Best Desktop Replacement For College
Pros
- Powerful graphics and computing performance
- Compact chassis with easy access for upgrades
- Expansive 3K display
Pros
- Aggressively priced for the set of specs
- Powerful eight-core Ryzen 7 CPU
- Handsome and ultralight metal chassis in choice of four colors
- HDMI, USB-A, and USB-C ports
Cons
- Test configuration’s keyboard not backlit
- No SD or microSD card slot
Buying Guide For Best Laptops For University Students
If youre headed to university, youre going to need the right laptop one thats going to be able to keep up with you all day long, and for four years straight. These days, picking out a laptop is no small feat: Youll need to make several crucial decisions that you cant really take back, like screen size, amount of RAM, and even operating system.
Whether youre a Computer Science major who needs a rugged laptop for late-night coding marathons, or a English major who just needs something to write papers with, weve got you covered.
Best Laptop For Middle School
The middle school students I spoke to dont use their laptops for much more than web-based schoolwork and browsing. Dont be too concerned about power prioritize a machine thats comfortable and easy for your child to use.
We just got the most basic Chromebook and it is totally perfect, says Gabrielle Hartley, an attorney and mother of three children. The most basic Chromebook serves all the needs of the basic middle schooler.
Chromebooks, like this one from Acer, are a good choice for students who use Google Classroom.
Hartleys son Max, who is in eighth grade, agrees. I would really like a gaming PC or gaming laptop that can plug into a monitor and run video games with 120fps, but I really dont need that, Max says. Most eighth graders arent going to be running any video games on their laptops or any software that requires a lot of power.
Max mostly uses his laptop for Google Classroom applications, including Gmail, Slides, Google Docs, and Google Sheets. Theyre very easy to use on his device, which he describes as a run-of-the-mill Samsung Chromebook. That said, if your child is starting middle school this year, it could be worth checking with their teachers to see what operating system is most compatible with their workflow. Caspian Fischer Odén, a ninth grader from Sweden, told me he has trouble with his Chromebook because his school has blocked downloading apps from the Google Play Store.
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Dell Xps 13 Battery Life
Thanks to its 11th Gen processor and graphics card, the Dell XPS 13 is classified as an Intel Evo laptop. As such, its supposed to last at least 9 hours of battery life for 1080p systems. But, this is a 4K system and when the system ran the Laptop Mag Battery Test, it lasted only 7 hours and 32 minutes.
Thats longer than the Spectre and Flow X13s times of 7:14 and 6:30, respectively. However, its well short of the 10:04 premium laptop average. The Yoga 9i and MacBook Pro also lasted significantly longer, clocking in at 11:15 and 16:32, respectively.
How To Choose The Best Laptop For College

We recommend a straightforward action plan for this potentially life-altering decisionit has only four question-oriented steps.
- Step 1: How will you use your laptop in college?
If you need to use CPU-intensive applications like Adobe Premiere Pro, run complicated programming interfaces or play video games, get a laptop with a top-of-the-line CPU, i.e., Intel Core i5 or above. Youll also require 816GB RAM and high-speed SSD memory .
Else, you can get by with a cheaper CPU with a lower RAM and memory provision.
- Step 2: How important is portability to you?
If your college days are sure to involve considerable travel, get a laptop that:
- Is lightweight with a reliable build: Look for a 2-in-1. You can get a convertible that adapts to various modes like tablet and tent or a detachable with an un-pluggable keyboard.
- Has a long battery life: Scout for ultra-portable laptops that offer 10+ unplugged hours.
- Has adequate connectivity: Hunt for laptops with USB Type-C ports, HDMI, SD card readers, webcams, and Ethernet ports.
However, if you foresee college life to be stationary, you can choose the standard clamshell design . Many conventional, mid-sized laptops offer between 46 hours of battery backup.
- Step 3: What kind of a keyboard and touchpad will you need?
- Step 4: Do you need your laptop to deliver stutter-free graphics in absolute detail?
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Which Is An Underrated Aspect Shall I Take Into Account Before Purchasing A Laptop For College
Although we have covered every other aspect that can be useful to you when laptop purchases are concerned, you must take the security standards into account for ensuring minimal intrusion. Therefore, try and locate a device that comes with a built-in fingerprint scanner like the Touch ID or an IR webcam with face recognition.
Summary Of The Top 10 Laptops For Students In India
Who doesnt need a laptop today? Gone are the days when it was considered a luxury. In todays world, it is the most important necessity for anyone, especially for students. But, with the numerous options available in India, it becomes difficult to select one from several others. As a result of our extensive research, we were able to compile a list of the best laptops for students in India for 2021. So, what are you waiting for? Continue scrolling to find the laptop you want.
