Back to School: 10 Best Budget Laptops for Students in 2024
Having a reliable and efficient laptop is essential for students today. Whether you're attending virtual classes, completing assignments, or streaming educational videos, a good laptop can make your work significantly easier and help you produce better results.
However, finding a suitable laptop that balances performance and affordability can be a daunting task.
The best student laptops carefully balance good value for money, robust performance, and sufficient battery life to allow you to complete all of your daily college work.
Considering these factors, I have compiled a list of the top 10 best budget laptops for students in 2024.
Each offers excellent performance, solid build quality, and student-friendly features—all without breaking the bank.
Top 10 Budget Laptops for Students in 2024
Let us now go through my picks for the ten best budget laptops for students available in the market currently.
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1. Acer Aspire 5
I still feel the Acer Aspire 5 is the best student laptop available right now. Although it was released two years ago, it has offers decent specs for a reasonably low price. Admittedly, the 11-gen Intel CPU isn't the most recent model available, but it does the job pretty well compared to the processors in similarly-priced laptops.
Being a Windows 11 laptop, it can run full-desktop applications, unlike Chromebooks. It is a pretty dependable device for most everyday tasks students need to perform. Nevertheless, you must have a certain limit to your expectations regarding this laptop. After all, because of its price and age, it isn't a very powerful laptop that can handle gaming or media editing.
However, the Acer Aspire 5 remains a great choice for writing up essays and doing research, especially if you don’t have the budget to buy a Chromebook.
Pros:
- Affordable pricing.
- Good performance for everyday tasks with Ryzen or Intel Core i5/i7 processors.
- Solid build quality with a sleek design.
- Ample port selection, including USB-C, HDMI, and Ethernet.
Cons:
- Mediocre battery life compared to other options.
- Display quality is decent but not very vibrant, with limited color accuracy.
2. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, featuring an Intel Core™ i3-12170U 12th Gen processor, packs all the power one would expect from a light and portable laptop. With 8GB of RAM and 512GB SSD, it offers efficient speed and sufficient storage space for your needs. Its 15.6-inch FHD screen provides a vivid picture, while the Arctic-Grey design is delightful to behold.
The laptop now comes with a 3-month Game Pass, thus covering both work and entertainment. As a result, it has become one of the most popular options among budget laptops. It also offers up to 7 hours battery life and charges quite rapidly.
Pros:
- Very affordable, ideal for budget-conscious students.
- Lightweight and portable.
- Decent performance for basic tasks with AMD or Intel processors.
- Reliable keyboard and trackpad.
Cons:
- Basic display with low brightness and color accuracy.
- Limited storage in base models, often needing an upgrade.
3. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3
The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 is a recommendable Chromebook for students who want a bargain. Being relatively cheaper, it isn't a very robust device by Chromebook standards. However, its ChromeOS runs fast enough to help you perform daily tasks like emailing, web browsing, and creating documents easily.
Also, the IdeaPad Flex 3 is notable for its 2-in-1 design, which is rather uncommon for laptops in this price range. It offers an impressive 16 hours of battery life, which should easily last an entire day at college without recharging. You can also be use the laptop for media streaming to relax after a long day of studying, as long as you don’t mind the rather small screen size.
Pros:
- 2-in-1 design with touchscreen and convertible features.
- Compact and lightweight, easy to carry around.
- Affordable pricing for a convertible laptop.
- Decent battery life for a budget device.
Cons:
- Limited processing power, struggles with demanding tasks.
- Display is adequate but not great in terms of brightness and resolution.
4. Dell XPS 13 Plus
Although the Dell XPS 13 Plus is a sidestep from Dell’s main XPS series, it is no less impressive in terms of quality. As a striking combination of performance, portability, and sleek design, it is more or less the definitive Windows Ultrabook. By virtue of its 13th-gen Intel Core i7 processor and generous 32GB of RAM, it can effectively handle demanding tasks.
Weighing in at 1.26kg and measuring just 1.5cm thick with the lid closed, the XPS 13 Plus is easy to carry around in your bag. It is also pretty responsive and can handle some light gaming as well. Students who want a more powerful option can check out the Dell XPS 15, which has a larger screen and a dedicated GPU for heavier workloads.
Pros:
- Premium design with high-quality build materials.
- Excellent display with vibrant colors and sharp resolution.
- Powerful performance with Intel Core i7 processors.
- Compact and highly portable, ideal for students on the go.
Cons:
- Expensive, making it less accessible as a budget option.
- Limited port selection, relying heavily on USB-C.
5. Acer Chromebook Spin 514
The Acer Chromebook Spin 514 is one of the more expensive Chromebooks on the market, but it has a lot to offer in return. It has excellent user accessibility, robust components, and strong versatility by virtue of its 360-degree hinge and touch display. Moreover, it comes with truly impressive all-day battery life.
I should mention that the Spin 514 remains cheaper than many Windows laptops with similar specs and is a decent option for students who want a high-end Chromebook. It is a solid 2-in-1 laptop with amazing internal specs, which should be enough to help it last through 3-5 years of study at college.
Pros:
- Affordable with good value for students needing a Chromebook.
- 2-in-1 design with touchscreen and convertible capabilities.
- Long battery life, ideal for all-day use.
- Solid build quality with a metal chassis.
