With the new academic year underwayit’s time to get a laptops for school or Uni – if you haven't already! Whether you’re a student searching for a reliable device or a parent gearing up your child with the tech essentials for their studiesnavigating the sea of available options can be challenging.
A key consideration for both students and parents is finding a laptop that strikes the right balance between affordability and quality. Opting for the cheapest machine might save money upfrontbut it’s unlikely to be a worthwhile investment in the long run.
Fortunatelyhere at TechRadarwe’ve reviewed a wide range of laptopsgiving us unique insight into which models offer genuine value for money – especially when it comes to features and specs that truly matter for student life.
With that in mindwe’ve put together our top recommendations for the best value student laptops. No matter your budget or requirementswe’ve got a laptop to suit your study needs (and your wallet).
Lindsay is a long-serving contributor to TechRadarhandling testing and reviews for a wide range of products. He especially loves to benchmark the latest laptopsbut also can't resist testing power banks and all things charging related.
The best student laptops in 2026
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Below you'll find full write-ups for the best student laptopsno matter your needs.
The best student MacBook
Many schools favour Apple devicesso the MacBook Air is usually a solid choice. Just make sure to double check your schools device policy says MacBooks are ok.
While not everyone wants a MacBook or to join the Apple ecosystemthere's no denying the M series CPUs are impressively good. While you do tend to pay a premium (especially in Australia)Apple laptops have high-end build quality and some of the best battery life going.
The new M4 powered Air looks just like the M3 model – which is a good thingas the design is simple but effective. The MacBook Air is well known for its battery life and our tests show it can last 14 hours between charges. The Air finally got dual Thunderbolt 4 portsso can run two external monitors and the base spec is now 16GB of RAM. Like the M3 Airbe aware the lack of fan means the CPU tends to throttle if under prolonged loadso it may not suit heavy or multitasking users.
The MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) starts at AU$1,699. This is slightly higher than the older M1 MacBook Air’s launch price of AU$1,599but less than the M2 model's launch price of AU$1,899 in 2022 and less than the AU$1,799 for the M3 Air. If you go all out and upgrade both the RAM to 32GB and the SSD to 2TBthe AU$1,799 price becomes a rather high AU$3,499.
Stillit's great to see launch prices for new models go downrather than up. It's also worth noting that the M2 model and M3 models are still excellent and are often still sold new for big discounts. This means if you want extra value for moneyit's well worth taking a read of our M2 MacBook Air and Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) reviews.
Read the full review: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)
The best Windows laptop for students
Loads of schools use Microsoft products like Officeand while you can generally use it in a browser or on a MacBooksometimes a Windows laptop is needed. If sothen the Microsoft Surface laptop is hard to beat.
Windows has plenty of faults as an operating systembut it's never been as smooth and fast as on the new Surface Laptop. From the outside it's a very normal looking laptop that might even be boring if not for the range of colours available. On the plus sideit uses a premium all-metal design that (finally!) favours robust repairability over being extra slim and light.
But the real magic of the new Surface Laptop is insidethanks to the Snapdragon X Plus and X Elite CPUs from Qualcomm. These new Arm CPUs match the best Apple silicongiving excellent performance yet remaining efficient enough for truly all-day battery life.
The Surface Laptop comes in two main variants – 13.8-inchand 15-inch. The former can be bought with the slightly less powerful X Plus CPUor the faster X Elitewhereas the 15-inch model only comes with the X Elite. Either size is available with up to 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD – the latter is user upgradeable. The 15-inch laptop has a 2496 x 1664 (201 PPI) displaywhile the 13.8-inch screen is 2304 x 1536 (201 PPI) – though both are IPS panels with a touchscreenplus a high 400-nit brightness and excellent colour reproduction.
