Keyboard and trackpad<\/p>\n
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A good keyboard and quality trackpad are essential, especially since students in classrooms are less likely to plug in peripherals. The keyboard should be pleasant to type on, durable, and ideally backlit. The trackpad should be accurate and big enough to use comfortably.<\/p>\n
Screen<\/p>\n
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Screen size can come down to preference, since what you give up in size is typically made up in portability. In most cases, around 13 inches is as small as you want to go, with 16 inches being the maximum before things get unwieldy. A 14-incher is a happy middle ground (and represented by more than half of our picks here). Aim for at least a 1920 x 1080 \/ 60Hz display that gets fairly bright, though higher is better, especially on larger screens, if it doesn\u2019t get too expensive.<\/p>\n
Design<\/p>\n
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A student\u2019s laptop should be well built and portable. For younger kids especially, it should be durable. For older kids and young adults, it should be easy to repair or at least readily serviceable to last as many years as possible.<\/p>\n
Battery life<\/p>\n
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A student laptop should be able to get through a student\u2019s day of classes without needing to be constantly charged.<\/p>\n
Port selection<\/p>\n
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For ports, at least a couple of USB-C are essential.<\/p>\n
Taking much of that into account, here are our top picks among current laptops.<\/p>\n
The best laptop for most students<\/strong><\/p>\n $849<\/p>\n The Good<\/p>\n The Bad<\/p>\n Unless you\u2019re going into a field involving lots of graphics rendering or video editing, a MacBook Air<\/a> should be more than enough computer to last through the student years. The Air is our top laptop recommendation<\/a> for most people, and that includes students \u2014 particularly students in high school or starting college. Nothing else offers quite the same balance of performance, build quality, and battery life as Apple\u2019s entry-level laptop. It\u2019s a speedy little machine that can even handle some heftier content creation work. Its battery can easily get you through a packed day of classes. And it has the best trackpad around. The only major downside with an Air (as with all modern MacBooks) is that you can\u2019t upgrade the storage or memory after you buy it.<\/p>\n Now that MacBooks start with 16GB of RAM, even the base $999 13-inch model is excellent, if a little short on storage space at 256GB. So you may want to consider the $1,199 model with 512GB of storage. For the same price you can get the larger 15-inch model with roomier screen real estate and even better speakers, but then you\u2019re once again starting with 256GB.<\/p>\n $1049<\/p>\n The Good<\/p>\n The Bad<\/p>\n Read our review of the M4 MacBook Air.<\/a><\/p>\n A note on older M-series Airs:<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n The original M1 MacBook Air can still be bought new<\/a> from Walmart for $649 or less. Even at five years old, it remains a very good machine for those on tighter budgets, but it\u2019s worth hunting for a deal on an M2 MacBook Air<\/a> or newer if you can. That lingering M1 only has 8GB of RAM, and newer M2 and M3 versions have MagSafe chargers, better keyboards, and markedly better screens. You can often find one with 16GB of RAM for just a bit more than the M1, and it\u2019ll be better for the long haul.<\/p>\n The best student laptop for serious content creation<\/strong><\/p>\n $1433<\/p>\n The Good<\/p>\n The Bad<\/p>\n MacBook Pros have long been a staple on college campuses for students in creative fields, and the latest base version is one of the best laptops Apple has cooked up in years. Apple\u2019s base model 14-inch MacBook Pro<\/a> is a step up from the MacBook Air, with the same M4 chip. Its starting price of $1,599 is a significant jump from a $999 Air, but you get better performance and a bunch of worthwhile upgrades. The Pro has more ports than the Air, including an SD card reader and HDMI 2.1. Its screen is a nicer Mini LED panel with higher resolution and faster refresh rate. It\u2019s got more ports, including an SD card reader and HDMI 2.1. It starts with 512GB of storage. And its battery lasts even longer.<\/p>\n These upgrades go a long way in making the MacBook Pro better and more futureproof for heavier creative tasks. Especially since it has a fan to cool its chip, allowing you to use content creation apps like the Adobe Creative Cloud suite for longer \u2014 the passively cooled Air starts off fast in these apps, but slows down considerably once its chip starts getting too hot.<\/p>\n Apple has two higher-end MacBook Pros: the 14- and 16-inch models running M4 Pro and M4 Max chips. They\u2019re fantastic laptops with even more processing power than the base M4, plus upgrades like Thunderbolt 5 ports, but they start at $1,999 and $3,199, respectively. An M4 Pro model is a more futureproof option, but these are better fit for a working professional than a student.