Tag: $899
The best laptops for college students
Ah, college. A time of true enlightenment. Whether you're just starting out or you're heading into your final year, you're going to need a good laptop for college research and writing papers. But with so many different brands and confusing model numbers out there, it's easy to get overwhelmed.
Don't worry, we're here to help. We've pulled together a robust list of student-friendly laptops for college that we had previously tested and reviewed as part of our ongoing quest to find the best laptops. In other words, the folks over here at PCWorld have personally vetted each and every one of these picks. While most (if not all) of the laptops on this list are fantastic productivity machines, we've also got picks for gamers and macOS users, and options to hit every price point. You may also find some low-cost gems in our roundup of the best laptop deals, which we update daily.
Read on to learn more.
1. HP Spectre x360 14 1Q881AV – Best overall
When we think about the best thin-and-light laptop, it's always been a close contest between the Dell XPS 2-in-1 and the HP Spectre x360. This time around, we're giving the luxurious HP Spectre x360 14 some time in the sun, with a nod to the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 that preceded it as our top pick. The Spectre x360 14, now sporting the same Intel 11th-gen Tiger Lake CPU available in the Dell XPS line, trades blows with its eternal rival in test after test. It rises to the top because of a few key advantages: It offers longer battery life (thanks to a bigger battery), a far better keyboard, and little things like a USB-A port and a physical webcam shutoff switch, all for a lower price. Well played, HP.
2. Asus ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition
If you're serious about gaming, the Asus ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition is one heck of a powerhouse. The review unit we tested had an 8-core AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX processor, an AMD Radeon RX 6800M GPU (with 12GB of GDDR6), 16GB of memory, and 512GB of NVMe SSD storage. You can play older titles on high to very-high graphics settings and newer games on medium. There are a few shortcomings, though. Battery life is lackluster and it's pretty darn heavy. That said, poor battery life and a clunky form factor isn't unusual for a gaming laptop, and if you're looking to play some games when you aren't busy working on assignments, this powerhouse offers much more value than most of its rivals.
3. Microsoft Surface Pro 7+
By naming this Windows tablet the Surface Pro 7+, Microsoft mistakenly implies that it's some sort of minor upgrade from the Surface Pro 7. Nothing could be further from the truth: We rarely see such massive upgrades in CPU and GPU horsepower, as well as battery life. It also offers an LTE option and an absolutely dead-silent, fanless chassis.
You may be wondering why we chose the 7+ and not the Surface Pro 8. While the 8 has a larger screen and good audio, configurations start at $1,099.99 and can go up to over $2,599.99. The 7+'s base configuration starts at $899, which is a more affordable option for college students, and it should still chew through tasks admirably. The base version has an Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of SSD storage.
4. Pixelbook Go
As a general note, Chromebooks make excellent productivity machines. They're designed for basic tasks like web browsing, typing out papers, and so on. They're also largely virus-free.
Google's Pixelbook Go is a perfectly good Chromebook and that's exactly what the company set out to create. It offers a careful balance of quality features and economical compromises for a reasonable $649 starting price. It's also much better looking than the typical bare-bones model. If you're committed to the Chromebook universe, this is a laptop worth buying.
5. Gram 17 (2021)
The LG Gram 17 is a remarkably lightweight business laptop, and one worth considering if your scholarship left you ample room for a luxe laptop purchase. Although relatively big in size dimensions-wise, it somehow weighs just under three pounds. Is it a work of sorcery? No, it's the magnesium chassis that makes it so light. In our review, we liked the bounciness of the keys and the long battery life. The Gram 17 ran out of steam around the 13 hour mark, which is nothing short of impressive. The 17-inch IPS-grade display is stunning, too. With a resolution of 2560×1600, you're bound to get a crisp and vibrant picture. According to our review, the display size is perfect for productivity.
6. MacBook Air (Space Gray)
The MacBook Air with the new M1 processor so absolutely and thoroughly trounces the Intel version released earlier this year (with Intel's “Ice Lake” Y-series CPU/GPU) that it defies belief. And, since there's no fan, the Air runs super quiet, which is great in a classroom setting.
