Students are expected to work all hours of the day, and that means they need a laptop that can keep up. With Prime Day coming up, what better time than now to research the best options for when the deals drop?
While tablets are great for less demanding tasks, you’ll likely still want a laptop for those long days or even just a bit of downtime.
The best student laptops will naturally vary depending on what you're looking for. Some will need extra horsepower for creative projects — or a sharper resolution for photo editing. Others may simply need something lightweight and portable for working on-the-go or note-taking, preferably with a sturdy keyboard. Others, meanwhile, will gravitate to machines with powerful GPUs for 3D design and gaming.
There’s also a question of platform. MacBooks are expensive, but they offer a fantastic array of apps for creatives and can crosstalk with other Apple devices. Windows 11 is versatile, but what you get will vary wildly depending on your machine’s specifications.
Whatever your needs, we’ve rounded up the best student laptops across all categories, and with Prime Day coming up on July 16, keep up with Live Science as we'll bring you the best laptop deals as they come.
The Quick List
Best laptop for students overall
This laptop is a great way to get to grips with macOS, and offers plenty of performance in its compact package.
Best value laptop for students
With an Intel Core Ultra 5 at the low end, this value-minded laptop is great for browsing the web or watching content.
Best creative laptop for students
With a bigger screen and powerful M3 chip, the MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Pro) can handle any heavyweight creative task that you throw at it.
Best Windows laptop for students
A stylish and powerful laptop that will give you everything you need in a portable package.
Best cheap MacBook for students
It may have an older design, but the MacBook Air M2 is a powerful, efficient machine that's quiet and easy to carry.
Best 2-in-1 for students
This slick laptop/tablet hybrid offers powerful internals and plenty of bang for your buck, however you want to use it.
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Best portable laptop
Looking for some grunt to go with your versatility? This dual-OLED screen Lenovo hybrid is worth a look in.
Best big-screen laptop for students
This monstrously powerful laptop combines compelling internal hardware with a fantastic display.
Best OLED laptop
This is a great thin and light 14-inch option that also offers a fantastic OLED screen for watching content.
Best gaming laptop for students
The HP OMEN Transcend 14 packs plenty of punch in a well-engineered package while giving you a stunning OLED display.
Best laptop for students overall
✅ You want a MacBook for around $1,000: The MacBook Air offers incredible value for money given how much power you get with the M3 chip.
✅ You don't need to run many games: The base model can run basic and moderate tasks without a hitch.
❌ You want a big screen: A 13-inch screen is more than enough but may be lacking if you're keen on working with visuals.
❌ You want the most powerful MacBook: The M3 CPU is outgunned by the M3 Pro and M3 Max chips in the MacBook Pro.
🔎 The MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) is a highly compact and powerful machine that is perfect for students in almost every way. ★★★★★
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 M3 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 M3 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 (M3) is available in several stylish colors including Silver, Space Gray and Starlight — but the Midnight coating stands out to us. If we're going to nitpick, the base model only includes 8 GB of "unified memory", so you'll need to upgrade to the next configuration up if you want enough memory to handle multiple apps and intensive workloads. Those keen on gaming may also want to consider a high-end Windows laptop with a dedicated GPU. Regardless, it's a speedy laptop that is more than capable of handling almost everything you can throw at it.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Exquisite build quality and premium MacBook design |
| Functionality | The most portable MacBook at your disposal |
| Performance | Excellent at simple tasks but you may wish to consider a heftier laptop if you need more than that |
Best value laptop for students
✅ You want good performance: The components are strong for a machine under $1,000.
✅ You want to watch plenty of content: The stunning OLED screen is perfect for video playback with deep, inky blacks.
❌ You need a large screen: While 14-inch displays are good enough for most tasks, you may prefer something larger to watch content on.
❌ You want a laptop with flair: The look and feel and build quality aren't its strongest assets.
🔎 The Acer Swift Go 14 is a cheap and cheerful laptop that punches well above its weight. ★★★★
For a mid-range device, the Acer Swift Go 14 offers excellent value for money when you consider what's inside. This lightweight and portable machine houses Intel's latest high-end CPU and GPU, alongside a healthy 16 GB RAM and 1 TB SSD — all for under $1,000. The laptop's internals mean it can, in fact, compete with some of the highest-end devices money can buy.
