Best PC for Students: A Comprehensive Buying Guide
Choosing the best laptop for college can feel overwhelming, whether you're a student yourself or helping someone else. This guide breaks down the key factors to consider, ensuring you select a device that meets your needs now and in the future.
Understanding Your Needs
The very first thing to consider when shopping for a new college laptop is how you’ll use it now and in the future. How you use your laptop will directly influence how much performance you'll need. If you're using heavy-duty apps like Adobe Premiere Pro or playing video games, you'll require a lot of horsepower from the CPU. With technology advancing rapidly year after year, it's a good idea to consider a laptop that can handle new applications and programs.
Futureproofing Your Purchase
Consider "futureproofing" your purchase. Choosing a laptop with specifications that exceed your immediate needs can extend its lifespan and ensure it remains useful throughout your college career.
Form Factor: Choosing the Right Design
Today's laptops are a far cry from the thick, bulky machines of the last two decades. The size of a laptop's screen will directly influence its weight and price. Laptops are typically categorized in stores and online by the size of their screens.
Clamshell Laptops
Once the only design option for laptops, clamshells (laptops that open and close) are still a popular choice.
Read also: Best Laptops Under $500
2-in-1 Laptops
2 in 1 laptops offer great flexibility without a need to compromise. 2 in 1s offer the best of both worlds-the performance of a PC and the fun of a tablet, in one sleek device.
Weight and Thickness
When thinking about these different form factors, consider the weight and thickness of your new laptop. A long trek across campus can quickly become uncomfortable if you're lugging around a heavy laptop. Thankfully, laptops available today come in a range of sizes and weights.
Screen Size: Finding the Right Fit
Again, ask yourself where and how you’ll use your new laptop to help you decide on a screen size.
17-inch Laptops
If performance is your top priority, or you want a laptop that can replace your desktop, go for a 17-inch workhorse. These models may weigh more than others, but they really pack a punch. These large laptops are usually best for gamers, content creators, or video editors who need a lot of processing power to complete complicated tasks.
15-inch Laptops
For a good balance between mobility, performance, and price, check out some 15-inch models.
Read also: Scrubs Review: Med Students
Battery Life: Staying Powered Up
Battery life is always a main concern when it comes to purchasing a laptop. Unfortunately, establishing the battery life of a laptop is no easy task for manufacturers. Smaller laptops and Ultrabooks use lower voltage processors designed specifically to offer better battery life. Generally speaking, the bigger the screen size of your laptop, or the heavier the model, the less battery life it will provide. Go online to manufacturers’ Web sites to research battery life, or read online reviews.
Ports: Connecting Your Peripherals
Don't understate the importance of ports and how you'll connect different peripherals (i.e., cameras, phones, and other devices) to your laptop. While many peripheral devices can connect wirelessly, sometimes you just need a USB port.
USB Ports
USB ports-The most used and recognizable of all connectivity ports, USB ports allow you to connect a huge variety of devices, including external hard drives, cameras, keyboards, mice, and more.
Ethernet Ports
Ethernet ports-An Ethernet port allows you to connect your laptop directly to a wired network. Many laptops don’t include these ports because of the availability of Wi-Fi. But if you’re somewhere on campus where the Wi-Fi is poor, use these ports and an Ethernet cable to jump online.
SD Card Reader
SD card reader-Also known as SDHC card reader, this slot is used for digital camera memory cards.
Read also: Balancing studies and work
Keyboard and Touchpad: Input Essentials
Gamers and writers aren’t the only ones who believe a laptop’s keyboard is its most important feature. Think about it-you’ll use the keyboard more than any other part of the laptop, so you’ll want one that’s comfortable, easy to use, and provides a satisfying spring or tactile feel. Also, consider key placement and size. Do you want a 10-key pad? Are all the keys in a standard position that you like? Make sure to try out different keyboards. Open a word processor and tap away. Many people forego a mouse and instead depend on a laptop’s touchpad to get things done. A comfortable, easy-to-use touchpad is important, especially if you’re travelling, or working in a cramped space like a café or lecture hall. Consider the size and placement of the touchpad, whether you prefer one large pad or separate left- and right-click buttons.
Internal Components: Powering Your Experience
CPU and Integrated Graphics
The majority of laptop models are powered by a CPU that also includes an integrated graphics chipset. This means the graphics are actually built into the processor eliminating the need for a separate graphics card.
Dedicated Graphics (GPU)
However, if you’re a gamer or filmmaker, you’ll want to look into dedicated graphics or GPU. Some majors, like engineers, graphics designers, or some programmers may need a bit of extra graphics power. That's where having a discrete GPU comes in.
