We all are living in digital era where education is way ahead of its earlier time. Today, college students use laptops for almost all kind of educational work — from writing notes to submit assignments. Years back, whenever we heard the term computers, we used to think about those huge desktop computers. You’d have to include its monitor, system cabinet and all the necessary and additional accessories. Decade after that we were introduced to bulkier laptops which was used by limited individuals. But today, it is just small as a notebook and lightweight.
So, these days, having the best laptop become an essential thing for college students. Students do not need laptops just for studies, but they also use it for other activities such as gaming, listening to music, chatting and so forth. So, if you have decided to purchase a reliable and nice laptop to invest in, you need to find the one which can meet your specific requirements.
However, when it comes to finding the best laptop, the huge variety is a trouble indeed. That’s why it becomes important to know the best laptop brands out there.
Of course, you need to conduct in depth researchers so that you will be able to come up with the best laptop that could quench your needs. There is no doubt that it is quite daunting to end up at one brand but it is possible if you stay tuned to know the best laptops for college students.
Best Laptops for College Students
The following brands are the best choices according to the current market trends; along with the brand name, we will also recommend one of the best laptops manufactured by the specific brand. So, if you happen to be looking for the best laptop from a brand, you can go with that recommendation.
#1. Apple — Design hero and class apart.
When it comes to brands that launch innovative and high-end laptops, Apple stands first amongst all of them. They have completely revolutionized the industry with their laptops which are highly renowned for their features, specifications, and quality. The overall design of Apple laptops tends to be elegant and excellent. If you are not budget conscious, then Apple is the best choice.
Recommendations:
- MacBook Air (Go for M1 instead of Intel model).
- MacBook Pro (Go for M1 instead of Intel model).
#2. Dell — Unbelievable services.
If you have a need of Windows OS and have been looking for a perfect laptop brand to invest to enjoy incredible performances combined with after sale services, then Dell will be your priority. It is a world-renowned brand and has been designing high-performance laptops for the users in a wide range of prices. If you want to purchase a laptop which is worth your hard-earned money, you can choose to purchase laptops manufactured by Dell.
Recommendations:
- Inspiron 14 (Numerous models are available).
- XPS 13 or 15 (Professional, seek the latest ones).
#3. Asus — Fantastic all-rounder.
Asus is highly reputed for its high-quality components and is regarded as the topmost brand in terms of affordability. The laptops from Asus can be obtained in different prices that range between $300 and $2399. When it comes to high-end models, they are aimed at individuals who have a big budget to get a laptop. The designs of laptops are pretty straightforward and solid.
Recommendations:
- Vivobook (Numerous models).
- Zenbook (Numerous models).
#4. Lenovo — For the businesses.
The laptops designed and manufactured by Lenovo tend to be nondescript. While they lack in style, they are built with very strong quality. The laptops of this brand are highly appreciated for their quality hardware and components. The products are not only reliable but also last for longer period of time.
Recommendations:
- Lenovo ThinkPad (Numerous models).
- Lenovo Legion (Gamers line, numerous models).
#5. Hewlett-Packard (HP) — Simply consumer friendly.
HP is regarded as the most valuable and recognized brands when it comes to laptops for students. The laptops of this brand are the perfect combination of style and functionality. The products are ranger higher among the laptop users. The laptops are geared towards a broad range of consumers.
Recommendations:
- Envy 13 (AMD Ryzen).
- Envy x360 (Convertible line).
- Spectre x360 (Best 2-in-1).
- EliteBook x360 (For business).
- Omen 15 (For editing and gaming).
- ZBook Create G7 (Workstation).
#6. Acer — Known for mobility.
Acer is counted as the seventh leading laptop brand and has gained lots of reputations among the people. It is quite common to see these laptops being used by students. Whether you want a laptop with ultimate portability, utility or simplicity, it is better to go with Acer.
So, these are the best-recommended laptop brands that we would suggest to students which can be utilized for each and every task, that a student seeks considering performance and portability.
You know any best ones, do suggest us in comments section below.
How to choose the best laptops for students?
If you are planning something else than above list then consider the following guide.
Understand your requirements.
Just like any other product, laptops are intention-oriented.
For instance, the high-end versions of Apple MacBook Pro targeted towards serious professionals who need top-notch graphics and seamless rendering speeds.
