Best Laptop For Students 2021: Our Top Picks For November

Published: 16 Nov 2021 3:39 PM +00:00 Updated: 20 Jun 2023 3:10 PM +00:00

When it comes to finding the best laptop for students, let's face it, there are loads of options out there to consider.

We've done our own research and selected a number of laptops that stood out thanks to their specs, general reviews, and features they offer.

We'll be updating this list with more pieces as time goes on, and of course, alerting you here to any deals we find along the way!

So, whether you're looking for a cracking budget Chromebook like the ASUS 15.6 ChromeBook C523NA or you're on the hunt for a rather premium choice with the Apple Macbook Pro 2020, we're here to help you with your search.

Let's dive in!

Best Laptop For Students

Best Laptop For Students All-Rounder - HP Pavilion 14-dv0603na 14" Laptop

Operating System: Windows 10 | Processor: Intel® Pentium® Gold 7505 Processor, Dual Core | RAM: 4GB DDR4 | Storage: 128 GB SSD | Ports: USB Type-C x 1, USB 3.1 x 2, HDMI 2.0 x 1, DisplayPort 1.4 x 1, 3.5 mm jack x 1

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This HP Pavilion laptop is a great all-rounder on paper and one that comes in at a relatively accessible price too.

For the money, you're getting a decent amount of RAM and a solid 128 GB SSD, which should mean that you'll be able to handle everyday activities with no problem.

The display itself is an IPS panel, a technology that allows for wider viewing angles and typically higher colour accuracy.

For a good go-to laptop for studying, Skype calls, and more, we'd say the HP Pavilion 14 gives you a lot for the price here.

Best Laptop For Students Large Screen - ASUS 15.6" ChromeBook C523NA

Best Laptop Under 300 Large Screen — Image Credit: ASUS

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This ASUS Chromebook is another great all-rounder in terms of memory, power, storage and design.

For the price, you're getting a lot of display real-estate here, with a massive 15.6" screen, ideal for having multiple tabs open at once.

For some processing-heavy tasks, 32GB of RAM is just about enough. For everyday usage, however, the 4GB RAM and 64GB eMMC should be more than enough to fulfil browsing, researching, streaming and more.

And as for design, we think this ASUS Chromebook is actually one of the better looking, more minimalist laptops out there!

Best Laptop For Students Rugged - Acer Chromebook 714 CB714-1WT-3447

Best Laptop For Students Acer 14" chromebook — Image Credit: Acer

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Another good choice for students, this Acer Chromebook boasts 8GB of RAM, a 1080p display and up to 12h of battery life.

With its 8GB of RAM, this ACER laptop can dismiss some of the arguments raised in the laptop vs Chromebook debate surrounding its processing power.

This laptop features a pretty rugged design, which comes in handy if you're moving between classes, and when it comes to performance it's said to work well even with some lighter film and photo editing too.

We'd say this Acer laptop could be well suited to students who may need a bit more power alongside their everyday tasks, but still want to keep things within a budget.

Best Laptop For Students Premium - Apple Macbook Pro

Best Laptop for students Apple Macbook pro — Image Credit: Apple

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Of course, the Apple Macbook Pro is one of the best laptops to date and a good option if you're not sticking to a budget, and it does pack some serious power.

The M1 chip is the standout feature here, and it boasts a huge leap forward from previous iterations which boasts much faster performance than before.

As 8GB RAM is better than 4GB, it should allow you to perform more tasks simultaneously than many other student laptops.

And even with all that power, you're still getting a massive 20h of battery life.

The Apple Macbook Pro also features a superfast 256GB SSD which - if you prefer SSD to eMMC memory - may make this a must-have device for students looking for fast loading speeds.

Classic Apple design, which we think looks amazing, this Macbook Pro is another standout entry for students who want to invest in a premium machine.

Best Laptop For Students Alternative - Microsoft Surface Go 2

best Laptop for students Microsoft Surface Go 2 — Image Credit: Microsoft

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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.

Frequently Asked Questions About The Best Laptop For Students

If you're a student, finding the best laptop to suit your needs can be a little tricky at times and there are a number of things you should consider before purchasing.

What Is The Best Laptop For Remote Learning?

Recently, we've seen more and more use of remote learning, and there are a few things you'll want to make sure you have if you're taking part in classes online.

A decent webcam can make all the difference, especially when it's included in the price of the laptop. Keep a lookout for 1080p when looking at the specs, as this should provide a non-grainy picture even in lower light environments.

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.

Is i3 Or i5 Better For College Students?

Whether you're going for i3 or i5 largely depends on what you're using it for.

If your needs as a student are mainly writing essays, watching YouTube and researching online, then an i3 processor should be more than adequate to handle these basic tasks.

If you're wanting to use your laptop for gaming or require tackling larger tasks such as video editing or graphic design, then i5 is likely what you'll need.

What kind of laptop do I need for university?

This depends on the course that's being undertaken. Most students may be able to get by with a Chromebook or lower-end Windows hardware if they're just using it to read, complete assignments and the odd video call.

If you're undertaking a design course or something more hardware intensive, then you'll want a higher spec machine with good access to creative suites. A MacBook Pro seems like an ideal start for this, especially given its unparalleled performance within such labour-intensive applications.

Is a laptop the best option for students?

In comparison to tablets, having an actual computer in front of you provides a more rounded user experience and can be more compatible in the long run, too.

If you do want a touchscreen, then convertible or some of the best 2-in-1 laptops provide a useful happy medium.

These provide the overall performance benefits of a laptop without sacrificing convenience thanks to the fact you can fold the screen over to use it as a makeshift tablet.

How important is battery life for a student laptop?

As much as clock speed for processors and storage capacity will be important to provide a rounded experience for any laptop, making sure it has a battery that will last is integral.

Anything ten hours and over is a good showing as this will last comfortably between one and two days of hard work before needing to be charged. Go under ten hours though and you risk cutting down on the time you can be productive within.

Are AMD processors good for school?

For general day-to-day work, whether you go for Ryzen or an Intel chip shouldn't matter all too much.

However, if you're working on more intense tasks such as video encoding or editing, then some Ryzen chips have a higher core count which could be better for multi-threaded performance.

Otherwise, looking for some of the best laptops for editing may serve you better.

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