Dell Inspiron 16 Plus
There are plenty of 15.6-inch laptops, but 16-inch models like the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus are something of a rarity. The 16-inch display is a great size since the laptop is barely bigger than a 15.6-inch model, but you get more room for work and a roomier keyboard and touchpad along with it. For this Inspiron, Dell packed in performance parts including Nvidia discrete graphics and the display covers 100% sRGB and 81% AdobeRGB color gamuts, which is good enough if you’re getting started with creating web content. Also, the laptop has a more premium fit and finish than we’re used to seeing in the Inspiron line.
Let’s Talk About The Competition
There are few laptops like the XPS 15 , which combines a premium Ultrabook-like experience with some serious performance chops in a slick, small package.
Microsoft’s Surface Book 3 15-inch is often suggested as an alternative. Both are expensive, but also excellent workstation devices. The XPS 15 has a much stronger CPU and arguably a more beautiful display, especially with the anti-reflective layer. The Surface Book 3, however, has a slightly stronger GPU, and, of course, is a 2-in-1 convertible laptop that supports inking.
HP’s Spectre x360 15 is not a bad alternative that brings the best of the Surface Book and XPS 15 together. It’s around $500 cheaper too, though the GPU is not that powerful compared to the XPS 15 or Surface Book 3. You could upgrade it to the GTX 1650 Ti and still save $200, however.
Another HP worth considering is the forthcoming ZBook Create, as it can be configured with a more powerful RTX 2080 Super.
The Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Extreme Gen 2 are also directly competing with the XPS 15. Lenovo still goes with a 16:9 more traditional display, and it has worse battery life , but there’s no denying that it’s also a potent laptop. Many prefer Lenovo’s excellent keyboards and Trackpoint nubs, making it worthy of consideration.
Still the maestro
Microsoft Surface Pro : Performance
Packing an Intel Core i5-1035G4 CPU and 8GB of RAM, our Surface Pro 7 handled my usual multitasking crunch without a sweat. I didn’t encounter any major slowdown during day-to-day use, even as I jumped between more than a dozen Chrome tabs, streamed five videos across Twitch and YouTube, and hammered away in Slack and Google Docs.
Microsoft’s 2-in-1 endured through just 7 hours and 52 minutes of Wi-Fi web surfing on our battery test, which is down significantly from last year’s Surface Pro 6 .
The Pro 7 performed similarly well on benchmarks, scoring a strong 17,225 on the Geekbench 4 general performance test. That’s a big bump from last year’s 8th Gen Core i5-powered Pro 6 and roughly on a par with the latest 12.9-inch iPad Pro and the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1.
The 256GB SSD in Microsoft’s detachable transferred about 5GB of files at a decent 267MB per second, again trumping the Pro 6 but falling behind the Dell’s 512GB SSD .
The Surface Pro 7 isn’t exactly on par with one of our best gaming laptops, but its integrated Intel Iris Plus graphics can handle non-intensive games at decent settings. The 2-in-1 ran racing game Dirt 3 at 36 frames per second, which is perfectly playable but not quite as smooth as the upward of 47 fps we saw from the XPS 13 2-in-1.
Recommended Reading: Bachelor Degree In Mortuary Science
What Are The Best Student Computers
If you or someone you love is shopping for a new PC to help with schoolwork, our top recommendation for the best all-around student computer is the Dell XPS 8940 because it’s affordable, powerful, and looks good on a desk. Technically it’s a gaming PC, but that means it should have more than enough power to meet the needs of any student, and it’s subtle enough to look right at home in a dorm room.
If you have a bit more money to spend and like using macOS, the 24-inch iMac is a great choice for students because it has plenty of power to handle homework, a beautiful screen, and a nice 1080p webcam that helps you look your best on video calls.
