best computer for homework and gaming

Best laptops for gaming and work in 2024

Productivity and play? These are the best laptops for gaming and work

The quick list

• 1. Best overall
• 2. Best battery life
• 3. Best on a budget
• 4. Best portable
• 5. Best value
• 6. Best mobile workstation
• 7. Best budget workstation
• How to choose
• How we test

The best laptops for gaming and work combine power and performance with professionalism and portability.  

Our expert team of reviewers have tested the best business laptops and the best gaming laptops - but for the perfect blend of both, here's what we recommend. Our top choice laptop for work and gaming is the Dell XPS 15, which boasts the latest i9 processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, and 32GB RAM - more than enough to power through productivity tasks and online enemies alike. For an affordable gaming and work laptop, check out the surprisingly impressive Acer Nitro 5, while gaming on the go is outstanding thanks to the superior battery life of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14. 

We've rounded up our favorite laptops for gaming and work, comparing the specs, benchmarking performance, and assessing screen size, dimensions, and overall portability to find the best machines for work and play. 

The Dell XPS 15 rocks Intel's latest i9 processor and is equipped with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 – faster than the RTX 4060 in Dell G15 and Legion Pro 5i – and a whopping 32GB DDR5 RAM, along with a fairly comfortable pricing, all of which together make it our top-rated laptop for gaming and work.   

Read more  

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is a one-stop solution for just about everybody, but especially for those looking for exceptional battery life. For gamers, the GeForce RTX 4050, which is faster and better than the older RTX 3060, will pull through nicely, no matter the game.   

Despite being a cheap gaming laptop, the Acer Nitro 5, with 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB DDR5 RAM, and RTX 4050 graphics card, is absolutely capable of powering through any software or game you will throw at it.   Read more

The Acer Swift 3 sports a stunning and sleek 14-inch display and asks for very little while delivering loads, making it the ideal pick for anyone looking for a portable laptop on a budget.  

The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is one of the most affordable gaming laptops with a powerful CPU-GPU combination and an immaculate 16-inch WQXGA (2,560 x 1,600) 165Hz refresh rate display that punches above the weight for what's a budget gaming laptop.    

If you are looking for an extremely powerful large-screen laptop with thin bezels, a gorgeous display, and plenty of ports to set up a multi-screen workstation of your dreams, the Razer Blade Pro 17 will be a sound choice — at a slightly higher price tag, though.    

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The Dell G15 is an affordable powerhouse. There are multiple configurations to pick from, and the base model with RTX 3050 will do the job if you're not looking to run heavy and demanding games. That said, I recommend going for the RTX 4060 variant, which still manages to be very reasonably priced and delivers excellent gaming and work performance across the board.     Read more

What is the best laptop for gaming and work in 2024?

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Best laptop for gaming and work overall

1. Dell XPS 15

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

The Dell XPS 15 rocks Intel 's latest i9 processor and is equipped with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 – faster than the RTX 4060 in Dell G15 and Legion Pro 5i – and a whopping 32GB DDR5 RAM, along with a fairly comfortable pricing, all of which together make it the #1 laptop for gaming and work.

It competes directly with the Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch and the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra and eclipses both of them as long as your memo is an all-around laptop capable of getting through most high-end games along with creative and productive tasks.

If you can shell out a few more bucks, it'd make sense to go for the newer model, the Dell XPS 17 , as it rocks a bigger display with a higher resolution. For most users, though, the Dell XPS 15 is already going to be a step up from their original budget, and the 15.6-inch 3.5K (3456 x 2160) touch display simply does not disappoint. 

Despite being an out-and-out workstation capable of the most rigorous tasks, the Dell XPS 15 impressed with a battery life of over 8 hours in our movie test, where we play 1080p video back to back.

Read our full Dell XPS 15 review  

Best gaming and work laptop for battery life

2. Asus ROG Zephyrus G14

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is a one-stop solution for just about everybody, but especially for those looking for exceptional battery life. For gamers, the GeForce RTX 4050, which is faster and better than the older RTX 3060, will pull through nicely, no matter the game. 

While 4K gaming will be limited to 30fps, 1080p gaming with maxed-out ray tracing and what's a super impressive 165Hz refresh rate will be a delightful experience. I ran Red Dead Redemption 2 , Far Cry 6, and Assassin's Creed Valhalla @1080p, and the G14 was able to do the heavy lifting and produce around 100 fps on all of them.

Its GPU capabilities aren't limited to gaming alone. Combined with 16GB DDR5 RAM, 512GB SSD, and a breathtaking processor speed of up to 4.30GHz, there's a lot of power under the hood for business, engineering students, data scientists, programmers, and more. 

A 1080p webcam means that it's also excellent for business meetings – even the top gaming laptops limit themselves to a 720p webcam only – and a compact 14-inch screen with a sub-4 lbs weight and an ultra-thin 0.7-inch body makes it decent enough on the portability front. 

The battery life of 8 hours 10 minutes, as found in our movie test, is nothing short of astounding, and it scored a high 4 hours and 47 minutes in our PCMark8 battery test, too, which is significantly better than recent gaming laptops, including Alienware m15 R2, which only manages 2 hours and 45 minutes.

The multimedia experience is more than decent, thanks to its four-speaker system with Smart Amplifier Technology. And, the AI noise-canceling and support for Dolby Atmos are the cherry on top of what's an incredible all-purpose machine. 

Read our full Asus Zephyrus G14 review

Best budget laptop for gaming and work

3. acer nitro 5.

