Newsletter
It’s that time of year again. Time to start thinking about back to school shopping. And we’re here to help.
One thing that all students need, before they go back to school, is a laptop. There are hundreds if not thousands, of “great” laptops out there. But which ones are the best? Well, we have rounded up the very best laptops that are currently available, and these come in all sorts of sizes, and price ranges, so there is definitely something for everyone.
Microsoft Surface Pro 6
This is the perfect “laptop” for those that also want something that’s lightweight and can turn into a tablet. It’s technically a tablet that can turn into a laptop.
The Surface Pro 6 is actually pretty powerful too. With an Intel Core i5 chipset inside, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, there’s going to be plenty of performance and storage for all of your needs. You can also up this to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, but that of course, is going to cost a lot more than this model in particular.
This is a tablet that will disconnect from the Microsoft Type Keyboard – which is included here. That makes it a pretty nice tablet to have for taking notes and so forth. Finally, this is also a really great machine for playing some games, in between classes or on the weekend when you have nothing to do. The Surface Pro 6 can really do it all.
You can pick up the Surface Pro 6 from Amazon using the link below, where it is currently $799.
Microsoft Surface Pro 6 - Amazon - $799Razer Blade Stealth 13
If your student is a gamer, then this is the laptop to get. It’s not just for gaming though, these high-end specs means that other programs are going to run really well on this laptop, and it will also last a few years before needing to buy a new one. That’s definitely great, considering the price tag.
The Razer Blade Stealth 13 is a 13-inch laptop that is also pretty lightweight and thin. It weighs in at under three pounds. Meaning that it is not going to weigh down your backpack, when you’re going back-and-forth to classes.
Inside the Razer Blade Stealth 13, you’re going to find some pretty powerful specs. It’s powered by the quad-core Intel Core i7-8565U, with 16GB of RAM and 256GB SSD. The NVIDIA GeForce MX150 is also on-board for some really good graphics.
Of course, we cannot forget the Chroma on the keyboard. This is going to be a lot of fun in the dorm room, and definitely get your roommates attention when they see your keyboard is changing colors.
The Razer Blade Stealth 13 is definitely the laptop to buy. It’s small, but not too small, it’s powerful but also not too powerful. And at a price of $1599 right now, it seems to be the best of both worlds (specs/features and price). You can pick up the Razer Blade Stealth 13 from Amazon using the link below.
Razer Blade Stealth 13 - Amazon - $1599ASUS ZenBook 13
This is ASUS’ latest ultrabook offering and it is still a pretty impressive offering. It sports a 13.3-inch display and somehow still weighs in at under two and a half pounds.
Internally, this sports the Intel Core i5-8250U, with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of M.2 SSD storage. That basically means that this is going to be lightning fast. 8GB of RAM is going to be plenty for most people these days too, especially on Windows 10.
Battery life is also not an issue on the ZenBook 13, you’re going to get around 14 hours of battery life, according to ASUS. In the real-world, that will likely be closer to around 10 hours – which is still pretty good. There is also fast charging, which can get you 60-percent charge in just 49 minutes.
You can pick up the ASUS ZenBook 13 from Amazon using the link below, right now it is priced at just $799 for the Core i5 model and $870 for the Core i7 model.
ASUS ZenBook 13 - Amazon - $799Lenovo Chromebook S330
Something that’s a bit cheaper – actually a lot cheaper – but still very practical, is the Lenovo Chromebook S330.
Yes, it’s a Chromebook, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad buy. Chromebooks do basically run a web browser, and now there is also Android app support. Depending on what your student needs to do on a laptop, this could be the perfect option for them. If they can do everything in the web browser, then this is the one to get.
The Chromebook S330 has a 14-inch 1366×768 resolution display. This is powered by a MediaTek MT8173C chipset, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Don’t worry about the small amount of storage here. All of the documents you will be working on, with this Chromebook, will be saved in Google Drive. Which everyone gets 15GB of storage, and you can get another 100GB for just $2 per month.
You can pick up the Lenovo Chromebook S330 from Amazon using the link below, where it is currently priced at $169.
Lenovo Chromebook S330 - Amazon - $169Dell XPS 13
The Dell XPS 13 is probably the best all-around laptop here, for those that want performance over things like detachable screens (for using like a tablet, like the Surface Pro 6 does). That’s because it offers some really great specs for the price, and a beautiful, nearly bezel-less display too.
The XPS 13 has a 13-inch display, like you probably guessed based on the name. This particular model has a UHD or 4K display, but it is also available in a Full HD model that is a few hundred bucks cheaper.
Internally, you’ll find the Intel Core i7 chipset, with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD as well. This makes it one of the more powerful laptops on this list, and definitely a great buy for going back to school this year.
You can pick up the Dell XPS 13 from Amazon using the link below, currently it is just $1399 ($300 off).
Dell XPS 13 - Amazon - $1399ASUS Chromebook Flip C434
This is a higher-end Chromebook, with a higher (but still cheap) price tag. This one comes in at $549.
The C434 is a touchscreen Chromebook, which can also be used as a tablet. It sports a 14-inch display, powered by the Intel Core m3 chipset, with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. As mentioned before, the storage in a Chromebook isn’t that big of a deal, seeing as all of your files will be stored in the cloud, via Google Drive.
This Chromebook comes in an aluminum unibody, which looks really great, and while it does make it a bit heavier, it does mean that it is less likely to break if it gets dropped. You’re also going to get some really good battery life out of this, with over 10 hours on a charge.
You can pick up the ASUS Chromebook Flip C434 from Amazon for just $549 using the link below.
ASUS Chromebook Flip C434 - Amazon - $549HP Pavilion X360
This is a laptop that’s going to fit everyone’s needs, and everyone’s budget. The HP Pavilion x360 comes in three sizes: 11-inch, 14-inch and 15-inch with a starting price of $399.
The Pavilion x360 has a touchscreen that does swivel around, so you can use it as a tablet, or even in tent mode to watch movies. These are running on Intel Pentium Silver chipsets, with the 15-inch model getting the upgrade to the Intel Core i3 processor. These also sport Intel’s integrated graphics, so you’re not getting the best gaming performance on these laptops, but they will do the job.
Additionally, you’ll find 4GB of RAM across the board, and storage ranging from 128GB up to 1TB. These are customizable though, so if you do need more RAM or storage, then you can get that, for an added cost. Keep in mind that if you do decide to customize these laptops, you’re going to want to do it now. As they do take some time to be built and could take a few weeks. So to make sure it is in your hands before school starts, now is the time to buy it.
You can pick up the HP Pavilion x360 from HP’s website using the link below. They are currently on sale, starting at $399.
HP Pavilion x360 - HP.com - $399Wrap Up
Laptops have gotten more expensive in the past decade or so, after a time where they were getting cheaper and cheaper. And that’s because these laptops are now built to last longer than they ever did. In fact, my laptop is going on three years old now, and it still performs about as well as the newer models, which is pretty good to see. Think of it like this, spend more now, and it’ll be longer before you need to buy a new laptop.
Some of the better laptops on this list are over a grand, which might seem like a lot for a laptop, but where smartphones cost that same amount, it actually seems really cheap. The Razer Blade Stealth 13 is likely going to be the best option for most people. It’s powerful, lightweight and somewhat small. But still being very workable for getting work done in the dorm, in the library or even in class.