If you’re looking for something more specific, we’ve researched and tested laptops that support various operating systems from well-known brands like Dell, Asus, Acer, Lenovo, and Apple. Here are our recommendations for the best laptops for college students. You’ll find plenty of power and fast solid-state drive (SSD) storage inside. SSDs make a big difference in daily computing, as they allow your computer to access data much more quickly. However, its integrated graphics won’t cut it for heavy-duty gaming or video editing, though the ZenBook 14 should stand up to light photo editing and other less intensive tasks. An added bonus: This laptop also comes with a number pad built into the trackpad. The 14-inch display is smaller than the typical 15.6-inch laptop, making it much more portable. Though the 1920x1080 resolution isn’t too impressive, it’s no problem on a screen of this size. The ZenBook 14 is easily the best laptop for college students. Size: 14 inches | Resolution: 1920x1080 | CPU: Intel Core i5-1135G7 | GPU: Intel Iris Xe graphics | RAM: 8GB DDR4 | Storage: 512GB SSD | Touchscreen: No The Surface Go 2 has enough battery life (10 hours) to get you through a whole day at work or entertain you through the course of a lengthy flight. However, it’s not very powerful, with its rather basic components, and the SSD is about as small as they come. However, if you’re mainly using it for productivity and web-based applications, the Surface Go 2 is flexible and highly affordable. Size: 10.5 inches | Resolution: 1920x1080 | CPU: Intel Pentium | GPU: Intel UHD Graphics | RAM: 4GB DDR4 | Storage: 64GB SSD | Touchscreen: Yes The screen is a crisp, high-resolution panel that will work great for streaming and is potentially an excellent option for game streaming services such as Google Stadia. Though Chrome OS is somewhat limited, as is the relatively low-power hardware of this device, you should still be able to handle all your productivity needs with the Chromebook Duet. The one caveat is that its screen may be a little on the small side when used as a laptop. Size: 10.1 inches | Resolution: 1920x1200 | CPU: MediaTek Helio P60T | GPU: Integrated ARM Mali-G72 MP3 | RAM: 4GB DDR4 | Storage: 64GB SSD | Touchscreen: Yes The downsides are that this laptop has very low power hardware and a minimal amount of onboard storage. Also, the screen is relatively low resolution, though that won’t matter so much due to its small size. With that said, the C202 is astonishingly cheap, so not only can it survive a lot of punishment, it won’t be that expensive to replace. Size: 11.6 inches | Resolution: 1366x768 | CPU: Celeron N3060 | GPU: Intel HD Graphics 400 | RAM: 4GB DDR4 | Storage: 32GB SSD | Touchscreen: Yes Once you’ve submitted your report or finished your online quiz, you can flip the screen back to enjoy your favorite mobile games and shows in tablet mode. However, be aware that its display is fairly low resolution. The battery life is about 10 hours, so it’ll last you a full day of classes and then some. You also get 100GB of free storage on Google Drive for two years, so you won’t have to worry about storing important documents or photos despite the low onboard storage. Size: 11.6 inches | Resolution: 1366x768 | CPU: Intel Celeron N3150 | GPU: Intel HD Graphics | RAM: 4GB DDR4 | Storage: 32GB SSD | Touchscreen: Yes The ZenBook S comes with Alexa integration for voice commands and a battery that can last up to 12 hours. It also includes a spacious solid-state drive for all your school-related documents and other storage needs. However, this pint-sized powerhouse comes with a steep price tag. Size: 13.9 inches | Resolution: 3300x2200 | CPU: 11th Generation Intel Core i7 | GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics | RAM: 16GB DDR4 | Storage: 1TB SSD | Touchscreen: Yes Beyond the capable graphics card and desirable display, the processor is merely adequate, and the 512GB of solid-state storage isn’t as much as some gaming laptops offer. The biggest downside is that the 8GB of RAM could be a potential bottleneck for gaming-oriented systems; a gaming laptop should have at least 16GB. Minor caveats aside, the MSI GF65 is an excellent gaming-focused pick for college students. Size: 15.6 inches | Resolution: 1920x1920 | CPU: Intel Core i5-10500H | GPU: Nvidia Geforce RTX 3060 | RAM: 8GB DDR4 | Storage: 512GB SSD | Touchscreen: No The caveat is that the base model comes with disappointing internal hardware for the price. It’s not very powerful, but if you don’t mind spending more, the RAM, the storage, and the processor are all upgradeable. Compared to its Apple counterpart, the Dell XPS 13 9310 is similar in cost and components. What you’re paying for is looks and build quality. Size: 13.4 inches | Resolution: 1920x1200 | CPU: Intel Core i3-1115G4 | GPU: Intel UHG Graphics | RAM: 8GB DDR4 | Storage: 256GB SSD | Touchscreen: No While the base memory and storage are somewhat lacking for the price point, Apple’s Retina Display impresses, offering a gorgeous, color-accurate 2560x1600 resolution screen. In a 13.3-inch screen, that’s a ton of fine detail. The MacBook Air (M1 2020) also delivers up to 18 hours of battery life and ample power for writing papers, photo editing, and other productivity tasks. Size: 13.3 inches | Resolution: 2560x1600 | CPU: Apple M1 chip | GPU: Integrated | RAM: 8GB DDR4 | Storage: 256GB SSD | Touchscreen: No
Portability
If you need something easy to toss into your backpack, a laptop with a smaller display is great. Laptops with smaller screens are often slimmer and lighter too. If you find it’s much easier to get work done on a larger screen, a good compromise might be to plug your laptop into a larger 27-inch external monitor when you’re at home.
Budget
A Chromebook might be a good option if you’re on a budget, as they are often available for only a few hundred dollars. A decent Windows device will set you back quite a bit more and offer better versatility. If you need significant graphics processing capability, expect to pay around a thousand dollars minimum. If you want a Mac, expect to pay a significant premium over Windows and Chrome OS devices.
About Our Trusted Experts
Patrick Hyde lives in Seattle where he works as a digital marketer and freelance copywriter. With a Master’s degree in history from the University of Houston and a job in Seattle’s booming tech industry, his interests and knowledge span the past, present, and future. Andy Zahn has written about computers and other tech for Lifewire, The Balance, and Investopedia, among other publications. He has reviewed numerous laptops and has been building gaming PCs of his own since 2013.
