The best laptops for students

You’re about to embark on your new journey as a student – whether it be to college or university – and you may be wondering which laptop to invest in for those late-night study sessions. We’ve compiled a list of the best laptops for students so that you don’t have to! We’ve done all the homework, so all that’s left to do is read this guide and make your decision. 

Here, we’ll go through all of the specs of each laptop, balancing performance, portability and price,  allowing you to make an informed decision before college or uni life takes over! We’ll cover every option, from those that are budget-friendly to those best for creative projects. 

H2: The top 10 best laptops for students

After careful consideration and a lot of research, we have put together a list of the laptops you should be considering to better your studies. Take a look at our comprehensive  list below: 

Rank	Model	Key specifications	Best for
1.	Dell Latitude 5420	Core i5 11th Gen, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 14″, Windows 11 Pro	The Dell Latitude 5420 ranks number 1 on our list of best laptops for students due to its 11th Gen Core i5 processor and its fast performance when browsing the web, allowing you to research and write assignments efficiently. The Dell Latitude is also an excellent choice due to its 14-inch display, providing a great balance of screen space. With its 8GB of RAM, you won’t have to worry about your workload. Also, you won’t have to worry about security issues with it running Windows 11 Pro.
2.	Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 1	Core i5 10th Gen, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 14″, Windows 11 Pro	If you’re going to be spending long hours typing out huge assignments and making notes, then this is the laptop for you because of its durability and comfort. With a 10th Gen Core i5 processor and a substantial 16GB of RAM, you’ll be able to handle multiple browser tabs, PDF readers and word processors at the same time, allowing you to multitask. This laptop is also robust, making it easy to carry around to different lectures, too.
3.	HP EliteBook 840 G6	Core i5 8th Gen, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 14″, Windows 11 Pro	3rd on our list of best laptops for students is the HP EliteBook. This laptop is known for its premium build and reliability. This model has 8GB of RAM and uses an 8th Gen Core i5 processor, giving you a seamless experience with your coursework. You’ll also get a comfortable viewing with its 14-inch display.
4.	Blue Lenovo ThinkPad T480	Core i5 8th Gen, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 14″, Windows 11 Pro	4th on our list of best laptops for students is the Blue Lenovo ThinkPad. It offers the perfect combination of affordability and performance. The Lenovo also has an 8th Gen Core i5, with 16GB of RAM. Having RAM capacity as high as this is perfect for handling demanding applications or intensive research. So, if you’re looking for a responsive and affordable laptop that is reliable,  this is a great option for you.
5.	Lenovo ThinkPad T470s	Core i5-7300U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, 14″, Windows 10 Pro	Number 5 on our list of best laptops for students is the Lenovo ThinkPad T470s. It is a slimmer and lighter design, so it is easily portable for students constantly on the move across campus. This Lenovo boasts an impressive 16GB of RAM with a massive 512GB SSD, giving you more than enough room for storing files. Although the 7th Gen Core i5 is a little older, the high memory and solid-state drive ensure it still performs efficiently.
6.	Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gaming Laptop	Core i7-10850H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Nvidia Quadro T1000, 15.6″	If you’re a student pursuing a course in a demanding field like architecture, engineering, graphic design or 3D modelling, this is the best laptop for you. The Core i7 processor, Nvidia Quadro T1000 graphics card, and 16GB of RAM give you the processing power needed to run creative CAD software without disturbance. Also, the 15.6-inch screen offers great visual space for detailed projects.
7.	Lenovo ThinkPad P53 Gaming Laptop	Core i7-9850H, 16GB RAM, 512GB, Nvidia Quadro T1000, 15.6″	7th on our list of best laptops for students is the Lenovo ThinkPad P53. It is built for heavy-duty tasks, which makes it a great option for students in technical or creative majors. With a 9th Gen Core i7 CPU and a dedicated Quadro T1000 GPU, the laptop will easily handle video editing and intensive data analysis. This way, you’ll have no limitations with your coursework and projects.
8.	Lenovo ThinkPad P52 Gaming Laptop	Core i7-8850H, 16GB RAM, 512GB, Nvidia Quadro P1000, 15.6″	The Lenovo ThinkPad P52 Gaming laptop is another strong choice for students, especially those focused on performance. The 8th Gen Core i7 and Quadro P1000 graphics card both provide great power for any tasks beyond simple word processing, like software development. The 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD allow for smooth operations and fast loading for all applications.
9.	Lenovo ThinkPad P50 Gaming Laptop	Core i7-6820HQ, 64GB RAM, 1TB, Nvidia Quadro M1000M, 15.6″	The Lenovo ThinkPad P50 gaming laptop is popular for its massive 64GB of RAM and 1TB SSD. This is perfect for those needing a lot of capacity for large datasets or complex multimedia projects.
10.	Lenovo ThinkPad T460	Core i5-6300U, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 14″, Windows 10 Pro	Number 10 on our list is the most affordable option. The T460 is the best option for students with the most limited budget who need a laptop for basic tasks, such as research, document creation and emailing. With 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD, the T460 is the best laptop for students who need a device for everyday use as a durable entry-level device.

Choosing the best laptops for students 

As you can imagine, the type of laptop that you’ll need to buy will massively depend on the type of course you register for, and will also depend on your course load. Let’s take a look at the different types of laptops you can try. 

Content-heavy courses with a lot of writing 

For students who need to write a lot, you’ll need a laptop that is lightweight and that lasts. Taking all of this into consideration, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 1 is the best option with its superior keyboard and 16 GB of RAM. 

Creative courses

For students who need to pay attention to visual detail, the Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gaming Laptop is the best choice. With its a high-performance CPU and the Quadro T1000, which is a professional-grade GPU designed specifically for applications like Adobe Premiere Pro, Photoshop, AutoCAD, and Blender. 

Engineering and Computer Science Courses

Enrolling in engineering or computer science courses will require a laptop that can run demanding software smoothly. The best laptop for students in engineering and computer science courses is the Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gaming laptop or the Lenovo ThinkPad P53 Gaming laptop. 

Both laptops offer the same powerful Nvidia Quadro T1000 GPU and 16GB RAM, providing the essential speed and memory overhead needed for large code projects. ThinkPads are known for their robust build quality and good-quality keyboards, which are perfect for hours of intense coding.

Budget-conscious Students 

For those students looking for more budget-friendly options, and mainly relying on Google Docs and web search, the Blue Lenovo ThinkPad T480 is the best option. This way, you can save money without having to compromise on essential functions. This laptop has an exceptional processor generator, future-proof RAM and is very durable and reliable. 

Now that you have a list of the best laptops for students, you’ll be able to make an informed decision on which laptop to buy. As mentioned above, this will depend on the type of course you register for, as each laptop has special features that work better for different reasons. However, you may be looking to purchase a refurbished laptop instead of buying a brand new one. If this sounds like something you’re more interested in doing, make sure to get in touch with one of our team of experts at PC Renewed today!