Are 15-Inch Laptops Too Big For College Students?

Even if today’s generation is overly occupied with technological gadgetry, it is undeniable that technology is key in facilitating all manner of things including research, learning, and so on.

This is so much the case that many colleges have bolstered the quality of their education via laptops and computers. These changes in education require that students bring their laptops with them to college simply because there is a limited number of laptops/computers colleges can provide. And here’s where it might get tricky.

Students might not know which laptop best fits their college projects or works. Also, they have to consider the fact that they will be toting it around with them from class to class, home, etc. To address this issue (and the question posed above) I have written the following article. I hope it proves useful to all of you folks on your way to college or other higher learning.

Possible Reasons Why 15-Inch Laptops Are Not For College Students

  • Oversized
  • Overweight
  • Features
  • Battery
  • College work purposes

Let’s discuss each reason in brief.

Portability In Terms Of Size

Portability should be a top priority. Therefore, I recommend a 12- or 13-inch laptop. Unlike 15-inch laptops, these slightly smaller laptops can easily fit into most backpacks which means no carrying around a laptop (in your hands) for the whole day. Also, storing your laptop in your backpack will help keep it from being damaged and protect it from the weather.

Portability In Terms Of Weight

With size comes weight! If you think about the total number of hours you will be moving around and then think about lugging around a heavy laptop, that doesn’t sound too appealing, right? Well, thing is, most 15-inch laptops can be heavy, which is why I recommend 12- or 13-inch laptops; they are much lighter and will make moving around much easier.

Bench Size

Institution benches are most likely 15- or 16-inches in width. Therefore, if a student uses a 15-inch laptop, it will likely occupy the whole bench, leaving no room for other types of equipment. That’s why smaller laptops (of the size already indicated) are ideal. They will leave room for other items students may need.

Student Workload

Many professionals use 15-inch laptops for the following:

  • Coding
  • Entertainment
  • Graphics
  • Gaming
  • Photo or video editing (cinematography, etc.)

Most college students won’t be engaged in this kind of work, so it makes no sense for them to bring a 15-inch laptop with them to school. (Granted, some students will want to use their laptops for entertainment, gaming, etc. when they have free time, but that’s another matter entirely).

Battery

This one’s pretty simple: long battery life is best, that way you can use your laptop throughout the day without worrying about charging it. (Note: Battery life has nothing to do with laptop size, rather, it has to do with the battery’s quality.)

Conclusion

I hope I have answered the question to your satisfaction. Remember, if we’re talking about getting the work done, then there’s no reason why you would need a 15-inch laptop. You’re going to have books and such to carry around, so adding a heavy laptop to the mix will be less than helpful. Also, remember, budget is important (something I didn’t mention above). Fact is, 15-inch laptops usually cost more than smaller laptops, so if you’re on a budget, you’d do well to go for something smaller that will still get the work done. In any case, I hope you find a laptop that meets your needs. Happy learning!

Chris Martin is a professional tech writer. He's been covering tech tutorials, hardware reviews, and more as a professional writer for over seven years now and it doesn't look like he'll be stopping anytime soon! In addition to writing about the latest gadgets on the market, he also covers topics such as how to set up your home network or troubleshoot any computer problems you may have.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.