• For today’s college students, no tech is as essential as a top laptop that’s designed for productivity, entertainment, and a healthy dose of video conferencing.
  • For anyone gearing up for the new school year, we have five excellent options to choose from.
  • Overall, the best college laptop is the Dell XPS 13 for many of the same reasons it stands as our best laptop altogether, like ease of use and power.

Besides tuition, textbooks, and lodging, many college students will need to spend money on a new laptop. The best college laptops will get you through four (or more, depending on your program) years of schoolwork as well as downtime entertainment: games and YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, and Spotify binges.

An ideal laptop for college is one that won’t slow down after a couple of years or crash constantly while you’re trying to get work done or finish that game. It’s also slim and lightweight for carrying around campus, and has ample battery life so that it doesn’t die on you at inopportune times. You’ll also need to consider your major area of study: humanities may require more memory for all the tabs you’ll open writing research papers, while engineering or art can require more processing power to design and create.

To help you find the best college laptop in time for your first round of exams, we’ve gathered up the best ones we’ve tested. Where needed, we’ve included some picks based on extensive research and our decades of computing expertise and knowledge.

The hardware inside of your laptop – often referred to as the “specs” – will determine how well it will run on a daily basis, and how long it should last before it gets replaced. All of the laptops below should have enough processing power, storage, memory, and battery longevity to last for at least an entire four-year term of study.

So, if you’re just starting your college education, these will help get you through. And, if you’re already partway through, they’ll last a ways into the time after college so you don’t have to face the expense of a new machine while you’re on the job hunt.

Of course, the more powerful laptops below will be faster and could last a lot longer, but they're more expensive. You'll have to look within your budget, but we are recommending laptops that work for most college students.

Here are the best college laptops you can buy:

Updated on 08/25/2020 by Mark Knapp: Added new and clearer language for timeliness and accuracy. Checked and updated all product links.

The best college laptop overall

The Dell XPS 13 achieves a sublime balance between the strongest mobile computer hardware to date and a sharp-looking, slim, and lightweight frame for a relatively reasonable price.

Dell's flagship XPS 13 has been the overall best laptop for years, and the situation is no different when it comes to college users because the XPS 13's balance between power, portability, and looks is just as ideal for students as it is for general users, making it the best laptop for most people.

The Dell XPS 13 adopts the latest in Intel processor (CPU) technology: the 10th-generation Core-series chips built on the 10-nanometer (nm) process. Exponentially, there are more transistors on the CPU die than before, meaning even more performance and possibly longer battery life - more than 19 hours of battery life from the Full HD (1080p) version, by Dell's measure.

Older versions of the XPS 13 had a webcam that was positioned at the bottom of the display, which was much maligned. The latest model has the webcam on the top, thankfully, so the camera captures you face-on rather than up your nostrils. The webcam is still just 720p, but it now includes far-field microphones for better audio pickup from far away. Even better, Dell managed to fit two fast Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C versatility at 40Gbps speeds) ports in the XPS 13 and a microSD card slot, while keeping the profile slim.

The base model Dell XPS 13 starts with an Intel Core i3 CPU, a 13.3-inch 1080p screen, 4GB of memory (RAM), and a 256GB solid-state drive (SSD) - starting at $1,000. Dell sells the laptop in Platinum Silver with a black carbon-fiber palm rest, weighing just 2.7 pounds and measuring merely 0.3-inches thin. With several options in between, the laptop maxes out with an Intel Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 2TB SSD, and a 4K Ultra High-Definition (UHD at 2160p) touchscreen with Rose Gold and Alpine White color options, with a $2,350 list price.

Pros: Excellent design, long battery life, latest hardware, lots of ports

Cons: Webcam should be 1080p, certain colors locked to higher specs

The best college MacBook

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The latest MacBook Air for 2020 makes its light-and-thin laptop even better with a redesigned keyboard and more storage, keeping its place as our favorite Apple laptop for college students.

The newest MacBook Air still iterates on the redesign released in 2018 - an iteration of the iconic wedge design unveiled in the 2008 MacBook Air - and brings many modern features to, arguably, Apple's most recognizable laptop. Namely, this includes a beyond-HD (2,560 x 1,600), 13.3-inch screen, Apple's Touch ID fingerprint sensor (for login, online passwords, and Apple Pay), headphone jack, and two fast Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports. One bummer: Apple removed the SD card slot from newer MacBook Air.

However, Apple has finally improved the keyboard for 2020, bringing the Magic Keyboard design from the 16-inch MacBook Pro to its most affordable laptop. It significantly improves the typing experience, according to our own review.

