Best laptop for colleges: The 5 Best Laptops For College

The 5 Best Laptops For College – Summer 2023: Reviews

Table of Contents
Intro

Best Laptop

Best Upper Mid-Range

Best Mid-Range

Best Budget

Best Gaming

Notable Mentions
Recent Updates
All Reviews
Discussions

Updated Jun 30, 2023 at 11:20 am

By Ryan Lim

If you’re going off to college, you’ll need a laptop that can handle your school workload. Depending on your program, you can get a simple Chromebook, an ultraportable Windows laptop or MacBook, or a powerful mobile workstation. Preferably, you want a portable, well-built device with enough battery life to get you through the day. As you’ll be working a lot on the laptop, you should also look for a device with features contributing to a good user experience, like a sharp and bright display, a comfortable keyboard, and a responsive touchpad. It’s also important to consider the port selection if you use multiple peripherals or external displays.

We’ve bought and tested over 75 laptops. Below you’ll find our recommendations for the best laptops for college you can buy. You can also see our recommendations for the best laptops, the best lightweight laptops, and the best 15-16 inch laptops.

Best Laptop For College

Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)

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School

8.7

Size

14″

Portability

8.4

Maximum Brightness

476 cd/m²

Typing Quality

Touchpad

9.2

Geekbench 5 (Synthetics)

9.4

Battery Life (Web Browsing)

12. 5 hrs

Fan Noise Under Load

42.1 dBA

See all our test results

The best laptop for college we’ve tested is the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021). This premium model has a sleek, compact design, sturdy build, and all-day battery life. You can spec it with an M1 Pro or M1 Max SoC (System on Chip), both of which can handle nearly every type of workload, making it an excellent choice for students in fields like graphic design, architecture, or engineering. It gets a little hot under load, but the fans never get loud, so you don’t have to worry about causing too much noise in a quiet classroom.

In addition to its incredible performance, the MacBook Pro 14 provides a fantastic user experience. It has a sharp Mini LED display with full DCI P3 coverage, a comfortable keyboard, and a gigantic, easy-to-use haptic touchpad. If screen real estate is more important than portability, you can get the larger Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021). It’s essentially the same device but has slightly better-sounding speakers and longer battery life. The only downside is its higher price tag.

The last thing to know about the MacBook Pros is that Apple has released newer M2 versions. These new models are identical to their predecessors, just with a faster processor, HDMI 2.1, and increased memory support (up to 96GB). At this point, it’s best to go with an M2 model unless you can find the M1 at a deeply discounted price through a third-party seller, marketplace, or even Apple’s refurbished section.

See our review
Best Upper Mid-Range Laptop For College

Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022)

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School

8.5

Size

13. 6″

Portability

9.1

Maximum Brightness

468 cd/m²

Typing Quality

Touchpad

9.2

Geekbench 5 (Synthetics)

9.1

Battery Life (Web Browsing)

10.9 hrs

Fan Noise Under Load

N/A

See all our test results

If your school workload consists only of lighter tasks like text processing, web browsing, and video playback, get the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022) instead, the successor to the very popular Apple MacBook Air 13 (M1, 2020). It has a gorgeous display that gets bright enough for use outdoors in broad daylight, a comfortable keyboard that you can type on all day, and a gigantic and responsive haptic touchpad. Its M2 SoC is plenty fast for general productivity tasks like text processing and web browsing, and it can also handle some light video editing. The downside is that it only has two USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports with support for a single external display.

Want something like the MacBook Air 13 but with a bigger display? Good news! Apple just released the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023). It’s essentially the same laptop as the 13-inch model but with a larger 15.3-inch display and a few tweaks. You can see it on Amazon here. You also get better speakers, a 35W dual USB-C charger, and an M2 chip with ten GPU cores (you need to upgrade to the more expensive model with a 512GB SSD to get a ten-core GPU on the 13-inch). All this comes with a price increase of $200 USD over the 13-inch model.

For Windows users, get the LG gram 14 (2023). It’s also a high-end ultraportable laptop, and as its name suggests, it’s incredibly light, even lighter than the MacBook Air 13. It provides a good user experience with a sharp display, a comfortable keyboard, and good thermal and noise handling. Its wide port selection includes two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4s, letting you connect up to two 4k displays at 60Hz with a single cable. Build-wise, although it feels sturdy, its lightweight magnesium alloy chassis just doesn’t feel as rigid as the MacBook Air’s. It also has a smaller touchpad and a dimmer display.

See our review
Best Mid-Range Laptop For College

Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2022)

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School

8.1

Size

14″

Portability

8.5

Maximum Brightness

336 cd/m²

Typing Quality

Touchpad

6.8

Geekbench 5 (Synthetics)

8.8

Battery Life (Web Browsing)

13.6 hrs

Fan Noise Under Load

40.0 dBA

See all our test results

The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2022) is our pick for the best laptop for students in the mid-range category. This 2-in-1 Chromebook has a nice 14-inch display, giving you just enough screen real estate for multitasking, and it supports pen input so that you can take notes with a stylus. The stylus comes with the device, and there’s a charging slot in which you can dock it for transport. The keyboard feels spacious and tactile but can be tiring after an extended period. As for the touchpad, it’s on the smaller side and can be slightly janky when performing some gestures, but overall, it’s satisfactory.