Some Windows software does not yet have a native Arm version and is run using emulation. This can cause a mild reduction in performance (and compatibility issues in some cases)but isn't a particular problem for mainstream apps. In light loads such as playing videothe 66Wh battery in the 15-inch Surface Laptop lasts over 25 hours. Even in heavier workloadsit has no problems lasting 10 to 15 hours on battery. The 13.8-inch Surface laptop has a slightly smaller 54Wh battery but almost as long run times unplugged.
The Surface Laptops have dual USB 4 Type-C ports that do video out and chargingplus a single USB-A connection. In a move we loveMicrosoft has kept the magnetic Surface charging port (it also does data and video output)keeping your USB-C ports free and allowing the laptop to connect to existing accessories such as older Surface docks.
The Surface Laptops are not the cheapest (though are already attracting the occasional discount)and the 13.8-inch model starts from AU$1,899 with 16GB of RAMwhile the most expensive 32GB option is AU$3,399. The 15-inch model starts at AU$2,399 for 16GB RAMand ranges up to AU$3,699 for the 32GB machine.
Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch
The best budget laptop for students
For students looking for an affordable yet durable laptopthe Lenovo ThinkBook series is a solid choice. While designed for business needsit offers the performance and build quality needed for school and universityor even just everyday use. One of the best-value options in the range is the AMD ThinkBook 14which is easy to buy under AU$1,500. It's rarely discounted heavilybut small savings can sometimes be foundespecially through the Lenovo’s Education Store.
The AMD ThinkBook 14 is powered by either a Ryzen 5 7535HS or a Ryzen 7 7735HS processorand comes with 16GB of RAM and a 1920 × 1200 IPS display – though its 45% NTSC color coverage makes it unsuitable for creative use. If looking to buy oneopting for the 60Wh battery upgrade (for just AU$20) is a good call to ensure a full day of use on a single charge.
If you’re keen to save a little moneyconsider the older Gen 6 ThinkBook (available with Intel or AMD processors)as it's also a great machine.
While we have not yet gotten hands on with this specific Gen 7 ThinkBook 14 modelthose interested can check out our review of the similar ThinkBook 14 2-in-1keeping in mind that it has an Intel CPU.
Can't find a ThinkBook you like? The ThinkPad is a slightly more premium (but very similar) machine – check out our Lenovo ThinkPad T14s review for more info.
Best affordable Dell laptop
The Dell 14 Plus is one of the more affordable options and starts from AU$1,299.10. The laptop offers configurations with AMD Ryzen AI 300 processorsup to 32GB of RAM and 512GB or 1TB storage.
The 14-inch display is good enough for normal usethough its 300-nit brightness can be limiting in bright environments.
Its battery life is impressivereaching around 13.5 hours on a chargewhich comfortably supports a full day of schoolwork.
Of coursethere are some limitations – the keyboard feels a bit stiffthe trackpad is averageand the speakers lack oomph. While it’s not suited for heavier creative tasksit handles daily student tasks with ease.
All in allthe Dell 14 Plus delivers excellent value and features for its classand the higher-tier configurations offer surprisingly good performance.
Read the full Dell 14 Plus review
The best 2-in-1 for students
While most students just need a standard laptopfor some classes a touchscreen 2-in-1 model that can double as a tablet can be very helpful. You only need to worry about this if your school recommends a 2-in-1so if in doubtdouble check.
As a premium 2-in-1the HP OmniBook Flip Ultra delivers high-end featuresbut the tradeoff is an often steep price tag. Fortunatelydiscounts of 20% or more are often available and help make it a much better deal. Stillcompared to similarly priced laptopsit holds its ownand it will happily outperform the fanless MacBook Air in sustained workloads.
The Flip Ultra’s 2880 × 1800 OLED touchscreen is a standout feature and even gives stylus supportso is ideal for creative work and note-taking. It also includes premium extras such as a facial recognition webcam and Thunderbolt 4 ports for connecting an external monitor when used at home.
Under the hoodthe latest Intel Ultra Series 2 CPUs and up to 32GB of RAM ensure a good balance of performance and efficiency. Battery life is another highlightdelivering up to 12 hours of use – more than enough for a full day of work or classes.
