What kind of laptop do you suggest for college?

A Microsoft Surface Pro might be worth checking out. Nice price point.

That’s pretty generic, Sounds like you can get about whatever you want. I’m going to advise against a tablet however, you really will need a basic laptop.

Match the spec sheet to the requirements you list. I don’t think that will be hard.

I’d look at other qualities. Like, actually try things at the store and see if you think you can work with it. Some people like small laptops, some people like large laptops, blah blah. I would personally prefer a lighter tablet for reading, and more of a workhorse laptop with a larger keyboard.

If you go with a Surface Pro, make sure it’s a Surface Pro with an amd64 compatible processor. Unless you really know what you’re doing.

Note that the surface does NOT have a DVD burner.

ThinkPads and MacBooks are the best options and they are known for their quality, and with student discounts can be reasonably affordable. Here are some other options

@Seek_Kolinahr raises a good point, but an external DVD player is pretty cheap these days.

If you do go the MacBook route, use this link for an educational discount. There are many reasons to consider going the Mac direction, especially because you “aren’t a computer person.” The lack of malware, the iWork software comes for free (which is like Word, PowerPoint, and Excel), the easy automated backup all make Macs good options for someone going to college.

Macs are not malware-free, and basically cost more for the same hardware.

@bolwerk Gatekeeper: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gatekeeper_(OS_X) severely restricts the ability of malware to cause problems in OSX. When you spec out PC’s with equivalent hardware and software, usually the price difference isn’t that huge.

@gorillapaws: not that MacOS X is bad in that department, but malware just isn’t the threat it was in 2004.

I would go for an apple laptop. That or a sony. these are more expensive, but they earn themselves back because you can still use them after three years with the original battery.

I’ve owned over 15 different laptops so far. From Toshiba, to Acer to IBM. The latest three have been apple. They are the only ones that lasted longer than two years. (The Macbook Air I’m typing this on is three years old. My wife’s macbook pro is 4 and half years old.)

I really wouldn’t suggest a Mac unless the school specifically recommends or requires it.

What laptop should I buy for college?
http://blog.superuser.com/2013/05/30/what-laptop-should-i-buy-for-college-2013-edition/

@bolwerk
Just curious… why not?

@whitenoise: because there isn’t really any advantage to a Mac, and the disadvantage is not using what the school is probably using. The OP says she doesn’t know much about computers, and suggesting using something different from what her environment will likely be using seems unreasonable.

Of course, if she is currently more familiar with Macs and the school really doesn’t care or is even using Macs, I’d be less inclined to suggest avoiding Macs.

I’m almost tempted to suggest avoiding Windows 8 too, since 7 will probably be common in schools for some years still, but (1) Windows 7 mainstream support runs out in 2015 and (2) I really don’t know specifically what her school is doing.

even if one would run windows, I would still go for a mac, a sony or one of these more expensive ones.

The rate at which – for instance – HP laptops die make them in my mind far more expensive.

OS X offers quite reasonable intuitive integrated back up. The built is good and the battery lasts and keeps performing for years.

I was – in the end – so disappointed about all the money I spent on these cheaper alternatives.

Weight is another important factor. The macbook Air weighs little. These cheaper laptops weigh a lot.

Anyways… weight… battery life… durability… back uo options… compatibility with the school’s systems.

I’ve had nothing but bad experience with Mac laptops, and it pisses me off how they try to avoid letting you fix obvious hardware problems yourself.

There is one quality where they are perhaps unbeatable though: noise. They’re very quiet.

@bolwerk According to PC Magazine the 13” MacBook Air is an editor’s choice for college students in their Best Laptops for College article, receiving higher marks than the other competitors. I could care less what machine the OP gets, but I think she would be foolish to not at least consider if the Mac would be a good fit for her.

@gorillapaws: I was considering the OP’s (stated and probable) circumstances, not just generalizing to all college students. If she doesn’t know anything about computers, suggesting twice the learning curve seems silly. She is going to need to use her computer lab at school, and while I guess it’s not strictly necessary to run Office in lieu iWork, it’s probably still convenient. Unless she has a reason to use a Mac other than “other people are using it” or “PC Magazine rates it high,” it’s probably not worth the extra trouble for a total n00b.

@bolwerk I’m not following how using a Mac is “twice the learning curve.” Macs are typically praised for their out-of-the-box ease of use, and that the default settings are very secure. I’ve never met someone who wasn’t good with computers that struggled to use their Mac. iWork blows Office away. The fact that she is inexperienced with computers is the primary reason why a Mac is a great option for her.

Computer lab? When was the last time you were on a college campus? When was the last time you used a Mac?

@gorillapaws: using either Mac or Windows these days is pretty much child’s play, and the security considerations are pretty much about the same these days too. The people who will struggle with one will probably struggle with the other and the people who will learn one quickly will probably learn the other quickly. Still, she said she knows nothing, so I would suggest she what she is likely to most encounter in school and ultimately work environments.

The last time I was on a college campus was today and the next time will be tonight and WTF does this have to do with the OP’s problem or question? She is likely to have classes in a computer lab sometimes in the next four years, and she is likely to go to school techs with barely triple digit IQs for support.

Office is available for mac as well.