Education
Top 10 Best Budget-Friendly Laptops for College Students in 2023
As a college student, you need a laptop that works well and is reliable so you can do your homework, do research, and stay in touch with friends and family. But it can be hard to find a laptop that fits within your budget. In this article, we’ll talk about the top 10 best laptops for college students in 2023 that won’t break the bank. We’ll look at things like price, performance, battery life, and portability to help you choose a laptop that’s right for you.
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Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop
The Acer Aspire 5 Slim laptop is great for college students who are on a tight budget. It comes with an AMD Ryzen 3 3200U processor, 4GB DDR4 memory, and a 128GB PCIe NVMe SSD. It has a 15.6-inch full HD screen. It also has a battery life of up to 7.5 hours and only weighs 3.97 pounds, which makes it easy to take with you.
Specifications
| Category | Specification |
|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 3200U dual-core processor, up to 3.5 GHz |
| Memory | 4GB DDR4 RAM (expandable up to 16GB) |
| Storage | 128GB SSD |
| Display | 15.6 inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS display |
| Graphics Card | AMD Radeon Vega 3 Mobile Graphics |
| Operating Sys | Windows 10 Home 64-bit |
| Battery Life | Up to 7.5 hours |
| Weight | 3.97 lbs (1.8 kg) |
| Dimensions | 14.31 x 9.74 x 0.71 inches (363.4 x 247.5 x 17.95 mm) |
Features
- Backlit keyboard
- Fingerprint reader for easy and secure login
- Precision touchpad with multi-touch support
- Two built-in stereo speakers
- HD webcam with 720p resolution
- Wi-Fi 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity
- Ports: 1 x USB 3.1 Type C, 2 x USB 3.1, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Ethernet, 1 x headphone/microphone combo jack
- Acer TrueHarmony technology for improved audio quality
- Acer Color Intelligence technology for optimized visuals
- Supports Microsoft Cortana, the voice assistant.
HP Pavilion x360
The HP Pavilion x360 is a laptop that can be used as both a laptop and a tablet. It has a 14-inch full HD touchscreen display, an Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor, 8GB DDR4 memory, and a 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD. It has a battery life of up to 8 hours and weighs 3.5 pounds, which makes it a great choice for students who need a laptop that can do a lot of different things.
Specifications
| Category | Specification |
|---|---|
| Processor | 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 quad-core processor, up to 4.2 GHz |
| Memory | 8GB DDR4 RAM (expandable up to 16GB) |
| Storage | 256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD |
| Display | 14 inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) touchscreen display |
| Graphics Card | Intel Iris Xe Graphics |
| Operating Sys | Windows 10 Home 64-bit |
| Battery Life | Up to 8.5 hours |
| Weight | 3.55 lbs (1.6 kg) |
| Dimensions | 12.76 x 8.78 x 0.78 inches (324 x 223 x 19.8 mm) |
Features
- 360-degree hinge for flexible use as a laptop, tablet, tent, or stand.
- HP Active Pen is included for easy note-taking and drawing.
- Backlit keyboard.
- HD webcam with dual-array digital microphone.
- Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.
- Ports: 1 x USB Type-C, 2 x USB Type-A, 1 x HDMI, 1 x headphone/microphone combo jack.
- HP Fast Charge technology for quick battery recharging.
- HP Audio Boost technology for enhanced sound quality.
- B&O Play dual speakers for clear and powerful audio output.
- Supports voice assistants such as Microsoft Cortana and Amazon Alexa.
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ASUS VivoBook 15
The ASUS VivoBook 15 is a sleek and stylish laptop with a 15.6-inch full HD display. It has an AMD Ryzen 5 3500U processor, 8GB of DDR4 memory, and a 256GB PCIe SSD. It has a battery life of up to 8 hours and weighs only 3.5 pounds, making it a great choice for students who need a lightweight and portable laptop.
