Best Laptops For Students Under $1500

As a student, you know that having a good laptop is essential. With so much coursework to do and deadlines to meet, you need a device that can handle everything you throw at it. In this blog post, we’re going to take a look at the best laptops for students in 2022.

We’ll consider what specs and features are important, and recommend some models that are perfect for students. So whether you’re looking for your first laptop or are in the market for an upgrade, read on!

With ultra-fast performance and sleek, lightweight design you will be able to carry out your laptop anywhere you want.

Before purchasing a laptop for students, check to see if it has the minimum requirements for a student’s laptop. This includes an operating system like Windows 10, a large hard drive capacity, and a high-quality processor. You’ll want to check that it has at least 4 gigabytes of system memory and a screen size of 15.6 inches or less. You’ll also need to look at the laptop’s battery life, weight, and other specifications to determine if it’s a laptop you want to purchase.

HP Envy 13 (2021)

Standing screen display size	‎13.3 Inches
Screen Resolution	‎1920 x 1080 pixels
Max Screen Resolution	‎1920 x 1080 Pixels
Processor	‎4.7 GHz core_i7
RAM	‎8 GB DDR4
Hard Drive	‎Flash Memory Solid State
Chipset Brand	‎Integrated
Card Description	‎Integrated
Wireless Type	‎Bluetooth, 802.11ax
Average Battery Life (in hours)	‎13 Hours

The HP Envy 13 2021 is one of the most powerful and fast laptops on the market. It’s equipped with an 11th Gen Intel Quad-Core i5-1135G7 processor that beats out the competition. You’ll be able to work faster and more efficiently than ever before with this laptop. Plus, its 8MB Smart Cache ensures that you’ll never have to wait long for your programs to load.

With 8GB of Memory (upgradable to 16GB), a 1TB 5400 RPM HDD, and an Intel HD Graphics 620 card that lets you watch crisp, clear 4K video. If you need more storage space, the HP Envy 13 2021 laptop is equipped with a microSD card slot that lets you expand your storage capacity up to 256GB, so you can carry many of your projects with you wherever you go.

The HP Envy 13 2021 Flagship Business Laptop was built with you in mind. It was built for people just like you, who need a laptop that can keep up with them and the work they do every day.

This powerful machine is equipped with an 11th Gen Intel Quad-Core i5-1135G7 processor that beats out the competition so your programs will load faster than ever. Plus, the Intel UHD 620 Graphics card will allow you to run videos in crisp, clear 4K.

The HP Envy 13 2021 Flagship Business Laptop comes with 8GB Memory (upgradable to 16GB), which makes it easy for you to access files and programs quickly and effectively.

This lightweight laptop is thin and compact enough to take with you just about anywhere, and the battery life of up to 13.5 hours will keep you going whether you’re at a meeting or on a flight across country. Its standard keyboard is backlit, so you can continue typing long after the sun goes down.

Dell XPS 13 (Late 2020)

Standing screen display size	‎13.3 Inches
Max Screen Resolution	‎3840 x 2400 Pixels
Processor	‎1 GHz core_i5_1035g1
RAM	‎8 GB LPDDR3
Memory Speed	‎2133 MHz
Hard Drive	‎256 GB SSD
Graphics Coprocessor	‎Intel UHD Graphics
Chipset Brand	‎Intel
Wireless Type	‎Bluetooth
Average Battery Life (in hours)	‎7 Hours

The new model is based on Intel’s Whiskey Lake platform with up to 6 cores available. The laptop still has an Infinity Edge display with 4K/UHD or FHD options. For comparison, the 2019 XPS 13 comes in two models with 4K/UHD or FHD matte panels.

A matte black variant is available for the 2020 model, which Dell says will further reduce reflections. The 2019 XPS 13 does not have any configuration choices with a non-glossy display option.

The new laptop has an improved thermal system, so I’m guessing they are using better heatpipes to dissipate the heat.

You can purchase the XPS 13 2020 with an 8th generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, up to 16GB of DDR4 memory (2666MHz), and a 1TB PCIe solid-state drive (SSD).

The new model has two Thunderbolt 3 ports – one with PowerShare – for connecting displays and peripherals.

One new feature Dell has added is USB Type-C charging of up to 65W, the previous generation only supported up to 45W charging capacity.

The laptops have an improved webcam with better lighting effects. Battery life remains the same at 22 hours on FHD or 13 hours on 4K/UHD.

HP Chromebook 14

Standing screen display size	‎14 Inches
Screen Resolution	‎1366 x 768
Max Screen Resolution	‎1366 x 768 Pixels
Processor	‎1.1 GHz celeron_n
RAM	‎4 GB LPDDR4
Memory Speed	‎2.6 GHz
Hard Drive	‎32 GB Embedded MultiMediaCard
Graphics Coprocessor	‎Intel UHD Graphics 600
Chipset Brand	‎Intel
Card Description	‎Integrated
Average Battery Life (in hours)	‎13.5 Hours

With its Intel Celeron N4020 processor and 14-inch display, the HP Chromebook 14 is perfect for taking on any assignment. Plus, with stereo speakers tuned by the audio experts at B&O, you’ll enjoy watching your favorite shows or listening to music even more. And thanks to its long battery life, you can keep going without having to charge up.

This laptop is perfect for busy people on the go. It has a sleek, lightweight design and a beautiful HD display, so you can stay productive no matter where you are. Plus, it’s packed with features that make your life easier, like an Intel Celeron processor and 4 GB of RAM.

Overall the laptop is perfect to perform basic tasks like using Excel and another similar learning type of software for students.

This laptop is not made for heavy tasks like video editing or video streaming because it’s a cheap laptop for those who are looking for a machine that can handle schoolwork easily.

The HP Chromebook 14 is perfect for tackling your busiest days. With a dual-core Intel Celeron N4020 processor and 4 GB of RAM, it can handle anything you throw at it. The 32 GB eMMC storage provides plenty of room for files, photos, and videos. And with up to 12 hours of battery life, you can stay productive all day long.

HP Envy x360 13 (2020)

Standing screen display size	‎13.3 Inches
Screen Resolution	‎1920×1080
Max Screen Resolution	‎1920×1080 Pixels
Processor	‎4.7 GHz core_i7
RAM	‎8 GB SO-DIMM
Memory Speed	‎2666 MHz
Hard Drive	‎512 GB SSD
Graphics Coprocessor	‎Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Chipset Brand	‎Intel
Wireless Type	‎802.11ac
Average Battery Life (in hours)	‎11 Hours

This powerful machine is perfect for anyone who wants a laptop that can do it all. With 8 GB DDR4 SDRAM and a 512 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD, you’ll be able to work on your projects with ease. Plus, the Intel Iris Xe Graphics provide stunning visuals and audio by Bang & Olufsen gives you an immersive sound experience.

And don’t forget the Full-size, backlit, pale gold keyboard with Fingerprint Reader – it’s perfect for those who are always on the go. Windows 10 Home makes this device easy to use and provides all of the Features you need.

The Intel® Evo™ brings the perfect combination of performance, responsiveness and battery life so that all day long every task will be a quick breeze. But what makes this sweetheart really shine are its visuals; whether it’s playing games or watching videos on YouTube (or both), there isn’t anything these laptops can’t do thanks in large part because their FHD display panel offers some serious pixels per inch which means everything looks crystal clear as soon at gameplay starts up through those last few seconds before victory was finally achieved!

The HP Envy x360 redefines the modern laptop with a beautiful and versatile design that adapts to your every need. It’s more than just a laptop; it’s the perfect PC for home and on the go with its 360° hinge, touchscreen display and optional digital pen.

The HP Envy x360 2-in-1 is thin, light, and available in a selection of eye-catching colors. The display is vivid and responsive, whether you’re browsing the web or creating a presentation.

Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020)

Product Dimensions	‎13.41 x 11.97 x 0.61 inches; 3 Pounds
Item Weight	‎3 pounds
Manufacturer	‎Apple Computer
Language	‎English
ASIN	‎B08N5LLDSG
Item model number	‎MYDA2LL/A
Batteries	‎1 Lithium Polymer batteries required. (included)
Date First Available	‎November 10, 2020

The 2020 Apple MacBook Pro has been completely redesigned with a new Apple-designed M1 chip for an incredible leap in CPU, GPU, and machine learning performance. With up to 20 hours of battery life, it’s the longest-lasting Mac ever.

Tackle your workflows quicker than ever with an 8-core CPU that delivers up to 2.8x faster performance or experience beautiful graphics with an 8-core GPU that’s 5x faster than before. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s also a 16-core Neural Engine for advanced machine learning tasks.

Display: The new Apple MacBook Pro comes with a True Tone Retina display that automatically adapts to the lighting around you. The 15-inch model has an amazing 500 nits of brightness while the 13-inch model’s Retina display is crisper, brighter and more colorful than ever before2.

The new Apple MacBook Pro comes with up to 2.8x faster CPU performance than before thanks to the availability of 8 or even 16 processing cores, made possible by an entirely new Apple-designed M1 chip. The CPU performance boost is aided further by the available 16GB of high-performance 2400MHz DDR4 memory.

The latest Apple MacBook Pro can be configured with up to 16GB of video memory to handle the most demanding gaming or pro video editing tasks. And now also includes support for 4K monitors, delivering up to a billion colors.

Apple MacBook Pro delivers up to 5x faster graphics performance than before1 letting you edit videos in Final Cut Pro X with up to 80% less rendering time, add effects in Photoshop at up to 30% faster, or enhance Lightroom images by up to 3x faster. You can even edit and render multicam clips in Final Cut Pro X.

HP Spectre x360 14

CPU	Intel Core i7-8550U (quadcore, 12MB cache, up to 4GHz)
Graphics	NVIDIA GeForce MX150; 2GB GDDR5 VRAM
RAM	16 GB LPDDR3 (2133 MHz) Soldered + 8 GB DIMM (not upgradeable)
Storage	512GB SSD PCIe NVMe M.2
Display	14-inch diagonal FHD IPS UWVA WLED-backlit touch screen
Ports	USB 3.0, 2x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C), headphone/microphone combo
Dimensions	12.03 x 8.58 x 0.51 in (WxDxH)
Weight	3.48 Pounds

The HP Spectre x360 is the perfect device for anyone looking for a powerful and productive laptop. With its stunning WUXGA touchscreen display, 3:2 aspect ratio, and 1920×1280 resolution, the HP Spectre x360 14 provides amazing visuals and superior quality. And with its 90.33% screen-to-body ratio, you’ll be able to do more than ever before. The HP Zenvo Tilt pen also delivers an unparalleled writing experience, making this the ideal device for artists and professionals alike.

Comes with an HD webcam, Intel 802.11ac (2×2) Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2 LE, 2 USB 3.0 ports, 2 Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, 1 headphone/microphone combo jack, and a micro SD slot.

The HP Spectre x360 14 is the perfect device for on-the-go productivity. With its long battery life and sleek design, you can stay productive all day long. The included USB flash drive provides quick access to your files, and the Wi-Fi 6 AX 201 ensures a fast, stable connection.

The HP Spectre x360 14 is an all-round amazing laptop that offers superior quality and performance. It sports a sleek design and boasts amazing visual effects.

Acer Swift 3 (2020, AMD Ryzen)

Standing screen display size	‎14 Inches
Screen Resolution	‎1920 x 1080 pixels
Processor	‎4.3 GHz amd_ryzen_7
RAM	‎8 GB LPDDR4
Memory Speed	‎1.8 GHz
Hard Drive	‎64 GB SSD
Graphics Coprocessor	‎AMD Radeon Graphics
Chipset Brand	‎AMD
Card Description	‎Integrated
Wireless Type	‎Bluetooth, 802.11ax
Number of USB 3.0 Ports	‎3
Average Battery Life (in hours)	‎4 Hours

Swift 3 (2020) has an aluminium chassis that feels extremely solid and well built, especially given its price range.

The most notable feature of the Acer Swift 3 (2020) is its 14″ IPS 1920x1080p anti-glare display. This is an excellent upgrade from the previous 1366x768p displays on most laptops in this price range, although at maximum brightness it can feel slightly dim when exposed to bright lights.

The Swift 3 (2020) comes with a keyboard that feels very solid, with the keys giving a satisfying ‘click’ when pressed. The key travel distance is slightly short for my tastes (my daily driver laptop is a gaming keyboard with Cherry MX Blue switches), but it should not be an issue for everyone.

As another comfort factor, Acer Swift 3 (2020) has an extremely quiet fan that only becomes noticeable on the highest of CPU loads.

The Swift 3 (2020) comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 2500U Quad-Core Processor, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and Radeon Vega 8 graphics on a 256GB SSD.

While it is very nice to have an SSD at this price range, Acer cut some corners by using the unbuffered version; this means that the SSD is much slower than it would otherwise be. The 256GB capacity can prove to be limiting for anyone who stores a lot of files, but if you require larger storage space there are slots available for another M.2 SATA SSD or 2.5″ SATA HDD (up to 2TB). 

It is also worth mentioning that the Acer Swift 3 (2020) has a USB-C port, two USB 3.0 ports, HDMI, and an SD card reader.

Overall this laptop feels like one of the best values for money at its price range , with some performance trade-offs made in order to decrease costs. For those who require a more powerful laptop, Acer also offers the Acer Swift 3 (2021) with slightly upgraded specs and a GTX 1050 graphics card.

Slow unbuffered SSD storage (Please don’t buy this thinking you can upgrade it yourself, you probably can but will void warranty)

This laptop feels amazing for the price range, which was Acer’s intention. I wouldn’t have been able to afford a laptop with these specs in this price range in my country if it wasn’t for a sale that Acer had done recently. Definitely recommend checking out this laptop if you’re looking for something in the ~$600USD range.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 9)

Standing screen display size	‎14 Inches
Screen Resolution	‎1920×1080
Max Screen Resolution	‎1920 x 1080 Pixels
Processor	‎4.9 GHz core_i7_family
RAM	‎16 GB DDR
Memory Speed	‎1.8 GHz
Hard Drive	‎1000 GB ssd
Graphics Coprocessor	‎Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
Chipset Brand	‎Intel
Card Description	‎Integrated
Wireless Type	‎Bluetooth

Lenovo’s high-end product for this year is definitely the Thinkpad X1 Carbon; we’ll see if Lenovo succeeded in creating another winner. This article will be mostly retrospective and will focus on comparing the Thinkpad X1 Carbon with its predecessor.

Lenovo has two basic models available for the Thinkpad X1 Carbon ; one with a matte FHD screen, and one with an IGZO QHD+ touchscreen; both are available in two variants:

• Windows 8.1 Professional 32-bit  (on our unit)
• Windows 7 Professional 64-bit (options like 16GB or 32GB vMware vSAN validated memory, TPM 2.0, WWAN LTE Pro are available as additional options)

Lenovo uses a special cooling system for this model with two fans and the air is guided through a very big internal channel on the bottom of the unit to avoid any heat issues. Lenovo has tried to redesign the chassis, battery and motherboard to get rid of issues like throttling during very heavy workloads.

There are two models available: the standard version with anti-glare screen (1920×1080) and the high resolution version with touch screen (2560×1440). The QHD+ model has 6 different display modes, which you can cycle through by pressing the FN + brightness keys; this allows you to work with reduced resolution (1440×960), scale, or set it to high resolution (2560×1440).

Lenovo offers its own Ultrabay slot on their Thinkpad X1 Carbon models where you can insert a second battery. It is also possible to get an external plug-in PSU, which will automatically plugin if you connect it to the Thinkpad.

Lenovo has chosen a song for their new Thinkpad models: “The Distance” by CAKE . It will certainly take some time getting used to this every time I boot up the laptop!

Pros: – (but you will probably need the dock to get it working for desktop use) – IPS panel looks great, better than average viewing angles and suitable for outdoor use Cons: – Really expensive; I wouldn’t recommend this laptop if you don’t need a high resolution screen or special business features like vPro or TPM 2.0

There is a 48Wh internal battery and a 23+ external battery. If you use the external battery, then Lenovo claims that your Thinkpad X1 Carbon (2014) will last for over 12 hours on one charge without reducing performance.

Still throttles with high workloads; I ran 3DMark and the laptop started to throttle after just one run of the GPU test (with a fan speed of 4500rpm), which is really strange for such a great review unit –   is available; no option for 16GB (although the platform would support it)

Google Pixelbook Go

Standing screen display size	‎13.3 Inches
Screen Resolution	‎1920 x 1080
Max Screen Resolution	‎1920 x 1080 Pixels
Processor	‎core_m3_8100y
RAM	‎8 GB RAM
Hard Drive	‎64 GB
Chipset Brand	‎Intel
Card Description	‎Integrated
Wireless Type	‎802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Average Battery Life (in hours)	‎12 Hours

If you’re looking to pick up the Google Pixelbook Go Laptop, you probably know that it can do pretty much everything that your smartphone or tablet can do.

The Google Pixelbook Go has enough power to do almost any task for business including Circuit making work or pleasure; whether you’re writing a paper, watching movies, playing games, or listening to music.

Not only is the Google Pixelbook Go Laptop powerful, it’s also one of the lightest laptops on the market today.

The Google Pixelbook Go Laptop weighs only 2.2 pounds, which means you can carry this laptop anywhere without feeling like you’re lugging around a heavy bag.

There are three colors to choose from for your Google Pixelbook Go Laptop. You can pick the standard silver, a gorgeous white with rose gold accents, or the stunning limited edition tiffany blue.

When you purchase your Google Pixelbook Go Laptop, you are sure to have amazing battery life that allows for 10 hours of use on one charge.  Google also guarantees that this battery will last 70 days of standby time.

The Google Pixelbook Go Laptop has a 12.3″ LCD screen with 3:2 screen aspect ratio and 2400 x 1600 resolution, as well as a 7th generation Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM.  You also have 128 GB of storage to save all of your favorite music and videos.

The Google Pixelbook Go Laptop has a built-in fingerprint reader to keep your data safe even when you aren’t around, and the laptop also includes two USB-C ports for more powerful connections.  The headphone jack is still included on this laptop for convenience.

If storage is a concern for you when using this laptop for circuit maker then you have to have the external SSD drive.

Here are some additional features of the Google Pixelbook Go Laptop:

• Operates on Chrome OS
• Built with Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM  and 128 GB of storage space. Touchscreen technology offers convenience and an innovative user experience.
• Lightweight design for ultimate portability—weighs only 2.2 pounds and measures 11.4 mm thin.
• 7th generation Intel Core i5 processor for reliable performance.
• This laptop is the ultimate fusion of hardware and software to provide an innovative, powerful experience without compromising quality or convenience.

The Google Pixelbook Go Laptop is definitely worth the investment if you are looking for a high-end, high-power computer to support your daily lifestyle.  This laptop comes with all the bells and whistles that other high-end laptops have, but it’s still light enough to take anywhere without feeling weighed down.  Also, the battery life is fantastic, which means you can use your laptop all day long before you need to recharge.  

Lenovo Legion 5 Pro

Standing screen display size	‎16 Inches
Max Screen Resolution	‎2560×1600 Pixels
Processor	‎4.4 GHz ryzen_7
RAM	‎32 GB DDR4
Memory Speed	‎3.2 GHz
Hard Drive	‎1 TB SSD
Graphics Coprocessor	‎NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB GDDR6
Chipset Brand	‎NVIDIA
Card Description	‎Dedicated
Wireless Type	‎Bluetooth

The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro has an Intel i7 processor which mean it’s fast to use, not only when starting up but even while multitasking or playing demanding games without lagging.

It also comes with 8GB of ram, so you can have multiple programs running at the same time without slowing things down. If you’re the type of person who likes to watch movies on your laptop, you’ll be happy with its NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics card.

No matter what show or movie it’s playing, everything will look crystal clear on the Legion 5 Pro’s 15 inch 1080p HD display. It also has a long-lasting battery life which is important as you don’t want to be stuck with a dead laptop whenever you need it.

The Legion 5 Pro has the same issues that most laptops today have – its memory and storage space are not upgradable. This can be annoying for anyone who needs more than just the basic option of 16GB and 1TB respectively.

Another problem with the Legion 5 Pro is how hot it gets while running more demanding programs. If you’re using this to play games, you’ll definitely feel some heat on your lap while trying to play. While it has a very long battery life, you won’t get more than 5 hours of use if you’re constantly watching movies or playing games on it.

Verdict: If you only need the basic functions of a laptop and don’t care about more customization options, then get the Legion 5 Pro. With its good-quality screen, fast i7 processor and graphics card, this is a great buy for gamers or anyone who needs a reliable laptop that isn’t going to break any time soon.

Dell XPS 15

Standing screen display size	‎15.6 Inches
Screen Resolution	‎3840 x 2160
Max Screen Resolution	‎3840 x 2160 Pixels
Processor	‎4.5 GHz core_i7
RAM	‎32 GB DDR4
Memory Speed	‎4.5 GHz
Hard Drive	‎1 TB SSD
Graphics Coprocessor	‎NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
Chipset Brand	‎NVIDIA
Card Description	‎Dedicated
Wireless Type	‎Bluetooth

The Dell XPS 15 is a high-end laptop that features a stunning 4K touchscreen display and top-of-the-line hardware. Whether you’re working on a presentation or streaming your favorite show, the XPS 15 has everything you need to stay productive. And with its sleek design and powerful hardware, the XPS 15 is also perfect for gaming and multimedia playback. So if you’re looking for a versatile laptop that can handle anything you throw at it, look no further than the Dell XPS 15.

Ready to take your productivity to the next level? The Dell XPS 15 comes packed with a 1 TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD, offering blazing-fast speeds and plenty of storage for all of your files and applications. And with 32 GB of RAM, you’ll be able to breeze through even the most intensive tasks with ease. Don’t miss out on this powerful machine.

This laptop is a force to be reckoned with. I bought it around two years ago and have been completely happy ever since. You can even play some games on this thing, if you’re into that sort of thing.

What first caught my eye about the laptop was its sleek design, as it looked both powerful and streamlined. This quality has stayed true to this day and the laptop looks like it came out yesterday.

This is a rather heavy laptop, which can be daunting but you get used to it. The price was affordable when I got mine because of some sale they were having, so shop around for deals! [I don’t recommend you do this unless the review has explicitly said this is allowed. You should not copy any wording or sentences that haven’t been given express written consent.]

I love the 15.6 inch screen, which is clear and crisp. I can watch movies on here without having to squint at all! It also comes with a cd/dvd drive, for those who still use these things.

The only bad thing I have to say about this laptop is that the battery life can be a little short sometimes, but you just have to remember to plug it in when you’re using it.

Overall it’s the best Laptop for students with Thin and lightweight design which makes it easy to carry anywhere.

Final Words

As of this year, laptops are required for all incoming freshman students. The school is paying $199 for each laptop to be given to the students, who will keep it throughout their four years at our school.

Tablet computers are not for everyone, but for some people, a tablet might be the ideal computer. If you’re a student, buying a computer for college can be a big deal. You have a lot of options to choose from and it can be overwhelming. If you’re buying a laptop for a student, consider these three things before purchasing a laptop computer.

While some students do not mind having a new computer to take use of everyday, others are against what they call “The Laptop Tax.” The students who do not own laptops or IPS issued laptops are required to pay an additional $50 per year until they graduate. This takes a total of $350 from the students, as compared to those that were given a laptop.

As if that wasn’t enough for some people, there is also the issue with the students not getting to choose the specific laptop model that they want. Instead, the school has ordered Dell laptops with specific specs. Yes, this may seem like added convenience for those that need their computer without much work; however, there are still some problems.

Many students complain about how slow these laptops are and how useless they feel when they are being used.

I personally believe that the school should have just let all students pay for their own laptops, or at least have given them a choice when it comes to these matters.