Are you an IT student searching for the best laptop for IT major? If so, we have you covered! This article will help you select the best laptop to fulfill your needs.
We understand that as a student, you don’t have thousands of dollars in your pocket; hence we have made sure that all the laptops we’ve included in our list fall into the budget category so that they don’t break your bank.
Furthermore, the laptop you buy should run all the software based on your major. For example, if you are a computer science student, then your laptop should run all the software you are using in your school.
Quick Shopping Tip
We understand that a significant part of your work as an IT student is related to tasks like programming, networking, and development. Fortunately, you don’t need a powerhouse to carry out these tasks smoothly. A relatively simple laptop that falls within the budget category can fully execute your tasks. The processor and RAM are the primary components of a laptop that you need to keep an eye on while searching for the best laptop for IT majors. A good processor alongside sufficient RAM (8GB would suffice) is enough to give you a pleasant working experience as an IT student.
Our 6 Picks | Best Laptop for IT Major
Lenovo Yoga C740
Our Best Pick
Lenovo is known to manufacture laptops that dominate the budget range. The Lenovo Yoga C740 is such an example. Who knew having less than 700$ in your pocket could get you such a delightful machine.
The sleek and slim design of the Yoga C740 is highly appealing to the eye. Furthermore, its thinness and premium look will catch a lot of attention. The look of the Lenovo Yoga C740 is like the more expensive Ultrabook’s, which is quite fantastic!
You don’t have to worry about this laptop being a burden on your shoulders, as it’s light and travel-friendly. If you get tired of using it while it sits on your lap, no worries, you can convert this laptop into a tablet at any time. This is a great feature to find in the budget category and delightful information for students.
Lenovo has included the 10th generation Core i5 processor in this slim machine to run all your favorite programs like a breeze. The 10th generation i5 is more than enough for someone looking to find the best laptop for IT major.
When buying a budget laptop, 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD are relatively famous. This combination will allow you to have a faster and smoother workflow.
Although battery life varies highly with use and the settings of your laptop, this laptop is expected to provide a runtime of up to 10-13 hours on a single charge. For students, this is phenomenal!
As a cherry on top, you also get a fingerprint scanner and a backlit keyboard that will allow you to use your laptop while studying in low light.
| Processor | 10th Gen Intel Core-i5-10210U |
| RAM | 8GB RAM |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics |
| Display | 14.0″ (1920 x 1080) FHD Touch-Screen Display |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Battery Life | Up to 13 hours (Battery life varies with use) |
| Weight | Approximately 3.09 lbs (1.4 KG) |
Acer Swift 3
Our Second Choice
Acer Swift 3 is the kind of laptop that steals the show. If laptops had feelings, it is possible that other laptops would have been jealous of this masterpiece. The Swift 3 provides intense competition in all sectors, whether pricing, performance, or design. The Acer Swift 3 rocks all the way!
The aluminum body adds to the premium feel of this laptop. Furthermore, it is incredibly lightweight and thin, ensuring great portability. Its slim and light design will able you to easily put it in your backpack and take it with you wherever you go. In addition, although the Swift 3 is thin, it is robust at the same time.
Whether you’re into programming or development, the 8th generation Core i5 from Intel will handle your tasks without breaking a sweat! It will do its best to provide you with a comfortable and relaxing experience while working, unlike some devices, which create a lot of difficulty for their users because of their processors.
For fast and efficient multitasking Acer has hooked you up with 8 GB’s of RAM and a 256GB SSD. As an IT student, you don’t have tons of heavy video footage or heavy programs to fit into your laptop like video editors; hence 256GB of storage should suffice.
Students generally require a quiet environment to study to focus well. The Acer Swift 3 will be a great choice if you are such a student as it is hushed. In addition, you are also going to get a backlit keyboard and a fingerprint scanner in this budget machine.
A laptop below the 700$ price mark having such specifications and features is highly pleasing. Also, another major positive about the Swift 3 is its battery, which can last for up to 10-12 hours on a single charge.
| Processor | Intel Core i5-8265U |
| RAM | 8GB RAM |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics |
| Display | 14.0″ (1920 x 1080) FHD Display |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Battery Life | Up to 12 hours (Battery life varies with use) |
| Weight | Approximately 2.71 lbs (1.2 KG) |
Lenovo Ideapad 3
Our Budget Pick
With an all-plastic body, the Lenovo Ideapad 3 won’t feel as premium as the Lenovo Yoga C740 and the Acer Swift 3. However, for IT students looking for a well-functioning laptop with decent hardware under a budget, the Lenovo Ideapad 3 is an excellent option.
