Laptop Thoughts: Need Help Choosing a Light, Powerful But Efficient Laptop on a Student Budget?

"You ask [email protected] for advice, and Help Me, LAPTOP responds. In this post, we're helping David W. find a student notebook that's powerful enough for his classwork, but portable enough to carry around campus or take backpacking between semesters."

Laptop Magazine offers advice (via a helpme email address) on choosing a light, powerful laptop that can be carried easily on campus, offers at least four hours of battery use, and can be used as needing during travel - and all on a student's budget. Several choices were offered, including the 14-inch HP dm4 at 4.4-pounds and $699 with a 6-cell battery lasting almost five hours; the 13-inch ASUS U30Jc-1A at 4.8-pounds and $899 with a battery life of about seven hours (plus an outstanding warranty); and the HP 13.3-inch ProBook 5310m at 3.8-pounds ranging from $699 to $999 depending on options, with a 4-cell battery lasting over five and one half hours. All-in-all, some great choices offered, at prices that a student can afford!