Specifications
| Category | Specification |
|---|---|
| Processor | 10th Gen Intel Core i3-1005G1 dual-core processor, up to 3.4 GHz |
| Memory | 8GB DDR4 RAM (expandable up to 12GB) |
| Storage | 128GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD + 1TB HDD |
| Display | 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) display |
| Graphics Card | Intel UHD Graphics |
| Operating Sys | Windows 10 Home 64-bit |
| Battery Life | Up to 6 hours |
| Weight | 3.75 lbs (1.7 kg) |
| Dimensions | 14.06 x 9.06 x 0.78 inches (357.2 x 230.4 x 19.9 mm) |
Features
- Ergonomic backlit keyboard with a fingerprint sensor for secure login.
- ASUS SonicMaster technology for the immersive sound experience.
- HD webcam with microphone.
- Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity.
- Ports: 1 x USB Type-C, 1 x USB 3.2 Type-A, 2 x USB 2.0 Type-A, 1 x HDMI, 1 x microSD card reader, 1 x headphone/microphone combo jack.
- ASUS IceCool technology for efficient heat dissipation.
- ASUS Splendid technology for optimized visuals.
- ASUS Battery Health Charging technology for prolonged battery life.
- Supports voice assistants such as Microsoft Cortana and Amazon Alexa.
Lenovo Ideapad 3
The Lenovo Ideapad 3 is a cheap laptop with a 15.6-inch full HD screen. It has an AMD Ryzen 5 3500U processor, 8GB of DDR4 memory, and a 256GB PCIe SSD. It has a battery life of up to 7.5 hours and weighs 4.1 pounds, making it a great choice for students who need a reliable laptop for daily use.
Specifications
| Category | Specification |
|---|---|
| Processor | 10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G1 quad-core processor, up to 3.6 GHz |
| Memory | 8GB DDR4 RAM (expandable up to 12GB) |
| Storage | 256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD |
| Display | 15.6 inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) anti-glare display |
| Graphics Card | Intel UHD Graphics |
| Operating Sys | Windows 10 Home 64-bit |
| Battery Life | Up to 7.5 hours |
| Weight | 4.07 lbs (1.85 kg) |
| Dimensions | 14.26 x 9.98 x 0.78 inches (362.2 x 253.4 x 19.9 mm) |
Features
- Ergonomic keyboard with numeric keypad.
- HD webcam with privacy shutter and dual-array microphone.
- Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.
- Ports: 2 x USB 3.1 Type-A, 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A, 1 x HDMI, 1 x SD card reader, 1 x headphone/microphone combo jack.
- Dolby Audio technology for immersive sound experience.
- Lenovo Vantage software for system optimization and management.
- Lenovo App Explorer for easy access to popular apps.
- Rapid Charge technology for quick battery recharging.
- Supports voice assistants such as Microsoft Cortana and Amazon Alexa.
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Dell Inspiron 15 3593
The Dell Inspiron 15 3593 is a cheap laptop with a 15.6-inch full HD screen. It has a 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD, an Intel Core i5-1035G1 processor, and 8GB of DDR4 memory. It has a battery life of up to 6.5 hours and weighs 4.83 pounds, making it a great choice for students who need a laptop for basic tasks like surfing the web, writing papers, and streaming videos.
Specifications
| Category | Specification |
|---|---|
| Processor | 10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G1 quad-core processor, up to 3.6 GHz |
| Memory | 8GB DDR4 RAM (expandable up to 16GB) |
| Storage | 256GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD |
| Display | 15.6 inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) anti-glare display |
| Graphics Card | Intel UHD Graphics |
| Operating Sys | Windows 10 Home 64-bit |
| Battery Life | Up to 6.5 hours |
| Weight | 4.83 lbs (2.19 kg) |
| Dimensions | 14.96 x 10.16 x 0.89 inches (380 x 258 x 22.7 mm) |
Features
- Chiclet-style keyboard with numeric keypad.
- HD webcam with dual-array digital microphone.
- Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity.
- Ports: 2 x USB 3.1 Type-A, 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A, 1 x HDMI, 1 x SD card reader, 1 x headphone/microphone combo jack.
- Waves MaxxAudio Pro technology for immersive sound experience.
- Dell Mobile Connect software for seamless integration with mobile devices.
