The summer has passed its midpoint. August is two weeks away, which means the next school year will be here before you know it. If you need a new laptop for school, then it's time to start looking. Whether you want a MacBook or Windows laptop, there are some great options right now. Apple's latest M4 MaBook Air has been selling for a steady $849 at Amazon, which is $150 less than Apple's price for it. I've also got some Windows recommendations that offer great designs and, in some cases, battery life that's even better than the battery life of the long-running MacBook Air.
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What's the best laptop for college students?
Apple's new M4 MacBook Air offers better performance at a lower price inside the same thin-and-light design, making it an easy pick as our go-to recommendation for college students. It starts at $999, which is $100 less than what Apple charged for the previous M3 model. And students can always save $100 on it with Apple's educational discount if you can't find it on sale at Amazon. Before you buy your own laptop for school, it's worth checking if your college offers free or discounted laptops for students.
For students on tighter budgets, I still recommend the original MacBook Air M1. It's available as a Walmart exclusive for only $599. It should also get you through four years of school, but I think the extra money is worth it for the updated design, slightly larger display, higher-resolution webcam and better performance of the newer M4 model. The M4 Air is also available in 13- and 15-inch sizes, so you can choose between greater mobility or more workspace.
A Windows rival to the MacBook Air has arrived with Microsoft's first Copilot Plus PC. Based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite X CPU, the Surface Laptop 7 offers strong application and AI performance and outstanding battery life. It's the first Windows laptop we've tested with a longer runtime than the Air's. At $2,000, the Surface Laptop 7 model I reviewed may be beyond the reach of student budgets, but the line starts at a more approachable $1,000 and should still offer ample performance for most students and the same lengthy runtime of the system I tested. I love the overall design of the Surface Laptop 7, but the Asus Zenbook A14 is arguably better suited for campus life with its ultralight design and an even longer runtime than that of the Surface Laptop 7.
With so many resources and so much of your course curriculum available online, it's next to impossible to get through college without a laptop. There is no shortage of laptops for sale, which makes it difficult to zero in on one that will fit your needs and budget. That's where my laptop colleagues and I come in. We've done research and testing to find the best laptop for college students in 2025. Whether you are looking for a MacBook, a Windows laptop or a Chromebook for school, we've rounded up several college laptop picks that will serve most students well.
Best laptops for students in 2025
Pros
- Big performance gains from M1, Intel MacBook Airs
- Great design, features
- Support for two external displays simultaneously with MacBook display
- 12-megapixel Center Stage camera
Cons
- 256GB SSD might fill up fast
- Expensive upgrades
For Apple’s latest MacBook Air, the bigger news than moving from Apple's M3 silicon to M4 chips is the drop in price.
Why we like it
Starting at $999, the MacBook M4 Air is $100 cheaper than the entry point for the previous M3 models. In addition to a slight bump in performance over the previous generation, the M4 Air adds a Center Stage webcam, better support for external displays and a new ice blue color option.
Who it's best for
The M4 chip refresh adds up to a good, if minor, update to an already fantastic lightweight laptop that’s now more affordable for students and those on tight budgets. With its mix of strong overall performance, long battery life and a trim design, it’s no wonder it’s such a popular laptop for students.
Who shouldn't get it
Anyone who is buying a MacBook Air for toting around the house instead across campus will enjoy the roomier display of the 15-inch Air. Also, graphics pros who need the power of a Pro will need to spend more for a 14- or 16-inch MacBook Pro.
Pros
- Incredibly thin and light without feeling flimsy
- All-day-and-all-night battery life
- OLED display at this price is a nice surprise
- Ample RAM and storage for the price, too
Cons
- Meh performance from Snapdragon X CPU
- Meh mechanical touchpad
- Meh speakers
Built around an Arm-based Qualcomm Snapdragon X processor, the Zenbook A14 is the lightest Copilot Plus PC we've tested and the second-longest running. It weighs less than 2.2 pounds and offers a battery life of more than 24 hours.
