Choosing the Best Laptop for Online Classes

Posted on 03/01/2020 by Niko Venev

Technological advances have made several aspects of modern life more convenient, and that includes taking classes. Every day, thousands of employees sign up for online classes to improve their professional prospects, whether they want to climb the corporate ladder, work for a small business, or strike out on their own as freelancers. It’s important, however, that these employees adequately prepare for online classes by choosing appropriate computers to access coursework and complete assignments. To get the best value for your money, the best laptop for online classes should be one that meets the technical requirements for your educational course, can run any relevant software, and is appropriate to use for your job after you complete the course.

What Is the Best Laptop for Online Classes?

When choosing a laptop for online classes, you need one that meets the technical requirements to successfully participate in the class. Computer requirements for online classes can often depend on the types of courses taken and the software that must be simultaneously run on the laptop while studying. For example, if you take an AutoCAD course, a good laptop will be able to run the version of AutoCAD that you need to learn as well as the software that facilitates the class. At Certstaffix Training, we’ve made it easy for you to determine what you’ll need in a laptop; simply select your desired class and refer to the technical requirements underneath each listing for information about computer compatibility.

Things to Consider When Shopping for the Best Laptop for Online Classes

Many of the considerations when buying the best computer for online classes mirror those of knowledgeable consumers making any type of technological purchase. A good computer will meet your current needs and any future ones. You’ll need to consider your industry and the particular courses that you want to take to ensure that your machine will meet the technical demands of both. While it’s always a good idea to check with an educational company’s FAQs regarding laptop requirements for online classes, generally, a good computer will have:

• Generous hard drive space
• Fast CPU capabilities
• A modern video card
• The latest version of a popular operating system

Depending on your needs, you may also want to choose a machine that has:

• An optical drive
• Easy accessible and expandable random access memory (RAM) slots
• At least two USB ports to attach a mouse, an external hard drive, or other peripherals

A basic, inexpensive laptop can be suitable for light coursework. In contrast, coursework designed to help you learn advanced technological concepts through hands-on training may necessitate that you find a hardier machine or even a top-of-the-line one. For intensive classes that eat up computer resources, such as those covering networking or software development, you may entertain building a custom PC to ensure that you’ll have enough resources to meet the technical demands.

Don't Skimp on Storage

With so many different laptops to choose from, it can be easy to overlook one of the most obvious, yet essential, components of a good laptop for online classes: storage. To successfully enroll in and take courses, you simply must have a laptop that’s capable of downloading and installing the appropriate software, documents, and other materials associated with the course. Traditional laptops can offer generous hard drive space, but newer models that rely on modest flash memory can present problems. Although it’s unlikely that you’ll need hundreds of gigabytes worth of space to take a single course, you may need as much available RAM as you can get to smoothly run proprietary software and transition between using the educational software and practicing with the program that you’re working to learn.

Picking the Appropriate Operating System

If you’re eyeing a particular type of training offered by an educational company, be sure to check the technical requirements for information on compatible operating systems. Generally, Windows-based machines are more ubiquitous and user-friendly, making them smart choices for employees who want to use their computer for more than just completing a course.

There are exceptions, however: Some pieces of software are better suited to Apple computers. For instance, people who work in graphics-heavy industries, such as those that rely on computer-aided design (CAD) or graphic design, often use Macs to create their end products. In these cases, purchasing an Apple laptop for online classes can help familiarize you with the peculiarities of its operating system and prepare you for working with it as a professional after you finish your course.