To achieve their more-affordable price tags, these cheaper options all make serious trade-offs-in shorter battery life, bulkier size, or more-limited functionality-and they’re not likely to last as long as our picks.

We also have more portable picks if you’re able to spend more, and for anyone on a tighter budget, we have less expensive options that are also well suited for younger kids who are learning remotely. Our top pick offers the best balance of all those factors for most high school and college students, whether they’re attending classes remotely or schlepping it to a physical classroom. A laptop’s price-to-performance ratio is the most important factor, followed by battery life, size and weight, keyboard and trackpad, and good-enough performance.

We test dozens of laptops every year, and for this guide we’ve rounded up the picks from our other guides that are the best for students. But choosing the right laptop can be more challenging than writing a thousand words on Proust. Minimum purchase amount may be requiredCollege is expensive-including tuition, housing, and textbooks, not to mention food and other miscellaneous costs-so students need a reliable laptop that’ll last for years of taking notes, writing papers at 3 in the morning, and editing slides for a group project. You must purchase this item with your Dell Preferred Account and must have adequate available credit to take advantage of this promotion. Qualifying for the Dell Preferred Account does not guarantee offer of promotional financing features. Subject to credit approval by WebBank, Member FDIC, who determines qualifications for and terms of credit. Promotional financing features apply only to the amount purchased with the Dell Preferred Account. Minimum monthly payments are required, but may not pay your purchase in full by the end of the promotional period due to purchase amount, promotion length, additional purchases or allocation of payments in excess of the minimum payment. You must have adequate available credit to purchase. Interest will be charged to your account at the Standard Rate from the transaction posting date if the purchase balance is not paid in full by the end of the promotional period. The “6 Months No Interest if Paid in Full by October 2022'' promotional financing includes new purchases $299 or more purchased with your Dell Preferred Account. Interest will be charged to your account from the transaction posting date if the purchase balance is not paid in full within 6 mos. No interest if paid in full within 6 mos on $299+^ Corporate & Government Employee Discounts.

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Laptop deals for college students 2015