Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. Deals

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Best student laptop deals: Laptops for college from $215

By

Going to high school or college can be an overwhelming experience, and you probably don’t want to add figuring out what laptop you can buy to that stress, especially when you’re working under a limited budget and some of the best laptops cost thousands of dollars. That’s why we’ve gone out and picked some of our favorite laptops that work well for students and listed them below, and we’ve included some of the best budget laptops out there. If you’re unsure of where to start, it’s worth checking out our laptop buying guide to give you an idea of which direction to go, and if you don’t find that in the laptops we’ve listed below, you can check out these other great laptop deals and Chromebook deals as well. Below you’ll find some of the cheaper options from HP laptop deals, Dell laptop deals, Acer laptop deals and Lenovo laptop deals.

HP Laptop 14 — $204, was $269

Front angle of the HP 14-inch Chromebook.
HP

The HP Laptop 14 is a popular choice among students because of its entry level price point. It’s specs aren’t going to blow anyone away, but they’re good value for the price and are plenty to get the job done. This build of the HP Laptop 14 has 8GB of RAM and a quad-core Intel Celeron processor. It does check in with just 64GB of storage space — this may not be enough for some users, but if you aren’t planning on loading your laptop up with media this is one that will accompany you well around campus.

IdeaPad Slim 3i Chromebook — $425, was $550

The IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook is a great option if you often work unplugged for long periods of time.
Lenovo

Fitting in as one of the best Chromebooks for students, the IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook runs on 8GB of memory and an Intel i3 processor. The 14-inch FHD screen has a 100% sRGB color gamut and sides of the keyboard contain speakers, making it a serviceable video lecture companion. The IdeaPad Slim 3’s WiFi 6 allows for quick downloads and a solid internet connection. This, combined with the laptop’s 13-hour battery life, solidify it as the perfect laptop to throw in your bag and take notes with at class. You can still watch (purely educational, of course) YouTube videos, but the machine isn’t designed to be overly distracting.

Related

ASUS Vivobook 16-inch — $450, was $750

The ASUS Vivobook 15.6-inch version with a menu open.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The ASUS Vivobook 26-inch is a great study companion due to quirks that make it perfect for late night usage. Like other ASUS laptops (just one reason ASUS is featured among the best budget laptops) it sports a quiet keyboard with slender-pressing keys. And, in this case, they’re also backlit, meaning you can find the right keys easily even in the dark of night. Its 180-degree hinge, when fully opened, means the ASUS Vivobook can lie flat, allowing for multiple comfortable positions for in-bed studying. The ASUS Vivobook 16-inch features 12GB of RAM, 512GB of SSD storage, and an AMD Ryzen 7 processor.

IdeaPad Slim 3 — $480, was $700

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 on a white background.
.

When we look at 15 inch laptops we shouldn’t ignore the IdeaPad Slim 3, which comes with an AMD Ryzen processor and AMD Radeon graphics. Behind its 1080p, anti-glare screen is the 8GB of memory and a 512GB SSD storage drive. What makes the IdeaPad Slim 3 special is its tough exterior, made for withstanding harsh drops. This, along with its slim build, make it perfect to throw in the backpack and tug along with you wherever you go. Take even 15 minutes between classes for a charge session and you’ll get two full hours of usage out of your IdeaPad Slim 3, it is a truly versatile machine that is ready to go when you are.

HP Pavilion Laptop 15t — $560, was $1,000

The HP Pavilion 15t-eg300 laptop against a white background.
HP

If you’re willing to spend a little bit more, the HP Pavilion Laptop 15t really starts to ramp up the stats. The 16GB of RAM can be especially useful if you need to use advanced creative software, for example, and competes with the very best business laptops. Of course, the Intel Core i7 processor won’t hurt either. Store you projects and PowerPoints locally on the 256GB SSD contained within, as you don’t want poor reception in the depths of the philosophy building keeping you from getting your points across. Overall, this is one of the best student laptop deals for those that need a little extra power but aren’t ready to break the bank on luxuries like an ultra-advanced display (the HP Pavilion Laptop 15t is 1080p).

Dell XPS 13 — $599, was $799

Dell XPS 13 on a white background.
Dell

Consistently one of the best laptops around, the Dell XPS 13 is a dream in almost every way. The thinnest and lightest 13-inch XPS laptop yet, it’s powerful too. It has a 12th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of memory and 256GB of SSD storage. Its 13.4-inch full HD+ display with a 1920 x 1200 resolution is a delight to look at with 500 nits of brightness ensuring it can handle all lighting situations too. An impressive battery life of up to 12 hours means it’ll handle the busiest days of classes while you can enjoy streaming your favorite shows in style later in the day thanks to the great display and bigger internal speakers than previous models.