The combination here of performanceversatilityand endurance makes the OmniBook Flip Ultra a great choice for anyone who needs a flexible touchscreen laptop. For those looking for a more affordable or more powerful alternativethe HP OmniBook Ultra Laptop offers similar specifications but ditches the 2-in-1 functionality in favour of the capable Ryzen AI 9 CPU.
Our TechRadar review is still in progressbut in the meantimetake a look at the 4-star review from our friends over at Tom’s Hardware.
The best student workstation
For older students at school or Unisome classes or courses need a powerful laptop that can handle heavy image and video editing. If sothen the MacBook Pro is hard to beat.
The latest models of the MacBook Pro 14 and 16-inch laptops come with new M5M4 Pro or M4 Max processorswhich will bring reasonable upgrades to overall performance compared to the base M4or M3 Pro or Max models. While the M5 CPU is greatthe previous generation MacBook Pro with an M4 can be the better buyif you can pick one up at the right price.
The MacBook Pro range offers very portable package that uses the ever improving Apple M series CPUs to give solid performance for considerably less power than the competition. This means you can do demanding tasks on the go without having to rely on plugging in to get through a full work day.
The MacBook Pro gets three Thunderbolt 4 ports (Thunderbolt 5 on the Pro and Max)and the base M4/M5 and M4 Pro CPU variants can support two external displayswhile the M4 Max can support four.
As we have come to expect from Applethe Liquid Retina XDR display is fantasticand offers wide colour gamutsa 120Hz refresh rate and 600 nits brightness (SDR content) or up to 1,000 nits sustained (1,600 nits peak) with HDR content.
The entry level 14-inch MacBook Pro M5 starts at a reasonable AU$2,499 from Applebut that's with just 16GB of RAMand bumping that up to the typical 32GB costs an extra AU$600.
Jumping up to the 16-inch MacBook Prothe minimum spec is the M4 Pro CPU with 24GB of RAM and a 512GB SSDwhich costs AU$3,999. The MacBook Pro featuring the M4 Max CPU (which supports three displays) starts at AU$5,699 and starts with 36GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD as the base spec.
For those already in the Apple ecosystemthe choice is likely easy and the MacBook Pro is well worth the premium price. But it's also an appealing option for those who need to do creative tasks (such as video editing) on the go using battery powerbut also use the laptop as a workstation connected to external monitors.
Read the full Apple MacBook Pro M4 review
Read the full Apple MacBook Pro M5 review
The best engineering laptop
For students studying engineering (including software engineering) then having a more powerful laptop is important. A favourite choice is often a gaming laptopas the hardware offers excellent performanceincluding GPU acceleration for certain applicationsand they can be more affordable than high end creator or professional laptops.
And as an added bonus for many Uni studentsyou can relax with some gaming between study sessions.
The Lenovo Legion 5i has long been a favoured gaming bang for buck laptopand the latest 2025 (Gen 10) model continues the trend. Though keep in mind you do need to buy it when (frequently) discounted rather than at RRPif you want the best value.
Our Gen 10 Legion 5i test is still underwaybut we reviewed the Gen 9 model (as shown in the pics above) and loved it. The Gen 10 uses the latest RTX 5000 series GPUsincluding the RTX 5060 and 5070as well as an Intel Core i7-14700HXi9-14900HX or Ultra 7 255HX CPU. Unlike the Gen 9's 16-inch IPS screenit has a 15.1-inch OLED screen with the same 165Hz refresh rateincludes 16GB or 32GB RAM and up to a 1TB SSD.
When not gamingthe 5i is also a very competent workstation and will perform well on ACUSB-C or battery power. It won't last long unplugged (as expected) and we think it's a shame it doesn't include a facial recognition webcam or fingerprint reader.
