Being a student is hard. Most of us who chose to go to college all remember the extensive hours, dreadful deadlines, early morning classes, and even longer nights. Lectures, note-taking, and studying all become easier with the right accessories. One of the best kinds of accessories we can recommend for any student is a laptop.
Laptops can provide extra accessibility to students by assisting them with various academic tasks they may encounter, such as writing citations, researching, watching lectures online, and spell-checking. No need to grab out that pesky notepad and pen, just simply slide open your new shiny laptop and begin your note-taking with ease.
While owning a laptop can feel luxurious, no one likes lugging around a heavy laptop, a laptop that sounds like an airplane starting up, or the type of laptop that takes 40 days and 40 nights to charge or start-up. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the most hassle-free and cost-effective laptops for college students on the market.
How We Picked
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Storage
Storage is a critical aspect when choosing a laptop. We have outlined a variety of laptops with a number of different storage sizes based on your needs and preferences.
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Size, Weight, and Portability
We have considered the weight and portability of a variety of laptops. We’ve opted for relatively light and portable laptops, perfect for college students always on the move.
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Course Requirements
When working on your various courses, it”s important to have a tech-savvy computer, one that can handle high functions with a lot of CPU power. For this selection, we have chosen only the most tech-savvy and fastest supporting laptops on the market.
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Cost-Effective
A cost-effective laptop with decent specs is hard to find, but not impossible. We’ve researched extensively and found the most affordable laptops on the market for your college experience.
Our Top Picks
Our Top Pick
Apple MacBook Air (Renewed)
The MacBook Air is for serious tech-savvy students who need a laptop that won’t quit on them.
This pre-owned MacBook is an excellent choice for tech students everywhere. This laptop is for those who enjoy a fast-functioning laptop with no issues. Being pre-owned, it is cheaper than a new laptop and has the same effect as a new laptop that is guaranteed by diagnostics tests done by Amazon themselves!
Buy Now for $589.00
This may not be the cheapest option, but the intuitive design makes up for it!
Our Runner-Up
HP Stream Laptop
Light, streamlined, and fashionable, this HP laptop has a powerful and long-lasting battery life.
This laptop has a 4GB memory, anti-glare properties, and up to 13 consecutive hours of battery life. It comes in a striking diamond silver color. This choice is great for any student on the go who requires frequent use of their laptop throughout the day. The thin, sleek design promotes lengthened durability and portability, so no one has to lug around a heavy laptop all day.
Buy Now for $209.00
For students who prefer a cheaper option, this anti-glare portable laptop is a great choice for any student looking for a bargain.
Most Cost-Effective
Lenovo IdeaPad Chromebook
The Lenovo Chromebook is cost-effective, very portable, and functional for those traveling.
With this compact laptop, there are no hassles involved, just log into your Google account and you’re good to go. Besides not being a touch screen, this 2-in-1 laptop comes in the color Onyx Black and can hold up to 4GB of memory. Keep up to date with your online lectures and studies with this extremely portable, powerful, and fast-charging laptop that has up to 10 hours of battery life. We recommend this product to all the avid writers in the crowd.
Buy Now for $107.62
Despite its small size, this laptop packs a punch!
Everything We Recommend
Our Runner-Up
HP Stream Laptop
Light, streamlined, and fashionable, this HP laptop has a powerful and long-lasting battery life.
$209.00
Buy Now
Who This Is For
These products were chosen for starting-out or continuing college students who are looking for a laptop that meets their particular needs at an affordable price with zero hassle.
Should I get a new laptop for college or university?
Getting a new laptop for college is crucial, and we’ll tell you why! Once you start uploading your work onto your computer, citing your references, and doing research, you’ll quickly notice your laptop will either lose memory or begin to lag (and we know there’s nothing more frustrating than a slow laptop). We want you to get the best experience out of your laptop, so there won’t be any issues when you need it the most. That’s why we’ve outlined the best laptops recommended for students.
What is the average amount of storage needed for a college student’s laptop?
For students using the most basic tech essentials on their laptops, 4GB of memory (RAM) accomplishes quite a lot. For students who need a bit more attention to detail and want to be able to perform multiple tasks at once, such as gaming, programming, or graphics design, you should choose a laptop with at least 8GB of RAM.
Most cost-effective laptops come with a decent-sized 4-8GB RAM. However, we suggest buying yourself an extra external hard drive or USB to store your files, so your laptop can continue to run smoothly if you are using excessive CPU.
Why You Should Trust Us
We’ve spent time looking at an extensive variety of laptops throughout the web, and with our team of researchers, we have picked and evaluated the best laptops for your selection based on a variety of factors such as battery life, storage space, accessibility, durability, portability, and reliability.
