Finding a decent college laptop that can meet the broad needs of a student and still be budget-friendly can be quite a challenge. Not only does a college laptop need to be able to run high-end software, maybe some gaming and have enough storage, other specifications such as battery life, portability and build quality that can be a trade-off for those looking for niche applications such as gaming, video editing or visual development become just as important.

And that's not even mentioning that, ideally, it should take at least four years. And that's not even mentioning that most students are strapped for cash, so you've got quite a task ahead of you.

As a student on a budget, you need enough storage to store almost your entire digital life. Not just the academic stuff, like coursework and learning materials, but also your personal stuff. Movies, music, games, or whatever.

You’ll also need something portable (don’t underestimate the importance of weight. I did, and regretted it.) and with decent battery life, because, and this is true, it’s physically impossible to find an unoccupied power outlet within reach if your computer dies in the middle of a lecture. It’s just impossible. Quarantine, believe it or not, doesn’t last forever, so it’s important to think long-term.