While we patiently await the Surface Laptop 2, there are still plenty of amazing laptops for college students to decorate their dorms with.
The best laptops for college students are going to be elegantly designed and powerful enough to handle anything the semester throws at them.
Beyond that, everything weve included in this list is affordable enough for even the most frugal students to justify.However, as cash can be hard to come by for most students, the best laptops for students wont be featuring the latest and greatest AMD Ryzen and Coffee Lake CPUs and Vega graphics.
Still, things have changed since the days of tiny netbooks with noisy fans and frustrating performance.
The best laptops for students in 2018 are slim, powerful and nigh-silent There have been plenty of advances recently making laptops a seamless component of your learning experience, rather than distracting you from it.These next few years are going to be a hassle for certain, but its worth the effort if you want a degree to prove that youre worth the income youre going to make.
To alleviate some of the frustration, below weve listed the best laptops for students that you can buy for yourself or a loved one today.
No longer will you have to limit yourself to an old clunker suffering from poor performance and a virtually nonexistent battery life.1.
Dell XPS 13Get back to class with the best-in-classCPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i5 i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 4GB 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080; non-touch) UHD (3,840 x 2,160; touchscreen) | Storage: 128GB 1TB SSDGorgeous new designImpressive performanceSteeper starting priceWhite option is pricierWhats the XPS 13 if not the best For three years in the running, weve been unable to answer this question due to Dells stunning flagship Ultrabook, well, being the best.
Thin, light and ready to rumble once again, the Dell XPS 13 is more powerful than ever, albeit at a higher starting cost than before.
Then again, the slight bump in cost means you can expect an 8th-generation Intel Core i5 processor at the very least, paired with a gorgeous (and bezel-less) InfinityEdge anti-glare display as well as an Alpine White-woven-into-Rose Gold color option.
Its a bit more expensive than the traditional Platinum Silver version, but its worth it for the cred.Read the full review:Dell XPS 132.
Samsung Notebook 9 ProThe dawn of a new era for 2-in-1 laptopsCPU: 7th generation Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620 AMD Radeon Graphics (2GB GDDR5) | RAM: 8GB 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch 15.6-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) LED display with Touch Screen Panel | Storage: 256GB SSDUses S-Pen to great effectExcellent look and feelInconsistent battery lifeDownward-firing speakersThe Samsung Notebook 9 is what other 2-in-1 laptops have aspired to be since their conception.
It hones in on the S-Pen, Samsungs own proprietary stylus with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity (the same as Microsofts new Surface Pen), a nifty little accessory that conveniently doesnt require charging.
Although the touchscreen display is only 1080p, at between 350 and 450 nits of brightness, you wont be paying any mind to the pixels, or lack thereof.
Plus, the lengthy battery life more than makes up for this hybrids few setbacks.Read the full review:Samsung Notebook 9 ProThis product is only available in the US and UK as of this writing.
Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the HP Spectre x360 15.3.
Asus Chromebook FlipAsus premium Chromebook has a modest priceCPU: Intel Core m3 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 515 | RAM: 4GB | Screen: 12.5-inch, Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) LED backlit anti-glare | Storage: 64GB eMMC + TPMElegant tablet modeGorgeous, vivid screenNo out-of-box Android app supportMiddling speakersThe Asus Chromebook Flip C302 could be seen as an apology for Googles own missteps with the Chromebook Pixel that preceded it.
Rather than costing over a grand for unnecessarily high performance that would put a lot of Windows notebooks to shame, Asus has cut the price in half while adding a 360-degree hinge that effectively makes it a 2-in-1 laptop, but with Android apps from the Google Play Store that only sweeten the deal.Now you can experience a Chromebook whose style rivals that of the MacBook Pro without spending even remotely what you would on one of Apples machines.Read the full review:Asus Chromebook Flip4.
Samsung Notebook 9 (2018)We can think of 9 reasons to buy this laptopCPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce MX150 | RAM: 16GB DDR4 | Screen: 15-inch FHD LED | Storage: 256GB SSDFantastic PerformanceGreat battery lifeNot enough storageIt should come as no surprise that the Samsung Notebook 9 has a gorgeous display, considering who made it.
But, even beyond the screen, this laptop just breathes quality, from its useful fingerprint scanner, insane portability to its bleeding-edge, 8th-generation Intel Core i7 processor.
Sure, its keyboard is a bit lackluster, and youll fill up the storage quickly but even those flaws are serviceable.
Finally, thanks to its insane battery life, this is hands down one of the best laptops students can buy in 2018.Read the full review: Samsung Notebook 9 (2018)5.
Microsoft Surface ProThe tablet that can replace your laptop CPU: 7th generation Intel Core m3 i7 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 615 Iris Plus Graphics 640 | RAM: 4GB 16GB | Screen: 12.3-inch, 2,736 x 1,824 PixelSense display | Storage: 128GB 1TB SSDHugely improved battery lifeComfier, punchier type coverSurface Pen pulled from packageOnly Core i7 can challenge A10XAs we wait for the Surface Pro 5, the 2017 Surface pro is still the most advanced Windows tablet on the market.
