All 5 recommendations
Est. prices as of 1 Mar 2026
#1 · Apple · Premium Pick
MacBook Air M3
$1,199.00
The laptop every professor assumes you're rich because you own
- ✓ 15-18 hour battery life
- ✓ Lightweight at 2.7 lbs
- ✓ Handles video editing and coding effortlessly
- ✓ Holds resale value like gold
- ✗ Expensive for students on a budget
- ✗ No ports—adapters sold separately
- ✗ Can't upgrade storage later
#2 · ASUS · Best Value
ASUS Vivobook 15
$429.99
Proves you can get stellar performance without selling a kidney
- ✓ Under $450 with strong specs
- ✓ 15.6-inch screen is perfect for note-taking
- ✓ 12+ hour battery
- ✓ Full ports (USB-C, HDMI, headphone jack)
- ✗ Build feels plastic compared to premium brands
- ✗ Slower processor than M3 MacBooks
- ✗ Touchpad is mediocre
#3 · Dell
Dell XPS 13
$799.99
The Windows laptop that makes MacBook owners nervous
- ✓ Gorgeous 13.3-inch OLED display
- ✓ Thin and light at 2.6 lbs
- ✓ Intel Core Ultra processor handles everything
- ✓ Premium build quality
- ✗ Getting pricey for a college budget
- ✗ Runs hot under heavy load
- ✗ Trackpad smaller than competitors
#4 · Lenovo · Hidden Gem
Lenovo ThinkPad E14
$549.99
The boring laptop that gets the job done and lasts forever
- ✓ Legendary durability (business laptops last)
- ✓ Excellent keyboard for writing papers
- ✓ 14-inch matte screen reduces glare in libraries
- ✓ Great for Linux if you're a CS major
- ✗ Design is about as exciting as beige paint
- ✗ Display isn't as vibrant as competitors
- ✗ Slower graphics for creative work
#5 · HP
HP Pavilion 16
$649.99
Big screen for big ambitions, but won't fit in every backpack
- ✓ Large 16-inch display for multitasking
- ✓ Decent gaming capability on weekends
- ✓ Affordable for the screen size
- ✓ Comes with 8GB RAM
- ✗ Heavier than other options (5.2 lbs)
- ✗ Shorter battery life (7-8 hours)
- ✗ Generic design, nothing special