Best Laptop for Computer Science Majors – So here we come to the end of an exhaustive list of 11 best laptops that have been narrowed down upon after intensive research for you guys. To choose the best laptop for computer science students would be to analyze what you’re looking to prioritize based on your usage requirements. And then choose a laptop that matches the specifications of your usage.
OVERVIEW
When you’re a computer science student, you can’t just go for any old laptop. You need to make sure that the specifications will match your requirements – you need something that’s fast and provides an impeccable performance.
ROUND UP
Sometimes you might not even have time to recharge it, so get a very portable laptop with a long battery life too. A good school will have you on the computer coding for about 4 hours a day away from lectures (homeworks, projects, etc).
Again, nothing you do is going to be super hardware intensive. So if you’re not looking forward to use your laptop for anything else (gaming, 3D design) a cheaper laptop is always a better option.
back to menu ↑1.Apple MacBook Air
Features
- Apple-designed M1 chip for a giant leap in CPU, GPU, and machine learning performance
- Go longer than ever with up to 18 hours of battery life
- 8-core CPU delivers up to 3.5x faster performance to tackle projects faster than ever
- Up to eight GPU cores with up to 5x faster graphics for graphics-intensive apps and games
- 16-core Neural Engine for advanced machine learning
- 8GB of unified memory so everything you do is fast and fluid
- Superfast SSD storage launches apps and opens files in an instant
- Fanless design for silent operation
- 13.3-inch Retina display with P3 wide color for vibrant images and incredible detail
- FaceTime HD camera with advanced image signal processor for clearer, sharper video calls
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2.Dell XPS 15
Features
- 62% larger touchpad, 5% larger screen, and 5.6% smaller footprint
- 16:10 FHD+ edge to edge display equipped with DisplayHDR 400 and Dolby Vision
- Integrated Eyesafe display technology
- Quad speaker design with Waves Nx audio
- High-polished diamond-cut sidewalls
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3.Acer Predator Helios
Features
- 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10750H 6-Core Processor (Up to 5.0 GHz) with Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
- Overclockable NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 with 6 GB of dedicated GDDR6 VRAM
- 15.6" Full HD (1920 x 1080) Widescreen LED-backlit IPS display (144Hz Refresh Rate, 3ms Overdrive Response Time, 300nit Brightness & 72% NTSC)
- 16 GB DDR4 2933MHz Dual-Channel Memory, 512GB NVMe SSD (2 x M.2 slots; 1 slot open for easy upgrades) & 1 - Available Hard Drive Bay
- 4-Zone RGB Backlit Keyboard | Wireless: Killer Double Shot Pro Wireless-AX 1650i 802. 11ax Wi-Fi 6; LAN: Killer Ethernet E2600 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN; DTS X: Ultra-Audio; 4th Gen All-Metal AeroBlade 3D Fan
- Connectivity technology: Bluetooth
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4.ASUS ZenBook
Features
- 13.3 inch Full HD (1920X1080) Anti-Glare NanoEdge bezel display
- Latest 10th generation Intel Core i7-1065G7 Processor (8M Cache, up to 3.9 GHz)
- Fast storage and memory featuring 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD and 16GB LPDDR4 RAM
- Extensive connectivity with HDMI, Thunderbolt 3 via USB-C, USB Type A, Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), and Bluetooth 5.0
- Sleek and lightweight 2.87lbs and 0.55” aluminum body for comfortable portability with backlit keyboard
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5.HP Envy
Features
- Intel Evo platform powered by 11th Generation Intel Core i7-1165G7 1.3 GHz turbo up to 4.7 GHz
- 13.3-inch diagonal, FHD (1920 x 1080), multitouch-enabled, IPS, edge-to-edge glass, microedge, BrightView, Corning Gorilla Glass NBT, HP Sure View integrated privacy screen
- 8 GB DDR4 SDRAM (onboard); 512 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
- Intel Iris Xe Graphics; Audio by Bang & Olufsen with dual speakers; Full-size, backlit, pale gold keyboard with Fingerprint Reader
- Windows 10 Home, Battery Up to 11 hours and 45 minutes (mixed usage), Wi-Fi 6 AX201, Bluethooth 5, Thunderbolt support
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6.HP – Pavilion
Features
- AMD Ryzen 5 4600H Processor
- 8GB system memory for advanced multitasking
- 256GB solid state drive (SSD)
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Graphics
- 15.6" Full HD Micro-edge display
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7.Acer Aspire
Features
- 15.6 inches Full HD (1920 x 1080) Widescreen LED backlit IPS Display; AMD Radeon Vega 3 Mobile Graphics
- AMD Ryzen 3 3200U (2.60 GHz, up to 3.50 GHz with Turbo Boost, 4 MB Cache, 2 Cores ), 3-cell lithium-ion, up to 6 hours battery life mixed-use
