The school season has arrived, and whether you're shopping for a budget-friendly laptop for a young student or a more robust option for a college freshman, we’ve got plenty of choices for you. Choosing the perfect laptop for your academic needs can be challenging, so it's crucial to consider six key features before making a decision. If you're here for laptop recommendations, you're in the right place! Below is a handpicked selection of laptops that the team at Critgeek has personally tested. Keep reading to discover more.
Top Laptops for College Students
1. Dell Inspiron Plus 14
Advantages :
- Outstanding performance
- Impressive battery life
- Comfortable typing experience
Disadvantages :
- CPU slows down under heavy workloads
- No option for user upgrades
Why we recommend the Dell Inspiron Plus 14
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is one of the most well-rounded laptops on the market right now, offering strong performance, outstanding battery life, and a stunning display—all for just $999.99. That’s a few hundred dollars less than our previous top pick. With a PCMark 10 score of 7,061, it outperformed both the similarly configured Acer Swift Go 14 and the pricier Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. (PCMark 10 measures how well a laptop handles everyday tasks.) Plus, its battery lasted an incredible 17 hours on a single charge, making it an ideal choice for students who need a reliable device throughout the day without constantly searching for an outlet.
In addition to its performance and battery life, the 14-inch 1400p display is another highlight. Our review noted that the screen is "perfectly suited for office work and static imagery." With a peak brightness of 418 nits and an anti-glare coating, it’s bright enough for tasks like writing papers and web browsing, even in natural lighting environments.
Who should buy the Dell Inspiron Plus 14
This laptop is perfect for students seeking a versatile, long-lasting machine. While its design may be a bit plain, its powerful hardware and excellent battery life more than compensate for its understated appearance. At $999.99, it's hard to find a better option in this price range.
2. Asus Zenbook 14 OLED
Advantages :
- Durable build quality
- Stunning OLED touchscreen
- Strong CPU and integrated GPU performance
- Excellent battery life
Disadvantages :
- Uninspiring design
- Average keyboard experience
- Limited connectivity options
Why we recommend the Asus Zenbook
The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED impressed us with its snappy processor, excellent battery life, and stunning OLED touchscreen display. The 14-inch 1200p screen makes movies and games look vibrant and lifelike, while its 75 watt-hour battery lasted an impressive 16 hours on a single charge—outperforming competitors like the Lenovo Slim 7 14 Gen 9 and the HP Pavilion Plus Laptop 14. When it comes to everyday performance, the Zenbook 14 OLED handles tasks like web browsing and video chatting with ease, delivering benchmark scores just slightly below our top pick.
Who should buy the Asus Zenbook
The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED is an excellent choice for students, offering exceptional battery life, fast performance, and a beautiful OLED display. It’s also more affordable than our top pick. However, it’s a runner-up for a reason: the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus remains the better-rounded option, with double the storage, a higher-resolution screen, and a superior keyboard. But if you’re looking to save around $100, the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED is still a great alternative.
3. Acer Aspire Go 15
Advantages :
- Cost-effective
- Solid battery performance
- Clear and bright display
Disadvantages:
- Heavy and cumbersome
- Flimsy construction
- Restricted performance capacity
Why we recommend the Acer Aspire Go 15
The Acer Aspire Go 15 is an excellent option for students seeking a budget-friendly laptop. Equipped with the energy-efficient Intel Core i3-N305, it effortlessly handles everyday tasks like streaming Netflix, browsing the web, and writing papers. With a remarkable battery life of 12 hours on a single charge, it can easily last through a full school day. The connectivity options are also impressive, featuring one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 with Power Delivery and DisplayPort, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, one HDMI, a 3.5mm combo audio jack, a Kensington lock slot, and a DC barrel jack.
Who should buy the Acer Aspire Go 15
This laptop is ideal for anyone in need of an affordable device that delivers solid performance. The 53.9 watt-hour battery will keep you powered throughout the day, and the CPU is capable enough for daily tasks. The 15.6-inch 1080p display offers good visibility, and the keyboard provides a comfortable typing experience. While it may lack the premium features of higher-end models, not everyone requires those extras. If you’re working with a tight budget, the Acer Aspire Go 15 is definitely worth considering.
4. Lenovo Flex 5i
Advantages :
- Sturdy build quality
- Bright and vivid touchscreen display
- Rapid performance
- Enjoyable typing experience
Disadvantages :
- Stylus not provided
- Below-average battery life for a Chromebook
- Heavier than expected
Why we recommend the Lenovo Flex
The Lenovo Flex 5i stands out as an exceptional Chromebook due to its convertible design, speedy performance, excellent typing experience, and responsive touchscreen display. Its chassis features a premium aluminum finish that gives it a high-end feel, making it seem significantly more expensive. The sturdy 360-degree hinge connecting the display to the laptop is built to last, ensuring durability. The keyboard offers a delightful typing experience that’s easy to adapt to, while the 1200p display delivers sharp and vibrant visuals. Although it’s heavier than expected and doesn’t come with a stylus, these minor drawbacks don’t overshadow its overall quality. In short, the Lenovo Flex 5i is a well-rounded machine.
