Top Rated Laptops.While the mobile may be central to most university students ‘ social life, the laptop is the primary instructional resource.
Now you can get an entry-level laptop for between $ 200 and $ 400. But we believe it is worth spending at least a few hundred more to get a machine that lasts longer and performs better. This list, which includes our best recommendations for high school, college and even high school students, is based on our practical use and benchmark tests.
Most of these laptops cost around US $ 500 or more. If you are looking for something less expensive, we recommend you check our list of the best Chromebooks. They are economical and excellent for basic things like sending emails, connecting to the Internet, creating documents or working with spreadsheets, especially if you are already working with Google applications.
Apple MacBook Air (2017)
In 2018, Apple finally announced a new version of the MacBook Air, a student favorite, which now starts at $ 1,199. The Latest model offers Little Great improvements that include a Retina display, Touch ID and USB-C ports. That said, many people don’t like the feel of the new “butterfly” keyboard on the MacBook Air and, frankly, none of the recent updates is essential. The previous version of 2017, which has the traditional keyboard, can often be found for much less, usually for less than US $ 900, which makes it the best value.
Lenovo Yoga C930
Lenovo has years refining its premium 2-in-1 design to deliver a laptop that serves as a tablet. The C930 Yoga is the perfected form. The keyboard and screen are very good, the speakers are excellent and there is enough power for any productivity or entertainment task. Starting at around $ 1,150, the C930 is a bit expensive, but not too much (after all, you’re getting a laptop and a tablet) and offers flexibility and features beyond your immediate competition.
Dell XPS 13
If you are committed to the Windows operating system and want a balance of portability, power and price, it is difficult to find a better laptop than the Dell XPS 13 . With an initial price of US $ 899, this laptop is attractive, incomparably thin and offers a ton of configuration. And although the latest versions of the XPS 13 were heavily criticized for a terribly positioned webcam, it has now been corrected with the new 2019 model. Dell also makes a 15-inch version, which starts at $ 999.
Acer Nitro 5
Almost any current laptop can handle the basics, but if you’re looking for one that can work as a gaming system too, that reduces the options considerably. Starting at approximately US $ 600, the Acer Nitro 5 does not hurt the wallet but still brings a respectable graphics card: the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 or 1050Ti, which is enough for a solid game. You’ll end up with tons of performance at a reasonable price.
Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro
The new 13-inch MacBook Pro is so expensive that it is likely to be out of reach for most college students. But if you need additional power for video creation, photo editing or other multimedia projects, the high-end MacBook Pro remains a serious competitor. And, better yet, there are many slightly older models that will still work well. A 2017 MacBook Pro, equipped with an Intel dual-core CPU, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, currently sells for approximately $ 1,350.
Razer Blade Stealth
If you are looking for a more serious gaming computer, the Razer Blade Stealth is more expensive than the Acer Nitro, but offers a good amount for your money. There are some details that highlight the credibility of the machine in games (rainbow-colored keyboard backlight, triple snake head logo), etc. But it is discreet enough to adapt to any environment. For approximately $ 1,400, you get a fully metallic body, Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. Setting up a MacBook Pro in an equivalent manner would be much more expensive.
