[Review] Best Laptops for College: Top Picks for Students and Expert Advice

An architectural design major will prioritize different specs than a law student, but each person may still need their system for other things on the side. That’s why the best laptop for college has to be good at almost everything you need a computer for. 

I’ll be showing laptops that meet those criteria, with great choices for students who can afford to splurge a little or those looking to save a cent or two.

What Should You Look for in the Best Laptop for College and School?

The process generally involves taking inventory of what you expect from the system and placing a price benchmark. I’ll explain the things you should consider.

Price

Your budget forces you to prioritize the specs that matter most. While going above $1,000 is the easiest way to land the best laptop for school or college, there are good deals under that price point. Still, consider that you’ll get a lot of student discounts from manufacturers.

Battery life

Consider how long you expect to use your computer on battery before plugging it in and focus on laptops that offer that kind of battery life within your price range.

Perfromance

Can the laptop handle everything you intend to throw at it? You should look at the least amount of RAM that you need, the kind of processor running in each computer, and the laptop’s performance on battery vs. direct power.

Storage

Display

Going for a 13-inch display may be a good decision when you think about cutting the price of your laptop. But don’t forget that larger screens are better for multitasking. You’ll also need bigger and higher-quality screens if you’re primarily into video editing, graphics designing, 3D modeling, architectural designs, and illustration.

Durability

Operating system

I’ll be grouping the best laptops by Windows and macOS because there are things you can and cannot do on either. For example, students who want to game or use certain programs like Lumion are better off with Windows, while people entrenched in the Apple ecosystem and reliant on apps like FinalCut Pro should stick with a MacBook.

10 Best Laptops for College and School Students (Comparison Chart)

As mentioned, I’ll be covering the best laptops for school and college by operating system to make the choice easier.

Best Windows Laptops for College and Schools

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition: Overall Best Laptop for College Students

Image credit: Lenovo

Specifications:

• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 256V or 258V.
• Memory: 16GB LPDDR5X-8533MHz.
• Storage: 512GB SSD M.2 2242 PCIe Gen4 SSD.
• Screen: 15.3″, 2880 x 1800 (2.8K) IPS.
• Battery: 70Whrs.

Positives:

• Great screen.
• Superb battery life.
• Excellent for productivity and decent gaming performance.
• Can handle Microsoft’s AI features.
• Runs quiet.

Downsides:

• May be on the high side for many college and school students.
• Largely unupgradable.

Why you should buy it:

• You want a computer with futuristic AI capabilities.
• You rely on a lot of x86 programs.
• You do a little bit of light gaming on the side.
• Battery life is a big deal for you.

Why you should pass:

• You have a smaller budget.

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition is one of the first computers to showcase Intel’s Lunar Lake laptop processors. From the reviews and hands-on videos I’ve seen so far, Intel’s promises about battery life and performance may actually be true for the most part. 

It is one of the longest-lasting Windows laptops released in 2024, largely due to Intel’s power-efficient processors, the big battery, and Lenovo’s AI chip that automatically allocates system resources based on user activity. 

Its performance is at least on par, if not greater than most Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, and it will sport Microsoft’s Copilot+ exclusive AI features. On top of that, students won’t have to deal with the limitations of Arm laptops.

Benchmark credit: Just Josh

The main downside is its price. It starts at $1,280, which is beyond most people’s budgets, even for what anyone would consider the best laptop for college. While Lenovo offers plenty of student discounts (we will speak about it later), this computer is not yet on that list. However, students should be able to benefit from sales programs in the future when the product fully hits the market.

What do reviewers and experts say?

Tech reviewer Dave2D called the Slim 7i Aura Edition the laptop with the longest battery life and affirmed Intel’s first-party benchmarks. The only concerns rested on aesthetics and hinge mechanisms.

ASUS Vivobook S 14 (M5406WA): Best Compact Option

Image credit: ASUS

Specifications:

• CPU: AMD Ryzen AI 9.
• Memory: 24GB LPDDR5X. 
• Storage: 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD.
• Screen: 14″, 2880 x 1800 (3K) OLED, 600 nits, 120Hz.
• Battery: 75Whrs.

Positives:

• Great display.
• Fast processor and integrated graphics.
• 24GB RAM is a bonus.
• Long-lasting battery.

Downsides:

• Quite on the high side.
• Trackpad ergonomics could be better.

Why you should buy it:

• You need a small form factor with great performance.
• You run heavy applications like games.
• You need AI futures.

Why you should pass:

• You have a tight budget.
• You need a larger screen.

The ASUS Vivobook S 14 is not just on this list because it is compact. It is legitimately one of the best laptops for school and college due to its all-round performance. People who want a larger screen can go for the 16-inch variant. 

