Deutsch
Español
Français
Italiano
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Русский
Türkçe
Svenska
Chinese
MagyarThe Best Notebooks for School-Aged Kids and College Students
From our point of view, notebooks designed for educational purposes need to meet very specific requirements. These include things such as a certain degree of mobility, an ergonomic design and solid input devices. It is unusual for these qualities to be adequately addressed by a pamphlet at a store or a manufacturer's website. To assist you in the decision-making process, we have looked back over our huge data collection compiled from the many notebooks we have reviewed, and we will make recommendations split into three different price ranges. The display should have an ergonomic, matte surface, and the notebook's performance should be on par with at least that of an Intel Core i3 platform - otherwise it may not have enough stamina to remain useful over the coming years.
The following table contains notebooks and convertibles priced between 500 and 1,500 Euros ranked by weighted scores in the display, keyboard, and battery life categories. Many OEMs offer educational discounts for students and require proof of school or college enrollment. These prices are often noticeably lower than street prices and will thus allow you to save quite a bit of money. Keep in mind that our automatically updated price comparison cannot take educational discounts into account.
The Best Laptops for School-Aged Kids and College Students
gewichtete Bewertung | Testwertung | Date | Image | Model | Height | Weight | Size | Resolution | Best Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 92 % | 92 % | 06/2020 |  | Apple MacBook Pro 13 2020 2GHz i5 10th-Gen Intel Core i5-1038NG7 Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU) 16 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | 15.6 mm | 1.4 kg | 13.30" | 2560x1600 | |
| 92 % | 91 % | 08/2020 |  | Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00 AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 4750U AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | 16.1 mm | 1.3 kg | 14.00" | 1920x1080 | |
| 92 % | 91 % | 12/2020 |  | Apple MacBook Air 2020 M1 Entry Apple M1 Apple M1 7-Core GPU 8 GB Memory, 256 GB SSD | 16.1 mm | 1.3 kg | 13.30" | 2560x1600 | |
| 89 % | 88 % | 04/2021 neu! |  | Schenker VIA 14 Late 2020 Intel Core i5-1135G7 Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs 16 GB Memory, 500 GB SSD | 16.5 mm | 1.1 kg | 14.00" | 1920x1080 | |
| 90 % | 88 % | 07/2020 |  | Lenovo ThinkPad T14-20S1S06B00 Intel Core i5-10210U Intel UHD Graphics 620 16 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | 17.9 mm | 1.5 kg | 14.00" | 1920x1080 | |
| 89 % | 88 % | 12/2020 |  | Schenker Vision 15 Intel Core i7-1165G7 Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs 16 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | 15 mm | 1.7 kg | 15.60" | 1920x1080 | |
| 89 % | 87 % | 11/2020 |  | Fujitsu LifeBook U7310 Intel Core i5-10210U Intel UHD Graphics 620 8 GB Memory, 256 GB SSD | 19 mm | 1.2 kg | 13.30" | 1920x1080 | |
| 87 % | 84 % | 03/2021 neu! |  | Honor MagicBook Pro 10210U Intel Core i5-10210U NVIDIA GeForce MX350 16 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | 16.9 mm | 1.7 kg | 16.10" | 1920x1080 | |
| 87 % | 88 % | 11/2020 |  | HP EliteBook 835 G7 23Y57EA AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4650U AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000) 8 GB Memory, 256 GB SSD | 17.9 mm | 1.4 kg | 13.30" | 1920x1080 | |
| 87 % | 86 % | 01/2021 |  | Lenovo ThinkBook 13s-ITL-20V90003GE Intel Core i5-1135G7 Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs 8 GB Memory, 256 GB SSD | 14.9 mm | 1.3 kg | 13.30" | 1920x1080 |
The table above contains an overview over the best notebooks between 500 and 1,500 Euros reviewed by Notebookcheck over the course of the past 12 months as well as still relevant and available older products. In cases of identical score the more recent device is listed first. All prices in above table and price comparisons are updated daily and can thus differ.
1st – Apple MacBook Pro 13 2020 i5
Starting at $1,300 Apple’s base model MacBook Pro 13 comes with a 1.4 GHz Core i5, 8 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of storage. This price can quickly skyrocket should you opt for Apple’s optional upgrades, such as an additional 256 GB of storage (+ $200). One of the great things about this laptop is that even the base model comes in a high-end and beautiful aluminum case, features an excellent high-resolution display, and very good input devices. A battery life of more than 10 hours in our real-life Wi-Fi test is yet another reason why the MacBook Pro managed to secure first place on this list.