Why we like it
Its Ceraluminum shell allows the Zenbook A14 to be incredibly light yet rigid, and its 14-inch OLED display is excellent. It also serves up ample RAM and storage for the price.
Who it's best for
Students and anyone who is on the road with regularity for their job. If portability is paramount, then the lightweight, long-running Zenbook A14 is the pick.
Who shouldn't get it
If you are concerned about Windows-on-Arm compatibility issues, then you should skip the Zenbook A14 and find an Intel- or AMD-based laptop.
Pros
- Class-leading battery life
- Strong performance
- Awesome and accurate haptic touchpad
Cons
- No OLED option
- Upgrades get costly and don't include dedicated GPU
- Your Arm-on-Windows compatibility mileage may vary
The Surface Laptop 7 model I reviewed rings in at $2,000, which is beyond the reach of most student budgets. The line starts at $1,000, which makes it a bit more accessible. Students will like its polished design and class-leading battery life. Our test model ran for nearly 20 hours on a single charge, and you can expect a similar runtime from the entry-level unit.
Why we like it
I like it for its polished design and class-leading battery life. The Surface Laptop 7 ran for nearly 20 hours in testing -- that’s the longest of any 13- or 14-inch laptop I've ever tested -- including the M4 MacBook Air. The Surface Laptop 7 competes with the MacBook Air in performance and battery life and supplies a similarly sleek and solid build.
Who it's best for
People who love the look and long battery life of the MacBook Air but want a Windows laptop. I wish there were an OLED display option, and you’ll need to do a compatibility check for your mission-critical applications before embracing the Arm-based Surface Laptop 7, but if you can get past those hurdles, then you’ll get a well-built, good-looking and long-running Windows ultraportable. You don't necessarily need to spend the roughly $2,000 that our test system costs; one of the lower-priced configurations that starts at $900 should meet the needs of most people.
Who shouldn't get it
Anyone worried about potential Windows-on-Arm compatibility issues should skip Qualcomm-based laptops and pick out an Intel or AMD model. The Surface Laptop 7 is also not the pick if you want an OLED display on your next laptop. For more, check out my other favorite Windows laptops.
Pros
- Exceedingly long battery life
- Competitive performance for the price
- Useful port selection
Cons
- Dull display
- Dull design
This recent release from Acer's budget Aspire line is based on an Intel Lunar Lake CPU. Its Intel Core Ultra 5 226V features a neural processing unit (NPU) capable of 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS) for local AI processing, which happens to be the minimum requirement for Microsoft's Copilot Plus PC platform. The Aspire 14 AI costs just $750 at Costco, making it the cheapest Copilot Plus PC we've reviewed.
Why we like it
The Aspire 14 AI a great pick among budget laptops. Its performance and battery life exceed what you can expect for the price and the design is nearly the same as you get with Acer's more expensive Swift models. You're forced to sacrifice display quality to hit such a low price but that's an item that's usually not very high on a budget shopper's priority list. More important is getting a modern CPU that delivers sufficient performance for everyday use that's also efficient to allow for lengthy battery life -- plus a bit of future-proofing with its AI capabilities.
Who it's best for
With the lengthy battery life we've come to expect from Copilot Plus PCs and with application and AI performance that's competitive with pricier models, the Aspire 14 AI offers great value for students looking for a cheap, sturdy and long-running laptop.
Who shouldn't get it
If you care about the overall look of your next laptop and have the money, you can find more exciting designs. Spending more will also get you a brighter display with better color performance.
Pros
- Big boost to battery life
- Performance in benchmark tests shows the M1 Air easily outperforming Intel versions
- Fanless design runs cool and quiet
Cons
- No external design or feature changes
- App compatibility is an issue for early adopters
- No mobile broadband options, 5G or otherwise
This model has been surpassed, but not replaced, by the newer M4 model. Now, the M1 Air is available at Walmart for $649, which is a hefty $350 less than its original price. It's also $350 less than the new M4 MacBook Air.
