A laptop is your constant companion throughout your lengthy school life. Whether working on assignments, joining online discussions, or simply taking a break between classes, you will always need a laptop.
The best part of a laptop is that it’s a gizmo for both work and entertainment. You would want an ideal laptop with reliable and powerful performance to handle your basic computing tasks and more professional software while allowing you to run the most popular games and binge-watch your favorite Netflix shows.
With a mass of laptops available in the market comes their confusing specifications, and we won’t be surprised if you get a headache when it comes to choosing the right one. Thankfully, we are here to recommend the best laptop for students that suit your major, whether you are an engineering, accounting, or medical student. Of course, we take pricing into account as well.
However, if none of our recommendations grabs your interest, you can always refer to our quick tips below on choosing a good laptop for studying.
Editor
Mae An NG chevron_right
Table of Contents
Top 10 Laptops for Students in Malaysia
Overview
Let your passion keep up with your exciting ride of learning with the MSI Modern 15. The AMD Ryzen 5 6-core processor not only can breeze through your overwhelmed schoolwork but also serves well in games.
The Modern 15 is a lightweight laptop for extreme mobility and stylish looks. Despite its ultra-slim chassis, this laptop meets military-grade durability to survive daily bumps and knocks. The 180-degree lay-flat and Flip-n-Share functions are worth mentioning, as they come in handy during screen sharing for a more productive workspace.
MSI Modern 15 B7M-248 Specifications
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7530U
- GPU: AMD Radeon Graphics
- Display: 6" FHD (1920*1080), 60Hz 45%NTSC IPS-Level
- RAM: 16GB
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Ports: 1x Type-C USB3.2 Gen2 with PD charging, 1x Type-A USB3.2 Gen2, 2x Type-A USB2.0, 1x Micro SD Card Reader, 1x HDMI™ 2.1 (4K @ 60Hz), 1x Mic-in/Headphone-out Combo Jack
- Dimensions: 319.0 (W) x 220.0 (D) x 16.9 (H) mm
Who is this for?
Whether you are busy completing your assignments or having stress-free moments, the MSI Modern 15 is your best companion. The highly portable laptop features a large 15.6-inch IPS-level display, producing beautiful FHD visuals for work and play. In addition, it provides all the ports you need, including USB-C, HDMI, and more.
Overview
The most recent Dell Inspiron 14 combines portability and productivity. The 14-inch display, with a 16:10 aspect ratio and FHD+ resolution, offers a comfortable viewing experience. Dell ComfortView Plus, the TÜV Rheinland-certified solution, minimizes harmful blue light emissions, keeping your eyes comfortable even during prolonged screen time.
The Inspiron laptop is designed for productivity. It features Intel's newly released 10-core processor and 8GB of DDR5 memory. The laptop's long battery life allows users to stay mobile and enjoy ExpressCharge capabilities, which recharge the battery up to 80% in an hour.
Dell Inspiron 14 (5440) Specifications
- CPU: Intel Core i5-1334U
- GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
- Display: 0-inch, 16:10, FHD+ (1920 x 1200), Anti-Glare, Non-Touch, 250nits, WVA Display with ComfortView Support
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Ports: 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C,1x SD-card slot
- Dimensions: 314.0 (W) x 226.15 (D) x 16.90 - 18.07 (H) mm
Who is it for?
Experience productivity on the go with the light and compact Dell Inspiron 14. The laptop has reasonable processing performance and is ideal for handling most daily tasks and multitasking. Its golden ratio 14.0-inch display offers a pleasant and comfortable view while preserving true-to-life color. One unique feature is the adaptive thermals, which keep your device cool and running smoothly.
Overview
One thing to highlight is that Apple is both a software developer and a hardware designer. This dual role allows the company to optimize MacOS based on the MacBook Air's hardware specifications. The MacBook Air can take on intensive tasks from professional-quality editing to action-packed gaming.
Developed to unlock the M1 chip's chips, macOS makes the entire system snappier and can easily handle everyday jobs for nursing students. You can keep your MacBook Air up to date, as Apple always releases software updates now and then.
Apple MacBook Air (M1) Specifications
- Year: 2021
- CPU: Apple M1 Chip
- GPU: Apple M1 Chip
- RAM: 8-16GB
- Storage: 256GB – 2TB SSD
- Display: 13.3-inch, Retina display with True Tone, Touch ID
- Weight: 1.29kg
- Ports: 2x Thunderbolt (USB-C), 1x 3.5mm headphone jack
- Dimensions: 304.1 (W) x 212.4 (D) x 4.1 - 16.1(H) mm
Who is it for?