This laptop has various Intel 12th Gen. CPUs, from a Core i3-1215U to an i7-1260P. However, you may have trouble finding the exact configuration you want due to availability. The Core i5 model with 8GB of memory and 128GB of storage is the easiest to find in stock, and it’s more than adequate for students with a light workload. Battery life is outstanding; you can easily get through a full day with plenty to spare. One last thing: ensure you can do your schoolwork through a Chrome browser or Android app because Chrome OS doesn’t support x86 Windows applications.

For Windows users, we have two recommendations. If you want to stick with a 2-in-1 convertible, go with the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (2023); otherwise, the Acer Swift 3 14 (2020) is a good choice, too. The Inspiron is a larger 16-inch device, so you get more screen real estate for multitasking and a fingerprint sensor. However, it doesn’t support Thunderbolt 4 or pen input, and its battery life is shorter at around ten hours of light use. As for the Swift 3, it’s very similar to the Spin 714 overall, but the keyboard isn’t quite as good, and the webcam is significantly worse.

See our review
Best Budget Laptop For College

Lenovo Chromebook C340 15 (2020)

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School

7.5

Size

15. 6″

Portability

7.8

Maximum Brightness

265 cd/m²

Typing Quality

Touchpad

7.6

Geekbench 5 (Synthetics)

4.9

Battery Life (Web Browsing)

12.1 hrs

Fan Noise Under Load

38.8 dBA

See all our test results

If you’re shopping on a limited budget, the best budget laptop for students we’ve tested is the Lenovo Chromebook C340 15 (2020), a 2-in-1 convertible with a 360-degree hinge. You can configure it with an Intel Core i3 or Pentium Gold CPU, which are both powerful enough to provide a smooth experience on Chrome OS. However, you can only get a maximum of 4GB of memory, which means it may stutter if you have too many applications or Chrome tabs open.

Its battery life is excellent at around 12 hours of light use, more than enough to get through the day. Of course, as it’s a cheap model, there are a few compromises. First, the display doesn’t get very bright; it’s fine for most indoor settings but not well-lit environments or outdoors. Second, keyboard backlighting is only available on models with an Intel Core i3 and 64GB of storage (model 81T90002UX). If you’re new to Chrome OS, know it has limitations as to which types of apps or programs you can install, so you need to ensure that it suits your needs.

See our review
Best Gaming Laptop For College

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2022)

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School

7.9

Size

14″

Portability

7.3

Maximum Brightness

458 cd/m²

Typing Quality

Touchpad

8. 8

Geekbench 5 (Synthetics)

9.6

Battery Life (Web Browsing)

10.3 hrs

Fan Noise Under Load

52.0 dBA

See all our test results

If you want a device you can also game on during downtime, get the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2022). It has a nice 120Hz QHD display with support for variable refresh rate to reduce screen tearing when gaming. It gets bright enough for use outdoors in broad daylight and has full DCI P3 coverage, meaning you can use it for your color-critical work. Its AMD Ryzen CPU and dedicated GPU are powerful enough to provide a smooth gaming experience, and they can also handle other demanding tasks, making the laptop suitable for students in technical fields like 3D graphics. The battery lasts around 10 hours of light use; however, if you do more intensive stuff that requires the dedicated GPU, you can expect it to be closer to an hour and a half.

See our review

Notable Mentions

MSI WS76 (2021):
The MSI WS76 (2021) is a great Windows alternative to the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021). It’s available with Intel 11th Gen. CPUs and NVIDIA discrete graphics, which are powerful enough to handle demanding tasks. You can configure it with a 4k display that covers the entire Adobe RGB and DCI P3 color spaces, so it’s suitable for photo and video editing. However, its color accuracy out of the box isn’t as good, meaning you’ll need to calibrate it before you do any color-critical work, and it’s also less portable because it’s bulkier and heavier.
See our review
Acer Swift 14 (2023):
The Acer Swift 14 (2023) is a good alternative to the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) for those who don’t need lots of graphical processing power, like programming or music production students. Its keyboard and touchpad aren’t as good as the Apple laptop’s, and you can only get a maximum of 32GB of memory. The battery lasts around nine hours of light use, enough to get through a typical school day but still much shorter than the Apple model’s twelve hours.
See our review
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 (2022):
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 (2022) is a good alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022). It’s available in a 13.5- or 15-inch size, so you can choose the one that suits you best. It’s a better option if you need to connect multiple external displays since the Apple model can only output to a single external monitor. However, its speakers don’t sound as good, and its battery life is shorter. The Microsoft model’s display gets bright enough for use in most indoor settings, but it isn’t nearly as bright as the Apple’s, so if you plan on working in a sunny environment or outdoors, the Apple laptop is still a better option. Also, the Microsoft laptop doesn’t handle reflections well.
See our review
Framework Laptop (2022):
The Framework Laptop (2022) is a good alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022) if you want an easily upgradeable laptop. It also has a modular port system that lets you swap out the ports on the fly. However, its battery life is much shorter, and the laptop is only available through Framework’s website.
See our review
Microsoft Surface Pro 8 (2021):
The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 (2021) is a good alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022) if you need a 2-in-1 tablet. It’s an especially great option if you’re in a program that requires you to draw with a stylus. However, like the keyboard, you need to buy the stylus separately, making the overall cost of the device much higher than the Apple laptop.
See our review