Why we like it
The M1 MacBook Air was released in November 2020. It offered a huge leap in performance from the previous Intel-based MacBook Air. Fast-forward nearly four-and-a-half years, however, and you arrive at the M4 MacBook Air that Apple launched earlier this year. We tested it and unsurprisingly found the M4 Air's performance was significantly better than that of the M1 Air. Even if you don't think you need the added performance, the newer processor means the M4 model will have a longer useful lifespan. But at just $649, the M1 MacBook Air at Walmart costs significantly less than the $999 M4 Air at Apple.
Who it's best for
It's a great pick for students and other budget shoppers looking for a speedy and stylish do-it-all laptop. It's thin, light and built like a tank. It has a slightly smaller display than the current M4 Air and offers only two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports, but for most people that's enough. And even though it's been surpassed by newer generations, the original M1 Air is still powerful enough for general use and a great buy at its discounted price.
Who shouldn't get it
Buyers whose budgets extend to $1,000 should skip the older M1 model and opt instead of the latest M4 Air.
Pros
- Strong build quality
- Great performance for the price
- Long battery life
- Comfortable, quiet keyboard
- Good port selection
Cons
- A little on the heavy side
- Clacky touchpad
- Uninspired audio output
With its excellent build quality, adequate display, strong performance and lengthy battery life, the Yoga 7 14 Gen 9 provides a ton of value and is a great fit as a versatile machine for home use or students.
Why we like it
It provides a ton of value at its regularly discounted price of $800 at Amazon. I liked its solid, all-metal chassis and the power and efficiency you get from its AMD Ryzen 7 8000-series CPU.
Who it's best for
Anyone looking for a flexible two-in-one for a great price, including students who might like to take notes in tablet mode. It lacks some of the refinement and extras you get with Lenovo’s flagship Yoga 9i 14, but the midrange Yoga 7 14 is much more affordable. It's definitely the better option for students.
Who shouldn't get it
Laptop buyers who want a lighter two-in-one with a better OLED display and better speakers -- and are willing to spend more to get those extras -- should instead consider the Yoga 9i 14. For more, check out my picks for the best two-in-one laptop.
Pros
- Leading 3D performance among budget gaming laptops
- Plastic keyboard deck is solid
- Aluminum top cover adds durability
- Roomy and bright 16-inch, 16:10 display
- Crisp, 1080p webcam
- Plenty of ports, including Thunderbolt 4
Cons
- Bulky and heavy
- Design borrows liberally from Acer's entry-level Nitro 16
- Weak audio output
- Short battery life
Like other gaming laptop makers, Acer has two lines: a budget-friendly Nitro series and midrange and premium models that carry the Predator label. Oddly enough, it's under the latter you'll find our budget gaming pick: the Helios Neo 16.
Why we like it
It's strikingly similar to the Acer's own Nitro 16 but with slightly better build quality and graphics performance. The only place it really faltered was its speakers, which put out disappointingly flat audio with nonexistent bass.
Who it's best for
It's a great pick for gamers on student budgets. It's getting harder to find the Predator Helios Neo 16 I reviewed with RTX 4050 graphics, but a model with a RTX 4060 isn't a bad deal at its $1,400 price at Amazon.
Who shouldn't get it
Gamers with more than $1,000 or so to spend can get a better design, higher-resolution display and a newer GPU than what the Predator Helios Neo 16 supplies.
Pros
- Sharp, smooth and vivid OLED display
- Powerful RTX 4070 GPU
- Core Ultra CPU helps battery life
Cons
- Meh design
- So-so build quality
The Swift X 14 boasts strong graphics performance and a beautiful 2.8K OLED display at a sensible price.
