These days, laptops are all but required for college, whether you’re an engineering student that needs GPU horsepower for complex models, or an English major that just needs a decent keyboard and a screen. With how far they’ve come in the last few years, the best laptops for school can go a long way in aiding your success in the classroom (or, at the very least, not make your life any harder than it needs to be).
TL;DR: These Are the Best Laptops for Students:
Some schools have strict laptop requirements, and you should follow those if your college has them. For most people, though, the best laptop for college will look similar to what anyone would look for in a laptop. You want a comfortable keyboard, along with a display that doesn’t hurt your eyes to look at for too long. Under the surface, you also need a powerful processor and enough RAM to effectively multitask. After a few hours of grinding away at a paper, even Microsoft Office is going to start eating up any and all resources it can get its hands on, after all.
Engineering and creative students, or anyone who needs to run complex models or software on their computer, are especially going to need CPUs and GPUs that can keep up with them. If this sounds like you, I’d actually recommend going all-out for a gaming laptop like the Razer Blade 16 or the TUF A14, because their powerful GPUs can easily keep up with any complex software like MATLAB or AutoCAD. Plus, you’ll be able to play your favorite PC games in your downtime.
1. MacBook Pro 16
Best Laptop for College
Display
16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR (3456 x 2234)
CPU
Apple M4 Pro – M4 Max
Size
14.01 x 9.77 x 0.66 inches (W x D x H)
M4 Pro and M4 Max provide excellent performance
You will not be able to upgrade this after you buy it
It almost seems like the MacBook Pro 16 is synonymous with “college,” and you’ll doubtlessly see them populating your campus coffee shops and libraries, but there’s a reason for it. The top-end MacBook is extremely good at powering any kind of creative workload, thanks to a beefy GPU that has no problem in apps like AutoCAD and Adobe Premiere. But what really makes this laptop special for students is the software: MacOS is incredibly simple and lacks any kind of bloat that would otherwise get in the way of you getting work done. You can just open the MacBook Pro 16 and be pretty confident that it’s going to get you right where you need to go without worrying about some obscure app you’ve never heard of booting up.
The only problem with the laptop running on MacOS is that sometimes you’ll run into software that simply won’t function. And while you can get around this somewhat by running something like Bootcamp, you should check with your syllabus to make sure you won’t have compatibility issues with your professor’s pet software.
This latest generation of MacBook Pro runs on either the Apple M4 Pro or M4 Max, both of which should easily be able to run through any workload that comes up in your studies. However, while the GPU in the M4 Max is powerful, it still can’t really stand up to something like the RTX 5090 for engineering students or anyone that needs to do 3D modeling.
2. MacBook Air M4
Best Writing Laptop for College
Apple MacBook Air M4
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The latest MacBook Air is the same as the 2024 model, only with a much faster processor in the Apple M4 chip.
Display
13.6-inch LED (2560 x 1664)
Size
11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches (W x D x H)
Less expensive than a MacBook Pro
Can lag with demanding workloads
I have done so much writing on a MacBook Air that it’s become the de facto writing laptop in my mind. It’s been a long time since the days of the butterfly keyboard, and the scissor switch-equipped one on newer MacBook Airs is a delight to type on. It also doesn’t hurt that the keyboard is housed in a laptop that’s just 0.44 inches thick and only weighs 2.7lbs, making it extremely easy to carry around campus.
When I reviewed the most recent MacBook Air – albeit the more expensive 15-inch version – I was impressed at how well this lightweight laptop can handle multitasking. This laptop isn’t going to do anything like running games, as it seriously buckles under any kind of graphics load, but that’s not really what it’s designed for anyways. Instead, this is the premier laptop for sitting down and writing up a draft at a coffee shop, which is exactly what I’m looking for out of a laptop for students.
It helps that the display is very bright and crisp, with text being extremely clear. Even after hours of scrolling through spreadsheets and editing drafts, I don’t get the same kind of eye strain as on other laptops.
It also runs MacOS, which makes this a great alternative for anyone that needs a Mac to run their required school software without having to drop the extra cash for a MacBook Pro. However, if you really want this as an alternative to the Pro, you’re going to want to check the software you need to run to make sure the MacBook Air can actually handle it. Because while the M4 is a strong processor, it falls short of the M4 Pro and M4 Max, especially in any workload that runs on the GPU.
3. Surface Laptop (Copilot+)
Best AI Laptop for College
Microsoft Surface Laptop
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This Copilot+ laptop has a Snapdragon X Elite processor, which makes it specially tuned for light AI workloads.