For those who prefer a laptop as their primary computer, the Dell XPS 13 and Apple’s MacBook Air with M1 are two standout choices that will serve you well at school. Take the former if you prefer Windows, and the latter if you’re an Apple fan. If you’d rather have a Chromebook, take the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 it’s a premium Chromebook with a great screen, nice speakers, and plenty of horsepower for Chrome OS, all for under $700.
Students who expect to do a lot of art and design work should consider the Microsoft Surface Studio 2. It’s quite pricey, but if you can swing it you’ll have a hard time finding a better PC for digital art and design work.
Best Laptop For Students Alternative
Brand: Microsoft | Operating System: Windows 10 | CPU Model: 8th Gen Intel Core m3 Intel Pentium Gold Processor 4425Y | Screen Size: 10.5 inches | Display: LED | Memory: 8GB RAM | Storage: 64GB eMMC – 128GB SSD | Display Resolution Maximum: 1920 x 1280
The Microsoft Surface Go 2 is a strong contender for premium design but without a high price tag.
It runs full Windows 10, and as a base model could be a good go-to for most work, however, you may want to explore some of the higher-spec options if you think you’ll be doing some more heavy lifting on the day-to-day.
The Surface Go 2 features 8GB of RAM and a 128 GB SSD, which is enough GB for all your studying needs.
With the right accessories, this tablet can double up as a laptop or even a graphic design tablet – it making it versatile enough for a number of different uses.
For the price, the Surface Go 2 could be a real consideration for students.
So there you have it, just some of our top picks for the best laptop for students. We’ll be back with you soon.
Recommended Reading: Fsaid Ed Gov Legit
Best Ultrabook: Lenovo Yoga C740
-
On the more pricey side
The Lenovo Yoga C740 is a slim and powerful laptop thats ideal for college students. It features a 10th Gen Intel core processor, runs Windows 10 Home, and comes in a variety of configurations that give it beefier options in terms of power. These configurations allow you to pick between 8GB and 16GB of RAM, and 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB SSDs. The specs are more than enough to handle the average productivity workload of a college student, from graphing on Excel to typing up Word docs.
There isn’t a dedicated GPU for video editing or gaming, but the 14-inch FHD screen is IPS and looks sharp and colorful. It also supports Dolby Vision, so shows on Netflix, Hulu, and other services will look great. In all other regards, the Yoga C740 excels as a well rounded ultrabook.
Size: 14 inches | Resolution: 1920×1080 | CPU: 10th Generation Intel Core i5 | GPU: Integrated Intel UHD Graphics | RAM: 8GB DDR4 | Storage: 256GB SSD | Touchscreen: Yes
Which Is Better Macos Or Windows
For the money, though, you’re getting great hardware top to bottom, inside and out. Apple recently moved to using its own processors, which resulted in across-the-board performance improvements compared to older Intel-based models. But, the company’s most powerful laptop, the 16-inch MacBook Pro, still hasn’t been updated to Apple silicon.
But, again, that great hardware comes at a price. Also, you’re limited to just Apple laptops. With Windows and Chromebooks , you get an amazing variety of devices at a wide range of prices.
Software between the two is plentiful, so unless you need to run something that’s only available on one platform or the other, you should be fine to go with either. Gaming is definitely an advantage for a Windows laptop, though.
MacOS is also considered to be easier and safer to use than Windows, especially for people who want their computers to get out of the way so they can get things done. Over the years, though, Microsoft has done its best to follow suit and, with Windows 11 here, it’s trying to remove any barriers. Also, while Macs might have a reputation for being safer, with the popularity of the iPhone and iPad helping to drive Mac sales, they’ve become bigger targets for malware.
Don’t Miss: 2.0 Gpa Colleges
Microsoft 123 Surface Pro
Most lightweight laptop for a computer science major students in 2022
Screen: 12.3″ Touch screen | CPU: Intel Core i7-1065G7 1.3GHz | Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics | RAM: 16GB RAM | Storage: 256GB NVMe SSD| Ports: 1 x Type-C , 1 x USB-A | Speaker: 2.1 stereo speakers | Weight: 1.7 pounds
|
Introducing the latest and greatest in Surface Pro technology: the Intel Core i7 – 1065G7 clocked at 1.3GHz!
