Top College Laptops for 2024: Elevate Your Academic Experience

From fishnet dresses to boyfriend blush, the top summer trends are reviving our wardrobes and vanities this season. So why would we neglect our tech arsenal? Like the standout runway fashion that is now touching down on the streets, the 2024 college laptop trends will imbue your academic and personal endeavors with a fresh reset.

From New York to Paris, laptops have played a key role in themes of countless recent collections. Case in point: In February in Manhattan, Lenovo’s Legion 7i was a “nod to the concept of making the everyday sublime—even a trip to the library,” the show notes said. The momentum of high-performance laptops remained strong through Paris Tech Week. With their Fall/Winter 2024 collections, both young tech brands such as Asus and heritage houses like Microsoft gave us archetypes of students who embraced technology with abandon, asking: Why not? Why not clip a powerful processor to your academic toolkit, à la Lenovo? Or wrap an OLED display around your study sessions, as displayed by Asus?

The teeming supply of laptops, tablets, and 2-in-1 devices has magnified the transformative power of technology in education and made the case for enjoying it every day. From sleek, lightweight designs primed for portability to high-refresh-rate displays that embrace a gaming spirit, here are the seven top college laptop trends to enjoy this academic year.

1. Sleek and Stylish

From Lenovo to Asus, designers fostered their own crops of sleek and stylish laptops for Fall/Winter ’24. Lenovo’s signature brushed aluminum finishes blossomed in laptops, tablets, and 2-in-1 devices—you name it—while Asus showcased cascading OLED displays. At Microsoft, crisp 2024-inspired designs were adorned with plots of high-refresh-rate screens, which captured a modern spirit, similar to this Lenovo Legion 7i available on Amazon.

Whether you’re enchanted by laptops dripping with high-performance components or charmed by lightweight builds, plenty of sleek designs are primed for picking this month. Poised for a Rolodex of academic tasks and personal projects, the stylish shapes can add a tinge of sophistication to your college experience.

Lenovo Legion 7i

• Pros: Sleek design, lightweight for a gaming laptop, high-refresh-rate IPS display, good battery life, quiet fan noise.
• Cons: No OLED display, not the most powerful CPU.

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2. Affordable and Functional

If the runways are any indication, affordability will take on new meaning come winter. After all, why search for a new device when you can have all the functionality you need at a budget-friendly price? Until then, this summer’s academic wardrobe staples leave plenty of real estate to stack affordable laptops as you please. Take a cue from Asus and complement a lightweight build with a high-quality OLED display, or embrace Lenovo’s rustic flavor of budget-friendly performance, with a mix of good battery life and a comfortable typing experience.

Asus Vivobook S14

• Pros: Affordable price, 14-inch OLED display, lightweight aluminum build, long battery life, good typing experience.
• Cons: Not exceptionally powerful, limited standout features.

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3. High-Performance Gaming

Razer wasn’t the only designer to bring high performance to the catwalk this season. At Razer, the cast of models wore full, high-performance laptops, featuring powerful CPUs, GPUs, and stunning OLED displays—a wink to their commitment to gaming excellence. From demure designs to high-end gaming rigs, these powerful novelties prove that the tech stand is not the only place to get high performance this season. Whether you’re looking to add a slice of something new to your gaming setup or want to infuse your study sessions with a performance twist, these laptops demonstrate that some treats are meant to be enjoyed, not just packed in the tech bag.

Razer Blade 16

• Pros: Gorgeous OLED display, high performance, well-rounded design.
• Cons: Very expensive.

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4. Versatile 2-in-1 Devices

While traditional laptops reached new heights this season, in another camp, a standout class of 2-in-1 devices reflected a lexicon of versatility and functionality. At Acer, the Spin 514’s convertible design bore resemblance to those used by the likes of multitasking students. In homage to another icon, Lenovo’s admiration for versatile devices seemed to have been rekindled in their Fall/Winter ’24 collection. Their detachable keyboards felt like a revival of the bold, irreverent application of versatility to technology. Acer likewise adopted convertible designs, and we love to see it—anything that allows you to feel more productive this time of year is surely a good idea, even if you can’t use it in every mode all the time! From classic convertible shapes to options with a premium twist, our favorite 2-in-1 devices are here.

Acer Chromebook Spin 514

• Pros: Great performance, robust build quality, all-day battery life.
• Cons: Pricier side for a Chromebook, not the most expensive but still higher than budget models.

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5. Premium Design and Battery Life

A tech box is an adult’s play chest—especially if it includes premium designs. This fall, yours could too, if you manage to snag a Microsoft Surface Laptop 15. And even as we wait for those to hit the market, the tech world has plenty to offer. Just last month, Microsoft released an exciting new model that features a haptic touchpad and incredible battery life. This revival of a premium staple rekindles a sense of sophistication and brings a spirit of elegance and functionality to the tech box. And what better time to be reminded of premium quality than long academic days that leave space to dream? From a high-end processor to a beautiful design, we handpicked a few pieces that evoke that premium spirit.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 15

• Pros: Incredible battery life, premium design, haptic touchpad, good port selection.
• Cons: Expensive, not significantly better than cheaper alternatives.

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6. Compact and Lightweight

Plump designs mirroring compact and lightweight builds came to life in laptops across a variety of fall collections. At Dell, the XPS 13’s slim and lightweight design resembled the works of 20th-century tech designers who drew inspiration from portability, such as the original ultrabooks. Taking a detour in favor of brighter pops of color and cosmic proportions, Dell featured compact and lightweight builds, primed for a gumball machine. Whatever your preference, compact laptops offer a refreshing way to update simple basics, like your go-to study sessions or travel needs.

Dell XPS 13 2022

• Pros: Compact and lightweight, competitive pricing, updated hardware and new color options.
• Cons: Controversial design changes, modest power level with CPU integrated graphics.

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7. Budget-Friendly Options

If one tech trend stood out most this season, it was budget-friendly options, which rose to the forefront. Rekindling the sense of affordability that defined the early 2020s, laptops took on a life of their own, in budget-friendly prices and functional designs. Taking cues from the era that hyperbolized practicality, designers from Lenovo to Acer showcased budget-friendly laptops en masse, leveraging a mix of affordability and functionality. In the tech world, Lenovo’s IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook exceeded the expectations of a budget-friendly device, brushing against the collars of more expensive alternatives. And what better time to embrace this trend than the academic year, when a practical device is the M.O. and your budget is left to bask in the savings? Consider letting them have their moment in the spotlight by swapping high-end devices for a more budget-friendly alternative. Whether you take a cue from Lenovo and don a budget-friendly Chromebook or opt for a more versatile 2-in-1 device, similar to Acer’s, there are plenty of ways to enjoy budget-friendly tech.

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook

• Pros: Low price, two-in-one design, excellent battery life.
• Cons: Not particularly powerful, small screen not ideal for media immersion.

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Conclusion

The 2024 college laptop trends are all about embracing technology with style, functionality, and affordability. From sleek and stylish designs to high-performance gaming rigs, there is a laptop for every student’s needs and preferences. Whether you’re looking for a budget-friendly option or a premium device with incredible battery life, these top college laptops will elevate your academic experience and make your study sessions more enjoyable. So why not embrace the latest trends and invest in a laptop that will help you succeed in your academic journey?