The 2020 MacBook Air display is identical to what's found within the more powerful and pricier 13.3-inch MacBook Pro. As such, this display features Apple's True Tone technology, which matches the screen's color temperature to that of the ambient light surrounding it. This feature is critical for anyone suffering from eye strain and other issues, particularly due to blue light emitted by all computer displays.

Keeping to what earned it such a sterling reputation, the 2020 MacBook Air is Apple's top laptop for battery life, lasting for up to 12 hours of wireless web use. Knowing that, it should be easy to rely on the MacBook Air to hang on for many intercontinental flights - not many, if any, Windows laptops can make this claim.

Apple sells this newest MacBook Air model in gray, silver, and gold colors. For the starting $999.00 suggested price, the laptop is driven by a now 10th-generation, fan-less dual-core Intel Core i3 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB solid-state drive.

You can customize these parts - more powerful processor, more memory, bigger storage - but know that nearly all of these upgrades cost way above market rate. However, because of the way the MacBook Air is designed, you cannot upgrade these components after purchase - at least, not easily and not without voiding your warranty.

Apple's computers tend to have a longer shelf life than many of their Windows counterparts. But, if you foresee using a MacBook Air beyond four years of undergraduate studies - post-college job, graduate studies, etc. - paying more now to soup-up the components could extend the laptop's usable lifespan.

The MacBook Air's wide popularity is thanks in no small part to colleges and universities worldwide, whose students adopted the previous model en masse. This is because of the longevity of MacOS and Apple's hardware, seeing these machines through years of study.

Pros: Sharp and vibrant display, Touch ID, light and thin, long-lasting battery, improved keyboard

Cons: Fan-less CPU, component upgrades are pricey

Read our full MacBook Air 2020 review here

The best college 2-in-1 laptop

Foto: Source: Amazon

The Lenovo Yoga C940 is part laptop, part tablet - excellent for both school work and leisure.

The Yoga C940 2-in-1 laptop is Lenovo's latest take on the foldable computing revolution that it helped spark a decade ago. The clever speaker-hinge design has been improved, making way for deeper audio from bigger sound drivers; the hinge also allows the screen to fold all the way back, turning it into a tablet (hence the 2-in-1). Also new in this 2019 model is the adoption of the latest 10-nanometer Intel Core processors.

Even better is that it is easier to open with one hand, with a tiny lip added to the lid, just above the camera. The Lenovo keyboard, thankfully, remains untouched, maintaining the IBM ThinkPad legacy that Lenovo purchased many moons ago. Lenovo is selling the Yoga C940 in the same stylish "Iron Gray" and "Mica" color options as 2018.

Lenovo's focus for the 2019 edition of the Yoga C940 was upping its position as a leading multimedia laptop, introducing bottom-firing speakers into the device's base for even more audio channels (the laptop also supports Dolby Atmos surround sound). Additionally, the stowaway stylus will be helpful for taking notes; it recharges when it's inserted into the laptop.

The Yoga C940 starts at $1,250. That price gets you a 10th-generation Intel Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a 14-inch, 1080p touch-capable display, along with two fast Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, one USB 3.1 port, a fingerprint reader for security, and a webcam privacy shutter. Naturally, there are multiple upgrade options available at checkout. Lenovo includes a battery that's rated to last for up to 15 hours on a charge, by the company's claim, and in one hour can recover 80% of its charge. That all sounds like a perfect fit into space-strapped college life.

Pros: Latest Intel processors, improved audio hardware, stowaway stylus

Cons: Fingerprint reader placement is dated

The best budget college laptop

Foto: Source: Acer

The Acer Chromebook 15 offers the best value laptop for students on a budget.

For anyone seeking to squeeze as much value out of their money as possible, we recommend the Acer Chromebook 15. This Chromebook features plenty of parts and niceties found in much pricier laptops - such as a 15-inch 1080p screen, top-firing speakers, and USB-C connectivity.

This not only allows you to watch movies and other videos - as well as do web-based work and other tasks - at native resolution on a relatively large display, but also enjoy the fuller-sounding stereo audio made possible by top-firing speakers. As for the USB-C connectivity, that runs on the USB 3.1 standard, meaning data transfer speeds up to 5 Gigabits per second (not the fast 40Gbps speed of Thunderbolt 3) as well as DisplayPort support for connecting additional screens and device charging.

The Acer Chromebook 15 also has a webcam with high-dynamic-range, or HDR, for deeper color support in video chats, and an 802.11ac Wi-Fi radio - the most widely used standard today. Suffice it to say, you're getting the niceties of a $600 laptop for almost half the price.

As for the price, the Acer Chromebook 15 includes a dual-core Intel Celeron CPU, 4GB of RAM, a 32GB SSD, two USB-C ports, two USB 3.0 ports, an SD card reader, and a battery that's rated for up to 12 hours of use. It's tough to ask for much more from a laptop at such a price.

