11 Best Laptops for Students in the UK for 2024 Reviewed

The best laptops for students can make all the difference. After all, a student’s life is challenging enough – taking notes in lectures, doing online research, getting your coursework in on time to get your final mark… So many things to do and so little time.

Fortunately, there is a solution. Getting the best laptop for students will significantly increase your productivity and help you with your academic work. Whether you need it for essays, browsing the internet, or more complex tasks like computation, editing, or modeling, a reliable laptop will help you to be more efficient and effective. Read on and find the laptop that’ll best suit your needs.

The Best Laptop for Students in the UK – Top 10 Ranked

For those looking for a quick answer, take a look at our top 10 best laptops for students in the UK.

1. Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop – Overall, the best model for uni students. It boasts a 15.6-inch screen in FHD resolution. Suitable for demanding programs.
2. Apple MacBook Air M1 – Equipped with the newest-gen M1 chip and capable of running multiple complex programs simultaneously. Has 8 GB RAM.
3. HP Chromebook – Has a 14-inch screen ready for HD streaming. Uses an integrated HD Graphics GPU.
4. Microsoft Surface Laptop Go – Enjoy a powerful i5 Intel Core CPU with 4 cores. It has a superb battery life of up to 11 hours and a 720p HD camera.
5. Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Chromebook – Comes with a 2-core and 2-thread Intel Celeron N4020 CPU. Ideal for writing essays and taking notes in classes.
6. Lenovo Flex 5 – Uses a Ryzen 5 CPU with 6 cores and a 16 GB GPU by Radeon. Great for complex operations such as programming, video editing, and gaming.
7. Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 4 – A basic laptop with a low-end CPU and GPU setup. It’s cheap and comes with 10+ hours of battery life.
8. Apple MQD32LL/MacBook Air – Relying on the Core i5 processor, this version of the MacBook Air is cheap yet powerful enough to run the most complex programs.
9. HP Pavilion 15 Laptop – Equipped with an Intel Core i7 CPU, the HP Pavilion 15 is a powerful laptop that can compare with some of the best mid-range desktop PCs.
10. Dell Latitude 7390 – Best Dell laptop for students comes with an 8th Gen Intel Core processor and 256 GB SSD.
11. Asus Vivobook L210 – Neatly-designed laptop with a basic low-end setup. Has a capacitive numpad that’s ideal for math and architecture students.

The Best Laptops for University Students in the UK Reviewed

The best laptops for students can come in many different shapes and sizes. Because of that, our analysts have decided to review a wide range of computers to find the best one.

As a result, we got 11 laptops that stand out for their pricing, CPU and GPU setup, storage, screen size, and warranty. Here are a range of laptops that offer the best value for many.

1. Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop – Overall, the Best Laptop for Students in the UK

The Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop is a great multi-purpose laptop for engineering, graphics design, IT, and literary students.

This laptop is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 3 3200U CPU with a 2.6 GHz clock speed and 3.5 GHz turbo speed. As such, this processor is capable of supporting complex computing tasks.

As a student, you won’t have any trouble multitasking. This CPU can withstand the pressure of juggling between several applications simultaneously, as it comes with 2 cores and 4 threads. You’ll find this CPU similar to the i3-8145U processor, which is among the most common laptop CPUs nowadays.

The Acer Aspire 5 has an integrated AMD Radeon RX Vega 3 GPU. With a 300 MHz base clock and 1,100 MHz boost clock, this GPU doesn’t belong to the elite. As such, this GPU won’t be able to support the most complex assignments like gaming in 4K.

You will need to find a laptop with the best graphics card for gaming if that’s your favorite pastime between tutorials.

Still, that doesn’t mean the Acer Aspire 5 can’t support gaming. The RX Vega 3 is good enough to support some low-end games. However, you would need to lower the graphics settings if you want gaming sessions to go smoothly. More importantly, though, the Aspire 5’s component setup is strong enough to simultaneously run a variety of tasks.

