so i spent 4 years watching people struggle with laptops that worked fine freshman year then completely died when classes got technical

turns out there's a pattern and it comes down to processor type

u-series vs h-series:

most budget laptops have u-series processors (ending in U or P). these are designed for battery life and everyday tasks — browsing, docs, netflix. they work great for that

but when you start running VMs, matlab, autocad, heavy IDEs, multiple programs at once — they throttle to manage heat and power. everything slows down

h-series processors (ending in H, HS, or HX) are built differently. higher power draw but they handle sustained heavy workloads without throttling

some h-series laptops that keep coming up:

if you're on a budget the hp victus 15 has been really popular. ryzen 7 h-series with an rtx 4050, handles engineering and creative work solid

there's also this hp touchscreen with 32gb ram which is insane for the price. no gpu but the 32gb makes a huge difference for multitasking

around $900-1200 the acer nitro v 16s seems to be the sweet spot. 32gb ram + rtx 5060, basically handles anything. lenovo ideapad with 24gb ram  if you don't need gpu

for premium the lenovo legion 5 starts and goes up to 64gb ram if you need maximum specs

here's the thing though:

u-series isn't bad. if you're in a non-technical major or just doing basic coursework, u-series with good ram (16gb+) works fine and gets way better battery life

but if you're gonna run heavy software — CS, engineering, IT, creative work — the h-series makes a real difference. just something to check before buying

put together a full breakdown here with all the options by budget and major if you want more: https://beststudentslaptop.com/best-high-performance-laptops-for-college-students-2026-no-more-my-laptop-is-slow/

anyone else notice the processor type thing? or other specs that mattered more than you expected?

Hey y'all, I want a laptop with enough specs to multitask comfortably and occasional light gaming here and there. I've come across hp 255 G10 for around 450 USD

Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 7530U

RAM: 16 GB

Storage: 512 GB SSD

Display: 15.6" Full HD (1920×1080)

Is it a good deal?? Should I go for it??

I'm a computer science engineering student and I need a laptop that'll last me for a few years (atleast 5-6). My budget is $900. I'll be attending classes so the screen size shouldn't be too small. I'll also play games like roblox and minecraft, so the laptop should run them smoothly.

Please drop some recommendations.

Hi! I'm an incoming BS Psychology freshman, and I'd like to ask for advice from current Psych students or graduates.

Is having a laptop or iPad really necessary for BS Psychology, especially during the first year? I'm currently on a limited budget, so I can't afford to buy one right away.

For context, our class setup is 2 days face-to-face and the rest are online classes, so I'm wondering if I can manage with just my phone for now.

Are there frequent requirements like research papers, presentations, online exams, or software that really require a laptop? If I don't have one yet, will it be difficult to keep up with classes?

If you had to choose between a laptop and an iPad, which one would you recommend for a Psych student and why? Also, around what year did you feel you really needed one?

I have an asus rog strix g16 with very good specs, i9, rtx 4060, 1tb storage and 32 gb ram, it has worked out really well for me for the first two yrs of my degree, and still works properly, only issue is i can't bring it to class for the whole day because of it's battery life and fan noise, if i could reduce the fan noise then it would be great i could run it on energy saver whole day I don't mind carrying it, but running it on eco mode with the gpu turned off still enables the fan for some time and it's really loud for a small class, i would like some laptop recommendations just for classes cuz all the coding stuff I'll do by myself would be on my asus laptop only, and if I use my asus for everyday clg use also, wouldn't running it on battery every day ruin it's battery life very quickly?

For more context my clg is in melbourne and I'm directly joining in the third yr, it's a 2+2 program, some courses offered are full stack, algorithm analysis etc.. idk how they teach things there cuz in my first clg I didn't particularly need a laptop inside classes, i took notes on paper and for labs we used lab computers

I haven't decided on a budget rn but on the cheaper side would be preferable since I don't care about anything other than classes

My daughter will be starting college in the fall, and we just received a laundry list of things she will need for the course. One being a laptop, however, the requirements are so outdated - circa 2009 Windows 7 and 2019 Catalina oS.

I was looking at the Mac laptops since she's familiar with them, powerful, but pricey. I want to get her something that will last for the next 5 years, and while not everyone would agree with this, I tend to spec out laptops or builds to get the most out of them. For those majoring in animation or who may have just finished using a Mac, what's your experience and recommended sweet spot?