- Dell Cinema technology for optimized streaming experience.
- Dell Power Manager software for system optimization and management.
- Supports voice assistants such as Microsoft Cortana and Amazon Alexa.
Acer Swift 3
With a 14-inch full HD display, the Acer Swift 3 is a small, portable laptop. It has an AMD Ryzen 7 4700U processor, 8GB DDR4 memory, and a 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD. It has a battery life of up to 11.5 hours and weighs only 2.65 pounds, making it a great choice for students who need a powerful and portable laptop for use on the go.
Specifications
| Specifications | Acer Swift 3 |
|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 4500U or Intel Core i5-1135G7 |
| Graphics | AMD Radeon Graphics or Intel Iris Xe Graphics |
| Display | 14-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS display with narrow bezels |
| Memory | 8GB or 16GB DDR4 RAM |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB or 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD |
| Battery | Up to 11.5 hours of battery life |
| Weight | Starting at 2.65 pounds (1.2kg) |
Features
- Fingerprint reader for secure and easy logins
- Backlit keyboard for comfortable typing in low-light environments
- Wi-Fi 6 for fast and reliable internet connectivity
- USB Type-C and Type-A ports for versatile connectivity
- Windows 10 Home operating system
- HD webcam with Super High Dynamic Range (SHDR) for clear video calls
HP Chromebook 14
The HP Chromebook 14 is a laptop that is easy on the wallet and runs Google’s Chrome OS. It has a 14-inch HD display, an Intel Celeron N4000 processor, 4GB DDR4 memory, and 32GB eMMC storage. It has a battery life of up to 13 hours and weighs only 3.24 pounds, making it a great choice for students who need a lightweight and long-lasting laptop for basic tasks like surfing the web and checking email.
Specifications
| Specifications | HP Chromebook 14 |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Celeron N4000 or Intel Pentium Silver N5000 |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 600 |
| Display | 14-inch diagonal HD (1366 x 768) SVA anti-glare WLED-backlit display |
| Memory | 4GB or 8GB DDR4 RAM |
| Storage | 32GB or 64GB eMMC storage |
| Battery | Up to 13 hours of battery life |
| Weight | Starting at 3.24 pounds (1.47kg) |
Features
- Chrome OS operating system for a fast and easy-to-use computing experience
- Google Assistant built-in for voice-activated assistance and control
- Access to millions of Android apps via the Google Play Store
- HD webcam and dual speakers for video calls and multimedia
- Wi-Fi 5 for fast and reliable internet connectivity
- USB Type-C and Type-A ports for versatile connectivity
- HP Fast Charge technology for quick charging
- Optional touchscreen display for intuitive navigation and interaction
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Lenovo Chromebook C340
The Lenovo Chromebook C340 is a laptop that can be used in two ways. It runs Google’s Chrome OS. It has an 11.6-inch HD touchscreen display, an Intel Celeron N4000 processor, 4GB DDR4 memory, and 64GB eMMC storage. It has a battery life of up to 10 hours and weighs only 2.6 pounds, making it a great choice for students who need a versatile and lightweight laptop for basic tasks.
Specifications
| Specifications | Lenovo Chromebook C340 |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Celeron N4000 or Intel Pentium Gold 4417U |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 600 |
| Display | 11.6-inch or 15.6-inch diagonal HD (1366 x 768) or Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS touchscreen display |
| Memory | 4GB or 8GB DDR4 RAM |
| Storage | 32GB or 64GB eMMC storage |
| Battery | Up to 10 hours of battery life |
| Weight | Starting at 2.6 pounds (1.18kg) |
Features
- Chrome OS operating system for a fast and easy-to-use computing experience
- Google Assistant built-in for voice-activated assistance and control
- Access to millions of Android apps via the Google Play Store
- Optional touchscreen display for intuitive navigation and interaction
- 360-degree hinge allows for multiple modes of use, including laptop, tablet, tent, and stand modes
- HD webcam and dual speakers for video calls and multimedia
- Wi-Fi 5 for fast and reliable internet connectivity
- USB Type-C and Type-A ports for versatile connectivity
- Lenovo RapidCharge technology for quick charging (up to 80% in just one hour)
- Lightweight and portable design for easy mobility
ASUS Chromebook Flip C214
A tough and long-lasting laptop with Google’s Chrome OS is the ASUS Chromebook Flip C214. It has an 11.6-inch HD touch screen, an Intel Celeron N4020 processor, 4GB LPDDR4 memory, and 32GB eMMC storage. It has a battery life of up to 12 hours and weighs only 2.6 pounds, making it a great choice for students who need a durable and long-lasting laptop for school and outdoor use.
