Going off to high school or college without a decent laptop is like refusing to use pencil and paper. It instantly puts a ceiling on how much students can learn, how far they can go and how many lifelong abilities they can acquire. But don't just buy whatever is on sale; you need the right laptop for your specific needs.
Whether you're a student yourself or are shopping on behalf of a student, we've compiled eight tips on choosing the right student laptop to enhance learning now and in the future. Here are our quick tips, plus all the details you need to know.
Quick Tips
Go portable: 11- to 14-inch screen size, less than 4 poundsDurability matters: Spill-resistant keyboards, MIL-SPEC tested are pluses.Recommended specs: Intel Core m or Core i CPU, 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, 802.11ac Wi-Fi. Chromebooks can have less.OS Options: Chromebooks are good for kids. Windows is best for productivity, but macOS is for art/design students. Battery life: 8+ hours is ideal; 6+ hours is required. Keyboard and touchpad: Look for responsive keys with deep travel.Consider a 2-in-1: Great for drawing, pen-based note taking, working while standing up
Top Picks
1. Pick a portable size
The whole point of buying a student laptop is that you can carry the device to class. Unless you're an engineering student who needs a CAD workstation, look for a laptop that weighs under 4 pounds and has an 11- to 14-inch display. Film students editing their masterpieces may also need a larger screen, such as the high-res panel in the 15-inch MacBook Pro.
A younger student can get by with a laptop that has an 11-inch screen, but typing space and screen visibility are often a concern at that size. Thirteen inches is the sweet spot between portability and usability, although students in the arts or engineering may put more value on a bigger screen.
2. Pay for durability
Credit: Jeremy Lips/Laptop Mag
If you have more to spend, shop for laptops made from aluminum, magnesium alloy or carbon fiber, for sturdiness you can count on. Also, look to see if the manufacturer has made any durability claims. Some student laptops, like the Acer Chromebook 11 N7, are specifically made to survive drops from a particular height. Many business laptops are made to pass MIL-SPEC 810G durability tests, and they work just as well in the classroom as in the boardroom. A spill-resistant keyboard is a big plus.
3. Get specs for the long haul
You want something that isn't going to be obsolete before graduation, so keep an eye on the key internal components.
Display: Most budget and many mainstream laptops have low-res, 1366 x 768 displays that aren't very sharp and can't fit a lot of text on the screen, which makes them poor choices for writing papers or doing research. Unless you're buying a really inexpensive laptop or one with an 11-inch screen, getting a display that's at least 1920 x 1080 (1080p) resolution should be a priority.
You can go even higher, too, with resolutions of 2560 x 1440 (QHD) or 3840 x 2160 (UHD). These are great for photo and video students who need to view high-res source material, but those display specs add to the price and subtract from the battery life. Touch screens add functionality to your laptop, but they consume a ton of power, shortening your battery life by 10 to 25 percent, so don't get one unless you really need it.
CPU: If you want a system that provides solid performance for today and tomorrow, get an Intel Core i5 or Core i7 CPU. Make sure the processor model number has a 7000 in it (ex; Core i5-7200U), which means that you have the latest Intel 7th Generation (aka Kaby Lake) chip. If you're on a tight budget, a Core i3, Pentium or Celeron CPU will suffice for light productivity work, and Intel's Core M processor delivers decent performance in slim-and-light designs.
RAM: Unless you're buying a cheap laptop for a younger child, 4GB is the bare minimum amount of RAM you should have in a laptop, and 8GB is ideal. That will run everything you need without dragging you down or interfering with multitasking.
Storage Drive/Hard Drive: Getting an SSD (solid-state drive) rather than a mechanical hard drive has a more significant effect on performance than buying a fast processor. Because SSDs have no moving parts, they run three to four times faster than typical 5,400 rpm or 7,200 rpm hard drives. That means faster app opens, start times and task switching, along with much better responsiveness. SSDs do cost a lot more while offering less storage, so if you have a lot of media files, you may need to store some in the cloud or on an external drive.
Wi-Fi: Make sure you get a laptop with 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard, rather than the older 802.11n.
Ports: USB Type-C ports are the future, but regular USB Type-A ports are the present. If you can get a laptop with a mix of both, that's ideal. Definitely try to get a laptop with multiple USB ports, so you don't need to carry a lot of dongles with you.
4. Get the right OS
Consider the operating system. If you're heading off to college, check with the university about software requirements. Sometimes schools will need you to have a specific type of software or operating system to ensure compliance with future workloads. Windows 10 is the most popular operating system and most versatile; Microsoft's platform has millions of applications, supports both touch-friendly tablet mode and keyboard-friendly desktop mode and offers the helpful Cortana digital assistant.
Apple's given its macOS platform even better integration with the iPhone, as well as its digital assistant Siri. And while Windows 10 is the platform with the most programs, there are certain apps that are exclusive to Macs, so ask others in your field of study to confirm which operating system best suits you.
Chromebooks, while offering limited software options, could be just the thing for the truly budget-conscious shopper who is comfortable doing everything online. These devices start at just $149 and are increasingly accepted by some school districts. Soon, Chromebooks will offer support for Android apps from the Google Play Store.
5. Look for 8 hours or more of battery life
Don't tether yourself to an outlet. Get a laptop that promises quality battery life, and look for systems with optional extended batteries for the longest run times. In general, you're better off buying a system with more than 8 hours of juice, regardless of the price. The average for ultraportable laptops is 7 hours, 55 minutes, based on the Laptop Mag Battery Test (continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi). However, some models, such as the Lenovo ThinkPad T460, can last for as long as 17 hours, with the right battery.
You can even find all-day-long battery life in a super-affordable laptop. The $199 Dell Inspiron 11 3000 made it 13 hours and 39 minutes on our battery test, a time nobody would expect for a notebook at that price. Just know that this machine isn't for multitasking, as its Intel Celeron N3060 CPU and 2GB of RAM kept our count of open Chrome tabs low.
6. Check the keyboard and touchpad
The keyboard should be springy and comfortable, not mushy. Look for deep travel and strong feedback. The touchpad is equally important; you'll want to make sure the responsiveness is smooth and that multitouch gestures like pinch-to-zoom are appropriately reactive. Business laptops — such as Lenovo ThinkPads, Dell Latitudes and HP EliteBooks — offer some of the best keyboards and touchpads.
7. Consider a 2-in-1
2-in-1s can handle a lot of work while giving you the flexibility of a tablet. There are two kinds of hybrids: laptops with lids that flip back 360 degrees, and detachable tablets. Amongst bend-back 2-in-1s, the HP Spectre x360 is our favorite for its beautiful, slim design, speedy 7th-Gen CPU and fantastic keyboard. Our favorite detachable 2-in-1 is the Surface Pro (which starts at $749, and another $159 for the keyboard cover) is our favorite, for its great design, vibrant screen and powerful performance. Our favorite overall However, if you're looking for something more affordable, Dell's Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1 offers a sleek premium design, a comfortable keyboard and strong audio, for just $749.
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