Operating Systems
ChromeOS - This is what Chromebooks run on. Chromebooks are manufactured by several of the big computer companies (Dell, HP, Acer, ect.) Chromebooks are very cheap and easy to use, however some prefer not to use them because their OS has a lot of features locked down and you're limited in what you can control. In addition, we routinely see issues where students need certain software for class that is not supported on Chromebooks. A Chromebook might be a viable option for you if you only need basic software.
Mac OSX - This is what Apple devices run on. Mac OSX is marketed as being sleek, efficient, and user-friendly. If you'd like to use this operating system, you'll need to buy a device directly from Apple, as their OS is proprietary and designed to run only on their devices. Do be aware that Apple computers/laptops tend to run on the more expensive side - even their cheap options can quickly approach $1,000. You might be able to find used Apple devices and get them at a discount, though. One more thing to note is that some Apple users have the same issues with Chromebooks, where software for class is not compatible. However, this happens much less frequently than it does with Chromebooks.
Windows - This is what a majority of non-Apple devices will be running. Like Chromebooks, you can get a Windows device from many different manufacturers (HP, ASUS, Lenovo, etc.) Windows has been around for a long time and you've probably used it before. Windows is pretty versatile and can be run on many different types of devices and various hardware specs. In our experience, Windows has the best software compatibility/options out of the three choices in this section. If you know that you'll need to use special software for your classes, we recommend this one for the best compatibility.
Storage
There are two primary methods in which computers store data - on a hard drive disk (HDD), or on a solid state drive (SSD).
Hard drives are the traditional way that data has been stored in the last several decades. Your data is stored on a metal platter inside the hard drive, and the platter spins and is read by a laser whenever data needs to be stored/retrieved. It's essentially like a CD or DVD, except much more dense. The benefit of hard drives is that they offer a high storage capacity and are pretty cheap. However, the downside is that hard drives are slowly becoming outdated technology and function pretty slowly in comparison to solid state drives.
Solid state drives are becoming more common as a replacement to hard drives. They're very nice because they work much faster due to not relying on any moving parts. Having a solid state drive has several notable benefits over the traditional hard drive, such as....
-Opening software faster
-Booting up faster
-Faster processing of certain tasks, such installing/uninstalling software, installing Windows updates, etc.
These solid state drives offer a pretty big speed increase, however the one downside is that they're more expensive. Despite this, we do recommend using a solid state drive, as modern operating systems such as Windows 10 or Mac OSX can suffer from pretty bad slowness if you're using a traditional hard drive.
Another thing to consider with storage is how much storage space you'll need. The "middle point" for storage space on most devices is 256 gigabytes. If you intend to use this computer for general needs such as browsing the web, checking email, using Microsoft Office, doing assignments on Blackboard, etc, 256 gigabytes would be plenty for this. If you want to store personal things such as pictures and videos on the device, you may need to bump up the storage capacity, depending on how much you need to move onto it.
RAM
RAM stands for Random Access Memory. These are memory modules that are installed inside the laptop, they temporarily store data from programs while they are open. When the program is closed, the data gets cleared from RAM. Essentially, this determines how many things you can have open at once and still have everything run fast. RAM is measured in gigabytes, like storage in the information above. Higher amounts of RAM is better. If 100% of your RAM is being used up by the programs you have open, it will still run, however it will run slowly. A majority of mid-range computers are sold with either 4 gigabytes or 8 gigabytes of RAM. We recommend 8 gigabytes of RAM. The issue with only having 4 gigabytes is that a large portion of that will be used just to run Windows, so a lot of it will be used when you turn on the computer, even if you have nothing open at all.
Processor
The processor is the "brain" of your computer and processes all the instructions and computations needed to make everything on the laptop run. Processors are a bit more complex than the other items listed above. There are many types of them, different designs, different product lines, different ways they work, different companies that sell them, etc. It goes a bit beyond of the scope of this email, however we'll move forward with the assumption that you'd be wanting a middle ground processor that's not slow, but nothing really powerful/expensive either.
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Computers are usually cheaper online, but a lot of walk-in stores accept price matching. That way, you could go in and try out the device first, but still have the benefit of the cheaper price that's listed online. Another thing you'll want to look out for is warranty. Most devices come with at least 1 year of warranty, some have more. It depends on which specific one you end up getting. So if you get a computer in person, we recommend asking about what the warranty covers and how long you have it for.
If you get a Windows 10 device, some of them will come with Windows 10 "S Mode". This means that the only software you can install is software from the Microsoft Store, which you need a Microsoft account for. This is not permanent - you can switch out of this mode, but it's a bit of a hassle. So if you run across a laptop that has Windows 10 S mode, it's not a deal-breaker, but just be prepared to switch it off so you can have full control over the laptop. We can provide instructions on how to do this in case you need it!
As a last suggestion, it can be helpful to check out reviews for certain computers before you commit to purchasing one. If you're looking online, a majority of stores will have a "Reviews" section, so you can check that out and see what other people have to say about it.
If you're still unsure about something or have any questions, just let the Tech Support team know and we'll do our best to assist you!