9 Best Laptops For Psychology Students & Majors in 2024
Since 2019, I and my colleagues reviewed so many laptops for psychology students. But as time passed, the technology got more advanced hence for 2024 we just reviewed 9 new best laptops for psychology students.
Studying can be tiresome, and it is even more irritating when your laptop doesn’t work well. Working slowly or in storage is a challenge most students have to face. And it gets even worse if you don’t have enough storage for your laptop to save your files.
You will need a lovely laptop if you want to get a degree in psychology. Maybe not your budget, but you have to have value for money. It’s important.
As a psychology student, as you work on your assignments, you will do a lot of research and thus handle the many tabs you will have to open while researching.
A laptop is necessary before you are granted the majority of research as a major in brain science.
And as a student, I know that most of you don’t have much time to read the whole article. Hence for quick decision-makers, the Apple MacBook Air 2023 and ASUS Zenbook Pro 14 can be a perfect pick as best laptops for psychology students
Many sophisticated research studies, minute nerve cells studies, and other phenomena apply to comprehend the behavior and for this to happen, you need to have the best laptop as a psychological student that may be one of your trustworthy friends and one of the best laptops for psychologists like you.
With a laptop, you can take educational notes.
This method is faster than manually taking notes with pen or pencil, and more flexible because the lecturer might change something in their presentation during class so it’s not possible to catch up at home later when reviewing your lecture slides from earlier that day.
Now before jumping into the review of the 9 best laptops for psychology students like you, I suggest you go through the Know-How about how to make the right pick.
How to Make the Right Pick as a Student
As a psychology student, you need to purchase the appropriate laptop for your profession. Picking out any will do in theory but it’s important that you’ve considered what specifications are needed based on various factors and made sure they meet them all before purchasing one.
Be mindful of weight as well- most students can’t lug around anything heavier than 5 pounds without getting uncomfortable or feeling strained (and some universities may even mandate this).
Relatedly, consider screen size too: if there is no specific reason why Full HD displays would be preferred over others then I don’t see much point in buying an expensive computer with such a display when 1920 × 1080 pixels could handle everything just fine anyway – something cheaper might work better since laptops are already costly enough!
Also, You want something that has a good processor with 8GB of RAM at a minimum and is within your budget range. But there are so many options out there! To help make things easier on yourself, remember these 5 key features when looking: 1) Weight 2) Battery 3) Processor 4) Memory 5) Price.
Best Laptops For Psychology Students
- Apple MacBook Air 2023 – Best Laptop For Psychology Students
- ASUS Zenbook Pro 14 – Best Windows Laptop For Psychology Students
- MSI Creator 17 Professional Laptop – Heavy-Duty Laptops For Students
- Dell XPS 13 (9310) – Touchscreen Laptops For Psychology Majors
- LG gram 17Z90Q – Lightweight Laptop For Psychologists
- Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7420 – Affordable Laptop
- ASUS VivoBook S14 S432 – Best Laptop for Note-taking
- Microsoft Surface Book 3 – Perfect for Presentations
- Acer Aspire 5 – A Budget Student’s Laptop
Apple MacBook Air 2023 – Best Laptop For Psychology Students
REASONS TO BUY
- Reasonably a good laptop for students
- Future-proofed
- Equipped with 1080p FaceTime HD Camera AND Touch ID
- Comes with the best battery life
REASONS TO AVOID
- Fewer port options
- Not for gaming
Specification of reviewed device is: CPU: Apple M2 Chip | GPU: M2 10-core GPU | Display: 15.3-inch Liquid Retina Display (2880 x 1864), 60Hz | Memory: 8GB RAM | Storage: 256GB SSD | Tested Battery life: 1050 minutes | OS: macOS Ventura 13 | Material: Aluminum | Weight: Approximately 3.2 pounds
The first laptop is the one that ticks all the key features that a student should look for in a laptop.
A No-brainer for me, the 2023 Apple MacBook Air is the best student laptop you can have.
What makes this laptop perfect for students is its battery life which is around 17 hours and weight which is 3.2 lbs, which means you can use this laptop for hours without having any worries about it getting low on power.
