What are the important features to look for when buying a laptop for students?

Whether you're a freshman just starting college or returning to school after summer break, a durable and reliable laptop will be your companion throughout your school years and even after graduation.

However, among the "jungle" of choices with all kinds of configurations, prices and brands, finding the right machine is sometimes difficult for many people. How many inches should the screen be? Do you need a powerful configuration if you mainly use it for studying and surfing the web?

If you are feeling confused, this article will help you go through 6 important features that any laptop for students should have.

Long enough battery life

When choosing a laptop for college students, the number one priority is battery life. No one wants to suddenly run out of battery in the middle of class or when working outside where there is no power source.

So how long is enough battery life? According to experience, you should choose a laptop with the longest battery life possible, usually 7 - 10 hours continuously to ensure a full day of study without having to carry a charger.

In fact, there are many laptop models with much longer battery life today, such as the Asus ZenBook 14 OLED with a usage time of up to more than 15 hours, the MacBook Air M1 2020 with a usage time of up to 18 hours, and the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge with up to 21 hours of use.

Powerful enough configuration for daily study and work

For basic tasks such as writing lessons, looking up documents or surfing the web, you do not need a laptop that is too "powerful". A common configuration with an Intel Core i3 processor, 8 GB RAM and a 256 GB SSD hard drive is enough to meet the needs of daily study and work.

However, larger RAM and hard drive capacity will help your laptop respond faster, open multiple browser tabs more smoothly, and handle multitasking more effectively, such as listening to music, editing documents, and opening several learning applications at the same time.

If your budget allows, consider upgrading to 16GB of RAM and a 512GB or 1TB SSD. This is the optimal choice if you regularly store a lot of documents, videos, or have a “game” library and want everything ready within seconds of booting up.

High resolution display protects your eyes and enhances your experience

A laptop with a good quality screen not only helps display clear images and realistic colors, but also plays an important role in protecting your eyes.

When studying, working or entertaining for long periods of time, a screen with high resolution (minimum 1,920 x 1,080), suitable brightness and anti-glare capability will minimize eye strain, headaches or constant squinting.

If possible, a high-quality OLED or IPS display will deliver vivid colors, deep contrast, and wide viewing angles, making watching movies, editing photos, or doing graphic design more enjoyable.

Investing in a laptop with a good screen is not only an upgrade to the visual experience, but also an investment in long-term health, especially for those who have to work or study for hours in front of the computer.

Lightweight for easy portability

No one wants to lug a heavy laptop from class to class every day. If you have a tight schedule, it’s important to consider the weight of your laptop to protect your shoulders and back.

Typically, high-performance gaming laptops or workstations weigh 6 pounds or more due to their powerful hardware, large cooling systems, and large batteries. While there are some lighter gaming laptops on the market, if you need maximum processing power, you'll likely have to settle for a thicker, heavier design.

In the laptop world, anything under 4 pounds is considered “portable.” But if you’re constantly on the go or don’t want to put pressure on your shoulders and arms, consider ultralight models.

For example, the Microsoft Surface Pro (2025) weighs just 775g, yet still has enough power to handle schoolwork, emails, and Zoom meetings smoothly. A lightweight laptop not only makes it easier to move around, but also provides maximum flexibility for daily study and work.

Choose the operating system that suits your needs

Choosing an operating system for your laptop can sometimes be like comparing apples to oranges, with each platform having its own pros and cons. The three most popular operating systems today are Windows, ChromeOS, and macOS.

If you need a flexible machine that supports many software and browsers, especially photo and video editing or graphic design applications, Windows is a reasonable choice. The rich ecosystem makes it easy for you to find the right software, from learning to entertainment.

On the other hand, if simplicity and security are your priorities, you might want to consider ChromeOS. Chromebooks receive automatic updates, are less vulnerable to attacks, and are generally affordable. They're also a good choice for people who don't want to spend time maintaining their systems.

For those who are familiar with Apple products, macOS on models like the MacBook Air (M3) offers a smooth experience, syncing well with iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. The initial installation process is very simple, the interface is friendly, suitable for both new and long-time users.

Keyboard for comfortable typing experience

Whether you're entering data into a spreadsheet or writing a research report, typing will take up a large portion of your time in college, so a comfortable keyboard will not only increase your productivity but also reduce hand fatigue over long periods of use.

One important factor is key travel, which is the distance from when you press the key until it bottoms out and sends a signal to the CPU. This is measured in millimeters, and as a general rule, longer travel will result in a smoother, more accurate typing experience. The ideal number is usually 1.4mm or more.

Most laptops today use membrane keyboards with a layer of rubber or silicone under each key. These keyboards are quiet, lightweight, affordable, and especially suitable for classroom environments because they do not make a lot of noise.

Meanwhile, mechanical keyboards feel better when typing but are often heavier, thicker and noisier, less suitable for daily carry./.