How to Choose a Laptop to Last Through School
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If you're a student, a laptop is as essential as your textbooks and school ID—and not just because of your school work. It should also be able to handle your big extracurricular activities: keeping up with your social networks, streaming movies, listening to music, posting photos, gaming, video chatting with the 'rents back home. And of course, the best laptops for college students need to last for the long haul, preferably through four years of undergrad and maybe a year of grad work.
Lucky for you, we have a bunch below that fit that description perfectly—and since most of them are below $1,000, they won't drain your savings account. Here are the basics you should keep in mind while looking for a laptop for college.
First Off: Research Your College
The first, and most important, thing to do is check with your school for specific system requirements. They may have hard-and-fast hardware recommendations. (Or not.)
Some colleges and universities want their students equipped with Windows-based laptops, to cut down on software incompatibility issues or to keep technical support concentrated on one platform. Others don't care which operating system you use, whether it's Windows, macOS, or even Linux if you're a hard-core type. Some institutions have on-site computer repair centers that service only laptops purchased from the university or an affiliated computer store on campus; using one of these facilities, the turn-around time will be much quicker than if you were to send it overnight to the original manufacturer.
Also note that most schools offer price breaks for particular vendors and include extensive software bundles, which can shave off a good amount from your laptop purchase. So you might want to look into the campus store as a first shopping destination, before you hit your local superstore or favorite online seller.
Keeping It Light: Why Weight Matters
Not every student will agree, but depending on how far you'll haul it every day, a big-screen notebook may not be such a good idea.
It's nice to have a mini home theater in your dorm room or play the latest games in big-screen 1080p glory, but a 6-pound-plus laptop with a 15-inch or 17-inch screen will be a chore to haul across campus while you're running from class to class. You're better off with something that's light: If screen size matters less to you than convenience, a super-thin ultraportable might be the way to go.
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For most people, a maximum 13- or 14-inch widescreen panel is ideal, as it will make room for other items in your backpack and minimize the weight burden. Depending on your tolerance level, a smaller display works as long as you understand that full webpages and productivity applications will involve more scrolling, and fonts will appear smaller than they do on larger screens, assuming the same resolution and zoom level.
Essays, research papers, and chatting online with your classmates will take up most of your computing time, so a full-size keyboard and a comfortable touchpad are crucial. Also know: When you venture smaller than a 13-inch-class laptop, you run the risk of not getting the same typing experience. The easiest way to ensure that you have the best keyboard is to stop by a brick-and-mortar store and spend some time typing on prospective choices of different size classes.
If you do decide to buy a smaller, less expensive laptop, it's probably worth investing in a standalone keyboard you can keep at home or in the dorm for when you need to do a lot of typing. A desktop monitor you attach via HDMI could be a nice complement, too.
How Much Power Do You Need?
Laptops offer a wide selection of processors across both budgets and usage cases—you can choose one that maximizes performance, or one that favors battery life. Or you can select one that plays to both strengths: Intel's latest 'Kaby Lake R,' 'Coffee Lake,' and 'Whiskey Lake' Core CPUs (all various forms of 8th Generation Intel processors) confer the benefits of both power and battery efficiency.
If you desire all-day battery life, and spend almost all of your time in a web browser, you might want to consider going with a Chromebook. These typically run on low-powered processors (Intel Celeron and Pentium chips, in most cases), but these CPUs suffice for the kinds of workaday online tasks that Chromebooks excel at. (More about Chromebooks in a bit, below.) If performance, on the other hand, ranks high on the list, a Windows 10 or macOS machine with an Intel Core i5 or Core i7 CPU gives you the most oomph.
Note that not all Core i5 and i7 chips are created equal. The ones ending in 'H' or 'HQ' are the highest-performance chips, typically found in larger gaming-focused and power-user laptops, while the ones ending in 'U' are efficient, low-power CPUs meant for use in thinner, more portable machines. More performance means more heat generated, which generally means the more substantial the chassis and supporting gear needed to cool the chip.