Despite being a cheap gaming laptop, the Acer Nitro 5, with 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB DDR5 RAM, and RTX 4050 graphics card, is absolutely capable of powering through any software or game you will throw at it. 

The older model rocked the RTX 3060, and it's appreciable how a notable jump in graphics performance has managed to come without a significant bump in price. The laptop is still priced around the $1,000 mark, making it a go-to choice for STEM students who'd very much like the 80 tensor cores and 20 ray tracing acceleration cores, which will improve the speed of matching learning applications. 

While it's more expensive than the Acer Swift 3, its GPU and overall performance, especially for intensive tasks, make it a better choice for those who need an all-in-one laptop while still being on a tight budget.

A slight downside is that there's no anti-glare, which will make it difficult to game in direct sunlight, like outside or in a super sunlit room. However, given its near-6-pound weight, it’s anyway not meant for those who want a travel-friendly laptop to work or play outside, even though an impressive battery life of over 7 hours may argue otherwise. 

Read our full Acer Nitro 5 review

Best portable laptop for gaming and work

4. Acer Swift 3

The Acer Swift 3 sports a stunning and sleek 14-inch display and asks for very little while delivering loads, making it the ideal pick for anyone looking for a portable laptop on a budget. 

It’s lighter than any other option on the list, and weighing in at just 3.09 pounds, it's a perfect choice if you want to be able to flip open your laptop no matter where you are and get going with intensive architectural, editing, or programming software–such is the GPU power. 

The overclocked Core i7 is an excellent CPU and maximizes work performance, as you'd expect from an Ultrabook . It will also easily run low and mid-range games. For hardcore gamers, though, this may not cut it, and I'd point them to the other options on our list. 

However, that's not to say that this laptop's gaming performance isn't ideal, but the fact remains that it'd be unfair to compare a sub-$700 product to a Zephyrus G14 or Dell G15 that are easily twice as expensive. For anyone pinching for pennies, the Acer Swift 3 is a must-have. 

If you're willing to splurge just a few more bucks for a better GPU, consider opting for the Acer Nitro 5.

Read our full Acer Swift 3 review  

Best value laptop for gaming and work

5. Lenovo Legion Pro 5i

The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is one of the most affordable gaming laptops with a powerful CPU-GPU combination and an immaculate 16-inch WQXGA (2,560 x 1,600) 165Hz refresh rate display that punches above the weight for what's a budget gaming laptop.  

Thanks to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, which is what you will also find in Dell G15, it's able to run demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Finally Fantasy VII Remake at maxed-out settings and ray tracing while churning out 60fps on average. 

As far as its work performance is concerned, I found no sluggishness irrespective of how many applications were launched at once, and everything from simple browsing to complex programming and video editing software ran with utmost smoothness and poise. 

The battery on this one is a two-edged sword. It charges just as fast as it drains, and while the 3-and-a-half-hour battery life is more than just a slight bummer, you can look past it, considering the overall bang for your buck you will get with this laptop.

Read our full Lenovo Legion Pro 5i review  

Best mobile workstation for gaming and work

6. Razer Blade Pro 17

If you are looking for an extremely powerful large-screen laptop with thin bezels, a gorgeous display, and plenty of ports to set up a multi-screen workstation of your dreams, the Razer Blade Pro 17 will be a sound choice — at a slightly higher price tag, though. 

Razer really went to town with the display on this one, and a 4K 17.3-inch display with 100% Adobe RGB coverage is easily one of the best I've ever tried on for size. Despite the steep pricing, I can see digital creatives and ultra professionals in the tech space flocking to get their hands on this laptop.  

The design, with a glowing Razer logo and RGB keyboard lighting, is as immaculate as it could be, and the powerful RTX 3080 is much better than the likes of RTX 4060 and RTX 4050. 

Read our full Razer Blade Pro 17 review  

Best budget workstation for gaming and work

7. Dell G15

The Dell G15 is an affordable powerhouse. There are multiple configurations to pick from, and the base model with RTX 3050 will do the job if you're not looking to run heavy and demanding games. That said, I recommend going for the RTX 4060 variant, which still manages to be very reasonably priced and delivers excellent gaming and work performance across the board. 

Large screen lovers will certainly appreciate G15's 15.6-inch 360Hz FHD display that boasts 100% sRGB coverage. You can rest assured that colors will be as vibrant as ever, and irrespective of whether it's 3D modeling software or Forza Horizon 5 you're running, the screen will be a sight to behold. The high refresh rate will particularly benefit video editors and 3D renders who deal with tons of moving images. 

There's also Nvidia G-Sync that just about eliminates screen testing and minimizes any kind of lag to deliver perfection. However, a 15.6-inch screen could have gone for better resolution like the ones in Dell XPS 15 and Legion Pro 5i.

The RTX 4060 overpowers Zephyrus G14's GPU ever so slightly, thanks to more Cuda cores and better gaming performance at 1440p resolution. A slight downside is the machine's weight. While it's tailor-made for holding its ground on a table, its full 6.19 pounds make it rather troublesome to carry around in a backpack. 

Best laptops for gaming and work: Frequently asked questions

Can i use a gaming laptop as an office laptop.

Top gaming laptops feature powerful hardware, making them well-suited for demanding work tasks, including 3D modeling, machine learning, graphic design, video editing, and data analysis. At the same time, it's important for you to consider factors like battery life, portability, and the laptop's appearance, as gaming laptops tend to be bulkier and may have a more striking design than traditional business laptops or Ultrabooks.  

Do gaming laptops last longer than normal laptops?