Because nowadays, most students instantly go for iPhones, having a MacBook Air would be a perfect addition for easy note-sharing via AirDrop.
If you’re someone like me who is entangled with Apple Ecosystem, this MBA is a blessing in disguise.
And because this laptop is fanless, it can be your study-alone partner who would attain pin-drop silence.
Now the most selling feature of this laptop is its M2 chip which is insane. I mean, It’s again a giant leap to handle almost all of your tasks.
The 10-core GPU that comes along with M2 is well enough to handle Video/Graphic Editing Software which I’m sure you would need when making unique presentations then your mates.
In short, the M2 chip is the reason behind MBA’s neck-chilling performance which can enable you to open 20 chrome tabs during your studies.
This 2023 MacBook Air comes in two sizes but the 15-inch variant is recommended for students as it delivers more beautiful details with its Liquid Retina display with 2560 × 1600 resolution at 224 pixels per inch, which supports True Tone technology (which changes the color temperature of the display according to the ambient light).
The storage consists of 256GB/512GB/1TB SSD. However, for psychology students, 256GB is preferred. And same goes for 8GB unified RAM.
I was happy when I first noticed that Apple’s iconic wedge-shaped design is no longer part of this new 2023 MacBook Air, it retains its distinguished features, including MagSafe charging, Touch ID, and the scissor-switch keyboard with an upgraded 1080p webcam in addition.
With the ability to connect with other Apple devices in the flick of an eye, I think this MBA is the best laptop for studies. But, if you think in your free time this laptop would let you play high-title games on it then it might leave you disappointed.
ASUS Zenbook Pro 14 – Best Windows Laptop For Psychology Students
REASONS TO BUY
- It has a brighter screen with a brilliant design
- Worth every penny with i9 9th gen CPU and RTX 4060 GPU
- Comes with OLED display
- Made up of Aluminum and is easy to carry
- Has unique features like DialPad and is Touchscreen
REASONS TO AVOID
- Quite sensitive to use
- Sometimes, it does get overheated.
Specification of reviewed device is: CPU: 13th Generation Intel Core i9-13900H | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 | Display: 14.5-inch OLED Touch Display (2880 x 1800), 120Hz | Memory: 16GB DDR5 4800MHz RAM| Storage: 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD | Tested Battery life: 420 minutes | OS: Windows 11 Home | Material: Aluminum | Weight: Approximately 3.6 pounds
2nd laptop is a combination of intense power and luxurious design philosophy. ASUS Zenbook Pro 14 is a Windows Laptop that is one of the most valuable for money WHY? Well, because it comes with Intel i9-13900H CPU and GeForce RTX 4060 GPU and that’s what makes this laptop special.
With a weight of around 3.6 lbs, you can carry it anywhere you want. The specs of this laptop ARE gaming laptop level but in reality, this laptop is a fine notebook with its slimmer design and directly capable of competing with over-the-roof costing laptops.
There are so many things to talk about this laptop such as ErgoLift Hinge which make this laptop ergonomically fine for long class session and is needed to handle behemoth level RTX 4060 heating issues.
If we do the math here, only 9th Gen i9 and RTX 4060 would fill the price that this laptop comes with. God knows how Asus is doing this.
Oh forgot about the display, this laptop comes with an OLED touch screen and size is 14.6-inch with 2880 x 1800 pixels equipped with 550 nits of brightness and a 120Hz refresh rate so that you can use it under bright sunlight and this feature is also in 2023 MBA if I forgot to mention.
ZenBook Pro 14 has a sturdy aluminum body, which is lightweight and weighs only 3.6 lbs, making it easier to carry around the premises.
Didn’t talk about its 16GB RAM and 1TB storage, but I hope you get the point of its usability.
One of my favorite things about this laptop is that you can also play high-end or upcoming games in this laptop thanks to its RTX 4060 but on a faster-draining battery. I tried to play Cyberpunk 2077 and God of War on it with a high setting and it was working smoothly.
