Best laptops for students 2025: Get the perfect laptop for college ahead of the new academic year

You should keep a couple of things in mind when looking for the best laptops for students — including battery life and the quality of the screen. But which machine you choose will depend on whether you need something to help with your studies or want a laptop mostly for downtime. Why not pick out a machine that can do both?

We've tested a range of models and compared specs to bring you a round-up of the best laptops for students on the market right now — making sure to weigh up overall performance with price, given most students aren't flush with cash.

Right now, the the MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) is our pick as the best laptop for students overall, and represents fantastic value for money given its immense performance and outstanding screen, not to mention how portable it is. We're also keen to recommend machines like the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14, too, which comes with the latest Intel hardware alongside a stunning OLED screen.

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The Quick List

Best laptops for students and learners that we recommend in 2025

Best laptop for students overall

There are few laptops out there better for students than the MacBook Air — which is partly why it's the developer's most popular line. Not only is it easy to use but it's as quick as anything you can find and you can often find a good deal for under $1,000.

It's stylishly designed and you enjoy the same premium build quality and the power you would get with the MacBook Pro — but in a much lighter and portable package. it weighs 2.7 lbs versus the MacBook Pro's 3.4 lbs, but the fact it includes the same M4 chip that you would get in its more sophisticated cousin means you aren't missing out on too much. We mentioned in our MacBook Air M2 review the device combines portability and power for a near-flawless laptop for students — and the M4 version is no different.

For a relatively low entry point (especially when you considered how much high-end MacBooks used to be priced), you could do much worse. You also get the popular MagSafe charging option as well as a 1080p webcam — not to mention a crisp and vibrant Liquid Retina display that's great for working with media or just watching films.

The MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) is available in several stylish colors including Sky Blue, Midnight, Silver, Starlight — but the Midnight coating stands out to us. What's great with the M4 version is the base model now starts at 16 GB unified memory, meaning you will no longer sustain the minor bottlenecks you had if you stretched your machine. Those keen on gaming, however, may want to consider a high-end Windows laptop with a dedicated GPU — or a MacBook Pro. Regardless, it's a speedy laptop that is more than capable of handling almost everything you can throw at it.

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Best laptop for students under $500

The Acer Aspire 3 keeps its cost incredibly low thanks to a series of compromises it makes in all the right places. You might not be able to run games in the same was as some other machines, for instance, but it tries to offer a great basic-level user experience so that you won't regret opting for a machine that's more stripped back than most.

Its design is straightforward and surprisingly sturdy, with plenty of space on the keyboard and touchpad. There are some concerns over its thickness, but you do (on the flip side) benefit from plenty of ports, including HDMI and USB-A. Overall, you'd probably expect much less for a laptop priced like the Acer Aspire 3 is.

The AMD chipset, meanwhile, is a decent mid-level package but won't impress — it's fine if you're hoping to perform tasks like checking emails, browning the web, taking lecture notes, and so on, but forget about it if you're hoping to run anything that involves intensive graphics. That said, it's exactly what you'd expect at this price point — and this Acer machine is no exception, if anything it's likely more competent than most other machines you can find for under $500. Plus, it doesn't struggle much when performing those aforementioned basic tasks, so you can barely ask for more.

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Best creative laptop for students

We'd generally recommend a MacBook for creative endeavours, and while there can be plenty to choose from, the M4 Pro version of the MacBook Pro 16-inch stands out to us. There are several reasons why you'd want to opt for this device — firstly, its expansive screen is great to work with media of all kinds, from 3D modeling to video editing and, secondly, the M4 Pro chip is more than enough to handle pretty much everything you can throw at it.

While the M4 Max chip in the MacBook Pro 16-inch will give you the ultimate powerhouse laptop, it's pretty much overkill for everything apart from the most intensive workloads on the planet — and they tend to be consigned to niche professional situations.

What's great about the MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro), too, is that it will give you the best battery life of any MacBook. This is based on Apple's findings around battery life — with the M4 Pro chip lasting 24 hours for video streaming versus 21 hours in the M4 Max. Real-life results will vary and may not be quite as high, but are still excellent. Sister site Tom's Guide found the MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro) lsted 20 hours and 46 minutes in its test – far better than a host of Windows competitors, for instance, while Tom's Hardware recorded a similar 21 hours and 1 minute battery life.

Creatives will be able to work across multiple visually-demanding apps at once in a stylish machine without much of a problem, while enjoying outstanding battery life. If budget is a problem, we'd recommend considering the base M4 version, which is still an outstanding machine.