Gaming laptops are generally not expected to last longer than normal laptops. They are built for performance and can easily handle resource-intensive tasks, hardcore gaming, and demanding software, but all this cranks up heat generation and power consumption, resulting in faster wear and tear of components, such as the GPU and CPU. This reduces the overall lifespan of a gaming laptop when compared to a standard laptop that's used for general tasks and light gaming.  

Are business laptops more expensive than gaming laptops?

The cost of a laptop depends on various factors, including its specifications, brand, and intended use. Gaming laptops tend to have high-end graphics cards and processors to handle demanding games and complex applications, which makes them relatively more expensive. 

On the other hand, business laptops are designed for productivity and typically focus on factors like durability, security, portability, and battery life. While there are premium business laptops with higher price tags, they are not the norm, and budget-friendly options are usually what this section of the audience roots for.  

How to choose the best laptops for gaming and work

Selecting the best laptop for gaming and work is not a simple endeavor since it involves looking at multiple factors and finding laptops that strike the perfect balance between them. Here, we'll dive into the most important things to look at when out shopping for a do-it-all laptop for gaming and work.

Look for a laptop with a powerful CPU (like an Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7), sufficient RAM (16GB or more), and a dedicated graphics card (NVIDIA GeForce or AMD Radeon). This combination ensures smooth gaming experiences and efficient multitasking for work-related applications. That's why many opt for the best mobile workstations as a work-and-play laptop, as they're built for high-performance. 

A high-quality display is vital. While a laptop with a Full HD screen is going to do the job nicely, one with 4K resolution will look absolutely breathtaking, with crystal-clear clarity for gaming, professional tasks, streaming, and more. Additionally, look for displays with a high refresh rate if you would like minimum lags and a more reactive screen. 

When looking for a laptop for work, it’s fair to assume that you might want to carry it around, so let's talk about portability . The best UltraBooks we've tested are thinner, lighter, and easier to stuff in a backpack, making it more suitable for work on the go. 

However, this may compromise gaming performance, so find the right balance for your needs. For instance, if you're looking for an out-and-out mobile workstation with little to no on-the-go usage on the cards, the weight and thickness of the laptop will not be your major concern. 

A good battery life is a must to sustain long meetings or on-the-go workdays. It's worth noting that dedicated gaming laptops tend to have shorter battery lives due to their powerful hardware, so choose one that fits your priorities. Anywhere above the 4-hour mark is decent battery life for a gaming laptop that's also fit for work, but the right balance between the two could mean that your priority is laptops with over 6 hours of battery life. 

A comfortable keyboard and trackpad combination is essential for productivity - and the best Lenovo ThinkPad laptops are very popular for this reason, with arguably the best keyboards on any laptop. If you deal in sensitive work and prioritize privacy, opt for laptops with fingerprint sensors or similar safety mechanisms. On the contrary, a customizable RGB keyboard can be your go-to choice if you want to enhance the overall gaming experience. 

The laptop's build quality is an unmissable factor, as durability and longevity are extremely important – metal or high-quality plastic constructions are preferable. Ensure that the hinges and overall design are sturdy and the cooling system can efficiently manage and dissipate heat during extended gaming sessions. While you can look into the best rugged laptops to avoid bumps and scrapes, in our experience they're built for durability, but not high performance.  

Finally, consider the budget . Gaming and work laptops can range from budget-friendly to as high-end as you can think of. Determine how much you’re willing to splurge and find a laptop that provides the right balance of features and performance and allows you to seamlessly transition between work and play without breaking the bank for you. We've reviewed the best cheap laptops and the best cheap gaming laptops to find the one that's right for your budget. 

How we test the best laptops for gaming and work

Our team of reviewers have tested hundreds of laptops and PCs, including the best laptops for programming , the best laptops for video editing , and the best business computers . Whether it's mini PCs or the best laptops for gaming and work, our reviewing process to test laptops and desktops involves a rigorous evaluation that covers various aspects to ensure it can handle the demands of both worlds. 

One of the first things we scrutinize is performance. We test a laptop's CPU, GPU, and RAM to find out how it stands up to intense gaming and resource-heavy workloads. It's important for us to give you a clear idea of your laptop's capabilities so that you know what to expect when jumping into a game or tackling productivity tasks. 

Durability and portability are other key aspects of our evaluation. We assess the laptop's build quality, materials used, and ability to withstand the daily grind, which may or may not include frequent travel. This means examining its sturdiness and resistance to wear and tear because, let's face it, you want a laptop that can take the odd bump here and there. 

User experience is also something we give a lot of importance. This includes evaluating the keyboard's responsiveness, touchpad performance, and overall ergonomic design, ensuring that extended gaming or work sessions are as efficient and enjoyable towards the end as they are at the beginning. 

Finally, we delve into the cost and value-for-money aspects . We compare each laptop's price with its features, performance, and competition in the market. Our goal is to provide you with a comprehensive view of your laptop's strengths and weaknesses, helping you make a well-informed decision based on your unique needs for gaming and work. 

You can find out more in our guide  How we test laptops and desktops on TechRadar

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Krishi covers buying guides and how-to's related to software, online tools, and tech products here at TechRadar. Over at Tom's Guide, he writes exclusively on VPN services. You can also find his work on Techopedia and The Tech Report. As a tech fanatic, Krishi also loves writing about the latest happenings in the world of cybersecurity, AI, and software.

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The best laptops for gaming and schoolwork in 2024

These are our top picks for true work-and-play machines..

