These are the best laptops for students across all budgets and preferences
Picking the best student laptop can be difficult, whatever level of learning you’re at. Balancing value, performance, and battery life is vital, since you’ll need a laptop that can handle a full day of classes and study sessions but won’t break the bank.
We’ve rigorously tested every laptop in this guide for our in-depth review process, including synthetic benchmarks, graphical performance, battery testing, and general real-world use. If a laptop has made it into the list below, you can be confident that it’s been carefully selected by yours truly as a worthwhile inclusion.
Our current number one pick is theApple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3)- since the release of the M4 models, you can often find this one at a discounted price, but that M3 chip is no slouch, so you’re still getting plenty of bang for your buck. If you’d prefer something even more affordable, theAcer Chromebook Plus 514is a stellar choice. Whichever laptop you decide on, know that you can buy in confidence with batterymap’s combined expertise at your back.
>>>A1953 Battery for Apple MacBook Pro 15 A1990 (Mid 2018)
The best student laptop overall
1. Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024)
The best student laptop overall
Specifications
Best for:All students
CPU:Apple M3 (8-core)
Graphics:Integrated 10-core GPU
RAM:Up to 24GB Unified Memory
Screen:13.6-inch 2560 x 1664 Liquid Retina display
Storage:Up to 2TB SSD
Reasons to buy
+Excellent performance
+Fan-less design
+Very good battery life
+Lower price
Reasons to avoid
-Base specs are a bit weak
-External monitor support feels compromised
Buy it if:
✅ You want great performance:Apple’s M3 chip is a powerhouse, delivering top-notch all-rounder performance with 14+ hours of battery life.
✅ You like to stay on the move:Weighing just 1.24kg, the 13-inch model of Apple’s flagship laptop is easy to take with you wherever you go.
Don’t buy it if:
❌You’re on a tight budget:Although the M3 model is a year old now and can often be found below retail price, it’s still a fairly premium laptop.
❌ You prefer Windows:While macOS is great, some software is only available on Windows, and if you’re used to Microsoft’s OS already, making the switch can be tough.
The M3 MacBook Air 13-inch might be last year’s model, but that’s preciselywhyit takes the crown of the best student laptop. A healthy generational price cut on the 2025 M4-powered model means that you can now frequently pick up the M3 version ofApple’s signature laptop at a discounted price at most retailers.
And here’s the thing: the M3 MacBook Air is still an absolute powerhouse of a laptop. In our review, we gave it a rare five-star score, citing its boosted performance in virtually every area, new AI features, and excellent display. It also boasts solid battery life, around 14 hours in our tests, and is even capable of a bit of gaming – and it does everything without a whisper thanks to its fanless design.
It’s honestly hard not to recommend it, especially since it can now be commonly found at prices comfortably below its $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,799 launch price. If you’re willing to wait for a sale event, you can pick one up at a ridiculously low price; our deals hawks recently spotted it on sale forjust $699 at Best Buy. I’m not beating about the bush here: that’s an insane deal, and I’d recommend it to just about any student.
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The best laptop for students on a budget
2. Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (2025)
The best budget laptop for students
Specifications
Best for:Budget-minded students who don’t need a lot of power
CPU:Intel Core 3 100U
Graphics:Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
RAM:8GB LPDDR5
Screen:14-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS, 16:10
Storage:128GB UFS
Reasons to buy
+Great performance
+Excellent display
+Practical port selection
Reasons to avoid
-Keyboard isn’t the most premium
-No SD card slot
-Can get a little noisy
Buy it if:
✅ You’re after a great value laptop:Despite its low price, this Chromebook punches above its weight.
✅ You want something simple but effective:With decent battery life, speedy performance, and an impressive screen for the price, this laptop is perfect for students.
Don’t buy it if:
❌You need a powerful device:While the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 offers great performance in everyday workloads, we wouldn’t recommend it for more intensive tasks like video editing or 3D rendering.
❌ You want a silent laptop:One of our only key criticisms of this laptop is that the fans can get quite noisy if you’re running more demanding software.