<\/p>\n Read our review of the 14-inch MacBook Pro M4.<\/a><\/p>\n The best modular laptops you can upgrade yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n $899<\/p>\n The Good<\/p>\n The Bad<\/p>\n The Framework Laptop 13<\/a> and 2-in-1 Laptop 12<\/a> are notebooks that can grow and change with you. They\u2019re easily repairable, and even years down the road you should be able to upgrade the RAM, storage, ports, and the entire mainboard and processor. They even have optional DIY editions, requiring some easy assembly \u2014 which I assure you is a joyously nerdy way to familiarize yourself with the inner workings of your laptop. There\u2019s nothing else like them, and if you or your kid are the tinkering types it\u2019s a fun experience for running either Windows or Linux.<\/p>\n But you don\u2019t have to be going for a computer engineering degree. Even a newcomer can appreciate how Framework allows you to choose modular ports and swap them out at will. You can go all USB-C like a MacBook Air, or you can get funky by mixing and matching USB-A, DisplayPort, HDMI, SD \/ microSD card readers, and even an ethernet port.<\/p>\n You just have to be willing to pay extra for the Frameworks\u2019 modularity, upgradeability, and easy repairability, as they cost more than equivalent or better-specced laptops from other manufacturers. The newer Laptop 12<\/a> isn\u2019t as good a choice for most people because of its price and older Intel chips, but its shock-resistant chassis and convertible tablet form factor make it even more uniquely appealing for younger kids.<\/p>\n $799<\/p>\n The Good<\/p>\n The Bad<\/p>\n Read our reviews of the Framework Laptop 13<\/a> and Laptop 12<\/a>.<\/p>\n A Windows laptop or tablet with amazing battery<\/strong><\/p>\n $900<\/p>\n The Good<\/p>\n The Bad<\/p>\n The latest, lower-cost Surfaces from Microsoft are great machines with excellent battery life, great standby times when left asleep, and solid performance. They\u2019re Arm-based, which is what gives them that excellent battery life, but can lead to some app compatibility issues. Most common programs run fine, either natively or native-like via emulation. Just do your homework<\/a>; if certain classes require specific apps, check to make sure they\u2019ll run<\/a>.<\/p>\n The 12-inch Surface Pro<\/a> (starting at $799.99) and 13-inch Laptop<\/a> (starting at $899.99) are well constructed, ultra-portable machines that feel very nice to use. Despite being the cheaper Windows laptops in this list, neither feels like a diminished experience (save for some odd design choices, like a lack of face unlock in the Laptop).<\/p>\n You can look at it as simply picking your preferred form factor: a traditional clamshell laptop or a convertible tablet with keyboard cover. The Laptop is the better buy, because the Surface Pro\u2019s must-buy keyboard cover<\/a> is an extra $150 (or $250 bundled with the stylus<\/a>) \u2014 meaning its true starting price is around $850.<\/p>\n $730<\/p>\n The Good<\/p>\n The Bad<\/p>\n Read our reviews of the Surface Laptop 13-inch<\/a> and Surface Pro 12-inch<\/a>.<\/p>\n The hands-down best Chromebook<\/strong><\/p>\n $749<\/p>\n The Good<\/p>\n The Bad<\/p>\n If you need or prefer a Chromebook for school and favor a traditional clamshell laptop, the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14<\/a> is the best one. It\u2019s a great Chromebook for older students, and a solid machine for just about anyone who wants a no-nonsense everyday computer. For $750 you get a fantastic touchscreen OLED display with deep contrast and vivid colors, a great keyboard, and marathon battery life. It\u2019s a package that\u2019s well built and totally silent thanks to a fanless design.<\/p>\n The Arm-based MediaTek processor is what gives the Lenovo its zippy performance and battery stretching into a second day of use. It can also lead to some small compatibility issues if you venture into using Linux apps (they need to be Arm compatible), but that\u2019s unlikely to affect most users.<\/p>\n The Chromebook Plus 14 has some other small flaws, like lackluster 5Gbps data speeds on its USB ports and an only-okay trackpad, but it nails most everything else. And, again, paying only $750 for a 14-inch OLED panel this nice is a rare treat.<\/p>\n Read our review of the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14.<\/a><\/p>\n The best 2-in-1 convertible Chromebook<\/strong><\/p>\n $629<\/p>\n The Good<\/p>\n The Bad<\/p>\n If you want a 2-in-1 convertible Chromebook, the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714<\/a> is your bag. The 2024 Acer may now be getting outclassed by the freshly launched Lenovo, but it\u2019s still one of our top picks since it\u2019s so versatile.<\/p>\n The Chromebook Spin 714 and its Intel processor offers a great balance of performance, battery life, and specs for the money. It has speedy Thunderbolt 4 ports, and its x86 architecture allows for free rein to install and tinker with Linux apps.<\/p>\n Now that this latest version of the Spin is a year old (though still current), it can occasionally be had for $200 off<\/a>. So if you want a top-flight Chromebook you can find for a decent discount, the Spin is a great choice.