Who should buy the Lenovo Flex
The Lenovo Flex 5i is an excellent choice for users who prefer Google’s ecosystem and primarily work online. Its stunning touchscreen and convertible design give it a competitive edge over other Chromebooks and even some Windows laptops, features typically found in more expensive models. While its nine-hour battery life is slightly below average for a Chromebook, it still provides enough power to last through a full school day. Overall, the Lenovo Flex 5i has few compromises, making it a solid investment.
Alternative option: If you’re on a tight budget, the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 ($249.99 / £399 U.K.) is a fantastic alternative. Priced about $100/£100 less than our top pick, it offers a variety of connectivity options, a spacious keyboard, and an elegant design. Although it’s not a 2-in-1 like the Lenovo Flex 5i, this isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker, especially for those who prefer a traditional clamshell design.
5. Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6
Advantages :
- Outstanding battery longevity
- Wide variety of connectivity options
- Robust and lightweight build
- Bright and clear display
Disadvantages :
- Performance may lag behind competitors
- Higher price point than similar products
Why we recommend the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 is a robust laptop featuring a “reasonably sharp” 14-inch 1920×1200 display. Remarkably, it can last almost 24 hours on a single charge—an impressive feat! This exceptional battery life is likely due to its energy-efficient Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 processor and the lower-resolution display. The laptop also boasts powerful speakers and a good range of connectivity options, including a full-sized HDMI 2.1 port, two USB-A 5Gbps ports, and two USB4 ports.
Who should buy the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6
This laptop is ideal for anyone with a busy school schedule! The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 is designed for longevity, making it perfect for students who are constantly on the move. It’s a reliable machine that handles “light workloads wherever you go,” according to our review. If you can accept a slight reduction in storage space, the 256GB SSD version of this laptop is currently available at a 40 percent discount from Lenovo, saving you $787.60!
6. MacBook Air (M3)
Advantages :
- Exceptional battery longevity
- Great value with a solid mix of price, features, and performance
- 256GB SSD now consists of two NAND chips, which helps maintain performance
Disadvantages :
- Memory upgrades can be pricey
- Supporting dual external displays requires the lid to be closed
Why we recommend the MacBook Air
The MacBook Air (M3) impresses with its exceptional battery life and spacious Liquid Retina display, earning high praise in every category. It features an 8-core M3 CPU and a 10-core GPU, along with two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a 66.5 watt-hour battery. Its performance is on par with the MacBook Pro (M3), allowing it to handle schoolwork and casual tasks with ease. The main difference is that the MacBook Air operates without fans, resulting in a quieter experience. With an incredible 19-hour battery life on a single charge, it's perfect for those with busy schedules who need to stay unplugged.
Who should buy the MacBook Air
This laptop is ideal for anyone who prefers macOS over other operating systems. With its outstanding battery life and lightweight design—just over three pounds—it’s easy to take anywhere. Priced at $1,299, it offers good value for its performance and features. However, it’s worth noting that the 8GB of RAM may be less than what you’d find in some Windows-based alternatives.
7. Acer Nitro V 16
Advantages :
- Reliable performance
- Budget-friendly price
- Convenient button for quick performance mode toggling
- Fast 165Hz display with impressive color accuracy
Disadvantages :
- All-plastic design
- Keyboard lacks tactile feedback
- Short battery life
Why we recommend the Acer Nitro V 16
The Acer Nitro V 16 is an excellent choice for budget-conscious gamers. With a fast IPS display and RTX 4060 graphics priced just under $1,000, it offers incredible value. In our testing with the demanding Metro Exodus benchmark, the Nitro achieved an average of 38 frames per second, making it “more than competitive with gaming laptops featuring similar specs,” according to our review.
However, the battery life is the laptop’s biggest drawback. We only managed to get about four hours of use before it needed a charge. While this is typical for gaming laptops, it means you won’t get much unplugged use.
Who should buy the Acer Nitro V 16
This laptop is ideal for anyone seeking an affordable, dependable gaming device. The 16-inch 1920×1200 display, combined with a 165Hz refresh rate, makes it perfect for fast-paced games. With the RTX 4060 GPU, it can run most games at Medium or High graphics settings, making it suitable for heavier work tasks as well. However, the plastic build may not appeal to all students.
What to Consider When Choosing a Laptop for College
The first factor to think about is your budget. How much are you prepared to spend on a laptop? If you have a strict budget, Chromebooks are a great choice. They are affordable and specifically designed to handle everyday tasks like writing papers and working on spreadsheets, with prices ranging from $200 to $1,000. If you're willing to invest a bit more, laptops with convertible touchscreens (also known as 2-in-1s) offer excellent versatility. You can rotate the screen to use it as a tablet or prop it up like an easel for watching movies.
For tasks like checking your email or streaming Netflix, you'll need more RAM. We recommend opting for at least 8GB of RAM. While 4GB is sufficient for web browsing and basic office work, 8GB allows for better multitasking, especially since applications like Google Chrome and Spotify can consume a significant amount of memory. If you're on a tight budget, you can manage with 4GB in a pinch, but it may limit your ability to keep multiple tabs open.
Finally, consider the quality of the keyboard. In college, you’ll be doing a lot of typing, so it’s essential to find one that suits your preferences. You might prefer a full-travel keyboard or one with shorter travel distance. Mechanical keyboards, for example, usually feature longer travel, which helps prevent accidental keystrokes and provides tactile feedback as the keys bounce back after being pressed.