Everything from its rounded edges to its refined accessories all but screams that its the next generation of the Redmond hardware lineage.
Theres also the fact that the Surface Pro draws inspiration from all-in-one PCs in the way it can bend back 165 degrees.
The only real compromise here is that only the i7 version of the Surface Pro can give Apples cheaper, entry-level iPad Pro a run for its money.Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Pro6.
Acer Aspire E15All work and a little playCPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i5-8250U | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce MX150 | RAM: 8GB DDR4 | Screen: 15.6-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080; non-touch) | Storage: 256GB SSDWork friendly keyboardLots of ports and inputsFlimsy constructionWhile it might not win any beauty contests, the Acer Aspire e15 does one thing, and it does it well: work.
If you need a laptop that you can carry with you between classes and get some work done, without needing to break open the piggy bank, this laptop will go a long way.
Rocking one of the new 8th-generation Coffee Lake U-series CPUs, youll never have to worry about your laptop holding back your studying.
Just dont expect a chassis you can proudly display in the coffee shop.Read the full review: Acer Aspire e157.
Samsung Notebook 7 SpinOne step back, but not too shabbyCPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i5 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch full HD (1,920 x 1,080) LED with touch panel | Storage: 256GB SSDExcellent keyboardLong battery lifeFuzzy 480p webcamStylus not includedIt shares a name with one of our past favorites, and though we still adore the Samsung Notebook 7 Spin, we admit that its not the same device it once was.
Instead, its a 13-inch convertible laptop that literally bends over backwards to suit your creative needs.
Although you wont find an included stylus in sight, nor are discrete graphics present in this years model, the lengthy battery life and punchy processor nearly makes up for any concessions.Read the full review: Samsung Notebook 7 SpinThis product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing.
Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Asus ZenBook Flip UX360.8.
Acer Chromebook 15The 15-inch Chromebook that plays for keepsCPU: Intel Pentium N4200 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 505 | RAM: 4GB | Screen: 15.6-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) multi-touch IPS display | Storage: 32GB eMMCUnbelievable battery lifeAttractive, fanless designTrackpad feels clunkyEasy to weigh down with tabsIts not every day that you see a 15.6-inch Chromebook decked out with a full HD, 1080p touchscreen.
However, its even less frequent that we get on our hands with a laptop that lasts this long under pressure.
Surviving 16 hours and 47 minutes in our signature battery test, the Acer Chromebook 15 prioritizes having an excellent battery life over everything else.
Although its performance is still satisfactory given its low-power Intel Pentium processor and flexible operating system, its long battery life and outstanding looks separate it from the pack.Read the full review: Acer Chromebook 15This product is only available in the US at the time of this writing.
UK and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Asus Chromebook Flip9.
Dell Inspiron 15 GamingWork hard, play hard, this laptop does it allCPU: 7th generation Intel Core i5 i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050; Intel HD Graphics 620 GTX 1050 Ti; Intel HD Graphics 630 | RAM: 8GB 16GB | Screen: 15.6-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) UHD (3,840 x 2,160) anti-glare LED-backlit | Storage: 1TB HDD 1TB HDD; 128GB SSDAffordable gaming setupStellar battery lifeTrackpad is touchyScreen is lackingDitching the Alienware moniker for once, the Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming doesnt cost all that much considering its rather lofty specs.
Even if it cant max out every game you throw at it, the Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming is both cheaper than a MacBook Air and way more capable.
And, if you were worried about the battery life, the Inspiron 15 Gaming lasted a whole 5 hours and 51 minutes in our tests, longer than some Ultrabooks priced significantly higher.
Whether for coursework or leisure, this laptop can do it all.Read the full review:Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming10.
Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid-2017)The MacBook Pro of the future, right nowCPU: 7th generation Intel Core i5 i7 | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus 640 650 | RAM: 8GB 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, WQXGA (2,560 x 1,600) IPS | Storage: 256GB 1TB SSDStronger processorFaster RAMSubpar battery lifeKeyboard learning curveThe 2017 MacBook Pro doesnt offer much in the way of distinguishing itself from its predecessor, but it is a testament to just how much you can improve something by simply swapping up internal components and calling it a day.
Because its finally equipped with the newest generation of Intel Kaby Lake processors and faster-than-ever PCIe 3.0 SSD storage, the MacBook Pro comes easily recommended, undeterred by its reluctance to bring back legacy ports like HDMI and standard USB.
This is, through and through, a laptop built for the future.Read the full review: Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid-2017)Watch the video below for the top 7 things to consider when buying a laptop.Gabe Carey has also contributed to this article89c4642189922e3a0993f8a466302fdb.jpg#