THE BEST STUDENT LAPTOP OVERALL
SPECIFICATIONS:
CPU: Up to Intel Core i7-1165G7 or AMD Ryzen 7 5825U
Graphics: Integrated Iris XE or Radeon graphics
RAM: Up to 16GB DDR4
Screen: up to 17.3-inch 1080p
Storage: Up to 512GB SSD
BUY ME IF:
✅ You’re on a budget: This entry-level model only costs around $600/£450, which makes it a capable option for budgeting students.
✅ You travel a lot: It’s not an ultrabook, but a sturdy design and weight of just 1.7kg mean that the Aspire 5 will happily live in your backpack all day long. With a solid build and decent weight, this extremely affordable 14-inch laptop offers decent battery life and performance for the price.
Reasons to buy
Competitive price
Solid build, with a 1.7kg weight
Decent battery life for the price
Reasons to avoid
Modest performance
720p webcam
Limited port selection
BEST BUDGET STUDENT CHROMEBOOK
2. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 chromebook
SPECIFICATIONS:
Best for: Budget-minded students who don’t need a lot of power
CPU: MediaTek MT8183 Processor (2.0 GHz)
Graphics: Integrated graphics
RAM: 4GB LPDDR4
Screen: 11.6-inch HD 1366 x 768 IPS
Storage: 64GB eMMC Flash Memory
BUY ME IF:
✅You’re after a great value 2-in-1 Chromebook: Despite its low price, this Chromebook punches above its weight.
✅ You want the flexibility of a 2-in-1 device: Not only can this be used as a laptop, but it can turn into a tablet-like device as well.
Reasons to buy
Excellent value
Well built
Battery life is good
Reasons to avoid
Dated design
Not very powerful
BEST BUDGET STUDENT MACBOOK – OUR WINNER
1. MacBook Air M1 chip 2020 model
CPU: Apple M1
Graphics: Integrated
RAM: 8GB
Screen: 13-inch 2560 x 1600 pixel
Storage: 256/512 GB
Battery: Go longer than ever with up to 18 hours of battery life
BUY ME IF:
✅You’re after a great value for your money: Despite its average price, this MacBook Air will meet all your needs as a student.
✅ You want long-lasting battery: MacBooks have some of the best battery performance, and even though this model is from 2020, it still offers excellent battery life that can last the entire day.
Reasons to buy
Still Powerful performance thanks to the M1 chip
Battery life is great
Silent in use
Reasons to avoid
MacOS