14 best laptops for students in 2024 — tech expert picks from HP, Apple, Samsung, ASUS and more

"The ASUS Chromebook CM30 Detachable is an excellent choice for young learners, offering unparalleled versatility with its 2-in-1 design," according to Rédoine Taoussi, a technical expert at ASUS Canada.

"This device seamlessly transitions between a laptop and tablet, making it perfect for both study and play." The Chromebook also features a "robust, military-strength design and offers up to 12 hours of battery life, ensuring it can withstand the rigours of daily use by children," he adds. 

Ideal for elementary to early high school, Acer's 14" FHD Rugged Chromebook is an "efficient classroom companion," explains Priscilla Luna, the chief commercial officer at Staples Canada. It features a 14-inch FHD display, a serviceable keyboard with mechanically anchored keys, and an optional Full HD webcam with a built-in camera shutter for added privacy. 

Whether you're studying, streaming or working, this 14" HP laptop has the memory space and speed to maximize productivity. It boasts Intel Celeron N4120, 8GB RAM, 128GB eMMC and Intel UHD Graphics, and comes with one year of free Microsoft Office 365. 

This budget-friendly Chromebook is "great for young students from elementary to junior high," explains Kaisen Choi, Best Buy's category director for laptops. It's "thin and light," has a long battery life, and fits "[perfectly] in a backpack." Plus, the Google Chrome operating system features built-in virus protection.

The Vivobook Go is ideal for high school students "looking for a versatile, lightweight laptop that balances productivity and entertainment," Taoussi told Yahoo Canada. "With a 15.6" OLED display, it’s the perfect size for schoolwork, streaming, and everything in between."

Ideal for university students "seeking a versatile, powerful and portable laptop," this reliable device is great at "multitasking, taking notes in tablet mode or delivering presentations," Taoussi says.

If you're looking for a laptop that can easily go from school to home, this is it, explains Choi. It's the "perfect laptop for students, especially for doing homework at home," he says. It's also a "great family laptop for mom and dad." 

Its large 16" display is "perfect for work and play," and its 180-degree hinge allows the laptop to lay flat for even more versatility. 

Another great option for students in elementary to early high school, this 15.6" HP laptop "keeps you working longer without interruption," Luna tells Yahoo Canada.

"Students can chat with ease thanks to the Full HD resolution with a camera that can be closed for privacy when not in use, ensuring safety online," she says. "With plenty of storage and fast connections, this PC has everything you need."

This "thin and light" 2-in-1 touchscreen laptop is "great for university students" who want a portable touchscreen device, Choi tells Yahoo Canada. It includes a digital pen, which "lets you conveniently write and draw on the laptop screen (or take notes in class)," he adds.

When in doubt, you can't go wrong with an Apple MacBook, especially if you're heading off to post-secondary. This blazing-fast MacBook Air with the M3 chip is a super portable laptop, so you can take it anywhere you go. It has a near-perfect rating of 4.7 stars on Amazon and has earned an "Amazon's Choice" title. 

The Microsoft Surface Laptop is "perfect" for university students as it's "thin and light" and has "excellent battery life," Choi says. It features Copilot + PC AI, a new era of AI, which makes it the "fastest, most intelligent Surface Laptop ever," he explains. Its "AI features will make studying a breeze." 

"The Yoga Slim 7x is more than just a smart laptop—it's your creative sidekick that knows what you need before you do," explains Luna. "Designed for creatives, it's not just about the specs, but how flexible and powerful it is. This sleek AI-driven laptop doesn't just keep up; it leads the way, making every creative moment as exciting as your ideas."

A top pick for high school and post-secondary students, Luna says the Galaxy Book4 Edge, the first Galaxy PC with built-in AI, "boosts your productivity, communication, creativity and more." 

"You can easily connect and control other Galaxy devices right from your PC," she adds.

If you're a university student in STEM (science, tech, engineering, math) or "a gamer who wants to play in between classes," then this 16" ASUS laptop is a "great" option, explains Choi. It has the powerful Intel Core Ultra 9 with RTX 4070 graphics card and is "one of the thinnest gaming laptops on the market," he says. It's "powerful enough to play games and work on engineering projects but [it's] still thin."