The line between gaming laptops and respectable workhorse notebooks has all but disappeared. These days, having a fast CPU and GPU, along with excellent cooling and a beautiful screen, will help you play the latest games and run all the demanding software you’d need for school work. Not everyone wants a garish gaming rig, though, so we’ve collected some understated options that will be at home across the classroom, library and heated sessions of Apex Legends in your dorm room. These are our top picks for the best laptops for gaming and schoolwork — but if you’re looking for a dedicated gaming laptop rather than an all-in-one machine, check out our best gaming laptops list for our recommendations.

Best laptop for gaming and school overall

Asus rog zephyrus g14.

Best high-end laptop for gaming and school

Razer blade 14.

Best budget laptop for gaming and school

Best no-limit gaming laptop for schoolwork

Alienware m16 r2.

Best big screen laptop for gaming and school

Asus rog strix g18, are gaming laptops good for school.

As we’ve mentioned, gaming laptops are especially helpful if you're doing any demanding work. Their big promise is powerful graphics performance, which isn't just limited to PC gaming. Video editing and 3D rendering programs can also tap into their GPUs to handle laborious tasks. While you can find decent GPUs on some productivity machines, like Dell's XPS 15, you can sometimes find better deals on gaming laptops. My general advice for any new workhorse: Pay attention to the specs; get at least 16GB of RAM and the largest solid state drive you can find (ideally 1TB or more). Those components are both typically hard to upgrade down the line, so it’s worth investing what you can up front to get the most out of your PC gaming experience long term. Also, don’t forget the basics like a webcam, which will likely be necessary for the schoolwork portion of your activities.

The one big downside to choosing a gaming notebook is portability. For the most part, we'd recommend 15-inch models to get the best balance of size and price. Those typically weigh in around 4.5 pounds, which is significantly more than a three-pound ultraportable. Today's gaming notebooks are still far lighter than older models, though, so at least you won't be lugging around a 10-pound brick. If you’re looking for something lighter, there are plenty of 14-inch options these days. And if you're not into LED lights and other gamer-centric bling, keep an eye out for more understated models that still feature essentials like a webcam (or make sure you know how to turn those lights off).

Best laptops for gaming and school in 2024

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Display size: 14-inch OLED | Display resolution: 2560 x 1440 (QHD) | CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS | GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 | RAM: 32GB LPDDR5X | Storage: 1TB SSD | Weight: 3.31 pounds | Max battery life: 10 hours

Read our full ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 review

The Zephyrus G14 has been our go-to gaming laptop recommendation for years, but it’s better than ever this year thanks to a refined unibody aluminum case, a gorgeous OLED screen and a weight reduction to just 3.3 pounds. It feels curiously light for a machine with an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS CPU and NVIDIA RTX 4070 graphics. While the new Zephyrus G14 loses the RTX 4080 option from the previous model, that’s not a big problem. You’ll be better off with a lighter and more attractive model that doesn’t cost a ton.

Will Lipman Photography for Engadget

Display size: 14 inches | Display resolution: QHD+ | CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS | GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4060 or 4070 | RAM: Up to 32GB | Storage: Up to 1TB SSD | Weight: 7.98 pounds | Max battery life: Up to 7 hours

Read our full Razer Blade 14 review

Razer’s flagship Blade laptops have been the closest PC analog to Apple’s MacBook Pro since their debut, and the latest Blade 14 doesn’t change that one bit. It features the company’s signature, rock-solid unibody aluminum case, but now it sports AMD’s Ryzen 9 8945HS CPU and your choice of NVIDIA’s RTX 4060 and 4070. The new 240Hz LCD will also let you play just about everything at eye-bleeding speeds (or, at the very least, it’ll give you a helpful accuracy bump while sniping in Overwatch 2 ). While we would have liked to see an OLED screen like what’s on the Zephyrus G14, the Blade 14 remains a tremendous gaming notebook. Just be ready to pay a premium for its fantastic hardware.

Display size: 15.6 inches | Display resolution: 1920 x 1080 (FHD) | CPU: Intel Core i5-13450HX | GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 | RAM: 16GB LPDDR5X | Storage: 512GB SSD | Weight: 6.19 pounds | Max battery life: 6.5 hours

While Alienware has established itself as a solid premium brand, Dell's cheaper G-series notebooks are worth a look for anyone on a budget. In particular, the G15 continues the trend of delivering very capable hardware – including Intel’s latest 13th-gen CPUs, AMD’s Ryzen 7000 CPUs and NVIDIA’s RTX 30- and 40-series GPUs – for under $1,000. Sure, the case is mostly plastic, and the laptop’s screen doesn't offer all of the latest niceties (at least there’s finally a 165Hz option!). But for the price it's hard to find anything more powerful.

Display size: 16 inches | Display resolution: QHD+ | CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 185H | GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 | RAM: 16GB LPDDR5X | Storage: 1TB SSD | Weight: 5.75 pounds | Max battery life: 90 Whr

After just one year on the market, Dell went back to the drawing board with its latest Alienware m16 and redesigned it from the ground up. The result is the m16 R2, a lighter and more affordable gaming notebook that can still pack a punch in Cyberpunk 2077 with its RTX 4070 GPU. At 5.75 pounds, it’s a chunky beast, but it’s still 20 percent lighter than the previous 7.28-pound model. And for some, the weight will be worth it to live with the m16 R2’s gorgeous 16-inch 240Hz LCD panel.

