A laptop is a student's friend. They need it for every little and big activity they do. From part-time jobs, to completing projects to other regular uses, laptops have to go through intense usage at all times.
Seeing as it is for students, the budget is usually low. But you won't find good laptops that come at super cheap prices, especially for the heavy usage students require.
Our advice is to look for mid-range to high-end laptops that can be considered as investments and will last the students at least their first four years of college.
Before buying a laptop, we like to check the brand because it plays a big part in how the service is going to be. Today we will be discussing about the best HP laptop for college students.
HP is a popular laptop brand amongst students because you get some great models at mid-range prices, which is what students are always looking for.
Contents
PRODUCT | DISPLAY | PROCESSOR | STORAGE | PRICE |
---|---|---|---|---|
Newest HPZbook 15V G5 | 15.6-inch FHDTouchscreen | 8th GenerationIntel Six-Corei7-8750H | 2TB PCIe NVMeSSD and 2TB HDD | |
HP Spectrex360 | 15.6-inch 4KUHD Touch-Screen | 7th GenerationIntel Core i7-8550U | 512GB PCI-e SSD | |
HP PavilionPower | 15-inch FullHD IPS | 7th GenerationIntel Core i7-7700HQ | 1TB HDD and128GB SSD | |
HP Envy X360 | 15.6-inch FHDIPS Touchscreen | AMD Quad-Core Ryzen 52500U | 256GB PCle SSD | |
HP Stream | 11.6-Inch HD(1366 x 768) | Intel X5-E8000 | 32 GB eMMC | |
HP PavilionX360 | 14-inch(1920 x 1080)FHD IPS | 8th GenerationIntel Core I5-8265U | 1 TB HDD and128GB SSD | |
HP Pavilion | 14-inch HD(1366×768) | 7th GenerationIntel Core i5-7200U | 1TB HDD | |
HP Notebook | 15.6-inch HD(1366 x 768) | 7th GenerationIntel Core i3-7100U | 1TB HDD | |
HP 2-in-1Chromebook | 12.3-inch 2KTouch-Screen | 7th GenerationIntel Core M-7Y30 | 32GB eMMCRAM: 4GB | |
HP PavilionFlagship | 15.6-inch FullHD (1920 x 1080)IPS Touchscreen | 8th GenerationIntel Core i7-8550U | 256GB SSD |
The HP Zbook 15V G5 can be called one of the finest computers for college students because it comes with a heap of storage space and a lot of memory, both of which are crucial to students and their performance.
With a combination of a 2TB SSD and a 2TB HDD, the storage space itself more than enough for most students out there. Not to mention, having the SSD also ensures that speed will not become a concern in the near future.
You also get the Intel Six-Core i7-8750H processor with 6 cores for extra power and hailing from the 8th generation, making it fairly new. This makes sure that whatever you decide to spend here becomes an investment for the future as the device continues to serve you well for a good while.
For the graphics unit, you get a discrete GPU. The NVIDIA Quadro P600 is a good addition to this already great laptop that enables you to play games as well without having to go out of your way to install one separately.
The Spectre x360 is a good choice for students who want the most flawless screens for their work. This is mostly useful for students studying arts or architecture, where the finest resolution is required as well as a touchscreen, both of which you get here.
You get a 4K resolution, which is deemed the finest in the market, on an IPS display. Moreover, the NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphics further adds to this display to make it even better and provide vibrant, detailed, and bright visuals.
Thanks to this graphics unit, you can also play games all you want when you are not working on projects.
For the processor, you have the Core i7, from the 8th generation and four cores. All of this contributes a lot of power which is required for students in architecture or similar fields where various software has to be used. This powerful processor ensures that the laptop can handle all that load while continuing to provide full speeds.
The design itself is also very school-friendly with its 360-degree flip-and-fold. Now you can use it in classes for taking notes, or open it back up when you require a full-fledged laptop setup.
