The Class of 2016: Innovative New Hardware
| With a new 6th generation of Intel processors that emphasize mobile performance—including increased battery life, boosted graphics support and more raw power—2016 is a banner year for PC manufacturers. |
The Dell XPS13 is an award-winning, ultra-portable standout, with a 6th generation Intel Core CPU and a nearly borderless, high resolution InfinityEdge display. With the XPS13, you get a powerful 13.3-inch Windows laptop that’s the size of an 11-inch notebook, packaged in an ultra-modern machined aluminum, Gorilla Glass and carbon fibre case.
| Laptops are able to drive displays that are higher resolution than ever, battery life has reached the point where a student can be in class and using their laptop all day without ever worrying about finding a power outlet, and even high demand tasks like 3D rendering can be done on a portable.
What makes the class of 2016 even better is an emphasis on innovation. There are still standout laptops in the traditional clamshell form factor (although they’re thinner and lighter than ever), but advanced CPU design and Windows 10 have resulted in some of the most modern and groundbreaking mobile devices ever released. |
Look no further than the Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 to see innovation and state of the art design in action. This 12-inch, QHD Windows tablet is powered by an Intel Core CPU with 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD yet runs silently thanks to its unique liquid cooling system. Snap on the included magnetic keyboard cover and it transforms into a Windows 10 laptop, making it ideal for students in any situation—taking notes, drawing diagrams, typing out an essay or watching streaming movies. Want to learn more about the Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12? Read my full review (complete with video) here.
Windows 10 Unlocks a Laptop’s Full Potential
| As awesome as this new hardware is, what makes it truly shine is Windows 10, Microsoft’s groundbreaking and thoroughly modern operating system. Long-time Windows users will recognize the familiar features that make a Windows laptop easy to use. But along with the familiar, Windows 10 introduces new capabilities that make owning and using a laptop better than ever. |
Dell’s Inspiron 5000 offers instant appeal to traditional laptop fans, including features like a whopping 1TB hard drive and an increasingly rare built-in optical drive. It’s a 15.6-inch laptop that doesn’t try to do anything fancy, yet delivers reliable Windows 10 performance with updated components like a 6th generation Core i5 CPU, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, USB 3.0, Bluetooth 4.0 and HDMI. And it does all this at an exceptional affordable price.
| Windows Defender and free security updates ensure you and your data are safe and secure at all times. Cortana is always there as your personal digital assistant, ready to help you with everything from managing your schedule and sending you exam reminders to assisting you in tracking down the information needed for your research assignment. Microsoft Edge is Windows 10’s next generation web browser with features like an enhanced reading mode and the ability to mark up web pages. Use Windows Ink to handwrite notes or draw diagrams on a touchscreen-capable laptop.
Complete assignments faster and more effectively by installing the latest version of Office, the ultimate productivity suite that includes the software more students rely on: Word, Excel and PowerPoint. |
| Sync your laptop with your phone using Phone Companion. And when the homework’s done and it’s time for a little gaming, you don’t even have to battle for time with the TV—you can stream Xbox games to your Windows 10 laptop and even use your Xbox controller! Many new Xbox titles also include Xbox Play Anywhere, so you can play them directly on your Windows 10 PC and share your progress between devices. |
Gamers know a laptop needs to be big and powerful. But who says it also has to be bulky and super expensive? The ASUS ROG GL752 gaming laptop packs a serious punch at a student-friendly price. I reviewed one a few weeks ago and was seriously impressed by the anti-reflective, Full HD 17.3-inch LED display, quad-core 6th generation Intel Core i7 CPU and 16GB of RAM. With 1TB of fast hard drive storage and a lighting quick 128GB SSD for system level functions, this is one powerful laptop that serve any student who needs some serious processing muscle. But the star of the show (at least for gamers) is the Nvidia GeForce GTX 960M graphics card with 2GB of RAM. And the red backlit keyboard …
| Choose a new Windows 10-powered laptop for everything you need and want in a portable PC: the coolest, most innovative and sleekly modern design, the performance you need to keep working into the future, battery life to banish electrical outlet anxiety and the features you want both in and out of the classroom. Here are a few more of the Windows 10 laptops Microsoft is excited about this year. |
Finally, the Acer Aspire R14 may just be the ultimate Windows 10 laptop for students going to a school far away from their home. Powered by an Intel Core i5 with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, it has the performance needed to power through any assignments and the flexibility to convert to a tablet for taking notes with its 14-inch touchscreen display. But when it comes time to call home, the Aspire R14 really shines. A Skype-certified HD webcam combined with Acer’s Purified Voice microphone, 360-degree flexibility for optimal viewing and the latest 802.111ac Wi-Fi ensure video calls to home are just like being in the same room with your family.
These seven Windows 10 “hero” laptops and many more back to school and everyday computing choices are available now at Best Buy.