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Microsoft Surface Pro 7+
You may be wondering why we chose the 7+ and not the Surface Pro 8. While the 8 has a larger screen and good audio, configurations start at $1,099.99 and can go up to over $2,599.99. Well, it comes down to price. The 7+s base configuration starts at $899, which is a more affordable option for college students, and it should still chew through tasks admirably. The base version has an Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of SSD storage.
Do You Want To Go With A 2
The best laptop for college can actually function as both a laptop and a tablet. The display portion of a hybrid 2-in-1 can snap apart from the keyboard to be used as a tablet, while a convertible 2-in-1 has a hinge design that allows the screen to rotate on the keyboard or flip back 360 degrees into tablet mode. The obvious benefits are the money you save by buying one device instead of two , and the space you save in your backpack. You also have access to all your desktop apps and your tablet apps in basically one place.
On the downside, if you go for a cheaper model, you might not get an abundance of processing power or battery life, and as much hard drive space as with a traditional laptop. If you are worried about subjecting an uncovered detached screen to the same abuse that slippery traditional tablets often have to endure, you might prefer to go with a convertible model, which offers a level of protection from wear and tear by making the device easier to safely grip by the keyboard side when in tablet mode.
The screen is backlit, which makes it easier to work in low-light situations, and the power button has a fingerprint reader to make signing on speedier. Turning it on is faster, too: Just flip up the lid, and a sensor automatically boots it up.
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Statisticson Laptop Use Among College Students
The advances of technology have shown a greater thirst for students fordigital learning. Laptops and other technological tools like tablets and smartphonesbecome more prevalent in classrooms. Some say it helps boost student enthusiasmto learn, improving their attentiveness and engagement in the school.
For graduate students, it is a handy tool that they can take greatadvantage of, from organizing their tasks and coursework to accessing vitalinformation and data anytime and anywhere.
Laptops are becoming an indispensable tool for many college students. Statistics widely support this. Among college students, around 81% use a laptop. The reason cited for these statistics is the efficiency of laptops, providing a handy tool for students to accomplish all of their tasks and coursework.
A study by the EDUCAUSE Center for Analysis and Research found that students use computers for writing documents and sending emails. They also use technology for creating and editing videos and audio. Around 52.7% of the freshmen responders said they own laptop computers.
Studies have also shown that computer-assisted learning is particularly promising. Students who take up courses like mathematics can benefit a lot from this through educational software that helps develop number skills.
Most college students consider the price, brand, speed, storage capacity, and portability when buying a laptop. On average, they are willing to pay $761.32 for a new school laptop.
Best Tablets For Studying And Note Taking
First and foremost, the best tablet for students has to be of compact size and doesnt weigh much. Students already need to carry plenty of other items around the campus, so a tablet shouldnt be of an extra burden. Besides, the overall look and design of the device have to be on point since a student will be bringing it not only to classes but will be using it on a daily basis for social media and entertainment purposes.
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Best Laptops For College Students
Whether youre off to college, or already there, a trusty laptop is an essential tool. The best laptops for college are able to balance essay writing as well as plenty of Netflix, social media and video calls back home. Youll want a laptop that can go the distance: A college computer will need more power and durability than a grade-school laptop, and might cost more as a result.
But what should you go for? Will a $300 Windows laptop do the trick? Or do you need a MacBook . And what about a Chromebook? With a year at college costing the average student at least $20,000, you’ll want to spend your money wisely.
The good news is that all of the above are viable laptop options, depending on what type of student you are. Here are the main choices when buying a laptop for college:
Whether you choose a MacBook, a Chromebook or a reliable Windows 10 laptop, any of the above will prove a capable companion during your studies, and help you unwind with some Netflix or Spotify when you need a break from the books.
How Much Storage Space Is Typically Preferred By A College Student

As a college student, anything in the ballpark of 512GB is a must, provided the volume of assignments, leisure content, and datasets are on display. However, it is necessary to avoid a hard disk as much as possible, just to amplify the boot-up speeds and ensure that the files, data, OS, and programs load in a twinkling of an eye.
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Dell Xps 13 Software And Warranty
Dells usual cast of branded software is playing their roles, including Dell Power Manager to manage power consumption and Customer Connect to speak to a Dell technician if you need assistance. Digital Delivery manages all your software downloads and restores everything after a system wipe or crash, and with Dell Mobile Connect, you can swap images, documents and videos seamlessly between your smartphone and laptop. The company also pre-installed Cinema Guide to aggregate all your streaming services.
For your third-party apps, you have Killer Control Center, to set network bandwidth priority. The laptop also comes with a 20GB of free Dropbox storage for a year. There is, of course, some Windows 10 bloatware, such as Netflix, Hulu, Dolby Access, Hidden City: Hidden Object Adventure and Solitaire.
The Dell XPS 13 ships with a one-year hardware warranty with onsite and in-home service after remote diagnosis. See how Dell fared during our annual special reports: Tech Support Showdown and Best and Worst Brands.