How We Picked
For an appropriate and accurate evaluation of which laptops are best for college students, we have taken a variety of aspects into account. Firstly, your course requirements will depend on which type of CPU and RAM space is needed on your laptop. Storage, cloud access, backup ability, CPU processing, and internal and external hard drive capabilities are all important factors that have been considered when picking our selections. Furthermore, size and portability also play a vital role in our evaluation, and we compared the weight and durability of a variety of laptops to ensure only the best quality products are reviewed.
Additionally, reliable charging speed capabilities are also crucial considerations we have taken, since no one wants to carry an annoying charging cord around all day. Lastly, another aspect we have focused on is looking into the types of operating systems (OS) supported to ensure the newest OS is always available and all applications are compatible. A fast CPU processing unit and an HD graphics card are also essential, especially for those working on any type of graphics design or programming degree. Our reviews have also considered audio and screen quality to ensure you get the best high-definition experience out of your laptop.
Our Picks For You
Our Top Pick – Apple MacBook Air (Renewed)
Our Top Pick
Apple MacBook Air (Renewed)
The MacBook Air is for serious tech-savvy students who need a laptop that won’t quit on them.
This pre-owned MacBook is an excellent choice for tech students everywhere. This laptop is for those who enjoy a fast-functioning laptop with no issues. Being pre-owned, it is cheaper than a new laptop and has the same effect as a new laptop that is guaranteed by diagnostics tests done by Amazon themselves!
Buy Now for $589.00
Who It’s For
This laptop is excellent for those who need a little extra kick. Due to the 8GB of RAM and the fast processing unit, this laptop can handle multiple tasks at once while still running fluently.
Why It’s Great
The MacBook Air has a fast charging speed and a light design for easy access and maximum portability. This product comes with a charger and the IOS Apple operating system, designed for smooth working and high functioning with several tasks being done at once. The screen measures 13.3 inches and comes in sleek, utilitarian silver color. The CPU model of this laptop is Core i5 and has a hard disk space of 256GB.
Potential Flaws
Due to the product being second-hand, there is a potential risk being taken when purchasing this product and minor flaws may be present. Amazon notes that no visible flaws can be seen 12 inches away from the laptop, and most users mentioned that the product arrived in great condition. Besides the streamlined and intuitive design of Apple, it may not be the most cost-effective option we’ve outlined.
Other Features
This product certainly costs a pretty penny, but we can guarantee it’s worth it at the end of the day. This laptop offers various design features that are intuitive for a streamlined working experience. Your MacBook will last you years, and way longer if properly maintained. The effectiveness of the design of this laptop is undeniable, and it comes with a guaranteed 90-day warranty and return policy. 63% of customers gave this laptop a 5-star review, and we can see why! The reviewers noted the product arrived faster than expected, looked completely new, and exceeded their expectations.
Our Runner-Up – HP Stream Laptop
Our Runner-Up
HP Stream Laptop
Light, streamlined, and fashionable, this HP laptop has a powerful and long-lasting battery life.
This laptop has a 4GB memory, anti-glare properties, and up to 13 consecutive hours of battery life. It comes in a striking diamond silver color. This choice is great for any student on the go who requires frequent use of their laptop throughout the day. The thin, sleek design promotes lengthened durability and portability, so no one has to lug around a heavy laptop all day.
Buy Now for $209.00
Who It’s For
The HP Stream laptop measures 11.6 inches and comes in a striking diamond outer shell. This laptop is portable, stylish, and affordable. It’s great for students starting out who require a reliable laptop that can provide all the basic essential workings that a student needs.
Why It’s Great
This laptop has an Intel UHD Graphics 600 coprocessor for an all-day HD graphic display. The dual-core processor assists you during your workday with its great performance and instant responsiveness. This inexpensive laptop works great for streaming films and television series, online shopping, word documents, and online research.
Potential Flaws
While it’s a great fit for the majority of the students, it tends to be a bit small for some users. Some customers have complained about the compact size of the computer and have recommended using an extra screen for better visibility if working from home. Other users have noted that the webcam quality for Zoom and Microsoft teams isn’t of the highest quality.
Other Features
The CPU model is the Celeron N4020 and has a RAM size of 4GB, perfect for students who need to use the basics on a laptop. It has the Windows 11 operating system for extra responsiveness and built-in protection against viruses. It also has an extensive battery life, lasting up to 13 hours and 15 minutes. This laptop has received 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon, with 67% of reviewers giving it 5 stars. Customers have noted that they purchased this laptop specifically for usage on the go. Other reviews note how the laptop charges well and efficiently and is a good value for money based on what they got.
Most Cost-Effective – Lenovo IdeaPad Chromebook
Most Cost-Effective
Lenovo IdeaPad Chromebook
The Lenovo Chromebook is cost-effective, very portable, and functional for those traveling.