The 3.97-pound weight and 15.6-inch display size make this laptop ideal for on-the-go tasks. You won’t have to leave your laptop behind because it’s too heavy to carry around. On the contrary, this laptop is lightweight and ideal for students who need to get around – and many call it the best laptop for uni students.

Pricing

With a price of only £292.97, the Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop is the best budget laptop for students UK. For this price, you’ll get a computer with a great dual-core processor, 128 GB SSD, 3.5 GB memory, and a reliable battery that lasts up to 7.5 hours.

2. Apple MacBook Air M1 – Ideal for Engineering Students

The Apple MacBook Air M1 is a powerful and reliable laptop with up to 18 hours of battery life.

Running complex and demanding software is part of everyday life for every engineering student. Low-end laptops may struggle to meet the requirements of loading these applications, resulting in delays and grief.

The Air M1 is powered by one of the most advanced CPUs developed by Apple. The 8 GB RAM processor comes with 8 cores and a 3.4 GHz base frequency.

This is helpful if you need to run more demanding programs like Computer-Aided Design (CAD) applications or Matlab. CAD, for instance, requires at least 8 GB of basic memory, though 16 GB is recommended, and a minimum of 3+ GHz CPU. The Air M1’s powerful processor makes it the best laptop for engineering students.

The Apple MacBook Air M1 is made of quality components. The 13.3-inch screen delivers high quality in 2560 x 1600 resolution. The Air M1 also has increased pixel density and delivers 25% more colors than sRGB.

This laptop doesn’t have traditional cooling fans. Instead, it relies on Apple’s thermal efficiency design concept that allows for more airflow. Moreover, its software is programmed to take extra care of the laptop’s heating.

If you plug in the charger while running demanding apps, your laptop will stop charging until it cools down. It’ll start charging again once the temperature conditions have reduced. This saves your laptop components from overheating and protects the battery’s lifespan. All of this adds up to make it one of the best student laptops ever made.

Pricing

There’s no doubt the Apple MacBook Air M1 will get the job done. This is precisely why this laptop is sometimes out of stock. After all, good laptops for students are hard to find.

The price depends on the type of laptop you choose. The traditional M1 chip laptops cost around £999. If you go for the newer M2 chip Apple MacBook, it’ll cost between £1,200 and £1,500 – with deals sometimes making them available for less.

3. HP Chromebook – Decent Performance at a Reasonable Price

The HP Chromebook is the best HP laptop for students. It is fast, reliable, and extremely affordable.

This laptop is ideal for taking notes in lectures, writing essays, and using online resources to complete homework and assignments, and it will be a perfect pick for many students.

The machine uses an Intel N4000 processor with a 1.1 GHz base frequency and 2.6 GHz boost speed. As such, this laptop will not always be the ideal solution for more complex programs. Indeed, it may struggle to run AutoCAD, Matlab, and InDesign.

Its graphics card is also somewhat limited, so the HP Chromebook shouldn’t be your first choice if you intend to relax while playing AAA video games.

Thanks to its dual-core processor, this laptop can support multi-browsing, however. And if you need to access restricted content or get a bit more privacy while researching online, you can always add an extra layer of protection and install one of the best UK VPNs.

Furthermore, the HP Chromebook has 32 GB HDD memory. It allows you to store a lot of data and keep valuable information in one place.

This laptop has a 14-inch screen and supports Full HD streaming. See our guide to the best VPNs for Chromebook for additional security options.

Pricing

The HP Chromebook is the best budget laptop for students. You can get this laptop for only £180.59. This laptop is great for university students on a budget and has lots of Chrome and Android apps to choose from.

4. Microsoft Surface Laptop Go – Great Solution for Under £500

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go offers a 12.4-inch screen and 720p HD camera.

This laptop is great if you spend your university days away from home or taking online classes. The 710p HD camera is great for video calls and meetings. Naturally, you can install apps like Zoom, Skype, and Slack with no issues whatsoever. Additionally, the laptop weighs just 2.44 pounds, so it’s great if you’re looking to break your usual routine and attend sessions from the park or a nearby coffee shop.