Downsides include limited connectivity (4x USB Type-C Thunderbolt 3) and a meagre 256 GB of storage on the base model. Keep in mind that our review was conducted with a slightly different SKU featuring a 2.9 GHz i5 CPU and a 512 GB SSD. The base model can differ slightly from our review unit in regard to performance, emissions, and battery life. These should, however, have no significant impact on everyday use, except for of course the limited storage capacity.
Top 10 Laptops
Multimedia, Budget Multimedia, Gaming, Budget Gaming, Lightweight Gaming, Business, Budget Office, Workstation, Subnotebooks, Ultrabooks, Chromebooks
under 300 USD/Euros, under 500 USD/Euros, 1.000 USD/Euros
Best Displays, for University Students
Top 10 Smartphones
Smartphones, Phablets, ≤5-inch, Camera SmartphonesThe Best Smartphones for Less Than 160 Euros
Pricecompare
2nd – Lenovo ThinkPad T14s AMD
The Lenovo Thinkpad T14s is basically the more “portable” version of Lenovo’s universal ThinkPad T14 workhorse. Universally adopted by numerous corporations world-wide this laptop meets all the criteria to qualify for everyday school reality. The T14s can be equipped with both Intel and AMD hardware, and the latter is slightly cheaper and thus better suited for cash-strapped students.
In our review, we found a robust and sturdy case, excellent input devices, a very good FHD display, a decent battery life of up to 10 hours in our real-life test, low emissions particularly under low load (office tasks), and fast Wi-Fi 6. Depending on country of purchase the T14s can also come with up to three years of manufacturer warranty by default. Prices for the AMD-equipped SKU hover around $1,400, which already includes potential edu discounts.
Pricecompare
3rd – Apple MacBook Air 2020 M1
To nobody’s surprise the Apple MacBook Air 2020 is selling like hot cakes. After all, the M1 turned out to be a great success. It is Apple’s first self-developed ARM-based microprocessor, and it is not only capable of keeping up with current Intel and AMD processors but even outperforms them in some situations. And it does all that without active cooling. And to add insult to injury it is just the beginning, and the entry-level version of Apple’s CPU.
True, there are some teething issues with emulating older macOS software but in return you get access to a large catalog of iOS applications. We are expecting these issues to subside over the next few months as developers adapt to the new platform and architecture.
Otherwise, the device is practically identical to the well-known Intel-based Apple MacBook Air 2020, which means it still lacks a touchscreen. Storage space is somewhat limited, and prices for optional upgrades are as steep as ever. We would have also wished for a better webcam and Wi-Fi modem. Nevertheless, the MacBook Air 2020 with Apple’s own processor is incredibly impressive.
Pricecompare
4th – Lenovo ThinkPad T14
The ThinkPad T14 carries Lenovo’s new name for what is arguably its best-selling ThinkPad series. It is the successor to last year’s ThinkPad T490 and scored a decent 88 %, just like its predecessor. Changes are far and few between compared to last year’s model as the design remained unchanged. The major update is the inclusion of Intel’s Comet Lake CPUs that are not necessarily more powerful but generate a lot more heat than previous generations.
Its high score is mostly due to the excellent keyboard, great display, and good battery life inside a robust case with great connectivity. We suspect that the AMD SKU might be the better choice this year.
Pricecompare
5th – Schenker VIA 14
A lightweight notebook with a large battery? Schenker's VIA 14 is just that. Despite its weight of just 1.1 kg (2.43 lbs) it manages to offer very long battery life, and given the high quality of its keyboard we can definitely recommend this 14-inch notebook for school and college.
Other benefits include its cool case, its decent performance, fast Wi-Fi, a decent display, plenty of connectivity, and its good upgradability.
The Schenker VIA 14 definitely deserves our endorsement, and the next generation could do a lot better with just a few minor improvements.
The device can be configured and customized on Schenker’s homepage and ships to all countries within the EU as well as select others in Europe.
Pricecompare
6th – Schenker Vision 15
The Schenker Vision 15 is based on Intels own reference notebook and a Windows alternative to Apple’s MBP16. At a price of around 1,500 Euros, you get plenty of performance, a high-quality unibody chassis, modern connectivity with Thunderbolt 4, and last but not least good input devices.
