When you get your household ready for back to school, take stock of your computer situation, as well. For older children, particularly those at the middle and high school levels, access to a computer is tantamount to academic excellence, as there are so many applications. While schools may have computer labs for students who don't have home access, the challenge for most families is the time it takes to do research away from home, as well as the inconveniences caused by having to arrange before or after school time. It's much easier to have home access to a computer.
With the advent of the netbook, it's become especially cost effective to have a simple computer in the home, for research purposes. Netbooks start in price at approximately $250, and are small enough that they don't take up a huge amount of space, but large enough that they won't cause extreme eye strain. Use of cd/dvd roms is limited, but has become less common in recent years. An inexpensive external drive makes it possible to use discs, when needed. If you are stressed at the cost of a back to school computer, a netbook is the most cost effective option.
Desktop bundles are typically available at great prices during the back to school season. If you have a high school student, who will be writing research papers, and other word processed materials, then you will want to examine these packages. A desktop computer is a bit more bulky, but these bundled packages generally include printers, which will be important for the paper-writer.
A laptop can be a good option for a student who expects to continue on to college. Something portable, but powerful, is useful. Furthermore, laptops generally incorporate a cd/dvd drive, making it possible to use, or create dvd and cd roms. Laptops, and netbooks, can work with printers, in the home, as well as on the go.
