5 best-value laptops for students in second half of 2022 (and 5 things to avoid while shopping)

Students need the best-value laptops in the market to suit their budget and needs. An underpowered laptop will not favor them and might negatively affect their goals. Also, an overpriced system will not be in their interests.

Finding the best value-for-money products on the market can be a cumbersome task. Eliminating overpriced or underpowered laptops requires time, effort, and technical know-how.

Also, keeping an eye out for major sales can help students pick the best laptops for their needs. Most students need these devices for basic productivity. For some students, devices should also be able to code well.

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Guide to buying best-value laptops for students

The best value-for-money products on the market will help students utilize most of their available resources. With sufficient power, they can ace every workload with these devices.

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1) HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 - $1,149

The HP Spectre x360 laptop (Image via HP)

Specifications

• CPU: Intel Core i5-1235U, ten cores, 12 threads
• GPU: Intel Iris Xe
• RAM: 8 GB onboard
• Display: 13.5" 1920 x 1080 / 3K2K IPS LCD
• Weight: 3 pounds / 1.36 kg
• Storage: 512 GB / 1 TB / 2 TB PCIe NVMe
• Battery: 4-cell 66 Wh

The HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 is one of the most exciting options for students. It comes with the latest 12th generation Core i5-1235U CPU, which packs ten cores and 12 threads.

Six of these cores are performance cores, and the remaining four are efficiency cores. The laptop is Intel Evo certified, which ensures peak optimization and reliability.

The best part of this laptop is that it is a 2-in-1 PC. It can convert itself into a tablet, eliminating the need for a separate iPad.

It also comes with a stylus, which immensely helps students in taking notes and effortlessly creating digital art and drawings. This makes the HP Spectre x360 14t-ef000 one of the best-value laptops for students.

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2) Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio - $1,399

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio (Image via Microsoft)

Specifications

• CPU: Intel Core i5-11300H (configurable up to Core i7-11370H)
• GPU: Intel Iris Xe (configurable up to RTX 3050 Ti)
• RAM: 16 GB onboard
• Display: 14.4" up to 120 Hz 2400 x 1600
• Weight: 3.83 pounds / 1.74 kg
• Storage: 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB / 2 TB removable SSD
• Battery: 58Wh

Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is another tremendous 2-in-1 PC that features extreme flexibility in terms of usage. Users can use it as a regular laptop, fold the screen and use it as a Surface device, or completely bend the screen down for a tablet-like experience.

The Surface Laptop Studio is highly customizable. Users can choose up to a Core i7 processor with an RTX 3050 or RTX 3050 Ti GPU. This insane customization with sufficient power makes the device one of the best-value laptops for students.

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3) 2020 Apple Macbook Air M1 - $899

The Apple Macbook Air M1 (Image via Apple)

Specifications

• CPU: Apple M1 chip, with 8-core CPU (4 performance cores, four efficiency cores)
• GPU: Apple M1 chip with 7-core GPU
• RAM: 8 GB /16 GB unified memory
• Display: 13.3" 2560 x 1600 LED-backlit
• Weight: 2.8 pounds / 1.29 kg
• Storage 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB / 2 TB PCIe NVMe
• Battery: 49.9 Wh

The Macbook Air M1 from late 2020 is one of the best-value laptops, packing enough power for students. Apple will support the device for a few more years, making it one of the best choices.

The company has dropped the pricing of the M1 Macbook Air after devices with the M2 chip were announced. Starting from $899, the older Macbook Air thus becomes one of the best recommendations for students.

It features extreme hardware-to-software optimization, is light, and comes with excellent battery life. It will easily last a full day's usage without running out.

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4) Acer Chromebook Spin 712 13.5" - $629

The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 13.5" (Image via Acer)

Specifications

• CPU: Intel Core i5-10210U
• GPU: Intel Iris Plus
• RAM: 8 GB onboard
• Display: 14" 1600 x 2560
• Weight: 3.08 pounds / 1.4 kg
• Storage: 128 GB PCIe NVMe
• Battery:3-cell 56Wh

The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 13.5" is one of the best budget laptops for students. It comes with an excellent 3:2 display, fingerprint sensor, and even Thunderbolt 4 support. However, being a budget device, it sometimes cuts corners.

The laptop folds to a compact shape, allowing users to get a semi-tablet experience. While there are some caveats, this device is one of the best-value laptops and is a recommendation on a budget.

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5) Dell XPS 15 (2021) - $1,999

The Dell XPS 15 (Image via Dell)

Specifications

• CPU: Intel Core i7-11800H
• GPU: Nvidia Geforce RTX 3050 Ti
• RAM: 16 GB onboard
• Display: 15.6" 3456 x 2160 (3.5K) OLED
• Weight: 4.3 pounds / 1.95 kg
• Storage: 512 GB PCIe NVMe
• Battery:3-cell 56Wh

The Dell XPS 15 is one of the best-value laptops when the specs are weighed against the price. This device is one of the most premium laptops available.

It packs a sizeable 15.6" 3.5K OLED display and comes with the capable Core i7-11800H, Geforce RTX 3050 Ti GPU, and 16GB RAM out of the box.

However, the battery life on the device can be a bit of a concern. Reviews have pointed out that it lasts a little less than 7 hours on a full charge.

Nevertheless, the Dell XPS 15 is a premium device at a decent price tag if the budget permits. This makes it one of the best-value laptops to consider.

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Five things to keep track of while shopping for best-value laptops

While buying such PCs, choosing the incorrect combination of specs can cost users a lot. Apart from specs, if a laptop is not built well or has a short battery life, students will face difficulties in carrying out their tasks.

1. Avoid judging a laptop's battery life by the durations published by manufacturers: Laptop manufacturers often do not post the testing methodology for calculating these durations. Thus, they can be deceptive. Always look for the watt-hour (Wh) the battery in a laptop is rated. Anything above 45 Wh will last long enough.
2. Avoid buying laptops with older chipsets: Always avoid laptops with chips older than the 10th-gen Intel Core or Ryzen 3000 series. Budget older chips' performance can be underwhelming.
3. Avoid laptops with less than 8 GB of RAM: While buying the best-value laptops, do not consider any model with less than 8 GB of RAM. In 2022, anything less than 8 GB will give users a hard time. Also, make sure the device can be upgraded to at least 16 GB of memory down the line.
4. Students should avoid laptops with discrete GPUs: While GPUs are good in any machine, most students do not have a use case for them. For the same money, a laptop without a GPU will pack better specs, longer battery life, and features like fingerprint scanners, better webcam quality, etc.
5. Avoid bulky laptops: Students mostly have to carry their laptops regularly. Thus, opting for a bulky device while shopping for the best-value laptops will not favor the users. Always try to get a computer that is approximately 3 pounds heavy.

Anything else depends on the preference of the student/buyer, but these points should help narrow down the best-value laptops.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author's opinion.