Find the best laptop for students in 2026
The most important features of a good laptop for student are:
- Connectivity - you will be connecting this device to monitors, projectors, external storage and devices you haven't seen before
- RAM - during the education you will need to install lots of different software, some of which may be demanding. Also, don't be surprised having 70+ browser tabs open while writing an essay.
- Portability - you will be carrying it with you often
- Reliability - nothing is worse than having a dead laptop and due date the next day
Best Laptops under MX$10,000 for students and school
Apple MacBook Air 13.3" 2019
Great Alternatives
These options also score highly and may better suit your specific needs
HP ZBook Ultra 14" G1a Meteor Silver 2025
Why we recommend this ▼
The AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 with 64GB of unified LPDDR5X memory and integrated Radeon 8050S graphics enables local execution of large language models without a discrete GPU. Its 14-inch 2880x1800 OLED 120Hz touchscreen delivers 400 nits brightness and full DCI-P3 color coverage for precise visual work. This workstation is built for AI developers and researchers who need to run LLMs locally on a portable 14-inch chassis.
Dell Latitude 14" 5400 Black 2019
Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.5" 3 Matte Black 2019
Dell Pro Max Pro Max 14
ASUS Vivobook 14" X1404VA-V14.I38128 Quiet Blue 2025
Lenovo IdeaPad 15.6" 82VG00TYUS Abyss Blue 2025
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 12.4" Surface Laptop Go 2 Platinum Silver
Microsoft Surface Go 12.4" 1943 Silver 2019
Svikou HL110YP 11" HL110YP Green 2024
HP Essential 14" TPN-Q221 Pink 2026
AVENKA YEPBOOK-4 15.6" YEPBOOK-4 Gray 2025
HP 14 Laptop 14" 14-dq0040nr Snowflake White 2025
HP 14 14" 14-dq6012dx Sky Blue 2025
HP EliteBook 14" 840 G9 Silver 2022
Lenovo V14 G4 IRU 14" Black 2023
Best Laptops under MX$20,000 for students and school
ASUS Zenbook 14" UX3407QA-DS52-CA Beige 2025
Great Alternatives
These options also score highly and may better suit your specific needs
Lenovo ThinkBook 14 G7 ARP Arctic Grey 2025
HP OmniBook 5 Flip 14" 14-fp0023dx Glacier Silver 2025
Why we recommend this ▼
A 21.5-hour video playback battery and 14-inch 1920x1200 IPS touchscreen with edge-to-edge glass give this 2-in-1 standout endurance and clarity, powered by Intel's Core 7 150U processor. Its 360-degree hinge and sturdy build enable fluid tablet or tent mode transitions, while Microsoft Copilot AI and a full port set including HDMI 2.1 add practical versatility. This convertible is best for students and casual users who need all-day handwritten note-taking, streaming, and light multitasking.
Dell Inspiron dell inspiron 15 Black 2024
ASUS Vivobook 14" 2025 Ultra Portable Business Quiet Blue
Why we recommend this ▼
With 24GB of RAM and a combined 1TB of solid-state storage, this 6-core Intel i3-1315U laptop delivers strong multitasking in a sub-1.4kg chassis. It bundles a lifetime Microsoft Office 2024 license and offers four USB-A ports, a rare find in ultraportables. Best suited for business travelers and students prioritizing memory, legacy connectivity, and pre-installed productivity software over graphics performance.
Lenovo IdeaPad 15.6" 82XM00LMUS Arctic Grey 2025
Lenovo LOQ Essential 15.6" 83LK00C9US Luna Grey 2025
Why we recommend this ▼
An Intel Core i5-12450HX and RTX 4050 drive a 15.6-inch 144Hz 100% sRGB IPS display for smooth 1080p gaming. The 1.9kg build and color-accurate screen add portability for content consumption. It best suits students and casual gamers needing everyday entertainment and 1080p play, though 8GB RAM limits developer multitasking.
Lenovo LOQ 15.6" 83JC00LYUS Luna Grey 2025
Why we recommend this ▼
The RTX 4050 with 8GB VRAM and a 144Hz 100% sRGB display delivers smooth 1080p gaming with accurate colors, avoiding the common 6GB bottleneck in this price tier. At just 1.36kg, this Lunar Grey chassis is exceptionally portable for a 15.6-inch gaming laptop, though the 39Wh battery limits unplugged use. It's best for budget-conscious gamers who prioritize frame rates and color accuracy over battery life.
