
Jump straight to the best student laptops…
Many students have had their classes disrupted as a result of the global pandemic, and as a result, they’ve become more reliant on their computers. Purchasing the best student laptop has never been more important.
That means the best laptops for students are no longer just tools for completing coursework and conducting research for essays; they are now essential devices that can help students attend classes remotely or stay in touch with classmates and family members regardless of their location.
These laptops are also thin and light enough to be carried around when students are physically attending classes. They also have the best battery life in the industry, so you won’t have to worry about running out of juice halfway through the day. As a result, we’ve chosen laptops with excellent webcams and microphones that can help students stay in touch.
The best student laptops must also have sufficient processing power to handle essential apps and tasks such as document creation, word processing, and presentation creation. You’ll need a laptop that can run demanding apps like Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and others if you’re taking a creative course.
Buying a new laptop can be confusing, so we’ve broken down what makes these devices such good buys in this guide so you can shop with confidence. Our built-in price comparison tool will also assist you in locating the best price for these laptops across the web.
For more information, jump to the Section on what to think about when buying a student laptopIf you’re looking for a specific Apple product, see our guide on how to get one. .. Apple student discount. If you want some ideas on the best iMac alternatives, we’ve got you covered.
The best student laptops available now
01. Acer Swift 3 (2020)
The best student laptop overall
Specifications
11th-generation Intel Core i5 – i7
Intel Iris Xe Graphics
up to 16GB LPDDR4X
3:2 IPS 13.5″ 14″ 16:9 FHD IPS VertiView Display
up to 1TB PCIe Gen SSD
Reasons to buy
+Highly portable
+Excellent multitasker
Reasons to avoid
–Speakers are “meh”
The Acer Swift 3 (2020) checks almost all of the boxes for the best student laptops. It’s cost-effective without sacrificing performance, and it’s powerful enough to handle everyday tasks like web browsing and document creation, making it ideal for students.
The latest model includes some notable hardware upgrades, making it a better performer than ever before, as well as improved battery life. It’s also thin and light enough to carry around school or campus with ease, but with a solid build quality that won’t break easily.
It isn’t the most powerful laptop on the market, and it won’t handle games, but for an affordable and dependable student laptop, it’s hard to beat this one.
02. Acer Chromebook 314
The best budget Chromebook for students
Specifications
Intel Celeron N4000
Intel UHD Graphics 600
4GB
14-inch LED (1366 x 768) high definition
32GB eMMC
Reasons to buy
+Excellent battery life and performance
+Bright, crisp screen
Reasons to avoid
–No touchscreen
–No fingerprint reader
Because of their excellent value for money, Chromebooks are among the best student laptops. They run Chrome OS, which uses fewer resources than Windows 10, allowing Chromebooks to run on less powerful hardware while still providing excellent performance.
As a result, Chromebooks are frequently less expensive than Windows 10 devices, and the Chromebook ecosystem is growing. Acer Chromebook 314is, in our opinion, the best Chromebook for students on a budget. Because of the low price, you won’t have to spend all of your student loan money on a laptop, and it still has great features like a bright and vibrant 14-inch display and a 12-hour battery life. So you can work on this thing for an entire school day and still have plenty of battery life left.
The keyboard is also extremely comfortable, which is crucial in a student laptop because you’ll be typing a lot on this thing.
It’s also a good media player, so you can watch Netflix when you (or the student in your life) needs to relax – all for a very low price.
Keep in mind that Chrome OS doesn’t support all of the programs that come with Windows 10, but there are usually excellent alternatives.
03. Google Pixelbook Go
The best Chromebook for students
Specifications
Intel Core m3 – i7
Intel UHD Graphics 615 (300MHz)
8GB – 16GB
Full HD Display – 4K Ultra HD Molecular Display
64GB – 256GB
Reasons to buy
+Incredible battery life
+Amazing ‘Hush’ keyboard
Reasons to avoid
–No biometric login
The Pixelbook Gois currently the best Chromebook money can buy, making it one of the best student laptops as well. While the Acer Chromebook 314 has a lower price, the Pixelbook Go is the better all-around Chromebook, with a premium design and powerful components that would put many Windows 10 laptops to shame.
Even with its higher-end features and extras. The Pixelbook Go is still significantly less expensive than many other laptops, and it has excellent battery life. It’s a little more expensive than many other Chromebooks, but you get a lot of great extras with this one, including a great screen, a great webcam (which is essential these days with so much remote learning), and excellent performance.