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go relies on the 4-core Intel i5-1035G1 processor. This is a modern, newer-gen CPU with 3.6 GHz max turbo speed. As a result, it’ll run more complex programs without breaking a sweat.

Intel’s UHD graphics card, meanwhile, is good enough to support any challenge you may impose upon it. It can even support newer video games at 720p if that’s your cup of tea.

The Surface Laptop Go stands out with an impressive battery life. Depending on the type of task, your battery can last from 6 to 11 hours, which is enough to satisfy all your university needs.

The laptop is built of quality materials and boasts a flashy modern design. You’ll notice the speakers are below the keyboard, which is a bit out of the ordinary. However, the laptop comes with crystal clear sound.

Pricing

Priced at only £357.10, the Laptop Go is the best laptop for students in the UK under £500. This computer is slightly more expensive than the Acer Aspire 5, but if you’re looking for extra RAM – 8 GB compared to 5 GB – the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go will definitely be worth adding £60 more.

5. Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Chromebook – Perfect for English Literature Students

The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Chromebook is the best laptop for students who need a reliable tool to take notes and save vital documents.

If you need a reliable laptop with a good battery life span of up to 10 hours for your usual student routine, then Lenovo IdeaPad3 is the right choice for you.

If you want to perform complex operations and run three demanding applications simultaneously, this laptop should not be your first choice, though.

The IdeaPad3 is equipped with Intel Celeron N4020 that comes with 2 cores and 2 threads. This CPU has a 1.1 GHz base speed and a 2.8 GHz boost speed. With 4 GB of RAM, this computer is ideal for most students. If you need a reliable laptop for school to run basic tasks and less demanding applications, the IdeaPad3 will do the job.

You can store up to 64 GB on this laptop. Thus, it’ll serve you well for storing your university-related files and folders. You might also look into a password manager solution to keep your data safe in the event the machine gets lost or stolen.

The Lenovo IdeaPad3 wasn’t necessarily built of top-grade materials, but it’s good enough to keep your laptop resistant to heat, water, and impacts if dropped. The IdeaPad3 is ergonomic and extremely cheap, though.

Pricing

Speaking about the price, you can get this laptop for only £159, which puts it at the top of our best budget laptop for students list. Indeed, the IdeaPad3’s price is its greatest competitive advantage – this laptop is around £20 cheaper than the HP Chromebook, for example.

Despite the lower price, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Chromebook runs a slightly newer CPU than its counterpart. Comparing the two low-budget CPUs, you’ll notice that the N4020 CPU installed in the IdeaPad3 has 0.2 GHz more boost speed than the HP Chromebook’s N4000.

6. Lenovo Flex 5 Laptop – Popular for Computer Science Students 

The Lenovo Flex 5 Laptop is the best laptop for students of science and math science students.

Thanks to its powerful setup, this laptop can measure against the best gaming PCs in the UK.

This laptop is equipped with the hexa-core Ryzen 5 5500U mobile processor. It is powerful enough to run any software without fuss. This CPU has a 2.1 GHz base clock and up to a staggering 4 GHz boost speed.

Combining the newer-gen Ryzen processor and Radeon 7 graphics card with 16 GB memory, Lenovo has created the best laptop for computer science students. As such, this machine is powerful enough to run Adobe Software, Autodesk, MatLab, On the Hub, and VMware apps with ease.

You can use your Lenovo Flex 5 laptop in several modes. Besides the traditional “Laptop” mode for everyday computing, you can use the “Tent” mode for file sharing, “Stand” for watching streams, and “Tablet,” which allows for more intuitive interaction.

Pricing 

You can get this laptop for only £595. If you need a computer for more complex operations, you won’t find a better setup than this one. In addition to a newer-gen GPU and CPU combo, you get 16 GB RAM and a whopping 256 GB HDD.

7. Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 4 – Best Lightweight Laptop for Students

The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 4 is a compact, lightweight computer that is ideal for students’ on-the-go tasks. It is also among the best cheap laptops for students in 2024.