On the flip side we see a display that is not quite what we would have expected in a notebook at this price. Its color accuracy is pretty poor, which can be a deal breaker for those doing photo and video editing, design, and art. Its fan management is also in need of improvement, which should be easily done via firmware update according to the manufacturer.
Overall, the Schenker Vision 15 is an interesting and powerful device whose up-to-date connectivity is a unique selling point at the time being.
Pricecompare
7th – Fujitsu LifeBook U7310
Minor manufacturing imperfections in a notebook for more than $1,200? We think not! However, our Fujitsu LifeBook U7310 review unit exhibited just that, and surprised us with a clattering mouse button. This could of course be a one-time thing and not representative for the entire series. Apart from that Fujitsu’s business notebook may not have been eye candy per se, but it was well made and offered interesting options for safely storing data on the laptop itself.
Graphical applications are too much to ask for of this notebook, and performance was only adequate for everyday office applications. On the plus side, it supports Thunderbolt 3 and features a full-sized SD card reader.
Pricecompare
8th – Honor MagicBook Pro
The Honor MagicBook Pro is a decent multimedia notebook based on Intel’s Core i5 or AMD’s Ryzen 5 CPU. It comes with a somewhat gaming-capable dedicated GPU. In direct comparison the Intel SKU performed slightly worse than the AMD SKU.
Both variants feature the same base model and therefore pretty much all pros and cons. Our review unit came equipped with 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD and would thus be well-suited for the average user.
Downsides include its mediocre speakers as well as the annoying soundscape produced by the fan. In addition, the webcam position was a poor choice. If you don’t mind these downsides, you get a good-looking and thin multimedia notebook in the Honor MagicBook Pro.
The device is not officially sold in North America and has to be imported from China, e.g. through sellers on eBay.
Pricecompare
9th – HP EliteBook 835 G7
Over the course of the last year AMD-based laptops have become an increasingly interesting alternative to their Intel counterparts, even in price brackets where high levels of performance are not optional but expected and a given. Accordingly, the HP EliteBook 835 G7 offers great CPU performance as well as long battery life.
Extra care has to be taken when choosing the display as HP opted for a rather dim panel unbefitting its price range. We would definitely prefer the SureView option. We also disliked the lack of Thunderbolt support, albeit this may not even be particularly important for school and university use.
On the plus side, there are quite a few positive surprises making the EliteBook 835 G7 an attractive option for students, including a great keyboard, an accurate touchpad, a robust case, and, depending on country of purchase, up to three years of warranty by default.
Pricecompare
10th – Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
The ThinkBook 13s sits in-between Lenovo’s consumer-oriented IdeaPad-series and its high-quality ThinkPad business-series of notebooks. The result is a notebook with input devices that are not on a par with a ThinkPad and components that can no longer be easily replaced.
In return, you get a great metal case and a very good display, which is a rarity on consumer devices for less than $1,000. Its most unique feature is without a doubt its Thunderbolt 4-cabable USB-C port with Power Delivery.
The ThinkBook 13s is small and lightweight, it offers very good battery life, low temperature emissions, and a relatively high GPU performance.
Despite the fact that the device is neither here nor there it is very well equipped for its price, and can be a great everyday device for school and college thanks to its low weight and its great stamina on battery.
