A RAMageddon guide to back-to-school laptop shopping

Shopping for a portable computer right now is far from ideal, but for those who must make a purchase, The Verge has put together a helpful guide and selection of models to consider. Reviewer Antonio G. Di Benedetto notes that students looking for an affordable machine currently face a mix of challenging market conditions and remaining strong options.

The primary hurdle is that computer prices are out of whack due to the ongoing memory and storage crunch, driving some models slightly higher and others significantly more expensive. On the bright side, several tested and highlighted alternatives remain viable choices for everyday student workloads.

Before opting for the absolute cheapest machine available, buyers should weigh the benefits of investing in a slightly more powerful laptop, particularly for college-bound students. Prices are expected to continue rising well into next year, largely because all the memory being produced through 2027 has already been allocated.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

Shoppers can secure a mostly tolerable laptop for under $500 and a good one for around $700. However, spending more on a device like a MacBook Air yields better build quality and sufficient performance headroom to last through four years of college and beyond, with multiple Verge staff members still relying on 2020 M1 MacBook Air units.

When shopping without strict institutional requirements, keep these baseline guidelines in mind:

• Check if your school or curriculum mandates specific minimum technical requirements
• Opt for Macs running Apple silicon or Windows machines with recent Intel and AMD processors from 2022 onward
• Snapdragon X chips work well unless specialized software compatibility or gaming is a priority
• Aim for 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage or more for college environments

Source: The Verge