Poly student laptop guide

I know this might be a bit late to post this, but I think this is still important (though it might not apply to you). I want to talk to you about buying a laptop for polytechnic. Now, I am sure that most of you have already bought at least a new laptop to get ready for your new tertiary education. However, for those who have yet to buy one, please take some time to read this. I am also speaking from my own experience, so it can be helpful to those who are planning to buy one or need help with the purchase.

I bought a Lenovo laptop last year and started using it on April 25. The laptop I purchased was the Lenovo Yoga 9i with an Intel Core i7-1360P CPU. My laptop's configuration is 16GB + 1TB, which is more than enough for me as a polytechnic student. The first semester of Year 1 with this laptop went quite well, and I loved it very much. However, things went downhill when I started downloading some programming software for my computer programming module. After I downloaded the software, my laptop would always turn off instantly from 100% to 0%. To use it, I always need to plug it in, which I hate because the laptop supports 100W charging. Since it charges quickly, a lot of heat is generated, potentially damaging the battery. Recently, I took it to the Lenovo Service Center at Tai Seng to get it fixed. As of this posting, it is still undergoing repairs and is being tested by the engineers. It irritates the heck out of me when this type of issue occurs. You would expect a $2.9k (or to be exact, $2926) laptop to perform as it should at this price point, but unfortunately, that is not the case. Thankfully, I have my 4-year-old Dell laptop and managed to install the software without any issues. Of course, I did not spend that much money thinking that it would be better than other laptops at about half the price of the Lenovo Yoga 9i, but seeing how my 4-year-old Dell laptop managed to perform flawlessly has me questioning whether spending $2.9k on a laptop is truly worth it and necessary.

However, this isn’t going to stop me from buying premium laptops at this price point because I do see their value. Buying expensive laptops does have advantages. Investing in an expensive, premium laptop typically offers several benefits:

1. Higher Performance: Premium laptops often feature top-of-the-line processors, graphics cards, and RAM, providing better performance for demanding tasks such as gaming, video editing, and graphic design.

2. Better Build Quality: Expensive laptops are often made from high-quality materials such as aluminum or carbon fiber, making them more durable and resistant to wear and tear.

3. Enhanced Display: Premium laptops usually come with high-resolution displays, better color accuracy, and improved viewing angles, which can enhance the overall user experience, especially for creative professionals or multimedia enthusiasts.

4. Longer Battery Life: Some premium laptops are designed to optimize power efficiency, resulting in longer battery life, which is beneficial for users who need to work on the go without constant access to power outlets.

5. Advanced Features: Expensive laptops often come with additional features such as fingerprint scanners, facial recognition, touchscreen displays, and advanced connectivity options like Thunderbolt ports, providing added convenience and functionality.

6. Better Support and Warranty: Premium laptops often come with extended warranties and better customer support, including dedicated service centers and quicker response times for technical issues.

My Lenovo Yoga 9i (14", Gen 8)'s specifications:

CPU: Intel Core i7-1360P

Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics (integrated)

Memory:16 GB LPDDR5-5200MHz

Storage: 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD

Display: 14-inch, 3840 x 2400 4K OLED touch screen

Networking: Wi-Fi 6E 2x2 AX, Bluetooth

Ports: 1x USB Type-A (10 Gbps), 2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB 3.2 (10 Gbps), 3.5mm audio

Camera: 1080p FHD, IR camera

Battery: 75WHr LiON

Power Adapter: 100W USB Power Adapter

Operating System: Windows 11 Home

Dimensions: (WxDxH)12.52 x 9.06 x 0.6 inches (318 x 230 x 15.25 mm)

Weight: 1.4 kg

Price: $2926 (my own purchased price)

If you are interested in getting one, you can head to the Lenovo Online Store and get one.

Now, after all this long and boring essay, all I want to say is that I advise people not to buy expensive laptops for polytechnic. You can if you want, and I honestly still would because I wouldn't download any weird software on my expensive laptops anymore. Now, based on my own experience, I will share some things to consider when buying a laptop for polytechnic.

1. Purpose: Determine what you'll primarily use the laptop for, such as work, gaming, content creation, or casual browsing. I get that this is really based on individuals and you may not want to buy a laptop just to do school work. You might want to do some gaming, etc. For me, I do not game on laptop so I do have more laptop options since I do not need a gaming laptop to do what I need.

2. Performance: Look at the CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage options based on your usage needs. Higher specs are usually better for intensive tasks. For 95% of us, a normal CPU is more than enough for us.

3. Portability: Consider the size and weight of the laptop if you plan to carry it around frequently. Honestly, to me, this doesn't matter because I always put my laptop in my bag and the weight is acceptable.

4. Battery Life: Check the battery life to ensure it meets your requirements, especially if you'll be using it away from power outlets often. Usually, when I buy a laptop, I always look out for the Intel evo sticker as a laptop must have extremely good battery life in order to get the sticker (Good battery life is 1 of the many criteria to get the Intel evo sticker). These laptops will usually have at least 9 hours of battery life (with their own proprietary lab test).

5. Display: Choose a screen size and resolution that suits your preferences and tasks, whether it's for multimedia, gaming, or productivity. I would usually go for screens that are 14" and above because I like big screens and it can display more content on the screen. But, it isn't really going to be a big issue to me since I have a monitor at home and I can just connect my laptop to the monitor using a HDMI cable. As for resoultion, I always try to buy a 4K OLED screen as I consume a lot of video contents on YouTube. But, even a FHD+ screen is also good but definitely wouldn't be buying it unless for other reasons.

6. Connectivity: Make sure the laptop has the necessary ports (USB, HDMI, Thunderbolt, etc.) for your peripherals and devices.

7. Operating System: Decide between Windows or macOS based on your familiarity and software compatibility needs. As an Android user, I feel more comfortable using Windows laptops and I prefer Windows laptops over Macbook.

8. Build Quality: Look for a durable and well-built laptop, especially if you plan to use it on the go.

9. Budget: Set a budget and prioritize features based on your needs and financial constraints. If you are planning to only use it for poly, just get a laptop that is within the price range of $1.2k to $1.6k. These laptops will serve you just fine.

For poly students, I think Lenovo, Asus, and Dell are very good brands. If you plan to buy a Lenovo, I suggest you buy the Ideapad or the Yoga series. They are fantastic and really suit students very well. I do not use Asus laptops, but from what I have heard, they are quite reliable Asus Vivobook series are just as good as Lenovo's Ideapad and Yoga series. If you want a more premium Asus laptop, you can consider the Asus Zenbook series. As for Dell, you can get the Dell XPS series, but they can get quite expensive.

When you buy a laptop, ensure that it has at least 8GB of RAM (in my opinion, 16GB is best). For storage, 512GB is more than enough unless you want to import videos and photos onto your laptop. Otherwise, for a normal student just doing schoolwork and entertainment, 512GB is enough.

I think that's all I have for you guys, to those who have yet to get a laptop for poly, happy shopping, and a happy upcoming poly year!

#polytechnic #polystudent #laptop #lenovo