While not quite as portable as a MacBook Air, it's light and compact enough to easily take around with you between lectures or while travelling. It weighs 2.9 lbs (1.32 kg) versus the MacBook Air 13-inch's 2.7 lbs (1.24 kg) — so only a little in it — and it's just 0.15 inches (0.38 cm) thicker.
What it cannot compete on, however, is design and build quality — with Apple devices usually hard to beat in this category. In that vein, you could well decide to shell up a little more and just pick up a MacBook given how relatively inexpensive the base models are. But the Acer Swift Go 14 can usually be found for under $800 if you're lucky.
Such a price is fantastic for an OLED display, too, given this technology is mostly found in high-end Windows machines. OLEDs are ideal for watching back content thanks to their near-infinity contrast ratio and inky blacks.
While they are a tad dimmer than non-OLED displays, like LCD or IPS displays, they are plenty vibrant and crisp to make up for it. You could do much worse than the Acer Swift Go 14 when it comes to a laptop for students that's on the cheaper side.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Same great design as the previous generation's MacBook Air |
| Functionality | Highly portable for a large-screen laptop |
| Performance | Fantastic performance with an upgraded M3 chip |
Best creative laptop for students
✅ You want a big-screen MacBook: The stunning Liquid Retina display in the MacBook Pro doesn't get better than that fitted into the 16-inch MacBook Pro.
✅ You want to put your device through its paces: The M3 Pro is a step up from the standard M3 CPU and can handle more intensive workloads.
❌ You want the most value for money: The 16-inch MacBook Pro is pricey — and the standard M3 chip can handle plenty that you throw at it.
❌ You want a more compact machine: This is portable for a large device, but there are plenty of smaller and more portable options available.
🔎 The MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Pro) approaches the ultimate creative experience given its stunningly immersive display. ★★★★½
While the 14-inch MacBook Pro is a fantastic machine in its own right, there's something particularly liberating about the MacBook Pro 16-inch.
Firstly, it has a larger and more expansive Liquid Retina display, which draws you right into any media you're working with or take a closer look at any footage you're cutting.
This, coupled with a souped-up M3 Pro CPU that takes a slimline and compact laptop to portable workstation levels of productivity, means elevating your creative productivity to new levels. It's also much more suitable than a MacBook Air given, not only given it's slightly larger display real estate, but you can take advantange of more ports beyond just USB-C to plug in peripherals or import images or video clips.
We should certainly point out that the larger chassis means it's less portable and heavier than both MacBook Air devices as well as smaller MacBook Pros, but it's still versatile for its size when you compare it with other devices just as large.
Finally, the fantastic battery life of the MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Pro) is complemented by a fast charger that's pcackaged up as standard, so you can get that little extra juice if you need to charge up the laptop while creating on the go.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | The largest MacBook you can buy with a stunningly immersive display |
| Functionality | Has everything you could ask for from a premium MacBook |
| Performance | Excellent performance but you can upgrade to the M3 Max for ultimate firepower |
Best windows laptop for students
✅ You want a stunning OLED display: The 3.2K OLED display is hard to beat — and perfect for working with visuals on the move.
✅ You want smooth performance: With high-end hardware, expect to the Dell XPS 14 to purr when you put it through its paces.
❌ You're working to a budget: This is one of the most premium laptops out there, and comes with a premium price tag.
❌ You want the best battery life: There's little that beats MacBooks for battery life, whether they're MacBook Pros or MacBook Airs.
🔎 The Dell XPS 14 9440 can handle heavy-duty tasks and offers a fantastic blend between power and portability — just be wary of its price tag. ★★★★½
There are few manufacturers out there that can make a laptop as stylish as Dell, and for more than a decade its XPS series hasn't disappointed, both in terms of looks and the hardware that comes with it. The Dell XPS 14 9440 is its newest entry that aims to compete with the MacBook Pro — and it certainly gives Apple's flagship device a run for its money thanks to a stunning OLED display and high-end Intel components.
While the Dell XPS 14 9440 is more expensive than many, it certainly stakes a claim for being the best Windows machine for students thanks to a combination of its design, functionality, performance and display — not to mention its compact size.
