop and Illustrator won’t run owing to the lack of RAM
- Runs on Chrome OS which is still relatively new
All in all, the Chromebook Flip C434 is an excellent 2-in-1 laptop. You are highly recommended to buy this PC if you feel you want to try out the new Chrome OS.
9. Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop, 15.6 inches Full HD IPS Display With AMD Ryzen 3 3200U
The last in our list is the Acer Aspire 5. Not exactly a top-tier machine, but it has its own strong points Considering the hardware and associated internal components, the slim machine is a real beast. Performance-wise, it’s fairly capable of delivering the most common requirements a media student might have. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that the media student would indeed be quite lucky to have such a fine piece of tech at their disposal.
Features
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 3200U processor (base clock speed:2.6GHz and turbo frequency of 3.5GHz)
- RAM:4GB DDR4 RAM
- Storage: 128GB SSD which reduces bootup times and optimizes performance
- Display: 15.6″ Full HD
- Graphics: Vega 3 graphics card
- A powerful battery life: Perfect for outdoor use
- Convertible: Easily convert from laptop to tablet form
- OS: Windows 10 Home edition
- Comes configured with HDMI and Ethernet ports
- Powerful Wifi adapter and Bluetooth adapter
Pros
- Beautifully designed
- Equipped with a powerful processor
- Excellent battery life offers ample amounts of unplugged usage
- Low power consumption
- Fast bootup times due to SSD memory
Cons
- Low RAM causes lag while running certain applications
- Surface of the laptop can easily be scratched by fingerprints
If you are a little tight on your budget then the Acer Aspire 5 is the right choice for you. Offering both performance and portability, the Acer Aspire 5 will make your student life run smoothly. Get yours now!
Criteria For Selecting The Best Laptop For Media Students:
While selecting the perfect laptop for your media studies, you need to keep the following in mind:
Portable
The first item on your checklist is portability. You want to be able to carry your laptop around. To do this, the laptop has to be the right size and it has to be lightweight. (1.5-2kg ideally) Above all, your selected laptop must be comfy and make your life easier.
Nowadays, 2-in-1 laptops are the new trend. These portable powerhouses blend the convenience of tablets together with the versatility of laptops. So, if you’re looking for something powerful which gets your work done, 2-in-1 laptops are a great choice.
Excellent Battery Life
As a student, you will frequently be away from home and charging your laptop just might not be feasible. However, you might still need to have work done. And this is where a powerful battery can come in handy. Ideally, you would want your laptop to run for prolonged periods on a single charge.
Processor
In your hunt for the ideal laptop, you need to select a laptop with a powerful processor. Having a laptop with a powerful processor greatly enhances performance. And because of this enhanced performance, life becomes so much more convenient.
Your laptop’s processor should be a quad-core.(*Octa-core is even better)
From the Intel family, the core-i5 processors and the core-i7 processors are recommended.
From the AMD family, Ryzen processors are a good choice.
Basically, you should take note of the number of cores in the processor, the base clock speed and the boost frequency.
The downside to having a powerful processor is that powerful processors can greatly reduce battery life and sometimes, heat-up the laptop too quickly.
Graphics Card
Media students with a keen interest in graphic design, video-editing and/or photography need to be mindful of the graphics card on their laptop. A dedicated graphics card from NVIDIA or AMD would be excellent for video-editing purposes
RAM
Your laptop should have a minimum of 8GB dual-channel RAM. This will enable you to run memory intensive programs like Photoshop, Illustrator and other programs from the Adobe Suite family. The RAM in your machine should be dual-channel as this will further improve the performance of your machine.
Durability
Investing in a laptop requires quite a decent chunk of money. Naturally, you would then want your laptop to be as durable as possible. It must be able to handle your workload for as long as possible.
SSD
Time is of utmost importance in a student’s life. Having a certain amount of SSD can greatly optimize performance and reduce bootup times. The perfect laptop should thus have a certain amount of SSD (128GB to 256GB minimum)
Keyboard
For media students, seeking to establish themselves as writers and journalists, having the right keyboard is important. Typing comfort can add to typing speed, thereby promoting user productivity. Additionally, laptops with backlit keyboards are excellent for working in poorly lit environments.