The base model of the Chromebook 4 comes with Celeron N4000 and integrated Intel HD Graphics. Not great, but not terrible.

The machine is equipped with a low-end GPU and CPU, so running complex software would be a challenge for this laptop. So, what is Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 4 good at?

First of all, this laptop stands out with an above-average battery lifespan. You can use this computer continuously for 12.5 hours. Furthermore, it uses an ultra-fast Gigabit Wi-Fi connection that allows you to download files quickly.

And weighing just 3.69 pounds, the Chromebook 4 is easy to carry around and great for traveling.

Pricing

If you’re looking for a cheap, basic laptop with 10+ hours of battery life, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 4 is ideal for you. On top of that, its portable size and 3.69-pound weight allow you to move around with your laptop as you like.

8. Apple MQD32LL/A MacBook Air – Architecture Students’ Dream

The Apple MQD32LL/A MacBook Air is the best laptop for architecture students.

This computer boasts a powerful Core i5 processor, which is always ready to face any challenge. Thanks to its robust processing power of 1.80 GHz clock speed, Apple MQD32LL/A can efficiently run software like AutoCAD, SketchUp, INDESIGN, AutoCAD Architecture, V-Ray, and Photoshop.

You can enjoy quality visuals on the 13.3-inch screen. This laptop supports 1920 x 1080 resolution, which is good enough to show fine details – something that’s critical to architecture students.

On top of that, this computer boasts 256 GB HDD and 512 GB SSD. It offers you enough memory to store an array of documents. Its powerful storage makes this computer the best Apple laptop for students.

We also recommend installing the best task management software to help you better organize your work.

The graphics card could be better. Unfortunately, since it’s integrated, you won’t be able to boost your laptop. Despite this minor downside, the Apple MQD32LL/A is strong enough to fulfill all your needs.

Pricing

You can get this version of MacBook Air for only £287.52. If you have no intention of spending £900 to £1,500 for an M1 or M2 chip Apple laptop, the MQD32LL/A won’t fail you.

9. HP Pavilion 15 Laptop – Best Laptop for Design Students

The HP Pavilion 15 Laptop offers premium performance at a decent price. It’s powerful enough to run the most complex programs any design student might use.

The HP Pavilion 15 is powered by an 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7 CPU with 4.70 GHz max turbo frequency. As such, this processor is good enough to run video editing and 3D rendering programs with ease.

Combined with Intel’s Iris X Graphics card, this laptop is ready to chew frames at stunning speed. Its 15.6-inch display supports FHD resolution and offers impressive visual effects.

This machine – the best laptop for graphic design – comes with a 512 GB SSD, which gives you up to 15x faster performance than the classic HDD. It can load complex programs like Photoshop, Sketch, Illustrator, After Effects, or InDesign with incredible speed.

The battery lifespan could be higher than it is at 8 hours, though. So, you might have to keep your charger close if you intend to run multiple programs simultaneously.

Pricing

What do you get for £662.74? A modern-looking laptop with 16 GB RAM and a newer-gen CPU that’ll stay relevant for years to come. This is the best laptop for uni students who intend to run more serious applications simultaneously.

10. Dell Latitude 7390 – Powerful CPU and 256 GB Storage

The Dell Latitude 7390 has a lightning-fast i5 processor and an integrated graphics card developed by Intel.

This computer is, in many ways, the best Dell laptop for students. Yet, its price is only £198.99. How? Very simply, this product comes from the Amazon Renewed Store, meaning it’s in like new condition.

The official release of this laptop was in 2018. Still, this machine remains a force to be reckoned with.

It boasts an 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8350U, a powerful 4-core processor with 1.7 GHz clock speed and 3.66 GHz boost frequency. Its Intel UHD 620 GPU is good enough to support the most demanding software.

If you’re one of those who prefer playing their favorite video games while resting, it’ll be good to hear that this laptop delivers 60-80 fps in LOL at ultra-high settings. And if that floats your boat, you should look for the best gaming mouse in the UK to round out the ultimate gaming experience.