RAM (Random Access Memory)
You’ll hear this term thrown around a lot as you shop for your college laptop. Random Access Memory, or RAM. RAM temporarily stores recently-used data for quick access later. Think of it as the info you know off the top of your head-you use it often and your brain can access it quickly. The more RAM that’s available, the faster a computer will feel to you. 8GB is fine for light browsing and most tasks. But for photo/video editing or gaming, you might need closer to 16 GB or more.
Storage: SSD vs. HDD
This data can be stored on a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid-state drive (SSD), or even a hybrid of the two. A solid-state drive (SSD) is the best for durability and speed.
Brand and Model Recommendations
Apple MacBook Air
Apple's MacBook Air is reliably one of the most popular notebooks on college campuses. It's thin, fanless, and the latest sky blue color will be sure to attract some attention. The MacBook Air recently received a jolt with an update to Apple’s latest M4 silicon and its price dropped by $100. The 13-inch MacBook Air M4 starts at $999 and the 15-inch MacBook Air M4 starts at $1,199. Each provides a ton of value for the money. The larger Air is still thin and light while supplying a roomy 15.3-inch display. It’s the best laptop for most people. The smaller and lighter Air sacrifices some screen size for increased portability, making it the best student laptop.
Whether you're taking a virtual class or just calling home, Apple has bumped up the webcam to 12MP, which will make you look sharper than ever. The M4 chip also supports two external displays while you have the lid open, which is a bump up from M3.
In our testing, we found the 15-inch MacBook Air ran over 15 hours on a charge, so you shouldn't have to worry about charging it too much between classes.
Reasons to Buy:
- Lower starting price
- Powerful speakers on the 15-inch laptop
- Upgraded 12MP Center Stage webcam
- Long battery life
- M4 supports two external displays with the lid open
Reasons to Avoid:
- RAM and SSD pricing are still absurd
- Display notch is still there, sans Face ID
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7
A Windows rival to the MacBook Air has arrived in the form of Microsoft's first Copilot Plus PC. Based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon X CPU, the Surface Laptop 7 offers strong application and AI performance and outstanding battery life. It was the first Windows laptop I've tested with a longer battery life than that of the MacBook Air. With a design that's on par with the Air's, the Surface Laptop 7 is one of the best laptops.
The Surface Laptop 7 reverses earlier Arm-based efforts that were plagued by lackluster performance and limited compatibility. Many x86 apps were unable to run on an Arm-based system. This time around, performance has improved and so has compatibility.
Reasons to Buy:
- Long battery life
- Sleek design
- OLED display is beautiful
- More Arm-compatible apps than ever
Reasons to Avoid:
- Flex Keyboard is prohibitively expensive
- Arm compatibility issues still remain
- OLED display requires a CPU upgrade
- Can run hot under load
Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1
If you want a laptop that can flip into a tablet, the Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 is our top choice. It combines a gorgeous OLED touchscreen, great build quality, and long battery life into one package. The system looks nice, too, with a "cosmic" blue color that will stand out in a lecture hall full of black and gray laptops. The laptop is built like a tank (even if there are some quirky design elements blending rounded edges and flat corners) and has a clicky keyboard.
Reasons to Buy:
- Gorgeous display
- Long battery life for a Windows PC
- Solid build quality
- Good webcam
Reasons to Avoid:
- Too much bloatware
- Difficult to repair
Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i
Some majors, like engineers, graphics designers, or some programmers may need a bit of extra graphics power. That's where having a discrete GPU comes in. We tested the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i with an RTX 4050, along with a beautiful 16-inch, 3200 x 2000 display. The Yoga Pro 9i also has an excellent 5MP webcam for when classes are remote, and deep key travel for taking notes.
Reasons to buy:
- Lighter than competitors
- Vivid display colors
- Extra SSD slot
- 5MP webcam
- Deep key travel
- Cheaper than Dell XPS 16 with GPU
Reasons to avoid:
- Display could be brighter
- A bit of bloatware
- Lower battery life than competition
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 13)
For business majors who want to get a feel for the type of laptop their first job will give them, there's the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 13). The 13th Gen "Aura Edition" laptop is lighter than ever at just 2.17 pounds. We loved the keyboard on the TrackPoint, which is snappy and tactile. And the TrackPoint in the middle of the notebook means that you never have to remove your hands from the home row if you don't want to. The X1 Carbon also has plenty of ports, including two Thunderbolt 4/USB Type-C ports, a pair of USB Type-A ports, HDMI to connect to a monitor, and a headphone jack.