NIMO NIMO N152 15.6" N152 Rose Gold 2025
HP ZBook 14" Ultra G1a Meteor Silver 2025
Why we recommend this ▼
With an AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 6-core processor and integrated Radeon 8040S graphics, this 14-inch mobile workstation handles on-device AI workloads and LLMs locally. The 1920x1200 anti-glare IPS display delivers 400 nits brightness and full sRGB color, while Thunderbolt 4 and Wi-Fi 7 provide versatile connectivity. It’s best for AI developers and data scientists who need to run local LLM inference on a portable Windows 11 Pro system.
Acer Aspire 14" A14-52M-72S0 Gray 2025
HP Victus 15.6" 144Hz Full HD Gaming Laptop | Blue 2021
HP OmniBook X Flip 16" 16-ar0013dx Meteor Silver 2025
Lenovo V15 15.6" V15 Black 2026
Lenovo Yoga 16" 7i 2-in-1 Gray 2025
Why we recommend this ▼
The 16-inch 2560x1440 IPS touchscreen and 12-core Intel Core Ultra 7 155U deliver fluid multitasking in a 360° chassis that auto-switches modes via Lenovo Transition. Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 6E, and a rare Gigabit Ethernet port stand out, while a bundled keypad and Mytrix HDMI cable add immediate productivity. This 2-in-1 suits business users and students who need a large, adaptable screen for documents, presentations, and streaming, not gaming.
MSI Thin 15.6" B13UC Black 2025
Why we recommend this ▼
The 10-core Intel Core i5-13420H and RTX 3050 graphics power a 15.6-inch 144Hz IPS display, enabling fluid 1080p gameplay in a 1.81kg chassis. Its full set of ports, including Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6E, combined with a backlit keyboard, ensures stable, comfortable long sessions. This renewed laptop is ideal for budget-focused gamers wanting high refresh rates for esports and casual titles.
Best Laptops under MX$40,000 for students and school
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Gray 2025
Great Alternatives
These options also score highly and may better suit your specific needs
ASUS Zenbook Duo 14" UX8406CA-PS99T Inkwell Gray 2025
Why we recommend this ▼
Dual 14-inch 2880x1800 OLED 120Hz touchscreens with 500 nits peak brightness and 100% DCI-P3 color expand to a 19.8-inch workspace, powered by an Intel Core Ultra 9 285H processor and 32GB RAM. Its 0.57-inch thin, 3.64-pound chassis integrates a detachable Bluetooth keyboard, built-in kickstand, and military-grade durability for flexible multi-screen use and effortless portability. Best for multitasking students and professionals needing a portable dual-display setup with up to 16 hours of battery life for productivity and media consumption.
Microsoft Surface Pro 13" ZHY-00019 Black 2024
Why we recommend this ▼
With a Snapdragon X Plus chip delivering 45 TOPS of NPU power, this 0.89kg tablet fuels exclusive Copilot+ AI features and a sharp 13-inch 2880x1920 120Hz PixelSense Flow display. Its 165-degree kickstand, color-matched Alcantara keyboard options, and auto-framing AI camera add practical versatility and premium build feel. This 2-in-1 is best for students and business users who need a featherlight device for on-the-go AI-assisted productivity, from live captions to generative art.
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 16" NP964QHA-KG2US Gray 2026
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 14" Gen 12 Black 2024
Why we recommend this ▼
At just 2.41 pounds, this MIL-STD 810H-tested ultraportable packs an Intel Core Ultra 7 165U, 32GB LPDDR5X RAM, and a 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSD with a 14-inch 1920x1200 display. The redesigned keyboard adds tactile markers for touch typists, paired with a larger 120mm glass touchpad, while dual Thunderbolt 4, USB-A, and HDMI 2.1 ports eliminate dongle dependency. It's ideal for business travelers needing a lightweight, rugged notebook with all-day typing comfort.
Lenovo Yoga 7 14" 83JR0001US Seashell 2025
Why we recommend this ▼
Powered by the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 with a 50 TOPS NPU, this 2-in-1 delivers AI-accelerated multitasking and a vivid 14-inch OLED display with 100% DCI-P3 color and 600 nits brightness. Its 360° convertible design and included pen provide precise, natural input for sketching, while the 70Wh battery offers 13.5 hours of video playback with Rapid Charge Express. This device is best for mobile creators and students who need a color-accurate touchscreen and versatile form factor for note-taking and design work on the go.