Are you in a dilemma when it comes to choosing your next laptop? The Apple MacBook Air 13" is better for those who prefer a laptop with a simpler and more streamlined user interface. Especially for hectic nursing students, you will appreciate the straightforward and uncomplicated GUI the MacBook offers.
Overview
The brain of the ASUS TUF Dash 15 is an Intel Core i5-11300H processor. This quad-core processor offers good gaming performance while being able to crush your everyday tasks. Graphics are fast and fluid with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, allowing you to enjoy most modern games comfortably on high graphics settings at any supported resolution. It comes with 8GB of RAM, upgradeable to a maximum of 32GB so you can multitask seamlessly. Load times across apps and games are also super-fast with 512GB of SSD.
The Dash F15 display comes with wASUS'sUS'stive Sync to provide a better gaming experience. It improves the sluggish response time of IPS panels by dynamically adjusting the display's refresh rate. This, in turn, minimizes input lag and stuttering. Visual tearing can be eliminated to ensure ultra-smooth and immersive gameplay.
On display, the super-narrow bezels maximize screen space with minimal distraction, allowing you to see more from its large 15.6-inch FHD display without the hassle of zooming in. In addition, the antiglare display will enable you to use it in bright light settings without a noticeable reflection. There's also the design, which is superslim at 19.9mm thin, allowing it to slip easily into your backpack. Its solid body structure can also withstand accidental bumps and knocks while on the move.
ASUS TUF Dash F15 (FX516P-CHN013T) Specifications
- Year: 2021
- CPU: Intel Core i5-11300H
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Display: 15.6-inch, 1920x1080 pixels (FHD), IPS with antiglare
- Weight: 2.00kg
- Ports: 1x Thunderbolt 4, 3x USB 3.2, 1x HDMI 2.0b, 1x RJ45 LAN port, 1x 3.5mm combo audio jack
- Dimensions: 360.0 (W) x 252.0 (D) x 19.9 (H) mm
Who is it for?
No doubt, playing video games is one of the most common ways for most students to relax. And so, we are bringing in a gaming laptop with excellent performance for your assignment at a student-friendly price point. The ASUS TUF Dash F15 checks all the points of a student gaming laptop as it is fast, powerful, long-lasting, portable, and, most importantly, more budget-friendly than other gaming laptops.
Overview
Aside from its good graphics card, this is just an ordinary laptop so that you won’t find a ton of bells and whistles on this device. There are a few professional and privacy features, like a webcam cover and a fingerprint reader, but beyond that, there’s not a lot to say.
The port selection is impressive, to say the least, with support for VGA, HDMI, USB-C, Thunderbolt 4, ethernet, headphone jack, three USB-A ports, and even an SD card reader. This does contribute to its admittedly thicker size, though.
Acer Travelmate P2 Specifications
- Year: 2021
- Processor (CPU): Ryzen 5 5650U
- Display: 15.6” IPS 1080p
- RAM: 8GB DDR4
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Ports: 3x USB-A, 1x USB-C Thunderbolt 4, Ethernet, VGA, HDMI, SD card, 3.5mm headphone jack
- Weight: 3.97 lb
- Dimensions: 0.78”x14.3”x10”
Who is it for?
Acer Travelmate P2 is your best option if you’re more budget-conscious and do not want to spend RM 4000 on a laptop. It allows you to do the basics needed in a laptop for school or university and is also great for watching your favorite content. Whether it's document work or spreadsheets, the laptop can run these basic tasks while also making web tasks a breeze.
Overview
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is built for purposeful performance. Featuring a 12th-generation Intel Core i3 6-core processor, this laptop can be boosted up to 4.4GHz for maximized performance. Its 720p webcam with a built-in privacy shutter paired with Dolby Audio speakers allows interactive remote learning.
This budget laptop doesn’t compromise on connectivity. It supports a full range of essential I/O interfaces, including a USB-C port for ultra-fast data transfer, power delivery, and display.
Lenovo Ideapad 3 Specifications
- CPU: Intel Core i3-1215U
- GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
- Display: 15.6” FHD (1920x1080) TN 250nits Anti-glare
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Ports: 1x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C® 3.2 Gen 1 (support data transfer, Power Delivery and DisplayPort™ 1.2), 1x HDMI® 1.4b, 1x Headphone/microphone combo jack (3.5mm)
- Dimensions: 359.2 (W) x 236.5 (D) x 19.9 (H) mm
Who is this for?
