r/LaptopForStudent

Hey everyone,

I'm starting my second degree in data since and ai

I’m looking for a new laptop primarily for university/studies, and after a ton of research, I’m stuck between two options.

I’m currently coming from an Asus VivoBook S15 (Snapdragon X Elite). I originally bought it for the promised battery life, but real-world endurance fell well short of the hype. Because of that, all-day real-world battery life is my top priority.

Here are the two exact configurations I’m deciding between:

Option 1: Lenovo Yoga 9 2-in-1 (Aura Edition / Lunar Lake)

Display: 14" 4K WQUXGA (3840x2400) OLED Touchscreen

Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 258V

RAM: 32GB

Storage: 1TB SSD

OS: Windows 11

Option 2: Apple MacBook Pro 14"

Processor: Apple M5 (10-Core CPU, 10-Core GPU)

RAM: 16GB Unified Memory

Storage: 1TB SSD

OS: macOS

My Main Dilemmas:

Software & Study Needs: I won’t be doing intense rendering or coding, but I rely on tools like Power BI Desktop (which has no native macOS version) and advanced Excel add-ins/plugins that often run poorly or lack full support on macOS.

Ecosystem: I currently daily-drive Android devices. While I previously owned a Mac and liked macOS, being on Windows makes file transfer and cross-device synergy a bit more seamless.

Real-World Battery Life: How does the Lunar Lake (Core Ultra 7 258V) with a 4K OLED panel actually compare to the base MacBook Pro in everyday academic use (browsing, docs, multitasking)?

Would love to hear from anyone using either of these platforms

Lenovo Thinkpad T14 Gen 1
Ryzen 5 pro 4650U
16GB / 256gb ssd

Will this work for me? Need one with high performance and should be rough and tough.. gonna use it during electrical engineering studies and later too

I’m going to study Computer Engineering/Computer Science this year, and I need to get a laptop. What kind of laptop should I get? Do you have any recommendations? Also, how is the MacBook Air M5 with 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD?

I hope this is the right sub for this question, I don’t use reddit much and people can be rude sometimes so I’m sorry if it isn’t😭 Basically, I’m starting college this year (cegep so its 2 yrs) and I don’t know if I need an ipad or laptop for my needs. I’ll be in an art program (no digital art) and during my second semester I will do cinema so maybe video editing, sound editing, etc. Obviously, a laptop would be better for this, but I also have a good computer at home and our school offers computers to edit. Now, I’ll also need to take notes and write essays on words and use teams for other classes. The laptop I would get would be this one: https://www.bestbuy.ca/fr-ca/produit/portable-de-16-po-vivobook-copilot-pc-d-asus-bleu-calme-ryzen-ai-5-330-d-amd-memoire-vive-de-32-go-disque-ssd-de-512-go-windows-11/19376543 . If I got an Ipad, I’d get the ipad air 11 inch with 128g (should i 256g tho?) and I would buy the logitech combo touch keyboard + apple pencil. In my opinion, I’ll take alot of notes. I also thought of getting a 2 in 1: https://www.bestbuy.ca/fr-ca/produit/portable-a-ecran-tactile-2-en-1-de-14-po-ideapad-5x-copilot-pc-de-lenovo-gris-luna-snapdragon-x-plus-ram-16-go-ssd-1-to/19220079?region\_id=124418&cmp=knc-s-22674403871&&x&utm\_source=Google&utm\_id=250613chw395&utm\_medium=troas&utm\_creativeformat=pmax&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad\_source=1&gad\_campaignid=22668314526&gbraid=0AAAAAD-7qGxYOLKsUv1BFHR2K9s8PkAgO but im not sure if its good? Another thing is that I’ve always wanted an Ipad so im more inclined to get that.. but i do wanna know if id be better off with a laptop or a 2 in 1. Hopefully this is okay, english is not my first language, I also hope I used this sub rightfully😔

guys help I need a laptop for college I only have an iPad right now( in good condition) I was sure I wanted an air cause I hated the neo( the look) but bro a very important point of a MacBook is the premium feel which is completely lacking w the neo but the price is legit double
Im gonna be studying law so fs don’t NEED an air but my heart wants it so bad
I can afford it easily no financial strain at all but I also need new AirPods and a pencil so helpp me choose

I'm studying financial math and I need a new laptop for backtesting, Python, etc. I'm looking for recommendations. My budget is $1000.

Im (19F) is going into university this September and I need to start getting essentials for it. I am doing accounting and finance degree and currently I do not own a laptop. I would like to get a MacBook neo for the 4 years of university but however as it is accounting and finance degree I would need to access to excel etc etc.