MSI Creator 17 Professional Laptop – Heavy-Duty Laptops For Students
REASONS TO BUY
- It has outstanding built quality
- It has an unbelievable keyboard and trackpad
- In this, there are plenty of ports
- It has a smooth, slim design with the best aluminum build
REASONS TO AVOID
- It has no cons compared to the price this laptop comes with.
Specification of reviewed device is: CPU: 11th Generation Intel Core i7-11800H | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 | Display: 17.3-inch UHD 100% AdobeRGB Display (3840 x 2160), 120Hz | Memory: 16GB DDR4 3200MHz RAM| Storage: 512GB NVME SSD | Tested Battery life: 120 minutes | OS: Windows 10 Home | Material: Aluminum | Weight: Approximately 5.4 pounds
The third is a professional laptop especially made for the video editor but because of its weight and usability, MSI Creator 17 Professional Laptop is a perfect student laptop.
Comes with one of the best cooling systems, MSI Creator 17 boasts Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 which is not more powerful than 4060 but still you wouldn’t feel much difference during casual gaming sessions.
Its Intel Core i7-11800H CPU is capable of bearing any type of load because of its 4.9 GHz clock speed.
Although this laptop costs less than $1300, having a 512GB SSD only is a bit mood-off thing. But 16GB RAM is going to give the same experience just like other laptops in this list.
If you’re someone who is a student by day and a video editor by night, then you might feel overwhelmed to know that this laptop comes with a big 17.3-inch MiniLED display that is Ultra HD (3840x 2160) and has 120 refresh rate which will enable you to notice every single detail in full bright colors.
It has a Cooling boost trinity cooling system which to me is one of the reliable cooling systems that eliminates overheating issues.
If you want to go future-proofed, then this laptop might be good for you as it has good battery life, great specs except storage which you have to upgrade by yourself, a simple and elegant design, and all port options.
Dell XPS 13 (9310) – Touchscreen Laptops For Psychology Majors
REASONS TO BUY
- Premium design
- Reliable laptop
- Thunderbolt 4 ports
- InfinityEdge bezels with a properly placed webcam
REASONS TO AVOID
- It has a known fault related to the micro SD slot that does not allow the micro SD card to eject
- Overpriced
Specification of reviewed device is: CPU: 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1185G7 | GPU: Iris Xe Graphics | Display: 13.4-inch InfinityEdge Touch Display (1920 x 1200), 60Hz | Memory: 16GB 4267MHz LPDDR4x RAM | Storage: 512GB SSD | Tested Battery life: 420 minutes | OS: Windows 11 Pro | Material: Aluminum | Weight: Approximately 2.8 pounds
4th laptop is from one of the reliable brands and that is Dell. Dell XPS 13 is a mix of creativity and professionalism.
This 9310 model is a Touchscreen laptop (the reason for having this laptop in 4th position).
Leaving behind the Latitude and Inspiron series, this XPS model is one of the greatest-designed laptops from Dell which is slimmer, more durable, and capable of handling most tasks including studies.
It comes with pretty much the same CPU as MSI Creator 17 but not graphics. Yes, unfortunately at this price; Dell XPS comes with Intel Iris Xe graphics which is not really a fine deal but still not the end of the world.
Its 13.4-inch touch display comes with 1080p resolution which is Anti-Reflective and 500 nits high in brightness means you can use it on the balcony or cafe in the morning.
This laptop model is designed for those who travel a lot, so it comes with good battery life, a compact and lightweight design. Surprisingly, it comes with 0.56-inch thinness which is terrifying!
If you’re someone who just needs a laptop from a reputable brand for psychology studies (not more, not less) then this laptop is fine for you but still, I would say that there are other options in this list or you can go with Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7420.