Recent Updates

Jun 30, 2023:
Minor text changes to add the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (2023) in the text. No change in recommendations.
May 31, 2023:
Verified that all picks are still valid. Minor text changes to add the LG gram 14 (2023) as an alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022). Added the Microsoft Surface laptop 5 (2022) as a Notable Mention.
May 02, 2023:
Verified the accuracy of picks. No change in recommendations. Added the Acer Swift 14 (2023) as a Notable Mention.
Apr 06, 2023:
Minor text changes to include the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 (2022) as an alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022). No change in recommendations.
Mar 10, 2023:
Minor text changes. Replaced the Acer Swift 3 14 (2020) with the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2022) because the Spin 714 provides a better user experience overall. Replaced the Razer Blade 14 (2022) with the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2022) because the ASUS is cheaper and has longer battery life. Added the LG gram 17 (2021) as a Notable Mention.

All Reviews

Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best laptops for college students to buy. We factor in the price (a cheaper laptop wins over a pricier one if the difference isn’t worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no laptops that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).

If you prefer to make your own decision, here’s the list of all of our laptop reviews, sorted by price from low to high. Keep in mind that most laptops are available in various configurations, and the table only shows the results of the model we tested, so it’s best to see the full review for information about other variants.

The 6 Best Laptops for College Students in 2023

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Electronics
Laptops

Photo: Connie Park

FYI

We’ve updated this guide with our new pick for budget Windows laptop.

June 2023

College is expensive—including tuition, housing, and textbooks, not to mention food and other miscellaneous costs. So students need a reliable laptop that’ll last for years of taking notes, writing papers at 3 in the morning, and editing slides for a group project. But choosing the right laptop can be more challenging than writing a thousand words on Proust.

We test dozens of laptops every year, and for this guide we’ve rounded up the picks from our other guides that are the best for students. A laptop’s price-to-performance ratio is the most important factor, followed by its battery life, its size and weight, and its keyboard and trackpad. Our top pick offers the best balance of all those factors for high school and college students, whether they’re attending classes remotely or schlepping it to a physical classroom.

We also have more-portable picks, if you’re able to spend more. And for anyone on a tighter budget, we have less expensive options that are also well suited for younger kids. To achieve their more-affordable price tags, these cheaper options all make serious trade-offs—in shorter battery life, bulkier size, or more-limited functionality—and they’re not likely to last as long as our picks. If you’re a film or photography student and you need a laptop for photo and video editing, or if you want a laptop that can also play games, we have picks for you, too.

The research

Our pick: Asus Zenbook 14 OLED
A Windows upgrade: HP Spectre x360 13.5
Mac options: MacBook Air
Budget Chromebook pick: Acer Chromebook Spin 513 (CP513-2H-K62Y)
Budget Windows pick: Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 (A3SP14-31PT)
Budget tablet pick: Apple iPad

Our pick: Asus Zenbook 14 OLED

Our pick

Asus Zenbook 14″ OLED (UM3402YA-WS51T)

The Zenbook 14 is the best laptop you can get for the price. But its build quality isn’t as nice, and it won’t perform as well in a few years as our top picks.

Buying Options

$699* from Walmart

*At the time of publishing, the price was $700.

Asus Zenbook 14″ OLED (UM3402YA-WS74T)

This version of the Zenbook 14 performs just as well as our top pick, but it costs a couple hundred dollars more than the base model.

Buying Options

$869* from Walmart

*At the time of publishing, the price was $870.

Recommended configuration

Processor:	AMD Ryzen 5 7530U or Ryzen 7 7730U	Screen:	14-inch 2880×1800 OLED touch
Memory:	8 GB or 16 GB	Weight:	3.06 pounds
Storage:	256 GB or 512 GB SSD	Tested battery life:	11 hours

Who these are for: Budget ultrabooks—thin and light laptops with good performance and long battery life and a price tag in the $700 to $800 range—are ideal for high school and college students because they provide the best value. These cheaper ultrabooks tend to make minor trade-offs compared with ultrabooks over $1,000: They may be a bit larger and heavier, may not last quite as long on a charge, may feel less sturdy or solid, or may lack convenient features such as a fingerprint reader or USB-C charging. But even with those drawbacks, budget ultrabooks still provide far better performance and overall quality compared with $500 laptops.

Photo: Connie Park

Why we like this one: Most high school or college students shopping for a laptop to last through graduation should get the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED, either the base model with 8 GB of memory or the version with 16 GB of memory. It’s powerful and portable enough to use for a full day of classes, and it has a vivid screen and a solid keyboard and trackpad. Unlike most cheap ultrabooks, the Zenbook 14 is sturdy and equipped with a fingerprint reader, and it comes with a USB-C charger, which you can use to charge more devices and is generally cheaper to replace than specialty non–USB-C chargers. If you spend around $400 more for the HP Spectre x360 13.5, you get a sleeker, nicer laptop with a better webcam and potentially more memory. But for most students, those differences aren’t worth the $400.