Chromebooks can be an excellent choice for students working with a tight budget, as they’re designed with affordable efficiency in mind. ChromeOS is a less resource-intensiveoperating systemthan Windows or macOS, meaning that a Chromebook can run smoothly even with a less powerful (and therefore cheaper) processor.
Still, theIntelCore 100U CPU at the core of the latestAcerChromebook Plus 514 is leaps and bounds ahead of the feeble chips we’ve seen powering budget Chromebooks of yore. No, it’s not going to run the latest triple-A games or handle complex scientific modeling software, but for straightforward tasks like writing assignments or researching online, our reviewer found it ran smoothly and efficiently, with enough battery life to see you through a full day of classes.
>>>GG02XL Battery for HP Chromebook Enterprise x360 11 G4 EE HSTNN-OB1X
The best overall Chromebook for students
3. HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch (2025)
The best Chromebook for students overall
Specifications
Best for:Students who want a high-quality ChromeOS laptop
CPU:Intel Core i3-N305
Graphics:Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
RAM:8GB LPDDR5
Screen:15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080), 144Hz, 16:9
Storage:128GB UFS
Reasons to buy
+Great all-round performance
+Good display for a Chromebook
+Premium build quality
Reasons to avoid
-Small lid opening angle
-Not convertible
-Typing can feel cramped
Buy it if:
✅ You want one of the best Chromebooks around:With good performance and a premium-feeling design, this sets a new gold standard for Chromebooks.
✅ You like using the cloud:Like most Chromebooks, HP’s Plus model works best when you take advantage of Google’s cloud-powered software suite with Google Drive.
Don’t buy it if:
❌You want a large keyboard:Since it includes a numpad, the keyboard of the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch may feel a little cramped for users with larger hands.
❌ You want to run demanding software:Like most Chromebooks, this laptop simply isn’t well-suited for high-level tasks like 3D rendering or video editing.
If you’re already a ChromeOS lover or are looking to make the leap to Google’s cloud-focused operating system, theHPChromebook Plus 15.6-inch is a solid choice. With strong productivity performance and a battery that gave us more than 11 hours of continuous use in our tests, this feels like a laptop for serious students.
Reviewing this laptop, our Reviews Writer praised its premium-feeling build quality – something of a rarity for a Chromebook, which can often feel a little cheap in the hands – along with its surprisingly good display and quiet cooling fans. He described using the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch to navigate ChromeOS as “a largely seamless experience” – although he did note that the keyboard can feel a little cramped at times, due to the inclusion of a numpad.
Of course, since it’s a Chromebook, it’s not going to be the right choice for students studying creative disciplines like graphic design or videography. If you’re taking a course that doesn’t require the use of intensive software, however – like Business Studies or Creative Writing – this laptop can definitely go the distance.
The best lightweight student laptop
4. Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 (2025)
The best lightweight laptop for students
Specifications
Best for:Students who want something super-portable to use on the go
CPU:Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core
Graphics:Qualcomm Adreno X1-45
RAM:16GB LPDDR5X
Screen:13-inch, FHD+ (1920 x 1280) 60Hz PixelSense Touch Display
Storage:256GB SSD
Reasons to buy
+Stunning design
+Extremely portable
+Fantastic battery life
+Great keyboard and trackpad
Reasons to avoid
-MacBook Air M4 offers far better performance
-Limited ports
-Display is just OK
Buy it if:
✅ You need a super-portable laptop:Incredibly thin and lightweight but still delivering good performance, the Surface Laptop 13-inch is ideal for taking with you on the go.
✅ You want a great Windows laptop:With full support for Copilot+ in Windows 11 and Microsoft’s own close control over the Surface hardware ecosystem, this is one of the best Windows laptops out there.
Don’t buy it if:
❌You’re on a very tight budget:Though not quite as pricey as other premium Ultrabooks, this might be out of reach if you’re seeking something super affordable.
❌ You prefer macOS:Considering the price point, a MacBook Air will give you better overall performance – though it does mean switching over to macOS.
In his review, my American counterpart described the new Surface Laptop 13-inch as “the Purple MacBook I’ve been begging for” – and trust me, he’s been begging for that forquite a while now.