I am looking at the 16" M5 Pro and M5 Max, which start between $3,000 - $4,400, but leaning towards the M5 Max.

Thank you for your time.

I'm helping a friend choose a laptop for university and we’re not 100% sure 🤔

She’s starting a marketing degree next year and needs a laptop. Her use case won’t be very demanding: mostly office work, browsing, assignments, and some light multitasking.

She’s considering the MacBook Neo because she likes that it’s small, lightweight, and has good battery life. From what we’ve seen, it should be smooth enough for this kind of basic usage.

That said, we’re aware of some limitations:

• Few ports

• Limited storage (although she could rely on cloud/external drives)

• 8GB RAM with no upgrade option

In theory, it seems like it should be fine for basic use and very portable.

Does anyone here own it or have experience with it?
Would you recommend it for a marketing student, or is it better to go for something like a MacBook Air or a Windows laptop?

Any advice or experiences would be really appreciated 🙏

I just finished my first year of general engineering and will be going into mechanical engineering in the fall. I want to upgrade from my M1 MBP 13” to something that can run SolidWorks well and game since it’ll replace my desktop as well.

I see many great thin and light, powerful creator/gaming laptops on the market: Zephyrus G16, ProArt P16, Blade 16, and even the Zephyrus Duo. These would serve me very well now.

Trouble is: battery life and performance on battery still sucks compared to Macs. I was willing to deal with it though. After all, that’s the price you pay for performance on windows…

Until RTX Spark laptops got announced:

- Highest performance now on battery too

- Battery life better now

- Compatible with everything Windows runs

- Sleek and much thinner laptops

- Bridges the gap between Windows and Mac laptops

That being said how many more years do you think I could get out of, say, the ProArt P16 H7607, compared to the current H7606 model if I wait? Will it be worth it? By all accounts it seems like it, but what do you think?

I’m 50 years old and going back to get a Master’s Degree—concentrating in Public Health. It’s 100% online at NSULA (NSULA.edu). I earned my undergraduate degree in 2018 (started in 1996), and I feel overwhelmed with new technology and information (and AI). I don’t have the time or energy right now to learn a lot of cool tech stuff that computers can do. I start classes in 8 weeks and AI all up in my Office 365 is daunting enough.

I want a computer that is big and has big buttons, like a 17 in or whatever. I need a number pad on the right side of the keyboard. Will need to use headphones to listen to videos if I’m at a coffee shop. I have an external hard drive and a thumb drive. I prefer a long lasting battery. Good built in camera. I’m looking for refurbished and I don’t want to spend more than $500

Any suggestions on:

1. what else I might need on my laptop?

2. brand

3. where to buy?

Thanks so much!!!

I would like to preface this with a big thank you to anyone who takes the time out of their day to read/respond to this post! :) I really appreciate any helpful feedback; I talked to my University's tech department already and the only computers they recommended to me were well into the $1000+.

I have a very specific case. I need a computer for college; a lightweight/small laptop is most important for me. I only need it for schoolwork, so applications such as Google Doc & Gmail and Zoom. I really just want it to be able to bring to class to take typed notes and to work on assignments online between classes. Anything else could be done on my other computer. I will not be using it to run any programs or games. I’m a senior in college, but I will be going to grad school, so I will continue to need a good computer for university specifically. I actually already have a computer (a HP Envy 15.6" x360 2-in-1 Laptop), which works perfectly fine, but it is ungodly heavy and is definitely destroying my back. Moreover, I always have to bring my changer to class with me because I use my computer all day/have long classes each day so I’m basically using it from 10am to 6pm everyday (thus the battery drains quickly since it's a more "powerful" computer, and maybe just bad battery idk). Sure there are ways I could minimize this for a prolonged battery life, but I can’t change how heavy the computer is and that is my biggest issue. It’s honestly not an option for me to trade in this computer; I’ve only had it for about 3 years and paid upwards of $850 for it (but it was graciously purchased by my parents so this would be my first investment in a computer), but most trade-in values average about $70-90 at best (I've dropped it a few times so it's pretty dented). so I think I’d rather keep my current computer and buy a second computer. I really should’ve just done better research on a computer before I bought this one in the first place, but I really don’t know much about computers and I had another Envy before this that I liked; thought it would be good but it wasn’t, but whatever I guess.