You can read more about the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED and our other picks in our guide to Windows ultrabooks.

A Windows upgrade: HP Spectre x360 13.5

Upgrade pick

HP Spectre x360 13.5″

The Spectre x360 offers exceptional battery life, a tall touchscreen, and a reliable keyboard and trackpad, and our pick is thin and light enough to slip in a bag and take anywhere.

Buying Options

$1,250* from HP

*At the time of publishing, the price was $1,000.

Recommended configuration

Processor:	Intel Core i5-1235U	Screen:	13. 5-inch 1920×1280 touch
Memory:	16 GB	Weight:	3.01 pounds
Storage:	512 GB SSD	Tested battery life:	11 hours

Who these are for: If you’re willing and able to pay more, get an ultrabook, which is a laptop with a great keyboard, screen, and battery life, as well as enough power to do everything most people need a computer for. It’s also thin, light, and portable. Because great ultrabooks provide a better experience and last longer than cheaper alternatives, they can cost more than many students are able to spend on a laptop—expect to pay between $1,100 and $1,300 for a great one that will last for years. But they lack the processing power to play high-end games or to handle demanding tasks like video editing or 3D modeling.

Photo: Michael Hession

Why we like this one: The HP Spectre x360 13. 5 (with 16 GB of memory) offers the best balance of what makes an ultrabook great: It offers fast performance, battery life for a full day of classes, a tall aspect ratio screen that’s ideal for browsing the web and writing papers, and a quality keyboard and trackpad. And if you take any classes remotely, the Spectre has the best webcam we tested this year. It also has a 360-degree hinge that lets you flip the touchscreen all the way around to use it as a tablet (or in any intermediate position), and it comes with an active stylus for taking notes. The Spectre x360 13.5 isn’t as light or compact as some other Windows ultrabooks, but at 3 pounds it’s certainly not heavy, either. It ships with too much bloatware, but that’s easy to uninstall when the laptop arrives.

You can read more about the HP Spectre x360 13.5 and our other picks in our guide to Windows ultrabooks.

Mac options: MacBook Air

Our pick

Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

The M1 MacBook Air has a comfortable keyboard, good performance, and a reasonable amount of storage—things that haven’t always been true of previous MacBook Airs.

Upgrade pick

Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022, 13″)

The 2022 M2 MacBook Air offers an updated design, a brighter screen, and a better webcam, and it restores the fan-favorite MagSafe port.

Buying Options

$1,099* from Apple

$1,099 from Amazon

$1,100 from Walmart

*At the time of publishing, the price was $1,100.

Recommended configuration

Processor:	eight-core Apple M1 or M2 CPU	Screen:	13.3-inch 2560×1600 or 2560×1664 IPS
Memory:	8 GB	Weight:	2.8 pounds
Storage:	256 GB SSD	Tested battery life:	14.5 hours

Who these are for: If you prefer macOS or need exceptional tech support, a MacBook is a safe bet; the 13-inch models usually offer the best combination of size, weight, and speed. They’re great for most types of schoolwork, including writing, researching, and basic video and photo editing and coding. Once you factor in Apple’s education discount, you can get one with good enough specs and storage to last three to four years for less than $1,000. MacBooks are usually more expensive than Windows ultrabooks, especially if you want to upgrade the memory or storage; Apple’s SSD upgrade prices are so high that we usually recommend looking into cloud storage or an external SSD instead.

Photo: Andrew Cunningham

Why we liked this one: At $900 after an education discount, the 13-inch MacBook Air (M1, 2020) is Apple’s cheapest MacBook. If your budget can stretch another $100, we recommend the newer MacBook Air (M2, 2022, 13″), which has a brighter screen, a superior webcam, and a MagSafe charging port. Both models are more than fast enough for web browsing, working on documents, and light photo and video editing, plus they can even handle professional work like 3D rendering or compiling code. They also have great keyboards and trackpads, as well as all-day battery life. Like Apple’s other laptops, the Air has only USB-C ports; you may need a USB-C hub for certain peripherals. But the Air’s light weight, solid construction, and industry-leading support make it a great laptop, especially if you also own an iPhone or other Apple devices.

Budget Chromebook pick: Acer Chromebook Spin 513 (CP513-2H-K62Y)

Budget pick

Acer Chromebook Spin 513 (CP513-2H-K62Y)

With reliable performance, a vivid, bright display, and long battery life, the Spin 513 is the best Chromebook for the price.

Recommended configuration

Processor:	MediaTek Kompanio 1380	Screen:	13. 5-inch 2256×1504 touch
Memory:	8 GB	Weight:	2.82 pounds
Storage:	128 GB eMMC	Tested battery life:	10.5 hours

Who these are for: Chromebooks are ideal for students who don’t need Windows or macOS for specific programs. A good Chromebook can do almost anything a regular laptop can do, including document work, video calls, and streaming video—as long as it’s possible in a web browser or via Android apps. And $500 Chromebooks tend to be faster, lighter, and sleeker than similarly priced Windows laptops. Plus, Chromebooks are secure and easy to maintain. But Chromebooks may have trouble connecting to campus printers, and they can’t play Windows games. And they’re not good for people who need access to Mac or Windows apps for photo, video, or audio editing, or other specialized software.