Unfortunately, Apple changed practically nothing else about the MacBook Air. This new model is exclusively a processor swap. But what a processor! You can read the full review of the MacBook Air M1 at our sister site, Macworld.
7. Acer Aspire 5 – Best budget option
With its affordable price point, decent performance, and robust build, the Acer Aspire 5 is a good budget option for most people. While the color scheme is a little boring, the build is surprisingly rugged. Our tester was surprised by its “solid, durable feel.” The keyboard is nice, too. It has a spacious layout, which is perfect for longer typing sessions. Performance is fast enough for general-use tasks like writing emails and browsing the web, but that's about it. If you're shopping around for a solid everyday laptop that won't break the bank, the Aspire 5 is definitely worth a look.
8. Acer Swift 3X
The Acer Swift 3X is both speedy and lightweight, an ideal choice for the college student who's always on the go. The higher-tier configuration we reviewed has an Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor, an Intel Iris Xe Max discrete GPU (with 4GB of LPDDR4X memory), 16GB of memory, and 1TB PCIe NVMe of SSD storage. But the real star of the show is its 14-inch 1080p IPS display, which shines at a bright 300 nits, according to our review. We managed to squeeze out 12+ hours of battery life on a single charge, so you can definitely expect this laptop to last through multiple classes.
9. Swift X (SFX14-41G-R1S6)
From stellar performance to the lightweight form factor, the Acer Swift X has a lot to offer. In addition to handling content-creation tasks, it can also run a few lightweight games as well. However, its biggest strength is its battery life. Despite the power-hungry internals, the Swift X's battery lasted more than 12 hours in our tests. Depending on your use, you won't need to go hunting for an outlet all that much. It's perfect for college students.
10. HP Envy x360 15 (2021) eu0097nr
The HP Envy x360 15 (2021) has an attractive design, decent internals, and a wide selection of ports. The unit we tested came equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 5700U processor, 16GB of memory, and 512GB of PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD storage. For ports, you're getting two USB-A, USB-C, HDMI 2.0, and a full-sized SD card slot. In our review, we liked the keyboard quite a bit, saying “the keys give off a satisfying tactile bump and they actuate even if you hit just the corner of a key with your fingernail.” In other words, you don't need to worry much about accidental keypresses.
11. Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1
The Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 is affordable and offers good performance for the price. The AMD Ryzen 7 5700U processor is fast enough for everyday tasks like web browsing and document editing. It makes a good productivity machine, which is perfect for college. According to our review, the laptop “remained comfortably cool and quiet while juggling multiple apps, browser tabs, and downloads.” It's also pretty versatile in terms of what you can do with it. You can prop it up like a tent and watch movies or flip the screen around and use it like a tablet. Overall, it's a good value. You're getting good performance, punchy audio, and a convertible touchscreen.
12. Aspire Vero
The Aspire Vero is affordable and fast enough for general use. The review unit we tested has an Intel Core i7-1195G7 processor, Intel Iris Xe graphics, 16GB of memory, and 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 of SSD storage. While the internals are pretty good. the most unique thing about the Vero is that it's made out of PCR plastic, which makes it one of the few environmentally friendly laptops out there. While we dig how eco-friendly it is, the exterior's got a textured design that takes some getting used to. The keyboard is also springy and the 1080p non-touch display produces crisp images. The one downside is its short battery life. In our review, we managed to eek a measly seven hours out of the three-cell battery.
13. HP Chromebook x2 11 da0023dx
Ah, folio-style laptops. While some may find them cumbersome to deal with, our reviewer really liked this one. The HP Chromebook x2 11 is one of the best 2-in-1 laptops you can buy. The tablet's aluminum chassis feels rugged and like it'll last quite a while. The detachable keyboard took some getting used to, but ended up being fine for long typing sessions. The rear plate, which transforms into a kickstand that holds up the tablet, connects to the back of the tablet via magnets. The reviewer found the connection to be both clean and strong. As for the performance, it's about what you'd expect out of a Chromebook. It's zippy enough for everyday tasks like browsing the web and so on.
14. Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5
The Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 is a good mid-range laptop. It's fast enough for web browsing, editing documents, and so on. That said, it can “feel taxed by demanding tasks.” When our tester opened up multiple tabs, he noticed a sag in performance. The port selection, however, is nice combination of old and new. It has two USB-C ports, a single USB-A port, a 3.5mm combo audio jack, and a microSD card reader. As for the keyboard, our tester liked the “crisp and taut” feel of the keys. Although this laptop is a 2-in-1, it weighs about 3 pounds, which is kind of heavy for a convertible laptop. It may not be the most portable laptop in the world, but at least it has the flexibility to function as a tablet for applications that favor that form factor.
How we tested
The PCWorld team puts each and every Windows laptop through a series of benchmarks that test GPU and CPU performance, battery life, and so on. The idea is to push the laptop to its limits and then compare it against others we've tested. Chromebooks, on the other hand, go through a series of web-based tests. It wouldn't be fair or possible to run the same kinds of tests on a Chromebook, as they're Chrome OS-based machines. Below, you'll find a breakdown of each test and the reasons why we run them.
Windows laptops
- PCMark 10: PCMark 10 is how we determine how well the laptop handles lighter tasks like web browsing, word processing, spreadsheets, and so on.
- HandBrake: HandBrake is more intensive than PCMark 10. It basically measures how long a laptop's CPU takes to encode a beefy 30GB file.
- Cinebench: Cinebench is a brief stress test of the CPU cores. It does this by rendering a 2D scene over a short period of time.
- 3DMark: 3DMark checks if 3D performance remains consistent over time by running graphic-intensive clips.
- Video rundown test: To gauge battery life, we loop a 4K video using Windows 10's Movies & TV app until the laptop dies.
Chromebooks
- CrXPRT 2: The CrXPRT 2 benchmark tests a Chromebook's battery life.
- Speedometer 2.0: This test determines a Chromebook's web browser performance. It simulates this by adding, completing, and removing a to-do list.
- Basemark Web 3.0: This benchmark gauges how well a Chromebook can handle web-based applications.
- Kraken 1.1: Kraken 1.1 is a JavaScript performance benchmark.
- Jetstream 2: Jetstream 2 is a combination of WebAssembly and JavaScript benchmarks. This is a way to gauge how well a Chromebook runs advanced workloads.
What to look for in a laptop for college
The first thing to consider is budget. How much are you willing to spend on a laptop? If you're working with an inflexible budget, Chromebooks are a good option. They're affordable and designed to handle everyday tasks like writing papers, working on spreadsheets, and so on. Chromebook prices can range anywhere from $200 up to $1,000. If you want to spend a bit more, laptops with convertible touchscreens (otherwise known as 2-in-1s) offer a great deal of functionality. You can flip the screen around and use it like a tablet or prop it up like an easel for watching movies.
If you've got a jam-packed schedule, you'll probably be running from class to class with very little downtime in between. That's why we recommend a laptop with a long-lasting battery. We recommend something that'll last 7 to 10-plus hours on a single charge, unless you want a notebook that can play games on the side—gaming laptops are notorious for their shorter endurance, even during everyday tasks. That 7 to 10 hours is a good figure if you plan on taking your laptop with you everywhere.
Things like navigating your e-mail or watching Netflix will require more RAM. We recommend springing for 8GB of RAM or more. 4GB of RAM is fine and good for web browsing and basic office work, but 8GB is better for having more tabs open and whatnot. Plus, applications like Google Chrome and Spotify tend to eat up a lot of RAM. Most people can get by with 4GB in a pinch if you're on a tight budget, but you won't be able to multitask as much.
The final thing is a decent keyboard. In college, you're going to be spending a lot of time typing. Depending on your personal preference, you may want either a full or short travel keyboard. Mechanical keyboards, for example, normally have longer travel. This helps prevent accidental keystrokes. The keys also give a lot of tactile feedback, as they bounce back after they're pressed down.
For more specifics regarding the hardware you want inside your laptop, be sure to check out our comprehensive guide on how to buy a budget laptop without getting screwed, as well as our broader cheatsheet on what to look for in a laptop CPU and GPU.