Where it might slightly fall short as it strives to usurp the MacBook is its weight, which is a little on the heavy side. The Dell XPS 14 9440 weighs 3.8 lbs (1.72 kg) versus the 14-inch MacBook Pro's 3.5 lbs (1.61 kg) but that's still much lighter than many machines with displays that near or exceed a 15-inch mark. Its 0.71 inch (1.8 cm) thickness, meanwhile, is also on the higher side – with the 16-inch MacBook Pro a stroke thinner.
There are plenty of cheaper options too — such as devices in Dell's mid-range Inspiron series — but for sheer portable power there's no beating the XPS 14 9440. Its OLED display is a particular highlight, with a really high 3.2K resolution. While not quite 4K, there's no real need in a sub-15-inch display and this is more than sharp enough to really enjoy the vibrancy and incredible contrast that OLED offers when watching back media.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Adapted design from the previous generation's Dell XPS 13 Plus |
| Functionality | Great collection of ports and very compact |
| Performance | Premium performance with plenty of RAM |
Best cheap MacBook for students
✅ You want value for money: This device is fantastically priced for the hardware you get.
✅ You're always on the move: Despite its age, it's still more than good enough to work with on the go.
❌ You want the most powerful specs: The M2 is one (soon to be two) generations old by now.
❌ You want a large screen: The smaller 13-inch screen is beneficial in plenty of ways unless you're working more creatively.
🔎 The MacBook Air 13-inch (M2) is a perfect laptop for students and you can grab it for less than $1,000. ★★★★★
Since Apple migrated to its custom silicon M-series processors, the price of MacBooks have been tumbling — and it means you can now pick up the previous generation in the MacBook Air series for a bargain price, relatively speaking. For less than $1,000, you can grab the MacBook Air 13-inch (M2), which we branded a perfect laptop for students in our MacBook Air 13-inch (M2) review.
While you can still buy a refurbished version of the MacBook Air 13-inch (M1) for a reasonable price, the machine's hardware and design have moved on considerably since 2020, when it was launched. The gap in performance between the M1 and the M2 CPU is greater than the gap between the M2 and M3, for instance, when you consider most day-to-day workloads, and the M2 version has a much better physical design as well as a notch for a webcam and a sharper and brighter Liquid Retina display.
Ultimately, it's perfect for students who don't need a machine to run anything overtly intensive but who still want a super stylish and portable laptop that they can rely on to handle apps like Photoshop or Indesign without a sweat. The MacBook Air 13-inch (M2) is also much cheaper than when it first launched, so it's a no-brainer for students on a budget who want the cheapest MacBook available.
There are some downsides, like the lack of an HDMI port, and the screen is smaller than larger MacBooks, but that's a trade-off we're happy with given how portable this device is.
Read our full MacBook Air 13-inch (M2) review.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Compact, stylish and effortlessly light |
| Functionality | The most portable MacBook you can get but lacks ports and a bigger screen |
| Performance | Great performance and better than many new Windows laptops |
Best 2-in-1 for students
✅ You want a lengthy battery: The HP Spectre x360 14 lasted 14 hours 29 minutes in our battery testing — which is a great result.
✅ You prioritize versatility and portability: You can switch the device between a clamshell configuration and its tablet mode in different orientations with ease.
❌ You want the lightest device: There are lighter options out there including the Lenovo Yoga 9i and the HP Elite Dragonfly G4.
❌ You want a more expansive screen: The OLED display is crisp and vibrant but lacks brightness — consider a much larger and brighter one.
🔎 The HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) is far from flawless but offers plenty to be pleased with including a fantastic design and high-end performance. ★★★★½
The HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) is the latest in a series of versatile hybrid laptops HP specializes in that can be used in more than one configuration. The latest is a 14-inch marvel that combines excellent performance with a great battery life, and a crisp OLED screen.
Fitted with the latest high-end components, the HP Spectre x360 14 is an impressively engineered 2-in-1 device that is draped in sophisticated 'nightfall black' with a sandblasted finish. It not only looks the part, but it's also a machine that boasts great eco credentials; this machine contains 50% post-consumer and ocean-bound plastic, and 85% recycled materials overall.
Its packaging is 100% sustainably sourced. We would, however, add it can be a little lighter, weighing 3.09 pounds (1.44 kilograms). By contrast, the Lenovo Yoga 9i weighs 2.98 lbs (1.35 kg) and HP's other excellent 2-in-1, the Elite Dragonfly starts at 2.18 lbs (0.99 kg).
