Which gadget is best for students?
Laptops
For students in today’s digital world, having a good laptop is essential. It allows you to take notes in class, write papers, conduct research online, make presentations, and access a wealth of learning materials and resources. When choosing a laptop, there are several key things to consider:
- Portability — Look for a model that is lightweight and compact so it’s easy to carry around campus, to class, the library, coffee shops, etc. Many laptops these days weigh 3 pounds or less.
- Processing power — Make sure the laptop has a fast enough processor and sufficient RAM to handle all the programs and multitasking you’ll need to do. Recommended minimums are an Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB RAM.
- Long battery life — You’ll want a laptop that can last through long days of classes and study sessions without running out of juice. Aim for at least 8 hours of battery.
- Adequate storage — Between documents, photos, music, and downloaded videos, the college creates a lot of digital files. Choose a solid-state drive (SSD) with at least 256GB of storage.
- Durable build — College life can be rough on laptops, so look for one with a sturdy casing that can withstand some bumps and drops. Many laptop makers offer education-focused models.
Tablets
While not a full laptop replacement, tablets can be very useful supplemental gadgets for students. Their portability, long battery life, and touchscreen capabilities are ideal for:
- Viewing videos, ebooks, and other digital course materials
- Taking handwritten notes using a stylus right on the screen
- Participating in interactive learning experiences
- Annotating lecture slides and documents
- Sketching diagrams or working out math problems by hand
The downside is that most tablets are not as robust for heavy writing tasks like drafting long research papers or building presentations. But they pair nicely with a laptop.
Noise-Cancelling Headphones
Between noisy dorm rooms, bustling student centers, and crowded libraries, it can be hard for college students to find a quiet place to concentrate. This is where a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones really shine. These headphones electronically block out ambient noise so you can stay focused while:
- Listening to recorded lectures
- Watching instructional videos
- Having video meetings or online classes
- Studying with musical playing to increase focus
Look for over-ear, wireless models with long battery life and effective noise-cancelling technology. Having that peaceful quiet can boost your productivity.
Smart Pens
“A smart pen is a unique gadget that bridges the analog and digital worlds”. It works by using special notebook paper printed with a pattern of tiny dots. As you write on this paper, the smart pen digitally captures everything you write or draw and transfers it to your paired smartphone, tablet, or computer.
This allows you to naturally take handwritten notes like normal during class while also:
- Recording audio at the same time and linking it to your writing
- Viewing an accurate digital copy of your notes to study later
- Easily edit, organize, and share your notes across devices
- Quickly referring back to specific parts of lectures synced to your writing
Smart pens add a great modern convenience to the classic pen-and-paper note-taking method that many students still prefer.
External Hard Drives
With so much of a student’s work being created and stored digitally these days, an external hard drive is an essential backup tool to prevent losing everything due to:
- Computer crashes or hardware failures
- Software bugs or viruses corrupting files
- Accidental deletion of important documents
- Theft or loss of your laptop
Portable external hard drives are compact, affordable, and offer massive amounts of storage space — generally 1TB or more. Be sure to routinely back up all your documents, photos, videos, and other important files. A cloud storage service like Dropbox or Google Drive can provide an extra backup layer as well.
Smart Speakers
While not an academic gadget per se, smart speakers with digital assistants like Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant can be great productivity boosters for students. Using just your voice, you can easily:
- Set reminders for assignment due dates, exams, meetings, etc.
- Create to-do lists and notes hands-free while studying
- Look up facts and get answers to questions instantly
- Add calendar events to your class schedule
- Check the weather, news, and other updates each morning
Smart speakers can also control other smart home devices you may have and play music, podcasts, or white noise to help you focus while working.
Smartwatches
For sheer convenience, smartwatches are hard to beat as a supplemental gadget for students. By putting key functionality right on your wrist, you can:
- See important reminders and alerts from your laptop or phone
- Check your schedule, email, and messages at a glance
- Take notes or record voice memos
- Track goals like physical activity, hydration, etc.
- Control smart home devices and wireless headphones
- Make contactless payments around campus
The latest smartwatches from brands like Apple, Samsung, and Garmin have a wide range of handy apps for students. Just be sure to consider battery life when choosing a model.
Smart Locks
For students living in dorms or off-campus housing, smart locks offer a major security and convenience upgrade over standard keyed entry. With smart locks, you can:
- Unlock doors with the tap of a button on your smartphone
- See a log of entry events and set notifications
- Grant temporary access to guests or service providers
- Control and manage locks remotely when not at home
No more fumbling around for physical keys or hiding a spare under the mat. And if your smartphone battery dies, there are backup entry methods like key codes.
Portable Battery Packs
Between laptops, tablets, phones, smartwatches, wireless headphones, and any number of other gadgets, students have a lot of devices that need to stay charged up throughout the day when away from outlets. This is why external battery packs are must-have accessories.
Look for high-capacity models with at least 20,000mAh or more, which can fully recharge multiple devices before needing to be replenished themselves. Models with various USB ports, including USB-C, will charge devices faster. And for eco-conscious students, solar-powered battery packs harness renewable energy.
Wi-Fi Hotspots
For students always on the move, a reliable mobile internet connection can be hugely valuable. Even when not around campus Wi-Fi networks, a pocket Wi-Fi hotspot provides connectivity for:
- Joining online classes or video calls from anywhere
- Accessing cloud storage and online education portals
- Researching and writing papers on the go
- Streaming instructional videos and lectures
Many smartphones can be used as hotspots as well, but dedicated devices often provide stronger, more stable connections perfect for when every megabyte counts.
Overall, the “best” gadgets for each student will depend on their individual needs, productivity styles, and budget. However, any of the devices listed above have the potential to enhance the modern academic experience through greater efficiency, connectivity, and organization. Starting the school year with the right tech toolkit makes a big difference.
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