Photo: Michael Hession

Why we like this one: If you can complete all of your coursework on a Chromebook, we recommend the Acer Chromebook Spin 513 (CP513-2H-K62Y) because it has the best combination of features and price of all the models we’ve tested. It has fast enough performance, a reliable keyboard and trackpad, and a tall, vivid touchscreen. The Spin 513 is also portable, with a thin-and-light body and long enough battery life to last a full day of work or classes. Though we wish the Spin 513 were less expensive, it’s absolutely worth its price. (We’ve also seen this model drop below $500 on sale, which is an excellent deal.)

Budget Windows pick: Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 (A3SP14-31PT)

Budget pick

Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 (A3SP14-31PT)

Unlike most cheap Windows laptops, the Aspire 3 Spin 14 is fast, compact, and light, and it has a decent 1080p touchscreen and good battery life.

Recommended configuration

Processor:	Intel Core i3-N305	Screen:	14-inch 1920×1200 touch
Memory:	8 GB	Weight:	3. 3 pounds
Storage:	128 GB or 256 GB SSD	Tested battery life:	8.5 hours

Who these are for: If you need a Windows laptop for school and you can’t afford to spend a lot, you can find a decent one for less than $500, but you have to make some compromises. These models are best suited for grade-school or middle-school students, because most budget Windows laptops that are fast enough for school work tend to be bulky, heavy, and stuck with battery life that won’t last a full day of classes. You have to be extra-vigilant when shopping for a laptop in this price range to avoid slow or old processors, not enough memory, sluggish storage, and terrible, low-resolution displays.

Photo: Acer

Why we like this one: The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 (A3SP14-31PT) in any of our recommended configurations (37NV, 38YA, or 32M6) is the best Windows laptop you can find for the price. But we strongly recommend saving up for our top pick if you can—it’s better in nearly every way.

The Aspire 3 Spin 14 is fast enough to meet most people’s computing needs, and its keyboard and trackpad are reliable. It also has a decent-looking 14-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen with a tall aspect ratio, as well as a 360-degree hinge that allows you to use the device as a tablet to take handwritten notes (if you have a stylus). Compared with most bulky Windows laptops in this price range, the Aspire 3 Spin 14 is also more compact, and it has long enough battery life to last a full day of classes.

The Aspire 3 Spin 14 ships with Windows 11 S mode, which allows only apps from the Microsoft Store and limits you to Microsoft Edge for web browsing. But you can switch it to Windows 11 Home for free to install any program you need. It also comes with a ton of bloatware; we recommend following these steps to get rid of it.

Choosing a budget laptop is tricky, because you can find hundreds of variations, their prices fluctuate constantly, and companies release and discontinue models with no warning. If our pick isn’t available, check our full guide for other available options and advice on how to shop for a budget laptop.

Budget tablet pick: Apple iPad

Our pick

Apple iPad (9th generation)

With a large screen, a fast-enough processor, and Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard support, the 9th-gen iPad offers the features most tablet users need.

Who these are for: Windows laptops and Chromebooks that cost around $300 are almost uniformly unpleasant to use—washed-out screens and crappy performance are the two biggest problems. A tablet isn’t good at all the things a laptop is good at, and if you’re taking programming classes or learning how to do high-end photo and video editing with apps such as Photoshop or Premiere, a tablet probably wouldn’t work for you. But if you mainly need to browse the internet, write papers, stream videos, draw, and take handwritten notes, an iPad can be a workable, inexpensive substitute for a traditional laptop. iPads feel faster than cheap laptops, they run the App Store’s huge selection of games (in addition to productivity apps), and their light weight makes them more convenient to use in bed or on a couch when your homework is done and you want to unwind.

Photo: Sarah Kobos

Why we like this one: The 10.2-inch Apple iPad (9th generation) isn’t as fast as the much-more-expensive iPad Pro models, but it is responsive and pleasant to use, its screen is bright and colorful, it has good battery life, and the Apple Pencil is great for drawing or taking notes. And Apple has made big strides forward in keyboard and mouse support, which makes the iPad feel a lot more like a traditional laptop when you put it in a case and pair it to a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse (or one of Apple’s Magic Trackpads). If you can afford it, and especially if your iPad will be your only computer, consider the 256 GB version instead of the 64 GB version; with that version, you’ll need to rely on cloud storage less, and you’ll have more space for apps and other files.

Meet your guide

Kimber Streams

Kimber Streams is a senior staff writer and has been covering laptops, gaming gear, keyboards, storage, and more for Wirecutter since 2014. In that time they’ve tested hundreds of laptops and thousands of peripherals, and built way too many mechanical keyboards for their personal collection.

How to choose the best laptop for college students?

Last updated: April 20, 2023 by Arun Singh | Fact verified

Affiliate Disclosure: Full Transparency – Some of the links on our website are affiliate links and if you use them to make a purchase we will earn a commission at no extra cost to you (nothing at all!).

Laptops are gadgets that have become a must for any college student. One of the reasons for this is the huge spread of the concept of online education and everything related to learning.

So finding the perfect laptop that best suits your college needs can be a daunting task. So we are here to solve your problem. In this article, we will guide you through how to choose the best laptop for college students.