Even though this is a fairly slim and lightweight laptop, it comes with a Thunderbolt port that lets you connect the device to external drives and advanced monitors. And this as a student is often required, making it a fine addition to the overall laptop.
If you are keen on gaming or have to work on 3D models or similar work that revolves around flawless displays, the HP Pavilion Power is a good option to check out.
It comes with the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, which is known to be one of the finest in the market today. With this, the display becomes clear, colors are brighter and more vivid, and the overall screen gets a boost. This in addition to the full HD IPS display provides wide viewing angles and crystal-clear images.
For the processor, you get the Intel(R) Core (TM) i7-7700HQ. If you notice the HQ in the end, it denotes that the processor is more powerful than its counterparts and can provide the finest performance and speed.
It helps to ease the multitasking where you can work on various projects and download games in the background simultaneously without facing any sort of lag.
For storage, you get the perfect balance of a high 1TB storage space in an HDD. As for speed and performance, you get a 128GB SSD that provides better responsiveness and faster booting times.
For the ones who get easily confused by too many specifications and want a simple laptop that boasts good features overall, this Envy X360 will prove to be a good choice.
It comes with impressive features in every corner that make it suitable for all students out there, and can even take on hardcore games.
You get the Quad-Core Ryzen 5 2500U processor with a 2.0 GHz base frequency. Hence, you can expect good speed and performance without having to face the ever so dreadful lag.
The 8GB memory is well suited to all kinds of multi-tasking and will let you work on numerous things at once without facing any freezing screens. Plus, the 256GB SSD storage makes sure the device has a good enough storage space alongside high speeds all through.
Connectivity is one of the strong suits of this laptopas it boasts a long line of ports. As a student you will find out how important this feature is, especially when you are working outside the dorm and have to connect with other devices.
If you are on a budget and want a small and compact laptop to get you through all the basic college projects, then check out the HP Stream. It is a fairly small laptop, making it the perfect companion to take to class for taking notes or participating in in-class discussions.
You get the Intel x5-e8000 quad-core processor which is well suited for all the basic actives college students have to perform. From creating presentations to finishing reports and binging on Netflix afterward.
Now, even though this is small, do not underestimate what it brings to the table. The Bios recovery and protection feature helps to auto check the laptop's health while protecting the device from unauthorized access.
The laptop has a pretty impressive battery life of 9 hours and 15 minutes. You probably will not be using it for this long without a charging port either way, but this surely comes in handy for emergency cases.
College students require a good balance between a sufficient screen size and a lightweight laptop. It has to be lightweight enough to be able to carry to class or the library. On the other hand, it cannot be too small, which would be bothersome when you are actually working on it.
For the right balance, we suggest that you go for screens that measure between 14 and 16 inches. These are not too big or small, but are lightweight enough to carry every day. And you can easily use all the MS Office tools, read PDFs and watch videos without having to squint.
If you are a regular student who does not have a lot of specific requirements from the laptop, an Intel Core i5 processor, or its equivalent the Ryzen 5 is a good one to have. This has a good balance of price and speed, and you will be more than happy with the performance for school work as well as entertainment.
However, if you are an engineering or computer science student, look at the Core i7 or the Ryzen 7 processors. These are a step up from the i5 or Ryzen 5 and provide better performance.
You will be using more sophisticated software, will be performing data analysis, and might have to work on other applications like Java or Python as well.
All of these and similar software require a higher speed for proper performance. If you do not want the laptop to freeze amidst analyzing data during class, go for the i7 processor.
Look for models that end in a K or HQ. These have 4 cores for better performance, and hence are well suited for fast-paced work or gaming.
When looking for Hewlett Packard laptops for students, look for at least an 8GB RAM. Multitasking plays a big part in college, whether you think about projects or entertainment.
And for that you need a good memory, otherwise you will have to experience a lot of lags and freezing screens, which are the absolute worst.
Unless the work revolves around complicated functions like 3D rendering or data analysis, and you are a heavy gamer, you do not require a dedicated graphics unit.