Pricing 

Normally, this setup costs more than £500, which is the case with the Dell Inspiron, for example. However, in this particular case, you can get the best laptop for students for less than £200, which is a bargain.

11. Asus Vivobook L210 – Decent Build Quality and Capacitive Numpad for £150

The Asus Vivobook L210 is the best laptop for university students on a tight budget.

The Vivobook L210 stands out with a comfortable keyboard and one unique feature – the trackpad, which helps this computer stand out from the rest of the crowd. By clicking on the upper right corner button, you’ll activate the numpad. This feature is particularly useful for math and computer science students. It also puts it among the best laptops for graphic design.

The Asus Vivobook uses an Intel Celeron N4020 CPU and an Intel UHD Graphics 600. This combination is standard among low-end laptops. Performance-wise, it isn’t the most spectacular combination. However, the Vivobook L210 setup is good enough to support some basic programs.

Also, you’ll notice there are no cooling fans on this laptop. This is possible thanks to the technology that both the CPU and GPU use. By allowing natural airflow to do the job, your computer will remain cool but, above all, extremely quiet.

Pricing

The Asus Vivobook L210 costs only £150.25. Besides a tolerable CPU/GPU combo, you’ll get 64 GB on the hard drive and a battery that can last up to 12 hours and sometimes more.

The Best Laptop for Students UK Options Compared

We compared the best laptops for students in the UK based on several key criteria. Read the table below to find the best portable computer for you.

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Student Laptops for You

Today, students spend a lot of time on their laptops or desktop computers. Many educators agree that technology is changing how students learn. As a result, technological devices play a crucial role in every student’s education.

The role of a laptop is to help students be more efficient and effective both on and off classes. Because of that, it is imperative for every university student to choose the right laptop to satisfy their needs. But which laptop is best for students?

The one with the widest screen? Or the one that is easiest to carry? Are components important?

Read on and learn how to choose the best laptop for students and save money along the way.

Size and Style

Every student wants their laptop to look slick and modern. On top of that, a computer should be practical and easy to carry.

However, this is not always possible. For example, you shouldn’t expect the best laptop for graphic design to be small and compact. In graphic design, it’s all about details. Thus, choosing a laptop with less than an 11-inch screen is probably not the best idea.

If you need a laptop to complete simple computations and take notes in classes, a small computer with a 10-inch screen and 1-2 pounds weight will get the job done.

Otherwise, you should look for a wider-screen laptop with a mid-to-high-end graphics card and CPU. Such laptops are typically bigger and weigh 3-4 pounds. However, these are sacrifices we all make every day.

Many students also choose laptops with a touchscreen. 2-in-1s are slick and great for multitasking. With a hybrid laptop, you can take notes, write essays, and enjoy a longer battery lifespan. Touchscreen laptops are simple to carry but offer less performance speed than classic laptops.

Processor

The CPU is the heart of every laptop. The processor determines how fast your laptop will resolve complex operations.

You should pay attention to two things – CPU speed and the number of cores. The higher the speed, the easier your laptop will be able to finish the task. If you intend to use your laptop for university purposes only, you should look for a computer with at least a 1.2 GHz base speed. This will be enough for your laptop to load more complex apps.

The best laptop for students should have at least 4 cores. CPUs are evolving every day. Microsoft is working with AMD on expansion into AI processors. This means it’s a matter of time before the programs you use become more complex.

Because of that, you need to have a laptop that’ll stay relevant in the future. The quad-core CPU is more expensive than the dual-core, for instance. However, given the circumstances, it’s more like an investment rather than an expense.

Storage Space

It’s not uncommon for the best laptops for uni students to have both SSD and HDD storage. Solid Slate Drives (SSD) have become more popular than traditional HDDs.

HDD is a more traditional way to store data. However, this type of storage is typically slower and less durable than SSD.

Solid Slate Drives are more expensive but also more durable and less energy-consuming. As a result, the SSD is almost 15x faster than the HDD.

A laptop with an SSD will load any program faster and more efficiently. It’s not the end of the world if you choose an HDD laptop. Just make sure you select the computer with the largest HDD you can find.

