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When choosing a laptop for school, there's no one-size-fits-all. What works well for others may not be ideal for schoolwork and on-the-go web browsing activities.
If you're looking for the best college or even gaming laptops, you’ve come to the right place! In this post, we feature the best 8 convertible and affordable laptops for students. Let’s get started!At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Best Affordable Laptops
- OUR TOP PICK: HP Pavilion x360 14
- RUNNER-UP: Dell Inspiron 14 5000
- Lenovo IdeaPad C340
Comparison of the Best Laptops for Students
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Review of the Best Affordable 2-in-1 Laptops for Students
Best Overall:
HP Pavilion x360 14 (Price Starts at $499)
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Customers say that the HP Pavilion x360 14 is a laptop capable of handling different applications at once. It's also constructed with a quality chassis and features an elegant backlit keyboard in addition to responsive touchpad controls. However, its 6 hours battery life is shorter compared to other best budget laptops.
Why It Stands Out to Us
The HP Pavilion x360 14 is a great choice for students who do basic computing tasks on the internet, Microsoft Word, and PowerPoint presentations.
With Intel Core i3 - i5 CPU, up to 12GB RAM, and 256GB SSD, you won’t have any problems doing homework or other activities on the go. However, if you want to play modern games, this might not be the right choice due to its entry-level graphics (Intel UHD).
The brightness range goes up to 260 nits, perfect for indoor uses but not under direct sunlight. The webcam has an average quality, but that will do in a Zoom or Skype meeting. The battery lasts up to 6 hrs of mixed-use, but it's fast charging, so you only need an hour to get 55% and continue working.
Who Will Use This Most
The HP Pavilion x360 14 is a great budget laptop for students who multitask. It can run multiple programs without buffering, particularly after a standby mode.
Bottom Line
This is one of the best productivity laptops for students and casual users who want to get their PowerPoint, spreadsheets, and web browsing done in no time. Work responsibilities won’t ever be a problem for you!
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This perfect student laptop has sufficient memory for fast response and optimal experience when it comes to video editing, streaming, and light gaming. However, some complain about the hard drive partition being unequal. The C drive is small, while the D drive is large, making program installation more difficult.
Why It Stands Out to Us
The good thing about Dell Inspiron 14 5000 is the extra SATA drive you can add to 256 GB SSD to transform it into a price-powered laptop. Then, advanced photo and video editing and installing large data become easier.
When you’re switching from a laptop to a tablet, the setting automatically adjusts, providing a seamless experience. It's got ample borders on the sides to prevent you from touching the screen. It's not like an infinity display, but the touchscreen is quick and responsive.
The keyboard layout looks like that of an Apple laptop, though the weak chassis made the difference. Good thing it’s not cramped. Dell Inspiron 14 5000 has a 360-degree metal hinge that keeps the screen in place and a battery life that lasts up to 12 hours.
Who Will Use This Most
With enough power to get you through your daily tasks or other basic uses, this is a great budget laptop for students and professionals who value time and productivity. In a short time, you can get more things done.
Bottom Line
Dell Inspiron 14 5000 provides room for expansion for faster performance. It’s made of a plastic chassis that feels a bit flimsy, but over all this laptop is a great value for the buck with its great processor, memory, and storage.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
For less than $500, customers say that Lenovo IdeaPad C340 has big refresh specifications; CPU is Intel Core i7 and the storage is 256 GB. They also barely complain about the speed and display. It is thin enough for travel wherever you want, but sturdy enough not to break or wobble.
Why It Stands Out to Us
This laptop makes an excellent choice for users or students in need of a device that has plenty of power under its hood. With 10th Gen Intel Core i5 - i7 processor, 8 GB RAM, and up to 256 GB storage, it can run word processing and web browsing programs smoothly.
But you should limit the use of heavy processing tools like the 3D design or 3D studio, Adobe Premiere as these programs may cause the device to overheat.
Like Dell Inspiron 14, it's not the best for outdoor use; the Full HD display panel has only around 230 nits brightness. But the keyboard is comfortable and so is the touchpad. The speakers have some good clarity, and the battery life lasts 8 hours, depending on the usage.
