Top 6 college laptops compared
Some laptops to consider in college
Apple iPad Air for $598: iPads are solid laptop documents, especially with the iPados 26. Apple has brought a real window to the iPad, giving you a mac-like experience. These tablets are already good for things like taking notes or textbooks, and now, they get the power they need for multitasking. With that in mind, it makes more sense than ever to recommend the iPad Air (8/10, recommended recommendation) to college students.
PROGRAM LAPTOP 13 for $899: FRAMEWOP’s 13-Inch laptop is a great choice for programmers and sysadmins. The laptop frame 13 (8/10, wired recommendations) is available with Windows or Linux, but I prefer it with Linux – a DIY laptop needs a DIY OS. The hallmark of this saptop is how you can repair and replace components down the road, making it environmentally friendly and cost effective.
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Asus Zenbook A14 for $800: You want a light laptop for college, not something you’ll feel like you’re lugging around. The Zenbook A14 (8/10, recommended wired) is perfect for this situation. At only 2.18 pounds, it’s one of the lightest laptops, more than half a pound lighter than the macbook air. That’s not to say it feels light, as Asus has used its ceraeramminum materials to create something that’s not overly lightweight but strong. Either way, you’ll be amazed at just how light the laptop is. Besides, it often sells at a great price.
Microsoft Surface Pro 12 for $700: I can’t think of a better device to bring to the classroom casually than the Surface Pro 12 (6/10, thread review). While I like the Probable Pro 13 for most people, college students are different. The small and light size of the Surface Pro 12 works to achieve this in this case, giving you a portable Windows device. It has really strong hardware, using the Snapdragon X Plus to provide great power and battery life that lasts as long as the larger model. I wish it was cheaper, but you’ll still need to add in a higher-end keyboard. You’ll need to add in USB-C power management as well.
Apple Air m1 MacAcbook for $599: The M1 MacASBook Air (9/10, repeat recommendation) from 2020 with the original M1 chip is still available, and for $600, it’s a really good deal. The battery will last more than a full work day, under heavy workloads, and is powerful enough for college use. These days, you can only buy the basic model with 8 GB of integrated memory and 256 GB of storage, but that should be enough for college work. If you press it with multiple browser tabs and applications running at the same time, you may run into some slowdowns. A 720p web page isn’t ideal, but at this price, it’s hard to argue.
Asus Chromebook CX14 for $249: If you’re really on a budget, the CX14 is the best thing you can buy under $300. Chromebooks tend to get you better performance and battery life than you can get from cheap Windows laptops. The ASUS Chromebook CX14 (6/10, recommended wired) may not have the best screen, but in a pinch, this will get you by on a budget.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x Copilot + PC for $1,300: Svelte’s Svelte Slim 7x by Lenovo Battery life and performance are steady, although the fan tends to run faster. Price may vary. It’s not worth buying at full price, but I’ve seen it go as low as $800.
Do you need a laptop in college?
Yes. Or, at the very least, some type of computing device that you are comfortable using. If you live off campus, we would recommend a laptop of some sort for your school work. Alternatively, you can use a desktop in your room paired with an iPad or some type of note-taking device.
However, a laptop can be a small device. It is very useful to take your work on the go as you are between classes, studying at coffee shops, or just taking notes from a lecture. Dorm rooms are not known for being dirty, so having a laptop to take your studying to the library or coffee shop can be a huge advantage.
But as seen in our recommendations above, devices such as the iPad Air or the iPad Pro 12 can be good solutions, as long as you discover them with their keyboards.
What type of laptop is best for college?
All of our guidelines for choosing a laptop also apply to a college device, including checking the quality of the display and chassis, as well as making sure the laptop is fast enough for your work. Get something with at least 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage and you’ll be happy.
There are several important things that you should look for in the college specification. Portability and battery life are very important. No matter your budget, you want something that will last all day and won’t save you on the floor while you walk from class to class. Anything over four pounds or so will start to feel noticeable in your wallet.
General dimensions are also important. Bringing a 16-inch laptop to class can feel appese given the size of a college classroom. This is especially true if you plan to bring your laptop to a crowded coffee shop or library. That is why 13 or inch laptops are preferred. There are 14-inch gaming laptops out there like the Razer Blade 14, which get you the discrete GPU you need without sacrificing portability.
Here are some types to consider:
The processor
- Windows: If you get a Windows machine, your main processor options are Intel and AMD, although Qualcomm is now active with Copilot + PCS. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses. For a complete guide to the difference, check out our complete laptop buying guide.
- Chromebooks: These browser-based devices use half a dozen different processors, most of which you’ve never heard of. There’s a reason for that: Those processors are slow. My recommendation when buying a Chromebook is to stick with the Chromebook Plus device. This is the new Google designed to ensure a certain level of performance and Poland with Chromebooks.
- Macos: Apple has been adding processors for a few years, such as the latest M5 Chip found inside the MacBook Pro right now. The M5 series hasn’t made it to other MacBooks in the line so far, though, which is why Apple still calls it the M4 MacBook Air and M4 Pro MacBook Pros. These more powerful macbooks feature GPUS that are comparable to the discrete gpus you find in Windows laptops. Our MacBook buying guide can help further.
RAM AND STORTOLO
Regardless of which OS you choose, the minimum amount of RAM you want in your laptop is 8 GB. This is enough memory to keep your computer feeling snappy even when it’s running under load. But these days, 16 GB has become the new standard, and you’ll find many laptops around $800 or less that come with 16 GB. So, if you can afford it – especially if you plan to edit photos or videos as part of your studies – go for 16 GB or 32 GB.
The new default storage is 256 GB, and it will do if you’re trying to save money. You can always use external storage if you need to add. Spring with 512 GB or a terabyte if you can.
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Screens vary greatly, but don’t settle for anything less than 1080p (or 1200p for 16:10 aspect ratio cottios). For a half-inch laptop, 1080p is sharp enough. If you are traveling with a large laptop, 2.5k or 4k screens will improve the viewing experience. If you’re trying to play games too, make sure to get something with a higher refresh rate – 120 hz or 144 hz will be more than enough.
Weight and battery
Don’t forget that you will be moving this thing around. You may have been on your back for eight hours or more. One pound may not seem like much, but at the end of a long day of travel, you’ll notice the difference between a three-pound laptop and a four-pound laptop. Trust me. Also, maybe you have chosen a good bag to carry your computer.
Similarly, battery life is very important if (it is possible) to be away from the wall for extended periods of time. Whatever you end up getting, make sure it can last at least eight hours under the world of browsing, editing documents, writing emails, and writing emails. However, you may want to look at a portable battery charger.
Are Chromebooks good for college?
Of course, for many college students, Chromebooks are a great option. They are cheaper than macbooks or Windows laptops, as well as Chromebook modems and models with high-end features, although they are more expensive. If you are going to buy under $500, things can get a lot of money, but I tested the good options that I recommend in this guide even in this price range. That’s the strength of Chromebooks as a platform.
Plus, you can run almost any app on the web these days (including Office 365), and Android apps do a great job of filling in the blanks. From time to time, however, you may run into some compatibility issues, either with software or hardware. If you’re into fashion, art, or a design program, however, a Chromebook is probably not a good deal. For example, if you need to use CAD or Photoshop, you will want a Windows laptop.
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