The 9 Best Laptops For Students

The Apple MacBook Neo brings a real aluminum MacBook down to a budget price, which makes it the sensible default for most students. Its A18 Pro chip, first used in the iPhone 16 Pro, handles notes, papers, browsing and video calls quickly, and Mashable's battery test ran just under 15 hours. The 13-inch screen is sharper than most budget laptops, and the whole machine weighs 2.7 pounds. The catches are real. Memory is fixed at 8GB, the base model has only 256GB of storage, one of its two USB-C ports runs at slow USB 2 speed, and the keyboard has no backlight. Several universities ask for 16GB, and UCLA's health-sciences guide says it falls below its recommended specs, so check your program first.

The Apple MacBook Air M5 is the one to buy if you want a laptop that lasts through graduation and beyond. This configuration comes with 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage, which meets the minimums most universities publish. The M5 chip runs without a fan, so it's silent in a library, and Mashable's battery test lasted just over 18 hours. You get two Thunderbolt ports, a MagSafe charging port, a headphone jack, Touch ID and a sharp 12-megapixel webcam in a 2.7-pound body. Prices rose in 2026 because of a memory shortage, so it's a big step up from budget laptops, and Windows-only course software won't run on it natively.

Built around battery life, the HP OmniBook 5 14 is a Windows laptop that PCMag ran for more than 34 hours in its video test, so you can leave the charger at home for days of classes. This version pairs a Snapdragon X Plus chip with 16GB of memory, a roomy 1TB drive and a 14-inch OLED screen with deep blacks and rich color. An infrared camera lets you sign in with your face, and the laptop weighs about 2.8 pounds. The trade-offs come from cost cutting and the chip. The keyboard deck is plastic, graphics power is modest, and Wired found the touchpad clumsy. Snapdragon chips use the Arm design, so confirm that every app your courses need runs on Windows on Arm.

At about 2.2 pounds, the Asus Zenbook A14 is one of the lightest Windows laptops you can buy, and CNET called it the lightest Copilot+ PC it had tested. The shell is Asus' Ceraluminum, a ceramic-coated aluminum meant to resist scratches. A large 70-watt-hour battery gave it more than 24 hours in CNET's testing, and a 14-inch OLED screen is a pleasant surprise at this price. A full-size USB-A port and HDMI sit next to two USB-C ports, so you rarely need adapters. This version uses the entry-level Snapdragon X chip, so it slows with heavy multitasking, the screen runs at a basic 60Hz, and Arm app compatibility needs checking before you buy.

The Dell 14 Plus suits students who want Windows without any doubts about software. Its Intel Core Ultra 7 256V uses the standard x86 design, so engineering tools, games and older programs run as expected. Wired called it one of the few laptops near its price with no serious compromise, praising the sharp, bright 2560-by-1600 screen, the comfortable keyboard and the touchpad. This version has 16GB of memory and a 1TB drive, plus Thunderbolt, USB-A and HDMI ports. At 3.4 pounds it's heavier than most 14-inch ultralights, the memory can't be upgraded later, and this configuration sells for well above Dell's own starting price. Dell has since added the 14S, but Wired notes it costs more and has a lower-resolution screen.

For a big 16-inch touchscreen without a big weight penalty, look at the Acer Aspire 16 AI. It weighs 3.4 pounds, light for its size, and CNET called it a rare 16-inch ultraportable. PCMag named it the best-value big-screen laptop it had tested, citing a colorful 120Hz display, a sharp 1440p webcam with a privacy shutter and a wide spread of ports: two USB-C, two USB-A, HDMI and a microSD slot. The Snapdragon X chip, 16GB of memory and 512GB drive handle schoolwork comfortably, with the long battery life typical of Arm laptops. PCMag found the keyboard stiff, a 16-inch body crowds small lecture-hall desks, and Arm app compatibility still needs a check.

Buyers who want a modern Intel laptop with no Arm compatibility worries can get one for little money in the Acer Aspire 14 AI. Its Core Ultra 5 226V is an efficient chip, and Laptop Mag's review of this processor version ran over 14 hours on battery and praised the sturdy aluminum chassis and clicky keyboard. This configuration adds a touchscreen, 16GB of memory and a generous 1TB drive, along with two Thunderbolt ports and HDMI. It weighs about 3 pounds. The screen is the weak spot: Laptop Mag found it dim, with washed-out color, which matters for photo or design work, and the webcam is poor. Independent reviews are scarce, so this entry rests on that one lab review and Acer's specifications.

Engineering, architecture and computer science students who also play games should look at the Lenovo LOQ 15. Its Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 graphics chip handles 3D modeling, CAD software and current games, and the 15.3-inch screen refreshes at a smooth 165Hz. A Ryzen 7 250 processor, 16GB of memory and a 1TB drive round it out. Wired picked it as the most affordable gaming laptop without severe compromises. It's built for a desk more than a backpack, though. It weighs 4.6 pounds, the battery drains fast under load, and the large charger adds bulk. Prices for this model vary widely between sellers and graphics options, so compare before you buy.

The Asus Chromebook CX15 covers the basics for the least money. It runs ChromeOS, which is built around the Chrome browser, Google Docs and web apps, and it handles research, essays and video calls on an Intel N50 chip with 8GB of memory. The 15.6-inch screen is full HD with an anti-glare finish, and Asus says the 3.5-pound body meets the MIL-STD 810H military durability standard. Wired named it the best laptop for the tightest budgets but called the screen and touchpad its weak points. Storage is only 128GB, and it can't run full Windows or Mac programs, so several universities discourage Chromebooks for some majors. Check its automatic update expiration date before buying.