Reasons to buy:
- Light weight
- Strong performance
- Excellent keyboard and TrackPoint
- Plenty of ports
Reasons to avoid:
- Tinny sound
- Competitors have longer battery life
- No 64GB RAM option
ASUS ProArt P16
The ProArt P16 series is built around a powerful AMD Strix Point processor, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. Our P16 test system also features an RTX 5070 GPU from Nvidia's latest series along with an ample 32GB of RAM and a roomy 2TB SSD, a welcome inclusion for video editors and gamers who tend to require capacious storage. The port selection is fairly standard, but includes an SD card slot -- something creators will appreciate.
Reasons to buy:
- Creators and media editors.
- The ProArt P16 is an extremely capable workday companion that can also double as a suitable gaming machine for anything short of 4K.
Reasons to avoid:
- Gamers looking to squeeze out the highest frame rates possible from an RTX 5070 laptop.
ASUS Zenbook A14
Built around an Arm-based Qualcomm Snapdragon X processor, the Zenbook A14 is the lightest Copilot Plus PC I've tested and the second-longest running. It weighs less than 2.2 pounds and offers a battery life of more than 24 hours.
Reasons to buy:
- I was hugely impressed with the Ceraluminum shell that allows the Zenbook A14 to be incredibly light yet rigid, and its 14-inch OLED display is excellent.
- It also serves up ample RAM and storage for the price.
- Students and anyone who is on the road with regularity for their job.
- If portability is paramount, then the lightweight, long-running Zenbook A14 is the pick.
Reasons to avoid:
- If you are concerned about Windows-on-Arm compatibility issues, then you should skip the Zenbook A14 and find an Intel- or AMD-based laptop.
Acer Aspire 14 AI
This recent release from Acer's budget Aspire line is based on an Intel Lunar Lake CPU. Its Intel Core Ultra 5 226V features a neural processing unit (NPU) capable of 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS) for local AI processing, which happens to be the minimum requirement for Microsoft's Copilot Plus PC platform.
Reasons to buy:
- The Aspire 14 AI a great pick among budget laptops.
- Its performance and battery life exceed what you can expect for the price and the design is nearly the same as you get with Acer's more expensive Swift models.
- With the lengthy battery life we've come to expect from Copilot Plus PCs and with application and AI performance that's competitive with pricier models, the Aspire 14 AI offers great value for budget shoppers looking for a Copilot Plus PC.
Reasons to avoid:
- If you care about the overall look of your next laptop and have the money, you can find more exciting designs.
- Spending more will also get you a brighter display with better color performance.
Lenovo Yoga 7 14 Gen 9
With its excellent build quality, adequate display, strong performance and lengthy battery life, the Yoga 7 14 Gen 9 provides a ton of value and is a great fit as a versatile machine for home use or students.
Reasons to buy:
- Anyone looking for a flexible two-in-one for a great price, including students who might like to take notes in tablet mode.
- We like its solid, all-metal chassis and the power and efficiency you get from its AMD Ryzen 7 8000-series CPU.
Reasons to avoid:
- Laptop buyers who want a lighter two-in-one with a better OLED display and better speakers -- and are willing to spend more to get those extras -- should instead consider the Yoga 9i 14.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16
The ROG G16 configuration that Lori tested isn't cheap but it's a good all-around system for both gaming and creative work. She liked the huge, calibrated OLED display and performance from the pairing of the Core Ultra 9 CPU and RTX 4080 graphics. The port selection was also a positive.
Reasons to buy:
- Gamers who want a large screen for a more immersive gaming experience, and creators who will make use of the calibrated OLED display.
Reasons to avoid:
- The Zephyrus G16 is a great choice for gamers, but its little sibling -- the G14 -- is a little more highly rated because of its more general-use advantages, which include size, weight and lower price.
HP EliteBook Ultra G1i
With a spectacular 14-inch, 2.8K OLED display wrapped up in an elegant and compact enclosure, the EliteBook Ultra G1i deserves its Ultra label. It definitely has a premium look and feel that I found was on par with a MacBook Air in terms of being thin and light yet rigid and sturdy. In my tests, the Intel Lunar Lake CPU proved to be a well-rounded performer with great efficiency for good battery life that'll get you through almost any work day on a single charge.
Reasons to buy:
- With its compact chassis and deluxe design, the EliteBook Ultra G1i is well suited for traveling executives or anyone who appreciates a small, lightweight OLED laptop for work.
Reasons to avoid:
- Anyone who can't wait for it to go on sale or isn't purchasing at a quantity that qualifies for a volume-pricing discount should take a pass.
