The best laptops for college students in 2024

Who it's for:

After spending some time with the Microsoft Surface Pro 9, we can see how it could make a Microsoft fan of even the staunchest Apple die-hard. Yes, it's a powerful device in its own right, but the name of the game here is versatility. If you're a student who needs a device that can do a little bit of everything, and do it well, look no further. It's a laptop, it's a tablet, and it's a powerful productivity machine. The note-taking features also make it indispensable in the classroom.

Why we picked this:

As a 2-in-1 laptop, the Surface Pro 9 is extremely impressive. It's a breeze to switch from laptop to tablet mode at a moment's notice, and with the help of the computer's 12th Gen Intel Core processor (which can be upgraded, along with a bunch of other customizable specs), you'll get fast and smooth performance whether you're going handheld or setting up home base at a desk. The Pro 9 is also the first Surface to offer 5G support, which is a welcome addition. Access to all your favorite Android apps, as well as Xbox Cloud Gaming, is here too, which only sweetens the deal.

We loved the new Slim Pen 2, which makes taking notes an enjoyable activity rather than a chore. The ability to handwrite messages and convert them to computer text never ceases to feel like magic, and pulling up your go-to note-taking app by clicking the pen's tip is a fun little gimmick that actually feels useful. Art students will especially love the Slim-Pen-2-Adobe-Suite synergy. The new kickstand is also improved, and feels much more balanced in tabletop mode than any of its predecessors (we still don't recommend using it on your lap, though — it's too unstable).

While we really loved the feel of the Pro 9's detachable keyboard, we couldn't help but feel like it was a little bit flimsy. Long story short, we don't think this thing is surviving any big falls, so we recommend playing it safe and getting a carrying case. One more minor gripe we had with the laptop-tablet combo was the angle it sits at in tabletop mode — it's not great for video calls and makes you look downright awkward on the other end of the camera feed (the camera quality is really good, though). As long as you're OK with everyone on the call staring at your chin, it shouldn't be a dealbreaker for you. Oh, and not having a headphone jack will always be a bummer to us. Sorry!

Read Mashable's full review of the 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro (M3).

Who it's for:

The M3 MacBook Pro is best suited for creatives who regularly run processor-intensive apps — photo and video editing software, for example. Its long battery life and high-quality speakers also make it a solid pick for anyone who likes to listen to music during marathon work sessions. You may just want this MacBook because it's Apple's most recent MacBook Pro release, which is also okay! However, if you're not using power-hungry apps every day, we think your money may be better spent elsewhere, perhaps on an older model.

Why we picked this:

Apple's recently released MacBook Pro equipped with the M3 chip is one of the most powerful MacBook models on the market. Mashable Tech Editor Kimberly Gedeon praised the laptop for its performance and battery life, as it was able to handle heavy usage for around 17 hours. She also noted the display as a highlight, not only for the beauty of the Liquid Retina XDR screen, but also for its size. The 14-inch model is, in our opinion, the perfect median between the MacBook's usual 13-inch and 16-inch options. Gedeon also enjoyed the device's audio system, saying that this MacBook Pro in particular "arguably has the best set of speakers on the laptop market."

Unfortunately, the M3 MacBook Pro is one of the most expensive MacBooks out there, so make sure you're ready for the investment before you lock in your choice. The selection of ports is also pretty underwhelming on this model — you'll have to be willing to switch over to a mostly-USB-C setup.

Who it's for:

The budget Acer Chromebook 516 GE promises its users a fantastic cloud-based PC gaming experience, and in our testing, it definitely delivers. At this price point, great gaming laptops are hard to come by, but the Chromebook 516 GE breaks that mold by offering top-notch performance during gaming and general use, a beautiful display, killer perks, and more for just $649 (we've already seen them go on sale for only $499). If you're looking for the intersection of quality and value, you'll find it here.

Why we picked this:

If you're not familiar with cloud gaming yet, it's the equivalent of watching content through an app like Netflix: You'll be streaming games rather than downloading them or owning a physical copy. That means no load times to start playing, no downloads, and no updates. Sometimes, this can result in poor game quality and super choppy performance, but this laptop doesn't have those problems. We used Xbox Game Pass as our cloud platform of choice during testing, and we had an overall great experience (we also used an Xbox Elite Series 2 controller, which connected easily).

We played single-player games like Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Rollerdrome, and Cyberpunk 2077, as well as online multiplayer games like Sea of Thieves, Mortal Kombat 11, and Fortnite — all of which require fast and responsive performance to play as intended. We're happy to report that every game we booted up ran swimmingly, save for a slight loss in fidelity (which is extremely common with cloud gaming). We also experienced zero input lag or stuttering, an impressive feat.

Luckily, you won't be beholden to Game Pass. Along with your purchase, you can redeem three free months of NVIDIA GeForce Now at the Priority level, which grants you access to NVIDIA's high-end cloud servers with enhanced resolution and frame rate. You get other perks, too, including three months of YouTube Premium, a year's worth of Google One cloud storage, and a month of access to Boosteroid. Like we said, the value for your money here is stellar.

Aside from the gami

Read Mashable's full review of the 13-inch Apple MacBook Air (M1).

Who it's for:

The M1 MacBook Air is a winning combination of portability and power at a budget-level price. If you don't mind sacrificing the processing power and webcam quality of newer MacBook models, this thin and light laptop is going to be a great get. As long as you don't plan on putting your device through the absolute wringer by running every app you have at the same time, the M1 Air will serve you well.

Why we picked this:

Even in 2024, the M1 MacBook Air is still one of the best early-gen MacBooks you can get. To make things even better, it's relatively affordable at just $999 (that's a "budget pick" when it comes to MacBooks, unfortunately), and it's almost always on sale for $749.99 with at least one big retailer at a given time.

The bargain-worthy price isn't the only benefit, though. Even though this MacBook dates back to 2020, the M1 Air is still considered a powerful productivity machine. Yes, you'll make some sacrifices by not picking up a more current model — namely the processing power and webcam quality — but if you're mostly just going to run basic apps, this laptop will handle your workload with ease. For those who are looking to use their device for more creativity-based apps like photo and video editing, you'll want to stick with one of Apple's M2 MacBooks at a minimum.

We also love the Air's fanless design, which helps it run near-silently, as well as its decent battery life and high-quality construction (especially for a laptop as thin and light as this one). As with most MacBooks, we aren't thrilled with the limited port selection, and we already mentioned the dip in processing power and webcam quality if you go back to this earlier model. But, those aren't huge prices to pay when you're getting a MacBook for (probably) under $750.