Best Lightweight Laptops for Computer Science Students
There are thousands of laptops on the market, and finding the right one can be a challenge if you’re looking for something small and light. Most laptop manufacturers have lightweight computers available that make it easy to transport your computer from class to your dorm or home but finding the right model can be difficult if you don’t know what to look for. This guide will tell you what to look for in lightweight laptops and give you our picks of the best laptops that should fit any student’s needs no matter their major or how often they travel between classes.
Our Picks
Dell Chromebook 11, Acer Aspire Switch 10 E, Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, Apple MacBook Air. These are among our top lightweight laptops for students. The Dell Chromebook 11 is a smart choice because it’s affordable and has a great design that you can use at school or at home with ease. The Acer Aspire Switch 10 E provides equally good performance without breaking your bank account, making it one of our top picks for budget-friendly models. While not as budget-friendly as its competitor on our list, Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Carbon packs in more power than most other models; yet it also happens to be among the lightest.
Acer Aspire R13
Standing screen display size | 13.3 Inches |
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Max Screen Resolution | 2560 x 1440 Pixels |
Processor | 2 GHz Core_i7_4510U |
RAM | 8 GB LPDDR3 |
Memory Speed | 3.1 GHz |
Hard Drive | flash_memory_solid_state |
Graphics Coprocessor | Intel HD Graphics 4400 |
Chipset Brand | Intel |
Card Description | Integrated |
Wireless Type | 802.11ac |
Number of USB 2.0 Ports | 1 |
Number of USB 3.0 Ports | 2 |
Average Battery Life (in hours) | 7.5 Hours |
The Acer Aspire R13 is a great choice for a lightweight laptop. This is a 2-in-1 hybrid model, with an 11.6-inch touchscreen display that can be used in four different modes – laptop, tablet, tent and stand. The touchscreen display has a Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, giving you sharp images on your screen. This notebook PC also has excellent connectivity options including 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology.
Apple MacBook Air 13.3′′
The MacBook Air costs you $899 and it has a super slim design. This machine is made up of aluminum making it tough as well. You can use it without any performance issues during long hours of work or study sessions. It runs on 1.6 GHz Intel Core i5 with 4 GB RAM, 128 GB SSD storage and Intel HD Graphics 6000 with maximum uptime of 12 hours which makes Apple MacBook Air 13.3′′ an ideal option for college students and working professionals alike. A high-quality laptop that doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg – what more could a student ask for?
ASUS ZenBook UX305UA
Standing screen display size | 13.3 Inches |
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Max Screen Resolution | 1920*1080 Pixels |
Processor | 2.3 GHz core_i5 |
RAM | 8 GB DDR3 |
Memory Speed | 1600 MHz |
Hard Drive | 256 GB Solid State Drive |
Graphics Coprocessor | Intel HD Graphics |
Chipset Brand | Intel |
Card Description | Integrated |
Wireless Type | 802.11ac |
Number of USB 2.0 Ports | 1 |
Number of USB 3.0 Ports | 2 |
Average Battery Life (in hours) | 10 Hours |
When you need a great laptop that won’t weigh you down, turn to the Asus ZenBook UX305UA. At just over 2 pounds, it’s lightweight and easy to carry anywhere. It also has long battery life so you can use it all day without having to worry about your battery dying before you reach your destination. Featuring an Intel Core M processor with 4GB of RAM, it has enough power for basic computing tasks such as word processing or web browsing without slowing down thanks to its quick boot times and energy-efficient design. It comes in three colors: black, white and red. With its 12 Full HD display and 256GB SSD storage drive, it also features an elegant design that feels just as good on your eyes as it does in your hands.
Dell XPS 13
Standing screen display size | 13.3 Inches |
---|---|
Max Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1080 Pixels |
Processor | 1.3 GHz core_i7 |
RAM | 16 GB |
Memory Speed | 1.3 GHz |
Hard Drive | 256 GB SSD |
Graphics Coprocessor | Intel HD Graphics |
Card Description | Integrated |
The Dell XPS 13 was my personal computer of choice in college and I still love it. It’s a bit of an investment, but it has great battery life, is extremely light, and durable enough to survive four years of grad school. A high-resolution screen makes it easy to watch movies or work on presentations anywhere. The best part? It’s backed by Dell’s warranty — just make sure you buy a model with solid state drives (SSD) rather than hard disk drives (HDD), as they tend to last longer and are more resistant to bumps along the way. Don’t forget your backup charger! You don’t want your computer dying during a study session or when traveling abroad!
