10 Best Laptops for College

Wally Nowinski
editor

Our experts used the PerfectRec decision engine to comb through our laptop database and find the best laptops for college available in 2024. Here are our top picks.

Our criteria for the best laptops for college:

  • Usage: We focused on laptops for general use.
  • Portability: We placed some emphasis on portability because students tend to move often with their laptops.
  • Battery: We placed some emphasis on battery because students are often on the go with their laptops.
  • Budget: We set a budget of upto $1,500
To consider others factors, try the PerfectRec decision engine to get your personalized laptop recommendation
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10 Best Laptops for College

1
BEST RATING
Battery Life:
4.7
General: A-
Size: 16"
Overall Performance: Excellent
Portability: Med. thick, light
Battery: Very Good




Pros
  • High-resolution 16-inch screen
  • 32 GB RAM for multitasking
  • Powerful Intel Core Ultra processor
  • Ample 1024 GB storage
  • Thunderbolt and USB-C support
Cons
  • No touchscreen or high refresh rate
  • Limited battery life
  • On the heavier side for portability
  • No room for additional RAM, storage
2
BEST RATING
Build Quality:
5.0
General: A-
Size: 15.3"
Overall Performance: Very Good
Portability: Very thin, light
Battery: Excellent




Expert Summary
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) comes with an appealing combination of features for those who prioritize a blend of performance and portability. It has a larger 15-inch display and a powerful Apple M2 chip with ample memory for smooth multitasking and everyday tasks. However, note that it's priced in the upper midrange spectrum. While it has a very slim design and light weight, enhancing its portability, it may not be the first choice for those seeking the utmost in gaming or intensive engineering due to its display limited to a standard refresh rate and integrated GPU. It offers fanless operation for a silent experience and a backlit keyboard. Although excellent for general use, performance may be fair for more demanding 3D and machine learning applications, and good for engineering tasks. Battery life is solid, allowing for extended use between charges. The MacBook Air has a top-tier build quality, excellent keyboard, and great speakers, making it a strong all-around laptop, but the premium price reflects its status as a high-end Apple product.
Pros
  • Large, high-resolution screen
  • Lightweight and thin design
  • Long battery life
  • Silent, fanless operation
  • Excellent build and keyboard quality
Cons
  • No touchscreen
  • Limited ports availability
  • Average 3D performance
  • No Ethernet port
3
BEST RATING
Battery Life:
5.0
General: A-
Size: 13.3"
Overall Performance: Very Good
Portability: Thin, very light
Battery: Best in Class




Expert Summary
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) sits at an upper midrange price point and is equipped with a 24GB RAM and 1TB storage space. It features the Apple M2 processor with a dedicated GPU from the same series, ensuring high-quality performance, particularly for general usage. The laptop boasts a 13.3-inch IPS display with a 2560 x 1600 resolution, which does not support touchscreen functionality. It has a 60Hz refresh rate, fine pixel density, and bright display with extensive color coverage, making it suitable for color-critical tasks. However, it's not optimized for high-refresh scenarios like competitive gaming. Its thin and light design, with a weight of 3 pounds and a thickness of just 0.61 inches, enhances its portability, yet it still provides a robust battery life of about 20 hours for typical use. The MacBook Pro includes two Thunderbolt/USB4 ports for versatile connectivity, though lacks Ethernet, HDMI, and expandable RAM or storage slots. The keyboard is backlit without a number pad but incorporates a fingerprint reader for added security. Its high ratings in various quality aspects such as keyboard, build, and heat management reflect an overall premium design, although its performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks is considered good but not top-tier compared to specialized workstations. This makes it more suited for professionals and creatives who prioritize design, battery life, and general performance over gaming or highly intensive computational tasks.
Pros
  • Long battery life
  • High-quality retina display
  • Excellent build quality
  • Lightweight and portable
  • Powerful M2 processor
Cons
  • No touchscreen available
  • Limited port variety
  • Expensive compared to peers
  • Not upgradable post-purchase
4
BEST RATING
Build Quality:
5.0
General: A-
Size: 16.2"
Overall Performance: Very Good
Portability: Thin, med. heavy
Battery: Best in Class




Pros
  • High-resolution display
  • Long battery life
  • Excellent build quality
  • Superb speaker quality
  • Premium business laptop
Cons
  • Higher price point
  • Limited portability
  • No touchscreen
  • Heavy at 4.7 pounds
5
ASUS 13.3”

Zenbook S 13

BEST RATING
Portability:
4.9
General: A-
Size: 13.3"
Overall Performance: Excellent
Portability: Very thin, very light
Battery: Very Good




Expert Summary
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is a premium, lightweight laptop, making it highly portable and suitable for on-the-go use, especially with its long battery life. With a midrange price, you're getting solid build quality, a vivid OLED touchscreen, and excellent heat management. It has an Intel i7-1355U processor paired with 32GB RAM, which will handle general use very efficiently. Its Intel Iris Xe graphics are fine for casual gaming and moderate creative tasks, but might fall short for intensive 3D rendering or engineering software. The laptop offers a good selection of ports, including Thunderbolt 4, and a comfortable backlit keyboard, although it lacks an Ethernet port and an option for hardware upgrades due to having no available RAM or storage slots.
Pros
  • Thin and lightweight design
  • High-resolution OLED display
  • Large color gamut coverage
  • Excellent portability score
  • Backlit keyboard with fingerprint reader
Cons
  • No dedicated number pad
  • Not suitable for hardware ray tracing
  • Limited engineering performance
  • No touchscreen option
6
Apple 13.6”