It may not be the same requirement for a normal professional who has to deal with documents or spreadsheets. Judging this scenario, if you are a professional, there is no point in having that MacBook with you and vice versa.
So, before you jump into a product and purchase it, try to analyze your purpose with the laptop.
In most cases, you are likely to change from the first pick.
Above, when we mentioned the best brands, we also mentioned the areas that these brands do excel.
For instance, Apple made for those who need a perfect combination of portability and performance. You can use those insights to find the suitable laptop brand first and then go for the best laptop from the brand.
Go with more memory (RAM).
People have a tendency to keep the price low by reducing the amount of RAM and all. This is one of the bad trends because the more amount of RAM is a good thing if you are into multitasking.
Personally speaking, I’m someone who deals with Microsoft Word and Chrome at the same time. I had to upgrade my system to 8-GB RAM because the 4 GB scenario wasn’t really working well.
Keep this factor in your mind when it comes to purchasing a laptop. You may have to spend a few more dollars but always go for an 8GB version or better. In the time to come, you will find the extra RAM to be quite useful.
SSD is better than HDD, and nothing is yet faster than NVMe drives.
Just like memory, storage is also significant. If you have the capacity to afford it, always choose SSD over tradition HDD. This is going to save a lot more battery, offer speed and enhance the performance of your entire system.
HDD is the biggest bottleneck if you have a high-end system. If your budget allows you to choose NVMe drives, I’ll recommend going with that, it will perform faster than anything else.
Choose the OS wisely.
Does everyone want to be productive when it comes to using computers, right? Choosing the right OS is one of the integral steps to be so. You don’t have many choices if we take the case of popular Operating Systems. Even so, you can choose between Windows, Mac OS, Linux and Chrome OS. Here, the selection should be a bit careful.
For instance, Linux isn’t a compatible OS if you are working in an organization or something. On the other hand, if you are into development or high-end tasks, you will be fine with Linux and Mac OS X. It should also be noted that a new choice named Chrome OS is there. If you think you spend most of your time in Chrome browser, you can consider going for a Chromebook, which is more battery efficient, performance-friendly and affordable. No matter what you choose, make sure that the OS has some stuff for your needs.
Making the right decision for graphics.
Most people think that they don’t need graphics unless they are into gaming. It’s partially true because a few apps work fine only if there’s sufficient amount of graphics. Also, if you want the benefits of HD Playing, VR, AR etc., your laptop should have the right amount of graphics specifications too.
We don’t recommend going for dedicated graphics unless you have any of these requirements.
In all other instances, the integrated graphics are just enough to move on.
On the other hand, if you are planning to play some popular and high-end games, you should better go for dedicated standalone graphics. Nevertheless, make sure you understand the fact that graphic cards make sense only if you have compatible hardware for support.
Preference between 2-in-1 and standalone.
Currently, there are two major kinds of laptops you can purchase standalone laptops and hybrid ones. As you can guess from the name, the first category is the ones we see. They don’t normally come with a touch screen. Even if they have a touch screen, the device won’t be really detachable from the keyboard.On the other hand, as we come to the case of 2-in-1s, they are made for different purposes. To make this simpler, we will put things into a practical form. Suppose you need a media consumption device that you can use as a home PC as well. In that case, a 2-in-1 device would be sufficient. On the other hand, if you value portability or performance, we recommend sticking onto standalone laptops from the list.
On the other hand, as we come to the case of 2-in-1s, they are made for different purposes. To make this simpler, we will put things into a practical form. Suppose you need a media consumption device that you can use as a home PC as well. In that case, a 2-in-1 device would be sufficient. On the other side, if you value portability or performance, we recommend sticking onto standalone laptops from the list.
Ultimately, the battery life.
This is the last tip, but perhaps the most important one. We have seen many customers who start giving a lot of complaints about battery life. The best thing to avoid all these is to ask some people about how much battery life they are getting from the devices. Of course, you can keep checking reviews and other expert opinions.You can always go for assured brands like Apple, where you will get around 10 to 12 hours in any case. In spite of all these, it’s your choice between budget, battery life and performance, you know.
You can always go for assured brands like Apple, Dell, and Asus where you will get around 10 to 12 hours in any case. In spite of all these, it’s your choice between budget, battery life and performance, you know.
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