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Best windows laptop for students

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The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition (15-inch) is Microsoft's answer to the MacBook Air — and it's pretty easy to forget you're actually working on a Windows machine until you see the iconography, to Microsoft's credit. The build quality is outstanding and it simply feels great to rest your palms on its surface and use for pretty much anything. We also love both color options you get.

For students looking for the best Windows machine, you're in with a good shout with this device. While it's a little older than many on the market, it still performs just as good as many of the new Intel-powered devices launched in 2025, thanks to the potency of the Snapdragon hardware. The display is also absolutely dazzling — with a high brightness level and great colors that impress for a standard IPS display. If you're hoping for an OLED device, you will certainly notice the difference, but the panel in this machine softens the blow. Its resolution is also pretty sharp, at above 200 pixels per inch (just) and you get a great color accuracy if you intend on watching back shows or movies, or even editing some photos or videos.

There's very little to point out by way of weaknesses, but if we are nitpicking, you should probably look elsewhere if you're hoping to work with heavy-duty graphics. While the Qualcomm Adreno GPU in the Surface Laptop 7th Edition performs well, you can find better options out there in terms of entry-level GPUs, especially in the very newest machines. But for its price (which at the time of writing is under $1,000) you could do much worse.

Read our full Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition (15-inch) review.

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Cheapest MacBook for students

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Although the MacBook Air 13-inch (M2) has been out for three years now, it's still a fantastic laptop that can outperform many new Windows machines. Now there are two generations of MacBook Airs ahead of it, you can also grab a great discount on what was, at the time of launch, a phenomenal machine that was portable as it was powerful.

We wrote in our MacBook Air 13-inch (M2) review that the improvements to the build quality and display (including the introduction of a notch) were very welcome — they were so useful, in fact, that Apple has maintained the same design in the newest MacBook Air 13-inch (M4). If it ain't broke, why fix it?

If you're concerned about picking up a machine with older hardware, it is, of course, not as good as the newest processor, but the M2 chip is still a dynamite chipset that can still run intensive apps like Photoshop or Premiere Pro without much of a fuss — all while running high-quality videos and web browsing at the same time.

Obviously, you'll be future-proofed with the very latest laptops, but at a now-discounted rate, this laptop is an exceptional choice for the cheapest MacBook you can grab.

Read our full MacBook Air 13-inch (M2) review.

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Best Chromebook for students

While Chromebooks were never designed to blow you away, the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch is surprisingly capable for one; it features higher-end specs than you'd expect in this bracket, and enjoys a great build quality too, with solid construction and a good, expansive screen.

The color scheme is basic and bland, but not offensive in any way, and the overall dimensions make this a pretty sleek package and one that is lighter and less bulky than other 15-inch machines. The hardware fitted into this machine, meanwhile, includes the Intel Core i3-N305 chip alongside integrated Intel UHD graphics. It does have a handful of useful ports, including USB-A, two USB-C, 1 microSD card slot and a 3.5mm headphone jack too.

Overall, it's functionally capable and also has enough under the hood for you to enjoy the most basic tasks without much of a hitch. For a Chromebook, it's also pretty reasonable at running games — although you should discount the idea of running high-end AAA games. It doesn't look bad on the 1080p display either.

This machine is ultimately a great laptop for what you end up paying for, with a sturdy build quality packaged with capable specs and a decent panel.

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Best 2-in-1 for students

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After HP migrated away from its old Spectre and Envy brands, it had a rocky start with some hits and misses, but the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 is an absolute winner in our eyes. This 2-in-1 device is versatile enough to be used in various different configurations while also including an exceptional OLED display that's a treat to watch videos, shows or movies on.

The build quality is outstanding, and it's a highly portable and capable machine, with thin dimensions and a decent weight for those interested in carrying a machine around with them more often than not. We also loved its deep, dark blue coating that helps it stand apart from plenty of the competition —

Under the hood, the Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) processor is an upgrade on last year's in terms of its efficiency, which translates into a longer battery life. The performance gains are marginal, which is the only downside, but the graphics output is much improved. Connectivity options are relatively limited, unfortunately, with only three USB-C ports at your disposal — so you'll need to carry an dock if you're away from the desk. That's a minor price to pay for its compact dimensions, though.

The crowning glory, however, is a crisp and vibrant 120 Hz OLED panel that draws you into its display. This is an absolute delight to use and makes it a wonderful option to work with on the go. Combine this with a great keyboard and touchpad and you have an excellent machine on your hands that is a delight to use.