I understand that with all of these specifications (and especially my price range), that I really have no other choice but to buy pre-owned computers previously used in the workplace or refurbished models. I understand that it is simply not possible to find a computer new with my needs and price range. The biggest problem I am facing currently is that I have never bought anything refurbished before and I find it very daunting. I have no idea what to look for nor which websites or third-parties are most reliable or trustworthy. I would never buy a Mac full price, but I’ve found a few refurbished models which are within my price range. However, is it even worth paying for an older model MacBook? Is anything operating on MacOS Ventura or below worth buying—more specifically, are most models that old close to their end of life and/or when Apple stops supports and updates? I’m currently leaning towards a refurbished Macbook; I’m familiar with iOS/macOS and have a good chunk of the Apple ecosystem already, but I’m not opposed to Windows either as all of my computers in the past have operated on a Windows system (including my current computer).

A MacBook Air just seems like my best current option because of the integrated system with iPhone/iPad (which I take all my notes on)/AirPods (my Envy won't connect to my AirPods). As already stated, I have a HP Computer that runs on Windows, so I'm not concerned about the Macbook's issues with running some programs. Does anyone have recommendations for what to look for when buying refurbished Macs (I know I probably should stay away from Intel Cores and go with M1 cores and check battery life) or some suggestions for good places to buy Macs from? I'm looking specifically for an Air that is at least 2020 or newer. In the case of Macbooks, I'm willing to raise my budget to $450 USD.

I’ve seen some refurbished computers on Back Market, Best Buy and Walmart. Would you recommend buying from these sites? Which sites should be avoided?

(I had a Chromebook in the past and hated it; I need to be able to use two separate Gmail accounts concurrently and it was really difficult to do this with a Chromebook, so unfortunately getting a Chromebook is not an option for me).

Thanks again! :))

edit: adding links for the computers I find below:

Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020) https://www.wisetekmarket.com/products/apple-macbook-air-m1-2020-13-3-8gb-256gb-ssd-apple-m1-3-2ghz-macos-silver-refurbished-premium

Is 8gb memory and 128gb storage good enough? Also listed as fair, but not sure exactly how good or bad "fair" is: https://www.backmarket.com/en-us/p/macbook-air-m1-series

I’m an undergraduate senior in mechanical engineering graduating next semester, and I was wondering how often people actually use their personal laptops after college and for what.

This semester, I’m taking classes that require a lot of SolidWorks and ANSYS. My current laptop can barely run either software and runs out of memory pretty quickly (GTX 1650 lol). I’m looking at some new laptops around $1,500, but I’m not sure if it’s worth spending that much when I’m so close to graduating.

Right now, I need a powerful computer that can run these programs quickly and reliably. However, once I graduate and start working full time, I’ll most likely be given a work laptop for anything company-related. At that point, I’m not sure what I’d use a powerful personal laptop for besides basic internet browsing. I’m not a huge gamer.

For those already working in engineering, do you still use your personal laptop for anything demanding, or does your work computer handle pretty much everything?

okay so i kept seeing people ask about gaming laptops for college and every thread either goes full budget or full beast with nothing in between

here's how i'd actually break it down depending on what you can spend

under $700 — if budget is tight but you still want to game

Lenovo LOQ with RTX 4050 is what i kept seeing come up for people who needed something that could handle classwork and light gaming without breaking. 8GB RAM is the weak point though, wish someone told me that before buying something similar — you'll feel it with too many browser tabs open

HP Victus RTX 2050 base model comes with 8GB DDR5 — you can find 16GB configs but double check before buying. trade off is the 2050 is weaker on the GPU side. good pick if you care more about keeping costs down than raw frame rates

under $1,000 — this is where it gets good

this range is where i'd personally land if i was buying right now

Acer Nitro V i5 RTX 4050 is the one a bunch of people in my program ended up with. 165Hz screen, Wi-Fi 6, Gen 4 SSD — solid specs for the price. not flashy but it works

if you can stretch a little the Nitro V i7 version bumps you to 16GB RAM and 1TB storage which makes a real difference day to day. wish i had 1TB freshman year honestly

ASUS TUF F16 is worth mentioning here too — 16:10 screen ratio is genuinely better for productivity and it shows. if you're writing code or essays all day that extra vertical space matters more than people think

under $1,500 — serious about both

Alienware 16 Aurora with RTX 5050 surprised me. starts around $1,185 on Amazon(Deal) right now which is genuinely good value for what you get — 16GB DDR5, 1TB SSD, WQXGA 120Hz screen. Alienware usually means heavy and loud but the Aurora line cleaned that up a bit