By all reportsgaming performance is great – in large part thanks to the powerful cooling system that allows the GPU to sustain full output for longer without overheating. The RTX 5070-equipped 5i is well suited to run games such as Cyberpunk 2077 at very smooth frame rates at the 1600p native resolution. The laptop is also a powerful option for those who need a productivity laptop for work or Uniand while chunkier than many laptopsthe 5i is still able to be carried day to day without too much trouble.
The best pricing for the 5i is often direct from Lenovo Australia – but only when discounted. Typical discounts range from 30% to 40% off RRP. For example the Ultra 7RTX 5070 variant of the 5i has been discounted under AU$2,879 while the RTX 5060 equipped 5i has been under AU$2,500.
Until our Gen 10 5i review is donewe suggest checking out our Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9) review.
The best Snapdragon laptop
For studyit's generally best to go for a laptop with wide compatibility. But it's hard to argue with the often bargain prices of Snapdragon based laptopsand Windows has now sorted out almost all the compatibility issues.
So for those seeking a high-performance laptop without an extreme price tagthe Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x strikes an excellent balance between value and functionality. Powered by a Snapdragon X Elite CPUit delivers impressive performancebattery lifeand portability – making it a pretty versatile choice for anyone who needs a sleek yet powerful Windows device.
One of our favourite features of the 7x is the 14.5-inch OLED displaywhich has high 2,944 × 1,840 resolutiona smooth 90Hz refresh rate and vibrant colours. The 16:10 aspect ratio also provides more vertical space for browsingwhile touchscreen functionality adds that little extra layer of versatility for productivity and creative tasks.
While battery life is great (lasting longer than most premium Windows laptops)for those on the gothe 7x's lightweight yet durable aluminum design is just as importantas it gives portability but also ensures it's robust enough to handle everyday bumps and knocks.
Read the full Lenovo Slim 7x review
The best premium Windows laptop
Need a Windows laptop but want something that stands out as a premium machine? The Dell XPS 13 (and larger sizes) laptop is worth a look.
Dell’s XPS has always been a leader in the ultra premium laptop marketand now the 13-inch models have had a fresh update. Key is availability with the latest Intel Ultra Series 2 CPUsas well as an optional OLED touchscreen panelan integrated glass touchpad palm rest and a neat capacitive touch function row.
If you’re after one of the best Windows laptops availablethe XPS 13 is a top contender – though its premium status means it comes at a high price.
Going beyond just a sleek designthe XPS 13 offers decent specs – supporting up to 32GB of RAM and up to 2TB of storage to accommodate a range of needs. Display options are also flexiblewith choices ranging from a standard 1920 × 1200 non-touch panel to a stunning 2880 × 1800 OLED touchscreen.
Our review below is for the new Intel model but it's also worth reading our glowing review of the Qualcomm Snapdragon powered variant. And don't forget to check out our Dell promo codes to save a bit of money on your next purchase.
Read the full Dell XPS 13 review
- After a different model? Compare prices on any Australian laptop at our sister site Getprice!
The best dual-screen laptop
Most students don’t need more than a single screen for school or universitybut at higher grades and in certain classeshaving a second screen can be a significant advantage. Carrying around a portable second screen is cumbersomeand a dual-screen laptop is a better option.
One of the best touchscreen laptops – and naturallyamong the best 2-in-1 laptops – we tested in 2025the Yoga Book 9i is an incredible dual-screen laptop that actually uses the second screen well. The Yoga Book 9i sees you through your productivity and multitasking in a seamless and time-saving way without the extra weight. It’s also a capable piece of kit with cutting-edge mobile components powering it – but it also comes with a very high price.
We completely fell in love with the Yoga Book 9i when we reviewed itand you'd be hard-pressed to find a dual-screen setup that’s as seamless or as versatile as this one. Lenovo has designed the Yoga Book 9i not only to give you that extra bit of screen real estate but also to offer several different modes. You can mount it on its included stand so that the screens are either stacked one on top of the other or side by side like a book – and you can use it as a normal laptop as well.