Its OLED display, meanwhile, is fantastically vibrant but does lack a little brightness, which is typical for OLED displays compared with LCD or IPS alternatives. This wouldn't be worth picking up if not for the fact other OLED displays we've seen have been brighter — but let that not take away from a screen with deep, inky blacks and fantastic colour accuracy.
Overall, it feels great to use and type with, and boasts great functionality thanks to its premium-grade performance combined with long-lasting battery — hitting 14 hours and 29 minutes in our battery testing. HP claims you can slo charge the device up to 50% in 45 minutes, meaning it's great for topping up while on the go.
While the HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) is on the pricey side, and there are a couple of downsides, it's an otherwise fantastic machine that could prove fantastically versatile and powerful for students.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Sharp design and excellent build quality |
| Functionality | Versatile machine with a few good ports |
| Performance | Fantastic performance thanks to its coponents |
Best portable laptop for students
✅ You want a versatile machine: The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i Gen 9 can be used in a wide variety of configurations.
✅ You want to work on the move: Its size and weight means it's the perfect portable laptop for most uses.
❌ You want to work with visuals: The hardware leaves a little to be desired and there's no dedicated GPU.
❌ You want a larger single screen: You get two 13.3-inch screens, but many might prefer to work on a single much larger display.
🔎 The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i Gen 9 takes some getting used to but will kick your productivity into overdrive thanks to its stunning dual OLED displays. ★★★★½
The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i is an eye-catching dual-OLED-display device that can be used in a variety of configurations depending on your need. Use it as a laptop with the keyboard hoisted on top fo the second screen, as a laptop with a portable monitor or as as tablet in a variety of different ways.
It may seem like overkill at first, but working with two screens on the go can be a productivity game-changer, especially if you're looking to, say, catch up on lecture notes while backgrounding a video about course material — or just the latest show you're watching. It's also a much better alternative to picking up a portable monitor that might not be as high-quality as the display your laptop comes with.
If you couple that with how light and portable this dual-screen device is, you will find that you have a fantastic machine that's perfect for working while on the go, especially if you could do with double the screen real estate versus conventional 2-in-1s or laptop-tablet hybrids. It weighs 2.95 lbs (1.34 kg), which is only marginally heavier than a MacBook Air 13-inch (M3).
It's worth noting, however, that you don't get a machine that packs as much punch for the price you pay. The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i is fitted with Intel's previous generation specs and lacks dedicated graphics, which means you'll fall short if you're expecting to use the device to run the most intensive workloads. This somewhat undermines the 2-in-1's key strength — which is its multitasking chops — but only if you're looking for a laptop that can run the most intensive workloads.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Unique dual-display design with OLED technology and a portable keyboard |
| Functionality | You can use this device in several configurations for a variety of needs |
| Performance | Previous generation hardware and no dedicated GPU means it's not going to win out on any benchmarks, but it will do the job |
Best big-screen laptop for students
✅ You want the biggest screen: The Razer Blade 18's QHD+ display is stunning and will blow you away.
✅ You want a great gaming laptop: This laptop is engineered to run AAA games thanks to its great performance and screen.
❌ You want something to carry around with you: You won't be able to take the Razer Blade 18 on the move without hassle.
❌ You want value for money: You get plenty with the Razer Blade 18 but its size and weight means you also miss out on the versatility of smaller devices.
🔎 The Razer Blade 18 (2024) is a goliath of a laptop that is the perfect desktop replacement — and will immerse you in its fantastically bright and crisp display. ★★★★
Big-screen laptops are getting even bigger — that's a trend we've picked up across a few manufacturers including Dell, Apple and especially Razer, which has recently debuted its monstrous 18-inch Razer Blade 18 (2024).
The premium gaming laptop includes high-end components including a 14th-gen Intel Core i9 CPU as well as a powerful Nvidia graphics card to power not just your gaming needs but any intensive visual creativity, like video editing, that you throw at it. Elsewhere, the Razer Blade 18 includes a great collection of ports including HDMI and even Ethernet — while its understated and gorgeous overall design, compared with other gaming laptops means it's more accessible. When investing in a laptop this large, however, there are a few things to bear in mind and weigh up as to whether or not it represents value for money.