Weighing just more than a pound but with more power than you can jam into one of your big hands, this slim laptop is our answer to helping busy professionals kick butt at work than the party on their home turf.
Available exclusively with Windows 10 Pro installed for all your parental controls needs, a Supremely thin and light body even packs up to a nearly pocketable size when you need it to be.
Wired to blur the line between laptop and tablet, Surface Pro 7 is created for professionals who use technology seamlessly across various devices in their work.
A 2-in-1 designed for maximum productivity with up to 15 hours of battery life, Surface Pro 7 offers best-in-class connectivity options like USB 3.0 and 20GBATeM Gigabit LTE modem. With a plan optimized enterprise customers need – or no plan at all.
Flexible 360° hinge gives you four modes to do any job around your office – conference table, plane seat, bedside grip even sitting on your couch.”
What Specs Do I Need For A Student Laptop
When it comes to power, we’d say 4-8GB is more than enough to handle multitasking, whether it be taking notes while watching YouTube or researching and scrolling through social media.
In terms of storage, you’re looking at between 64 – 256GB, depending on your type of work. For example, essay-based courses may require less while architecture students will require more.
Don’t Miss: Rhema Bible College Accreditation
Lenovo Flex 5 Chromebook Battery Life
The Lenovo Flex 5 Chromebooks battery life is a bit disappointing for a Chromebook . The Flex 5 lasted 7 hours and 20 minutes on the Laptop Mag test, which involves continuous web surfing at 150 nits of screen brightness. This is below our minimum recommended 8-hour runtime.
HP Chromebook x360 12b and the Asus Chromebook Flip C434 offer longer battery runtimes.
Microsoft Surface Pro 8 Review: Webcam
- Both front and rear cameras deliver sharp quality
Like its predecessor, the Surface Pro 8 features a 5MP front-facing camera. The camera produces detail-rich images if you snap photos anywhere with decent lighting. Even if your lighting situation is less than ideal, the camera still produces a clear image. Though Im not a fan of selfies or looking at pictures of myself, the camera did an excellent job of capturing my best and worst features.
The front-facing camera is superb for virtual meetings. As long as your rooms lighting isnt terribly dim, whoever you video-chat with should see you nice and clear. A webcam of this quality is especially appreciated by those of us who work from home and must attend virtual meetings.
The 10MP rear-facing camera impresses more than the front-facing camera. I snapped pictures of my room and could distinguish titles on book spines and video game covers. Whether you use the front or rear camera, you wont be disappointed.
You May Like: Study Com Transfer Credits
The Best Student Laptop Deals This Week*
*Deals are selected by our partner, TechBargains
- Dell Inspiron 16 Plus Intel i7 512GB 16GB RAM 3K Laptop$1,059.99with code 50OFF699
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.
M1 Apple Macbook Air : The Best Macbook For Students
Price: £999 |
In a surprising turn of events, Apple released two new iterations of the MacBook Air in 2020. The first saw the iconic ultraportable updated to house Intel’s tenth-gen processors, while the old keyboard was replaced by Apple’s new “MagicKeyboard” complete with improved travel and damping to each key.
However, it was the second iteration that really pushed the series forward, thanks to the incorporation of Apple’s very own M1 processor and it’s that version we’ve linked here. In his review of the M1 MacBook Air, our Head of Reviews, Jon Bray, described it as “the ultraportable laptop to beat” thanks to it being “stunningly fast, quiet as a mouse and reasonably priced” while also delivering excellent battery life of close to 15 hours.
Simply put, this is the best MacBook for students, bar none, and right up there with the best laptops we’ve ever seen.