This is one of the best laptop keyboards we’ve seen, and it means you’ll be able to type comfortably all day. The excellent keyboard, on the other hand, is what really sets it apart as a fantastic student laptop.
04. MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
The best MacBook for students
Specifications
Apple M1 chip with 8‑core CPU
Integrated 7-core – 8-core GPU
8GB – 16GB unified memory
13.3-inch 2560 x 1600 Retina display
256GB – 2TB SSD
Reasons to buy
+macOS Big Sur is fast and responsive
+Battery life is great
+Silent in use
Reasons to avoid
–Fanless design could impact performance
Apple released the best laptop it has ever made at the end of 2020, according to many people (including ourselves). M1-powered MacBook Air.. Apple created its own chip to power the new MacBook Air rather than using Intel hardware, and it’s a risk that has paid off handsomely.
It’s also the most affordable MacBook, and while it’s more expensive than other laptops, it’s the most affordable way to get a MacBook, making it an excellent choice for students with a slightly larger budget. Its performance is excellent, easily outperforming older MacBook Airs, and its battery life is significantly improved. Its screen also supports the P3 color gamut, making it an ideal laptop for students studying photography or video editing. It can now run iOS apps, giving you access to a much larger app library than before. Take a look at our MacBook Air (M1, 2020) review for more details.
05. Microsoft Surface Go 2
Premium design, more affordable price
Specifications
Intel Core m3 – Intel Pentium Gold Processor 4425Y 8th Gen Intel Core m3 – Intel Pentium Gold Processor 4425Y
Intel HD Graphics 615
4GB – 8GB
PixelSense Display 10.5″ 1920 x 1280 (220 PPI)
64GB eMMC – 128GB SSD
Qualcomm Snapdragon X16 LTE Modem, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.0
Reasons to buy
+Premium design
+Affordable
+Can run full Windows 10
Reasons to avoid
–No Touch Cover or stylus included
–Base model’s specs are weak
If you’re looking for a student laptop that can also function as a tablet, look no further than the Microsoft Surface Go 2is a fantastic option. The Go 2 is a lot more affordable than Microsoft’s other Surface products, but it has the same premium and stylish build quality.
While it lacks the power of the Surface Pro 7, it is more than capable of assisting students with their studies. The Surface Go 2 is a great choice for everything from web research to writing documents and creating presentations in Microsoft Office, and it runs Windows 10, so you have access to a wide range of apps.
Not only is it a tablet that’s great for scribbling notes with a stylus (or watching Netflix when you have free time), but it can also comfortably type up entire essays if you get the keyboard attachment (which we strongly recommend).
06. Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook
A brilliant affordable Chromebook for students
Specifications
MediaTek Helio P60T Processor
ARM G72 MP3 800GHz
4 GB LPDDR4X
10.1″ FHD (1920 x 1200) IPS touchscreen, 400 nits, 10.1″ FHD (1920 x 1200) FHD (1920 x 1200) FHD (1920 x 1200) FHD
64 GB eMMC
Reasons to buy
+Lightweight
+Long battery life
Reasons to avoid
–Not the most comfortable keyboard
The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook is yet another excellent example of why Chromebooks make excellent student laptops, as it combines a low price with exceptional performance.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook, unlike some other low-cost laptops, can be used as both a laptop and a tablet. With Chrome OS, the operating system that runs Chromebooks, now being able to run Android apps, you’ll have access to a plethora of great tablet-specific apps when in tablet mode.
Meanwhile, you can use the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook as a laptop when the keyboard is connected, which is ideal for typing long essays on, though the keyboard is a little cramped.
Nonetheless, this is a laptop that students can purchase that can serve as two devices, saving you money in the long run, especially at this low price.
07. Acer Chromebook Spin 311
A great 2-in-1 Chromebook for students
Specifications
Intel Celeron N4000
Intel UHD Graphics 600
4GB
11.6″ 16:9 IPS touchscreen with HD resolution (1366 x 768)
64GB Flash Memory
Reasons to buy
+2-in-1 design
+Easy to carry
Reasons to avoid
–Dim screen
–Looks a bit dated now
Having a convertible device like the Acer Chromebook Spin 311It’s ideal for students. It means you can use it as a traditional laptop and then switch to a tablet mode for specific tasks. You can also use it in ‘tent’ mode, which allows you to turn it into an ideal screen for unwinding in front of Netflix after a long day of studying, thanks to its hinge, which allows you to flip the screen backwards.
