Schools, colleges and universities are about to begin (online) after a long break due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Students are in search of the best laptop for them which suit both, their requirements and budget. But due to the plenty of choices available with attractive features, purchasing a laptop that fulfills your requirements becomes homework in itself. In this article we discuss best affordable laptops for college students.

The cheapest laptop in the market does not need to be the best laptop for you. Various factors determine whether a laptop is suitable for you or not. Your purpose behind purchasing the laptop and your budget are the two fundamental factors that must be clear before buying a laptop.  Due to digitization and the changing technology laptops have become a necessity for everyone. Whether you are a school going student, college student or a professional programmer, a laptop has become a crucial part of everyone’s toolkit. However, the choice of a laptop may vary according to their need.

Which are the best and affordable laptops for college students?

Junior or school students need a laptop to take notes, complete assignments, online classes and light gaming. Thus, a sleek and thin laptop with an i3 processor, 4GB RAM, and a good battery backup is sufficient to fulfill their requirements. They don’t need advanced features, however, the weight of the laptop and the battery backup are the two main factors of concern. A massive laptop will add extra weight to a student’s bag pack. Thus, it is preferred to choose a lightweight laptop that provides a long battery backup on a single charge.

Usually, senior or college students require a laptop for research works, streaming videos, content writing, basic gaming, and light programming. Thus, a fast CPU and long battery life become their basic needs. A laptop with an i5 processor and 8GB RAM will be capable to handle their workload. But a programmer needs a laptop for heavy use purposes like multitasking, intense programming, running hefty software (AUTOCAD, MATLAB), graphic designing, 3-D modeling, etc. They need a laptop with a fast processor and robust hardware. A laptop with an i7 processor and 8GB RAM is recommended for programmers with heavy use. Programmers can also go for Ubuntu laptops.

To relieve the confusion from your mind, we have come up with a guide that will help you choose the perfect laptop. So whether you are taking off to college, planning for online courses at home, or anything in between, use our guide to narrow down your choices and find the best laptop for you.

Top 5 laptops for college students

1. HP Pavilion x360:- The best overall student laptop

According to our survey, HP Pavilion x360 is the best laptop available in the market for students. With a sleek design and alluring features, this laptop is powered by the 8^th generation Intel Core i3 processor and comes with 4GB RAM and 256GB SSD. It operates on Windows 10 and has a display of 14-inches with a touchscreen and a resolution of 1920*1080 pixels. This laptop has impeccable build quality and a stylish design. It comes with HDMI, USB type-C slots, networking ports, and pre-installed Windows 10 Home version.

Specifications:

CPU	Intel Core i3 8th Generation
RAM	4GB DDR4
Display	14-inch, 1920*1080 pixels (Touchscreen)
Storage	256GB SSD
Graphics	Intel integrated HD graphics 520

Pros:

• It has the best all-around specs
• Super design and build quality
• Massive internal storage

Cons:

• No biometric login

2. Dell Inspiron 5000:- The best 2 in 1 laptop

In case you’re searching for one of the most robust and rejuvenated laptops in the market, you cannot miss Dell Inspiron 5000. This laptop has a premium feel, good CPU performance, and long-lasting battery life.  Powered by 10^th generation Intel Core i3 processor and integrated NVidia GeForce MX250 graphics, this laptop stands out of the crowd. Dell Inspiron 5000 performs either equivalent to or better than other laptops in the same price range. It weighs 1.64 kg that can be easily carried by students in their bag packs. It has a 14-inch display with a resolution of 1920*1080 pixels that provides an unmatched viewing and gaming experience. Dell Inspiron 5000 comes with 512GB of SSD storage and Windows 10 Home version.

Specifications:

CPU	Intel Core i3 10th Generation
RAM	4GB DDR4
Display	14 inch, 1920*1080 pixels
Storage	512GB SSD
Graphics	NVidia GeForce MX250

Pros:

• Attractive and premium look
• Powerful CPU performance
• Good battery life

Cons:

• No touchscreen
• No biometric login

3. HP Spectre x360:- Premium student laptop

The HP Spectre x360 is among the best Ultrabooks available in the market. It is a 2 in 1 premium student laptop that can be flipped and used as a tablet. It has a beautiful 13.3-inch touchscreen display that is available in 4K and 1920*1080 pixels resolution. HP Spectre x360 comes with a fingerprint scanner, camera privacy switch, and Thunderbolt 3 port. This laptop is powered by the 10^th generation Intel Core i5 processor and works on the Windows 10 operating system. It has a massive trackpad and small bezels on the sides.

Specifications:

CPU	Intel Core i5 10th Generation
RAM	8GB DDR4
Display	13.3 inch, 1920*1080/4K (Touchscreen)
Storage	512GB SSD
Graphics	NVidia GTX 1050

Pros:

• Great hardware
• Powerful CPU performance
• Ultra-bright display
• Epic battery life
• LTE connectivity (optional)

Cons:

• 16:9 display feels cramped
• Fat top and bottom bezels

4. Dell XPS9360-3591SLV:- Powerful laptop for creative students

The price of Dell XPS9360 might go out of budget. But trust me, this is the best laptop available in the market for creative students, film students, and graphic designers. Incorporating stunning power, powerful hardware, and stylish design, this laptop will enhance your computing experience. It is powered by a potent 7^th generation Intel Core i5 processor and comes with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage capacity. Dell XPS9360 has a gorgeous ultra-bright touchscreen display of 13.3 inches with 1920*1080 pixels resolution. The super-fast trackpad, impressive speakers, and comfortable keyboard are some of the alluring features of this laptop.

Specifications:

CPU	Intel Core i5 7th Generation
Ram	8GB DDR4
Display	13.3 inch, 1920*1080 pixels (Touchscreen)
Storage	256GB SSD
Graphics	Intel HD Graphics 620

Pros:

• Comfortable keyboard
• Super responsive touchpad
• Amazing speakers
• Infinity Edge display

Cons:

• Little pricey
• Awkward webcam position

5. ASUS Vivo Book 15:- Impressive performance & Reasonable price

With ASUS Vivo Book 15, the company has tried to offer a flagship performance whilst keeping the price moderately low. It is a powerful laptop that comes with a 15inch Full HD display with small bezels. The small bezels on the display screen look very similar to an infinity-edge display and enhance the viewing experience. It is powered by the 8^th generation Intel Core i7 processor and comes with 8GB DDR4 RAM. ASUS has also used NVidia MX250 graphics card to deal effectively with intensive graphic tasks. ASUS Vivo Book 15 comes with a storage combination of 256GB SSD and 1TB hard disk.

Specifications:

CPU	Intel Core i7 8th Generation
RAM	8GB DDR4
Display	15-inch Full HD 1920*1080
Storage	256GB SSD
Graphics	NVidia MX250

Pros:

• Fast CPU performance
• Sleek and Thin
• Small bezels

Cons:

• Build quality is unimpressive
• Average display

The purpose behind purchasing a laptop and the budget are the two fundamental things that must be clear in every student’s mind before buying a laptop. In-depth research before making a choice makes you mindful of those things which were not in your considerations previously. We have done the homework on your behalf. All the laptops present in the market have some pros and cons. There is nothing like a “perfect or best laptop for all students”. It’s your requirement and need that makes a laptop perfect or best for you. So be clear of your requirements and get home your best laptop today!