For a tight budget below RM2000, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 offers the best bang for the buck. You’ll get an Intel Core i3 processor with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD, which is rare for budget laptops. The 15.6-inch FHD display has an anti-glare layer for a more comfortable view under exposed brightness.
Overview
Elevate your hectic life with the stylish, lightweight HP Laptop 14. Housing the latest Intel Core i5 processor, this laptop is built with dependable technology to turn your to-do lists into task-completed lists. Its compact and durable design suits those who are always on the move.
With HP Fast Charge, you can eliminate long hours of tethering to power outlets. The laptop can quickly recharge up to 50% of its battery level in just 45 minutes.
HP Laptop 14 Specifications
- GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- RAM: 4GB
- Storage: 512B SSD
- Display: 14.0-inch, 1920x1080 pixels (FHD) IPS, Acer ComfyView
- Weight: 1.45kg
- Ports: 2x USB 3.2 Gen port 1, 1x HDMI port, 1x RJ-45 Ethernet LAN port
- Dimensions: 328.0 (W) x 223.0 (D) x 17.95 (H) mm
Who is it for?
For nursing students with tight schedules and who are always on the go, we highly recommend the highly portable HP Laptop 14. Despite its featherweight at 1.4kg, the laptop is mighty in performance. The hybrid processor features more efficient cores for better multitasking. You can enjoy long-lasting battery life that claims up to 11 hours and 30 minutes on video playback.
Overview
Engineering and architecture students often need to open up 3D rendering of their work, something that relies heavily on your computer’s graphical prowess. As such, it's a good idea to invest in a gaming laptop with a decent graphics card and a powerful processor, such as the Lenovo Legion 5 with its Ryzen 5650U and RTX3060 card. While it might be a mid-range graphics card for gaming, it should be more than capable of running the kinds of programs students need to run.
The Ryzen CPU can also handle its fair share of intensive workload, although admittedly, it will be at the cost of the CPU fan going berserk. All in all, the Lenovo Legion 5 works great as both a gaming laptop and an engineering/architecture student’s workstation. \
Lenovo Legion 5 Specifications
- Year: 2021
- Processor (CPU): Intel Core i5-11400H
- Graphics (GPU): NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB
- Display: 15.6" IPS WQHD 165hz
- RAM: 8GB DDR4
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Ports: 4x USB-A, 2x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, 3.5mm headphone jack, power port
- Weight: 2.4 kg
- Dimensions: 362.56 x 260.61 x 22.5-25.75 mm
Who is it for?
Although the Lenovo Legion 5 was designed as a gaming laptop, it can be an excellent workstation for engineering and architecture students. The HDMI 2.1 port allows it to connect to top-of-the-line monitors at high resolution and frame rates, while the abundance of USB ports means you never have to carry around a dock. Aside from that, its processor, graphics, and other features make it great for intense work, which would be common for an engineering and architecture student.
Overview
A compact, convertible 2-in-1 laptop, the Yoga Duet 7i packs a lot in this tiny, unassuming package. With a top-of-the-line 11th gen Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM, everything from web browsing to more intensive work like video editing. Don’t count on it to do well in gaming, especially due to the lack of a dedicated graphics card.
Additionally, it comes with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, which open up a world of possibilities for connectivity. Whether it's for external displays or even eGPUs, the Lenovo Yoga Duet 7i can be improved even further.
Lenovo Yoga Duet 7i Specifications
- Year: 2021
- Processor (CPU): Intel Core i7-1165G7
- Graphics (GPU): Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Display: 13” IPS WQHD
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
- Storage: 1TB SSD
- Ports: 2x USB-C, 1x Thunderbolt 4, microSD card reader, 3.5mm headphone jack
- Weight: 802g
- Dimensions: 297.4 x 207.4 x 9.19 mm
Who is it for?
Whether you’re an art student looking for a drawing tablet or someone who doesn’t wanna carry around a heavy, bulky laptop, you might want to consider the Lenovo Yoga Duet 7i. Since it’s a 2-in-1 laptop, you can enjoy the best of both worlds: a tablet and a laptop. Besides, its stylishly slim design will perfectly fit your backpack without adding too much weight.
Overview
Lenovo’s Yoga Slim 7i Pro offers ultra-responsive and extraordinary performance thanks to its 11th-generation Intel Core i5 processor and Intel Iris Xe Graphics. However, being entry-level for both processor and graphics card, don’t expect the laptop to run power-hungry software and games. You may upgrade the integrated graphics card to the NVIDIA GeForce MX450 graphics if your budget allows.