Still, the 14-inch can handle any task that comes its way, from creative work to mid-level gaming. On top of that, it will get Microsoft’s Copilot AI features since the AMD Ryzen 9 AI chipset clears the 40 TOPS system requirement.

Benchmark credit: NotebookCheck

What do reviewers and experts say?

Just Josh calls the Vivobook a compelling offering for students and professionals that don’t need powerful dedicated graphics for things like gaming and 3D modeling. Their tests show the laptop slugging it out with the highest-tiered X Elite processors and producing impressive battery performance.

Benchmark credit: Just Josh

HP OmniBook X Laptop: Best Battery Life

Image credit: HP

Specifications:

• CPU: Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100.
• Memory: 16GB LPDDR5X.
• Storage: 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD.
• Screen: 14″, 2240 x 1400 (2.2K), 300 nits.
• Battery: 59Whrs.

Positives:

• Exceptional battery life.
• Durable build.
• Portable.
• Great performance.

Downsides:

• 300 nits is not quite bright.
• X86 support still limited.
• Small screen may not be ideal for everyone.

Why you should buy it:

• You need a computer that lasts long.
• You don’t rely on x86 applications that may not work with Arm devices.

Why you should pass:

• You need a brighter screen.
• X86 apps are critical to your work.
• You’re a gamer.

The HP OmniBook X is one of the first Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs and featured as one of our longest-lasting Copilot+ PCs. It lasted 12 to 16 hours in tests we reviewed and performed almost better than other computers in the same category.

Battery test credit: Tom’s Guide

Starting at $929, the computer may well fall in the budget of some students. But people looking for higher storage specs may have to cough up to $1,200.

What do reviewers and experts say?

Matthew Moniz confirms clocking over 15 hours of video playback on the computer and claims the laptop can run all day on battery in real-life use. But while they could run certain games, there were still hiccups related to that Arm chip.

Battery test credit: Matthew Moniz

Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge (16″): Best Large Screen

Image credit: Samsung

Specifications:

• CPU: Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 (12-core).
• Memory: 16GB RAM LPDDR5X.
• Storage: 512GB.
• Screen: 16.0″ WQXGA+ AMOLED display (2880 x 1800).
• Battery: 61.8Whrs.

Positives:

• Incredible OLED display.
• Thin and sleek design.
• Excellent typing experience. 
• Impressive performance.

Downsides:

• Battery life could be better.
• Suffers the same limitations as the new Arm computers. 

Why you should buy it:

• You need a large and color-accurate screen.
• You like the Samsung ecosystem.
• You need AI features.
• You want a long-term computer.

Why you should pass:

• You rely on heavy x86 apps, including games.
• You have a smaller budget.

The Galaxy Book 4 Edge is the best Copilot+ PC for people looking to work with big and high-quality displays.

Image credit: XDA

Its performance is great for photo and video editing, and gaming is quite decent.

Benchmark credit: Trusted review

However, people will struggle to run apps and games that lack Arm support, such as Cyberpunk 2077 or Call of Duty: Warzone, even though developers are ramping up support in the future.

Other downsides about the computer are its pricing and battery life. While it lasts as long or longer than earlier Windows laptops, it lags behind the latest Intel Lunar Lake, AMD Ryzen AI, and Snapdragon laptops. You can get the 14-inch version to save $100 if you don’t mind the smaller screen.

What do reviewers and experts say?

There’s a consensus that the Book 4 Edge has one of the best screens on a laptop. The Tech Chap’s YouTube review confirms its 500 to below 700 nits brightness and praises its look. They also confirm the laptop has better battery life than the Vivobook S 14.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7: Best Copilot+ PC

Image credit: Microsoft

Specifications:

• CPU: Snapdragon® X Plus (10 Core) or Snapdragon® X Elite (12 Core).
• Memory: 32GB or 16GB LPDDR5x RAM.
• Storage: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB removable PCIe Gen 4 SSD.
• Screen: Touchscreen 13.8″, 2304 x 1536, 120Hz; Touchscreen 15″, 2496 x 1664, 120Hz.
• Battery: 66Whrs (15″); 54Whrs (13.8″).

Positives:

• Impressive battery life.
• Incredible performance.
• Great display.
• Well-priced.

Downsides:

• Poor port selection.
• Lacks OLED displays.
• Touchpad sensitivity could be better.
• Arm on Windows limitations could still be an issue.

Why you should buy it:

• You need a reliable laptop with strong battery life.
• AI features are important for you long-term.
• You need a great screen.

Why you should pass:

• You rely on x86 programs and VPNs.
• You want an OLED screen.

Anyone transitioning from a MacBook will feel quite at home with the Surface Laptop 7 as long as ergonomics and feel are concerned. Performance and battery life are also quite on par now with Snapdragon’s X processors.