Pricecompare
Test Results
| Apple MacBook Pro 13 2020 2GHz i5 10th-Gen | Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00 | Apple MacBook Air 2020 M1 Entry | Schenker VIA 14 Late 2020 | Lenovo ThinkPad T14-20S1S06B00 | Schenker Vision 15 | Fujitsu LifeBook U7310 | Honor MagicBook Pro 10210U | HP EliteBook 835 G7 23Y57EA | Lenovo ThinkBook 13s-ITL-20V90003GE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Response Times | ||||||||||
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 46 (22, 24) | 32.4 (16.4, 16) | 31 (14, 17) | 53.6 (24.4, 29.2) | 58.4 (28.4, 30) | 60 (29.2, 30.8) | 37.6 (18.8, 18.8) | 35.2 (17.2, 18) | 38 | 43 (19, 24) |
| Response Time Black / White * | 32.4 (18.4, 14) | 15.2 (6.8, 8.4) | 26.1 (14.9, 11.2) | 28.4 (14.4, 14) | 26.4 (12.4, 14) | 39 (19.2, 18.8) | 24.8 (14.4, 10.4) | 22 (12.4, 9.6) | 24 | 27 (13, 14) |
| PWM Frequency | 113600 (75) | 26040 (50) | 118000 (49, 155) | 25000 (32) | 24000 (30) | |||||
| Screen | ||||||||||
| Brightness middle | 512 | 404 | 417 | 307 | 397 | 478 | 348 | 339 | 245 | 369 |
| Brightness | 491 | 371 | 395 | 296 | 394 | 462 | 341 | 317 | 228 | 334 |
| Brightness Distribution | 91 | 88 | 91 | 91 | 90 | 94 | 92 | 86 | 86 | 83 |
| Black Level * | 0.32 | 0.34 | 0.39 | 0.16 | 0.2 | 0.27 | 0.31 | 0.25 | 0.19 | 0.14 |
| Contrast | 1600 | 1188 | 1069 | 1919 | 1985 | 1770 | 1123 | 1356 | 1289 | 2636 |
| Colorchecker DeltaE2000 * | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.12 | 1 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 5.84 | 2.02 |
| Colorchecker DeltaE2000 max. * | 3.4 | 3.2 | 2.71 | 2.4 | 5.9 | 8.4 | 4 | 2.92 | 8.87 | 3.05 |
| Colorchecker DeltaE2000 calibrated * | 1 | 0.8 | 0.77 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 2 | 0.7 | 0.74 | 3.45 | 1.08 |
| Greyscale DeltaE2000 * | 1.9 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 2.8 | 2 | 6.35 | 2.34 |
| Gamma | 2.19 100% | 2.13 103% | 2207 0% | 2.18 101% | 2.48 89% | 2.16 102% | 2.07 106% | 2.238 98% | 2.4 92% | 2.44 90% |
| CCT | 6817 95% | 6480 100% | 6870 95% | 6492 100% | 7090 92% | 6788 96% | 6878 95% | 6631 98% | 6649 98% | 6552 99% |
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 77.4 | 63 | 65.1 | 61.4 | 63.1 | 63.6 | 69 | 39 | 63 | |
| Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 99.9 | 97.9 | 99.6 | 96.6 | 93.6 | 99.5 | 92 | 61 | 97 | |
| Heat | ||||||||||
| Maximum Upper Side * | 40.7 | 44.7 | 44 | 35 | 53 | 42.4 | 36.3 | 49 | 37.9 | 32.8 |
| Maximum Bottom * | 39.4 | 44.6 | 44 | 35.8 | 67.2 | 46.8 | 42 | 49 | 37.4 | 36.1 |
| Idle Upper Side * | 25.4 | 25.6 | 27 | 24.2 | 26.6 | 24.6 | 23.9 | 29 | 25 | 26 |
| Idle Bottom * | 25.1 | 25.6 | 27 | 24.6 | 27.7 | 24.4 | 24.8 | 30 | 25.1 | 26.3 |
| Battery Runtime | ||||||||||
| Reader / Idle | 1483 | 941 | ||||||||
| H.264 | 687 | 792 | 1068 | 624 | 1122 | 667 | 800 | 592 | ||
| WiFi v1.3 | 728 | 612 | 960 | 993 | 661 | 912 | 653 | 608 | 648 | 645 |
| Load | 127 | 255 | 76 | 78 | 103 | 89 | 115 | |||
| Power Consumption | ||||||||||
| Idle Minimum * | 3.8 | 5.7 | 1.9 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 2.9 | 7 | 3.4 | 3.5 |
| Idle Average * | 8.6 | 8.9 | 6.4 | 4.6 | 6.1 | 6.3 | 5.3 | 10 | 6.4 | 6.1 |
| Idle Maximum * | 10.3 | 11 | 7 | 7.7 | 10.4 | 6.8 | 7.1 | 14 | 8.2 | 8.7 |
| Load Average * | 52.1 | 38.2 | 25 | 28.4 | 45.6 | 43.2 | 30.7 | 63 | 29.3 | 46 |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 48.2 | 29.8 | 52 | 59 | 45 | |||||
| Load Maximum * | 65.2 | 40.2 | 30.3 | 65.1 | 68.6 | 67.7 | 55.3 | 65 | 43 | 66 |
* ... smaller is better