The Intel Pentium Gold 7505 in the Ideapad 3 competes with the Intel Core i3 11th generation processor. It proves to be a formidable rival by being 46% more energy-efficient than the Intel i3 processor. In addition, it will also run your programs quickly, providing a good experience.
The 256GB SSD will work to its nth degree to ensure you experience fast bootup, while the 8GB of memory will handle multitasking. Although you are getting a fingerprint scanner, disappointingly, you won’t be getting a backlit keyboard this time.
The laptop weighs quite around 3.4 lbs, which, although it isn’t too much, is a lot more than the first two devices mentioned in this list. On the positive side, you get tons of upgradeability options on the laptop. If you’re not satisfied with the specs, you can select an option having more RAM and storage space.
Windows 11 is the latest Windows operating system that you get on this laptop – excellent for those that like to stay up to date! The Ideapad 3 offers a battery life of up to 10 hours, another significant positive considering this laptop is only under 500$.
| Processor | Intel Pentium Gold 7505 |
| RAM | 8GB RAM |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics |
| Display | 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) Display |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Battery Life | Up to 10 hours (Battery life varies with use) |
| Weight | Approximately 3.74 lbs (1.69 KG) |
Apple MacBook Air
MacBook’s are ideal for office-going people who need a laptop for work purposes. However, for a student, the MacBook Air can also be an option to consider if you have enough money to buy it. By paying the price of close to 1000$, you can get your hands on a sleek & slim stunner from Apple.
When you buy a new laptop, you have to explain to people which machine you’ve purchased. However, when it comes to the MacBooks, everyone will recognize it as soon as you take it out of your bag!
The M1 processor from Apple is developed to lead the market with its breathtaking speed and capabilities, a serious threat to the Intel processors. When you buy a Mac, one thing is for sure; you won’t have any issues with multitasking, thanks to its fast RAM and SSD.
The word “Air” used by Apple to describe its MacBook is pretty accurate, as this is one of the lightest devices you will find on the market. Furthermore, on top of the lightweight of this device, you are also getting incredible all-day battery life – a traveler’s dream!
The display isn’t something one should worry about when searching for the best laptop for IT major. However, we are compelled to say that the Apple retina display is so crisp and punchy that it makes up for the relatively high cost of this device.
So if you’re out in search of a laptop and have enough funds to get your hands on one of these classy babies, look no further!
| Processor | Apple’s M1 Chip |
| RAM | 8GB RAM |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Graphics | Apple’s 7-core graphics |
| Display | 13” Retina Display |
| Operating System | macOS |
| Battery Life | Up to 18 hours (Battery life varies with use) |
| Weight | Approximately 2.8 lbs (1.27 KG) |
HP Pavilion 15
Finding a laptop that gives the best value for money can be challenging. The HP Pavilion 15 provides the value you are looking for in the form of top-notch specifications at under 1000$.
The Pavilion 15 is one of the oldest and most reliable laptops from HP, which they keep on updating with better specifications. Sometimes also with a facelift. The design of Pavilion 15 seems to be professional and elegant, with a gray chassis and an HP logo on the rear side.
However, its wow factor is not the design but its specs. At under a thousand dollars, you are getting your hands on an 11th generation Core i7 machine. The Intel Core i7 11th generation is a processor that needs no introduction. It’s super powerful and top of the line!
Another thing to appreciate is that this laptop holds 16GB of memory, making it the laptop with the most amount of RAM on this list. The 512GB SSD is sufficient to store your valuable data and provide you with super quick bootup times.
The keyboard of the pavilion is on the opposing side. The font of the keys is too thin; hence you’ll have some trouble typing in low light conditions. Furthermore, you are not getting a backlit keyboard.
HP claims the battery life of this laptop to be up to 8 hours; however, it’s better if you keep 5-7 hours in mind.
| Processor | 11th Generation Intel Core i7-1165G7 |
| RAM | 16GB RAM |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Graphics | Intel Iris Xe Graphics |
| Display | 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) display |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Battery Life | Up to 8 hours (Battery life varies with use) |
| Weight | Approximately 3.86 lbs (1.75 KG) |
Asus ZenBook 13
A compact laptop with a stunning display and a bucket load of power is something to dream about! The Asus ZenBook 13 is just that.