Who Will Use This Most
If you are looking for the best laptop with 10th gen Intel Core with clear audio and long battery life, Lenovo IdeaPad C340 is ideal. It has the power and speed to cover computing demands!
Bottom Line
This laptop has a decent amount of power for everyday tasks at school. With loud dual speakers, you can stream without a headphone. Plus, it has a decent battery life of up to 12 hours.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Google Pixel Go is one of the best student laptops that works perfectly with other software and can easily be used for creating Powerpoint slideshows on the go. With a long-lasting battery life of up to 12 hours, you don’t have to recharge. It may have a limited benchmark, but you won’t have any issues with speed when performing tasks.
Why It Stands Out to Us
Google Pixel Go Chromebook gives you access to the other android apps that your mobile device might not be able to handle, including Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, Evernote, Sketchbook, Google Play Books, and more!
The stable Chrome OS with an option of 8th Gen Intel Core i5 or i7 can perform better than many premium laptops. With up to 128 GB SSD hard drive, you have enough storage for your files.
This laptop’s 13-inch screen has a camera that’s upgradable up to 4K resolution, which is better compared to other student laptops. Its keyboard features a short travel distance. Plus, this 2-in-1 device can last up to 12 hours.
Who Will Use This Most
This Chromebook is ideal for users looking for a budget laptop but prefer a Chrome OS. It is small, but it has enough punch for basic web browsing and research on the go.
Bottom Line
Google Pixel Go is one of the best portable Chromebooks that gives you access to different school or learning apps for a seamless learning experience. Let’s not forget about the 12 hours of battery life!
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Customers say that this college laptop is more portable than expected, as you can easily flip it to switch from laptop to tablet mode, and there’s no problem running multiple programs. The keyboard, trackpad, and fingerprint recognition work perfectly fine, too. But it has some wi-fi connection issues and tends to overheat when left on sleep mode.
Why It Stands Out to Us
This college laptop has substantial high-performance Intel Core i5 processor, 12 GB RAM, and 512 GB SSD hard drive to smoothly run your games and photo and video-editing applications, as well as multiple programs and browser tabs at once
At 310 nits, it's pretty bright and great for outdoor use. It has a 16.9 mm size and weighs around 1.4 kg, so it's convenient to carry. The stereo speakers surrounding the keyboard are quite distorted, but they are loud. Plus, the good battery life lasts a maximum of 9 hours.
Who Will Use This Most
Students looking for an affordable college laptop with high and quick performance will best suit this device. Equipped with the latest Intel Core processor, up to 12 GB RAM, and 512 GB SSD hard drive, you can switch between demanding programs with ease.
Bottom Line
Lenovo Yoga C740 has all the computing power you need to thrive in school, work, and beyond! Overall, this laptop has a reliable and speedy performance to get the job done.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Customers say that the aluminum lid gives it a premium look, but they complain about the magnet placed in front rather than the back that makes it hard to open. Also, the keyboard feels flimsy and cheap, although it has a nice depth and travel.
Why It Stands Out to Us
ASUS Chromebook Flip C433 has plenty of speed and no issues with performance. With the 8th Gen Y Series Intel Core M3 processor, 8 GB RAM, and 128 GB SSD, browsing, emailing, or running Android apps is not a problem with this laptop. Plus, the 11-hour battery life is a stunning feature for most people who are on the go.
The aluminum lid makes it feel nice and sturdy. Although the keyboard is made of plastic, it is smooth and backlit, and at 180 nits brightness, it’s suitable for indoor uses.
Who Will Use This Most
This is a great, affordable laptop for those who need to do some typing, web browsing, and working on excel sheets. With it, you can have enough power and memory to run different programs without lag.
Bottom Line
ASUS Chromebook Flip C433 is a budget laptop that can do more than expected. At less than $500, you can have a portable and reliable laptop.
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (Price Starts at $629)
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Dell's XPS 13 is an outstanding laptop that provides a seamless experience, making it easy to perform basic tasks, and the battery life lasts for 16 hours on one charge! The only complaint customers have is the cramped up and down keys.