LG gram 17Z90Q – Lightweight Laptop For Psychologists
REASONS TO BUY
- Light in weight and easy to carry
- Sleek body with aluminum chassis
- Thin bezels and thin design
- This laptop is bloatware-free
- 32GB RAM and 2TB SSD make this laptop worth every penny
REASONS TO AVOID
- No dedicated GPU but 32GB RAM fills the void to support dual display efficiently
Specification of reviewed device is: CPU: 12th Generation Intel Core i7-1260P | GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics | Display: 17-inch WQXGA IPS Display (1920 x 1080), 60Hz | Memory: 32GB LPDDR5 RAM| Storage: 2TB NVMe SSD | Tested Battery life: 300 minutes | OS: Windows 11 Home | Material: Aluminum | Weight: Approximately 2.9 pounds
LG did not reinvent the wheel; Our 5th best laptop, LG Gram 17Z90Q is a major iterative update to the models of 2019.
LG has made several major enhancements, with modest chassis and keyboard structure changes, a larger battery, and a new Intel Evo 12th Gen i7 1260P in the hood. But the huge display is still the unique reason that this laptop is still in the market.
This 2022 model is largely a spec update and not a revision of the design version against the 2020 LG Gram.
This LG Gram is equipped with a behemoth 2TB M.2 NVMe SSD which means it wouldn’t let you feel to delete anything and it has 32GB of RAM which is GREAT. LG Gram can be a qualified choice for psychology students because it provides so much leverage to you.
Just like MSI Creator 17, LG Gram 17Z90Q comes with an excellent 17-inch IPS display. Although the color scheme of this laptop and the lid have changed substantially, the laptop base is practically the same as last year but now its matte and shining mixture of black color feels elegant on the body.
Overall, it comes with a reasonable price if we take battery life, storage, memory, and processor into consideration but things like no Dedicated GPU, and no 3840x 2160 resolution are the reason this laptop is in 5th position.
Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7420 – Affordable Laptop
REASONS TO BUY
- The affordable and best option for someone who just wants a reliable laptop
- Comes with Windows 11 Pro
- Comes with a free 1 year Microsoft 365 Personal Annual Subscription and 24 Month McAfee LiveSafe Subscription
REASONS TO AVOID
- Not for really heavy multitasking
Specification of reviewed device is: CPU: 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700H | GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics | Display: 14-inch 2.2K Anti-Glare Display (2240 x 1400), 60Hz | Memory: 16GB DDR5 4800Mhz RAM | Storage: 1TB M.2 CL35 M.2 SSD | Tested Battery life: 420 minutes | OS: Windows 10 Pro | Material: Aluminum | Weight: Approximately 3.8 pounds
The 6th laptop that we reviewed is a newly launched laptop that comes with such an affordable price making it perfect for budget-conscious students. With a 4.1 rating online, this laptop wouldn’t leave a hole in your pocket.
Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7420 comes with Intel Core i7-12700H that can give you more efficient performance compared to LG Gram 17Z90Q.
But what is interesting is that at this price, most laptops come with Windows 11 Home but this Inspiron 14 comes with Windows 11 Pro which gives a glimpse of how professionally designed this laptop is.
I admit that the Dell XPS 13 is surprisingly overpriced but if you want a laptop that is ready to be your partner for the coming decades then this Inspiron 14 can be your choice.
To make it more value for money, Dell equipped this one with a 2.2K resolution which is great for a 14-inch screen.
If you have a fully optimized computer at your home and want a laptop to carry in college or university, then this laptop should be a no-brainer as I don’t see any cons on this one compared with the price.
ASUS VivoBook S14 S432 – Best Laptop for Note-taking
REASONS TO BUY
- Comes with a ton of features
- 5.65-Inch ScreenPad takes productivity to the next level and works for quick handwritten notes
- Aluminum body
- With this price, this laptop is unbeatable.
- Designed with NanoEdge bezels.
REASONS TO AVOID
- No cons
Specification of reviewed device is: CPU: 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8656U | GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics | Display: 14 inch FHD Display (1920 x 1080), 60Hz | Memory: 8GB DDR4 SDRAM | Storage: 512GB PCIE NVMe SSD | Tested Battery life: 420 minutes | OS: Windows 10 Home | Material: Aluminum | Weight: Approximately 3.8 pounds
Now from here, we will go cut through the chase. From the 7th to the 10th we just listed a lower-range laptop that would be able to do most of the things that a philosophy student would ever do.