The integrated ones that come with these laptops are powerful enough to provide you with a flawless screen.
Remember, a dedicated GPU will up your costs as well, so unless you really require one, it might end up being a waste of money.
You two main choices between storage is the SSD or the HDD, or a combination of both like most newer models provide. If you are on an absolutely tight budget, go for the HDD, but remember to get a high storage space. It will slightly make up for the speed lost.
On the other hand, if the work demands speed primarily, go for an SSD, and use another device or cloud storage for backing up files.
If budget is not a concern, we highly recommend going for laptops that come with both.
2021 Newest HP 15 Business Laptop, 15.6" HD Touchscreen, 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 - Walmart Link
LG Gram 17Z90P Laptop 17" IPS Ultra-Lightweight, (2560 x 1600), Intel Evo 11th gen Core - Walmart Link
2021 Newest HP 14" HD Laptop for Business and Student, Intel Celeron N4020(up to 2.8GHz), - Walmart Link
2021 HP 14 inch HD Laptop Newest for Business and Student, AMD Athlon Silver 3050U (Beat - Walmart Link
HP Chromebook 14-inch Laptop with 180-Degree Swivel, AMD Dual-Core A4-9120 Processor, 4 - Walmart Link
2020 Newest HP 14 inch HD Laptop for Business and Student, AMD Athlon Silver 3050U (Beat - Walmart Link
HP Stream 14inch HD(1366x768) Display, Intel Celeron N4000 Dual-Core Processor, 4GB RAM, - Walmart Link
1.Newest HP Zbook 15V G5 - Walmart Link
i7-7500U), 8GB DDR4, 256GB PCle SSD, AMD Radeon Vega 8 802.11ac Backlit Keyboard Windows Ink Win 10"> - Walmart Link
2021 Newest HP 15 Business Laptop, 15.6" HD Touchscreen, 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 - eBay Link
LG Gram 17Z90P Laptop 17" IPS Ultra-Lightweight, (2560 x 1600), Intel Evo 11th gen Core - eBay Link
2021 Newest HP 14" HD Laptop for Business and Student, Intel Celeron N4020(up to 2.8GHz), - eBay Link
2021 HP 14 inch HD Laptop Newest for Business and Student, AMD Athlon Silver 3050U (Beat - eBay Link
HP Chromebook 14-inch Laptop with 180-Degree Swivel, AMD Dual-Core A4-9120 Processor, 4 - eBay Link
2020 Newest HP 14 inch HD Laptop for Business and Student, AMD Athlon Silver 3050U (Beat - eBay Link
HP Stream 14inch HD(1366x768) Display, Intel Celeron N4000 Dual-Core Processor, 4GB RAM, - eBay Link
1.Newest HP Zbook 15V G5 - eBay Link
i7-7500U), 8GB DDR4, 256GB PCle SSD, AMD Radeon Vega 8 802.11ac Backlit Keyboard Windows Ink Win 10"> - eBay Link
Don't look at a laptop as a financial burden, instead look at it as an investment that will get you through college and the loads of assignments you will have to do.
It obviously has to be a laptop that comes with a good CPU to provide you with all that power.
If you're into gaming, then maybe look into laptops with discrete GPUs as well. A good battery can be a lifesaver if you study outdoors.
Factors like these and many more together make the best HP laptop for college students. So take your time, do a little research so you can end up with a device that has been designed with your work in mind.
About Dror Wettenstein
Dror Wettenstein is a software engineer and entrepreneur with more than 15 years of experience in the industry. He is the founder of TechTreeRepeat, a company that enables technical writers to publish their work faster and share it with readers across the globe. Dror has a master’s degree in computer science from San Diego State University and a bachelor’s degree in physics from UC Irvine.
When he’s not working on software projects, Dror enjoys writing articles and essays on various topics. He also likes playing guitar and spending time with his wife and two young children.
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