Display size: 18 inches | Display resolution: QHD+ | CPU: Intel Core i7-13650HX | GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 2TB SSD | Weight: 11.9 pounds

Sometimes, a 16-inch or even 17-inch screen won’t cut it. For the most demanding gamer and media editor, there’s the ROG Strix G18 , an 18-inch beast sporting Intel’s latest 14th-gen CPU and NVIDIA’s RTX 40-series family (which of course includes the top-end RTX 4080). The Strix G18 screams “gaming laptop” more so than anything else in this guide, but it’s a solid choice for anyone who wants a big-screen machine at a relatively affordable price.

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Best student computer in 2024

The best student computers in a range of prices and styles

• Best overall
• Best Windows
• Best MacBook
• Best Windows laptop
• Best Chromebook
• Best gaming
• Best mini PC
• Best for DYIers
• How we test

Finding the best student computer can feel as daunting as preparing for finals. There's a lot to consider when shopping for the best computers that meet all your needs as a student, including size, power and perhaps most importantly, price. That's intimidating, especially if you've got exams and homework to contend with.

Every student has different needs and budgets. To help you out, we've rounded up some of our favorite computers at a broad range of prices. Whether you want a Windows 11 PC, a Mac, a svelte all-in-one computer or a big beefy gaming PC , we're here to help find the right computer for you.

For an even broader range of options, don't forget to check out our guides for the best student Chromebooks and the best MacBooks for college students . Also, keep an eye on your favorite vendor for potential deals . You never know what might show up.

That said, let's check out the best student computers you can buy right now.

The quick list

Here's a quick overview of the best student computers you can buy right now based on our testing and reviews.

The Apple iMac M3 delivers the goods thanks to its M3 chip which makes this machine an even speedier all-in-one that's easy to recommend to students who want a Mac for basic work and play.

Read more below

The Dell XPS 8960 looks like an office computer, but it's really a gaming PC in disguise. This boxy beige or black tower blends right in with '90s office decor, yet beneath the unassuming exterior, you'll find powerful specs. This is a great Windows PC for students.

The MacBook Air M2 is the best laptop for the money. You get fantastic performance from the new M2 chip, a brighter and bigger display and more than 14 hours of battery life, according to our testing. It's even better now at its new $999 entry price.

While not a perfect laptop, Microsoft has harnessed the power of Qualcomm’s latest chips to create a true MacBook Air competitor that is speedy and pleasant to use thanks to its Sleek and light design, fast Snapdragon X processor and stellar battery life.

The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 is a premium Chromebook that's great for students because it offers a beautiful QLED display, great sound, and 8 hours of battery life. Plus, its Core i3 configuration provides a ton of speed for Chrome OS.

If you want a powerful mid-range gaming PC that won't draw much attention in your dorm, look no further than the Alienware Aurora R16. It's got power where it counts and said power won't cause the Aurora R16 to melt thanks to its advanced cooling tech that keeps the PC running cool and quiet.

Tony is a senior staff writer at Tom’s Guide covering laptops, tablets, Windows, and iPadOS. During his off-hours, Tony enjoys reading comic books, playing video games, reading speculative fiction novels, and spending too much time on Twitter. His work has appeared in publications such as Laptop Mag, PC Mag, and various independent gaming sites.

Load the next two computers

The best mini PC overall

The Mac mini M2 is a pint-sized powerhouse that’s cheaper and faster than its predecessor thanks to the speedy M2 chip. The option to upgrade it with an  M2 Pro  ($1,299) sweetens the deal, turning this into a decent Mac for gaming or light photo/video editing. It’s a great mini PC for Mac fans.

The best mini PC for tinkerers

The Raspberry Pi 4 Model B has a powerful processor, 4K video output and an improved part selection. It offers enormous value for projects ranging from simple to complex, from its enhanced processing and graphics to offering broad compatibility with older accessories.

The best student computers right now

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.

The best student computer overall

1. Apple iMac 24-inch (2023)

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

Apple's iMac recently received a turboboost to M3, which has boosted it up to the top of our charts as the best student computer you can buy today. It offers a beautiful display, an excellent webcam and an array of bright new color schemes. Alongside that, the M3 is more than capable of crushing your task list with beastly performance, as well as some gaming and handy multi-tasking.

The iMac M3 is an even better deal because it still starts at $1,299 and now you're getting the extra features and added power of the M3 chip. That pays off in better performance when doing things like gaming or editing video, as well as better video quality on calls. If you're in the market for a new desktop Mac and you like the idea of an all-in-one, the iMac M3 is easy to recommend because you get decent performance at pretty much everything but serious gaming and creative work in a package that costs under $2,000. 

Read our full Apple iMac 24-inch review .

The best Windows student computer

2. Dell XPS 8950

The Dell XPS 8950 is one of the best Windows PCs for students because it's a solid entry-level machine that's small, quiet, affordable, and packed with components powerful enough to tackle any school project — or play the latest games at a steady clip.

The XPS 8950 is a great investment for students because it packs those powerful components into a low-key, unassuming chassis that won't look out of place in a dorm or office setting. And while the inside is a little cramped, there's plenty of room to tinker and upgrade as your needs change, and you don't need any tools to open up the chassis — you just need to remove two thumb screws and a side panel.

Read our full Dell XPS 8950 review .

The best MacBook for students

3. MacBook Air M2 (2022)

The MacBook Air M2 will keep its charge through multiple classes, breaks and all-nighters. We mean that, as it survived on the Tom's Guide battery test for 14 hours and 06 minutes. Its performance is also significantly improved over the Air M1. The M2 chip makes the MacBook Air a shockingly decent system in multiple ways, giving it plenty of power for your studies.