With this compact laptop, there are no hassles involved, just log into your Google account and you’re good to go. Besides not being a touch screen, this 2-in-1 laptop comes in the color Onyx Black and can hold up to 4GB of memory. Keep up to date with your online lectures and studies with this extremely portable, powerful, and fast-charging laptop that has up to 10 hours of battery life. We recommend this product to all the avid writers in the crowd.
Buy Now for $107.62
Who It’s For
The Lenovo Chromebook comes with a full variety of apps on GooglePlay, with little set-up required for students who need a laptop with easy accessibility. This is a great beginner’s laptop for any student who prefers to use their laptop while on the go or while traveling.
Why It’s Great
The Chromebook laptop comes with a variety of built-in features, such as a 720p webcam, wifi, Bluetooth accessibility, an audio combo jack, and 4 USB ports. There is little setup required; the product is easily accessible and collaborates with the use of the tools in G Suite. The design is particularly slim and lightweight for traveling. It runs on Chrome OS and boots up in seconds. The size of the laptop promotes durability and portability throughout the day, so you can do all the work you need without any hassles.
Potential Flaws
According to some Amazon reviewers, the laptop may not support certain high-functioning programs due to its small memory size, so an external hard drive may be needed to support larger files without lagging. There has been a wide range of experiences noted on Amazon, with some customers mentioning the slowness of the laptop when performing multiple tasks, while others have claimed that some programs become incompatible after around 6 years of usage.
Other Features
This laptop is certainly more cost-effective than the others on our list, and we recommend it for students who are beginning their degrees and in need of an inexpensive product that does the job. This laptop is great for using the basics but may not support multiple higher functioning duties such as gaming or design. It comes with its own built-in antivirus protection software for extra protection against viruses. The Chromebook has a dual 2W stereo that offers crystal-clear audio with up to 10 hours of battery life.
Almost Made The Cut – Azeyou Student Laptop
Almost Made The Cut
Azeyou Student Laptop
The Azeyou Student Laptop is perfect for students who require a reliable, functional, and fashionable laptop.
The Azeyou student laptop is equipped with an HD screen and a smooth-to-the-touch keyboard. It is the perfect laptop for anyone who spends a lot of time researching, editing, and writing. The fast charging capability comes in handy when traveling, and is available in either moss green, magnetic blue, or space gray. This fashionable statement piece is great for those creative art students.
Buy Now for $189.99
Who It’s For
While this laptop didn’t exactly make the cut on our list, it works wonders for students who need an inexpensive laptop with a fashionable outer shell. Besides the affordable price, this laptop comes with its own charger, an incredible HD display screen, and dual audio. Many Amazon shoppers recommended this product to students using it for college or personal use.
Why It’s Great
The Azeyou laptop comes in a variety of striking colors, such as cobalt blue, moss green, or space gray. This product uses an Intel Celeron N4030 processor, which offers a perfect combination of high performance and low power consumption. It has integrated Intel graphics and HD displays that promote easy control and good performance. It has 4GB of RAM and measures 14.1 inches. This laptop will meet your needs with a great visual experience and has the latest Windows 11 OS preinstalled. When fully charged, this laptop will work for up to 6-8 hours.
Potential Flaws
Some users have noted that there are glitches in the touch trackpad and the keys do not function at an optimal level, with some keys sticking at times. Some customers that rated this product 4 stars or below noted how the battery life was shorter than expected, and there wasn’t a lot of RAM space on the laptop. Otherwise, we think it’s a great product and worth the price.
Other Features
This laptop received 3.8 stars out of 5 on Amazon, with 49% being 5 stars. Many users noted how it was a great laptop for college and personal use. Others have mentioned the good quality of the screen and the fast delivery time. Most users describe their experience as pleasantly surprised by this laptop and would recommend it to students just beginning their studies.
Care and Maintenance
According to our research, the attention you put into taking care of your laptop really makes a difference in the long run. We have outlined a few ways of maintaining and caring for your laptop to ensure it continues to run smoothly while you work, while also helping you maintain an organized life and clean workspace environment.
The first tip we can give you would be to get a cover for your laptop to protect it from daily wear and tear. The case should be supported with padding and have a secure zip or button to prevent the laptop from falling out, while also making sure you choose the correct sized cover so the cover fits snugly over your laptop to prevent damage or breakage while traveling about.
We also suggest setting up an external or internal backup to prevent the loss of valuable files. Depending on the RAM size of your computer you may need to purchase an external hard drive to store your files, or you may choose an internal way of backing up your files by using iCloud or GoogleDrive.
The last essential thing you should do once setting up your laptop is to download trusted anti-virus software. There are hundreds of different software you can choose from, with a large majority of them being free. We’ve found a few trustworthy anti-virus software that may help you such as McAfee, MalwareBytes, or Norton Antivirus. Anti-virus software will ensure security over your laptop and protection from harmful viruses, adware, and malware that may potentially affect or harm your computer.
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