Quick College Laptop Shopping Tips
- Consider your major or specialization: Science majors and liberal arts majors may have different needs. An engineering major working with computer-aided design software might want a notebook with a discrete graphics card, while students who primarily do research and write papers may be fine with a thin ultrabook. Your school or department may also have recommended specifications (as well as a list of software that you'll need to run), so be sure to check those out.
- Learn if your work will live locally or in the cloud: Find out if your school or department uses cloud storage, such as Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive. If they do, you may be able to get by with less internal storage. Of course, if you want your own copies of your work or would like to keep personal files as well as school files, budget for a bit of extra space.
- Weight and battery life matter: After all, you'll be carrying this laptop around all day in a backpack as you move from class to class. Lightweight and long battery life can both save your back and leave more room for books.
- Consider how you take notes: A good keyboard is always important, especially when you're writing papers. But some students still prefer to take notes by hand, and those people will want to consider a convertible or detachable 2-in-1 with a stylus.
- See if you can get a student discount: Some stores will offer you a discount with your proof of affiliation with a university or college. It's also possible that your school will have a relationship with a vendor for deals on certain models. Others may just throw in a gift card or some free earbuds.
Additional Factors to Consider
Departmental Computing Requirements
Students in the departments of Architecture, Interior Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Product Design, and Art and Technology programs are required to own personal laptops. It is highly recommended that you base your hardware purchase by the requirements for your major. To find tech requirements for a particular department, look further below or click the link above in the “Departmental Computing Requirements” navigation. Hardware requirements for the departments in the School of Architecture & Environment change year-to-year. The Product Design program recommends a PC Windows-based laptop.
Operating System: Mac OS vs. Windows
This is the hardest question to answer and also the most common. For the most part, Mac OS computers and Windows computers run the same software, including all Adobe and Microsoft software that students need to complete assignments. If you prefer one over the other, buy the kind you prefer. If an incoming student owns an Apple computer, Windows can be installed via Bootcamp assuming the appropriate specifications are met. The Art & Technology program recommends students purchase Apple MacBook Pro laptops with the recommended specifications listed above in the General Hardware Specifications section. If Windows is required, it can be installed via Bootcamp.
Desktop vs. Laptop
Laptop computers are strongly recommended or required depending on the program. They will allow you to participate more effectively in computer-based classes. Laptop computers have the major advantage of being portable and convenient, which makes them more useful and easier to support. Students who are well into their academic careers may also find that having a desktop workstation would be beneficial. Desktop computers should be considered as a second computer to be used with your laptop.
Longevity and Upgrades
The recommended computers are powerful and expensive. Students who purchase a powerful computer will incur fewer upgrade costs later on in their academic career. We expect that your computer will perform well for three to four years under normal use. Please Note: The average life cycle for a laptop computer is 3-4 years. Also, computing applications and requirements per major may change over the course of a student’s college career in the College of Design.
Financial Aid and Discounts
We encourage all students required to buy a computer to return a “Plan to Purchase” form to the Office of Financial Aid. [Note: To view and download this information you must have Adobe Reader.] Forms are also available in your department office. The computer requirement may increase your financial aid eligibility. Apple offers income/credit based loans to qualified purchasers. There is no charge for pre-approval. For Apple computers, we recommend a visit to the UO Duck Store or the Apple Store for Education (select the Education section at the bottom of the Apple Store main page). Pricing is equivalent, however there is no tax if purchased from the Duck Store.
Software and Security
You must purchase the software faculty require for their classes. You will have access to a full suite of software in the computing labs. Computing labs are a centralized resource College of Design students. Currently enrolled students are eligible to download and use Office 365 from Microsoft. Office 365 provides the latest version of Office for Windows and the Mac, as well as access to unlimited storage via OneDrive for Business. The UO has a site license for anti-virus software for Windows and the Mac OS. We urge students and parents to strongly consider purchasing an extended warranty with their computer for a minimum of 3 years. We also strongly recommend coverage under renter’s or homeowner’s insurance, either yours or your parents’. You will probably need to declare your computer to include it in your coverage or add a special rider to cover your computer. We highly recommend that each student purchase and install the recommended computer security kit.
Peripherals and Support
Having a personal printer is not required but can provide convenient and flexible feedback in the design process. Before you buy your own printer, you may want to do some research on the surprisingly high cost of operating an inkjet printer.
New graduate and undergraduate students should set up their computers in their design studios. Technology Services can help you with general set up and configuration questions or issues, however for major upgrades a visit to the UO IS Help Desk may be required. Access control is provided in most studios. The doors to the studios have access control devices which require a code to enter.
For non-technical questions, contact your department. For questions about computers, contact each department directly, please.
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