MacBook Air (2022)

BEST RATING
Build Quality:
5.0
General: A-
Size: 13.6"
Overall Performance: Very Good
Portability: Very thin, very light
Battery: Excellent




Expert Summary
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a premium build quality and is priced in the upper midrange. It features 1TB storage, 16GB RAM, and utilizes the Apple M2 processor, providing very good general-use performance and silent operation due to its fanless design. The integrated M2 GPU accommodates some engineering tasks but might not be ideal for intensive 3D or machine learning workloads. The 13.6-inch IPS display has a resolution higher than Full HD but is not touch-enabled. It offers excellent portability at 2.7 pounds and has a lengthy battery life suitable for all-day use. It runs on MacOS and connectivity includes two USB-C/Thunderbolt ports and USB-C charging, but no support for traditional USB or HDMI without adapters. Suitable for general use, everyday multitasking, and light engineering work, but not aimed at intensive gaming or the most demanding engineering software.
Pros
  • Lightweight and slim design
  • High-resolution, color-accurate screen
  • Silent, fanless operation
  • Best-in-class keyboard and trackpad
  • High build quality
Cons
  • Average 3D/machine learning performance
  • Higher price point
  • No touchscreen
  • Limited port variety
7
Lenovo 16”

ThinkPad Z16

BEST RATING
General Use Screen Quality:
4.7
General: A-
Size: 16"
Overall Performance: Excellent
Portability: Thin, med. heavy
Battery: Good




Expert Summary
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is a midrange-priced laptop, equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 processor and an AMD RX 6500M graphics card, suitable for moderate to intensive tasks and light gaming. It sports a high-quality OLED screen with a sharp 3840 x 2400 resolution, perfect for professional creative work. However, it is not the lightest at over 4 pounds, which might affect its portability for users who travel frequently. For connectivity, it includes a variety of ports but lacks an SD card reader. The laptop offers robust security features and is expected to have fair battery life, making it ideal for professionals who need a durable, secure, and reasonably powerful machine. It comes with Windows 11 Pro and its build quality is rated as excellent.
Pros
  • High-resolution touchscreen
  • Robust build quality
  • Excellent keyboard
  • Ample storage and memory
  • Solid general performance
Cons
  • Moderate battery life
  • Less portable (weight)
  • Limited heat management
  • Fair 3D performance
8
Lenovo 14.5”

Slim Pro 7 14

BEST RATING
Battery Life:
4.7
General: A-
Size: 14.5"
Overall Performance: Very Good
Portability: Thin, light
Battery: Very Good




Pros
  • Good battery life
  • High-resolution touchscreen
  • Portable and lightweight
  • Robust build quality
  • Backlit keyboard, fingerprint reader
Cons
  • Moderate fan noise
  • Limited engineering performance
  • No hardware ray tracing
  • No ethernet port
9
HP 16”

Spectre x360

BEST RATING
Battery Life:
4.6
General: A-
Size: 16"
Overall Performance: Very Good
Portability: Med. thick, med. heavy
Battery: Very Good




Expert Summary
The HP Spectre x360, a 2-in-1 convertible, can serve as both a laptop and tablet and sits at an upper midrange price. It has a solid combination of a large screen, significant storage, and ample RAM, paired with an Intel i7 processor and integrated graphics, making it capable for general use and multitasking. Its higher battery capacity should offer long hours of typical usage, but the weight is a consideration for portability. Its assortment of ports, including USB-C and Thunderbolt, adds versatility for connecting peripherals. The build quality and display are noted for being high-quality, with a bright screen that supports touchscreen interaction. Its performance is sufficient for general work and some engineering applications, though dedicated gaming or intensive 3D rendering may be limited due to the absence of a discrete GPU. The keyboard and speakers are highly regarded, ensuring a comfortable typing experience and good sound quality.
Pros
  • Convertible laptop-tablet design
  • High-resolution touchscreen
  • Good battery life
  • Backlit keyboard with fingerprint reader
  • Multiple Thunderbolt ports
Cons
  • No dedicated number pad
  • Limited engineering performance
  • No hardware ray tracing support
  • Heavier than ultra-portables
10
Dell 15.6”

XPS 15

BEST RATING
Operating Noise:
4.8
General: A-
Size: 15.6"
Overall Performance: Very Good
Portability: Med. thick, med. heavy
Battery: Very Good




Expert Summary
The Dell XPS 15 is positioned at a midrange price level, offering a substantial balance between performance and cost. For storage, it comes with a decent size, accompanied by a sizeable amount of RAM for multitasking. It is powered by a modern Intel processor, alongside an Intel Arc GPU which makes it suitable for general usage and some more intensive tasks like light engineering work, but it might struggle with very demanding 3D or machine learning tasks. You'll find the battery life suited for a full day's work. Its 15.6-inch display is an IPS type with a good resolution, although it's not a touchscreen. Portability is good, not too heavy nor too bulky, making it a solid choice if you need to move around with your laptop. There are multiple USB-C ports, including Thunderbolt 4, enhancing connectivity and data transfer speed. The laptop has a backlit keyboard and a fingerprint reader for extra convenience and security, an excellent build quality, and manages heat well. Overall, the Dell XPS 15 is versatile and well-rounded, fitting for general use, professional work, and some creative tasks, yet not the ultimate choice for high-end gaming or very demanding computational tasks.
Pros
  • Premium build quality
  • Excellent keyboard
  • Good general performance
  • Reliable heat management
  • High-resolution display
Cons
  • Average battery life
  • Limited gaming performance
  • No touchscreen option
  • Moderate portability