If someone took away all of the devices you own right now, how would your life change? Your first impulse must be to say, “For the worst.”
Sure, it’s not like you literally can’t live without a laptop or a smartphone – you’ll survive, technically speaking. But it’d be an inconvenient (and boring) life for a student. How would you stay in touch with people – by post? How would you do your homework?
That’s not even to mention that you have to have access to the internet to be a student today – you have some of your classes online now (if not all of them)!
So, let’s examine the life of a contemporary student – and determine which devices they can’t afford to live without.
1. Laptop
It’s irreplaceable. You need a laptop to do your homework (or hire the academic essay writer service by EssayPro), take notes, prepare for exams, and attend online classes. Your laptop is there to help you unwind, too: you use it to play games, or surf the web in search of the funniest memes, or binge Netflix or YouTube.
In case you’re shopping for a laptop right now, here are three things you should pay attention to when comparing specs:
- Battery life. You’re likely to carry it around a lot, and sockets aren’t always available.
- Weight. If you mind straining your back with a 10-pound machine, look into smaller-screen-size models – they’ll be lighter.
- Storage. You’ll want to prioritize SSDs over HDDs: SSDs are faster and more resilient.
Here are some laptop models that are worth looking into if you’re planning to buy one:
- Dell XPS 13;
- Apple MacBook Air M1;
- Google Pixelbook Go;
- HP Envy x360 13.
2. Smartphone
A student’s smartphone is where most of their life is happening. It’s what you use to stay in touch with your social circle, get entertained, find information, shop online, pay the bills – you name it.
But what makes a particular smartphone a great choice for students? Here are four answers to this question:
- A screen big enough to type conveniently and watch videos;
- High-resolution cameras (both front and rear-facing one) for awesome photos for social media;
- A long autonomous battery life – your smartphone should last the whole day;
- Enough storage space for all the apps, photos, and videos you need on your phone.
If you’re in the market for a low-budget smartphone, here are three models that deserve your attention:
- iPhone XR;
- Pixel 5;
- OnePlus 8 Pro.
3. Power Bank
Even if you buy a smartphone with excellent autonomous battery life, you still need a power bank in your backpack. That’s because you will forget to charge it overnight at one point or another.
Besides, you will (or do) have other devices that might quit on you in the worst moment possible. A power bank will help you recharge your smartwatch or wireless headphones wherever you are, whether you’re commuting or sitting in on a lecture.
Here are some of the best power banks on the market:
- iMuto 20,000mah;
- Anker PowerCore 20,100mAh;
- Mophie Powerstation Wireless XL 10,000mAh;
- iWALK Magnetic Wireless Power Bank.
4. Tablet
Now, this can be a controversial entry on this list. Some will argue a tablet is irreplaceable in a student’s life. After all, it’s lighter to carry around than a laptop. And you can use it to read textbooks on the go and take handwritten notes with a stylus pen – something you can’t always manage with a laptop.
Others will preach taking your laptop everywhere instead. It’s a more robust device, too: if you want to edit videos or use graphic design apps, a tablet won’t cut it. The same goes for playing video games.
It’s up to you which point of view you choose to agree with. But if you think a tablet is a good investment for you now, make sure you check these three out:
- 2021 Apple iPad;
- Amazon Fire 10 HD;
- Microsoft Surface Go 2.
5. Smartwatch
What does a smartwatch do on a list of student tech essentials? There are three key reasons why it made it here:
- You might not think about it that much right now, but your physical health matters – a lot. A smartwatch will help you remember to take care of it on a day-to-day basis;
- It’s a perfect device to wake you up without doing the same to everyone else in the room. Your roommate(s) will be thankful you got it;
- You’ll never miss a single message or notification – and it’s so convenient to check those when you’re on the go.
If you’re looking for the right smartwatch model, make sure to consider these three:
- Apple Watch SE;
- Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2;
- Fitbit Charge 4.
6. Noise-Canceling Headphones
Whenever you need to tune out the noise surrounding you, noise-canceling headphones are your best friend:
- Need to work on an assignment in a noisy Starbucks? Headphones to the rescue!
- Want to watch a video while commuting? There’s no way you can make do without them.
- Your roommate is talking on the phone, but you’re in the mood to watch your favorite TV show? Not a problem – but only if you have, you guessed it, noise-canceling headphones.
When it comes to headphones, the ‘noise-canceling’ part is crucial for a student. Can you even remember the last time you could work or listen to or watch something in silence?
Here are three noise-canceling headphones models that are worth your consideration:
- Sony WH1000XM4;
- Beats Solo3;
- Koss KPH30iK.
In Conclusion
These six gadgets are, by far, a bare minimum for any student. Depending on your needs and preferred level of comfort, you might find it hard to survive without a printer, external drive, projector, or surge protector.
If you consider buying this or that gadget, these four rules stay true regardless of the gadget itself:
- Know your needs. This will help you understand which specifications and features you should prioritize;
- Do your research on specifications. Before you compare them, learn what they mean in practice and understand how important they are in your particular case;
- Pinpoint your budget. Make sure it’s realistic enough to allow you to buy a good-quality device. It’s always better to spend one or several hundred dollars more for a device that’ll serve you a lot longer;
- Consider all alternatives. For example, if you’re in the market for a laptop, compare the pros and cons of using a tablet or a PC instead.