Microsoft Surface Pro 4
Standing screen display size | 12.3 Inches |
---|---|
Screen Resolution | 2736 x 1824 |
Max Screen Resolution | 2736×1824 pixels |
Processor | 3.4 GHz core_i7 |
RAM | 8 GB |
Chipset Brand | Intel |
Wireless Type | 802.11abg |
Number of USB 3.0 Ports | 1 |
Average Battery Life (in hours) | 10 Hours |
The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is a laptop, tablet and… well, almost everything else. Not only does it look like a traditional laptop, but it has all of the power that you’d expect from a full-blown PC with windows. At just 2 pounds and .7 inches thick, with up to an Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive, there are few options out there more capable than what Microsoft has created.
The SurfacePro 4 is by far one of our favorite laptops that are ready to go right out of the box and onto your desk—and now in three different colors!
Thinkpad X1 Carbon
Standing screen display size | 14 Inches |
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Screen Resolution | 1920×1080 |
Max Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
Processor | 1.8 GHz core_i7_family |
RAM | 16 GB DDR |
Memory Speed | 2133 MHz |
Hard Drive | 512 GB flash_memory_solid_state |
Graphics Coprocessor | Intel HD Graphics 620 |
Chipset Brand | Intel |
Card Description | Integrated |
Wireless Type | 802.11ac |
Students who are studying computer science should be careful about what kind of computer they purchase. It is important to select a laptop that meets the needs of your coursework.
If you are a student studying computer science, you should consider purchasing a Thinkpad x1 carbon laptop. It is one of the best laptops for students studying computer science.
It comes with a 14-inch screen and weighs 2.6 pounds (1.23 kg). The CPU has a Core i7 processor and 8 GB RAM. Available in both 8GB RAM and 16GB variant you can go with the base variant for normal use.
Weighing around 2.6 pounds (1.23 kg), this laptop is very portable and comfortable to use.
The display is ideal for studying because it has a resolution of 1920 x 1080. With this laptop, you can do a lot of things such as writing papers, programming, watching movies, and playing games. You can also access all kinds of websites, including those that have a lot of information and educational materials. This laptop is ideal for studying because it has a very bright screen and high resolution. The CPU has a Core i7 processor and 8 GB RAM.
This laptop is very reliable, durable, and easy to use. You can use this computer for years.
HP Pavilion 15
Standing screen display size | 15.6 Inches |
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Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1080 pixels |
Processor | 1.6 GHz apple_ci5 |
RAM | 8 GB DDR4 |
Memory Speed | 2400 MHz |
Hard Drive | 1 TB HDD 5400 rpm |
Graphics Coprocessor | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
Chipset Brand | Intel |
Card Description | Integrated |
Graphics Card Ram Size | 2 MB |
Wireless Type | Bluetooth, 802.11ac |
If you need a laptop for school, you can connect to it with a keyboard and mouse. It also has a large, 15. 6 inch screen with a resolution of 1366 x 768. You can install a variety of software applications on this laptop. The built-in speakers are pretty good as well.
This laptop weighs around 3. 5 pounds, which is very lightweight. The only drawback to this laptop is that it has only one USB port. It does have a webcam and a microphone. You can use it to make calls if you need to, or to chat online.
Also if you are looking for a laptop for use in school, you can’t go wrong with this HP Pavilion. It is equipped with a large 15. 6 inch display with a resolution of 1366 x 768. It also comes with an integrated DVD burner, USB 2. 0 ports, and 802. 11 b/g Wi-Fi support.
This laptop comes with Windows XP Pro, but it will also be compatible with Windows 7, Vista, and ME.
You can use this laptop to play games and watch movies. The speakers are also decent. You can connect to it with a USB keyboard and mouse if you want to, but you don’t have to. It has an optical drive as well as a CDRW drive. It also has two card slots for expansion.
The notebook has a battery life of about 4 hours, which is pretty good. This laptop weighs around 3. 5 pounds. The only drawback to this laptop is that it has only one USB port.