Specifications
| Specifications | ASUS Chromebook Flip C214 |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Celeron N4000 or Intel Celeron N4100 |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 600 or Intel UHD Graphics 600/605 |
| Display | 11.6-inch HD (1366 x 768) or Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS touchscreen display with 360-degree hinge |
| Memory | 4GB or 8GB LPDDR4 RAM |
| Storage | 32GB or 64GB eMMC storage |
| Battery | Up to 12 hours of battery life |
| Weight | Starting at 2.6 pounds (1.18kg) |
Features
- Chrome OS operating system for a fast and easy-to-use computing experience
- Google Assistant built-in for voice-activated assistance and control
- Access to millions of Android apps via the Google Play Store
- Rugged design with military-grade durability to withstand drops, spills, and other accidents
- 360-degree hinge allows for multiple modes of use, including laptop, tablet, tent, and stand modes
- HD webcam and dual speakers for video calls and multimedia
- Wi-Fi 5 for fast and reliable internet connectivity
- USB Type-C and Type-A ports for versatile connectivity
- ASUS Touchscreen Stylus pen included for precise and natural handwriting and drawing
- Ergonomic keyboard for comfortable typing and spill-resistant design for added protection
Read more: Common ASUS Laptop Problems and Solutions
Microsoft Surface Go 3
The Microsoft Surface Go 3 is a small, lightweight 2-in-1 laptop that runs on Windows 11. It has a 10.5-inch full HD touch screen, an Intel Pentium Gold 6500Y processor, 4GB RAM, and 64GB eMMC storage. It has a battery life of up to 10 hours and weighs only 1.2 pounds, making it one of the most portable options on the market. It also has a keyboard that can be taken off and a stylus pen, making it a great choice for students who need a flexible and portable device for taking notes and doing homework.
Specifications
| Specifications | Microsoft Surface Go 3 |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Pentium Gold 6500Y or Intel Core i3-10100Y |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 615 |
| Display | 10.5-inch PixelSense touchscreen display with 1920 x 1280 resolution and 3:2 aspect ratio |
| Memory | 4GB or 8GB LPDDR3 RAM |
| Storage | 64GB eMMC or 128GB SSD storage |
| Battery | Up to 10 hours of battery life |
| Weight | Starting at 1.2 pounds (0.55kg) |
Features
- Windows 11 Home operating system for a familiar and productive computing experience
- Optional LTE Advanced connectivity for fast and secure internet on the go
- Compact and lightweight design for easy portability and use in any location
- 10.5-inch PixelSense touchscreen display with 1920 x 1280 resolution and 3:2 aspect ratio for clear and vibrant visuals
- Surface Pen and Type Cover (sold separately) for natural handwriting and typing
- Intel Pentium Gold 6500Y or Intel Core i3-10100Y processor for fast and reliable performance
- Intel UHD Graphics 615 for smooth and responsive graphics performance
- 4GB or 8GB LPDDR3 RAM and 64GB eMMC or 128GB SSD storage for ample storage and multitasking capabilities
- Up to 10 hours of battery life for all-day use
- Windows Hello face authentication for fast and secure sign-in
- USB Type-C port for versatile connectivity and fast charging
Conclusion
These 10 affordable laptops give college students in 2023 a variety of choices. There is a laptop on this list to fit your needs and budget, whether you need a powerful and portable device or a lightweight and durable laptop for basic tasks. When making your final choice, think about the things that are most important to you, like price, performance, battery life, and portability. With the right laptop, you can do well in your classes and stay in touch with the world around you.
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