Apple Macbook Air Portable Macbook
Windows isnt always the best option for students, especially if you are concerned about malware or long Microsoft updates eating up your day.
If youd like to give the Mac OS a shot, the MacBook Air is the way to go. Its lightweight, has super fast operation, and doesnt lack in extra features like keyboard backlighting.
256GB isnt a huge storage capacity, but with a Mac device you will often be storing data in the cloud anyway. If you need physical media storage, you get USB ports, Thunderbolt, and a card reader for connecting devices.
In general, buyers leave overwhelmingly positive reviews of this model, especially if you need the Adobe suite for photography classes. Theres only one issue that is frequently cited as a downside.
Unfortunately, this MacBook isnt one of Apples iconic retina style displays. If you want extreme screen resolution youll need to bump up the price with a different model.
Hardware specifications for Apple MacBook Air
CPU: Intel Core i5-1030NG7 processor | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics | RAM: 8 GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, 2560 x 1600 | Storage: 512 GB SSD | Operating System: MAC OS| Battery Life:13 hours | Weight: 5.37 pounds
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Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 135in: The Best Microsoft Laptop For Students
Price: From £699 | Buy now from John Lewis
Much like its third-generation predecessor, the Surface Laptop 4 is a high-quality ultraportable laptop. It’s wonderfully light, looks great and its 13.5in touchscreen is superb. The 2,256 x 1504 resolution display is limited to covering the sRGB colour gamut but does so very capably, covering over 95% of it with excellent accuracy. Peak brightness is high enough to ensure readability in most conditions, although the screen’s glossy finish does catch reflections, which is important to remember if you plan on studying outdoors.
There are both AMD and Intel-powered models available, but the base specification houses an AMD Ryzen 5 4860U processor, 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD. We tested a model with very similar specs and the Surface Laptop 4 actually outperformed the M1 MacBook Air in our in-house 4K media benchmark test. However, its graphical credentials are less impressive and battery life falls short of other attractive student laptops such as the Dell XPS 13, Samsung Galaxy Book Pro and aforementioned MacBook Air.
Although it can’t quite overhaul the M1 MacBook Air as the best value ultraportable student laptop on the market, the Surface Laptop 4 is a device any student would happy to own and use as their day-to-day work machine.
Read our Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 review for details
Key specs Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 4680U RAM: 8GB Storage: 256GB Screen size: 13.5in Screen resolution: 2,256 x 1,504 Weight: 1.27kg
Lenovo Yoga Book C930
Weight: 771 g | Screen size: 10.8-inch | Resolution: 2560×1600 pixels | CPU: 7th Generation Intel Core i5-7Y54 | Storage: 128 GB | Rear camera: 2 MP | Front camera: 2 MP
High price Disappointing amount of RAM
The C930 model is the successor of the first Yoga Book as the designers strived to preserve all the features users adored in the original version while also trying to fix all their previous shortcomings. As a result, by purchasing this device, youll receive possibly the best tablet for college if youre looking for a 2-in-1 model.
In addition to building upon the success of its predecessor, C930 comes with a heap of innovative characteristics. A prominent feature is the secondary E-Ink screen. Not only can the screen be used as a keyboard, but its also a handy tool for note-taking and drawing, and it can even be employed as a classic tablet for reading documents.
The state-of-the-art features of the tablet are further supported by powerful hardware, which puts the specifications of the original Yoga Book to shame. Thanks to the 4.5W Core i5 processor, you get to enjoy the solid performance with barely any drops.
Another improvement is the enhanced typing functionality, which felt very clunky and unresponsive in the original Yoga Book due to the use of emulated keys and not physical ones. While the first Yoga Book felt more like a beta test, this model actually proves that technology can work and isnt just a silly gimmick added to sell more tablets.
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How To Choose The Best Student Laptop For You
We hope our student laptop guide proves invaluable for anyone out there shopping for a system that’s capable, decent value, and a boon to your productivity. We’re constantly updating this list too with newer models and updated information, so be sure to keep checking back regularly, and we’ve also included some clutch buying advice to help you narrow down the ideal learning tool for going back to school.
Today’s computers need to be able to do much more than the primitive number-crunchers of old. They need to support a huge range of software, given that several courses have special requirements, as well as the standard office packages.
When it comes to software, Microsoft’s Office 365 suite is free for students, and there are also Google’s Chromebooks and the associated Google Docs suite to consider as well, with the latter also free to use.
These laptops need to be able to run HD video lectures without juddering of course, while a set of good speakers always comes in handy when the university day is done. These machines have to be affordable too, given the increased cost of schooling all round the world.
Integrated webcams are important as well, for web lectures and broadcast media-related courses, but these are now included as standard on every laptop. You’d be hard pushed to find a model without one.