With that said, you get what you pay for: It has a serviceable but basic design, and it has an even smaller hard drive than the Google Pixelbook Go (see below), so you would definitely need extra storage - either cloud or external drive. And like the Pixelbook Go, you have the same Chromebook limitations. But for many college students who don't need the frills or plan to run any intensive web apps, the Acer is a great option.

Pros: Large 1080p screen, long battery life, top-firing speakers, plenty of ports

Cons: No biometric login, small local storage

What else we considered

Foto: Source: Amazon

The best college Chromebook: Google Pixelbook Go

Google's latest is the best college Chromebook because it combines a sleek design with an incredible keyboard and a surprising level of hardware fidelity for its starting price.

If your budget allows and you want a Chromebook that's a bit more powerful than the Acer Chromebook 15 we recommend, check out Google's newest Chromebook, the Pixelbook Go, which is essentially its best answer to the Apple MacBook Air - offering terrific performance but for hundreds less.

With its attainable starting price, the Pixelbook Go provides a shockingly luxurious portable computing experience that similarly-priced laptops couldn't come close to. For example, the Pixelbook Go has a 1080p touch-capable display with a 1080p camera, in addition to 8GB of RAM. These parts aren't even found inside the latest entry-level Dell XPS 13, which contains a merely 1080p non-touch screen, 720p camera, and half as much RAM - for hundreds more cash.

However, the Pixelbook Go does come a bit short on storage, at least local storage. With merely 64GB of space in the entry configuration, it leans heavily on Google Drive cloud storage, which starts at $1.99 per month (or $19.99 per year) for 100GB more space (online connectivity required). Still, most other Chromebooks at this price point offer either the same or less local storage. Finally, the Pixelbook Go's battery can last for up to 12 hours, by Google's measure, putting it in line with the MacBook Air in terms of longevity.

We adore the Pixelbook Go for its silent and comfy keyboard as well as its overall offering of premium hardware for a relatively budget price. At its starting configuration, this is the undoubted best Chromebook for the money - easily recommended, although not the cheapest Chromebook you can buy. However, if you're looking at the priciest model - with an Intel Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a 4K Ultra HD screen - we'd recommend seeking a high-end Windows or MacBook laptop instead.

The reason why we aren't recommending this for college students is that we think the Acer Chromebook 15 is a terrific option and cost less money. The Pixelbook Go is a great laptop (it is one of our top picks in our best laptops guide), but for this particular audience, the Acer is the better Chromebook recommendation.

Pros: Excellent display, incredible keyboard, lightweight and slim, long battery life

Cons: Fan-less CPU, pricey upgrades, no biometric login, small-capacity storage

What to look for in a college laptop:

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When you're considering your pick for a laptop, you might run into a lot of features that sound great or confront specs that you're not quite familiar with. What's important is to not let some marketing jargon catch you off guard and distract you from what your actual computing needs are. So, the more knowledge about computers you have when you begin shopping, the easier time you'll have navigating the market to be sure you're getting a machine that's right for you.

We're here to help you understand all the key aspects of a laptop and how they can play into your ability to use the machine for college. So, get ready to have all the technical terms and numbers flying around start to make a lot more sense.

OS and software support: Each of the laptops in our guide runs one of the three major OSes: Windows, MacOS, and ChromeOS. Each OS has its own set of pros and cons.

  • Windows 10: Windows 10 is the most popular computing operating system, and you'll have no problem finding the right software to help get your work done. It's also the best OS for games, if that's how you plan on spending your free time. The downside is that, because it's so popular and open, hackers generally target Windows first, so it's important to run antivirus software regularly and update the OS as security patches get released.
  • MacOS: Like Windows, MacOS is a fully fledged OS with a robust library of apps. If you need a popular app to get your work done, it's almost definitely available for the Mac. The downside is that MacOS only runs on Apple hardware, which is typically a lot more expensive than Windows alternatives. The two upsides are that MacOS has far fewer viruses than Windows, and it shares many of the same apps as the iPhone. If you're an iPhone user, your photos will automatically sync with your Mac, and you'll be able to send and receive iMessages from your computer, among other things.
  • ChromeOS: ChromeOS is different from MacOS and Windows because it's entirely based on Google's Chrome browser, and it requires online connectivity for much of its functionality. You won't have access to the same types of software as you would on a Mac or PC, but you can still use Google's G suite to write papers, prepare presentations, create and edit spreadsheets, and more. You can also use third-party applications that are web based, and some services even let you download content for offline access, like Netflix. Many Chromebooks also support Android apps from the Google Play store Because it's not a traditional OS, you also won't have to worry about computer virus infections or your computer slowing down because it's full of random system files. If you need to run Mac or Windows software, this isn't for you. ChromeOS only runs on Chromebooks, which are generally less powerful but more affordable, though there are a few high-power outliers.