Why we like it
The $1,700 model I tested features an Intel Core Ultra processor and Nvidia Geforce RTX 4070 graphics. With this CPU/GPU duo, the Swift X 14 delivers excellent performance in an ultraportable. It sits in the sweet spot of providing a display large enough to work on for long stretches without feeling cramped while also being lightweight enough to be easily portable across campus.
Who it's for
Art and STEM students alike are sure to make use of this powerful 14-inch laptop. And, of course, any student with an interest in PC gaming.
Who shouldn't get it
If your course of study doesn't require high-powered graphics, you can spend roughly half the cost as the Swift X 14 that I reviewed and get enough computer to get you through school.
Pros
- Long battery life
- Excellent webcam performance
- Bright, matte touchscreen
- Durable build
- 512GB SSD
Cons
- No keyboard backlight
- Lots of flex on the keyboard, touchpad
- Slower 5Gbps USB-C ports
Why we like it
This new Chromebook Plus model delivers good performance and even better battery life along with a respectably bright display with a matte finish to limit glare. It has more storage than you'd typically find at its price. The model we reviewed lacked keyboard backlighting, which was a bit of a bummer, but Acer does sell models with a backlit keyboard that aren’t that much more expensive.
Who it's best for
Students and anyone looking for a Chromebook for a home office or secondary entertainment machine. It's a fixed configuration based on an Intel Core i3-N305 CPU and 8GB of RAM. Those specs might seem underpowered but suffice for ChromeOS, which is much more lightweight than Windows. With its mix of features and performance for the price, it’s easy to recommend for school, work or home.
Who shouldn't get it
If you need to run a specific Windows or MacOS application, then you'll need to skip a low-cost Chromebook and choose a budget Windows laptop or MacBook Air -- we have recommendations.
Most recent addition
The Acer Aspire 14 AI is the newest laptop on the list. It's the cheapest Copilot Plus PC I've reviewed and one of the best budget laptops for its sturdy design, competitive performance and long battery life. And unlike with other Copilot Plus PCs based on Qualcomm's Arm-based Snapdragon X series processors, you don't have to worry about any potential Windows-on-Arm compatibility issues with the Intel-based Aspire 14 AI. It's a great budget pick for students.
Factors to consider
There's a multitude of laptops on the market that would be a fit for students, and almost all of those models are available in multiple configurations to match your performance needs and budget restraints. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of options, we're here to help with advice on what to consider when shopping for a school laptop.
Price
The search for a new laptop for most people starts with price, particularly for cash-strapped college students. To end up with a laptop that will last you at least through four years of school, I would advise against choosing a bargain-basement, entry-level model. Additionally, you could get away with spending less upfront in past years with an eye toward upgrading memory and storage in the future. Laptop makers are increasingly moving away from making components easily upgradeable, so it's best to get as many laptop capabilities as you can afford from the start.
Generally speaking, the more you spend, the better the laptop. That could mean better components for faster performance, a nicer display, sturdier build quality, a smaller or lighter design from higher-end materials or even a more comfortable keyboard.
Right now, the sweet spot for a reliable laptop that can handle average school tasks is between $700 and $800. For art and STEM students who need to run demanding graphics or STEM apps (or those looking for a bit of gaming, after your homework is done, of course), you'll need to spend about $1,000 or a bit more. The key is to look for discounts on models in all price ranges so you can get more laptop capability for less.
Size
If you plan on taking your laptop to class each day, then you'll want a lighter and thinner laptop. I recommend a model with a 13- or 14-inch display for most students. Larger 15- and 16-inch models provide more screen real estate for getting work done and juggling multiple windows, but you'll probably get tired of dragging it across campus.
Specs
If you are targeting a 14-inch laptop for school, then the basic display resolution of 1,920x1,200 should suffice for creating crisp text and images. The sharpness of the picture will improve as you go up in resolution, but you don’t need a 4K display for such a small screen. If your budget allows, look for an OLED display with a 2240x1400, 2560x1600 or 2880x1800. Not only will the increased pixel count improve the picture, but the superior contrast ratio and color performance of an OLED will be evident compared with that of an IPS LED display.
For internals, Intel and AMD are the main CPU makers for Windows laptops, with Qualcomm as a new third option with its Arm-based Snapdragon X processors. Both Intel and AMD offer a staggering selection of mobile processors. Making things trickier, both manufacturers have chips designed for different laptop styles, like power-saving chips for ultraportables or faster processors for gaming laptops. Their naming conventions will let you know what type is used. You can head to Intel's or AMD's sites for explanations so you get the performance you want. Generally speaking, the faster the processor speed and the more cores it has, the better the performance will be.
Apple makes its own chips for MacBooks, which makes things slightly more straightforward. The entry-level MacBook Air uses an M1 chip, and the latest Air models feature M3 chips.
Battery life is paramount for a student laptop, and it has less to do with the number of CPU cores and more to do with CPU architecture, Arm versus x86. Apple's Arm-based MacBooks and the first Arm-based Copilot Plus PCs we've tested offer better battery life than laptops based on x86 processors from Intel and AMD.
If you plan to study art and your course of study will involve using graphics-intensive creative apps, then you will need a Windows laptop with a dedicated Nvidia GPU or a more powerful MacBook Pro. The same can be said for STEM students who will be using powerful scientific apps as well as any student who might want to play PC games on their laptop. Costs increase quickly, however, when you jump from integrated graphics to an Nvidia GeForce RTX GPU or from a MacBook Air to a MacBook Pro.
For memory, I highly recommend 16GB of RAM, with 8GB being the absolute bare minimum. RAM is where the operating system stores all the data for currently running applications, and it can fill up fast. After that, it starts swapping between RAM and SSD, which is slower. I suggest at least 16GB of RAM for a Windows laptop, but most students should be fine with the standard 8GB that Apple offers on its baseline MacBook Air. Plus, Apple charges a hefty sum for 16GB.
For storage, get at least a 256GB SSD and 512GB SSD if you can. If you need to go with a smaller drive, you can always add an external drive down the road or use cloud storage to bolster a small internal drive. The one exception is gaming laptops: I don't recommend going with less than a 512GB SSD unless you really like uninstalling games every time you want to play a new one.
Operating system
Choosing an operating system is part personal preference and part budget. For the most part, Microsoft Windows and Apple's MacOS do the same things (except for gaming, where Windows is the winner), but they do them differently. Unless there's an OS-specific application you need, go with the one you feel most comfortable using. If you're not sure which that is, head to an Apple store or a local electronics store and test them out. Or ask friends or family to let you test theirs for a bit. If you have an iPhone or iPad and like it, chances are you'll like MacOS too.
When it comes to price and variety (and PC gaming), Windows laptops win. If you want MacOS, you're getting a MacBook. Apple's MacBooks regularly top our best lists, they are costly although the original M1 MacBook Air is still available for just $649.
Windows laptops can be found for as little as a couple of hundred dollars and come in all manner of sizes and designs. Granted, we'd be hard-pressed to find a $200 laptop we'd give a full-throated recommendation to, especially if you need it to last you through four years of school.
If you are on a tight budget, consider a Chromebook. ChromeOS is a different experience than Windows; more streamlined and easier to use. It's limited, in that basically everything runs through the Chrome browser. Just make sure that your school or coursework doesn't require you to use apps that run only on a Windows or Mac machine.
How to get the best laptop for high school students
There is plenty of overlap between what makes a good laptop for college and a good laptop for high school. Without college-level coursework and with other PCs perhaps in the house, high school students may be able to use a Chromebook for all of their school needs and requirements. High schoolers may be able to look at a laptop purchase as a shorter-term investment: buy an inexpensive, lower-end model to get you to graduation, at which point summer job earnings or a grad gift from a grandparent could lead you to your next laptop for college and beyond.