So, if you are a college student and you are looking for good laptops for college students, then this article is sure to help you in your search. Along with this post, you should also take a look at How to check laptop or PC specs?

Wondering what are the best laptops for gaming for around $600? If so, you’ll probably get the best deal on your expenses by coming straight here.

Contents

How to choose the best laptop for college students?

Step #1: Know your requirements.

The very first step in finding the best laptops for students is to understand their needs. By need, we mean what features you want in your laptop. The requirements may vary from person to person, but in the general context of the students; the most preferred features are good sound and graphics quality, decent storage, and fast processing.

So in this section we will discuss some parameters to look out for when looking for a good laptop:

1: Memory: You need a good amount of memory for fast processing. So, based on this fact, you should consider acquiring a memory that will do everything for you.

2: Screen size: Assuming you’re looking for a laptop that’s best for college students, you’ll need a small, large laptop screen. Under normal circumstances, a 12-inch laptop screen is worth choosing, but if you’re a gamer or avid movie buff, you should consider a 14-inch laptop screen. If you already have a laptop, you should take a look at the post explaining how to clean a laptop screen.

3: Graphics: If video games are one of your priorities, you should choose a laptop with good graphics performance.

4: Hard drive: A good laptop with decent memory will do, but only for a college student; you will need to store video courses and content. So, choose the one that best suits your needs. You can choose between SSD or HDD according to your needs.

5: CPU: This stands for “Central Processing Unit”. You should consider looking for a high performance processor so that it doesn’t lag your processes. If you are looking for a gaming laptop, there are a few things you should consider before choosing a gaming laptop.

6: Appearance Although this is not a factor to pay special attention to, since you are in college, appearance and design become factors to pay attention to. Highlight, slim and neat design will please you more.

7: Weight: If you are looking for the best laptops for students, you should pay attention to the weight of the laptop. Since you have to carry a laptop with you, you should choose one that is lightweight, easy to carry, and durable.

Step #2: Decide on a brand.

Now that you are done with the specs, you need to select the make of your laptop. When choosing a brand, you should see reviews from existing users. To do this, you can scroll down various e-commerce portals and reviews.

Since you have landed on this article, we assume that you are looking for a laptop that is best for students. So, according to my recommendations, you should choose a laptop with a good battery backup. At least four hours of backup battery will do everything for you. The bonus is a good rigid and durable body structure.

If you’re taking several high-end courses and attending major conferences regularly, you should choose Apple or Sony as it will give you a very professional look. However, this is not required. You can choose whatever suits your budget and needs.

When choosing the best brand for your laptop, you also need to decide on your budget.
This will make things easier for you as it improves your search for the best laptop.

Step #3: Buy a laptop.

Now that you’re done with the specs, brand and budget, you need to make your purchase. You can buy it online or offline, whichever suits you best. For online shopping, you can consider Amazon, eBay, Flipkart, Snapdeal, or some other online portals.

Choose the one that gives you the best price plus some other perks like free insurance and all. However, be sure to purchase a laptop from a trusted source.

Here are a few additional things you should also keep in mind when looking for a laptop suitable for your college:

1) Decide on a platform: You should choose a platform in advance. This will greatly improve your search and help you a lot. You can choose Mac, Windows or LINUX.

2) Check the price: very often you can get a discount on the laptop of your choice on certain portals. So be sure to check out as many trusted platforms as you can. If you can wait, you should look for festival deals or Black Friday deals.

3) Insurance: If you are in college, your laptops may be stolen or damaged. So be sure to check if there is insurance. If not, then get it.

To summarize.

With that, let’s conclude, this section brings us to the end of this tutorial on How to choose the best laptop for college students? “We hope we have been efficient enough to satisfy your curiosity on this topic.

We firmly believe that we left no stone unturned by delving into the smallest details of the subject and making you understand the whole concept.

But if you still have any questions about best laptops for college students then feel free to post your question in the comments below. We will try our best to solve the problem.

Moreover, if you found this article useful and worthy, show your love by sharing it in the community and among your peers.
Thank you for passing by and reading.

Arun Singh

Arun Singh is an experienced server management professional and has over 8 years of server hosting experience and occasionally shares his digital marketing knowledge. He currently works for a private company in Mumbai, India and manages the servers at BloggersIdeas.com.

Best Laptops for Study in 2023? Recommended Models

A student laptop is already a basic working tool. It is used for teaching, completing final projects, and for taking notes in class. It is difficult to answer unambiguously which laptop is the best for studying, since the market for these devices is constantly evolving. We increasingly appreciate the possibility of mobile use of this type of equipment, not only its demand is growing, but also the variety of offers on Smartmag.biz.ua and other stores. In this article, we will tell you which laptop to choose for study with a more or less limited budget.

Contents

What is the best laptop for studying?
Our College and University Notebook Ranking
Acer Chromebook 314 – Inexpensive note-taking and study notebook
HP 14s-dq3331nw – Lightweight study notebook under $2000
ASUS VivoBook 15 – Relatively inexpensive 1 5 inch student laptop
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 (15ALC6) is just a good laptop
DELL Inspiron G15 5515 is an option for a student who is also a gamer
Huawei MateBook 16 – A laptop for effective university studies
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Pro (14ACH5) – Lightweight and compact laptop for studies
ASUS ZenBook 14X OLED – (arguably) the best laptop for studies
Apple MacBook Air 13. 3 – premium class for students
Acer Nitro 5 is a good laptop for a university student…

The best laptop for studying – what is it?