Lenovo unveils a swanky new lineup of ThinkPads, IdeaPads, and more
Lenovo unveiled its newest lineup of ThinkPads, IdeaPads, Chromebooks, and much more during MWC on Monday. From fanless designs to the latest 12th-gen Intel Core processors, the reveal of lighter and more powerful laptops is positively titillating. While Lenovo announced an absolute avalanche of brand spanking new products, we selected some of the most exciting or head-turning notebooks to highlight. Read on to learn more.
[Best Lenovo laptops: Best overall, best battery life, and more]
ThinkPads
Lenovo
ThinkPads are known for their ultra-comfortable keyboards and security features. In fact, they're widely regarded as go-to laptops among business professionals. Lenovo's latest lineup of ThinkPads continues to impress with their cushion-like keyboards, fanless designs, and much more. While Lenovo is serving up a bunch of delectable morsels in terms of new ThinkPad options—including new ThinkPad T14, T16, and X1 Extreme models with the latest Intel and AMD processors—the ThinkPad X13s really catches our eye.
As you can see in the image above, the X13s doesn't stray much from the typical ThinkPad aesthetic, but Lenovo claims it's one of the first laptops powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 compute platform. In other words, battery life should be much more efficient. This is a good thing if you tend to work late into the night. In fact, Lenovo says it has up to 28 hours of battery life. That's bonkers. It's a fanless design as well, which means it should be silent when running. Snapdragon chips have struggled to make inroads on the PC, but Qualcomm says the 8cx Gen 3 should offer up to 85 percent more performance than its predecessor.
The coolest part about this laptop is that its made of recycled materials. The top and bottom cover contain 90 percent recycled magnesium and there's 97 percent PCC plastic in the PCB cover and battery frame. We definitely appreciate Lenovo's commitment to a healthier environment.
Pricing & availability
- The ThinkPad X13s has a starting price of $1099 and will become available in May 2022.
IdeaPads
Lenovo
IdeaPads are great to travel with thanks to their lightweight form factor and 360-degree hinge. They're also awesome machines for artists and note takers because of their vibrant touchscreen displays. Well, Lenovo's latest lineup of IdeaPads are lighter and more powerful than ever. While there are quite a few laptops in this category that tickled our fancy, we are most impressed by the IdeaPad Flex 5i, which is powered by either the latest 12th-gen Intel Core chips or rival AMD processors. Now, let's go over some of the finer details.
The screen sizes come in either 15- or 16-inches and there's even going to be an OLED option, along with an optional E-color pen. The display goes up to 2880×1800 resolution with an aspect ratio of 16:10, and Lenovo claims they're capable of up to 400 nits of brightness. You can also get up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of of PCIe SSD storage. As for connectivity options, the Flex 5i features USB Type-C (3.2) and Thunderbolt 4 support. Color options include cloud grey, storm blue, and storm grey.
Pricing & availability
- The 14-inch IdeaPad Flex 5i with an Intel processor has a starting price of $619.99 and will become available in May 2022.
- The 14-inch IdeaPad Flex 5i with an AMD processor has a starting price $689.99 and will become available in May 2022.
- The 16-inch version with an Intel processor will cost you $899.99 with an Intel processor has a starting price of $899.99 and will become available in May 2022.
- The 16-inch version with an AMD processor has a starting price of $749.99 and will become available in May 2022.
Chromebooks
Lenovo
Chromebooks are good options for those looking for the basics. They're affordable machines designed for general use. Plus, they tend to have phenomenal battery life. However, some folks may associate Chromebooks with cheap builds. That's just not the case here. Lenovo really puts the P in premium with its latest lineup of swanky Chromebooks. While Lenovo unveiled several different models at MWC 2022, the IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook really stood out from the pack thanks to its versatile design.
The IdeaPad Duet 3 is thin and lightweight, making it a capable travel companion. You can detach the keyboard and use the tablet by itself or pop open the kickstand on the back for binge watching your favorite Netflix series. The 11-inch, 2K, touch-enabled display features super skinny bezels and stylus support. Under the hood, you'll find a Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 processor. You can also get up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of eMMC storage. As for color options, it's available in either misty blue or storm grey.
Pricing & availability
- The IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook has a starting price of $399.99 and will become available in May 2022.
