Buying a school laptop? 4 things I'd consider first (and my top 10 picks)

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. Match your laptop to your college major. Budget, battery life, and portability matter. Student discounts can lower laptop costs. Need a laptop for college but don't know where to start? I don't blame you -- the PC industry is notorious for technical jargon and confusing product lines. Luckily, you can significantly narrow down your choices by addressing these four considerations. We'e tested dozens of laptops this year alone at ZDNET, and have a solid understanding of which laptops are good for college since, well, we were students once, too. I've also considered the main factors here: portability, battery life, and, of course, price. Almost every laptop on this list is under $1,500. Here are the big things to consider when picking out a laptop for college, and 10 recommended models that might help you narrow down your choices. Let's run through it. 1. Determine what you'll use it for Different areas of study require different laptops. If you're in media or design and working with graphics or video, you'll want one that can adequately handle creative workflows. That often means spending a little more money. Trust me, the worst thing…