Plus, you can run iOS and iPadOS apps on the MacBook Air, as its M1 processor is similar to the A-series iPhone and iPad processors. Living the remote learning life? You'll look clearer and more accurate than ever, as signal processing in the M2 makes the MacBook Air webcam better than ever. Its Magic Keyboard is really great for typing comfortably for hours on end. Also, its current $999 price makes it the most affordable MacBook out there.

Read our full Apple MacBook Air M2 review . 

The best Windows laptop for students

4. Microsoft Surface Laptop 7

Overall, Microsoft got it right with the latest version of the Surface Laptop 7. While the AI features aren't particularly useful in their current state, you can ignore them and still have one of the best-performing laptops on the market. The battery life will get you through a full day of work and play with ease. Add in the slick design and nice color choices, and you have a device you’ll be proud to carry with you everywhere.

For those who like Windows 11, we have no problem recommending this laptop — whether you choose the base model or decide to invest a little more for a larger screen, more performance or both.

Read our full Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 review .

The best Chromebook for students

5. Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2

We weren't as happy with the vertical travel in its keyboard, which is a bit shallow. This creates a slight learning curve you'll adapt to over time. But to get a Chromebook that looks this good — wow that Fiesta Red color option stands out in a sea of silver Chromebooks and PCs. Plus, at $549 (Celeron) or $699 (Core i3), the Galaxy Chromebook 2 is a pretty great value.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 review .

The best gaming computer for students

6. Alienware Aurora R16

The Alienware Aurora R16 ($1,749 to start) is the latest in the company's line of Aurora gaming PCs, though you could be forgiven for not initially recognizing this rig as a gaming machine. 

Unlike its predecessor the Alienware Aurora R15, which sports an ultra-futuristic design that screams "gaming PC," the Aurora R16's Legend 3.0 design is decidedly subdued. Minor flourishes aside, this Alienware desktop wouldn't look out of place in an office.

While it may not look flashy, it's got power where it counts since you can configure this rig with the latest Intel processors and  Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series  GPUs. And all that power won't cause the Aurora R16 to melt thanks to its advanced cooling tech that keeps the PC running cool and quiet.

Read our full Alienware Aurora R16 review .

The best mini PC for students

7. Apple Mac mini M2

Sometimes a student wants a slim, subtle PC to sit unobtrusively on their desk. For those students we recommend the Apple Mac mini M2: it's everything we loved about the Mac mini with M1, but now it's cheaper and faster thanks to the addition of Apple's custom M2 chip.

The M2 Mac mini is the most affordable of Apple's current crop of Macs, and it delivers huge value for a decent price. You won't be playing the latest PC games or crunching huge video files with ease, but for most schoolwork, the Mac mini M2 should be more than capable enough. You'll need to hook it up to your own monitor, keyboard, and mouse, but that's par for the course when purchasing PCs.

Read our full Apple Mac mini M2 review .

The best computer for DIYers

8. Raspberry Pi 4 Model B

The Raspberry Pi ushered in a new era of DIY tech, and the $35-$55 Raspberry Pi 4 Model B pushes that to new heights with a more powerful processor, 4K video output and an improved part selection. While this incredibly affordable DIY PC is powerful enough to work as a standalone PC in a pinch if you want to install Windows on it, that's not really the ideal way to use this computer.

Instead, the Raspberry Pi 4's real value for students lies in how many projects you can build with it. While it's nothing more than a fancy circuit board out of the box, once you kit it out with a power supply, monitor(s), and whatever input devices you prefer, you can turn it into everything from a tiny PC to a web server to a home media center or a retro gaming machine.

If you want a ready-made PC for homework and papers you'd be better off with another PC on this list, but if you want a cute little DIY PC board you can use for all sorts of cool student projects, you can't go wrong with the Raspberry Pi.

Read our full Raspberry Pi 4 Model B review .

How we test the best student computers

How we test computers.

As we evaluate and review all sorts of computers — such as best all-in-one computers , best gaming PC and best mini PCs — we run a series of standardized tests to measure how each machine performs, what uses it's best suited to, and what sort of capability you get for the price.

These standard tests include generalized performance benchmark tests, like Geekbench 4 and 5 (for processor performance), 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra (for graphics), and a custom file transfer test to measure hard drive performance.

Gaming-oriented benchmarks test the performance of systems using current games, measuring the frame rates each desktop will produce in games like Tomb Raider, Far Cry: New Dawn, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Middle-earth: Shadow of War. We'll also run individual game tests and the SteamVR performance test to evaluate how well-suited they are to the unique demands of virtual reality.

Most importantly, we spend a ton of time simply using each desktop computer for everyday activities. We watch movies, do work, play games, and blast music on the speakers, all to get a better sense of which ones are worth your money.

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Here at Tom’s Guide our expert editors are committed to bringing you the best news, reviews and guides to help you stay informed and ahead of the curve!

Tony is a computing writer at Tom’s Guide covering laptops, tablets, Windows, and iOS. During his off-hours, Tony enjoys reading comic books, playing video games, reading speculative fiction novels, and spending too much time on X/Twitter. His non-nerdy pursuits involve attending Hard Rock/Heavy Metal concerts and going to NYC bars with friends and colleagues. His work has appeared in publications such as Laptop Mag, PC Mag, and various independent gaming sites.

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Notable Mentions

Recent updates, all reviews, the best laptops for college, tested and reviewed - fall 2024.