The Yoga Slim 7i Pro has 8GB of RAM upgradeable to 16GB and 512GB of SSD upgradeable to 1TB for memory and storage. Its Flip-to-Boot feature automatically powers up your device when you open the lid, and no more login password is needed as the facial recognition technology securely logs you in instantly.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro (14) Specifications
- Year: 2021
- CPU: 11th-generation Intel Core i5
- GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Display: 14.0-inch, 2.8K (2880x1800) IPS, Dolby Vision, Glass
- Weight: 1.3kg
- Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB 3.2, 1x headphone/mic jack
- Dimensions: 312.4 (W) x 221.4 (D) x 14.6 - 16.9 (H) mm
Who is it for?
We think that the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro's sleek and professional look best fits the business students' image. Besides its aesthetic, the Yoga series gives a surprisingly good performance along with its other bells and whistles.
Tips On Choosing a Laptop for Studying
Tip 1: Decide on Your Budget
Laptop companies are coming out with different line-ups of laptops, ranging from high-end to medium and budget models. Of course, laptops with top-notch specifications will usually cost more. But that doesn’t mean that affordable laptops can’t give excellent output.
With a budget in mind, do your homework and survey around. Look for models that you can afford without burning a hole in your pocket. Dig deep enough for laptops that come with the best possible specifications and features.
Tip 2: Consider the curriculum
When it comes to computing, students from different fields have different needs. Eventually, it comes to your primary usage when owning a laptop. Depending on the degree programs, some might just need an inexpensive and simple system to run basics like word processing, web browsing, and email. Meanwhile, those in professional fields need their laptops to handle heavier tasks and more demanding software.
For engineering and architecture students, laptops with fast processors and decent graphics cards are a must. This is because of the need to constantly work on professional programming, designing, and editing software. A pair of large RAM and SSD are equally important.
Business students might appreciate features such as touchscreens and convertible form factors. These features make navigation simpler and faster while doing presentations. Laptops with lightweight and slim designs are more favorable among business students.
Tip 3: Laptop Design
A good laptop design should consider everything on the chassis, from the body, screen, keyboard, and trackpad down to the ventilation system. It’s a bonus point if the laptop has a stunning appearance. However, always remember that a laptop’s aesthetic should not be a deal-breaker.
Given that the display size has a direct impact on your productivity, it’s important to pick the right size for your usage. A larger screen size minimizes eye strain, giving you better viewing pleasure. If you constantly need to work in split screen, we recommend getting at least a 15.6-inch screen size. Also, bear in mind that a bigger screen means it’s heavier and space-consuming, making it less portable.
Ports are essential for device connection and file transfer. If possible, always get a laptop with at least three USB ports. You don’t want to run out of ports during file transfer or connecting devices. Do look for one that comes with a Micro SD slot if your assignment or work frequently involves transferring photos or content from a camera.
With these three tips in mind, we hope you can find the best laptop that suits your preferences and budget.
The Important Specs That Students Should Look Into
Processor:
The processor, also known as the CPU, is undoubtedly the main component that contributes the most to your laptop's performance. Thus, we highly recommend that you invest more in the processor instead of other insignificant hardware or features.
- Always go for the latest generation processor, no matter if you’re choosing an Intel or an AMD processor.
- We suggest getting an Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 processor, as these processors are suitable for most basic computing tasks.
- If you require more processing power, you can upgrade to the Intel Core i5 and AMD Ryzen 5 or an even more powerful processor, depending on how deep your pocket is.
Memory and Storage:
When it comes to laptop memory and storage, the more, the better. Memory is the component that allows short-term data access.
Activities include loading an application, editing a document, and surfing the internet to access data stored in your laptop's short-term memory. To find out its memory, look for DRAM on the laptop's specifications.
Meanwhile, storage is the ability to store and access data in the long term.
- Nowadays, storage comes in the form of SSDs, which are faster and more efficient than the previous generation of hard drives.
- Do ensure you get the SSD storage laptop, as it is faster than the HDD.
- This is because it also affects the time required to boot up your system, load, and access whatever documents or apps you’ve saved. Essentially, they greatly depend on your laptop storage.
Graphics Card:
Frankly speaking, a graphics card (GPU) is the least important specs on this list.
The reason is straightforward. You won’t utilize the graphics processing power most of the time if you do only word processing, streaming educational videos, or attending online classes.
- GPUs like the entry-level Intel Iris Xe Graphics and the AMD Radeon can suffice all your basic needs. Rest assured. You can run some lighter versions of professional software and even older AAA titles during your free time.
- For those who enjoy gaming, we recommend a discrete GPU such as the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650.