Each student has different requirements and needs. Much depends not only on personal preferences, but also on the direction in which you study. Regardless, by the nature of science, virtually every student laptop should offer the highest possible performance with the highest possible portability, all at the lowest possible price. Although, of course, we understand that not everyone is an ordinary schoolgirl living on a scholarship, so our rating also includes models for those who can (and wants) afford a little more.

The best laptops for study 2022/2023:

Acer Chromebook 314-an inexpensive laptop for notes and study
HP 14S-DQ3331NW-a light laptop to 20,000 UAH.
ASUS VivoBook 15 is a fairly inexpensive 15-inch laptop for studying
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 (15ALC6) is just a good laptop for a student
DELL Inspiron G15 5515 is an option for a student who is also a gamer
Huawei MateBook 16 – laptop for efficient university studies
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Pro (14ACH5) – light and compact laptop for studies
ASUS ZenBook 14X OLED – (arguably) best laptop for studies
Apple MacBook Pro 13. 3 – premium for student
Acer Nitro 5 is a good laptop for university students… for starters

Undoubtedly, in the case of the target group of students, price is one of the most important factors, which is why we have ranked laptops in this ranking in ascending order. Before moving on to a discussion of specific models, I would only like to note that each of them has an operating system of (usually Windows 11), so there are no additional costs associated with its purchase.

Our College & University Laptop Ranking

The Acer Chromebook 314 is an inexpensive note-taking and study laptop

If you’re on a tight budget – and that’s common with students – a Chromebook, a Chrome OS laptop, might be the best solution than a Windows laptop. Its biggest advantage is its lightness, thanks to which, even with not very impressive characteristics, you can count on the most smooth operation.

Of course, you should also be aware of the limitations: this system will not allow you to use Windows applications, but all Google programs, players and cloud office suites work flawlessly. In short: the perfect laptop for note-taking and learning for little money. Our pick is the Acer Chromebook 314, which has a 14-inch Full HD screen and 128GB storage. Its strength lies also in its light weight (about 1.5 kg).

Most important features:

Operating system ChromOS
Main processor MediaTek MB8183
Display 14 inches/inch
4 GB RAM
HDD 128 GB SSD
Weight 1500 d
USB 2.0, audio mini-jack, USB Type-C

HP 14s-dq3331nw — lightweight laptop for study up to 2000 UAH

If you really have a limited budget, but still care about the full functionality of Windows, we recommend that you bet on the HP 14s-dq3331nw. It’s a 14-inch laptop that may not be a speed demon, but it ultimately handles basic applications like browsing the web, texting or watching movies.

Celeron N4500 dual-core processor paired with 8GB of memory delivers decent performance, built-in Wi-Fi 5 for fast networking, and a lightweight and slim design for portability. So you can successfully use this laptop at home, but taking it to university with you is not a problem.

Most important features:

Operating system Windows 11 Home
Main processor Intel Celeron N4500
Intel UHD Graphics
14″ Display
8GB RAM
512GB SSD
Weight 1460g
Connectors: card reader, audio mini jack, 2x USB 3.0, HDMI output, USB type C

ASUS VivoBook 15 is a reasonably priced 15-inch student laptop

The ASUS VivoBook 15 in our choice is only slightly more expensive than the HP laptop mentioned above, and if you can, consider paying extra. Although the computer itself is slightly larger, it offers more workspace: it has a 15.6-inch Full HD screen instead of a 14-inch one.

With an 11th Gen Intel Core i3 processor, it’s also more efficient, and the comfortable chiclet keyboard lets you comfortably write notes and finalize your work. For a 15-inch VivoBook, (weighs 1. 8 kg) is light enough, so its place does not have to be at home. With a width of 36 cm and a height of less than 2 cm, you can easily fit it into a bag or backpack.

Most important features:

Operating system Windows 11 Home
Main processor Intel Core i3-1115G4
Intel UHD Graphics
Display 15.6″
8 GB RAM
256 GB SSD
Weight 1800g 90 023
2x USB, audio mini jack, output HDMI, USB type C

Lenovo IdeaPad 3 (15ALC6) – just a good laptop

Together with the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 (15ALC6) laptop, we reach a slightly higher level: both in terms of price, but above all in quality. In the case of this hardware, you can expect really good performance, which is provided by a duo created by an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U 6-core processor and 16 GB of RAM.

A 15.6-inch Full HD IPS panel that works well on sunny days outside thanks to its anti-glare coating provides a comfortable working environment. When you’re out and about, you’ll also appreciate the ‘s light weight (1.65 kg) and a battery that provides hours of use on a single charge. In short, if you’re a liberal arts student and interested in a possibly good laptop under $25,000, this should be the best option.