If you like playing games in your downtime, you might want to splurge on a more expensive gaming laptop. Most general-purpose machines, especially at under-$800 prices, won't have the kind of discrete graphics chip (GPU) necessary to make the hottest AAA game titles look good and play smoothly. But if you hunt around a little, you can find gaming laptops these days starting at around $700 with a decent Nvidia GeForce GTX or (less commonly) AMD Radeon RX GPU for playing games at 1080p and moderate or better settings. (See our guide to the best cheap gaming laptops for lots more about budget GPUs, and about how to buy just enough gaming machine for your needs.) A powerful GPU can also help in certain high-end and scientific applications that can benefit from GPU acceleration, but, like a high-powered processor, they also feast on the battery.
The good news is that, in most other cases (unless, say, you're an architecture major with a heavy reliance on CAD software), integrated graphics solutions should suffice for the day-to-day tasks you'll face. This is the graphics silicon built into the processors of most budget and midrange laptops. Today, that overwhelmingly means some form of Intel integrated graphics: Intel HD Graphics, Intel UHD Graphics, or Intel Iris or Iris Plus graphics. Our reviews will detail their comparative performance levels, but none is a match for even a moderate dedicated GPU.
Storage Solutions: SSDs Are Tops
With the increasing prevalence of cloud storage and web applications, having plentiful local storage space is somewhat less vital now than it used to be, but you should still make sure that your laptop meets your needs. If you plan to install a lot of programs or want to hang on to lots of large media files, you'll need 500GB of space or more. If you don't foresee needing all that local storage, or are content with leaving a lot of your work online, you can get by with a laptop with less space.
Whichever way you go, remember that storage affects speed, too. If you go with a hard drive because you get more storage for less money, know that it will be noticeably slower than a snappy-feeling solid-state drive (SSD). The higher cost and lower capacity of a faster SSD is a trade-off that some students are willing to make. We strongly recommend SSDs for laptops that are carried around campus a lot, since they are impervious to drop damage. Plus, they are a lot faster than hard drives and give a laptop a much snappier perceived feel.
The good news is that by plugging an external hard drive into one of your laptop's USB ports, you can add more space whenever you need it. Although you probably won't have to do this unless you're a video junkie or an aspiring filmmaker, it's a good option to have.
Gamers may want to take an altogether different view. With many AAA game installations topping 40GB or 50GB each, a small SSD can get eaten up fast. You'll want to think about that before you buy a machine, say, with a 256GB SSD alone, or at least be prepared to swap games on and off the drive as you complete them.
Battery Life: How Long Must It Hold Out?
A sizable battery can be your biggest ally on a day filled with classes and extracurricular activities. A few school-oriented laptops come with multiple battery options. Most, though, have only one—and it's not removable.
In this case, figure out where battery life ranks in the grand scheme of things. If removable batteries are an option (increasingly they are not, alas), it might be a good idea to get a second one, or a larger 'extended' one if available, at the time of purchase. The more 'cells' the battery contains within a given model line, the better the battery life.
A big battery can mean some heft, but the weight gain is well worth it if it means leaving the system unplugged from dawn until dusk. This is where our reviews come in especially handy; we've tested every laptop that passes through our labs for battery runtime with nonstop video playback, so you can get a good idea of relative endurance between models.
What About Chromebooks?
In the past several years, we have seen a strong push by Chromebook manufacturers into the education market. Chromebooks themselves have gone from being glorified netbooks running the Chrome OS to laptops that are still web-centric but have a relatively full feature set. If, like many schools, the one you're attending puts its coursework in the cloud, a Chromebook can offer you much of the functionality of a regular laptop, and it may deliver longer battery life.
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It will also likely cost you a lot less than other types of notebooks. Chromebook prices typically run between $200 and $300 (although higher-end models can go for as much as $1,000). Just be sure you have ready access to constant, stable Wi-Fi, as there is scant local storage on these systems, and you have to plan ahead to use them effectively offline.
PC gamers, of course, won't find much use for one of these laptops; they only run Chrome OS apps and (in the case of most recent Chromebooks) Android apps from the Google Play store. But a Chromebook can also be a good, inexpensive second laptop you carry around campus to take notes, while your beastly gaming rig (or desktop gaming PC, for that matter) hangs back at the dorm or at home.
