Engineering is a demanding degree, and many people need to look for the best laptops for engineering students to keep up with all the requirements. From different projects like AutoCAD plans to structural design on programs like ETAB or Staad, you’ll need something more than capable to run these complex engineering software but durable enough to withstand the abuse of being lugged around campus every day. Whether you’re studying aerospace or mechanical engineering at school, take a look at these 6 laptops and see if they can match your needs.
Dell XPS 15 9520
PROS
- Great design, sleek chassis
- Comfortable keyboard
- Has powerful specs
CONS
- Poor webcam quality
- Battery life can be better
- Very expensive
Specs:
- CPU: Intel 12th Gen Core i7-12700H
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 512 GB
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
- Display: 15.6″
- OS: Windows 11 Pro
- Battery Life: Up to 11.5 hours
This laptop houses powerful specs, performs superbly, and has a sleek, lightweight design making it perfect for engineering students on the go. With a 12 Gen Core and a strong NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, the Dell XPS 15 9520 can run CAD and play video games in your free time with no issues whatsoever. The sleek chassis and the comfortable keyboards create the perfect combination for any engineering student doing schoolwork all day. With a display of 15.6″ and a decent battery life of 11.5 hours (depending on the programs), Dell XPS 15 9520 takes the crown as one of the most suitable laptops for engineering students.
Dell XPS 15 9520
Microsoft Surface Laptop 4
PROS
- Has great specs
- You can choose either AMD or Intel
- Lightweight and easy to carry
- Has a decent price
CONS
- Has a few ports (1 USB-C and 1 USB-A)
Specs:
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5/AMD Ryzen 7 or Intel Core i5/Intel Core i7
- RAM: 8GB RAM – 32GB RAM
- Storage: 32GB – 1TB
- GPU: AMD Radeon Vega 9
- Display: 13.5″
- OS: Windows 11 Home
- Battery Life: up to 17-19 hours
Also coming with a lightweight design and a powerful performance, Microsoft’s latest Surface Laptop can certainly take the title of the best laptop for engineering students. Boasting strong processors, upgradeable RAM, and storage rivaling all its competitors, this laptop can run all your engineering programs and function as a personal laptop for media consumption (especially for Xbox users).
It has a display range of 13.5″ to 15″, and with the capability of choosing between AMD or Intel, you can also choose the best specs you think are best for your lifestyle. Probably one of the most capable, most powerful, and most advanced laptops that Microsoft has produced, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 allows engineering students to create content and work on any demanding project they have with no slowing down – including CAD programs such as SolidWorks. Still portable enough to carry around campus, the battery life is amazing too, claiming up to 17-19 hours of use on a single charge. The only real downside is the lack of ports.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 4
Apple MacBook Pro M2
PROS
- Offers powerful performance
- Upgraded with M2 chip
- Gorgeous display
CONS
- Has an expensive price
- Not much software changes
- Some programs may not be compatible with Mac OS
Specs:
- CPU: Apple M2
- RAM: 8 GB – 16 GB
- Storage: 256 GB – 1 TB
- GPU: Apple M2
- Display: 13.3″
- OS: Mac OS
- Battery Life: up to 18 hours
The Apple MacBook Pro is a very popular laptop and with good reason. It offers an excellent combination of power, performance, and design. Equipped with the new Apple M2 chip, it has easily outdone its predecessor. Working at a much faster pace than the M1, engineering students can find themselves working for hours on the M2 model with no worries.
The sleek design, the comfortable keyboard, and the gorgeous display make this laptop an excellent choice, capable of editing videos or playing hardcore video games. However, the most expensive part about owning this laptop will be the cost upfront as it costs significantly more than other devices on our list. But if money isn’t an issue then this could be what you’re looking for!
