Best laptop for college 2021 – CNET [CNET]

July 21, 2021 Thomas Giboney technology

Though it’s a major financial investment, a laptop is one of a college student’s most important academic tools. For $300, you can buy an entry-level laptop that’s passable, but if you spend a few hundred more, you can choose among college laptop options with longer battery life, better performance and a faster solid-state drive.

You might think between chip shortages and people working from home or learning remotely, a good budget-friendly laptop for school might be tough to find. Luckily, you can still find laptops and two-in-ones with the latest processors from Intel and AMD. The only PCs you might have to wait for are those featuring the new powerful 11th-gen Intel Core processors that promise to increase performance in laptops for gamers, creatives and creators. You won’t find models on this list with those processors just yet, but they are expected to be available later this summer — just in time for your fall semester.

Note that most of our choices for the best laptops for college run between $500 and $1,000. If you’re looking for a less expensive college laptop — or if you’re open to an alternative to Microsoft Windows and Apple’s MacOS — we recommend checking out the best Chromebooks for students. On the flip side, if you’re looking for a more powerful laptop for college, or a gaming laptop that doubles as a college laptop, we have some suggestions. So if you’re ready to upgrade your tech, keep reading to find the best right laptop for you.

Read more: Best laptop under $500 for 2021