10 Best Laptops for Students

The HP Envy x360 15" is a versatile laptop with a convertible 2-in-1 design, which allows it to be used as both a laptop and a tablet. It has a lower midrange price and offers an OLED touchscreen with a standard resolution, suitable for general use and media consumption. The AMD Ryzen 7 processor coupled with ample RAM makes it a good candidate for everyday tasks and can handle some more demanding applications. Its portability is considered good, given its reasonable weight and battery life, which supports typical usage for a decent duration. Additionally, this laptop features a backlit keyboard and a number of USB-C ports, enhancing its functionality and ease of use. However, it may not be the best option for intensive gaming or heavy engineering tasks, as it lacks dedicated high-performance graphics capabilities. Overall, the HP Envy x360 15" could be a good fit for users seeking a combination of performance in everyday tasks with the flexibility of a tablet.

The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) with its midrange price offers a balance between cost and features. It has 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM, powered by the Apple M2 chip, which includes a 10-core GPU. This makes it well suited for general use and capable of handling some engineering tasks. Although its graphics performance may be limited for intensive 3D and machine learning applications, it offers excellent screen quality and a high-resolution IPS display. It does not have a touchscreen but boasts a 16:10 aspect ratio and a bright display with wide color coverage, good for media and design work. The MacBook is known for its premium build, silent operation, and a battery that can last for an impressive 20 hours of typical use. With its lightweight design, it scores well on portability. Additionally, it has two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt support, but lacks a dedicated number pad, Ethernet, and support for hardware ray tracing and DLSS, which are more relevant for gaming laptops. It charges via USB-C and offers a backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader for convenient security. This model is ideal for users looking for a portable laptop with long battery life and a focus on general use, productivity, and some creative tasks. However, if the focus is on gaming or GPU-intensive machine learning or 3D rendering work, it may not be the best fit.

The HP EliteBook 845 G9 is set at a lower midrange price and targets business users with its premium features. Its 14-inch IPS display with a 16:10 aspect ratio and above HD resolution is crisp and offers good color coverage, making it suitable for general work and some image editing. The combination of a capable AMD Ryzen 5 processor and AMD Radeon graphics can handle everyday tasks easily and even provide fair performance for 3D rendering and light engineering work. However, for tasks that require high-end graphics processing like intensive gaming or advanced machine learning, the performance may not be optimal. The 512 GB storage and 16 GB RAM are sufficient for most users, but if you require more space, there is an available storage slot for upgrades. With its backlit keyboard, fingerprint reader, and a good selection of ports including USB-C, this laptop has modern connectivity options. This laptop is relatively lightweight at just over 3 pounds, making it very portable for on-the-go professionals. Its battery life is solid, allowing for up to around 12 hours of typical use, which is beneficial for long workdays away from the charger. Overall, the HP EliteBook 845 G9 is an excellent choice for business and general use, offering a balance of performance, portability, and features, though it's not the best choice for high-end gaming or the most demanding engineering simulations.

The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is a midrange laptop that offers a solid blend of performance and portability, making it a good choice for general use. Its main processor and GPU are both Apple's M2 chip, which provides good general performance and can handle some lighter engineering tasks. Keep in mind, for 3D rendering, machine learning, or heavy gaming, the performance might not meet the demands of those intensive tasks. It features 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM, which is ample for everyday tasks, but may be limiting for more demanding applications. The battery life is commendable, providing up to 15 hours of typical usage, and its fanless design ensures silent operation. Its 13.6-inch IPS display with a high resolution and a 16:10 aspect ratio delivers clear and vibrant images with wide color coverage, but it does not have a touchscreen or high refresh rate. The MacBook Air is highly portable, weighing just 2.7 pounds and with a thickness of 0.44 inches, enhanced by its sleek build quality. For connectivity, it includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports but lacks Ethernet or HDMI ports. The keyboard and webcam quality are rated as excellent, adding to the appeal for professionals on the go. Notably, there are no available slots for RAM or storage expansion. If you prioritize a balance of portability, build quality, and overall performance for everyday tasks, the MacBook Air (2022) is a compelling option.

The Lenovo Flex 5 14 is a 2-in-1 convertible that can be used as both a laptop and a tablet, making it versatile for various tasks. It's priced in the lower midrange and offers a fair balance of performance and features. With an AMD Ryzen 7 processor and 16 GB of RAM, it's a good choice for general use and capable of handling some engineering and 3D tasks, though not optimized for intensive gaming. It has a 14-inch IPS touchscreen display, a decent battery life, and is lightweight for portability. It also features a decent spread of ports including USB-C, and it charges via USB-C as well, but it lacks a dedicated number pad, yet it includes a backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader for convenience and security.

The Acer Swift Go 14 offers robust performance with its Intel Core Ultra 7 processor and Intel Arc graphics, suited for general use and capable of handling some engineering and creative tasks. The OLED display is of high quality, boasting a high resolution and color accuracy, which is great for visual work but not touch-enabled. This laptop is lightweight and thin, enhancing its portability, but the tradeoff comes in battery life, which is moderate. There are ample ports, including Thunderbolt, for connectivity, and features such as a backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader are present for convenience. It's described as having a lower midrange price, indicating a balance between affordability and features. Overall, it's a versatile choice for everyday use, with some capacity for more demanding applications.

The Dell Inspiron 16 5635, priced in the lower midrange, comes with a sizable 16-inch display, offering a high-resolution screen great for productivity and media consumption. It runs on an AMD Ryzen 7 processor with integrated Vega graphics, providing good performance for general use and casual gaming, though not ideal for high-end gaming or intensive engineering tasks. With a weight of around 4.19 pounds, it's somewhat portable but there are lighter options if mobility is a priority. Battery life is fair, making it suitable for use on the go. Plus, it operates silently. It includes useful features like a backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader for added convenience and security, while its white color gives it a distinct look. If you're seeking a reasonably priced laptop for everyday use with a large screen and decent performance, the Inspiron 16 5635 is a solid choice.