Cons:
- Limited storage, relying on cloud storage solutions.
- Performance is adequate for basic tasks but may lag with more intensive applications.
6. Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1
The Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 is a great laptop is the perfect college companion for the average student. Along with a crystal-clear 14-inch display and powerful performance, it offers remarkable versatility by virtue of its touchscreen and 360-degree hinge. Also, it is one of the more reasonably priced laptops for its features.
The Inspiron 14’s 1080p webcam is useful for high-quality video calls and virtual classes, and it can even handle some light gaming as well. It also offers excellent battery life and a pretty fast charging time. My only grouse is the lack of a bundled stylus, which is pretty minor compared to the overall performance of the laptop.
Pros:
- 2-in-1 design with a flexible hinge and touchscreen.
- Solid performance with Intel Core i5/i7 options.
- Affordable pricing for a convertible laptop.
- Good battery life and fast charging support.
Cons:
- Display quality is decent but not exceptional.
- Slightly heavier than other laptops in its category, making it less portable.
7. MacBook Air M3 13-inch
Apple's entry laptop, MacBook Air is an excellent choice for students taking a creative course or working on content creation. Apple's M-series is undoubtedly the best at handling creative workloads, and the 13-inch MacBook Air packs all that creative power into a slim but sturdy metal chassis. If you prefer a larger display, you can go for the M3 MacBook Air 15-inch instead.
The M3 system-on-a-chip (SoC) offers a much better performance than the older 2022 M2 model. As a result, it can smoothly perform demanding tasks such as video editing, digital art, animation, and 3D design. The laptop works very silently because it's passively cooled without any fans, and its battery life is incredible as well.
Pros:
- Exceptional performance with the Apple M3 chip.
- Long battery life, often exceeding 15 hours.
- High-quality Retina display with excellent color accuracy.
- Lightweight and portable, perfect for students.
Cons:
- Expensive compared to Windows-based laptops, limiting its accessibility as a budget option.
- Limited port selection, requiring dongles for additional connectivity.
8. Acer Spin 5
Acer's Spin series of laptops and Chromebooks have earned a glowing reputation for their robust performances and remarkable versatility. They have 360-degree hinges which, along with a touchscreen, allow users to flip them between laptop and tablet mode. Along with these features, the Acer Spin 5 has an inbuilt garaged stylus that readily charges when nestled within the laptop.
The laptop’s all-day battery life will leave you with a surplus when you’re back from college and want some entertainment. It also has a high-quality webcam for distance learning and a fast and powerful performance overall. Being a premium device, it is one of the more expensive options available but should be enough to serve you well through several years of coursework.
Pros:
- 2-in-1 design with a high-resolution touchscreen.
- Good performance with Intel Core i5/i7 processors.
- Ample port selection, including USB-C, HDMI, and Thunderbolt 3.
- Lightweight and easy to carry.
Cons:
- Slightly expensive for students on a strict budget.
- Battery life is decent, but it could be better for a student-focused laptop.
9. MSI GF63 Thin
The MSI GF63 Thin has been designed to meet both the academic and non-academic needs of students. Although it lacks the portability of a MacBook Air or Dell Inspiron 14, it is a fairly manageable and affordable gaming laptop. It includes an Intel Core i7-11800H CPU, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU, and generous RAM to deliver an impressive performance.
Not only does the GF63 Thin offer excellent value for money in terms of performance, but its dedicated GPU lets it handle graphically-intensive tasks better than many of its competitors. As a result it is great for students in technical fields like engineering that require special computer hardware for coursework.
Pros:
- Affordable pricing for a gaming laptop, making it versatile for students who game.
- Solid performance with Intel Core i5/i7 and dedicated GPU options.
- Lightweight for a gaming laptop, easy to carry.
- Good cooling system, keeping the laptop cool under load.
Cons:
- Mediocre battery life, especially when gaming.
- Build quality is decent but uses a lot of plastic, which feels less premium.
10. ASUS Vivobook 14
The ASUS Vivobook 14 boasts a powerful Intel Core i3-1115G4 11th Gen processor that delivers a truly impressive performance. It also comes with 8GB of RAM and 512GB SSD to handle multitasking better and give you sufficient storage space. Not only does the 14-inch FHD display deliver crisp and detailed visuals for work, but it also provides hyper-realism for entertainment.
The laptop comes with pre-installed Windows 11 and Office 2021. Also, its suave Indie Black color complements its lightweight but durable design.
Pros:
- Affordable pricing with good value for basic student needs.
- Decent performance with AMD or Intel processors.
- Compact and lightweight, easy to carry around.
- Good keyboard and trackpad for everyday use.
Cons:
- Display quality is average with limited brightness.
- Battery life is adequate but not impressive and may require frequent charging.
Conclusion
Laptops are important in a student’s academics and college life today. As a student, you need to choose the right laptop for your requirements, and the options I’ve described in this article provide a range of features to suit different needs and budgets. Whether you prioritize battery life, processing power, or portability, there’s something here for everyone.
I advise you to consider the features that are most important to you and make your purchase accordingly. Remember that a good laptop is a crucial investment in your education, and it’s worth taking the time to find the perfect match to help you excel in your studies and extracurricular activities.
Last update on 2024-10-14 using Amazon Product Advertising API.