The Best Laptops and Chromebooks for Students

Laptops have become a must-have, back-to-school buy. Here are the best bets so you get your money's worth.

Whether you're shopping for a student or yourself, there's a good chance that you'll spend more time trying to decide on a laptop than most other back to school supplies. While the range of choices can be a bit confusing and intimidating at times, you can eliminate quite a few once you set a budget and determine what the laptop will and will not be used for.

Here are seven great options to consider, from very affordable Chromebooks and Windows laptops to slightly higher-end Macbooks and ultraportables.

Asus ZenBook UX330UA

Amazon | $700

If you're looking for a laptop that has a bit of a high-end look and feel without too much of a premium price, you're not likely to do much better than the Asus ZenBook UX330UA. It's a top pick of The Wirecutter and Laptop Mag, among others, which praise the laptop's great screen and impressively long battery life, as well as its thin and light (and stylish) design. It's available in different configurations if you need a bit more power, but the $700 setup with a Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD hard drive should be more than enough for most students.

Asus Chromebook Flip

Amazon | $470

Some students may not be able to get by with a Chromebook if they need to run Mac or Windows apps, but they're a great affordable option for those who only need the basics. Asus' Chromebook Flip is a clear favorite of many, including PCMag, Laptop Mag and Engadget. It's not the cheapest Chromebook around, but you'll get a decent-sized (12.5-inch) full-HD touchscreen, as well as ample battery life and fast startup times. As its name suggests, the laptop can also easily convert into tablet mode when you don't need the keyboard.

Acer Aspire E 15

Amazon | $350

A Chromebook is one option if you're looking for a sub-$500 laptop, but there's plenty of full-fledged Windows laptops in the same price range as well. Acer's Aspire E 15 is one of the more well-reviewed options in that price range and packs a decent set of features even at $350, including full HD 15.6-inch display and impressive battery life. There are some trade-offs at this price point, of course, not the least of which is a slightly bulkier and heavier design—though it is one that Laptop Mag found is solidly built (and includes DVD drive).

HP Spectre x360

HP | $990

Like the Asus ZenBook, HP's Spectre x360 can get fairly pricey when configured with the highest-end options, but even the most modestly spec'd configuration should easily be able to handle most tasks students will throw at it. For just under $1,000, you can get a 13.3-inch HD display, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD—all in a convertible design that lets you use it as either a laptop or tablet. As CNET notes, opting for the cheaper HD display instead of the pricier 4K option may be the best option even if cost isn't a concern because it'll give you noticeably better battery life.

MacBook Pro (13-inch)

Amazon | $1,250

A MacBook is never going to be the most affordable laptop option for a student, but they do have their advantages, and even the lowest-end MacBook Pro or MacBook Air should easily hold up well for a number of years. The Wirecutter singles out the 13-inch MacBook Pro as its top pick for college students, which is a bit pricier than the MacBook Air but has a much better Retina display and is still fairly thin-and-light with great battery life.

Dell XPS 13

Dell | $1,200

Like the MacBook Pro, Dell's XPS 13 is veering into high-end territory, but it's a tough laptop to beat if you're after a Windows-based system that doesn't compromise on features or portability. Laptop Mag was especially impressed with the XPS 13's nearly 14-hour battery life, as well as its full array of ports (including an SD card reader),which offers more connectivity option than most other ultra-light laptops.

Asus Chromebook C202SA

Amazon | $200

It might not quite cut it for college or university, but Asus' very affordable Chromebook C202SA should easily get the job done for younger students. It's standout feature is a ruggedized (and water resistant) design that should easily hold up to plenty of wear and tear. Specs are otherwise lower than something like the Chromebook Flip, however, including a smaller, lower-resolution screen and less onboard storage, but it still has great battery life in a light package.