Best Laptops for College Students In 2024 – Top 5 Picks!
You’re getting ready to head off to college, but before you go, you’re going to need a laptop. Whether you’re going to a large school like the Ohio State University or somewhere else, a laptop is an essential classroom tool. In what follows, I’ll help you choose from the best laptops for college students in 2024.
Why Do I Need A Laptop?
If you’re like me, you didn’t get to use laptops much in high school. My school was lucky enough to get a ton of Chromebooks for us to use under special circumstances, but they weren’t personal machines. When you’re at college, you’ll have the freedom to use your laptop both in class and at your dorm.
Laptops aren’t just great for watching Netflix and messaging your friends during class (don’t do that). They’re great for taking notes, completing online homework assignments, and staying in touch with your friends and family.
At Ohio State, I relied on my Surface Pro 4 heavily. You’re going to need a reliable machine that will last you through college, so you should consider some of the best laptops available in 2024. The price tags might seem a little high, but consider it an important investment.
What Kind of Laptop Should I Get for School?
This question is all about form-factor and power. Laptops traditionally have the most power, but they tend to not be as powerful. Tablets are extremely portable, but they lack productivity and multitasking power. Two-in-ones are more portable than laptops and more powerful than tablets, but they tend to not be perfect in either area.
| Feature / Use Case | Laptop | Tablet | 2 in 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performance | High | Low to medium | Medium to high |
| Storage | High | Low to medium | Medium to high |
| Portability | Medium | High | High |
| Battery life | Medium | High | High |
| Keyboard | Built-in | Optional | Detachable |
| Touchscreen | Rare | Yes | Yes |
| Operating system | Windows, macOS, Linux | iOS, Android, Chrome OS | Windows, Chrome OS |
| Productivity | High | Medium | High |
| Entertainment | High | High | High |
| Gaming | High | Low to medium | Medium to high |
| Price | Medium to high | Low to high | Medium to high |
Personally, I use a Surface Pro 8 as my daily driver. I used to use a Surface Pro 4 throughout my time at Ohio State. That was the best investment I ever made. It helped me take notes during class, and today it lets me take my writing work anywhere…or it helps me moderate Discord servers or watch YouTube instead of getting work done. Sigh.
The answer to this question is totally up to your needs. If you need a lot of power and resources, a traditional laptop is probably what you should stick with. If you aren’t a power user and you’d like the comfort of portability, a two-in-one should do just fine.
What About Tablets?
Some schools like the Ohio State University give their freshmen an iPad for free with some caveats. For example, OSU’s IT department pretty much has control over your device, so your privacy isn’t entirely protected. Plus, there’s a good chance that your smart keyboard case will get pretty beat up by the time you graduate. These have become an invaluable resource for OSU’s freshmen.Ā
However, while these are great note-taking machines, these iPads are not great all-round computers. There are some mobile alternatives to some powerful apps like the Microsoft 365 suite (formerly Office 365) for iPad, but they aren’t nearly as capable as their PC and Mac counterparts.
A tablet is a great, portable way to take notes, do basic homework, read, watch videos, and video chat when needed. However, a laptop is needed for more power-intensive tasks. This is especially in the case that you need precision tools like a mouse pointer.
All About Configurations
Although you and another person might have the same model of laptop, you may not have the same capabilities. This is because laptops are generally sold in different configurations. An entry level version of a laptop might have a lower end processor than the higher end version.
As a student shopping for the best laptop in 2024, you’ll have to consider what configuration is best for you. A lower configuration generally means you are getting a less capable processor and less internal storage. This means you won’t be able to multitask as well and you won’t be able to put as much on the device.
However, you may not need to store that much if you are using cloud storage. You may also not need a very powerful processor if you don’t intend to run that many programs at once or run any intensive programs like games. It’s best to choose the configuration that is right for you and your budget.
One More Thing!
Listen, I’m an OSU alumni, I’ve been there! I sat through COMM 1100 in Hitchcock Hall in the front row with a giant Dell Inspiron 15 and a Wacom tablet to take notes before I knew what laptop I wanted. (That was embarassing.) Let me help you before you make the same mistake!
Microsoft Surface Go 4: Best in Mobility & Compatibility
It’s small, but mighty. My Microsoft fanboy bias tells me to tell you to go for the Go 4! The Surface Go 4 is a miniature version of their larger Surface Pro platform. It runs Windows 11, so you can seamlessly go between tablet mode and laptop mode with just a flip of the type cover keyboard. The keyboard is sold separately and detaches from the bottom with magnets. The pen is also a great addition, letting you take notes in class more naturally just like an iPad.