Best of all, due to its low price, it provides excellent value for money, easily making it one of the best laptops for students in 2021. It’s surprisingly small, making it easy to carry around with you throughout the day while remaining comfortable to use for extended periods of time.
(Image credit: Dell)
08. Dell G3 15
The best gaming laptop for students
Specifications
9th Generation Intel Core i5 – i7
Max-Q Design NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 – 1660 Ti
8GB – 16GB
Anti-glare LED Backlit Non-touch 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
1TB HDD – 512GB SSD
Reasons to buy
+Affordable
+Great performer
Reasons to avoid
–Flimsy build
If you prefer to do so by playing games, a gaming laptop such as the Even though being a student entails a lot of hard work, you still need to relax and let off steam. Dell G3 15 It also means that if you’re going to university, you won’t have to bring a large gaming desktop with you. is perfect
The Dell G3 15 also demonstrates that a great gaming laptop does not have to be expensive. This is a budget-friendly gaming laptop that provides excellent performance in modern games without leaving you short on cash for rent or school supplies.
While the spec won’t allow you to play demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 with full ray tracing and other visual effects, you’ll be able to play almost any modern game with a few tweaks.
09. MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1, 2020)
Apple’s teeny-tiny MacBook Pro gets a major upgrade.
Specifications
Apple M1 chip with 8‑core CPU
Integrated 8-core GPU
8GB – 16GB unified memory
LED-backlit Retina display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels.
256GB – 2TB SSD
1.56 cm x 30.41 cm x 21.24 cm
Reasons to buy
+Huge battery life
+Great performance
+Can run iOS apps
Reasons to avoid
–Still lacks ports
If you’re a student looking for a powerful laptop and prefer an Apple device, the new MacBook Air is a great option. MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1, 2020This new MacBook Pro has the same M1 chip as the new MacBook Air, but with a few tweaks to make it even more powerful. This means that when it comes to video editing or 3D rendering, this thing is a beast. ) is the one for you.
It also has the best battery life of any MacBook ever, all while maintaining the beautiful thin and light design that MacBooks are known for.
It’s pricey, but it’s well worth it if you need something with a little more oomph. Take a look at our This is without a doubt one of the best and most powerful student laptops available right now. MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1, 2020) review for more details.
10. Microsoft Surface Pro 7
For students, a fantastic tablet that can also be used as a laptop.
Specifications
10th Gen Intel Core i3 – i7
Intel UHD Graphics – Iris Plus Graphics
4GB – 16GB
12.3” PixelSense Display
128GB – 1TB
Bluetooth 5, 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 (2 x 2 MIMO), 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 (2 x 2 MIMO)
8MP autofocus rear-facing camera (1080p HD); 5MP autofocus front-facing camera (1080p HD).
1.7 pounds (771g)
292 x 201 x 8.5mm; W x D x H) 11.5 x 7.9 x 0.33 inches (292 x 7.9 x 0.33mm; W x D x H)
Reasons to buy
+USB-C finally
+Now with Wi-Fi 6
Reasons to avoid
–Overall loss in battery life
–USB-C isn’t Thunderbolt 3
While not strictly a laptop, the Microsoft Surface Pro 7is well-deserving of a spot on this list of the best laptops for students. It’s a Windows 10-powered tablet, but you can turn it into a laptop-like device by attaching the Type Cover, which is an optional extra.
It’s also compact and easy to carry around as a tablet, and it’s quite powerful. It also runs on a full version of Windows 10, so you have access to a large library of compatible software. It has a quad-core Intel processor and up to 16GB of RAM, so it can handle almost any app you might need for your studies.
Our company’s It also has a USB-C port and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, and you can customize it before you buy to make sure it’s perfect for your needs – and your budget. Microsoft Surface Pro 7 review has more details.
Best student laptops: What to consider
Something that will last at least three years, if not longer, is a must. What you don’t want is to end up with a laptop that dies halfway through a course. If the laptop will be used by students studying specialized subjects, you may need something a little more powerful – graphic design students, for example, might benefit from a laptop with a modern graphics card.
However, not every student will require such large specs. Many Chromebooks are excellent student laptops because they replace large storage capacity with lightning-fast performance. This is due to the fact that the apps they run don’t take up a lot of space, and with built-in support for Google Drive, your documents are all saved in the cloud as well.
The best student laptops also have long-lasting batteries. You’ll want something that will last all day in lessons and lectures (whether you’re studying at home or on campus), and it should be able to be recharged quickly if the battery runs out.
Read more: