15 best laptops for study
The rule “the more expensive the equipment, the better” in choosing a laptop for study does not work. Yes, expensive models are made of high-quality materials, differ in power and performance, but they offer to overpay for functionality unnecessary for typing and searching for information. Let's figure out what criteria are really worth considering before buying, which brands are superior to competitors in terms of equipment reliability and where to find an inexpensive study laptop with suitable characteristics.
What to look for when choosing a laptop for study
When choosing a laptop for study, focus on 6 parameters.
CPU. If technology is needed for simple processes like word processing, buy laptops with budget Intel N4200, N3710, N5000. Choose AMD Ryzen 3 2300U, AMD Ryzen 3 2200U, or 6-8 Generation Intel i3 processors for imaging, simple video projects, and running games at minimum settings. The performance index for performing non-resource-intensive tasks should fit into the range of 2500-6000.
Screen characteristics. Of the types of matrixes in laptops, IPS and TN are more common. The first is characterized by a wide viewing angle and good color rendering, but a high price. TN is used in cheap models, however, the type is inferior to the competitor in other parameters. If your budget allows, opt for viewing angles from 170/160 and brightness from 200 cd / sq. m. The optimal laptop screen size for study is 15.6 inches. The option allows you to work comfortably, does not burden the equipment. If focusing on resolution, stop at 1366 * 768 pixels. Such models do not differ in detail, but they do not distort the text. Yes, with a resolution of 1920 * 1080 pixels, images look sharper. However, the letters in some programs become small, it is difficult to read and perceive the text without scaling.
The amount of RAM. To work with common programs, 4 GB of RAM is enough. If you need to perform resource-intensive tasks, choose options from 8 GB in combination with a processor with good performance.
Hard disk space. For storing documents, performing office tasks and surfing the Internet, 120 GB or more are enough. For a laptop, it is better to choose an SSD drive from Samsung, Intel, Kingston or ADATA - hard drives from the listed brands are reliable.
Battery. The battery with a capacity of 2600-3300 mAh will allow the laptop to work in standalone mode for up to 5-7 hours. The duration is relevant for gentle parameters: performing simple processes, minimum screen brightness. With more complex work, the battery will drain faster, focus on needs.
Weight and size. If you plan to carry your laptop for study with you, choose models no larger than 2 kg. Convenient if the size fits most bags and backpacks in your wardrobe.
In terms of body material, it is better to give preference to aluminum. Metal is more practical than plastic - it lasts longer, is resistant to damage. Fingerprints are not noticeable on aluminum, as on smooth glossy materials, the laptop will look neater and cleaner.
Top laptop manufacturers
From the brands on the market, it is better to choose those whose activities are focused on the production of computers. According to user reviews and reliability, for 2020, competitors are ahead of:
- ASUS - offers classic laptops, ultra-thin models, transformers. In the line, you can choose options for performing simple tasks and resource-intensive, devices with a rotary touch screen and with an increased battery life;
- Lenovo - Allocated notebooks for study in the X line. The devices are mobile, keep the battery charge for a long time and are distinguished by an ultralight case;
- Xiaomi Is one of the few Chinese brands whose notebooks are worth paying attention to without fear of wasting money. The range of devices is represented by 3 lines: Air, Pro and Gaming;
- DELL - the corporation has combined inexpensive devices for everyday tasks in the Inspiron line.
Apple devices also boast build quality and stability. But its own operating system, conflicting with the programs necessary for study, the need to buy suitable components and the high price of MacBooks just because of the brand name reduce the popularity of devices among students and schoolchildren with a limited budget.
Best Low-Cost Laptops for Study
Budget options are suitable for performing simple operations like surfing the Internet or typing. To work with "heavy" video and images, drawings, you will have to choose more powerful devices.
Lenovo Ideapad L340-15 Intel
Relatively light notebook for study, weighing 2.2 kg, with an extended runtime. The device can operate autonomously for up to 9.5 hours. Supports fast charging option: up to 80% battery is charged in less than an hour, up to 100% in less than 2 hours.
The processor of the device depends on the configuration. The line includes 5 options from Intel:
- Core i3-8145u;
- Core i5-8265u;
- Core i7-8565u;
- Celeron Gold;
- Pentium Gold.
The device comes with integrated Intel graphics or NVIDIA graphics. The maximum amount of RAM Lenovo Ideapad L340-15 Intel - 16 GB. SSDs allow you to store up to 2TB on your laptop with the maximum configuration.