However, it’s when you go under the hood that you start noticing the differences. Windows’ Arm emulation for x86 apps might have improved, but there are still drawbacks. Some VPNs and anti-cheat programs just don’t work, and you may experience less-than-average performance in some that do work.

Still, for most of the apps you’ll use in school or college, the Surface Laptop excels at producing superb performance.

Benchmark credit: CNET

What do reviewers and experts say?

Paul Thurrott calls the Surface Laptop “the cure for the MacBook Air envy that Windows fans have long wanted.” Marques Brownlee also agrees, calling the Surface Laptop’s power efficiency a “quantum leap forward.”

Acer Swift Go 14 Intel: Best Budget Laptop

Image credit: Acer

Specifications:

• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 Processor 155H.
• Memory: 16GB LPDDR5X.
• Storage: 512GB to 1TB.
• Screen: 14″ 2880×1800 OLED.
• Battery: 65Wh.

Positives:

• Solid performance.
• Sturdy aluminum frame.
• Great value.

Downsides:

• Contains bloatware.
• Battery life may be behind other modern Windows laptops.
• Trackpad could be better.
• Poor speaker.

Why you should buy it:

• You are working with a tight budget but need good performance.
• You need your computer for video conferencing.
• You need a durable laptop.

Why you should pass:

• Battery life is one of your top priorities.
• You run heavy programs.
• You need a larger screen.
• You don’t like fan noise. 

The Acer Swift Go 14 is a 2024 computer but sports an Intel Meteor Lake CPU rather than one of the newer Lunar Lake variants. It may not pack the AI features slated for Copilot+ PCs, but its performance justifies its place as one of the best school and college laptops when you consider its relatively cheaper price.

Benchmark credit: Laptop Mag

The main drawbacks, however, are its subpar battery life and fan noise compared to Lunar Lake, Snapdragon, and AMD’s Zen 5 powered computers.

What do reviewers and experts say?

PCMag’s Charles Jeffries gave the laptop good marks after it impressed in productivity and gaming benchmarks compared to similar configurations. However, the main gripe remains its loud fan noise and weak speakers.

Best macOS Laptops for School and College Students

MacBooks are more straightforward to recommend given they belong to the same ecosystem. Let’s go straight into my recommendations.

Apple MacBook Air M2: Best Value for Most Students

Image credit: Apple

Specifications:

• CPU: Apple M2.
• Memory: 8GB to 24GB.
• Storage: 256GB to 1TB.
• Screen: 13.6″ or 15″, 2560 x 1664 IPS, 500 nits.
• Battery: 52.6Whrs.

Positives:

• Outstanding battery life.
• Great typing experience.
• Solid performance.

Downsides:

• Not upgradeable.
• More expensive with high memory and storage sizes.

Why you should buy it:

• You want a fast MacBook but are working with a tight budget.
• You are a macOS person.

Why you should pass:

• Your work depends on heavy downloads and need faster Wi-Fi.
• You need the fastest MacBook Air.

The M2 MacBook Air is identical to the M3 version and makes more sense for people looking to squeeze out as much value as they can. Apple claimed in its 2023 keynote that the M3 family’s performance cores are 15% faster than the M2 family’s but did not specify which chip went against which.

Image credit: Apple

You should get all the performance and features one would expect from the 2024 MacBook Air except for the large screen, Wi-Fi 6E support, multi-display support, and some minor differences.

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M2 Pro): Best Value for Power Users

Image credit: Apple

Specifications:

• CPU: Apple M2 Pro.
• Memory: 16GB.
• Storage: 512GB.
• Screen: 14.2″ IPS 3024-by-1964, 1000 nits.
• Battery: 70Whrs.

Positives:

• Faster connection (Wi-Fi 6E).
• Supports up to two external displays.
• Powerful M2 Pro chip.
• Excellent battery life.

Downsides:

• Quite expensive.
• Lacks Wi-Fi 7.
• Not upgradable. 

Why you should buy it:

• You want to use multiple displays. 
• You want to use a slightly larger screen.
• You want a faster computer for heavier workloads.
• You need higher base storage.

Why you should pass:

• You have a small budget.
• The bigger screen and slightly faster chip don’t move the needle for you.

The MacBook Pro with the M2 Pro chip is an expensive option, but it represents great value for students who work on really heavy workloads like 3D rendering and high-end gaming. It is the sensible option right now, given that it is about $200 to $300 cheaper than the current M3 Pro. It is also better on paper and very similar in benchmarks compared to its predecessor.

Image credit: Apple

What do reviewers and experts say?

Created Tech’s comparisons between the M1 Pro, M2 Pro, and M3 Pro base laptops revealed the M3 Pro’s performance superiority (15% faster than the M2). However, they acknowledged the benchmark tests do not mirror real-world use, as rendering and compilations run as fast with only a few minutes’ difference between the two chips.