Meet Galaxy Book2, Samsung’s next wave of gorgeous OLED laptops
Samsung has announced the next generation of its lovely Galaxy Book notebook lineup: The Galaxy Book2, boasting Intel's Evo specification and the use of Intel's first discrete Arc GPUs, as well as the luscious OLED displays that wowed us in prior iterations.
Samsung announced four notebooks at MWC 2022, including the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 (starting at $1,249.99), the Galaxy Book2 Pro ($1,049.99), and the Galaxy Book2 360 ($899.99). A fourth, the Galaxy Book2 Business, will launch later this spring, Samsung said.
According to Samsung, the four notebooks are designed for security, mobility, performance, and seamless connectivity. All of them will use Intel's new 12th-gen “Alder Lake” chips and Windows 11, which will offer a total of 1.7X performance improvement over the prior generation, according to Samsung executives. The Galaxy Book2 series are also the first consumer PCs to meet Microsoft's “secured-core PC” specifications, adding what is otherwise enterprise-class security to the consumer space.
Editor's Note: We've gone hands-on with the new Samsung Galaxy Book2, which we've added in the video below:
Samsung's Galaxy Book2 devices include Samsung's followon to the 2021 Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360, which earned itself a PCWorld Editors' Choice award.
Samsung
As it has done previously, Samsung continues to quietly push its own ecosystem, as well as ways that its notebooks interact with Windows. So, for example, you can use Samsung's recently-introduced Galaxy Tab S8 tablets as a second screen for your PC, or track your laptop using the Samsung SmartThings Find capability. Samsung uses the Smart Switch onboarding process to help transfer files from an older Galaxy Book to the new models, and Samsung includes its own proprietary utilities for digging out files that you've stored on your PC. Samsung has its own version of single sign-on, too, focusing on the Galaxy line of tablets, phones, and PCs. Both this capability and Samsung's Link to Windows are just improved versions of what Windows 11 already supplies, though in the latter case Link to Windows provides a superior version of Windows' Your Phone capabilities.
Samsung
From a hardware standpoint, two things stand out. First, there's Samsung's continued use of the superb AMOLED display technology, which helps blacks disappear into the bezel of the screen. The key is that Samsung has also increased the available screen brightness by a third to 500 nits across the Book2 Pro, Book2 Pro 360, and Book2 360. That should be enough or nearly enough to work outside or in a brightly lit room. Secondly, Samsung has also added Intel's first Arc discrete graphics to the Galaxy Book2 Pro. (But not the non-Pro version, as fully 360-degree tablets from any manufacturer typically have slightly downgraded specs versus their clamshell cousins.)
Both the Galaxy Book2 Pro and Pro 360 ship with either 13.3-inch or 15.6-inch display options; the Book2 360 ships only with a 13.3-inch display. That only matters if you prefer a separate number pad to the right-hand side of the keyboard, as that's only available with the 15.6-inch option. They all ship with Samsung's integrated charger, which allows you to charge these laptops up to forty percent in just thirty minutes.
Samsung
Not all of the new Galaxy devices support Samsung's S Pen, unfortunately. The Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 ships with an S Pen inside the box, but the Book2 360 only supports it if you choose to buy it separately. The Galaxy Book2 Pro, however, does not include it or support it at all.
Samsung provided us with a list of the specifications of its new devices, which we've listed here. Nothing strikes us as particularly unusual, though the use of just a single Thunderbolt 4 port (versus the growing number of two-port devices) is a little odd. Note that most Book2 models have a second (non-Thunderbolt) USB-C port, however, which means that you'll have to pay attention to which port offers the higher I/O speeds.
The use of a 1080p webcam (as opposed to the more normal 720p webcams used by competing devices) is refreshing. Samsung widened the field of view (87 degrees versus 77 degrees in the older Galaxy Book) and added auto framing, which hunts for your face, and new Face Effects to make you look your best. The Book2 speakers pump out sound at 5W, bolstered by AKG and Dolby Atmos.
Below are the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro specific ations. Though Samsung didn't list the processor in these specifications, we're told that both Core i7-1260P and Core i5-1240P options are available. Like all of the new Galaxy Book2 laptops, performance will be governed by an “intelligence modem” which will adjust the fan speed and thus performance depending upon the ambient noise, posture, and system load. We'll have to see what that means in the real world.