There's no doubting it's stunning and crisp QHD+ display, around which everything else is designed. Its robust build quality and finely engineered aluminum chassis is something to be celebrated too — which is essential for a machine that will inevitably take up a lot of space on your desk.
That's where having a large-screen laptop may also be a downside, considering you won't be carrying this device around with you very often. But if a desktop replacement is exactly what you're looking for, you don't need to look any further than one of the largest gaming laptops out there right now.
That said, it's incredibly pricey and you'll need to ask whether it's worth picking up a laptop that you can't easily carry around with you — or getting a lighter and more portable device and connecting it up to a big screen.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Exquisite build quality and sharp minimalist design |
| Functionality | Includes plenty of ports for top-tier connectivity |
| Performance | Great hardware for maximum performance |
Best OLED laptop for students
✅ You want a great display: The stunning OLED display in this laptop guarantees vibrancy and deep, inky blacks when watching content.
✅ You want a portable laptop: It's a lightweight and portable laptop that can serve you well on the move.
❌ You want a larger scren: The display is on the smaller side and there are plenty of options out there if you need more display real estate.
❌ You want a laptop that can handle visually intensive workloads: The graphics card is entry level and thinner laptops tend to be prone to throttling.
🔎 The ASUS Zenbook 14 looks razer sharp and high-end with very little flaws. It's got a fantastic OLED screen and you can rely on it if you need something to work with or watch content on the move. ★★★★★
ASUS is known for its laptops with razer-sharp design and lightweight build, and we love the look and feel of its Zenbook 14 — although its most appealing feature is the gorgeous OLED panel. Although OLED has traditionally been found in high-end TVs, you can now get plenty of laptops with OLED screens.
It's hard to find a difference between them, frankly, given all OLED displays tend to boast stunning colors and accurate visuals, alongside the deep and inky blacks and near-infinity contrast ratio they're known to have. These qualities make OLED screens perfect for watching TV or films, and you should certainly consider grabbing one of the best OLED laptops if that's your primary use case.
In that vein, the ASUS Zenbook 14 is the best overall OLED laptop we've seen — combining its bright and vibrant screen with high-end Intel specs and all packaged up in a compact unit that you can easily take with you on the go.
There are other bigger and sharper screens out there, especially if you start looking at 16-inch devices and even 18-inch laptops. But the quality of the Zenbook 14's OLED screen makes it a must-have for anyone who wants a multifunctional, versatile and high-performing device that's relatively affordable too. Its price of around $1,000 underlines this — meaning it represents great value for money too — important for students who want to get the most out of their next laptop.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Fantastic design and premium build quality |
| Functionality | It's not as versatile as a 2-in-1 but gives you everything you would need from a laptop |
| Performance | High-end specs but won't be able to take on the most intensive tasks |
Best gaming laptop for students
✅ You want ultimate performance: Gaming laptops are engineered for high-end performance and the OMEN Transcend's internal specs are difficult to beat.
✅ You want a portable device: Despite being a premium gaming machine, you can still easily take this device with you on the move.
❌ You want the largest screen: This laptop isn't ideal if the idea of gaming on a smaller screen doesn't appeal.
❌ You don't need that much power: The OMEN Transcend 14 costs a fair whack, so only go for it if you really need that extra power you get with its internal specs.
🔎 The HP OMEN Transend packs so much punch in a compact and well-engineered package while offering a stunning OLED display. ★★★★★
Picking the best gaming laptop can feel daunting given the breadth of options available, and they're designed with performance in mind, rather than aesthetics, so you may often end up picking up a clunky and cumbersome device.
The HP OMEN Transcend 14 bucks this trend as it's a compact and portable device that also happens to be a killer gaming laptop. Its premium chassis isn't quite as impressive as a MacBook's but it's seriously impressive nonetheless.
Packaged within is a high-end Intel Core Ultra 9 185H CPU alongside an Nvidia graphics card and plenty of RAM to run some of the most demanding games. Thanks to its sharp 2.8K OLED display, you'll also be able to appreciate the finer details whether you're firing up a AAA game or watching content. As we mentioned in our pick for the best OLED laptop, an OLED screen offers vibrant colors and deep, inky blacks with a near-infinite contrast ratio.
Beyond its performance, the OMEN Transcend 14 is relatively light and thin too, rivalling some of the most portable devices in our guide. That means you can game on the go or use it for creative productivity — like image or video editing — comfortably while travelling.
