More disk space, more stuff!
Sophie is in the market for a new laptop for university. Aspiring to be a writer/editor, she is determined to find a device with 1TB storage in her $2000 budget. So, which devices can she actually pick from?
THE CRITERIA
Hi Sophie! You’re the classic example of a consumer looking for a shiny new laptop for university – only, you prioritise disk space above anything else at a whopping 1 terabyte (TB), equal to 1,000 gigabytes (GB). There’s no need for a powerful gaming laptop as your degree usually only requires document writing, and web browsing for research. These specifications are what I would most recommend:
- Dual-core Intel Pentium Gold processor or higher (newer generations are preferred) provides appropriate performance for basic word processing and every day tasks from the central processing unit (CPU).
- Any Intel or AMD Graphics allows the casual video, YouTube, and Netflix streaming without lag, in addition to 3-dimensional animations and aesthetics built into the operating system.
- Hybrid solid state drive (SSD) with 1TB hard disk drive (HDD) storage and 8GB RAM or higher ensures that there are both rapid boot-up times and ample amount of disk space – as required by you – along with apt RAM memory for multi-tasking and countless browser tabs running at once.
- 11″-13″ 1080p display or higher is the perfect screen size for any student, is crisp to look at and work on, while maintaining size portability in and around the campus.
- 1.5 kilograms (kg) or lighter provides mobility at university, fitting into backpacks, and is easier to carry in your hand.
BEST OVERALL: HP Pavilion x360 14″ – $1,298AUD
This, I would say, is the best laptop on the market right now for your needs, Sophie! It’s reasonably priced, under your budget, and has both a 128GB SSD and a 1TB HDD, meaning that it’s a hybrid drive to allow fast wake-up times with the high capacity storage you want. Furthermore, it’s powered by a fast 8th generation quad-core Intel i5 (8250U) and 8GB of RAM, plenty enough for rapid multi-tasking between your research and Word documents all at the same time. It is also displayed on a 14-inch narrow-bezel touchscreen, with a compact form factor, and the device can also be flipped around to be used in a tablet-style.
Ports are in abundance with a full SD card reader, single HDMI, future-ready USB-C, and two handy USB-A 3.1 inputs. The downsides? It’s screen is only at 720p (HD) resolution and is quite washed-out (faded white) so binging that Netflix season may be better watched on your phone or television, is quite ungainly to use as a tablet, a little heavy at around 1.6kg, and the HDD is still slow despite the addition of an SSD to speed up most frequently used applications and files. Nevertheless, the Pavilion x360 is still the best all-rounder for a 1TB laptop.
MORE PERFORMANCE: Lenovo Ideapad 330s 15.6″ – $1,799AUD
If you’re looking for a uni device to also play the casual game or two, you may prefer the 15.6-inch guise of the Ideapad 330s by Lenovo. Of course, it has a high capacity 1TB HDD, with 8GB of RAM and 16GB Intel Optane memory to ensure that the HDD performs faster, similarly to an SSD by caching most used data. It is powered by a rapid 8th gen quad-core Intel i7 (8550) processor, alongside a dedicated graphics processing unit (GPU), an Nvidia GeForce GTX1050 card (4GB vRAM) to deliver exceptional performance – particularly for graphical-intensive applications such as light games. A large 1080p full-HD 15.6-inch screen is on the 330s.
I/O includes one HDMI for using projectors and monitors; a USB-C; and two convenient USB-A 3.0 gen ports. Unfortunately, as implied previously, the Ideapad 330s only has a HDD – no hybrid drive – so drive read and write speeds will be a little slower, though it is helped by the Intel Optane memory to speed things up. The display, while 1080p, is still a little washed-out and doesn’t include a touchscreen, the battery life is middling, it is relatively heavy for carrying around weighing 1.9kg, and the keyboard doesn’t include backlighting; you can’t type in the dark at all without illumination! In spite of these caveats, the Lenovo Ideapad 330s 15.6″ is a great laptop – if you’re wanting a more powerful, gaming-capable machine, while tackling the uni work as well.
PREMIUM ALTERNATIVE: HP Envy x360 15″ – $2,199AUD
The Envy x360 from HP is a more premium choice in the market; however, it slightly skews over your $2,000 budget. The obligatory 1TB HDD storage is here, along with a whopping 16GB RAM and 16GB Intel Optane memory, fast 8th Gen Intel Core i7 (8550U) quad-core processor, and a discrete NVIDIA GeForce MX150 GPU (4GB vRAM). Even though it is inferior to the GTX1050 found in the Lenovo, it is still capable of running the casual light game. More notably, it includes a HP stylus to jot notes and draw on the 15.6-inch 1080p touchscreen. And yes, it can be flipped yet again to be used as a tablet.
Disappointingly, while it does have both a HDMI and USB-C port, it has two USB-A 2.0 gen inputs – meaning that file transfers from and to your hard drives and USB sticks will be a sore pain with much slower speeds. Reviews also highlighted problems with the hinge being too weak to support the screen, the heavy weight just above the 2.0kg mark, a dim screen, and short battery life. Despite this, the Envy x360 15″ has exceptional build quality, great performance, and is the only laptop on this list to include a stylus.
THE BOTTOM LINE
You may have noticed that the above-mentioned three laptops are a little compromised to an extent. Sadly, there are plenty of other devices such as the Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 and Apple MacBook Air which are far better all-rounder’s for university studies in your budget – but they can’t match 1TB of storage at all!
Mostly, if you want a better laptop with less caveats for your degree, you’ll find storage capacities in the 128GB or 256GB realms for under $2,000. However, if you’re destined on a device with a gargantuan 1TB, the HP Pavillion x360 14″ would be my best recommendation.
The Connected by Henry Man 