I recommend the Surface Go 4 first for college students because it’s just so small and portable, but it has the potential to run desktop apps like a traditional laptop. Some of your classes (I’m talking to you, engineering students) may require you to install x86 apps. You’re not going to be able to run those on your iPad. This gives you the maximum amount of flexibilty. It’s also just easier to fit in your bag.
On the flip side though, this is not the device for you if you have trouble seeing. Seriously, this thing is small! If you have a monitor or small TV in your dorm, I suggest connecting it to this thing when you’re at home base to work on homework. It can connect to an HDMI or DisplayPort monitor using USB-C connections, or with a Surface Dock. You’ll need DisplayPort to use the Dock.
MacBook Pro 2023: Apple’s Champion Laptop
A MacBook has been a classic choice for students looking for a powerful and reliable machine to get through their college experience. However, it can be quite the investment, but it’s definitely worth your money. You can get the latest 2023 MacBook Pro with either 512 GB of internal storage or 1 TB.
The MacBook Pro is one of the best laptops for students in 2023 because of its reliability, all-day battery life, and elegant form factor.
Although MacOS arguably isn’t as flexible as Windows, plenty of my classmates have used these computers without problems with compatibility. My only recommendation is that you submit your assignments as .pdf or .docx files instead of .pages, as many of my professors had difficulties opening these files. I’ll be interested to see what Apple does this coming year with the MacBook lineup.
Microsoft Surface Pro 9: The King of Two in One’s
If the Surface Go is a great form factor for you, but you just need something bigger, go with the Surface Pro 9. I’m using a Surface Pro 8 at the moment, and this is the next generation of that. Make sure you get the type cover and pen so you can handwrite notes and type up your essays. It’s worth it.
The Pro 9 is pretty nuts because if you get the ARM processor model, called the SQ3, you can get 5G mobile connectivity! That means you can work online anywhere with a cell tower connection.
If you’re sold on the Surface Pro form factor, here’s my suggestions to help you choose which model to get: if you want more power and compatibility with more apps, go with the Intel processor. You’ll miss out on the 5G connectivity, but let’s be honest: anywhere that you’re gonna use this thing on campus at your university is going to have school Wi-Fi. However, if you like stronger battery life and need that better connectivity, go for the SQ3 ARM processor model.
MacBook Air: Apple’s Lightweight Laptop
So, the MacBook Pro is a bit out of your price range. No problem! The MacBook Air is a great alternative, offering a good amount of features and performance that make it one of the best affordable laptops for college students in 2024.
The MacBook Air is smaller and lighter than its sibling, but it’s not quite as powerful. You’ll get slightly less battery life, and you won’t be able to do intensive tasks like video editing. However, the MacBook Air is still a great machine to use the Internet, watch videos, get homework done, all that stuff. I still think that the 18 hour battery life (compared to the Pro’s 21 hour battery life) is plenty for any college student to get through a day of classes before coming home to charge.
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i: the Ultimate Multitasker
Listen, this thing is insane. I’m not kidding. I want one so badly.
Lenovo’s Yoga Book 9i is what some say to be the spiritual successor of the unreleased Microsoft Surface Neo. It’s a Windows laptop with two screens connected by a hinge. Sometimes I think it’s something a crazy AI art program would come up with, but it’s real. I think it’s the best laptop for college students in 2024, here’s why.
The Yoga Book 9i is begging to be used as notetaking laptop by students. Imagine you have this thing in a laptop posture like in the image above. You’re handwriting your notes on the bottom screen with the included stylus, and you can see the lecture slides or your Zoom call on the top screen.
The laptop comes with an attachable Bluetooth keyboard so you can type on it like a regular laptop, and it also comes with a stand so you can stand the thing upright. When stacked vertically on the stand it looks like a battle station. Definitely will draw attention when you’re cramming for a test while chowing down on grilled chicken at Scott Traditions.
Still, there is nothing out there like this thing in this size category. It’s a bit buggy as some reviewers say, but if you’re determined I think it can be the perfect fit for you. Or me. Maybe I’m projecting a bit. If you get one, let me know how it goes?
Which One Will You Choose?
And there you have it, those are my picks for the best laptops for college students in 2024! I hope that this helps you figure out which laptop is best for you. Please be sure to share this with a friend or family member and if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment down below.
Thanks for explaining how laptops are great for taking notes and doing online assignments. My brother needs to get a new laptop this month since he’s finally going back to college. I’ll share this with him so he has a good idea of what kind of laptop to start looking for.
Glad I could help! š
I appreciate your skills and style in elaborating on the topic. It bound the reader for long. I have liked everything that I have read in the article so far. Nice content!
Thank you very much! š
Great post! Keep up the good writing.
Well described!
What about the best laptops of 2022?
Great Post !!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing. This is a really informative article with lots of great ideas.
Thank you! I appreciate it!