As students prepare for the school year by loading up on shiny, new wireless gear, many are faced with a decision between style and cost. Judging by sales, style usually wins.

Whether or not parents are paying for a new cell phone, cost is seldom the deciding factor for students, said Timberly Krutz, Cingular Wireless account executive.

“They don’t care much about price. They want it to be the coolest phone out there,” Krutz said.

At the Cingular store at 4000 W. Sixth St. where Krutz works, college students favor flip phones, which fold in half when not in use, and camera phones, which capture and transmit small color photographs. The store has added new models of flip phones this year and will be stocking more in time for the back-to-school demand.

At Simply Wireless, 4651 W. Sixth St., sales representative Ben Rhoden said size was important: Smaller is always better. He also said phones that slide rather than flip open are in style.

“It just makes a statement. Everybody’s looking to make a statement about themselves,” Rhoden said.

Krutz said splurging on a more expensive phone could be smart. Because most cell phone companies require a two-year contract, customers can be stuck with the phone they buy for a long time. Rhoden agreed a cell phone is a commitment worth careful consideration.

“If you don’t spend any money, you may get something that works decent but doesn’t have any features,” he said.

Krutz and Rhoden both said a phone’s price said little about its potential to break. All models of phones are brought in for repairs, usually with broken displays after being dropped too many times.

Joey Boone, Kansas University senior, broke his camera phone a couple of weeks after he purchased it earlier this year. He indulged himself and spent $125 on the Nokia 3200 after breaking his previous phone.

“It was stylish,” he said. “It had a camera on it, so it was something to play around with.”

Boone said while style remains important, he’ll weigh price more heavily next time he buys a phone.

Another popular wireless device, the laptop computer, is another way for students to show off. Andrew Kon, Best Buy product specialist, said while most laptops “all look the same,” wireless features add flair.

“Most people do their best work somewhere else, not in front of the desk all day,” Kon said.

A typical laptop costs about $1,200 and almost all come with a wireless card. Students shopping for wireless laptops should look for Centrino processors, which are made especially for wireless use. They use battery power more efficiently and dissipate heat better than other processors.

Another wireless option that’s quickly gaining popularity is wireless printing. While most printers can be connected into a wireless router, Hewlett- Packard’s Photosmart All-in-One has its own wireless card. The $340 printer can also function as a copier and scanner.

No matter what new gadget is on your shopping list, be sure to look at warranties. An inexpensive warranty can ensure that your stylish gear survives through next season.