The study laptop is equipped with a good audio system with support for Dolby Audio and a 0.3 megapixel webcam. The camera can be covered with a built-in security shutter. For working with portable media, the device has a USB-C port and 2 USB 3.1 ports.
PROS:
- duration of battery life;
- support for fast charging;
- powerful, suitable for basic work tasks;
- the lid tilts 180 degrees, there is less chance of damaging the case;
- the ability to choose a configuration for the necessary processes.
MINUSES:
- small viewing angle;
- easily soiled case;
- short charging wire.
Acer ASPIRE 3 (A315-54K)
The laptop is equipped with an Intel Core i3 processor with a frequency of 2 GHz and an integrated graphics controller Intel HD Graphics 520. 4 GB of RAM and 256 GB of solid state drives are enough to work with simple programs, documents, run games on minimal settings, store office files and images. The battery allows the laptop to function without recharging for up to 9 hours.
The screen size of the Acer ASPIRE 3 (A315-54K) is 15.6 ”, the resolution is 1920 * 1080 pixels. The device has 2 built-in speakers, a microphone, 3 USB ports. Model weight - 1.90 kg.
PROS:
- thin and lightweight, easy to take on the road;
- long battery life. Maximum 9 hours, on average 5-6;
- 4 GB of internal RAM and a free slot for an additional die;
- the power and performance is enough to run the popular study programs.
MINUSES:
- does not "pull" resource-intensive programs and games.
HP 15-da0
The configuration with an Intel Core i3 processor is suitable for standard office tasks. The performance of the HP 15-da0415ur is enough for working with text documents, spreadsheets, viewing photos, videos and launching simple programs and games. The device comes with 8 GB of RAM (expandable up to 16 GB) and a 1000 GB HDD.
According to the manufacturer, a study laptop can last up to 13 hours without recharging. Together with a lightweight plastic body - the model weighs 1.77 kg - this adds to the device's mobility. The 15.6-inch display has a matte finish for comfortable viewing in bright natural light. The screen resolution of 1920 * 1080 pixels gives good image detail.
PROS:
- performance is sufficient to work with non-resource-intensive programs;
- the model is lightweight and autonomous, convenient to carry;
- charges quickly;
- loud and clear sound of speakers;
- good color rendition and wide viewing angle.
MINUSES:
- average quality of plastic, prints remain on the body;
- when watching a video, the declared battery life is reduced by 4 times;
- high resolution, for comfortable work with text, you often have to use scaling.
Best Value Laptops for Study
If you do not want to overpay for cheap parts and unnecessary functionality, choose models from the top in terms of quality and price ratio. The devices will help to perform most of the necessary operations and will regularly serve for several years.
ASUS VivoBook 15 X512
Lightweight and compact class laptop with 19mm thickness and 1.7kg weight. Equipped with a processor with a base frequency of 2.3 GHz and graphics controller Intel HD Graphics 620. 4 GB of RAM and 256 GB SSD allows you to perform the necessary work tasks, store text documents and images.
The screen diagonal of the ASUS VivoBook 15 X512 is 15.6 inches, the resolution is 1920 * 1080. The device has a built-in HD camera, microphone and microphone / headphone jack. When the cover is lifted, the keyboard tilts for convenience, the text is typed at an angle.
PROS:
- compact and lightweight;
- high-quality body material and assembly;
- works almost silently;
- large screen with narrow bezels;
- good, clear sound.
MINUSES:
- low speed, sometimes slows down;
- the screen reflects, does not allow you to work comfortably in sunlight.
Lenovo Ideapad 330 15 Intel
In a relatively budget configuration, the Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15IKB 81F5011BRU is equipped with an Intel Core i3 i3-7020U processor with a frequency of 2.3 GHz and an AMD Radeon 540 2 GB graphics card. Works laptop for study quickly, copes with text, images and video. Comes with 4GB of RAM. If desired, the volume can be increased to 12 GB. The HDD provides access to 1 TB storage, but, according to user reviews, the drive is slow.
The screen of the Ideapad 330S-15IKB 81F5011BRU with a diagonal of 15.6 "and a resolution of 1920 * 1080 pixels. For convenience, it has an anti-reflective coating. The study laptop lasts up to 7 hours without recharging. The weight of the product with a case made of plastic and metal is 1.87 kg.
PROS:
- power and performance allow you to perform most work tasks, run resource-intensive games;
- good sound;
- great design and build;
- practically does not heat up;
- comfortable touchpad;
- the lid opens 180 degrees;
- the ability to use SSD and HDD.