Read our full HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 review.

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Best portable laptop for students

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The Surface Pro 11 is a premium and stylish device that's unlike any other. It stands apart from many other 2-in-1s (which still adopt a traditional clamshell form factor alongside a 360-degree hinge) in that it has a detachable keyboard and a kickstand. This means it can be used as a tablet without the awkward weight that comes with a normal 2-in-1 — and feels like you're using an actual tablet that is, in essence, extremely powerful for what it is.

Fitted into this device is a Snapdragon X Elite processor, the Qualcomm Adreno GPU and the 45-TOPS Qualcomm Hexagon NPU. In the Surface Pro 11, these three components work with 32 GB LPDDR5x RAM as well as a generously sized 1 TB SSD. Overall, they perform really as well as any laptop, and don't suffer from thermal throttling as we may have expected thanks to the efficiency of modern-day hardware. The battery life is also great — and more than enough to last over a day — but it lasts less than comparable Snapdragon-powered machines.

The OLED tablet display is, incidentally, breathtaking. It's incredibly bright and boasts an incredibly crisp display resolution. While it's not a massive screen, you're going to be drawn in with its vibrant colors and deep, inky blacks. It's fundamentally a great hybrid machine that is comparable with MacBook-level performance in a unique chassis that is as versatile as it is portable.

Read our full Microsoft Surface Pro 11 review.

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Best eco-friendly laptop for students

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With plenty of manufacturers vying to showcase how eco-friendly their devices are, Acer has taken that one step further in its Aspire Vero 16, a machine that embodies that desire to highlight why manufacturing countless machines each year with annual hardware refreshes doesn't have to be such a bad thing. This laptop is inspired by the "resilience of the coastline" and boasts several key design features to reflect this moniker. Firstly, the packaging is entirely designed with recycling in mind, which is a theme that extends to the machine itself. Considering the laptop is made from a blend of post-consumer recycled plastics (70%) and an oyster-shell bio-based material, it feels great to the touch — and far from cheap or tacky. The Iron color, which has a green tint, looks unique and gives this machine a character that you won't find elsewhere.

Ultimately it's what under the hood that counts, though, and that's where we did wish this offered a bit more. Our performance scores are less than you would expect from the highest-end devices, but that's not too bad considering how much you're paying — at under $700, you'd struggle to find anything that did. The one black mark is a less-than-impressive battery life. It lasted much less than many of the newest laptops we've tested, with a lifespan of 10 hours and 19 minutes. The display is also sub-par compared to the best and newest machines — but good enough to get by at this price point — with a decent brightness level and accurate colors.

You could do so much worse than the Acer Aspire Vero 16 at this price point. We thoroughly enjoyed using it and the eco credentials greatly add to its appeal because they're executed perfectly.

Read our full Acer Aspire Vero 16 review.

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Best big-screen laptop for students

There's no competing with the Razer Blade 18 (2025) if you're looking for the best machine with a big screen. The new machine offers workstation-grade performance that will illuminate your home workspace or gaming desk with a mesmerizing screen that's absolutely massive, alongside the hardware to make the most of it and offer the best experience — that's whether you're gaming, watching shows, or even working with visuals.

This is not a machine suitable for most people, and you will only really need to pick something as powerful as this if you intend to make the most of it. The chassis boasts an exquisite, MacBook-like build quality, while the screen is a QHD+ display that aims to make the most of the LCD technology. While you don't get an OLED panel, Razer has instead focused on making this as sharp and immersive as you can. In terms of performance, there's also very little beating it right now — especially with the inclusion of the latest Nvidia graphics card.

Again, however, this is not a machine for everyone — and, in fact, may be difficult to justify the price tag a lot of the time. But, if you're looking for the best big screen laptop, nothing compares right now.

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Best OLED laptop for students

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Lenovo's latest device under its ThinkPad family, which is traditionally a business-focused line-up, represents an evolution. By incorporating plenty of physical features from its consumer-facing machines, the ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition becomes a "prosumer" model that represents the best of both camps. It retains its excellent build quality and reliability but actually looks highly stylish and incredibly versatile. But the reason we're recommending it is the fact it has an absolutely incredible OLED display.

The 2.8K OLED HDR screen is incredibly bright and boasts very strong color accuracy levels — far higher than average in a laptop and only comparable to the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 in machines we've tested. This is above the threshold you need to deem a panel "professional grade" — so it's more than a capable machine for photo editing and light video editing.