(In the market for a Chrome OS laptop? We've rounded up today's best Chromebooks.)
Consider a Hybrid: 2-in-1s for School
In recent years, a new category of laptop has emerged. Hybrids, also known as 2-in-1s, are capable of functioning as traditional clamshell-style laptops when you need them to, but can transform into tablets when that's a more convenient form for what you're doing. Some (generally called convertibles) sport a folding design that flips the keyboard out of the way, usually by rotating all the way around its hinge. Others ('detachables') allow you to dock a tablet/screen portion of the PC with an accessory keyboard for laptop-like functionality.
A budget 2-in-1 might be just what you need to fill a number of roles. One thing to be mindful of: If you are considering a detachable 2-in-1 design, make sure the keyboard base is included in the price. In some cases, it is; in others, it is an added-cost accessory that will bump up the price, sometimes by more than you'd expect.
See How We Test Laptops
What About Windows 10 S Mode?
You probably won't run across Windows 10 S Mode in your shopping travels, but it's good to know what it is, since it's most often encountered in education environs. Microsoft's new student-centric version of its operating system is a locked-down version of Windows, aimed at preventing malware from being inadvertently downloaded. It's compatible with any app in the Windows Store, but it doesn't allow third-party Windows programs unless you convert your laptop to full Windows 10 Home or Pro. You can easily switch to the full version of Windows 10 using the Microsoft Store app, but a fee may apply, depending on your device, and you won't be able to go back to Windows 10 S once you convert. Also, this version of the OS supports only the Edge browser.
Windows 10 S Mode comes preloaded on portables like the Microsoft Surface Laptop (a $999 ultraportable model with a target placed firmly on the backs of Apple's line; the newer Surface Laptop 2 ships with straight-up Windows 10) and the consumer versions of the Microsoft Surface Go.
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A Word on Warranties
Almost every laptop you might buy today is backed by at least a one-year warranty on parts and labor. Extended warranties are also available, but whether they're worth it depends on who you are as a user.
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For starters, know that the standard warranty doesn't cover accidents that stem from a spilled drink or a drop on concrete. Most manufacturers sell accident coverage as a separate plan, on top of extended warranties that supplement a standard one, so you might end up spending close to $300 for three years of coverage. Apple offers a maximum extended warranty of three years ($250), while some makers of Windows laptops will offer up to four years.
In our opinion, if the warranty costs more than 15 percent of the total laptop price, you're better off spending the money on backup drives or services that minimize downtime in case something does go awry. Of course, you can't put a price on peace of mind. In rare instances, the logic board or the display—the most expensive pieces of a laptop—can fail and cost you in repairs half of what the laptop is worth. Faulty components usually break down during the first year; anything after that is probably more about regular wear and tear.
Ready for Our Recommendations?
So, what's the best laptop to get for school? True, there are ever more choices on the market today, and slogging through them can be daunting. No worries, though: We did the work for you. Scroll or swipe down to check out the hottest laptops to grace the dorm room, college classroom, and campus quad for this school year.
For more general factors to look for when shopping, check out our overall top laptop picks, as well as our favorite budget notebooks. And for more shopping advice for school, visit our Back-to-School Tech Guide.
Best Laptops for College Students Featured in This Roundup:
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Dell XPS 13 (9380) Review
MSRP: $899.99Pros: Compact and classy. Beautiful rose-gold-and-white color scheme. 4K touch screen. Two Thunderbolt 3 ports plus USB-C.
Cons: No HDMI or USB Type-A ports. 4K display isn't the best for battery life. Loaded models get pricey.
Bottom Line: Dell moves the webcam to where it always should have been, fixing one of the very few faults of the drop-dead gorgeous, highly capable XPS 13. Earning our highest recommendation and a rare five-star rating, the XPS 13 (9380) is, indisputably, the best ultraportable laptop you can buy.
Read ReviewAcer Predator Helios 300 (2019) Review
MSRP: $1199.99Pros: Unbeatable gaming performance for the price. Solid build. 144Hz display. Good port selection. Seamlessly integrated component monitoring and boosting.
Cons: 256GB of storage restrictive for gaming. Brief battery life.