Read our M1 Apple MacBook Air review for more details
Key specs Processor: Octa-core Apple M1 RAM: 8GB Storage: 256GB SSD Screen size: 13.3in Screen resolution: 2,560 x 1,600 Weight: 1.29kg
Read Also: Take One Class At Community College
Microsoft Surface Pro 8 Review: Performance
- Solid performance on everyday tasks
- Gaming performance is underwhelming
Type Cover keyboard: $129 extraCPU: Intel i5-1135G7 | Intel i7-1185G7Graphics: Intel Iris Xe GraphicsDisplay: 13-inch screen Memory: 8GB | 16GB | 32GB Storage: 512GB | 1TB Ports: 2 Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, headphone jack, external GPU and HDD supportSize: 11.3 x 8.2 x 0.37 inchesWeight: 1.96 pounds
My review unit came with a quad-core 11th Gen Intel i7-1185G7 processor and 16GB of RAM, making it twice as fast as the Surface Pro 7, according to Microsoft. Whether it was browsing the web, watching YouTube videos, or listening to Spotify, the Surface Pro 8 never buckled during my testing all programs ran smoothly. The built-in Windows 11 operating system is no doubt a contributing factor to the 2-on-1s impressive performance.
On the Geekbench 5.4 overall performance test, the Surface Pro 8 scored 5,347. This is lower than the Dell XPS 13, which scored 5,639, and nowhere near the M1-powered 2021 iPad Pro‘s score of 7,298.
Unfortunately, gaming on the Surface 8 Pro proved less than stellar. I installed Scarlet Nexus , assuming it would be an easy game for the Surface Pro 8 to handle. It wasnt. From the jump, the game struggled to hit 30 frames per second . Only by lowering the resolution to 1440p and setting all graphics to medium did I finally enjoy a steady-ish 60 fps.
Best Student Laptops In 202: We Select The Top 10
No matter what you’re studying, these are the best student laptops.
Included in this guide:
Surface Pro 7
If you’re looking for the best student laptops you can buy right now, then we’re here to help. On this page we’ve listed top notebooks for studying on, writing up essays or putting together presentations.
Now is an ideal time to buy a student laptop. With many students now returning to school , while also continuing to study remotely, a new laptop can really help. The best student laptops on this page are portable enough to carry around school or campus, while offering enough power to handle writing up documents, creating presentations and even photo and video editing for people on creative courses.They also have great webcams and microphones for those students who are learning remotely.
All the laptops on this list have been picked for students at either school, college or university and cover a range of budgets. Not only are they powerful enough to run software required for courses, they also offer slim and light designs and long battery lives that allow them to be easily carried around schools and campuses, and will last all school day on a single charge.
For more information, jump to the what to consider when buying a student laptop section. And if you’re specifically after one of Apple’s products, check out our guide on how to get an Apple student discount. If you want some ideas on the best iMac alternatives, we’ve got you covered.
Recommended Reading: How Much Are College Classes
Best College Laptops In 2021
The best college laptops for students, from budget laptops to workstations
Included in this guide:
MacBook Pro
Swift 3
ThinkPad X1 Carbon
Pro 14-inch
If you’re a student, you’ll want one of the best college laptops so you can ace your exams then stream TV or play games when it’s time to relax. But with so many choices at so many different prices, it can be homework in itself to find the very best laptops for students.
When you’re buying a laptop for school, make sure it has long battery life and fast CPU performance. You can find a lot of these units on our main best laptops page, which gives you a wide selection of the top notebooks to choose from. And if you prefer to take notes by hand, buy one of the best 2-in-1 laptops. We’ve also ranked the best gaming laptops for those who like to unwind after the coursework is wrapped up. We’re still in a process of reviewing some laptops that could find their way on this list, so be sure to check back in regularly for the latest and great laptops for students.
Whichever laptop you get, you’ll also want to pick up a few extras, such as a comfortable mouse, a well-appointed backpack, and perhaps a . Without further ado, here are the best college laptops, including some budget picks for those dreading tuition payments.
- Here are the best video editing laptops in 2021