Samsung's Galaxy Book Pro specifications.
Samsung
Samsung has also included the specifications of the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360, below. Samsung has only told us of a Core i7 option with the Core i7-1260P inside.
Samsung
We also have a summary of the Galaxy Book2 360 specifications, too. Note that the weight is a big heavier than the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360.
The specifications for the Samsung Galaxy Book2 360, the slightly downgraded version of Samsung's 360-degree convertible laptop.
Samsung
CryptoProfit Gains Traction in Mining World After Launching Quick ROI Mining Hardware
CryptoProfit ( www.CryptoProfit.live ), an experienced manufacturer of crypto mining hardware, is now a favorite name amongst individuals interested in profitable crypto mining from the comforts of their home. The company's recently launched products CP 1, CP 2 and CP Pro have initiated a new age in cryptocurrency mining, offering low heat and noise mining hardware that can be placed within limited spaces at home. Users can start earning profits immediately as the pre-configured mining rigs just require plugging in, choosing the preferred coin, and entering the pool data.
The most attractive benefit of CP 1, CP 2 and CP Pro is the ability of these products to generate quick return on interest for all users. This has been made possible by delivering high hash rate powers that are second to none in the market. Hash rate is a general measure of the processing power of crypto mining rigs. For the miners, a higher hash rate means increased profit-making opportunity and receiving block reward. Moreover, CP 1, CP 2 and CP Pro support profitability with their low energy consumption.
The hash rate powers delivered by CP 1, CP 2 and CP Pro are mentioned below.
CP 1 Miner: Bitcoin 380 TH/s, Litecoin 40 GH/s, Ethereum 2,5 GH/s, and Monero 3 MH/s, and 650 W power consumption.
CP 2 Miner: Bitcoin 610 TH/s, Litecoin 64 GH/s, Ethereum 4 GH/s, and Monero 5 MH/s, and 850 W power consumption.
CP Pro Miner : Bitcoin 2150 TH/s, Litecoin 250 GH/s, Ethereum 15 GH/s, and Monero 19 MH/s, and 2200 W power consumption.
Projected earning potential for CryptoProfit CP PRO
Bitcoin: $678.35/day, $4748.42/week, $20.35k/month, $247.60k/year
Litecoin: $805.91/day, $5641.35/week, $24.18k/month, $294.16k/year
Ethereum: $899.75/day, $6298.24/week, $26.99k/month, $328.41k/year
Monero: $1099.59/day, $7697.11/week, $32.99k/month, $401.35k/year
Projected earning potential for CryptoProfit CP 2
Bitcoin: $208.15/day, $1457.08/week, $6244.63/month, $75.98k/year
Litecoin: $257.01/day, $1799.05/week, $7710.21/month, $93.81k/year
Ethereum: $267/day, $1869/week, $8000/month, $97.50k/year
Monero: $321/day, $2253/week, $9658/month, $117k/year
Projected earning potential for CryptoProfit CP 1
Bitcoin: $129.32/day, $905.26/week, $3879.69/month, $47.20k/year
Litecoin: $160.30/day, $1122.10/week, $4809/month, $58.51k/year
Ethereum: $170.18/day, $1191.27/week, $5105.44/month, $62.12k/year
Monero: $207.94/day, $1455.56/week, $6238.10/month, $75.90k/year
CryptoProfit is one of the earliest companies in this market to create products that are suitable for casual crypto enthusiasts mining from their home without much knowledge or experience,' said Jorge Quinlan, Chief Executive Office from CryptoProfit. To find out more about CryptoProfit products, please visit https://CryptoProfit.live
About CryptoProfit: CryptoProfit is an innovative technology company created and managed by an experienced team of engineers and enlightened minds inspired by the idea of bringing the best technology to the crypto mining market. The company operates with the vision of bringing unprecedented crypto mining opportunities for all types of investors.
The information provided in this release is not investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is recommended that you practice due diligence (including consultation with a professional financial advisor before investing or trading securities and cryptocurrency.
Latest Intelligence