Lenovo ThinkPad P14s 14" Gen 5 Black 2024
ASUS Zenbook 14" UX3402VA-GH95 Foggy Silver 2023
Why we recommend this ▼
The 14-inch 2.8K OLED display with 600 nits brightness and 100% DCI-P3 gamut teams with a 13th Gen Core i9-13900H for sharp, color-accurate visuals and effortless multitasking in a 1.39kg aluminum chassis. Its Kintsugi-inspired build, 75Wh battery, and comprehensive port selection—including Thunderbolt 4—make it a durable, travel-ready ultraportable. This laptop is best for students and commuters who need a vivid, high-res screen for note-taking, streaming, and everyday productivity without sacrificing battery life.
ASUS ExpertBook 14" B9403CVA-XVE76 Star Black 2024
Why we recommend this ▼
A 0.99kg magnesium-lithium alloy build and a 2880x1800 OLED 90Hz display with 100% sRGB color accuracy are driven by an Intel Core 7 150U vPro processor for secure portability. Enterprise features like a fingerprint sensor, TPM 2.0, and 2-way AI noise-canceling complement the dedicated Copilot key for streamlined AI assistance. This ultralight best serves business travelers who need a sub-1kg laptop with 32GB RAM, robust security, and a vivid OLED panel for on-the-go productivity.
Lenovo ThinkBook 14 G7 ARP Arctic Gray 2024
Lenovo IdeaPad IdeaPad Slim 3 15 Luna Grey 2026
ASUS Vivobook S16 16" M5606KA-DS76 Neutral Black 2024
Why we recommend this ▼
The 16-inch 2880x1800 OLED display with 100% DCI-P3 and 120Hz refresh is backed by an AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 chip, Radeon 860M graphics, and up to 14-hour battery life in a 1.5kg build. A 1TB SSD, Thunderbolt port, and full-size RGB backlit keyboard with privacy shutter enhance productivity, while the minimalist design keeps it understated. It’s ideal for photo editors and media consumers seeking a vivid, color-accurate display for editing and entertainment on the go.
ASUS ROG Strix 16" G615LM-DS96 Eclipse Gray 2025
Why we recommend this ▼
The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX and RTX 5060 GPU drive a 16-inch 240Hz 2.5K display with full DCI-P3 coverage, delivering fluid visuals for fast-paced gaming. Its 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD handle heavy multitasking, while the efficient cooling system sustains performance under load. This laptop is best for competitive gamers and streamers who need high frame rates and color accuracy in a single, desktop-replacement machine.
Dell 14 Plus 14" DB14250 Ice Blue 2024
Why we recommend this ▼
The on-device NPU integrated into its Intel Core Ultra 9 288V chip enables genuine local AI acceleration for tasks like real-time document summarization and email drafting. Its durable aluminum chassis has undergone military-grade testing for reliability, weighing only 1.55kg for a portable 14-inch 2.5K display package. This laptop is best suited for mobile students and developers who require 32GB of RAM for AI-assisted multitasking.
Acer Swift X 14.5" SFX14-72G-77NJ Gray 2024
Why we recommend this ▼
The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor with dedicated NPU powers AI-accelerated workflows, while the RTX 4060 GPU and 14.5-inch 2880x1800 120Hz OLED display deliver sharp, color-accurate visuals. The vibrant CineCrystal OLED panel offers deep blacks and high contrast, complemented by a portable 1.5kg design and a 76Wh battery for extended on-the-go use. This laptop is best for content creators and entertainment users who need GPU acceleration and a premium OLED screen for color grading or media consumption.
HP EliteBook 14" 840 G11 2024
Why we recommend this ▼
Its Intel Core Ultra 7 155U processor with 12 cores and 32GB of DDR5 RAM handles heavy multitasking in a 1.42kg chassis. A 5MP IR camera and HP Wolf Security deliver clear conferencing and firmware-level protection, while Wi-Fi 6E and Thunderbolt 4 provide fast, versatile connectivity. This notebook is best for business travelers and hybrid workers who prioritize portability and security over display color accuracy.