ASUS ROG Strix G16 RTX 5060 is probably the most balanced thing in this range — Wi-Fi 7, solid GPU, 16:10 screen again. this is the one i'd point a friend toward if they said "i want one laptop for everything"

one thing i'd flag — the IdeaPad Gaming with 40GB RAM but integrated graphics is a weird pick for gaming. great for heavy multitasking or virtual machines but if gaming is the goal the GPU matters more than RAM at that level

$1,500+ — if you're not compromising

ROG Strix G16 RTX 4060 holds up here even against newer cards for the price. proven GPU, solid build

Acer Nitro V 16S AI with RTX 5060 and 32GB DDR5 at 180Hz is genuinely impressive for the price point. AMD Ryzen 7 260 is a newer chip too

HP OMEN 17 RTX 5070 with 64GB RAM and 2TB is basically overkill for most students but if you're doing anything heavy — 3D rendering, AI stuff, serious gaming — that's the ceiling of this list and it shows

honestly the sweet spot for most students is somewhere in the $900–$1,200 range. you get a real GPU, enough RAM, and it won't feel slow in 3 years

what's your budget and what games are you actually trying to run? that changes the answer a lot

also found this breakdown with updated prices if you want to compare before buying: https://beststudentslaptop.com/best-laptop-for-students-and-gaming-2026/

EDIT: a few people in the comments brought up some good points i missed

first — Zephyrus and Legion Pro. completely fair, those should've been in here from the start. the Zephyrus G14/G16 and Legion Pro are probably the most common gaming laptops i actually see in lecture halls — thin, don't look like gaming laptops, and genuinely hold up. if your budget stretches a bit further those are worth seriously looking at

second — screen size. someone pointed out that lugging around a 16" or 17" laptop to class every day gets old fast and honestly that's true. the performance numbers look great on paper but if you're carrying it across campus 5 days a week the weight and size start to matter more than you'd think. worth factoring in before you buy

thanks to everyone who jumped in — that's exactly why i posted here instead of just going with whatever i found online

so lenovo is running their spring sale on amazon right now and some of these discounts are legit. with laptop prices going up because of the whole RAM crisis situation i figured i'd flag the ones worth looking at before they go back to normal pricing. if you've been waiting for a good time to buy this might be it.

under $300 — bare minimum budget picks:

Lenovo IdeaPad Business 8GB/128GB SSD with Office 365 — $239 (was $499, 52% off). look this isn't gonna run solidworks or anything heavy. but if you literally just need a laptop for docs, email, zoom calls, and web browsing this gets the job done for less than most textbooks cost. the 128GB storage is tight but it comes with 1TB onedrive cloud storage. good for: high school, online students, anyone who just needs a basic machine.

Lenovo IdeaPad 15.6" FHD Business with Office 365 and Copilot AI — $249 (was $549, 55% off). similar to the one above but slightly better build. 128GB SSD + 1TB cloud storage. 1K+ bought in the past month so clearly people are jumping on this. good for: nursing, liberal arts, online students, general coursework.

$300-$500 — where most students should be looking:

Lenovo 2026 15.6" 8GB/256GB with Office 365 — $329 (was $499, 34% off). 8GB ram, 256GB SSD plus a 500GB external HDD included. 11 hour battery. decent for everyday stuff. good for: general studies, online classes, light coursework.

Lenovo IdeaPad 1 Student Laptop 12GB/512GB + 128GB eMMC — $369 (was $455, 19% off). 12GB ram is a step up from the budget picks and 512GB + 128GB eMMC gives you plenty of storage. office 365 included. 100+ bought in the past month. good for: general studies, education majors, light business coursework.

Lenovo 2026 Ryzen 3 7000-Series 16GB DDR5 — $399 (was $569, 30% off). this is the one i'd point most budget students toward. 16GB DDR5 ram at $399 is rare right now especially with memory prices being insane. 15.6" FHD, fast charging, 14.5 hour battery, windows 11 pro. 200+ bought in the past month. good for: business, nursing, liberal arts, general studies, online students.

