Best of Both Worlds for Student-gamers: Finding the Right Laptop
Homeschooling has become the norm for most (if not all) families due to COVID-19 stay-at-home measures. As a result, parents are investing in school tech must-haves to ensure uninterrupted and advanced learning online. Apart from learning, some parents are also considering the leisure of their kids, particularly the gamer kids.
With a gaming laptop, parents hit two goals with one stone: help kids enjoy programs that enhance their curriculum, as well as let them enjoy their favorite games at high speeds (after school, of course).
One Laptop, Two Different Targets
Laptops that deliver first-rate PC gaming experiences are different from laptops designed for studying. If you have the budget to buy one laptop for each, go ahead. But for parents on a budget, one laptop that can cover both needs is ideal.
When browsing for gaming laptops, consider the following must-haves:
- For school. First, the display and processor of the laptop must be good enough to run productivity software such as G Suite or Office. Battery life is also critical to make sure students can still study in the middle of an electric outage. A good keyboard also provides students with a solid typing experience.
Unless the student’s school or curriculum requires an operating system (or software that is exclusive to the school’s operating system), you can choose Chromebook or Windows macOS for a school laptop.
- For gaming. A portable gaming laptop is a must-have for AAA games with HD graphics. Good gaming laptops should have a discrete video card. The more powerful the video card, the better. Also, if a unit has more video RAM at its disposal, your laptop can do more than just casual gaming.
Apart from the video card, the laptop should also have a beefy processor, fast storage (preferably a high capacity SSD), and plenty of fast RAM. The keyboard must be optimized for gaming. Ideally, it should light up with programmable LED effects.
Thanks to a series of technical advances over the past years, it is possible to find a gaming laptop that is power-efficient and capable of supporting both gaming and schooling. Newer GPUs and CPUs
Finding the right one requires research and perseverance — especially if you are looking for a laptop that meets gaming requirements, which should narrow down your search.
Are Their Compromises?
No laptop is the perfect solution. For example, gaming laptops with much power enclosed in a thin case warms up the bottom of the laptop quickly. The fans will fire up to a point they are exhausted. On the school side, battery life is the primary issue. Five hours is enough for a typical school day but in case of a power outage, children need backup batteries.
Homeschooling can still be an enriching experience, especially if the kids have a laptop that combines school and fun. If you need help in selecting a laptop, drop by your nearby PC store or seek an online consultation with a trusted tech professional.
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