The company managed to make a laptop that's smaller and lighter than previous models. The laptop consistently performed either better or on a par with competing systems.īut rest assured, the XPS 13 is just as pretty as it is powerful. And with more than 11 hours of battery life, you've got plenty of time for both. Powered by an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor with integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, the notebook is ready for work or play. The Dell XPS 13 is a serious workhorse and the best premium laptop for college students.
See our full Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020) review. Also, the 13.3-inch, 2560 x 1600-pixel Retina display on the M1 model was improved with P3 color coverage, making it more vibrant than the previous panel.
It has similar speed and battery life, the same 720p webcam, a comfortable Magic keyboard and two USB-C ports. And, of course, Apple's least expensive 13.3-inch model is the most portable, coming in at only 0.6 inches thick and 2.8 pounds.īut now the MacBook Air is slower to parity with the MacBook Pro than ever before. So why buy the MacBook Air instead of the Pro? While the Pro has better sustained performance, the MacBook Air is cheaper and is pin-drop silent because it doesn't have a fan.
This is a combination you'll only find from the very best Windows 10 laptops, and even they can't compete in head-to-head performance.
The biggest improvement to this year's model is the new M1 chip, which delivers outstanding performance and excellent battery life, making the new MacBook Air the fastest ultrathin laptop ever.īest of all, the MacBook Air still costs only $999, and yet, you can unrivaled performance along with 14 hours and 41 minutes of battery life. If you prefer macOS to Windows 10, then go with the Apple MacBook Air. Then there's the Envy 13 x360, which has all of those traits in a convertible chassis and is assisted by AMD's powerful Ryzen 4000 CPUs. Need a larger screen? The HP Envy 14, as the name suggests, is essentially a 14-inch version of the Envy 13.
The Envy also delivers fast performance from 11th Gen Intel CPUs, it has a great screen, and it's portable enough to carry around campus. The Envy 13 might be a mid-range notebook but it looks and feels like a more premium machine. Not everyone is on a budget, but most folks will want to save as much money as possible so they can pay off student loans. If you're in this group, the Envy 13 and Envy x360 13 deliver premium specs and features at a reasonable, sub-$1,000 price.
We feel strongly about the Envy 13 and the Envy x360 13 as the best laptops for college students.
Here are the best video editing laptops in 2021.Here are the best 13-inch laptops in 2021.Whichever laptop you get, you'll also want to pick up a few extras, such as a comfortable mouse, a well-appointed backpack, and perhaps a printer. Without further ado, here are the best college laptops, including some budget picks for those dreading tuition payments. We're still in a process of reviewing some laptops that could find their way on this list, so be sure to check back in regularly for the latest and great laptops for students. And if you prefer to take notes by hand, buy one of the best 2-in-1 laptops. We've also ranked the best gaming laptops for those who like to unwind after the coursework is wrapped up. You can find a lot of these units on our main best laptops page, which gives you a wide selection of the top notebooks to choose from.
When you're buying a laptop for school, make sure it has long battery life and fast CPU performance.