The Intel Core Ultra 7 255H CPU that’s powering the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i is specifically designed for ultra-thin portables. That means it's certainly powerful enough for most day-to-day tasksbut as it has been built to keep cool and not drain the battery too fast (more on that below)it's best used for general productivity and lighter creative workloadsrather than intensive video editing or gaming. In our tests we found the Yoga Book 9i to perform extremely well when photo editing in particularand the dual OLED screens looked brilliant.
Despite the efficient processorthe Lenovo Yoga Book 9i lasted 6 hours and 45 minutes in our tests. Considering that unlike most laptopsit's powering two OLED screensthat's understandable but still lower than we'd like.
There's no getting away from it: this is an expensive laptop. It starts at a hefty AU$4,499but keep in mind that Lenovo offers frequent large discountsso if it's not already on salewait a little while and it is often 30% (or more) cheaper. The designquality of the dual screens and versatility of this laptop does go some way to justifying the pricebut if you're not going to use the second screenlook elsewhere.
Read the full review from our friends at Tom's Hardware: Lenovo Yoga Book 9i (Gen 10)
Frequently asked questions
Want to know more about choosing the best laptop for student use? Read on to find out more about school requirementseducation discountshow to pick the right laptop and more.
School requirements
You can typically find a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policy on your school's website that will detail what’s needed. Generally speakingmost schools recommend a 13-inch or 14-inch laptop (larger than 11 inches and not over 15 inches)with at least 6 hours of actual real-world usage battery life. Most of the timeschools don’t want students charging laptops during the dayas the cords can be a trip hazard. Laptops must have a webcam and microphone.
Most schoolwork is web-based or uses software such as Microsoft’s 365 suite of apps. Chromebooks are not commonly recommended for high school or university but are more often used in primary school. Usually though the school will supply themor recommend a specific model.
Most schools suggest laptops need at least 8GB of RAMbut 16GB is recommended (we think 16GB is the minimum you should opt for). Generally speaking most schools will support both MacBooks and Windows laptopsbut some will have a preference for one or the other.
Ideallylook for laptops that advertise at least 10 hours of battery lifeas it will decrease over time as the battery wears from use. For high school studentsexpect to upgrade to a new laptop at least once. Higher grades and certain classes may have special requirements for laptop specifications and performance. If in doubtcheck with your school or Uni.
Best Education deals
Some retailers and brands offer discounts for studentsteachers and often even parents. Most discounts require signing up an account using a .edu email addressbut others just need a code from your school.
Apple Education Store
Once verified as a student or educatorApple offers a range of small but handy discounts. Read the full terms and conditions to find out how to qualify.
JB Hi-Fi Education portal
In collaboration with schoolsJB Hi-Fi offers a range of products (including laptops) with education discounts. Always make sure to double check the pricesas while the prices can be goodyou may get a better deal elsewhere. Participating schools should have a login code available in their BYOD policyotherwise use BYOD2026 to see what is available.
Lenovo Education Store
Sign up with a .edu email to get access to discounted prices on a wide range of Lenovo products. While the discounts are often better than on the normal Lenovo storeit pays to double check as something the student deals are not as good.
HP Back to school sale
While not a specific program with student discountsHP currently has a back to school sale running with up to 40% off.
StudentBeans
Sign up an account using a .edu email addressand get access to discounts that can be used at many retailers.
UniDays
Sign up using your student email to get access to discounts on a range of tech.
TechRadar Coupons
Have a specific laptop in mind? Make sure to check our coupon page and see if there is a discount code available.
How to choose the best student laptop
The best student laptop is going to give you the right balance between sufficient performance for productivity tasksaffordability for a student's budgetand durability to handle the kind of wear-and-tear that a student can put their laptops through – and having it look good never hurts.
But that can be a hard thing for students and families to balanceespecially if they aren't as familiar with computer hardware as they'd like to be. Fortunatelythere are some general guidelines that you can follow to get the right student laptop for your needs and budget.