Displays: There are three or four important considerations for a laptop display for school. The first is resolution, which effectively lets you know how clear the picture will be. The short version is that the higher the number, the better the clarity. You'll often see labels such as 720p ("HD"), 1080p ("Full HD"), 4K ("UHD", "Ultra HD", or 2160p). Though more is better, the smaller displays of laptops tend to look perfectly sharp at 1080p, and the upgrade to 4K often comes with major sacrifices to battery life. Size is the next consideration. 11- and 12-inch displays are better when you only need one window open at a time. 13- and 14-inch models work for a bit of side-by-side multitasking, but can be difficult if you're not comfortable with small tests. Larger 15.6- and 17-inch displays offer more workspace but will often mean bigger, heavier devices. Then there's brightness, which is often measured in nits. This is a harder spec to find, but generally, if you find a display that's rated at 300 nits or below, it'll be hard to use outdoors in bright conditions. Higher-brightness displays may work better outdoors, as can displays that offer a matte or anti-glare finish.

Processors: Your processor is going to play heavily into how speedy your computer feels. Luckily, outside of gaming, engineering, or digital art, most modern processors you'll find in laptops will do just fine for school work. If the laptop you're looking at has an Intel processor, know that 8th-Gen Intel Core processors and newer will all but guarantee decent performance. If you don't see a generation listed, you can always find it out by looking at the processor's name, as the generation number always appears in this underlined spot: Intel Core i7-9700. For AMD processors, you'll find Ryzen 3000 and 4000 series processors are up to snuff. For higher performance needs look for Intel or AMD processors that have an H at the end of their model name - these indicate high-power models in both cases.

Memory: Your computer's memory, or RAM (random access memory), is what keeps all your applications up and running. It's measured in gigabytes, and the simple thing to understand is that more is better. 8GB will be enough for many people, but if you often work with a lot of windows and tabs open (especially in Chrome), you may start to use it all up. Your computer can start to feel a lot slower if all your RAM is getting used, and you may have programs crash. The upgrade to 16GB will more likely than not cover most users' needs outside of 3D modeling or high-res video editing. You may even be able to get by on 4GB if you tend to use your computer lightly for word processing and a couple browser tabs.

Storage: It's easy to keep a lot of important files saved online, so storage has become a bit less important for our laptops. You likely don't need a terabyte on your laptop if you stream movies and music. If you plan to game after class, that's when extra storage will be most crucial. For non-gamers, 256GB or even 128GB will likely be enough. What's most important is getting solid state storage (or an SSD), as these will make for a system that's lighter and feels much snappier than a system with a hard drive (or HDD). If you think you might need more storage in the future, many USB drives and microSD cards can serve as auxiliary storage while adding almost no bulk or weight to your laptop.

Ports: These are surprisingly important. A computer that has only USB-C ports may feel modern, but it can become a pain to interface with a lot of accessories. Many mice, keyboards, and external drives still rely on USB-A ports, so it can be handy to have at least one available. If you want to get high speeds out of the USB connection, check the version: USB 2.0 is fine for a mouse or keyboard, while USB 3.0 and above are handy for external drives thanks to their fast transfer speeds. For even more speeds, you can look for Thunderbolt 3. It can also be helpful to have a laptop that charges over a USB-C port, since you're likely to have more options should you need to borrow a friend's charger if you forget yours.

Weight: This may seem like a no-brainer, but your laptop's weight is going to matter a considerable amount for school. We'll start with 4 pounds as a baseline. That's a common ballpark for a lot of laptops, and it likely won't feel too heavy in a good backpack during short trips between class. But, if you have long walks or bike a lot with your laptop, aiming for a laptop below 3 pounds can spare you some backaches. Heavier, high-performance laptops can quickly top 7 pounds, and though that may not sound like a lot, you'll quickly start to feel it when combined with your books and other school supplies. And, chargers are a compounding factor, as lighter laptops tend to have lighter charging bricks while heavier laptops have beefier bricks.

Want more recommendations? Check out our other laptop buying guides

Foto: Source: Asus

If you want even more laptop recommendations from the Insider Reviews team you can check out the following guides, which are updated regularly with new computers as they're released.

Check out our buying guide for college supplies and dorm room essentials

Foto: Source: Blend Images/Shutterstock

The best college supplies and dorm room essentials

Sending your kid off to college is nerve wracking. The best you can do is impart a few life lessons and outfit your kid's dorm room with all the essentials. We've rounded up everything your kid needs for their dorm room from bedding and decor to tech and school supplies.

Living in a dorm is a crazy experience, but so long as you have the essentials, you'll be just fine. Read on to find our top picks for every dorm essential you can imagine.