Display
13.8-inch PixelSense Flow display (2304 x 1536)
CPU
Snapdragon X Plus – Snapdragon X Elite
Size
11.85 x 8.67 x 0.69 inches (W x D x H)
Built from the ground up for AI
Snapdragon platform is a nightmare for app compatibility
Love it or hate it, AI PCs are here, and the Surface Laptop is the star of the show. This Copilot+ laptop has one of the new Snapdragon X Elite processors, which makes it specially tuned for light AI workloads. This means if you want to use AI to help you structure assignments or summarize text for you, the Surface Laptop is one of the best laptops to do it, thanks to a dedicated Copilot key that’ll bring up an AI assistant when you press it.
The Snapdragon X Elite processors do mean that this is a Windows laptop running on an ARM processor, which has always been a minefield for compatibility issues. However, in my time with this chip, most of the apps I use on a daily basis do work fine, though your mileage will vary, especially if emulating x86 apps would sap away too much performance for your needs.
If you specifically need a laptop for heavy AI workloads like Stable Diffusion or MATLAB, the lack of a discrete GPU can really hold this laptop back, despite the built-in NPU (neural processing unit). Instead, the Surface Laptop is meant for light AI workloads that complement your studying. Anyone actually engineering AI models is probably going to want a gaming laptop or workstation.
Regardless of what’s going on under the covers, the Surface Laptop is a stunning little laptop. The all-aluminum chassis is durable, and because Microsoft finally did away with the felt covering that plagued earlier models, it won’t get grimy after a couple of weeks of heavy study.
4. Razer Blade 16 (2025)
Best Gaming Laptop for College
Razer Blade 16
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With wildly capable internals and ultra portable build (for a gaming laptop), the Razer Blade 16 is an impressive machine.
Display
16-inch LED (2560 x 1600 – 3840 x 2400)
GPU
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 – RTX 5090
Size
13.98 x 9.86 x 0.69 inches (W x D x H)
RTX 5000 GPUs are a boon for engineering students
Sleek aesthetic that doesn’t even look like a gaming laptop
Can get extremely hot under heavy loads
I’ve been using various versions of the Razer Blade 16 for about a decade, and for that entire time, they’ve been my favorite gaming laptop. While the thin chassis can limit the amount of power that can be pumped into a GPU, these laptops have always been the best way to get serious compute performance in something that’s actually portable.
This year’s Razer Blade 16 takes that even further. Razer has trimmed down the chassis even more, making for a gaming laptop that’s about as thin and light as a MacBook Pro – only way more powerful. When I reviewed the mobile RTX 5090 through the Razer Blade 16, I did notice that this thin chassis limited the performance a bit, but we’re still talking about a gaming laptop that can run Cyberpunk 2077 at 1600p with 67fps – and that’s without frame generation.
When we gave the system a full review, we did find that the laptop only lasts about five and a half hours on a single charge. That could be a big deal, especially if you’re carrying this laptop around campus. However, the amount of power that it offers outweighs the need to carry around a charger, especially for engineering students or anyone else that needs that extra oomph. The real downside, though, is the price. The Razer Blade has always been expensive, but if you can swing the cost, it’s absolutely worth it.
5. Asus TUF A14
Best Gaming Laptop for Students Who Don’t Have Razer Blade Money
Asus TUF Gaming A14
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The perfect laptop for the on-the-go gamer. It’s supremely portable, understated enough for class, and quiet enough for late night gaming sessions without disturbing your dormmate.
No matter how you slice it, gaming laptops, or rather just laptops with a discrete GPU, are becoming more necessary for students, especially in a STEM field. While I would love to shout my love for the Razer Blade from the rooftops to anyone who’ll listen, a lot of people just can’t afford that premium machine. The good news is that you don’t actually need the Razer Blade when something like the Asus TUF A14 exists.
Just like the Blade, this is a powerful laptop in a thin and light chassis, packing a discrete GPU that’ll easily get you through even your most demanding tasks. We reviewed the TUF A14 with the RTX 4060, and while that’s a last-gen GPU at this point, it was still able to keep up with the most demanding games out there. We should see a model with the new RTX 5060 hitting the streets in the coming months, but given how the rest of the Nvidia Blackwell lineup has performed so far, I wouldn’t expect radically better performance out of a new model.
In fact, with the 5060 model coming out soon, the version we reviewed with the 4060 could start to see some major discounts soon, making it an even better buy for engineering students on a budget. And even for the liberal arts majors like me, it’s just kind of nice having a portable laptop that can play games. After all, getting in a round of Rivals in between lectures can never be a bad thing.
6. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus
Best Chromebook for College
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus
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Display
14-inch IPS (1920 x 1200)
Size
12.4 x 9 x 0.8 inches (W x D x H)
It’s not going to be doing any heavy lifting
While they’re not the most exciting devices in the world, a Chromebook is an excellent choice for any student on a budget. If you just want a laptop to tackle word processing without breaking the bank, something like the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook is a perfect fit. Its Core i3 processor isn’t going to win any marathons, but it doesn’t need to. The whole conceit of ChromeOS is that it’s basically a Chrome browser stretched out to be an entire operating system, and if you can get all of your schoolwork done in your browser, there’s not much of a reason not to get a Chromebook.
The Lenovo Thinkpad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is a 2-in-1 Chromebook with a 1200p display. That’s not the sharpest, but it’ll absolutely get the job done, especially if all you’re looking at is words anyways. Plus, during breaks, you can flip the screen over and use it as a tablet to watch movies or even play Android games to give your brain a rest.
You will probably have to rely on cloud storage a bit, as the 128GB eMMC drive doesn’t leave a lot of space to store files. However, because everything is done through Chrome, it’s incredibly easy to save everything to Google Drive.
What to Look for in a Laptop for College
When you’re setting out to buy a laptop, especially for college, the most important thing you can possibly do is figure out what you’re going to do with it, and I don’t just mean “school work.” These days, your field of study drastically affects what you’re going to need from a laptop. If you’re an English major, for example, you can probably get away with a Chromebook, as it’ll allow you to view texts online and write all your papers in Google Docs.
However, if you need to do heavy workloads like video editing or 3D modeling, you’re going to need a laptop with significantly more horsepower. Even computer science majors need to make sure they have a laptop with plenty of RAM that won’t crash when trying to compile projects.
Then, you’re going to need to make sure you stick to a budget that makes sense for you. If you have extra funds from your student aid that you can put toward your laptop, you need to set aside a clear budget and keep that in mind. If you don’t have thousands of dollars to spare, there are a ton of budget laptops available, but you need to have a clear picture of what you need before you start shopping for laptops.
A laptop’s CPU is probably the clearest picture you’re going to get about what it’s capable of at first glance. Intel Core and AMD Ryzen processors are probably the most complicated chips to look at, but it’s easy to figure out where they stand. Generally, Intel Core i3 processors are reserved for low-power laptops that are only good for light word processing and web browsing. Core i5 processors are more of a middle ground and are easily able to get most people through light photo work or Excel. Intel Core i7 and Core i9 processors are reserved for high-end devices, and are what you should keep an eye out for if you need a lot of computing power. Luckily AMD Ryzen processors are branded similarly, with Ryzen 3, 5, 7, and 9 processors following the same logic as their Intel counterparts.
You’re going to need to also make sure you get enough RAM. It used to be that 8GB was more than enough for most people, but those days are over. Unless you’re going for a low-power Chromebook, you should shoot for 16GB. If you’re going to be doing a lot of video editing or scientific modeling, you should aim for at least 32GB.
Unless you specifically need a discrete GPU, you can get away with whatever integrated graphics come with a laptop’s CPU. However, if you do need the GPU horsepower, finding a laptop with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 should be a sweet spot for most people. These laptops won’t be quite as expensive as something with an RTX 4090, but will still be able to get through any workload, albeit a little slower.
Picking the right amount of storage depends entirely on how you use your laptop. For instance, I rely on Google Drive for work, so I can easily get by with a 512GB SSD. However, if you like to save all of your work locally, you’re going to want to beef up your SSD, especially if you get something like a MacBook, as Apple stopped letting users upgrade SSDs years ago.
Best Laptops for Students FAQ
What does a university student need in a laptop?
Most college students can get away with mid-range laptops. Aim for something like an Intel Core i5 processor, 16GB of RAM and enough storage to keep their work. However, if you’re studying a field that requires powerful hardware, like video editing or engineering, a gaming laptop with a discrete GPU like an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 will get the job done.
Do college students get discounts on laptops?
Not all college students will get a discount on a laptop. As a general rule, you should check with your school’s Financial Aid department to see what laptop discounts (if any) you can take advantage of. Beyond that, some manufacturers offer special discounts on select hardware if you’re a student. Apple, for one, offers discounts on a wide range of hardware for any student that can prove they are enrolled in school.
Jackie Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor at IGN and the PC components queen. She’s been writing about gaming PCs for almost a decade and has been building them even longer. You can follow her @Jackiecobra.
