r/LaptopForStudent

Edit: high school freshman not college

I'll be starting my first year at university this fall, and my major is centred very much around writing essays, and lots to do with typing (as i'm sure most majors are like). Just for reference, I’m an international relations major (pre law). That being said, I'm looking into getting something lightweight (preferably 13-15 inches) which will fit in my bag. I've grown up using apple products, and my desktop was apple before as well.
Because I want something lightweight, I know the MacBook Pro is definitely not an option. So I'm gravitating more towards the MacBook Air, except I'm debating between the MacBook Air or the MacBook Neo. I heard stuff about not being able to play games or do editing on the MacBook Neo, but I don't do that anyways so it's not a concern. Which one would be better for university?

My little brother is starting middle school at a public charter school. He only really needs the computer for everyday homework/ assigned projects throughout the year. This is all it’ll be used for, can someone recommend a good affordable laptop for him.
Thanks!

Hey everyone,

I'm a 2nd-year B.E. AIML student looking for a laptop to last 4-5 years, funded by my parents. My main focus is studies and skill-building, with casual weekend gaming like Minecraft now and hopefully RDR2 down the line(rdr2 and AAA games can wait till i earn)

I'm torn between two paths. The first is getting a high-end processor with an iGPU and great battery life, relying entirely on free cloud services like Kaggle or Colab for ML training.

The second is getting a mid-tier processor with a dedicated Nvidia GPU(3050), sacrificing battery life but allowing local workflows and gaming. Battery life isn't a major factor for me since I'll usually be near a charging port.

Since I don't know the practical details of how models are built and trained yet, I want to ask: Do AIML undergrads actually need a local dGPU, or are free cloud platforms enough? If I go the dGPU route, can a budget card give me stable performance for 5 years?

I want to buy a MacBook air as I go into university for engineering however I am unsure how well it will run the software I need. I am a electrical engineer but I like to dip my toes in many things. So I will definitely be doing some CAD. I have a gaming PC laptop so this macbook would need to supplement the gaming one since it is heavy, loud, hot, and needs to be plugged in nearly all the time. Here is some of the following software titles I will need for ee according to school website: MATLAB, LabVIEW, Ansys, Mathematica, Microsoft Office, JetBrains, Origin, Tecplot. I know MATLAB works, but do the others work well? I also plan to use CAD for clubs and projects. Is it smooth to remote onto my pc from a mac(gaming laptop in dorm)? Additionally, any electrical engineering students are there any other software titles I will need not mentioned above Finally, how much power will I need(RAM: 16gb, 24gb, 32; SSD:512gb vs 1tb; GPU cores: 8 vs 10)?

What common software does biz school require other than excel? I've been using a windows laptop all my life but I want to try out the new MacBook neo. I heard the MacBook has longer battery life than the windows laptop and won't lag easily.

Is a macbook suitable for a business course and does it support all the necessary software?

I currently have a Lenovo yoga 7 2-in-1. I’ve had it for less than a year and I’ve already had problems with the keyboard not allowing me to type. It is now completely fixed, but I am worried that it will happen again. I have two years left of a psychology, undergrad and I’m going into a school counseling masters when I’ve looked up and research what the best laptop is for my pathway a MacBook Air is what seems to be mostly suggested. My friends are also telling me to get a MacBook because they have Mac’s and have never had any issues. It seems like the battery on their Macs last longer than my Lenovo; I also don’t exactly need the foldable feature of the laptop anymore since I’m no longer in the major that I bought it for. I’m not a gamer and would only be using it for schoolwork and occasionally maybe Netflix or something lol. I have an iPhone so the compatibility of the Mac would be nice but I can also continue to live without it. I don’t know if I should sell my yoga and buy a MacBook or just keep the yoga?

LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE

Country:

India

Budget:

30k to 40k ₹ (better if below 35k₹)

Are you open to refurbs/used options?:

Maybe

Screen size:

13" to 15"

Weight limit:

Any

Purpose:

College works, coding, content consuming, productivity

Form factor:

Standard laptop

Intended usage:

Mostly productivity, online classes, coding, content consuming.

Desired battery life:

5-6 hours.

Info/Requirements

Ram 8GB or above, atleast 512GB SSD

I am going to do cybersecurity bachelor's and I just wanted to know if macbooks are good for cybersecurity. Are they capable of handling what a student like me needs and what specs should I go for?

I always loved a macbook. I love the OS, I love how portable it is and its design is also pretty good. I am a windows user but I want to get a macbook. But since I am going to take cybersecurity. I need to know if it is good for it

Thank you

I’m going to university to do software engineering, I was wondering what laptop would be best for programming and coding (CAD, python, java, C#, C or C++)

Starting CS this fall, 300km from home. Got a 5700X + 4060 desktop but can’t bring it. Home only 1-2x a month.

Debating between a budget no-GPU laptop vs one with a dGPU. Main question — for hackathons and local AI agents, do I actually need CUDA or can I just use Colab/cloud GPUs and call it a day?

Was the dGPU on your laptop worth it, or did you end up on Colab anyway?

I’m going into college for Mechanical Engineering, and I was wondering if a new MacBook Air would still be suitable for what the degree and classes include. I really want a MacBook, and don’t really want to get anything else, but is it really that bad for college? Plus, I’m sure I’ll still use it plenty for non-school uses as well, which again would make me prefer a MacBook over other options.

So I will be starting in late August or September, but I still don’t know which laptop would be best for me. I want a laptop that will last at least five years. I’ve heard that MacBooks are reliable, but they don't run some of the software I need. I'm unsure what the truth is about that, so I'm looking for advice from someone with biotech experience. I would like to know whether a Mac or a laptop from Lenovo, Dell, or HP would be the best choice.

Looking for advice about the best laptops to purchase as an online college student

* I am not majoring in any math/science related fields and I don’t need a laptop suitable for gaming*

What I will use it for:

- writing papers (via google docs)

- researching (I tend to have a lot of tabs open at once)

- Accessing Canvas (Use this site for majority of
my assignments)

Would also prefer a laptop that’s lightweight/easy to carry around

Any help is appreciated!

Before the price hikes I decided to get an m5 air 24gb ram 15 inch model cause it was under my budget but now it's prices are hikes and I am confused that if I should go for windows laptop or just buy that macbook or are there any other options cause I am gonna go to a college next year and wanted learn some skills, edit some videos as a free lancer try some games and do some game development and stuff I also want to know which specs do I buy and which brand, I need reliability, durability and don't wanna spend a lot maybe 2400$ is max and also want a thin and light good looking laptop. Do i go for any windows laptop like asus zephyrus g14 ?

What is a good solid laptop that will serve me well for the entirety of the ee program and more? Budget would be a bit flexible I wouldn’t mind if it’s a bit pricey if it’s worth it.

Hi, i’m going in aerospace engineering this fall and was wondering what laptops you recommend. I currently have a MacBook Air 2017 but it’s dying and from what I’ve read, MacBooks aren’t great for engineering. My budget is up to 2k. I want it to last and want it to be on the lighter side. Thanks!