The Fastest Laptop for Students
The Fastest Laptop for Students Photo by John Schnobrich / Unsplash
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Every student needs a laptop for school, especially in college. But you're probably a little perplexed as there are so many options to choose from. Practically everything these days is done on a laptop, whether it's school projects, watching lectures, or viewing video feedback from your teacher.

Having a fast laptop for these activities can make your life a little easier, so falling short on the specs and choosing the wrong laptop can complicate things. And when you've finished studying for the night, grab your speedy laptop to binge-watch Netflix with your friends on the weekends or even do a bit of light gaming to de-stress.

We Know What the Average Student Needs

We get it. Students are not flush with cash.

So telling you to run out and buy the most expensive laptop is pretty counterproductive. But that's not to say you should buy the cheapest one just to fill the void. These days, a mid-range laptop packs quite a punch when it comes to price versus performance. Luckily, you don't have to sift through brands and models -- we've done the research for you.

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We've looked through many of the laptops with the highest ratings for speed, and we've found one that stands out from the rest. Its performance delivers but doesn't break the bank.

HP 15-dy1036nr Laptop

Features

The HP 15.6" FHD laptop will cover all your college needs while looking sleek and tasteful at the same time. It has a 15.6" 1080p display, delivering a crisp and clear image quality for your academic work or while consuming content. It works on the latest 10th generation Intel core-i5 processor, which is fast, and it lets different apps work without much hassle.

We liked that this laptop runs on Windows 10 and possesses 8 GB of RAM to let you multitask with ease. It has onboard 256 GB NVMe SSD, which is one of the fastest storage solutions available in the market. So you can kiss long boot times and transfers speeds good-bye.

It has the full keyboard layout with the number keypad, which is great for that calculus class. It also boasts an impressive battery life as it lasts more than 10 hours on a single charge. So even if you forget your charger on campus, you're covered.

At 15.6" and weighing in at less than 4 lbs, it's very light and portable. HP also reduced the bezel size and the body, making it fit into the look and feel of most modern laptops.

Pros

  • Full HD display
  • 10 hr battery life and fast charge
  • Slim bezels and form factor
  • Fast Storage

Cons

  • Only offered in one color
  • RAM is not upgradeable

Reviews

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The HP 15.6" FHD laptop has great reviews on Amazon. It has 4.5 out of 5 stars with 700 ratings. Out of these, 75% of users have given it 5-stars. With this laptop being appropriately rated, this makes it an easy recommendation for any student who wants a great laptop.

It's versatile, compact, and easy to carry around campus. It can be hooked up to a small dorm room TV to watch movies or to work on those last-minute assignments. This laptop can handle pretty much anything college life can throw at it.

Laptop Buying Guide for Students

A laptop is a pretty big purchase. Because most students are limited when it comes to money, a lot of thought needs to be put into finding a fast laptop at the right price. Laptops are not only used for schoolwork, but they can be used to develop skills in other areas like coding or art.

So here are a few things you can look for in your purchase.

Operating System

Windows cover more than 80% of the OS market, so it's available in all price ranges. Mac OS is optimized and more favorable than windows and also has seamless integration with other Apple products. But the issue is that even the base level Apple laptop can cost way over $1000 and is simply not in the typical students' budget.

Also, apps on Mac OS are limited and have to be paid for in order to download and install them. Windows 10, even with it's forced system updates, offers broader software compatibility while being fairly economical.

Display

In 2020, it's unacceptable to have a screen resolution less than Full-HD. To you, the screen is the most important part of the laptop. It's where you can literally see what's happening on the machine.

A lot of budget laptops still come with low-resolution screens, so we generally avoided those listings. If you're looking for a laptop, look for one that has a 1920x1080 resolution.

What will it be used for?

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Will the laptop be used strictly for schoolwork, or would you like to play games on it too? You should keep that in mind when shopping around. If your tasks are usually pretty basic, like typing documents and watching videos, then a normal laptop will do just fine. Otherwise, you'll want to choose one with bigger specs to suit your needs.

Build and Form

Laptops come in several different sizes and are built differently. Sizes can range from 13" to 17", but the 14" to 15" is generally the perfect size in terms of usability and portability.

Laptops can be built from plastic or metal in the lower to mid-range prices to carbon fiber in higher-end ones. We recommend buying one with a metal build as it offers more durability and gives it a more premium feel.

Specs and Battery Life

Generally, you don't need to buy a laptop with the highest processor, storage, or RAM, but you don't have skimp on them either. Battery life on laptops average from 7 to 12 hours, so look for something in that range.

Our Verdict on HP 15-dy1036nr laptop

After looking into a lot of laptops, we have chosen HP 15.6" FHD laptop as the fastest laptop that will last for a typical student in a price range they can afford. It's versatile, light, compact, and can handle that term paper. It's an excellent buy for your next semester.