Before you do anything else, however, you should first check with your college or university for specific system requirements. Some schools require their students to have a Windows-based laptop, to avoid software incompatibility issues as much as possible. Many schools will have on-site repair centers that only service university-bought laptops, where the turn-around time is much quicker than if you sent it back to the laptop manufacturer. And keep in mind that most schools offer price breaks for particular manufactures and include extensive software bundles, which can shave off a good amount from your laptop purchase.

So, what the best laptop to get? True, there are a plethora of choices on the market today, and slogging through them can be a bit daunting. Check out PCMAG's hottest laptops to grace the dorm room, college classroom, and campus quad for this school year.