With 17+ hours of continuous battery life, strong performance across productivity workloads, and a wonderfully portable design (weighing just 1.22kg),Microsoftseems to have finally hit its stride with the Surface product line. This is a made-for-Windows Ultrabook with a premium-feeling chassis, offering a very comfortable keyboard along with a high-quality touch display.
John did note that in terms of performance-per-dollar it loses out to the latest M4 MacBook Air, but for users who prefer Windows to macOS, it’s practically perfect. It’s also one of the best ways to use Microsoft’s fancy new Copilot+ AI PC features inWindows 11.
The best laptop for creative students
5. Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4, 2025)
A powerhouse MacBook for students on creative courses
Specifications
Best for:Students working in visual creative disciplines
CPU:Apple M4 (10-core)
Graphics:Integrated 10-core GPU
RAM:Up to 32GB Unified Memory
Screen:15.3-inch 2880 x 1864 Liquid Retina display
Storage:Up to 2TB M.2 PCIe SSD
Reasons to buy
+Excellent performance
+New, lower price
+Silent design
Reasons to avoid
-No need to upgrade from M3
-No Wi-Fi 7
Buy it if:
✅ You want creative control:With a powerful Apple M4 chip and gorgeous Liquid Retina display, the latest MacBook Air 15-inch is perfect for creative workloads.
✅ You want a premium laptop:The MacBook Air 15-inch remains one of the best-looking laptops on the market, with a high-quality keyboard and great battery life too.
Don’t buy it if:
❌You’re on a budget:With a bigger screen and newer processor, this MacBook Air will cost you a fair bit more than the 13-inch M3 model at the top of our list.
❌ You just need to do simple tasks:If your course primarily involves attending online classes and writing up coursework, any current-gen MacBook is frankly overkill.
As I’ve already noted further up in this guide, some laptops that are great for the average student won’t hold up against the workload of a student studying creative disciplines. Graphic design, photo and video editing, 3D art – all of these need a bit more power than even thebest student Chromebookscan provide.
Enter the MacBook Air 15-inch with Apple M4 chip. A powerful system that packs an improved CPU (10 cores vs 8 cores) over the M3 model, plus a larger battery thanks to the 15-inch chassis, this is a solid choice for anyone who wants plenty of bang for their buck when it comes to running creative software.
Sure, you could opt for aMacBook Proif youreallywant a ton of power at your fingertips, but frankly, the standard M4 chip in the MacBook Air is perfectly capable – and you won’t have to worry about fan noise here, either.
The best 2 in 1 Chromebook for students
6. Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 360
The best 2-in-1 Chromebook for students
Specifications
Best for:Students who want a lightweight, versatile Chromebook
CPU:Intel Celeron N4500
Graphics:Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
RAM:4GB LPDDR4x
Screen:12.4-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) LED Touch Display
Storage:64GB eMMC
Reasons to buy
+Excellent display
+Great build quality
+Small form factor
Reasons to avoid
-Less powerful CPU and RAM
-Heavy and thick for the size
-Unimpressive battery life
Buy it if:
✅ You need a versatile 2-in-1:The low package weight and 360-degree hinge on the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 360 make it a flexible and effective little device.
✅ You prefer looks over performance:Design-wise, this is one of the best-looking compact Chromebooks on the market – but it doesn’t offer high-end performance.
Don’t buy it if:
❌You prefer a larger display:The 12.4-inch touch display on this Samsung Chromebook is actually very sharp and colorful, but it’s certainly on the smaller side.
❌ You need lots of processing power:With only 4GB of RAM, this is probably the least powerful laptop on this list – it puts portability over performance.
While its lower-end internal specs might hold it back from achieving true greatness, theSamsungGalaxy Chromebook 2 360 nonetheless does an admirable job of what it sets out to be: a lightweight, compact, and flexible laptop.
With the smallest display size of any laptop on this list, it’s easy to take with you on the go or hold in your hands when flipped into tablet mode – and despite its small size, the touchscreen is a rather impressive QHD+ panel that places it above many of its Chromebook siblings.