So ASUS VivoBook S14 S432 is just like one. A laptop that costs around $600 COMES with enough specs that cater to the needs of a student.
Intel Core i7-8656U in this laptop is a perfect deal as it’s capable of catching anything you can throw at it.
With 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD, the ASUS VivoBook S14 S432 is fine for saving PDFs, short notes, spreadsheets, and many other things.
Now because this laptop is from Asus, having out-of-the-roof features is a must. This laptop comes with something that has never seen before and that is ScreenPad.
ScreenPad is a 5.65-inch touchscreen that allows users to switch apps, do jand writing, slide sheets, become number keys, and is the touchpad. Basically, it increases productivity and is really unique feature just like TouchBar that we have seen in MacBook Pros.
Now just like Asus ZenBook, this VivoBook S14 also comes with ErgoLift hinges and fine fine-designed body that is light in weight too.
Now for the price you must be thinking that this laptop would have a plastic body but no, this laptop comes with an Aluminum body which is seriously great. I still appreciate Asus for designing such a laptop with no cost-cutting and as I’ve used it in the past I can say NO laptop can beat this device that comes with an affordable price.
Microsoft Surface Book 3 – Perfect for Presentations
REASONS TO BUY
- Quite practical
- Sleek design that feels like carrying a notebook
- Aluminum body
- Comes with a dedicated GPU
- Perfect for presentations and study purposes
REASONS TO AVOID
- Can’t handle extensive tasks
- Overheating issues found during testing
Specification of reviewed device is: CPU: 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10510U | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 | Display: 13.5-inch Touchscreen (3000 x 2000), 60Hz | Memory: 8GB DDR4 SDRAM | Storage: 256GB SSD | Tested Battery life: 360 minutes | OS: Windows 10 Home | Material: Aluminum | Weight: Approximately 4.6 pounds
The Microsoft Surface Book 3 is actually a detachable laptop. It can be used as a tablet or laptop.
The 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10510U processor is the reason behind its fast processing speed and helps with accessing data quicker than other Surface Book models.
Microsoft Surface Book 3 is a laptop that looks more like an art piece. Its kickstand makes it easy to use and offers the perfect viewing angle for both typing and displaying content on-screen.
It comes with Windows 10 as it’s a old school laptop, but two HD cameras—one at the back of the device (paired with Cortana) as well as one in front; this ensures you never miss another moment while making clear crisp video calls with your friends.
The best thing about this thin machine is that it gives a comfortable working experience in your everyday use.
With its standard almost 7-hour battery life, you can manage your study without any problem. Also, it’s so easy to carry so yeah it’s a good device in my opinion for someone who needs practicality with laptops as you can use it like a tablet during presentation.
Acer Aspire 5 – A Budget Student’s Laptop
REASONS TO BUY
- Good battery life
- Good for casual work
REASONS TO AVOID
- Not for a heavy workload.
- Old school design.
- Somewhat heavy.
Specification of reviewed device is: CPU: 10th Generation Intel Core i5-1035G1 | GPU: Intel UHD Graphics | Display: 15.6-inches FHD IPS Display (1920 x 1080), 60Hz | Memory: 8GB DDR4 RAM | Storage: 256GB NVMe SSD | Tested Battery life: 300 minutes | OS: Windows 10 Home | Material: Plastic | Weight: Approximately 5.1 pounds
The Acer Aspire 5 offers a balance of performance and price for psychology students. The laptop’s excellent CPU, large memory storage capacity, and fast hard drive make it an ideal choice to keep up with every last detail in your lectures while still having some time left over to work on assignments outside the classroom.
The Acer Aspire 5 provides solid computing power at an affordable rate that will help you stay organized as well as provide ample space for any data-driven project assigned by your teacher during class or out-of-school hours alike.
With the 10th Generation Intel Core i5-1035G1, power consumption on battery life is reduced means a better battery life.
The Acer Aspire 5 is a machine that has the potential to meet your every need. It can be used in any field of study and facilitates you with outstanding performance, making it one of the least best laptops for psychology students.