Bottom Line: Performing like a pricier machine without skimping on build quality or features, Acer's 2019 Predator Helios 300 delivers excellent value. It's our new top pick among entry-level gaming laptops.
Read ReviewApple MacBook Pro 13-Inch (2019) Review
MSRP: $1299.00Pros: Thin, light, and stylish. Excellent trackpad. Long battery life. Brilliant display. Two Thunderbolt 3 ports.
Cons: Relatively expensive, even in starting config. Limited connectivity for peripherals in lower-end models. Polarizing keyboard lacks vertical travel.
Bottom Line: The 13-inch MacBook Pro is Apple's best ultraportable laptop, thanks to stylish looks, an excellent touchpad, and long battery life.
Read ReviewAsus VivoBook S15 S530UA Review
MSRP: $699.99Pros: Thin, light design. Slender bezels. Hinge with lifting action works well. Plenty of ports. Comfy keyboard. Fingerprint scanner.
Cons: Poor webcam quality. Awkward touchpad.
Bottom Line: A svelte laptop with thin bezels, lots of color options, and a unique hinge design that keeps it running cool and quiet, the Asus VivoBook S15 is a winner for students and casual buyers alike.
Read ReviewHP Chromebook x2 Review
MSRP: $599.99Pros: Elegant detachable design. Spiffy screen. More lap-friendly than tablets with kickstands. Strong performance and battery life.
Cons: Expensive. No backlit keyboard. Mediocre cameras.
Bottom Line: It could use a $50 or $100 price cut, but HP's pioneering Chromebook x2 detachable joins Google's $999 Pixelbook as the elite of the Chrome OS field.
Read ReviewHP Envy 13 (2019) Review
MSRP: $749.99Pros: Low price. Sleek metal styling. Handsome 4K touch screen.
Cons: No HDMI or Thunderbolt 3 port. Not suited for gaming despite discrete graphics.
Bottom Line: If you can live without a Thunderbolt 3 port, you'll find HP's Envy 13 a stylish alternative to 13.3-inch ultraportables costing hundreds more.
Read ReviewLenovo Yoga 730 (13-Inch) Review
MSRP: $799.99Pros: Thin and light. Comfortable keyboard and touchpad. Two Thunderbolt ports. Quick charging. Good everyday computing performance.
Cons: Slightly bulky in Tablet mode. Screen bounces in Laptop mode. No SD card slot.
Bottom Line: The Lenovo Yoga 730 convertible laptop is a small but worthy iteration on its already-excellent predecessor, with better computing performance and a subtle redesign.
Read ReviewMicrosoft Surface Laptop 2 Review
MSRP: $999.00Pros: Compact, trim design. Superior build quality. Exceptional battery life. Sharp touch display.
Cons: Limited selection of ports. Performance isn't quite as fast as some competitors. Touchpad clicks are loud.
Bottom Line: Much the same as the original, Microsoft's Surface Laptop 2 remains a sleek ultraportable with a top-notch build, a stellar screen, and a very long-lasting battery. Add a port or two, and it would be a superstar.
Read ReviewAcer Nitro 5 (2019) Review
MSRP: $879.99Pros: Solid 1080p gaming and a giant display at a low price. Room for storage expansion. Decent webcam.
Cons: Lackluster screen. No SD card slot or Thunderbolt 3 port. Hard-to-read keyboard.
Bottom Line: For less than $900, this 17.3-inch version of Acer's Nitro 5 bargain gaming rig plays top games at top quality settings at close to 60fps. Its screen is merely adequate, but the laptop as a whole is a great value.
Read ReviewApple MacBook Air (2019) Review
MSRP: $1099.00Pros: Thin, sleek, and light. Excellent design and build quality. Large, accurate touchpad. Very long battery life. Fingerprint reader.
Cons: Humdrum performance on benchmark tests. Very short key travel on a polarizing keyboard. Limited port selection. No touch screen.
Bottom Line: The 2019 edition of Apple's MacBook Air is cheaper and has a slightly richer feature set than its solid predecessor, making it a decent ultraportable for buyers who won't perform many resource-intensive computing tasks.
Read Review