Touchpad
The laptop of your choice should have a comfortable touchpad which makes navigation easy.
Display
Depending on your requirements, the display on your laptop will change. For media students seeking to get into video-editing and graphic design, having a HD display(1080p) is important. The higher the resolution on your machine, the clearer the picture.
Ports
You need to make sure that your laptop has the right set of USB 3 ports/Thunderbolt ports and/or HDMI ports. Additionally, they should have headphone and microphone sockets in place.
Webcam
In the digital age, being able to hold virtual conferences is important. So, having a nice webcam on your computer is immensely beneficial.
In fact, having a high-resolution webcam can greatly add quality to your video-chatting experience, allowing you to collaborate with your friends, colleagues and/or mentors.
Wifi Adapter
Having a powerful Wifi adapter can greatly improve your browsing experience. Streaming videos on the net also become more convenient. Without a powerful Wifi adapter, your internet experience won’t be the same.
After having read our guide, you should now be well-versed with what to lookout for while buying a laptop. You have the option to select from our list of the ideal laptops for media students.
All the best with your purchasing decision and all the best to you in your studies. May you shine in all that you do!
FAQs
1: Which Laptop is Best For Multimedia?
Ans: Standard monitor with a great display, 4 GB RAM with 512 GB storage, 8 hours long battery, Core i5 Intel processor, NVIDIA graphic chip – these are the minimum and must-have specifications a multimedia laptop.
Other specifications are USB port, touchscreen, fold-able and detachable monitor, Wi-Fi 6. Buy a laptop which has all these.
2: Which Laptop is the Best Suitable For A Media Student?
Ans: There is no specific answer to this question. A media student will decide which laptop s/he needs for his/her projects. Sometimes, a student may pick MacBook Pro, sometimes not.
Again, a cheaper or gaming laptop may moderately help a media student. So if you are a media student, make a list of your projects or works, search over the internet for compatible laptops and choose.
3: Are Dell or HP Laptops Better?
Ans: Both brands have significant collections in their hive. Dell attracts its customers for a cheap price, gaming performance, and reliability. HP is excellent for eye-catchy design, solid and powerful hardware, and unique features.
If you are a media student, have a limited budget, and choose between them, then go for Dell laptops. Because Dell costs cheaper than HP. Also, in performance, Dell is quite promising.
Question: Why Media Students Need The Best Laptop?
Ans: Apart from science students and software developers, journalism students also need the best laptop. The digital world is quite challenging. To compete in this world, a journalism student must have a laptop to help him/her in 24/7 research work.
Journalism is connected with unlimited writings and research, and visual evidence. Only the best laptop can fulfill these needs.
To sum up, no laptop is perfect in every aspect. There is an opposite relation between specifications and price most of the time.
For media students, fast performance and portability come before extraordinary graphics and affordable prices. So as a media student, you must prefer speed to cost. Find a fast and portable laptop to buy, and work competitively.
Final Verdict
With technological breakthroughs taking place all the time, our education system has undergone considerable change. Gone are the days where pen and paper would suffice to meet a college-going student’s demands.
The influence of digital revolution has left a profound impact on the academic landscape. From note-taking to storing course material, we now prefer to do everything with the help of computers.
You see, laptops are a staple requirement of every college-going media student. It’s probably because you understand the sheer necessity of having the right laptop for your media studies degree that you’re here in the first place.
Yet, finding out the right laptop which meets your specific needs can be quite a hassle. With so many choices out there, how do you go about selecting the perfect laptop? Or, for that matter, what should a media student be looking for while buying a laptop?
Should they focus on getting a laptop with a powerful battery or should they be more focused on the graphics card? As prospective buyers, these are questions you should be asking yourself.
Deciding to purchase a laptop is a big decision. Don’t worry though. Once you’ve read our informative guide, you too will be aware of the key factors, media students need to bear in mind when buying a laptop. I hope now you get about best laptops for media students.