What makes for a good student laptop?
There are a few other boxes that the best student laptops should check besides being able to handle the demands of your coursework. One of the biggest considerations you should have when choosing a student laptop is battery life - you need something that will last all day during your classes and still have juice leftover for late nights studying at the library.
Student laptops should also ideally be both versatile and lightweight because you’ll want something that can multitask all the programs you’ll need without being a drag to carry around campus. Versatility is crucial with a student laptopespecially with majors that will have you flipping back and forth between a published paper and the essay you’re trying to finish in time.
Budget is also a major consideration in choosing the best student laptop for your university experience. Not everyone can shell out a ton of money for a student laptop - we absolutely understand that - so you need to be sure to pick something that meets all your criteria without going overboard on your budget. It’s easy to find a great student laptop within your price range these daysand even better when you find a sale and get a good deal on it.
Is a MacBook a good laptop for students?
This is a slightly loaded questionbecause ultimately the best operating system for students (whether that's WindowsmacOSor ChromeOS) will always come down to which OS the student in question prefers to use. Some of us are married to the effective functionality of Windows; others might prefer the aesthetically pleasing UI of Apple devicesor the Android-esquestreamlined user experience Chromebook provide.
If you're already comfortable using a specific operating systemmaking the leap can be tricky. ChromeOS is arguably the easiest to pick up and usebut changing to MacOS after a decade spend familiarizing yourself with Windows might lead to confusion. Take this into consideration when choosing a new laptop for school or college.
On the hardware sidewe're pleased to say that MacBooks are more competitive than ever. Apple's fantastic M3 and M4 chips are much more capable of running demanding tasks than processors with integrated graphicsmaking Apple laptops excellent all-rounders for the busy student. Howeverif you need to run highly intensive softwareit's worth considering a Windows laptop with a dedicated GPU - ideally an Nvidia RTX one - since this will give you a lot more grunt in GPU-accelerated programs.
Which is better for students: a laptop or a desktop?
Simply putmost high school and Uni students will need a laptop for their studies at this stage. While having a computer of some kind is practically a necessity at this point - with the rise of remote learning and content creation among university students - a laptop can be thrown into a rucksack and taken along to lectures and workshopsunlike a desktop PC.
Yesa desktop will typically offer more processing power and the advantage of a bigger screenbut you might end up spending more (especially once you factor in the need for peripherals) and then still find yourself needing a portable device for note-taking and working on the go. If you've already got a small tablet or laptop that you can take out and aboutyou might want to consider buying one of the best desktop computersbut otherwisewe recommend you get a more capable laptop and use that in lieu of a desktop.
How we tested these student laptops
We know that buying a new laptop can be a huge investment. Even more so with laptops for college students. That’s why we take our jobs seriouslyand test every laptop we recommend on this list extensively.
That process involves using them in our day-to-day lives to see how long their battery lastshow robust they are – kids have hectic livesafter all – and how cool they stay under pressure. We also look at their designincluding how stylish they areif they are thin and light enough to carry around withand how comfortable they are to work on. Because the webcam and microphone in a laptop are also incredibly importantespecially these dayswe take time to test those out as well.
When it comes to performancewe use a mix of real-world tests and synthetic benchmarks to see how powerful (or not) these laptops are. This means using Windows 11 (or Chrome OS on Chromebooks and macOS on MacBooks) and running various apps and seeing how fast they loadnoting down any problems.
Battery lives are also importantso we’ll keep track of how long we can use the laptop without needing to charge it. To get specific numberswe also run our own battery life benchmark that plays a looped 1080p movie until the battery dies and the PC Mark 10 battery life benchmarkwhich replicates real-world usagesuch as web browsing and document creation. These tests give us an excellent idea of how long the batteries in these laptops last.
When all is said and donewe then take everything we’ve learned about the laptop and compare it to its priceto see if it offers the best value to students.
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Latest Updates
Jan 2026: Updated with the best laptops for the 2026 school year