The design of the Asus ZenBook 13 is appealing and modern. The case is built primarily of aluminum, making it robust and giving it a premium touch. Every inch of this laptop is spectacular and screams quality. To great joy, the price tag of the ZenBook 13 is also very reasonable.
The ZenBook 13 is small and compact; however, it will provide all the power you need as a student to carry out your tasks like a breeze. With its 11th generation Intel Core i5 processor, you can expect a smooth experience while using this machine.
To make this device boot up fast, Asus has included a 256GB SSD. The SSD will also keep your data safe in addition to the fast bootup times. The 8GB of RAM will ensure your computer doesn’t lag while performing multiple tasks simultaneously!
Being only 2.8 pounds, this laptop will move in and out of your backpack like butter. Furthermore, the battery life you will get on this laptop can range from 9-to 13 hours. With such a lightweight design and a great battery life, your trips overseas will become a joy with this laptop.
| Processor | 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 |
| RAM | 8GB RAM |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Graphics | Intel Iris Xe Graphics |
| Display | 13.3″ OLED Full HD (1920 x 1080) Display |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Battery Life | Up to 13 hours (Battery life varies with use) |
| Weight | Approximately 2.45 lbs (1.1 KG) |
Buying Guide
There are tons of factors that one should consider when searching for a laptop, such as display, graphics card, etc. However, when searching for the best laptop for IT major, your primary focus should be kept on the following factors:
Processor
The processor is the most crucial component of a laptop. As a student, you need a processor decent enough to perform all your tasks quickly without any problems. Those that need a laptop to execute heavy and demanding tasks will require a more powerful processor.
RAM
The RAM determines how many tasks can be performed at one time. The more RAM, the more multitasking capability your device will have. It is another critical component when searching for a laptop. One must buy a laptop with at least 8GB of RAM to avoid errors in the future.
Storage
How much storage you require in your laptop depends on what kind of files you store. If you are a video editor, you would want a storage drive big enough to carry the burden of those uncompressed raw 4K video footages. However, as a student, a 256GB SSD will be more than enough to hold all your files while providing a smooth, lag-free experience.
Price
The laptop’s price is a significant concern for students as they don’t have thousands of dollars lying in their bank. We’ve considered this factor while making this list. Hence, we have included all the less than 1000$, which also provide excellent performance!
Battery life & lightweight
Students are likely to roam around with their laptops more often, such as taking them to school, etc. This means a battery life that can last the entire day without causing trouble is of the utmost importance. In addition, if the laptop is heavy, you will have a difficult time carrying it around. So make sure the laptop is also lightweight in addition to having an all-day battery life.
Make sure you keep these factors in mind while making your decision. We hope that by reading our article, you will find the best laptop for your requirements.
Conclusion
After our research, we think the Lenovo Yoga C740 is the best pick for IT students. Its pricing is reasonable, and still, it offers incredible specs and a premium feel. We have selected the Acer Swift 3 as our second pick because of its lightweight design, great specs, and decent pricing. Lastly, the Lenovo Ideapad 3 is our budget pick having a price tag of less than 500$. If you have a few bucks to spend, the Apple MacBook Pro, Asus ZenBook 13, and the HP Pavilion are also excellent choices to choose from.
Please know that this is a buying guide and not a review. A review is done by a person who has used the product, but a buying guide is a well-researched guide by someone who has detailed knowledge of a particular field. We love everything about laptops, hence we think that our buying guides will assist you immensely when hunting for a laptop.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a powerful laptop for coding?
If you are simply writing code for personal projects or for small businesses, then you likely don’t need an incredibly powerful laptop. However, if you are working on large-scale projects or doing intensive data analysis, then you will definitely want a laptop with lots of processing power.
Which laptop is best for IT students?
All laptops that aren’t too expensive and have enough power to manage different types of software are great for IT students. All the above mentioned laptops have the potential to be great for IT students. It really depends on the student’s needs and budget as to which one would be best suited.
What is IT major?
IT major refers to the study of information technology. Information technology is a field that deals with the use of computers and computer networks to store, retrieve, and transmit information. It includes the areas of computer science, software engineering, and information systems. IT majors learn how to design, develop, and manage information systems. They also learn how to use computers and computer networks to solve business problems.
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