Apple MacBook Pro M2
Lenovo Legion 5
PROS
- Budget-friendly price
- Amazing specs for gaming
- Upgradeable RAM and Storage
CONS
- Bulky and heavy
- Poor battery life
Specs:
- CPU: Ryzen 5 4600H
- RAM: 8 GB – 64 GB
- Storage: 512 GB – 2 TB
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti
- Display: 15.6″
- OS: Windows 10 Home
- Battery Life: up to 5 hours
Powerful and mostly known for its capability to play triple-A games, the Lenovo Legion 5 offers powerful specs for heavy-duty schoolwork. It has an Intel Ryzen 5 4600H and 8GB RAM upgradable up to 64 GB, which means it’s capable of handling everything from video editing to 3D modeling, perfect for many engineering programs. Plus, its 512 GB – 2 TB SSD drive lets you run multiple applications without slowing down and allows storage of many documents and files for your schoolwork.
The 15.6-inch display is large enough to work on comfortably without feeling cramped (or squinting!), but not so big that it will weigh down your backpack or take up too much space in your dorm room desk drawer. The downside of this laptop is its battery life, lasting only a few hours. But it certainly makes up with heavy-duty capabilities
Lenovo Legion 5
ASUS Zephyrus G14
PROS
- Best battery life for a gaming laptop
- Portable and lightweight
- Excellent specs and performance
CONS
- Need an external webcam
Specs:
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7
- RAM: 8 GB – 32 GB
- Storage: 4 GB – 2 TB
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti
- Display: 14″
- OS: Windows 10 Home
- Battery Life: up to 10 hours
Despite being built like a gaming laptop, the Asus Zephyrus G14 acts as the most versatile laptop. This Asus laptop offers fantastic speed along with amazing battery life, a quick screen, and a small and light design that makes it highly portable, whether you are serious about your gaming or need a powerful laptop for office or content production. Although it’s not the cheapest choice available, ASUS Zephyrus G14 offers quality. It’s certainly capable of designing or creating content that engineering students can work for hours with flawless performance and still have battery life when they get home.
ASUS Zephyrus G14
HP Spectre x360
PROS
- 2-in-1 laptop/tablet hybrid
- Powerful performing specs
- Good battery life
CONS
- Touchpad is a bit uncomfortable and stiff
- No HDMI port
Specs:
- CPU: Intel Core i5/Intel Core i7
- RAM: 8 GB – 16 GB
- Storage: 256 GB – 2 TB
- GPU: Intel Iris Xe graphics
- Display: 16″
- OS: Windows 11 Home
- Battery Life: up to 16 hours
Some students prefer a 2-in-1 laptop since the capability of using it as a tablet to read books, references, or review drawings is a plus. The HP Spectre x360 is the most capable 2-in-1 laptop; it has a powerful processor and plenty of memory to run all your programs without slowing down. The GPU isn’t bad either – the Intel Iris Xe graphics can certainly run some games. Stunning, sleek, and beautiful, the laptop is easy on the eyes as well.
HP Spectre x360
Checklist for the best laptops for engineering students.
If you’re still wondering what to get, here’s a good checklist to use when looking for the best laptop:
- Laptops with good battery life
- Laptops with good processors
- Durable and reliable laptops that can handle rough conditions while being used
- A screen that offers high resolution and color accuracy, even in sunlight or at night under artificial light (e.g., fluorescent).
- Portable laptops that weigh less than five pounds, making it easy for you to carry them everywhere without getting tired.
We know it can be a challenge to find one that is affordable but also fitting to meet all of your needs as an engineering student. Hopefully, this list has helped you narrow down what kind of laptop you’re looking for and given some options on how much money should be spent on each one based on the features needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Which is best laptop for engineering students?
1. Dell XPS 15: the best overall laptop 2. Asus Zephyrus G14: the most versatile 3. MacBook Pro M2: the most popular -
Do I need a powerful laptop for engineering?
Yes. Many of the engineering programs require powerful specs to run. And it's not just specs you need to look at: a high storage amount, a good battery life, and a powerful can help you get through college with no difficulties.