Benchmark credit: Created tech

Apple MacBook Air M1 (2020): Best Budget MacBook Option

Image credit: Apple

Specifications:

• CPU: Apple M1.
• Memory: 8GB.
• Storage: 256GB.
• Screen: 13.3″, 2560×1600 IPS, 400 nits.
• Battery: 49.9Whrs.

Positives:

• Great price to performance value.
• Solid performance.
• Incredible battery life.
• High-quality display.
• Sleek typing and touchpad experience. 

Downsides:

• Limited port selection.
• Quite old.

The 2020 MacBook Air remains one of the best school/college laptops you can buy despite its age. The system still produces impressive performance years after its debut, as it can handle just about anything you throw at it. The sub-700-dollar price tag makes it a great value for anyone looking to save while using a decent, functioning MacBook.

What do reviewers and experts say?

Andres Vidoza believes the M1 is Apple’s best MacBook yet, even in 2024. But that’s due to the leap from Intel-powered MacBooks rather than an overall comparison against newer versions. Other reviewers like Max Tech and The Everyday Dad also agree it should still feature in discussions about good computers for students and professionals.

Best Chromebook for College and School

Chromebooks are good laptops for students who rely on web-based software. They won’t work for those that need heavy programs or people who want to game from time to time. Chromebooks are also the best options for people on really tight budgets.

Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Chromebook

Image credit: Lenovo

Specifications:

• CPU: Intel Pentium Silver N6000.
• Memory: 8GB LPDDR4X.
• Storage: 128GB.
• Screen: 15.6″, 1920 x 1080 IPS, 300 nits.
• Battery: 47Wh.

Positives:

• Long battery life.
• Great display.
• Portable.
• Affordable.

Downsides:

• Unimpressive touchpad.
• Can’t handle heavy workloads.

Why you should buy it:

• You need a very cheap and portable computer.
• You only rely on web apps. 

Why you should pass:

• You need to work with heavy apps from time to time.

The IdeaPad 3i is one of the best options, as its low price means you can make allowance to upgrade in the future when your workloads start getting heavier.

Where Can You Get Student Discounts for Laptops?

Most OEMs run programs that allow students to scrape off some percentage of the original price of laptops when checking out:

• HP: HP Education Store
• Lenovo: Student, Teacher, Parent Discounts program
• Microsoft: Tech essentials for students and teachers
• Acer: Acer Student Discount program
• Apple: Education Store
• Samsung: Education Offers Program
• ASUS: ASUS Education Store

Tips and Tools to Maintain Laptops for College Students

You need regular maintenance to ensure your computer lasts long and performs well. The following tips and tools will help:

1. Use dedicated software programs for regular maintenance

PC cleaners help you get rid of junk files, problematic registry entries (orphaned registry keys), and unwanted applications that can hurt your laptop’s performance. It also helps you monitor your hard drive’s health.

2. Manage startup programs and background processes

Stopping background applications in Windows helps you free up resources for programs that you need. Sometimes, certain processes and services running in the background can make your laptop work like a low-end computer.

3. Keep your laptop clean

Dust buildup can cause real damage when your computer’s vents and cooling systems become blocked. Cleaning your computer regularly ensures you don’t encounter such issues.

4. Protect your laptop from physical damage

Try your best to avoid the occasional physical impacts that can affect delicate areas like your screen. If you use a backpack, keep your computer in the cushioned area to protect it from hits and bumps.

5. Don’t overcharge the battery

Make a habit of checking your battery health regularly and preventing your computer from overcharging once it gets to 100%. Some laptops like Lenovo come with built-in features that allow you to specify when your laptop automatically stops charging. This practice ensures your does not start draining so fast at some point in the future.

6. Reduce the heat your laptop produces

While most of the recommended laptops on this list are power efficient, heat still remains one of the greatest threats to laptop components. Given that you now have less leeway in terms of upgrades, it is critical that you keep your laptop cool the best way you can.

7. Update software regularly

Software updates are critical not just to keep your system going but to improve performance, fix bugs, and shore up security. You should regularly check and install Windows updates, device drivers, and applications.

Final Thoughts on Finding the Best Laptops for Students

Your best school and college laptop ultimately comes down to the computer that meets your preferences within your budget.

While the laptop should ideally handle your coursework with ease, you also need a computer that:

• Is not tedious to carry around campus. 
• Can last all day so you can avoid bringing your charger along. 
• Can handle most of the things you do during your downtime.

My best picks are the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition for Windows users and the M2 MacBook Air 15″ for macOS users. While they have slightly high price tags, they are versatile enough to handle everything a regular student needs during and after school hours. However, if your budget is not deep enough to afford our top picks, the other options on the list are also good computers for your college or school education.

Head to the comments section to let us know your final pick.

FAQ