Battery Life

The average battery life for a low-end laptop is between 6-8 hours. However, if you intend to run more complex operations, you should look for a laptop with 10-14 hours of battery life.

But beware, as some brands overstate laptop battery life. Because of that, we advise you to choose only tested computers, like the ones we mentioned above.

Warranties

It’s no secret you can find some powerful computers for ridiculous sums of money on the used laptops market. However, this is a double-edged sword. You never know who used your laptop and, more importantly, how they used it. If anything goes wrong with your laptop, you’ll end up wasting your money.

This is why you should look for laptops with the most extended warranty. A 1-year warranty is standard among many laptop brands. Some brands also offer 2-year free customer service, which is great if you encounter software problems.

Price

Laptops differ in quality and price. However, that doesn’t mean the best laptop for students will cost you an arm and a leg. In fact, you can find some great laptops at a decent cost. But, before you indulge in a search for the best laptop for students UK, you need to set your budget.

A lower-end machine comes in a £150-£200 price range. Such a laptop will be good enough for basic tasks like browsing the web, storing e-books, and writing essays.

A budget of £400 and above should be enough to get you a powerful laptop. These machines come with a higher-end setup, including a newer-gen CPU and GPU with over 6 GB. You can run any program and enjoy a high level of detail with such laptops.

Finally, if playing video games is your passion, you can purchase some of the best gaming laptops. However, this will stand you above £500.

Upgradeability 

Most laptops come with an integrated graphics card. If the card isn’t strong enough to satisfy your needs, you’ll easily find yourself in a pickle. For this reason, you should either find an upgradeable laptop or purchase a computer with a sound graphics card.

Which is Better for Students – a Laptop or a Desktop?

Students are often in two minds when choosing the right tool for their university needs. Both laptop and desktop have their advantages and downsides. Here’s what you need to know to make an educated decision.

Laptop – Convenience Over Everything

Laptops are smaller and easy to carry around, which helps students follow their classes.

Good laptops for university give you the freedom to move around and change the environment occasionally. Ultimately, a laptop helps students increase their productivity.

A laptop is a good choice for students who need a reliable machine to complete basic tasks.

By that, we mean programs students typically use during their courses. Laptops are great for writing essays, video editing, and running basic programming assignments.

Compared to desktops, laptop computers offer lower-end components and are slightly pricier than their counterparts. For instance, gaming is a huge challenge, even for the most expensive laptops.

As a result, the best gaming laptops, which are able to render pretty much everything at a high pace, will generally cost a lot more than the same desktop gaming setup.

Desktop PC – Everything You Need in One Place

Even the best laptops for students can not measure up against the best PCs. Because of their robust architecture, desktop computers often offer more quality components.

Also, desktops have several cooling fans and run in colder temperatures than laptops. Or, at least, it is easier for desktops to cool, thanks to many cooling fans.

You can either buy a powerful desktop or build one yourself. In each case, this will cost you less money than buying or upgrading a laptop.

However, having a desktop usually implies having additional expenses. For instance, you would need to buy a keyboard, mouse, an ergonomic desk, and a chair if you intend to spend long hours with your desktop.

Also, if you wish to use a desktop only, you will have to go old-school and use pen and paper while in classes.

Best Laptop for Students UK FAQs

Aleksandar Stevanovic

Software Reviews Expert

• 
• 

Aleksandar Stevanovic

Software Reviews Expert

Aleksandar Stevanovic spent 10 years honing his craft as a freelance content writer. He has a degree in Economics, and extensive experience in software, crypto, and cybersecurity industries. He covers a multitude of topics, writing factual and informative articles, helping individuals better understand the intricacies of the online world. Over the last two years, his research focus shifted more towards tech and software content, as evidenced by his publications on CEX.IO, Business2Community, and Techopedia. He believes in simplifying complex topics and bringing them closer to like-minded individuals. His work is as detail-oriented as it is creative, and is designed to…

All Articles by Aleksandar Stevanovic