Granted, some sacrifices have been made here to allow that excellent display at the very reasonable $429 / £419 / AU$707 starting price (though you can often find it cheaper than that). In terms of its CPU and RAM, this Chromebook is admittedly one of the weaker devices on this list – but as long as you’re just planning to do basic tasks like word processing and watchingYouTube, you should be fine.
The best 2 in 1 Windows laptop
7. Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 (2025)
The best 2-in-1 Windows laptop for students
Specifications
CPU:Up to Intel Core Ultra 9 288V
Graphics:Up to Intel Arc Xe2
RAM:Up to 32GB LPDDR5X
Screen:Up to 14-inch FHD+ (1200p) touchscreen
Storage:Up to 1TB PCIe Gen 4.0 NVMe
Reasons to buy
+Very solid productivity and general performance
+Affordable
+Lightweight
Reasons to avoid
-Not good for high-performance work
-Display isn’t good for a 2-in-1
Buy it if:
✅ You want a well-rounded 2-in-1 laptop:With strong performance at a very respectable price point, the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 is a great all-rounder.
✅ You need longer battery life:Considering that 2-in-1 laptops often struggle with battery life due to their form factor, the 15+ hours of use you get from a single charge is great.
Don’t buy it if:
❌You want something super-cheap:Although the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 is very competitively priced for a Windows 2-in-1, there are cheaper laptops out there.
❌ You need a high-quality display:The display on this laptop is decidedly just average, which is a shame considering how well it performs in other areas.
Earlier this year, our US computing editor John reviewed the new Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 and was pleased with its performance, design and price (starting at $649 / £849 / AU$1,498). However, he also noted that he was willing to accept some flaws on the regular Dell 14 Plus clamshell model to keep the price low, but had more issues with the 2-in-1 model. Specifically, John noted in his review that the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1’s display was “okay.”
On a 2-in-1 device, however, where notetaking and collaborating across a table with your classmates are common use cases, the quality of the display matters a lot more than it does on other laptops. That’s not to say the 14-inch IPS panel on the 14 Plus 2-in-1 isbad, it’s just not great, and it’s a compromise that more than a few 2-in-1 fans might not be willing to make.
The other big issue John had with the laptop was its lack of high-end performance, but given the focus on a lower price point with the 14 Plus lineup, you really shouldn’t be expecting more than a productivity and general computing laptop. In that regard, John found the performance more than up for the task, but he definitely recommends against trying to do any serious PC gaming or video editing work on this one.
The best premium laptop for students
8. Dell XPS 13 (2025)
The best premium Ultrabook for college and university
Specifications
Best for:Students with a larger budget who want a premium-feeling device
CPU:Up to 2nd-gen Intel Core Ultra 9
Graphics:Integrated Intel Arc Graphics
RAM:Up to 32GB LPDDR5X
Screen:Up to 13.4-inch 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED 60Hz Touch Display
Storage:Up to 2TB SSD
Reasons to buy
+Gorgeous 3K OLED screen
+Best-in-class battery life
+Strong overall performance
+Copilot+ ready
Reasons to avoid
-Not enough ports
-Touchpad and touch bar hurt accessibility
Buy it if:
✅ You need best-in-class battery life:With a ridiculously good battery life that almost makes it to a full 24 hours on a single charge, this laptop can go the distance.
✅ You want a strong all-rounder laptop:The Intel Core Ultra chip that powers the Dell XPS 13 is a beast, and the premium build quality and high-end display make it the definitive premium Windows laptop.
Don’t buy it if:
❌You’re on a tight budget:While it’s great value for money in terms of the quality and performance you get, this is a fairly pricey laptop, especially for the more powerful configurations.
❌ You want lots of ports:The biggest criticism we can level at the XPS 13 is that it lacks a good range of physical ports – though this won’t be an issue for many users.
Looking for a laptop that just screams ‘premium’? Look no further: students with some cash to splash who want a high-end device with some real staying power should absolutely spring for the 2025 Dell XPS 13 – perhaps the last XPS 13 we’ll ever see, sadly.
See, Dell is switching up its naming conventions, ditching the XPS brand (a totally insane move, in my humble opinion) in favor of new Plus, Premium, and Pro tiers for its laptops. Despite this, the latest XPS 13 is still available from both Dell and third-party retailers, and it’s still an absolutely gorgeous laptop.