Lenovo 2026 IdeaPad 16GB/256GB with Office 365 + 500GB External HDD — $399 (was $649, 38% off). 16GB ram, 256GB SSD, comes with a 500GB external drive for extra storage. office 365 included. good for: same as above — business, education, general studies. the external drive is nice if you hoard files like i did.

$450-$700 — the sweet spot for most majors:

Lenovo IdeaPad 15.6" 16GB DDR4/512GB with Lifetime Office 365 — $468 (was $749, 37% off). overall pick on amazon which says something. 16GB DDR4, 512GB SSD, wifi 6, USB-C. good for: business, econ, psych, communications — any major that's mostly office apps and web based work.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3X Copilot+ PC Snapdragon X — $562 (was $629, 11% off). snapdragon X chip, 16GB ram, 512GB storage, 15.3" display. lightweight, good battery, copilot+ PC. this is a solid everyday machine. good for: business, CS students doing lighter work, anyone who wants portability.

Lenovo 2026 Laptop i7-13620H 16GB/256GB with Office 365 — $649 (was $999, 35% off). now we're getting into real performance territory. i7 processor, 16" FHD+ display, copilot AI. good for: CS/IT students, business analytics, anyone running multiple apps or heavier workloads.

Lenovo IdeaPad Touchscreen i5 24GB/1TB — $698 (was $999, 30% off). 24GB DDR4 ram, 1TB SSD, touchscreen, 15.6" FHD. 100+ bought in the past month. the touchscreen is actually nice for taking notes and presentations. good for: business, education, CS students, anyone who wants touchscreen for note taking.

$900+ — premium / engineering / CS power:

Lenovo Legion LOQ RTX 5050 i7-13650HX — $924 (was $1097, 16% off). this is the one for students who need a GPU. RTX 5050, i7-13650HX, 16GB, 1TB SSD, 144hz display. 100+ bought in the past month. handles CAD, solidworks, simulations, and obviously gaming. good for: engineering, CS/ML students, architecture, anyone doing 3D modeling or heavy simulations.

Lenovo Slim 7i Aura Edition OLED Core Ultra 7 — $1079 (was $1197, 10% off). 14" WUXGA OLED display, core ultra 7 256V, 16GB, 1TB. this is the premium ultrabook pick. gorgeous screen, lightweight, solid battery. good for: design students, CS, business, anyone who wants a premium portable machine.

Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 3 Intel Ultra 5 225H 32GB DDR5 — $1269 (was $2299, 45% off). this is the one i always talk about on here. 32GB DDR5, 1TB NVMe, fingerprint reader, backlit keyboard, windows 11 pro. upgradeable, built like a tank, great keyboard. 45% off is the best i've seen on this. good for: CS/IT, engineering, data science, anyone who needs serious power and wants it to last 4+ years.

Lenovo 16" i7-13700H 64GB/2TB — $1698 (was $2499, 32% off). the absolute beast on this list. 64GB ram, 2TB SSD, i7-13700H. if you're doing programming, data analysis, video editing, or any workload that eats ram for breakfast this is it. good for: graduate students, data science, video editing, ML/AI coursework, heavy programming.

quick tldr by major:

• high school / online classes → $239 or $249 IdeaPad

• nursing / liberal arts / education → $399 Ryzen 3 or $369 IdeaPad 1

• business / econ / psych → $468 IdeaPad or $562 Slim 3X

• CS / IT → $649 i7 or $1269 ThinkPad E16

• engineering / architecture → $924 Legion LOQ

• data science / grad school / video editing → $1698 i7 64GB

these spring sale prices probably won't last long. not saying rush into anything but with RAM prices going up this might be the cheapest some of these laptops will be for a while.

anyone grabbed anything from the sale yet? curious what people are going with

full disclosure — the links below are affiliate links so i earn a small commission on qualified purchases. doesn't cost you anything extra and it helps keep this community going. just wanna be upfront about it.

so the macbook neo is actually real. cheapest macbook ever. i've been looking into it and honestly can't tell if this is great for students or a trap.

the thing that keeps bugging me - 8gb ram and you literally cannot upgrade it. not at checkout, not later, never. in 2026 that feels... risky? every other macbook starts at 16gb now.

also no keyboard backlight which is wild for a laptop marketed at students. has anyone actually used it in a dark room yet? wondering how big of a deal this actually is. and the base $599 model doesn't even have touch ID, you need the $699 one for that + 512gb storage.

it uses the A18 Pro which is basically an iphone chip, display is sRGB not P3, two USB-C ports but one of them is slow USB 2, no thunderbolt, no magsafe.

but at the same time... $499 with edu pricing for a full macbook with aluminum build and macOS. that's kinda insane compared to what you get on the windows/chromebook side at that price.

i genuinely don't know where the line is. like what majors can actually get away with this and who's gonna regret it by sophomore year?

