Top five laptops for students in 2021

ELLYSE MCGARR

The start of school is here, and everyone knows that a university student’s most crucial study tool is their laptop. You’ve got to have one, and if you don’t, it’s the first thing on your back-to-school list. But what do you look for in a laptop? How do you know which one is ‘good?’ As a student, you want a laptop that is portable, has a long(ish) battery life, and, especially during these times of remote learning, a good quality display and webcam. With these factors in mind, I consulted 10 different online lists of the best laptops or student laptops of 2021 to see which ones were impressing reviewers. Here are the five that were mentioned the most.

CPU: Intel Core i5-1035G4, 1.1 GHz Display: 12.3 inch, 2736 x 1824 pixel touchscreen Battery: Up to 10.5 hours Memory: 8GB - 16GB Storage: 256 GB - 1TB Weight: 1.7 pounds

If you’ve got anywhere from $1,000 to $1,600, you can get the “Best Windows 2-in-1 for students,” according to CNET. Right off the bat, the Surface Pro 7 does not include a keyboard or pen so you will have to purchase them, but a few reviewers said the keyboard is well worth it and that the pen is a good way to take notes in class. This 2-in-1 is notable for its bright and colorful display, handy kickstand, and solid processor delivering great performance. Its USB-C port was also a big pro amongst all reviewers. Unfortunately, the 7’s battery life got mixed reviews. Some claimed the battery to be good, but others were underwhelmed with its performance and noted an overall loss in battery life. It also lacks Thunderbolt 3 and appears somewhat dated next to the Surface Pro X due to its thicker bezels.

Out of the 10 reviews, every single one included the MacBook Air M1. Tom’s Guide calls it “a computing revolution” and it’s no wonder with the features and capabilities it has. It was the most praised laptop for its fast and responsive performance, terrific battery life, and comfortable and high-quality keyboard. Priced between $1,300 to $1,600, it’s not cheap, and not perfect — it could use some more ports and the design hasn’t changed since the last MacBook Air (it still has thick bezels and a not-so-great webcam), but right now it’s the top-recommended MacBook on the market. CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 4500U Display: 13.3 inch, 1080 pixel touchscreen Battery: 10 - 13 hours Memory: 8GB Storage: 256GB Weight: 2.9 pounds

This 2-in-1 convertible laptop was called “the best budget laptop in 2021” by The Verge. It’s priced between $900 to $1,150, which is less expensive than most laptops on this list. Across the board reviewers agree the x360 13 has really good, fast performance, and can handle quite a bit of multitasking

The ideal student laptop is light, portable, has lots of battery life, and a good webcam and microphone to support virtual learning. CREDIT: UNSPLASH

and gaming thanks to its Ryzen 5 4500U processor. A few reviews noted the 1080 pixel glossy display delivered a bright and vivid picture. Many praised its thin, lightweight build as stylish and compact. Lastly, all commented that the battery life was great, allowing for over 10 hours of work or play. The potential downsides to this laptop include the lack of an IR camera for facial recognition, and a “cramped” touchpad, according to PCMAG.

CPU: Intel Core i3 – i7 Display: 13.4 inch, 1920 x 1200 pixel Battery: 9 - 15 hours Memory: 8GB - 16GB Storage: 256GB - 2TB Weight: 2.8 pounds

According to Popular Mechanics, “the XPS 13 is among the best all-around Windows laptops for students.” Based on reviews, this verdict is proven with the ultrabook’s solid performance, spacious display, good battery life, light body, embedded fingerprint reader, and comfortable keyboard. These features do come at a price though — between $1,100 and $1,600, which is more than most students want to spend on a laptop. Although your XPS 13 “will last for years,” says the NYTIMES, there are a few cons if you are more graphics oriented. The processor won’t be able to handle high-end games and video editing or 3D modelling work.

CPU: Intel Core m3 – i7 Display: 13.3 inch, 1080 pixel touchscreen Battery: 11 - 16 hours Memory: 8GB – 16GB Storage: 64GB – 256GB Weight: 2.3 pounds

Dubbed the “best overall Chromebook” and “Google’s best Chromebook for budget consumers” by PC World and Techradar respectively, the reviews were unanimous that Google’s Pixelbook Go has great battery life, a quiet keyboard, a full HD display with great colour translation, a high quality webcam, and a light body. This laptop lacks biometric login, however, which may pose some inconvenience. You can pick one up for between $879.99 and $1,149.