When you're going off to college, you'll need a laptop that can handle your school workload. Depending on your program, the best laptop for students may be a simple Chromebook, an ultraportable Windows laptop or MacBook, or a powerful mobile workstation. Most of the time, you'll want a portable device with a long battery life, so it's easy to carry around, and you won't need to bring the charger with you. As you'll be using the laptop a lot, you should also prioritize a good user experience, like a sharp and bright display, a comfortable keyboard, and a responsive touchpad. It's also important to consider the port selection for peripherals or external displays. 

We've bought and tested over 135 laptops. Below, you'll find our recommendations for the best laptops for college you can buy. You can also see our recommendations for the best student Chromebooks , the best lightweight laptops , and the best 15-16-inch laptops . If you're on a set budget, check out the best laptops under $1,000 .

If you need to upgrade your wireless network at home, we recently launched router reviews; check out our list of the  best Wi-Fi routers .

Best Laptop For College

The best laptop for college we've tested is the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024). This premium model is ideal for college students who need a thin, light laptop to write papers, browse the web, and consume media. Apple's base M3 SoC is well suited to light productivity tasks and even some video editing and 3D graphics. Plus, it doesn't even need a cooling fan, so you won't have to worry about loud fan noise in classrooms and libraries. It provides an amazing user experience, sporting a sharp, bright display, a spacious keyboard, and a gigantic haptic touchpad. Its battery life is excellent, though it takes a while to fully charge. Port selection is its biggest weakness as it only has two USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports, and these ports will only output to two external displays if the lid is closed. The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2024) is also a good choice if you want a bigger screen with better-sounding speakers, but it costs more.

If you need or prefer a Windows machine, check out the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition 15 (2024) . In many ways, it provides an even better user experience than the MacBook Air, sporting a brighter 120Hz touchscreen, a more comfortable keyboard, and a wider port selection. However, unlike most Windows laptops that most people are accustomed to, this 7th Edition model sports an ARM-based Qualcomm SoC. The X Elite chip can easily handle general productivity tasks, and its incredible power efficiency results in a 17-hour battery life in light uses. The downside is that Windows on ARM is relatively new (at least in this iteration with Microsoft's new Prism emulation), meaning you might encounter apps that don't run at all or perform poorly, so it's best to check with your school or professor regarding compatibility. 

FYI: the 15-inch Surface Laptop is more expensive than the 13-inch MacBook Air. If you can't afford to spend more on this model, you can check out the smaller 13-inch model, which we haven't tested but expect to be very similar in performance.

See our review

Best Mid-Range Laptop For College

Our recommendation for a more affordable mid-range option is the HP Pavilion Aero 13 (2024). Configurable with Zen 4 AMD Ryzen CPUs (up to a Ryzen 7 8840HS), this 13-inch ultraportable is well suited for light productivity tasks like text processing and web browsing, as well as some moderately intensive workloads like programming and photo editing. It's easy to carry around, and you likely won't need to bring a charger, as the battery lasts 10 hours of light use. It comes with 16GB of soldered RAM; this is both good and bad, as you don't have to spend extra to upgrade (most laptops only come with 8GB on the base models), but you can't add more. Thankfully, its SSD is user-replaceable. You can choose an FHD+ or QHD+ IPS panel; they're both bright enough to provide good visibility in well-lit settings.

As for the user experience, it's good, though a noticeable step down from the more premium models mentioned above. The keyboard feels spacious, albeit a tad fatiguing over an extended period, and the touchpad is responsive but makes some actions like dragging and dropping hard to perform. Its build quality is also inferior, as its aluminum and plastic chassis has a cheap, hollow feel and exhibits a fair amount of flexing. Additionally, the finish is prone to scratches even from everyday use. With all that said, this is still a very good device for college students if you can look past its unremarkable build.

Best Budget Laptop For College

If you are on a budget, then get the ASUS Vivobook 16 M1605 (2023). This model feels well-built despite its low price, and it's relatively portable for a 16-inch device. You can get it with an AMD Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 CPU; both are more than adequate to handle most student workloads like text processing, web browsing, and video playback. RAM configuration is limited, as you can only get 8GB or 16GB. 16GB models are harder to find, but the upside is that the memory is user-upgradeable, so you can just get the 8GB model and pop in a SO-DIMM memory stick later on. Battery life is okay at around eight hours of light use.

The overall user experience is good. It has a comfortable keyboard, a large, responsive touchpad, and a decent 720p webcam. The display looks reasonably sharp but a bit dim and washed out, a common drawback of budget-friendly devices. However, you get plenty of nice features like Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity and a fingerprint sensor for quick logins. There's also a decent port selection with three USB-As, a USB-C, and an HDMI; the USB-C doesn't support video output, so you'll have to use the HDMI port to connect an external display.

Best Cheap Laptop For College

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i Chromebook 14 (2023) is the best laptop for students we've tested in the cheap category. It's a great option if you only need a simple device to browse the web and write papers. Its compact design makes it easy to carry around, and its battery lasts about 13 hours of light use. The Core i3 configuration (paired with an FHD display, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage) is regularly on sale for around $400 to $500 USD on  Lenovo's website . There are cheaper configurations, but we don't recommend them unless you have an extremely light workload.

As for the user experience, its FHD display looks sharp, gets bright enough for use in well-lit settings, and supports touch input. However, the keyboard feels mushy, and the touchpad is small and sometimes unresponsive. Its 1080p webcam is excellent, which is surprising for a budget-friendly Chromebook. Again, ensure you can do everything through a Chrome browser or Android app; otherwise, it's best to go with a Windows laptop like the ASUS Vivobook 16 M1605 (2023) above.