HP Envy Laptop 17t — $900, was $1,150

A side profile of the HP Envy 17-inch laptop against a white background.
.

Featured among our best HP laptop deals as well, the HP ENVY Laptop 17t is praised for its photo connectivity features. By using HP Palette, you can search through the images of your college memories with photo recognition software. (Yes, the guy you went to chemistry with was also the awful karaoke singer last night.) The HP ENVY Laptop 17t also has quick file sharing between connected devices. Another thing to note about this laptop is how bit it is. It has a 17.3-inch, 1080p screen, so be sure to check out our favorite 17-inch laptop bags if you pick up this offering, as your current one might not be able to handle it. And that big size won’t go to waste at all, as it will not only help you see your pictures better, but also see yourself better from its 5MP built-in webcam. The HP ENVY Laptop 17t uses an Intel Core Ultra 5 125H processor, gets 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage.

ThinkPad E16 Gen 1 — $701, was $1,130

The ThinkPad E16 Gen 1 turned to its side, open, and with a menu open.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

When we think of the best Lenovo laptops, one line always comes to mind: ThinkPad. They have a reputation for high durability and good keyboards. While we’ve warned in the past that the latest laptop model isn’t always the best, there is something to be said about the ThinkPad E16 Gen 1 being a new arrival to the Lenovo store. It’s got the latest features that you’ll want for the long term, in abundance. For example its got both USB-C ports and WiFi 6, which are becoming increasingly useful. Furthermore, the ThinkPad E16 has a 16-inch 1920 x 1200p screen, 256GB of storage, and an 8GB memory.

More Unmissable Deals

Topics
John Alexander
John Alexander
John Alexander is a former ESL teacher, current writer and internet addict, and lacks the wisdom to know what the future…
This Lenovo ThinkBook laptop is over 50% off — save $700
The Lenovo Thinkbook laptop at a side angle.

Lenovo often has some of the best laptop deals, and that’s the case with the Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Gen 6. While the company’s estimated value system is famous for being a little overly optimistic with its valuing of items, we still know that being able to buy this spec of laptop for $630 is a super sweet deal. It’s perfect if you want a system to use for basic web browsing, typing up documents, and other simple tasks. Usually priced at $1,399 according to Lenovo, you’re having $768 off the regular price. Here’s what it offers.

Why you should buy the Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Gen 6
Coming from one of the best laptop brands is an instantly good start for the Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Gen 6. This particular model has a 13th-generation Intel Core i5-1335U processor along with 8GB of memory and 256GB of SSD storage. It’s basic stuff but perfect for regular use. What’s more exciting is its 14-inch touchscreen. It’s an IPS panel with 1920 x 1200 resolution and 45% NTSC, as well as 300 nits of brightness. Ultimately though, it’s the fact you can use it in a tactile way which makes it so tempting.

Read more
Best gaming laptop deals: Alienware, Razer, Asus and more
An Alienware m16 gaming laptop in use on a desk, playing Baldur's Gate III.

Some of the best gaming laptops on the market have become really impressive, and while they may not be able to go toe-to-toe with some of the best gaming desktops, they're getting pretty close. Luckily, even mid-range gaming laptops can play some of the best PC games nowadays with a couple of graphical compromises. That said, budget-friendly gaming laptops are still pretty good, too, which is why we've gone out and collected our favorite deals across various budgets and specs so you can pick what works best for you.

We've found deals from some of the best laptop brands and include Lenovo laptop deals, Acer laptop deals, Dell laptop deals, and HP laptop deals, although if you're looking for some more general deals, these laptop deals have some good options, too.
Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop -- $751, was $950

Read more
Best Dell XPS deals: Save on Dell XPS 13, Dell XPS 15 and Dell XPS 17
Dell XPS 15 OLED on a table.

Dell is one of the best laptop brands on the market, and it has a lot of various laptops to pick from, although, if you're looking for something to compete with the MacBook, then the Dell XPS is the laptop for you. With a thin frame and some powerful specs under the hood, it easily competes with the likes of the MacBook Air and even the MacBook Pro if you go for one of the higher configurations on the 17-inch version. That said, pretty much all Dell XPS options are quite expensive, which is why we've gone out and collected some of our favorite deals below, but if none of them are quite what you're looking for, check out these Dell laptop deals and general laptop deals instead.
Best Dell XPS 13 deals

The Dell XPS 13 is the smallest in the Dell XPS line. It's great for commuters and students. These laptops don't generally have powerful GPUs, but they're fast, reliable and sleek.

Read more