Why It Stands Out to Us
Compared to the previous model, the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 has a premium aluminum finish, making it more rigid and sturdy. The keyboard has magnetic features, giving it a tactile feel, while the carbon palm rest smooths out any resistance when scrolling or moving the cursor.
There's no need for dongles when connecting external monitors since this laptop is equipped with two USB-C ports, which are Thunderbolt supported!
With Intel Core i5 - i7 processor and Intel Iris XE graphics, running multiple tabs or doing creative jobs simultaneously won’t slow down the device. It may still struggle with games containing advanced graphics, but you'll be able to render old titles just fine! The battery life lasts up to 17 hours of regular use.
Who Will Use This Most
Dell XPS 13 is for average users looking for budget laptops mainly for regular school or office work. With it, you can get through your day-to-day tasks with ease.
Bottom Line
Dell XPS 13 is a premium convertible laptop with a sleek design that doesn’t fall short of performance. It packs powerful specs within its slim chassis.
Microsoft Surface Go 2 (Price starts at $500)
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Customers say that their Surface laptop is a joy to use as a tablet. It’s a family computer for doing schoolwork at home. But some complain the budget systems aren’t that great. It falls short, particularly when running multiple applications.
Why It Stands Out to Us
Microsoft Surface Go 2 may have a low ceiling for running powerful apps at a time, with a powerful Intel Core processor and RAM, but it can handle them one by one. As long as you keep the device to its limitations, it would be fine.
It's not ideal for heavy photo or video editing, but you can install Photoshop. Also, the battery life lasts a maximum of 7 to 8 hours.
Who Will Use This Most
It's for families in need of a tiny and cheap laptop for their kids who are now doing all their school work at home. This can handle remote learning with ease.
Bottom Line
Microsoft Surface Go 2 is an excellent student laptop intended for light use and basic schoolwork. Although even if it’s not designed for photo editing, you can still use Photoshop.
What Should You Look For in 2-in-1 Laptops?
There are several essential factors you have to consider when buying a laptop besides your budget. Here are some of them:
CPU
The Central Processing Unit is responsible for the command execution of the computer program. It controls the speed and performance. When buying a touchscreen laptop, make sure that the CPU matches your intended use.
Graphics
If you value high graphics, make sure the laptop has the latest GPU chip. Otherwise, you might suffer from poor-quality images, especially when playing games or running advanced programs with demanding graphics.
RAM and Storage Capacity
RAM and SSD affect the speed of the laptop too. The higher the RAM and SSD storage, the faster your device performance becomes.
Battery Life
Due to touch digitizers, most convertible laptops have shorter battery life. But some of them can last almost all day. Choose a laptop that can keep going for many hours on a single charge despite heavy use.
Resolution
If you will use your laptop mainly for photo or video editing, 4k resolution is highly recommended as it produces more crisp and accurate details.
Best and Affordable 2-in-1 Laptops For Students FAQ
Is a 2-in-1 laptop worth it for students?
A 2-in-1 laptop helps students do school work anytime. It’s portable and convenient to use when a desktop PC is not ideal to use, so they are worth it.
What is the best laptop for college students?
The best laptops for college students are the ones that suit your needs. Be sure to check the specifications to see if the laptop is compatible with your daily use.
Should you buy a 2-in-1 laptop for college?
If you need a portable device that you can use for school work anytime and anywhere, consider buying a 2-in-1 laptop.
Conclusion
HP Pavilion x360 14 is one of the best budget laptops with solid construction. Besides that, it stands out in terms of performance. Students can do basic school tasks without any problem.
Dell Inspiron 14 5000 provides a seamless laptop-tablet mode experience. Most importantly, it allows you to add an extra SATA drive for running powerful apps and storing lots of data when necessary.
Meanwhile, Lenovo IdeaPad C340 is meant for taking general tasks such as web browsing, answering emails, and encoding.
Out of many premium laptops, these three laptops are the ones we highly recommend.
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