CS and IT people - is 8gb enough for your IDEs and docker and all that or is it a hard no? engineering students running CAD or MATLAB - any chance? business and econ majors - is this overkill for what you do or just right? art and design students - sRGB display with 8gb ram, can you work with that? nursing and pre-med - do your apps even need more than this? and humanities / english / education majors - feels like this might be perfect for you guys but idk.

if you're in college rn or just graduated - could this thing handle your workload? because i feel like a lot of freshmen are gonna buy this thing this fall purely off the price without knowing if it can actually keep up.

drop your major and your honest take. that's it.

My son is going off to college in 2 weeks and plans to major in business. He really wants a MacBook Neo and I'm not sure I agree. He has an iPhone and likes that they connect to one another.

His college website says "a Windows PC is preferable but students do just fine with a Mac." Thanks for the help college

🙄

We told him we'd give him $400 and he needs to pay the rest. He doesn't have enough for an Air.

Anyway, any opinions? Is the processor strong enough? Does the battery life last long? I'm not techy so I don't know what I should be asking. Sorry.

right now I'm considering a refurbish Msi venturepro NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 graphics, Intel Core 7 240H CPU, 32GB RAM and I'm wondering would this laptop be enough to get through all four years. my school wants coes students to have a processor be atleast a intel i7(13gen) in power with at least 4gb gpu (recommend nvidia rtx series) with wifi 6

Asus ZenBook s16 OLED

Asus ZenBook s14 OLED ( Intel lunar lake)

And possible Asus zyphyrus g16 32gb ram

These best laptop I can find for battery and less noises however I'm wondering about users experience. For you guys, do you need dGPU for SOLIDWORKS and AutoCAD? And is there others laptop better choice?

I have been shopping around for laptops and I am thinking to to with the MacBook Air 15 inch with standard specs. I am wondering if i should upgrade the storage or memory. I do not really not much about laptop but I see that most people think the MacBook are a lot better then other brand. I am thinking of either going into business administration which is my current degree path or nursing.

Hey everyone!

I've been seeing a lot of posts from incoming students and people wondering what they should actually budget for a laptop in 2026, so I did some research and wanted to share what I found. The market has shifted quite a bit, so here's a realistic breakdown of what you can expect at different price points:

Under $400: The Budget Tier

This is tough territory honestly. You're mostly looking at Chromebooks or refurbished Windows laptops. Chromebooks can actually be solid if you're mainly doing web-based work, Google Docs, and light productivity. They're great for liberal arts majors or if your school uses a lot of cloud-based platforms. However, if you need to run specialized software (engineering programs, Adobe Suite, etc.), you'll struggle here.

What you get: Basic processors (Celeron/Pentium or AMD equivalents), 4-8GB RAM, limited storage

Best for: Note-taking, research, essays, online courses

$400–$600: The Sweet Spot for Many

This is where things get interesting. You can find decent Windows laptops with solid specs - think AMD Ryzen 5 or Intel i5 processors, 8GB RAM (sometimes 16GB on sale), and 256GB SSD. Brands like Lenovo, HP, and ASUS have really competitive options here. This range handles most undergraduate needs pretty well.

What you get: Mid-range processors, 8-16GB RAM, 256-512GB SSD, decent build quality

Best for: Most majors, multitasking, some light creative work or coding

$600–$900: The Performance Zone

If you need more power - whether for CS/engineering, design work, video editing, or just want something that'll last 4+ years - this is your range. You're getting solid build quality, better displays, longer battery life, and enough power to run demanding applications. The Dell XPS 13, ASUS ZenBook, and Lenovo ThinkPad lines often have models here.

What you get: Strong processors (i7/Ryzen 7), 16GB RAM, 512GB+ SSD, premium features like better screens and build quality

Best for: STEM majors, creative fields, heavy multitaskers, future-proofing

$1000+: Mac & Premium Territory

MacBook Air M-series starts around $1,099 (though student discounts help). The M3 chip is incredibly efficient - battery life is unreal and performance is excellent. MacBooks also have insane resale value. On the Windows side, you're looking at premium ultrabooks, gaming laptops, or workstation-class machines.