- RAM is upgraded to 8GB DDR4 memory for multitasking Adequate high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run multiple applications and browser tabs all at once
- Hard Drive is upgraded to 128GB SSD + 500GB HDD provides massive storage space for huge files, so that you can store important digital data and work your way through it with ease. Enhance the overall performance of the laptop for business, student, daily usage
- 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Port, 2 USB 2.0 Ports & 1 HDMI Port with HDCP support,802.11ac Wi-Fi; Backlit Keyboard; Up to 7.5 Hours Battery Life,Windows 10 in S mode. Maximum Power Supply Wattage 65 W + Laser USB External Cable
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8.Microsoft Surface
Features
- 10th Generation Intel Core i5-1035G4 processor
- 12. 3" Touchscreen PixelSense (2736 x 1824) Display
- 256GB Solid State Drive, 8GB LPDDR4x RAM
- Intel Wi-Fi 6 (2x2/160) Gig+ with Bluetooth 5. 0
- Includes Black Type Cover Keyboard and Surface Pen
- Memory Storage Capacity: 128.0
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9.Asus TUF
Features
- [Feature]: Durable gaming laptop with MIL-STD-810 military standard construction | Immersive DTS surround sound | Dual fans with anti-dust technology, RGB backlit Keyboard
- [Processor]:AMD Ryzen 7 Quad-core Processor AMD R7-3750H 4 MB Cache, Base Clock 2.3Ghz, Max Boost Clock Ghz,
- [Display]: 15.6" Full HD IPS Anti-Glare Widescreen LED 1920 x 1080 Display. Dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
- [Memory & Storage]:16GB DDR4 Memory | 256GB PCIE Solid State Drive (Boot SSD) + 1TB HDD ,Original Factory Box will be opened and resealed for Upgrade.
- [Other]: Weight Only 4.9 lbs | 1 Inch Thin | Woov Laptop Protective Sleeve | Windows 10 | WIFI | 802_11_AC | Upto 5 Hours Battery Life | HDMI | Webcam | Bluetooth
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10.Lenovo IdeaPad
Features
- 10th generation Intel Core i5-1035G1 processor. Dual-core, four-way intelligent processing performance. Intel Turbo Boost Technology delivers dynamic extra power when you need it, while increasing energy efficiency when you don't.
- 15.6-inch touchscreen for convenient control. Tap, tap, swipe and get the most out of Windows 10. HD TruBrite technology that expands color and clarity. 1366 x 768 typical HD resolution. Supports 720p content. Energy efficient LED backlighting.
- 12GB memory system for full power multitasking.
- 256GB Solid State Drive (PCI-e). Save files quickly and store more data. With large amounts of storage and advanced communication power, PCI-e SSDs are ideal for major gaming applications, multiple servers, daily backups, and more.
- Wired wireless connectivity (WiFi 5 - 802.11 ac), integrated HD webcam with microphone. Windows 10 Home. Weighs 4.07 lbs. and measures 0.78" thin
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Best Laptop for Computer Science Majors- BUYER’S GUIDE
back to menu ↑Display
If you are a student then you may find that a matte display is a better option for you. You will be less likely to strain your eyes with this option. With that being said, you should still try to make sure that you get full HD resolution. This will help to stop your eyes from getting super tired, and it will make the screen much easier to read for you.
You should always prioritize getting a good display if you are getting a laptop for computer science. You may even wish to prioritize it slightly more than the CPU or the battery, though this depends on the exact tasks that you are going to be using the laptop to do.
back to menu ↑Size
Getting a larger screen is certainly beneficial, but it isn’t a must have. Larger screens can even make a laptop less portable, which can be a bit cumbersome as you are walking to your classes.
Smaller laptops are ideal because they are more portable, but anything too small may end up hurting your eyes. 13 inches is usually the best for portability, and you should try to avoid 17 inches unless carrying a hefty laptop is not an issue for you.
back to menu ↑CPU
It is vital that you choose a laptop with a fantastic CPU performance if you are studying computer science. Try to get a laptop with an Intel Core i7 or an Intel Core i5 processor. Some AMD Ryzen processors are also a good choice.
Your laptop needs to deal with especially demanding projects, so making sure that you have a powerful, fast processor is ideal. A processor made back in the early 2000’s certainly isn’t going to cut it, so you can’t borrow your grandma’s old PC for your studies!
back to menu ↑Operating System
There are three main choices: Linux, Windows, and MacOS Apple. As this is LinuxHint.com we will encourage you to go for Linux. That being said, if you are a student and your budget is tight as well as your schedule, the convenience of Windows or MacOS might be preferred as they are more “ready to go”.
