New year, new school year—which means many students are looking for better laptops for colleges. Despite the rise of many gadgets, a laptop remains one of the most necessary tools a student (and a teacher) must have. Laptops for college are not only for entertainment and doing paperwork. Laptops are essential for research, socials, access to information, communication, college platform access and so many other things to get you through the year. If you’re looking to buy a laptop for college, this buying guide may help you. We’re going to look at the best laptops for college that won’t cost too much for students but will perform more than enough to help you through school. Let’s take a look.
MacBook Air M1 2020
PROS
- Great specs and performance
- Amazing battery life
- Apple ecosystem support
- Good speaker sound
- Portable
CONS
- Limited ports
Specs:
- CPU: Apple M1
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 256 GB – 512 GB SSD
- GPU: Apple M1
- Display: 13.3″
- OS: Mac OS
MacBook Air M1 2020 is a great laptop for students and teachers. It is lightweight and has a long battery life, which is great for those who like to travel around campus with their laptops. Also, it has a durable design that can handle some wear and tear from constant use in the classroom. The MacBook Air M1 2020 comes with AppleCare+, which gives you an additional year of warranty coverage for any issues that may arise during your time using the device.
It should be noted that this model only comes in white color options, so if you’re looking for something more colorful or stylish then perhaps this isn’t the right choice for you. However, its display is crisp enough while also being bright enough in direct sunlight (thanks to its anti-glare coating), making it very easy on the eyes when working or playing games in bright conditions such as outdoors or near windows where there’s sunlight streaming through them all day long!
Its speakers are loud enough without sounding tinny or distorted at high volumes too which makes watching movies/videos enjoyable even though they’re not immersive sounding. It has limited ports though, so you better check the ports you need before buying this.
MacBook Air M1 2020
Dell XPS 13 2021
PROS
- Good performance
- Great specs
- Attractive design
- Bezel-less design
CONS
- Stiff touchpad
- Limited ports
Specs:
- CPU: Intel Core i5/i7
- RAM: 8 GB – 16 GB
- Storage: 512 GB SSD
- GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Display: 13.3/13.4″
- OS: Windows 11
If Apple laptops aren’t your thing, the Dell XPS 13 is your next best choice. With a portable size and a sleek design, the XPS 13 offers a premium portable feeling akin to MacBook Airs. The Intel Core i5 (or i7 depending on your choice) and 8GB DDR4 RAM offer great performance, while the 512GB SSD ensures speedy boot times and file transfers. This can be upgraded when purchasing, so you definitely have more options. Additionally, the 13.3-inch UHD display provides great clarity without having to invest in an expensive 4K monitor—something entertainment lovers might want to take note of. This version lacks older ports as well, but it has USB-C. The touchpad can be a bit stiff too.
Dell XPS 13 2021
HP Spectre x360 13.5" 2022
PROS
- Hybrid 2-in-1
- Portable
- Great specs
- Amazing performance
- Good battery life
CONS
- No discrete GPU
Specs:
- CPU: Intel i7-1165G7
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 512 GB – 1 TB SSD
- GPU: Integrated Intel® UHD Graphics 620
- Display: 13.5″
- OS: Windows 10 Pro
Hybrid laptops function well as a laptop for college. The HP Spectre x360 13.5 is one powerful 2-in-1 laptop with an Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD. With these specifications, it makes it ideal for students and teachers who use media for school.
The 13.5″ FHD IPS micro-edge OLED-backlit touch screen has a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels (16:9 aspect ratio) that offers crystal clear visuals for watching movies, viewing photos or reading text documents without having to strain your eyes too much – especially if you’re using the laptop in bright conditions outdoors. The screen makes it easier to use during daytime where glare might be an issue.
Battery life is great as well, so if you need both a tablet and a laptop that can last long, the HP Spectre x360 is the best choice. The only thing missing is a good, discrete GPU, so gaming might not be the best for this laptop.
HP Spectre x360 13.5" 2022
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED
PROS
- Gorgeous OLED display
- Relatively affordable
- Good audio quality
- Above-average performance
CONS
- Mediocre webcam
Specs:
- CPU: Intel Core i5-12500H/i7-12700H
- RAM: 8 GB – 16 GB
- Storage: 512 GB SSD
- GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Display: 15.6″
- OS: Windows 11 Home
The Asus Vivobook S 15 is a 15.6-inch laptop with an Intel Core i5 or i7 CPU, up to 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD storage and an Intel Iris Xe Graphics graphics card. Thanks to its 12th Gen Intel processor, vivid OLED display, and respectable performance, the Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED excels at everything most college students require with enough battery life to go through all but the longest marathon study sessions. The only downside to this affordable premium laptop is its webcam. But that’s something you can easily fix with accessories.
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED
Acer Swift 5 2022
PROS
- Good specs
- Affordable
- Attractive design
CONS
- Mediocre battery life
- Mediocre graphics card
Specs:
- CPU: Intel Core i5-8250u
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 256 GB SSD
- GPU: Intel HD Graphics 620
- Display: 14″
- OS: Windows 10 Home
When portable is what you want, the Acer Swift 5 2022 is what you should get. This is a great laptop for students and teachers who want a solid experience and fits right around the budget. A solid mid-ranger laptop, it comes with an Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and a 14-inch Full HD display.
The Acer Swift 5 2022 has a mediocre battery life—lasting up to 8 hours. It also includes two USB-C ports, as well as an HDMI port and SD card reader for device connectivity. The Intel UHD Graphics 620 chip powers the graphics on this machine, which means it can handle light gaming tasks but isn’t recommended for anything more intensive than that.
Acer Swift 5 2022
Laptops for College
As you can see, there are many great laptops to choose from when it comes to college. However, the choice is ultimately up to what you need and what’s within your budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Which laptop is best for college students?
Most students get Apple or Dell laptops.