Anyone who is also doing accounting and finance degree what laptop do you suggest?

I am going into my sophomore year as a mechanical engineering major and need a new laptop as I have a Lenovo Yoga that I used all of highschool. I didn’t like it that much to be honest. I want a laptop that has good battery life unplugged (can last me a whole day around campus without having to charge it) when I’m not using stuff like solid works and cad, but when I plug it in to use that solidworks that it is very fast and can handle heavy projects for that. I feel like I am having a hard time finding a laptop with a lot of power but also good battery life when used for light work tasks. Or is it kind of impossible to have great battery life and also a ton of power for stuff like solid works and cad. (I don’t know anything about laptops and I am open to a gaming laptop if those are good.) Any recommendations? My budget is probably $3000.

I am a 2nd year college student and I want to buy a laptop just to learn how to code. For which I think buying a new laptop is over power or more than what I need. I am thinking of buying a 2nd hand laptop which can do my basic work effortlessly and not high performance gaming.

I have an option of buying a macbook pro with Intel i5 10th gen is it good?

Hey all,
I’m a mechanical engineering student and I need a new laptop mainly for CAD work (SolidWorks, Fusion 360) and some electronics/PCB design (KiCad). My old MSI laptop physically broke apart and honestly wasn’t the most reliable machine, so this time I want something sturdier and more trustworthy.
I’ve been looking at the HP OmniBook 7 17-dc0179ng:
• Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
• 32GB DDR5 RAM (soldered, not upgradeable)
• 1TB SSD
• NVIDIA RTX 4050 (6GB VRAM)
• 17.3” FHD IPS touchscreen
• ~2.34 kg
• Price: ~1,399€ (down from 1,599€)
This would replace my MSI Delta 15, and reliability/build quality matters a lot to me this time — no glitches, no heating problems, something that’ll last 4-5 years of daily campus use.
A few questions for anyone with experience:
1. Anyone own this specific model (or the OmniBook 7 line in general) who can speak to real-world thermals and reliability?
2. Is HP generally considered trustworthy compared to brands like MSI, Asus, Lenovo for this kind of workload?
3. Is the RTX 4050 with 6GB VRAM going to be enough for SolidWorks/Fusion 360 assemblies, or should I be looking at something with more VRAM?
4. Any better alternatives in the ~1,400-1,500€ range with similar specs I should consider?
Appreciate any input — trying to make a solid decision before I buy!

I am a 2nd year college student and I want to buy a laptop just to learn how to code. For which I think buying a new laptop is over power or more than what I need. I am thinking of buying a 2nd hand laptop which can do my basic work effortlessly and not high performance gaming.

I have an option of buying a macbook pro with Intel i5 10th gen is it good?

Everything looks solid, looks like it will last me through college, 8gb ram is low but I have a gaming pc so it’s not like I’ll need it for gaming anyway maybe just movies and shows. I’m a business major if that means anything, I know certain majors means you should look for different laptops. But with Apple student discount I can get it for around $499 and I would rather spend under $500 for something like this

If anyone can recommend me a better option for the same price or cheaper it would help, or just tell me to get this.

My son is starting next month. He wants the ThinkPad X9 15 Aura 1Terabite (latest one on Lenovo website). He has been advised 32GB RAM and Integrated graphics will be ok which seems to meet the spec required. Is this ok or any recommendations gratefully received from a dinosaur parent who prefers pen and paper!

Im doing finance, hoping to do business in a year or two.

I don't know what i need, but i want it to be fast, small enough that its portable and big enough to actually use it, also hoping it to be built like a MacBook (aluminum)

My high school laptop is Dell Latitude 7480, the size is perfect, its a 14" screen but the big bezel makes it bigger.

My first option was the new Dell XPS 13 but from what I heard its a decent laptop but im paying more for the aesthetics, plus from the reviews I've watched it looks too small for me. ($1,259.99 total with student discount)

512gb, 16gb

2nd options was Asus Zenbook A14. Great laptop, looks like the best size for me, lightweight. Reviews aren't the best and they said the only good thing is its lightweight and good battery, also has ARM processor which has mixed opinions. ($1,099 + taxes and fees on sale) 1tb, 16gb

3rd is the lenovo yoga 7i. This is over my budget but want to know your guys opinion. ($1,399+ taxes and fees on sale too) 512gb, 16gb

4th one is haven't done much researchLenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i Ultra.

I'm leaning towards the Zenbook A14 but I'm not sure about the snapdragon processor.

Let me know what you guys think would be the better option or if you have any other recommendations. Thanks