Most important features:

Windows 11 Home Operating System
Main Processor AMD Ryzen 5 5500U
AMD Radeon Graphics
15.6″ Display
16 GB RAM

90 022 HDD SSD 512 GB

Weight 1650g
Card reader, 2x USB, audio mini-jack, HDMI output, USB type C

DELL Inspiron G15 5515 – an option for a student who is also a gamer

With just over 30,000 UAH at your disposal, you can already look for a basic gaming model. Of course, high graphics settings are out of the question on this shelf, but the GeForce RTX 3050 will at least allow you to play … anything. Among laptops of this type, the DELL Inspiron G15 5515-3537 looks good, which, in addition to the above-mentioned video card, also has an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H processor and 16 GB of RAM on board (and two more can be added if necessary). You can also count on high-speed Internet (via Wi-Fi 6 or LAN 1 Gb / s) , which fans of online games will appreciate.

A really good Full HD screen with a refresh rate of 120 Hz also deserves a few warm words. The downside of gaming laptops is the weight – in this case it is 2.81 kg.

Most important features:

Operating system Windows 11 Home
Main processor AMD Ryzen 5 5600H
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card
15.6″ display
16GB RAM
512GB SSD hard drive
Weight 2810g
USB 3 .0, Ethernet, HDMI output, USB Type-C

The ‘s hefty (but often louder) is the reason why a gaming laptop might not be the best option for a student. On the other hand, it offers high performance, which is important when using more advanced applications (for example graphics, design or diagnostics) . If that convinces you, an interesting alternative to the model above is the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IHU6 with an Intel Core i5-11300H processor, or you can pay a few thousand more and go with the MSI Katana GF66 or ASUS TUF Gaming F15 (FX506HE) (both of which you can count on an Intel Core i5-11400H processor and GeForce RTX 3050 Ti).

Huawei MateBook 16 – laptop for efficient university studies

Our next offer is Huawei MateBook 16 – a laptop designed for efficient work, including those related to academic education. Biggest plus? Undoubtedly, this is a virtually borderless screen with a diagonal of 16 inches and a 3:2 aspect ratio, which translates into a very large workspace.

The list of advantages should also include good performance ( it is provided by the AMD Ryzen 5 processor together with 16 GB of RAM) and the battery – not only does it provide more than 10 hours of operation, it also charges quickly (using a charger at 135 W). The All this, plus a selection of main connectors, makes it the optimal laptop for the student (or at least a strong candidate for that name).

Most important features:

Windows 11 Home Operating System
Main Processor AMD Ryzen 5 5600H
AMD Radeon Graphics
16″ Display
16 GB RAM

900 22 Hard drive SSD 512 GB

Weight 1990 g
Headphone jacks , 1x HDMI, 2x USB 3. 2 type A gen 1, 2x USB-C 3.2 gen 2

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Pro (14ACH5) – Lightweight and compact study laptop

Light and small, yet really powerful is a Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Pro (14ACH5) laptop. You will pay about 40,000 UAH. for the option we have chosen, and in return you can count on more than good performance. Just look at it: AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD and 14″ HD IPS display (2240 x 1400 pixels) . Added to this are Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth, and it’s all wrapped up in a design that’s just 17mm thick and ultra-lightweight (1.32kg). Mobility is also favored by a long operating time, reaching several hours.

Most Important Features:

Windows 11 Home Operating System
Main Processor AMD Ryzen 7 5800H
16 GB RAM
1 TB
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 9 graphics card0023
Display 14 inches
Weight 1320g

ASUS ZenBook 14X OLED — (

perhaps ) the best laptop for studying in college? Bet on ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED (UM5401QA) – that’s our answer. It’s a lightweight laptop with a great 14″ OLED HDR display for a comfortable learning and gaming experience. It’s also surrounded by a very thin bezel that keeps the computer itself from taking up too much space.

Despite its small size, the laptop offers very high performance – because it has an AMD Ryzen 7 5800 H processor and 16 GB of RAM. It is also reliable and durable: it has successfully passed a series of tests, for which it received the military strength standard MIL-STD-810H. Extensive connectivity options complete the package perfectly.

Most important features:

Operating system Windows 11 Home
Main processor AMD Ryzen 7 5800H
16 GB RAM
512 GB SSD
AMD Radeon Graphics
14″ display
Weight 1400g

Apple MacBook Air 13.3 – premium class for a student

Budget about 45-50 thousand hryvnia also lets you search for a new MacBook. Since Apple doesn’t go below a certain level, even the base model i. e. MacBook Air 13.3 (MGN63ZE/A) can be a good choice for a student. This is a variant with an 8-core M1 chip + 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD at its heart. The image, in turn, is displayed on a 13.3-inch high-resolution Retina display (2560 x 1600 pixels). This laptop is ultra-portable yet very powerful, and macOS provides not only a comfortable work experience, but also a seamless interaction with other devices from the Cupertino manufacturer.

Most important features:

macOS Monterey operating system
Apple M1 main processor
13.3″ display
8 GB RAM
256 GB SSD hard drive
Weight 1290g
2 x USB 3.1 type C

The Acer Nitro 5 is a good laptop for a university student…

With the Acer Nitro 5 (NH.QFWEP.00C) at the top of our list, we wanted to draw attention to the special needs of engineering students. In their case, mobility should take a backseat – high performance is definitely more important, and the 17.

The 5 Best Laptops For College – Summer 2023: Reviews