Returning to study as a mature age student is not an easy decision. The cost of your educational supplies and the hours you will dedicate will probably cost more than your course fees. Having the appropriate personal computer will be very important. With so many choices on the market, choosing the right device will be important. It will make up the bulk of your investment and will be linked to the rest of your materials. So, how can you choose the right one?

• Will you be reading a lot of online materials? If you plan to do the bulk of your reading from online materials, tablets and e-readers are an excellent choice. They are lightweight and have screens designed for reading online materials. Most e-readers come with an e-ink screen that is much easier on your eyes (because of the lack of a backlight). Although, there is still a lot to be said for the importance of libraries, as not everything in them is available online.
• How much of what you will be studying will be available online? You should know the full extent of what you will be required to absorb during the period of your studies, and how much of that is actually available online, and available for your device. More progressive courses, such as business courses, normally rely on more current-affairs and current media, meaning that tablets are often an excellent choice. If you are studying more traditional subjects, the material you need might not be available online. Some devices are tied to content suppliers (such as the Kindle Fire from Amazon), and this may mean the cheap device is not as cheap as you think after you start paying for content.
• How long will you be using your device? New devices are coming out all the time. Computers and tablets are improving all the time. For example, the iPad 3 will be out on the market soon. This is not long after the release of the first model. You should know whatever you buy will only have a limited shelf life. Buying relatively new second hand devices can be a great way to save money if you know you will only be using your device intensively for a short time.
• Will you be doing a lot of writing? Tablets are great for reading and browsing the Internet, but, if you have a lot of writing to do you will find they are frustrating. Some tablets allow for the use of external keyboards – an essential for writing those long papers and essays. A great keyboard is extremely important, and not all keyboards are the same. Make sure you are happy with whatever keyboard you will be using – this is certainly something you need to try a little before you buy.
• Size and weight. The main reason to buy a big laptop is to get a big screen. Keyboard sizes are generally the same, except with those child-sized notebooks (netbooks) – a very poor choice for anyone without tiny hands. If you have a second screen available for use at home, a smaller laptop or even tablet may be more practical. If you don’t, and you know you have hours sitting in front of your screen to learn or produce your work, this is something you really need to consider. A larger laptop might feel light in the moment, but will feel a lot heavier when you are lugging it around all day and night. A screen that is too small will make you tire faster. Balance your needs with what you are prepared to put up with.

Look to what others are using in your courses and get recommendations from your course lecturers before you buy. Just because a device is popular in the moment, does not mean it will be right for your particular needs. Tablets are very popular because they are new, but that does not mean they have replaced the laptop by any stretch of the imagination, especially in terms of processing power.