Best Workstation For College

For students in more technical fields who need a high-performance laptop to run intensive applications, we recommend the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023). Like its M2 predecessor, this new M3 model has a sleek, compact design, a sturdy build, and all-day battery life. It provides a fantastic user experience with its sharp Mini LED display, comfortable keyboard, and gigantic, easy-to-use haptic touchpad. You get tons of ports to connect peripherals and external displays and an outstanding 1080p webcam for video calls. You also get a fingerprint sensor so that you can log in quickly.

Apple's M3 Pro/Max SoCs can easily handle demanding tasks, making this laptop a great option for students in programming, 3D graphics and animation, or science and engineering. The fans remain quiet under load, so you don't have to worry about causing too much noise in a quiet classroom or library. If screen real estate is more important than portability, you can get the larger Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3, 2023) . It's the same device but with better-sounding speakers and a longer battery life. The only downside is its higher price.

Best Gaming Laptop For College

If you want a laptop that you can game on during your downtime, get the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024). Sleek and compact, this 14-inch model is easy to carry around while still packing plenty of processing power to provide a smooth gaming experience in demanding games. It has a gorgeous 120Hz 2.8k OLED display, a tactile keyboard, and one of the best speaker systems you can find on a Windows machine. You get Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity, a facial recognition IR camera for quick logins, and a wide port selection, including two USB-Cs and an HDMI 2.1.

Regarding the configuration options, you can choose between an AMD Ryzen 7 or 9 CPU paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050, 4060, or 4070. If you don't mind playing your games at 1080p, you can go with a 4050 model, but for 1440p gaming (or 2.8k), we recommend upgrading to a 4060 or 4070. RAM and storage max out at 32GB and 1TB, respectively. Only the SSD is user-replaceable, which you might want to do later, as 1TB fills up quickly with the size of most modern games. Battery life is decent at around eight hours of light use, so depending on your usage, you may have to plug it in for a quick charge to get through the day.

The HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) is a good alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024) if you prefer a 2-in-1 convertible. It has a nicer OLED display with pen input support, a higher-quality 4k webcam, and a wider port selection. It's also a good option over the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition 15 (2024) if you use apps that aren't compatible with an ARM-based SoC since it runs on a more traditional x86 Intel chip. Unfortunately, its OLED display doesn't get nearly as bright as the MacBook Air or the Surface Laptop, and it flickers, which might bother some people. At around 11 hours, its battery life is roughly the same as the MacBook Air but significantly shorter than the Surface Laptop.

• Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (2024): The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (2024) is a cheaper alternative to the HP Pavilion Aero 13 (2024). It has a sturdier build and a more comfortable keyboard, and it's a 2-in-1 convertible, so you can use it as a tablet. The display supports pen input if you want to take handwritten notes, though you'll have to buy the stylus separately, and there's no place to store it for transport. Keep in mind that this is a Chromebook, so it isn't ideal if you need to install specialized applications, which typically lack Chrome OS support. See our review
• Lenovo Yoga 6 13 (2023): The Lenovo Yoga 6 13 (2023) is a cheaper alternative to the HP Pavilion Aero 13 (2024). It has a sturdier build and a better touchpad; however, its display doesn't get as bright, and its webcam is significantly worse. It also doesn't perform as well because it uses slower AMD Zen 3-based CPUs, whereas the HP uses newer Zen 4 processors. See our review
• Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 15 (2023): The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 15 (2023) is cheaper than the ASUS Vivobook 16 M1605 (2023). It has a better webcam, and its USB-C supports video output, so you don't need to carry a separate HDMI cable. The downside is that its battery lasts only six to seven hours. See our review

The Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 (2024) is a great Windows alternative to the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023). This model provides a great user experience, and it's more versatile and can double as your gaming device since it's a Windows device. But there are a few catches: it's a 16-inch device, so it might not fit into some bags; its battery life isn't as impressive as the MacBook Pro, but still amazing at around 12 hours of light use; and finally, while it has plenty of processing power to handle demanding tasks like 3D graphics and simulations, the MacBook's M3 Max SoC is still much faster.

Oct 15, 2024: Removed the Framework Laptop 13 (2023) and the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (2024) from the Notable Mentions because there are better options. Added the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition 15 (2024) as an alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024). Added the HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) as a Notable Mention.

Sep 19, 2024: We've reviewed the article to ensure our picks represent the best products available and made minor edits for clarity.

Aug 26, 2024: Added the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (2024) and the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 (2024) as Notable Mentions. No change in the main recommendations.

Aug 01, 2024: Replaced the Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 (2023) with the HP Pavilion Aero 13 (2024) because the Lenovo is no longer available. Added the Lenovo Yoga 6 13 (2023) as a Notable Mention. Removed the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (2023) from the Notable Mentions because it's discontinued and no longer available.

Jun 12, 2024: Replaced the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition (2023) with the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) because the Zephyrus has a sturdier build and is more portable. Replaced the LG gram 14 (2023) with the HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) as a Windows alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024) because the LG is an older model and getting harder to find. Replaced the Acer Swift 3 14 (2020) with the ASUS Vivobook 16 M1605 (2023) because the ASUS performs better and is easier to find.

Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best laptops for college students to buy. In addition to the test results, we factor in the price (a cheaper laptop wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no laptops that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).

If you prefer to make your own decision, here's the list of all of our laptop reviews, sorted by price from low to high. Keep in mind that most laptops are available in various configurations, and the table only shows the results of the model we tested, so it's best to see the full review for information about other variants.