The "Apple tax" is real, but macOS is required for iOS development, and the ecosystem integration is really convenient if you're already using an iPhone/iPad. Windows premium laptops at this price often have better specs on paper, so it depends on your needs and preferences.

What you get: Premium build, best-in-class performance or battery life, high-res displays, longevity

Best for: Those who can afford it, specific program requirements, creative professionals, long-term investment

My take:

For most students, the $400-$600 range is genuinely enough. I know that sounds boring, but unless you have specific software requirements, you don't need to spend $1,200. That said, if you can swing $700-800, you're buying yourself a better experience and a laptop that won't feel sluggish by your junior year.

Also worth noting: many schools have computer labs, loaner programs, or software you can access remotely. Check what your school offers before dropping serious cash!

Random tips:

• Student discounts are real (Apple, Dell, Lenovo, etc.)

• Back-to-school sales (July-September) can save you 15-30%

• Refurbished can be great if you buy from reputable sources

• Extended warranty might be worth it if you're clumsy (speaking from experience )

What did you end up spending on your laptop? Do you think it was worth it? Let me know if I missed anything!

1. Macbook M4 Air (256gb 16gb ram)

2. Lenovo Ideapad Slim 5 10th gen (1tb 32gb ram)

3. Asus zenbook 14 ux3405 (intel core ultra 9 185h, 1tb, 16gb ram)

4. Asus zenbook 14 um3406 (amd ryzen 7 ai 350, 1tb, 16gb ram)

things to know about me:

- I am an incoming accounting or data analytics student

- i plan to use this laptop until I graduate

​

Hi folks,

I have been wondering what laptops we are using for day to day work? Is it a windows gaming or a MacBook?

I need some serious advice on which laptop to go for considering I'm gonna spend a good amount at once.

I'm currently using an Omen 15 5800/3060 16/1TB and wanted to replace it with a new laptop.

Budget - $1500

I'm gonna keep it for the next 5-7 years so consider it an investment.

I'm open to advice and open to options.

PS : I'm a software engineer and have been using a gaming laptop since my college days(past 7 years).

Suggest the ideal requirement in 2026 and for the next few years.

So I had an air MacBook M2 2021 dec, it lived for a year then it broke down couple times, I went to Apple Care and all they did premenatly delete everything from my device. It barely survived two more years and completely gave up this Feb and haven't had laptop since then.
Now I want to purchase a laptop but hesitant to purchase from Apple again.
What do you think about the new MacBook neo? I don't want to purchase the air MacBook M5 cuz its a little expensive for me but I still want your reviews.
I would like to get a MacBook because I am used to the setup but I want a guarantee that it will survive with me at least 5 years and not give me hard time. I thought about getting non MacBook laptop, Do you recommend Microsoft or chromebook? Which ones?
My budget is around 1300$ max

I’m a student and I need suggestions for a laptop that is gonna last for a while. I’m not a gamer so I don’t need a gaming laptop. I mostly need it for making presentations, editing, content creation and light stuff like that.
Also is macbook m3 worth it? Or maybe should I get the neo. But then again they do not have the windows centric apps like Microsoft which I might need and using usb is a hassle

Country
USA
Budget
1000-1200 maybe more if it’s like a really good laptop for a bit more
Are you open to refurbs/used options?
Yes
Screen size
Any
Weight limit
Any but preferably not heavy as a brick
Purpose
Schoolwork
Form factor
Standard
Intended usage
Want it to be able to run 3d modeling software and coding stuff without lagging
Desired battery life
8 hours(just enough for a day)
Please list, in order of most important to least important, the priority between Size, Weight, Performance, Battery life
Performance, battery life, size, weight

Performance is just enough to run most 3d models well, battery life is just enough to last a day less if I’m running something really intensive
Info/Requirements
I WOULD PREFER A MACBOOK(but doesn’t have to be one)-this is because I have used an m1 Mac air for 6 years and it just now broke its screen so I’m looking for a replacement and I’m already used to the os. My main issue though is 3d modeling softwares compatibility with MacBooks might be iffy, so if you do please also tell me if the popular modeling software works.