2019 Best Back to School Laptops

The video opens with a light-hearted seasonally themed intro that relates the approach of school time to laptop shopping. It emphasizes frugality and practical buying, aiming to simplify the process of picking a cheap yet usable laptop for students. The host outlines a tiered budgeting approach starting at around $200 for the cheapest options and progressively reviewing better buys as the budget increases, while warning about common pitfalls such as underpowered CPUs, small or non-upgradable storage, and slow storage solutions. A core message is that upgrading and upgradability are crucial when buying budget machines, with specific cautions about suspiciously large memory claims and the drawbacks of eMMC storage. The discussion then pivots to concrete recommendations, beginning with a budget-friendly ThinkPad T540p, including how to source and upgrade components like RAM and SSDs to improve performance. Throughout, the host stresses the importance of confirming upgradability before purchase and suggests looking for models with SSDs and available RAM slots to maximize longevity and usability. The middle section shifts toward mid-range options, highlighting the Acer Aspire 5 as a strong budget pick, noting its 1080p display and upgradable RAM and storage, and comparing it to the older ThinkPad. The host explains that at around $500 you should still expect solid core performance and a usable display, while warning that some models at this price point sacrifice speed, which can hinder overall schoolwork like word processing and browsing. Moving into the $800 to $1000 range, the video showcases more premium but still affordable machines such as the Acer Nitro 5 with a GTX 1650 and the Surface Laptop, discussing trade-offs like build quality, keyboard feel, display quality, and the ability to upgrade. For gaming and multimedia, the host highlights the Asus Zephyrus GA502, the Dell XPS 13, the ThinkPad X390, and the venerable Dell XPS 15, weighing performance versus portability and cost. The segment culminates with high-end choices for no-compromise needs, including the Razer Blade 15 for top-tier graphics and display, and a candid appraisal of premium options like the MacBook Pro in terms of keyboard quality and software ecosystems for students. The host wraps up with a practical recommendation strategy: prioritize 8th-generation quad-core CPUs, 8GB of RAM minimum with upgrade paths, a solid 240GB SSD, and a balance between performance and price, while noting that the best value often comes from models that hit around $500–$800 on sale. A closing note invites viewers to engage with the LTT community for further guidance and promotes sponsor products and affiliate links, ending on a lighthearted call to skim through the practical advice and consider what fits their exact budget and needs.

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