Our experts used the PerfectRec decision engine to comb through our laptop database and find the best laptops for students available in 2024. Here are our top picks.
Our criteria for the best laptops for students:
Usage: We focused on laptops for general use.
Portability: We placed some emphasis on portability because students tend to move often with their laptops.
Battery: We placed some emphasis on battery because students are often on the go with their laptops.
Budget: We set a budget of upto $1,000
To consider others factors, try the PerfectRec decision engine to get your personalized laptop recommendation
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.
Pros
Convertible design for laptop and tablet use
Touchscreen with good color coverage
Backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader for convenience
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 Acer Swift 14 is a mid-range laptop with good performance for everyday tasks and some more demanding applications, thanks to its Intel i7 processor and 16 GB of RAM. It has a high-resolution display, making it suitable for those who appreciate sharp visuals. The laptop is reasonably light and thin, enhancing portability, but this can mean shorter battery life compared to others, which might be a concern if you need to work for long periods away from a power source. It doesn't have a dedicated graphics card, so while okay for casual gaming, it's not ideal for high-end gaming or intensive 3D work. The Acer Swift 14 runs on Windows 11 Home, offering the latest features and security updates.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is priced in the midrange and offers a solid balance of features for general use, creative tasks, and casual gaming. It comes with 512GB of storage and 8GB of RAM, powered by the efficient Apple M2 chip with a 10-core GPU. The 13.3-inch IPS display has a high resolution and supports wide color gamuts, but it’s not a touchscreen. Its compact size, light weight, and a battery life up to 20 hours make it very portable, and it has high-quality speakers and a backlit keyboard. Thunderbolt ports allow for fast data transfer and external display connectivity. Designed for silent operation, the MacBook Pro maintains a fanless design, ensuring quiet use. However, its GPU isn't suitable for intensive gaming or complex 3D tasks, and the system lacks upgrade possibilities, with no available RAM or storage slots for expansion.
The LG Gram 16 is a lightweight and portable laptop with a larger screen size and high-resolution panel, suitable for productivity and media consumption. It has respectable processing power due to its Intel i7 processor and ample memory for general use. The integrated Iris Xe graphics offer modest performance for light gaming and creative tasks but might not be enough for demanding 3D work or intensive engineering software. With a solid battery life, you can expect to use it for routine tasks without frequent charging. This model has backlit keyboard, fingerprint reader, and good selection of USB-C ports and comes with Windows 11 Home pre-installed. If you need a machine for everyday work, web browsing, and streaming, the LG Gram 16 is a reliable choice but consider looking at models with dedicated GPUs and more storage if you intend to handle heavier workloads.
The Lenovo Yoga 6 is a versatile 2-in-1 convertible laptop that can function as both a laptop and a tablet, suitable for general users who appreciate flexibility and moderate performance. It comes with an AMD Ryzen 7 processor with integrated Vega 8 graphics, 16 GB of RAM, and 512 GB of storage, which should handle everyday tasks and light engineering work well. The Yoga 6's 13.3-inch IPS touchscreen with a 1920 x 1200 resolution offers good screen colors and is comfortable to use for general purposes. Its lower midrange price makes it an economical option considering its capabilities. A backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader add to its practical features. However, it is not the top choice for intensive gaming or complex 3D/machine learning tasks due to the integrated graphics. With over 12 hours of battery life, a weight of just over 3 pounds, and a solid build quality, it is also quite portable.