Windows can be easily dual booted to Linux so you can get both experiences, and many companies hire programmers and developers and give them Apple computers, so that might prepare you well.
back to menu ↑Storage
As a student, you are going to be saving a lot of things onto your computer. For this reason among others, you need to take some time to think about the storage space that your laptop has. You should really try to get an SSD instead of a HDD hard drive. You will likely have faster performance if your laptop has SSD.
SSD’s are usually much more durable and reliable in comparison to HDDs. If you are in the market for the best laptop for computer science students, then you need to make sure that you have plenty of storage, ideally and SSD. You can even opt for a dual storage system that incorporates an SSD and HDD.
back to menu ↑Graphics Card
Graphics are a good thing to consider if you want the best possible performance in your computer science laptop. It may not be essential to have the best possible graphics card if you are only using the laptop to do your assignments, but if you participate in extracurricular activities such as gaming, a powerful graphics card is essential.
If you are looking for a good graphics card, then you should think about getting a dedicated graphics card.
back to menu ↑Battery
If you’re a student, the chances are that you are going to be carrying your laptop from your home on campus to your lectures to take notes. Sure, some classrooms have power outlets where you can plug your laptop into, but not all of them do so it’s best not to rely on them.
At an absolute minimum, you should be getting a laptop with six hours of battery life when not attached to a mains outlet. Usually lightweight laptops will have more battery life than high end gaming laptops do, so you should keep this in mind.
back to menu ↑RAM
At a minimum, you should be looking for 8GB of RAM. You are going to be running a lot of code and a lot of different applications at once, so it’s important that your laptop is capable of multitasking. If you are able to, you should certainly try to get more RAM than this, but 8GB should be more than sufficient in most cases.
back to menu ↑Keyboard
You should try to make sure that your laptop has a decent keyboard and mousepad. Afterall, you’re going to be using it on a regular basis, so a keyboard that’s a pain to use if going to be more trouble than it’s worth. Check for a keyboard that has ample spacing in between the keys. Backlit keyboards can also be helpful for those late night study sessions if you need them.
back to menu ↑Connectivity
If you are using a laptop, you are probably going to need to access WiFi. You may also need extra HDMI ports. So, first of all, make sure that you have a HDMI port on your laptop, as this will allow you to connect the laptop to another screen, which can make things much easier to see.
It’s also worth checking if your laptop has USB slots you can use, just in case you need to carry a memory stick from one computer to your laptop.
back to menu ↑Frequently Asked Questions
Should I get a gaming laptop if I’m not much of a gamer?
You could opt for a gaming laptop even if you’re not a gamer solely for performance reasons since most gaming laptops are heavily equipped with solid specs to let you throw anything from your curriculum at it but if you’re keen on design value, then an outright gaming laptop might not suit you.
What kind of laptop do I need as a Computer Science student?
There is no one size that fits all when it comes to laptops. You need to zero in on a laptop after understanding your interests and usage needs. Go through the recommended specifications listed above to understand the purpose of different components of the machine.
Should I go for an SSD or HDD?
If you’re going to be compiling a lot of code and plan to use the laptop for machine learning applications like MATLAB in the future, then it’s best to go for SSD, in some cases a spec-rich laptop could lack an SSD, so make sure you pay attention to this aspect diligently. Still, confused? Read the detailed comparison about SSD vs HDD
I like a laptop which is performance and feature-rich but it’s bulky, is it a worthy tradeoff?
Many performance and feature-rich laptops are a tad too heavy for some to carry, including some laptops in this list, that’s one of the trade-offs of getting a spec rich laptop at an economical price point, if you are unable to afford a spec rich laptop packed in a small chassis and can muster enough strength to move around with a bulky laptop, then do it for the specs. As a computer science student, you don’t know what interest you might develop tomorrow and where your journey of coding will take you.
Do I need to get an external laptop cooling pad if I run heavy programs for extended hours?
Vet this list thoroughly and you’ll find laptops that have efficient cooling as a benchmark feature. So if you know that you’re going to be running heavy programs or gaming for extended hours.
WRAP UP
As we all know, a college student pursuing a major or a degree in Computer Science cannot get by without a good laptop. Although most students’ primary criteria would be coding, learning programming languages, concepts, submitting assignments on time, doing projects, etc., the students could also do some extracurricular breathers such as occasional gaming.
Finding a laptop can seem easy at first, but with so many options in the market. It becomes a little difficult in finding the one that is tailored to your needs. The difficult task is not finding a good laptop but finding an appropriate one (the one which is neither overpowered nor underpowered.)
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