When I reviewed it, I had nothing but praise for its excellent touch display, absolutely phenomenal 24-hour battery life, and strong productivity performance with its Intel Core Ultra processor. My only real criticism is the lack of ports; with just two USB-C ports and nothing else, you’ll want to go fully wireless or invest in a USB hub.
FAQs: How to choose the best student laptop for you
The best student laptop is going to give you the right balance between sufficient performance for productivity tasks, affordability for a student’s budget, and durability to handle the kind of wear-and-tear that a student can put their laptops through – and having it look good never hurts.
But that can be a hard thing for students and families to balance, especially if they aren’t as familiar with computer hardware as they’d like to be. Fortunately, there are some general guidelines that you can follow to get the right student laptop for your needs and budget: check out these frequently asked questions.
How much storage does a student need?
This depends on what type of laptop you decide to pick up, as well as what subject you’re studying. For example, if you’re a creative writing student rocking a straightforward budget laptop, you really don’t need to worry about storage that much. Simple text documents don’t take up much space, and Chromebooks make heavy use of cloud storage via Google Drive anyway. 256GB, 128GB, or even 64GB is fine in these cases.
On the other hand, students studying disciplines that involve using resource-intensive software and large files – think photo and video editing, scientific modeling, and anything that involves rendering 3D files – are going to want a lot more storage. For this, I’d recommend 1TB of SSD storage as the minimum; 2TB is better, and you might even want to consider investing in one of thebest external hard drives.
The same goes for students who plan to install and use lots of programs at once – if you’re like me, and like to keep dozens of games installed on your computer (because I’m chronically indecisive), bear in mind that you’ll want a laptop with storage measured in the TBs rather than the GBs.
Is 4GB RAM enough for a student laptop?
For any Windows or macOS laptop, 4GB is fundamentally not enough RAM for modern use cases. 8GB should be considered the bare minimum for light work on these operating systems; 16GB is better, and has become the de facto new industry standard.
For Chromebooks, things are a little different; the lightweight software ethos of ChromeOS means it can comfortably run well on less powerful hardware, meaning that 4GB of RAM is a more viable option. Still, more RAM is useful for multitasking; I’d recommend springing for 8GB if you’re the sort of person who likes to keep 10+ browser tabs open at once while playing music in the background.
Is a MacBook a good laptop for students?
This is a slightly loaded question, because the best operating system for students (whether that’s Windows 10 or 11, macOS, or ChromeOS) will ultimately come down to which OS the student in question prefers to use. Some of us are married to the effective functionality of Windows; others might prefer the aesthetically pleasing UI of Apple devices, or the Android-esque, streamlined user experience Chromebooks provide.
If you’re already comfortable using a specific operating system, making the leap can be tricky. ChromeOS is arguably the easiest to pick up and use, but changing to MacOS after a decade spent familiarizing yourself with Windows might lead to confusion. Take this into consideration when choosing a new laptop for school or college.
On the hardware side, we’re pleased to say that MacBooks are more competitive than ever. Apple’s fantastic M-series chips are much more capable of running demanding tasks than processors with integrated graphics, making Apple laptops excellent all-rounders for the busy student. However, if you need to run highly intensive software, it’s worth considering a Windows laptop with a dedicated GPU – ideally an Nvidia RTX one – since this will give you a lot more grunt in GPU-accelerated programs.
Which is better for students: a laptop or a desktop?
Simply put, most college-level students will need a laptop for their studies at this stage. While having a computer of some kind is practically a necessity at this point – with the rise of remote learning and content creation among university students – a laptop can be thrown into a rucksack and taken along to lectures and workshops, unlike a desktop PC.
Yes, a desktop will typically offer more processing power and the advantage of a bigger screen, but you can easily end up spending more (especially once you factor in the need for peripherals) and then still find yourself needing a portable device for note-taking and working on the go. If you’ve already got a small tablet or laptop that you can take out and about, you might want to consider buying one of thebest desktop computers, but otherwise, we recommend you get a more capable laptop and use that in lieu of a desktop.