For most people: ultraportables are better than ever
The days of slow and restrictive ultraportables are behind us. Now, thanks to better processors, faster storage, and refined designs, you can get a slim and lightweight laptop that will easily stay with you for years. If you’ve been following Engadget closely, none of this should come as a surprise. Ultraportables like Dell’s XPS 13, HP’s Specter x360, and Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Pro have been some of our top-rated devices. (And personally, while I love having access to a powerful desktop at home, I still spend most of my time typing on thin laptops. I can’t take my computer to the park.)
Will Lipman Photography
Last year, we were waiting for the arrival of tenth-generation Intel processors, which promised faster speeds, greater energy efficiency, and improved graphics. Those CPUs are widely available now, so you can even do some basic gaming on a slim machine. But things are even more interesting in 2020 thanks to AMD’s new Ryzen chips, which offer multi-core performance and even better graphics power than Intel hardware. While AMD laptops used to be relegated to the bargain bin, they now include impressive options like the 15-inch Surface Laptop 3 and the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14.
Convertible ultraportables, such as the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 and the aforementioned Specter x360, are also worth a closer look, which feature slightly higher priced rotary displays. They can be used as huge tablets, but in reality you’re likely to just flip those screens to watch Netflix in bed. These machines are now as light as normal clams, and a little more versatile for anyone who wants to get their keyboard out of the way. They also usually support styluses, which could be useful for jotting down notes or scribbling.
Ultraportables: what to look for:
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The 9th and 10th generation Intel CPUs, or AMD’s Ryzen 4000 line. (Avoid anything that is more than two years old, if you want your computer to last a while.)
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8 GB of minimum RAM, 16 GB of RAM ideally. (If you’re considering 32GB, you may want to see a gaming or productivity machine.)
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Minimum 512GB SSD, 1TB if you can balance it. (You’ll start feeling the limits of a 256GB drive in a year.)
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10 hours minimum battery life.
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Brilliant displays, slim bezels, and, if you can afford it, OLED and HDR. Avoid 4K updates as they are not very noticeable on 13-inch screens.
For players: you have many options
Last year, lighter gaming laptops (under 5lbs) were all the rage. And to be honest, not much has changed. Laptops like the Razer Blade 15 and Alienware M15 provide most of the power you’d expect from desktop computers just a few years ago. And unlike the gaming notebooks of yesteryear, they’re not a difficult task to carry around (remember, these things used to weigh over 10 pounds!).
Unlike ultraportables, which generally have 13-inch displays, gaming notebooks typically offer 15-inch displays. Although they’re only a few inches bigger, those screens do a better job of diving into whatever you’re playing. And if you don’t mind a few more pounds, there are still 17-inch displays.
However, you would think long before looking at the few 13-inch gaming laptops like the Blade Stealth. It’s an impressive machine, but it’s woefully expensive and only slightly lighter than the Blade 15. The best alternative is the ASUS Zephyrus G14, a powerful (and surprisingly affordable) laptop that weighs just 3.5 pounds. It has a spacious 14-inch screen, and is one of the first machines to run AMD’s new Ryzen 4000 CPUs.
Pay special attention to the screen refresh rate on a gaming laptop. The faster you are, the smoother your game will be at high frame rate. If you’re getting a machine with a top-of-the-line GPU like NVIDIA’s RTX 2080, you’ll want the highest update rate you can get. And at least, get a 120Hz machine, which will give you a healthy upgrade from the standard 60Hz we’re used to.
Games: what to look for:
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9th and 10th Gen Intel H-Series CPUs, or AMD Ryzen 4000 CPUs
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NVIDIA GTX 1650, GTX 1660 Ti or AMD RX 5500M minimum
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For more power, consider an RTX 2060 or 2070, especially if you want to spit the game out to a 4K set.
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At least 16 GB of RAM.
For multimedia students: get more power
If you want to edit video, music, or do serious 3D rendering, you’ll need more than just a regular ultraportable. That’s where the most powerful workhorse machines come in, like the Dell XPS 15 and the 16-inch MacBook Pro. Like gaming laptops, these generally come with larger screens and cases to fit more robust CPUs and GPUs. But multimedia notebooks are less flashy, making them stand out less in a conference room or office, and often come with more convenient ports, such as SD card readers and a host of USB connections.
Sure, you’ll sacrifice some portability by opting for a larger multimedia machine, but the compensation is worth it. Every second you save when processing a project is time you can really spend enjoying your student life. And having more power will also come in handy when working on larger projects like 4K feature films, where rendering can take several hours.
Multimedia: what to look for:
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9th or 10th generation Intel H-series CPUs, or AMD Ryzen 4000 chips. In this case, the more cores, the better.
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At least 16GB of RAM, but consider 32GB if you can afford it. You can never have too much memory when it comes to massive files.
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NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti or AMD Radeon RX5500M minimum.
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At least 512 GB of NVMe SSD storage, along with additional space for larger SATA SSDs.
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All ports you will need to connect to accessories.
So what about Microsoft Chromebooks and Surface tablets?
Chromebooks are incredibly popular in schools for a reason: They’re often inexpensive, fast, and don’t need a lot of maintenance. But they are also restricted to using only web applications, which is not ideal if you need to run specialized software for your courses.
I would consider a Chromebook to be a great secondary machine if you just want something small to travel with, while your most powerful laptop (or desktop computer) stays at home. As the primary laptop, Chromebooks are only a good choice if you’re sure you’ll never have to deal with multimedia applications. And even then, I recommend being cautious – check out our Chromebook buyer’s guide for help. You never know how you can change your course load in a few years. (Many people change their careers, trust me!)
And as much as I enjoy Microsoft’s Surface Pro machines, their small screens and slightly dated designs (check out those bezels) won’t age well in the next four years. However, the Surface Laptop 3 is a solid school laptop, despite its thick edges. The Surface Book 2 could also be a great option if you find it for sale, but it would keep me away from the expensive and underpowered Book 3.
Will Lipman Photography
How do I buy a laptop during the pandemic?
Normally, I would say that you should try to get a notebook before buying one. But these are not normal times. While some stores may reopen in the coming months, it’s probably not the best idea to operate a computer that hundreds of other people have touched. (And if you really want to, wear gloves and be sure to disinfect later.)
It would be best for most people to try to do as much research as possible online (perhaps with the help of a trusted gadget blog). Read as many reviews as you can, dive into YouTube tools, really obsess over the notebook you want. And after all that, there is a good chance that you will learn if it is right for you. (If you need help with accessories, check out our tips from last year.)
When you’re ready to buy, be sure to shop at a store with an easy and generous return policy. This is a case where saving a few dollars from an eBay seller could end up costing you more in the long run.