The one major drawback with this laptop, however, is its performance levels. You really do want more from a machine with the latest hardware; its Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) chip underperforms compared with other machines fitted with the same specs. It's double disappointing considering you have 32 GB RAM to play with. What's also a bit of a black mark is the battery, which lasted 11 hours and 51 minutes — this isn't terrible, but so many rival machines hit close to 20 hours, and these things are ultimately relative.

While there are plenty of selling points, including the highly robust and lightweight frame this machine takes, and the interesting purple-tinted gray coating of its chassis, not to mention one of the best screens out there, this all comes at a cost. We'd still recommend it as it's delightful to use day-to-day — but you should bear its weaknesses in mind.

Read our full Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition review.

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Best gaming laptop for students

Gaming laptops offer plenty of value — whether you're hoping to get something that's an absolute powerhouse capable of handling high-intensity visual workloads or even if you're hoping to spin up the latest AAA titles in your downtime. The Razer Blade 16 (2025) is widely considered the MacBook Pro for gaming thanks to its exquisite minimalist design, impressive buld quality, and construction that is near unrivalled on the Windows scene.

Beneath the bonnet, its internal components are among the best you can find with an AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 processor with an extremely powerful Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 graphics card. Alongside 16 GB RAM and 1 TB SSD in the base configuration, you have a machine built for workstation-level performance. If you're working with visuals or graphics — in game development, for example — you will also love the vibrance of the 16-inch OLED display. This panel reproduces vibrant colors and offers exceptional contrast with a 0 nits black level. You also benefit from a super-smooth 240 Hz refresh rate, and a QHD+ resolution, which makes video playback a treat.

The price is one downside, however, and it's not a machine for those hoping to get the best value for money — especially if you aren't going to make the most of the newest Nvidia chip. It's also a little heavy and bulky side, meaning we wouldn't recommend investing in this if you need something to take in and out of classes with you on a daily basis. You're still getting a monstrously powerful machine, but you should consider the fact that gaming laptops also tend to be more power hungry (and may last a little less in terms of battery life) than non-gaming counterparts.

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Our expert consultant

Keumars Afifi-Sabet

Keumars is the technology editor at Live Science. He has written for a variety of publications including Space.com, ITPro, The Week Digital, ComputerActive and TechRadar Pro. He has worked as a technology journalist for more than five years, having previously held the role of features editor with ITPro. His expertise reviewing laptop goes back seven years, and he's gotten hands-on with models of all different shapes, sizes and price points in this time.

Best laptops for students frequently asked questions (FAQs)

How to choose the best laptop for students

One of the most important features you should prioritize in a modern laptop is an SSD. A solid state drive provides advantages over a traditional hard drive in almost every phase of performance, from boot up to load times and beyond.

Another oft-overlooked laptop feature is ports. If you want to quickly and easily connect your machine to an external display, or even a flatscreen TV, you’ll need the appropriate outputs, be they DisplayPort, HDMI, or even USB-C. Ports are also vital for connecting peripherals, like high end mice or mechanical keyboards, or cameras, phones, or other devices.

Finally, in the ongoing work from home era, a proper webcam can be a huge plus. Unfortunately, even modern laptops often include low quality, low-resolution cams that make it look like you’re joining meetings from the interior of a dank, gloomy cave. A great built-in webcam will save you the trouble and extra expense of buying and then awkwardly mounting a third party solution.

How we test laptops

It's not easy picking the best laptop for students from a plethora of options, and much of it depends on what you might need it for, your budget as well as whether you want something that will last you a long time.

We test all our laptops to the same standard whether MacBook or Windows, running various benchmarks and tests — as well as getting hands-on with the machine — to determine what it's like using it and how it performs depending on what you might be looking for in a device. We run CPU and GPU benchmarks using Geekbench 6 to test a laptop's performance, while we run CrystalDiskMark to test how well its hard drive or SSD can handle data transfers.

Testing a laptop's display involves using a specialized display calibrator that can detect brightness levels, color accuracy, color volume, any undersaturation or oversaturation in the RGB space, as well as distortions against what we expect. We compare and contrast these results to determine how well the display may be suited to, say, video editing or other uses.

We also test the battery life of all laptops we review in a consistent way to make comparisons viable. We run a looped video in specific conditions with all automatic brightness and contrast settings turned off and we measure how long the laptop lasts before it runs out of battery.

Beyond benchmarking, we use these laptops day-to-day and run informal stress tests like playing several 4K YouTube videos at once, browsing, and using other applications a typical user might open. We also type with the device and get a general feel for what it's like carrying it around with us.

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