MINUSES:
- poor quality charging cable, easy to damage;
- poor color rendering - the image is either too dark or overexposed;
- only 2 USB ports.
HP PAVILION x360 14-dh0
Small 14-inch study laptop. Weighs only 1.59 kg. Inside the case of the HP Pavilion x360 14-dh0036ur configuration, there is a processor with a frequency of 2.1 GHz, an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 graphics card and a 128 GB SSD. Together with 4 GB of RAM, these parameters allow you to quickly respond to most processes. It is comfortable to work with text, tables and photos.
The screen resolution of 1920 * 1080 pixels makes images clear, and the glossy finish enhances the brightness and vibrancy of colors. For convenience and optimization of processes, the display is equipped with touch controls.
PROS:
- good performance;
- great design;
- transforms into tablet mode with touch control;
- lightweight and compact, fits in a small bag;
- equipped with an SSD-drive.
MINUSES:
- the body is made of medium quality plastic, easily scratched.
The best laptops for study at the institute and university
If studying at a university involves the use of only simple office programs, you can get by with a budget model. If you have to work with large amounts of data, drawings and resource-intensive software, choose powerful options.
Lenovo IdeaPad S340-15 AMD
It's a slim and light option with long battery life and impressive performance for the money. The Ideapad S340-15API 81NC00HMRK configuration offers:
- processor with a frequency of 2.6 GHz (maximum 3.5);
- integrated graphics card AMD Radeon Vega 3;
- 8 GB of "RAM";
- SSD 256 GB;
- display with a diagonal of 15.6 inches, a resolution of 1920 * 1080 pixels and an anti-glare coating.
A study laptop can last up to 8 hours without recharging. There is a numeric keypad and backlight on the keyboard, a microphone and an HD camera on the lid. The body of the model is made of metal and plastic. The device weighs 1.8 kg.
PROS:
- screen with thin bezels, good color reproduction and viewing angle;
- the battery holds a charge for a long time;
- powerful processor, enough capabilities to perform most office tasks;
- curtain for closing the webcam;
- SSD storage.
MINUSES:
- easily soiled body, prints remain on the surface;
- the touchpad is not very responsive;
- few USB ports.
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 Lite
Thanks to the "stuffing" the laptop is suitable for simple and resource-intensive tasks. The metal case houses a quad-core Intel Core i5 8130U processor, an NVIDIA GeForce MX110 graphics card, 8GB of RAM, and a cooling system with 2 fans to prevent overheating. You can store images and text files on a 128GB SSD or 1TB HDD.
The display of this laptop for study is widescreen, 1920 * 1080 pixels. The diagonal of the screen is 15.6 ". Option weighs 2.18 kg. Works autonomously up to 6 hours.
PROS:
- fast, copes well with most tasks;
- quiet;
- responsive touchpad;
- powerful battery;
- 8 GB of RAM, which is relatively large for similar models;
- bright screen.
MINUSES:
- scratches remain on the lid;
- quiet due to the location of the speakers;
- heavy for everyday wear.
Apple MacBook Air 13 Mid 2017
Stylish and thoughtful laptop capable of handling most educational tasks, image processing and video processing. Equipped with a dual-core Intel Core i3 processor capable of overclocking up to 3.2GHz. Eight gigabytes of RAM is enough to work with resource-intensive programs, and a 256 GB SSD storage is enough for storing documents and photos.
PROS:
- with an average brightness of the backlight, it works autonomously for up to 7 hours;
- loads quickly, responds, does not freeze;
- excellent viewing angle and color rendering;
- convenient touchpad, multitouch available;
- light;
- good build quality.
MINUSES:
- expensive;
- incompatible with some prerequisite programs available on Windows.
The best laptops for school
For a student who carries a laptop to class, it is better to look after a compact and lightweight device without unnecessary options. If the device is used exclusively at home, you can please the child with the ability to run simple games.
ASUS Laptop 15 X509
This variant of the laptop for study offers a dual-core processor with a base frequency of 2.3GHz, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. The diagonal of the screen of the device is 15.6 inches, the resolution is 1920 * 1080. The display is matte, anti-glare, comfortable to work in bright natural light.
Equipment weight - 1.9 kg. The body is completely made of plastic. The design assumes the presence of a webcam, microphone, headphone and microphone jack, USB ports and a Micro SD card reader.
PROS:
- high-quality assembly;
- light weight;
- good performance, loads quickly and responds;
- matte screen with good color rendering and wide viewing angles;
- the battery charges quickly and holds a charge for a long time;
- clear speaker sound.
MINUSES:
- little memory;
- poor image transmission quality on the webcam.