It's a highly versatile option that can be many things to you at different moments, depending on your needs. Ultimately, it's an appealing option for students because you can pick it up for less than $2,000 which is pricey — but fantastic value for money when you consider how much larger laptops with similar internal hardware cost.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Engineered well and great design |
| Functionality | Versatile for a gaming laptop and great to game with on the go |
| Performance | Specs are hard to beat in comparable devices |
Our expert consultant
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.
Best laptops for students frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What should you look for in a good laptop for students?
The best student laptop for one user won’t be the same for another, but outside of specs and the operating system, there are some key things to consider.
A laptop's dimensions and weight are crucial, not just because you’ll be carrying a laptop around in a bag for a few years, but also because larger displays naturally feel more useful for multitasking. Having more windows open at a time, cross-referencing documents or opening up a video editing timeline is much more enjoyable on a larger, 15-inch and above display. On the other hand, smaller laptops fit in smaller bags, are easier to carry and often drain the battery more slowly.
That brings us to power efficiency. There’s no use in your laptop battery running out during a lengthy lecture or project, so it’s worth considering which model will offer the longest battery life. Laptop processors continue to get more efficient, so generally speaking, you’ll find newer models have a higher chance of lasting all day.
How powerful does a laptop for students need to be?
While there’s no right or wrong answer to this (and your decision may be made by your budget), there is some easy advice we can offer, depending on your workload.
For day-to-day writing or note-taking, the good news is that you won’t need a lot of grunt under the hood just to put together a dissertation, an essay or a few emails. With that in mind, you’ll want to look at configurations of around 8GB RAM, reaching up to 16GB if you’re likely to be opening many different browser tabs, apps and streaming services at the same time.
This also makes Chromebooks appealing, because while they lack the power of MacBooks or Windows machines, they offer decent keyboards, are affordable, and tie in nicely with Google services like Google Docs for writing your notes.
When it comes to creative work — be that audio editing, videography, or intense photo editing with plenty of Photoshop layers —you’ll want to look for something with a little more firepower. Look out for a powerful processor but also a high-end dedicated GPU.
There are some great options across both MacBook and Windows, and you’ll want 16GB of RAM at a minimum, as well as something with at least 1TB of SSD storage space for storing those big projects.
When it comes to gaming, you can do that on both Mac and Windows, but be warned that Windows has a distinct compatibility advantage
Is a MacBook a good laptop for students?
MacBooks are expensive — but they do offer significant value. This is partly because they tend to last longer, particularly if they’re well looked after.
With Apple also making its own chips, thus managing hardware and software more closely than ever, its machines have never been more efficient. They also have a fantastic 20-hour-plus battery life.
If you use an iPad or iPhone, you’ll note many similarities with the interface, and many of your apps will carry across with you to macOS, including Messages and iCloud. This operating system is also much more customizable than iOS and iPadOS, so you’ll still be able to find plenty of third-party apps to help you get work done.
Macs even come with iMovie and GarageBand for free, which will get you started on movie and audio editing before you’re ready to jump to Final Cut or Logic, respectively. Both of those are Mac-exclusive, too.
There are shortcomings, though. As we mentioned above, gaming is lacking on Mac, while if you’ve grown up with a Windows machine, switching to macOS involves a steep learning curve. For more, be sure to check out our guide to the best MacBooks for students.
Are there any specific features in a good laptop for students that I should look out for?
We’re thankfully past the days of mechanical hard drives, meaning even budget laptops are now equipped with Solid State Drives (SSDs). These are faster but more expensive, meaning manufacturers will put smaller capacity drives into machines. We’d always opt for the most storage you can, so you can store all your apps, files, photos and videos without needing a portable hard drive.
Ports are important, too, particularly if you give presentations — or even if you just want to plug your laptop into a monitor or your TV. While some laptops have an HDMI port, many don’t, and will therefore need an adapter. This is something to consider before the pre-lecture moment of panic.
Finally, consider the webcam. Most laptops have built-in options now, but they aren’t all created equally. Check reviews, test them in-store, or simply compare the resolution specs. The M1 MacBook Air remains a great laptop that’s now more affordable, but its webcam simply lets it down, for example. Being fuzzy on calls with friends and family can put a big dampener on a new purchase.
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.