How we test laptops for students
The review process for laptops consists of two parts: performance testing under controlled conditions in the CNET Labs and extensive hands-on use by our reviewers. This includes evaluating a device's aesthetics, ergonomics and features with respect to price. A final review verdict is a combination of both objective and subjective judgments.
CNET Labs technician Samantha De Leon makes her way around the facility's 61 marked locations to test each router's signal strength.
We test all laptops with a core set of benchmarks, including Primate Labs Geekbench 5 and 6, Cinebench R23, PCMark 10, a variety of 3DMark benchmarks (whichever can run on the laptop), UL Procyon Photo and Video (where supported) and our own battery life test. If a laptop is intended for gaming, we also run benchmarks from Guardians of the Galaxy, The Rift Breaker (CPU and GPU) and Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
For the hands-on test, the reviewer uses it for their work during the review period, evaluating how well the design, features (such as the screen, camera and speakers) and manufacturer-supplied software operate as a cohesive whole. We also place importance on how well they work given their cost and where the manufacturer has potentially made upgrades or tradeoffs for its price.
We also weigh the laptop to see how its heft compares to other similarly sized laptops, which is especially important for students who will be toting their laptop to and from school each day. We also pay attention to the build quality to assess how sturdy or flimsy a laptop is, which is another important consideration for students who will rely on a laptop day and and day out for at least four years.
The list of benchmarking software and comparison criteria we use changes over time as the devices we test evolve. You can find a more detailed description of our test methodology on our How We Test Computers page.
Other student laptops we tested
HP OmniBook X Flip 14: This two-in-one laptop offers style, value and configuration options abound, including a 3K OLED display for only an extra $100.
Microsoft Surface Laptop (13-inch): It’s compact, solidly built and great for travel, but the 13.8-inch version is the better choice as your daily driver.
Dell 14 Plus: Skip the two-in-one and opt for the clamshell laptop I tested, when it goes on sale.
Acer Swift Go 16 (2025): Built around a beautiful 16-inch OLED screen, the latest Swift Go 16 improves on its predecessors without significant price inflation.
Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1: This big-screen, mini-LED convertible laptop certainly has some positives, but there are a few too many negatives to give this Plus a full-throated recommendation.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition: It’s a great business laptop, but it can get pricey fast with upgrades.
Acer Swift 14 AI: This midrange Copilot Plus PC offers incredible battery life but is missing one key feature.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 Gen 10: It's ultrastylish and ultracompact, but maybe don't hide the camera behind the display next time?
Acer Chromebook Plus 516: The 16-inch display provides plenty of room to work but Acer has a similar model that offers more for less.
HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14: Similarly priced systems offer better performance and longer battery life, but HP's flagship convertible laptop boasts an unrivaled design and awesome OLED panel.
HP Pavilion Plus 14 (2025): Parts of the HP Pavilion Plus 14 are great, but there's one poor-quality feature that totally ruins the experience.
M4 MacBook Air (15-Inch, 2025): The smaller Air is the perfect student laptop, but once you're out of school you should graduate to the larger, but still highly portable, 15-inch model.
Acer Swift 16 AI: It's thin. It's light. It's long-running. And it boasts a big, bright 16-inch OLED display. So, what's holding this Copilot Plus PC back from being more than just a big-screen productivity machine?
HP Pavilion Aero 13: When it comes to runtime, Snapdragon X laptops and the MacBook Air run laps around it.
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i: It's thin and light for its size, but a short runtime and a few design miscues make this a low-cost laptop to skip.
Acer Swift Go 14 AI: This Snapdragon X-powered laptop can run all day, but its overall look might put you to sleep.
Acer Swift 14 AI: It’s a long-lasting if basic Copilot Plus PC, but do we really need an AI indicator light on the touchpad?
Asus Zenbook S 14: Intel's Core Ultra Series 2 processors show improvement from the first generation, but Apple's and Qualcomm's ARM-based chips still lead the way.
HP OmniBook X 14: The latest Copilot Plus PC runs for more hours than there are in a day.