HP PAVILION x360 14-dh0
Designed like a transformer, the study laptop easily converts into a touch tablet or e-book reader. The diagonal of the screen is 14 inches and the light weight - 1.68 kg - allows you to carry the device instead of notes in a regular bag.
Configuration HP Pavilion x360 14-cd1019ur is equipped with a processor with a base frequency of 2.1 GHz and an integrated graphics accelerator Intel UHD Graphics 620. 4 GB of RAM are hidden in the case for execution of processes, and a 1000 GB HDD for file storage.
PROS:
- with sparing settings, it works autonomously for up to 10 hours;
- transforms into a tablet;
- lightweight and compact;
- handles texts, tables and image processing.
MINUSES:
- scratches easily;
- little RAM.
DELL INSPIRON 5570
The Inspiron 15 5570 (5570-3618) is equipped with a 2.3 GHz Intel Core i3 7020U dual-core processor. The graphics card in the laptop is built-in, AMD Radeon 530. For the implementation of processes 4 GB of "RAM" are allocated, for storing files - 1 TB on the HDD.
This study laptop has a matte 15.6-inch screen.The plastic case houses 2 USB 3.0 ports, one USB 3.1 Type C and 2.0 each and a microphone / headphone jack. The technique weighs 2.26 kg.
PROS:
- good build quality;
- good combination of price and performance;
- loud noise;
- battery life on average 5-9 hours ;,
- pulls average games well;
- the touchpad supports multitouch.
MINUSES:
- heavy;
- heats up in the process.
The best laptops for high-performance study
If educational processes involve working with resource-intensive programs, pay attention to the powerful models DELL, ASUS and Xiaomi. The devices will cope with the processing of "heavy" images, video, building drawings and games in moments of relaxation.
ASUS VivoBook S13 S330
This model features a 13.3 ”narrow bezel display with a wide viewing angle of up to 178 degrees. The laptop is only 17.9 mm thick and weighs 1.2 kg. Despite its modest size, the line technique has good performance and is suitable for solving most educational tasks. Hidden in the case is an 8th generation Intel Core i7 processor, up to 16 GB of "RAM" and a maximum 512 GB SSD.
PROS:
- compact and stylish;
- screen with good color rendering and thin bezels;
- there is a keyboard backlight and a fingerprint scanner;
- some games run at maximum settings;
- high-quality assembly;
- 6-8 hours of work without recharging.
MINUSES:
- the body is scratched;
- there is no front camera;
- few USB connectors;
- it is not easy to find drivers and get rid of the built-in ASUS software.
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro 15.6
This is the most powerful model in the range, equipped with an 8th Gen Intel Core i5 processor up to 3.4 GHz. A laptop is suitable for studying, working with images, videos, drawings. 8 GB of RAM are built-in for the execution of processes.
The diagonal of the laptop screen is 15.6 inches, the resolution is 1920 * 1080. On the case there is a webcam with a resolution of 1 megapixel, USB ports, a card reader for SD, SDHC and SDXC, a fingerprint scanner. The device weighs 1.95 kg.
PROS:
- pulls the necessary applications and most games;
- works quietly;
- charges quickly;
- good color rendition of the display and a wide viewing angle;
- comfortable keyboard and touchpad;
- high-quality assembly.
MINUSES:
- heavy to carry with you;
- short battery life.
DELL Inspiron 3593
The variant features a dual-core processor with a frequency of up to 3.4 GHz and Intel UHD Graphics G1 graphics, giving a laptop for study with good performance. To support the processes, 4 GB of RAM are allocated with the ability to expand the volume up to 16 "gigs". The manufacturer suggests storing files on an SSD, the storage capacity is 256 GB.
The device weighs 1,898 kg. The screen is matte, with a resolution of 1920 * 1080 pixels. The model is equipped with a webcam, microphone.
PROS:
- good performance at a low price;
- lightweight and compact;
- comfortable keyboard, multi-touch touchpad;
- large screen, comfortable to work with tables.
MINUSES:
- the case is easily soiled, prints remain on the surface;
- poor color rendering.
Which laptop is the best for study
Before choosing a laptop for study, consider what tasks you will have to solve with the device. For working with text and tables, simple cheap models are suitable; to run resource-intensive programs and games, an option with greater power and performance is required. If you plan to carry the equipment to school or university, pay special attention to the battery capacity, size and weight of the purchase. Convenient when the length and width allow you to hide the laptop in a backpack, refuse an additional bag, and the duration of battery life - stay away from the outlet.