<\/p>\n The best Chromebook under $400<\/strong><\/p>\n $379<\/p>\n The Good<\/p>\n The Bad<\/p>\n If you\u2019re shopping for a younger student and don\u2019t want to spend a ton, but also don\u2019t want to risk buying something crappy, the 14-inch Asus Chromebook Plus CX34<\/a> is a safe bet. It\u2019s one of the cheapest Chromebooks with the Plus designation, which means it meets a certain level of performance, battery life, and quality. Chromebook Plus laptops have better-than-average screens, and they should be able to last through a school day without needing a charge.<\/p>\n The CX34 normally costs $600 these days, but it sometimes sells for under $400<\/a>. That\u2019s the sweet spot, getting you excellent build quality, a nice screen, and a sleek design for an affordable price.<\/p>\n The CX34\u2019s 1920 x 1080 \/ 250-nit display may feel a little cramped and dim compared to the 16:10 screens on the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 and Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14, but it offers a sharp picture with minimal glare. It\u2019s got a great keyboard that Asus claims to have tested as spill-resistant, giving a bit more peace of mind when entrusting it to a child. The Asus remains a go-to choice for something you can have younger students use that lasts some years.<\/p>\n Read our review of the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34.<\/a><\/p>\n A great higher-end Windows laptop with a big screen<\/strong><\/p>\n $1399<\/p>\n The Good<\/p>\n The Bad<\/p>\n Sometimes bigger is better, and the Asus Zenbook S 16<\/a> is a total treat of a Windows thin-and-light laptop. It\u2019s got AMD Strix Point processors that are powerful enough for even some light gaming, and the star of the show is its 2880 x 1800 16-inch OLED touchscreen capable of a smooth 120Hz refresh rate.<\/p>\n The Zenbook S 16 is one of the pricier options we have here, with a standard price of $1,799.99, but it sometimes goes on sale for as much as $500 off. This is a very capable option for high school or college students who need to run Windows and prefer a big screen for easier multitasking. And its thinness makes it very portable for a 16-inch machine, making it less of a hassle to tote a large laptop around campus. Asus also makes a 14-inch version \u2014 we expect it to be similar, but we haven\u2019t tested the smaller model.<\/p>\n The downside of the Zenbook\u2019s powerful chip and thin chassis is that it\u2019s not the battery champ some of the other options here are. It\u2019s still enough to get through an average day of classes, but it\u2019s going to need a charge in the late afternoon if you have a lengthy sprint of back-to-back lectures or you\u2019re cramming late into the night.<\/p>\n Read our review of the Asus Zenbook S 16.<\/a><\/p>\n The best gaming laptop for (very responsible) students<\/strong><\/p>\n $1350<\/p>\n The Good<\/p>\n The Bad<\/p>\n Treating your kid to a gaming laptop may seem like you\u2019re inviting them to slack off, but if you want to splurge on one device for both schoolwork and play you can\u2019t go wrong with Asus\u2019 ROG Zephyrus G14. The G14 is as \u201cnormal\u201d as gaming laptops get, with a design that doesn\u2019t scream cringe-gamer too much (aside from some small ROG branding). Unlike many other gaming laptops, the Zephyrus has solid battery life that can get you through your day\u2019s classes \u2014 assuming you save the gaming for when you plug in at the end of the day.<\/p>\n The $1,799.99 base model uses a capable AMD Ryzen 9 270 processor and discrete Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060, which is enough power to play just about any game, even the latest big-budget ones, albeit not at the highest settings.<\/p>\n An important part of what makes the G14 special is how good the rest of the laptop is. It\u2019s got a crisp and lovely 14-inch OLED with 2880 x 1800 resolution and 120Hz refresh, a great keyboard, and a very good trackpad. It offers a bunch of ports, and it doesn\u2019t run overly loud or hot when tackling the basic productivity stuff.<\/p>\n You\u2019d be spoiling your kid a bit (maybe a lot of bit) with a laptop like this, but you can meet their school needs while also treating them to the world of PC gaming.<\/p>\n Read our buying guide featuring the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14.<\/a><\/a>Follow topics and authors<\/strong> from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.<\/p>\n Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n PlusFollow<\/p>\n See All Apple<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n PlusFollow<\/p>\n See All Asus<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n PlusFollow<\/p>\n See All Buying Guide<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n PlusFollow<\/p>\n See All Gadgets<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n PlusFollow<\/p>\n See All Laptops<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n PlusFollow<\/p>\n See All Lenovo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n PlusFollow<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/257607_M4_MacBook_Air_ADiBenedetto_0049.jpg\"\/)
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