So, did you decide to give online classes a try? Whether you’re teacher looking to start teaching online, or a student who is interested in registering in an online course, choosing a laptop for online classes can be tricky. And that’s why we decided to put out this short guide! But first let’s find out more about online classes, and why a laptop is best for online teaching and for attending online classes.
What are online classes, and why is online teaching becoming more popular?
The truth is there’s never been a better time to become an online teacher, and it’s a gratifying thing to do too. Online teaching refers to courses and classes that are done online with no physical or on-campus sessions. Just like a normal class, and online class is usually designed for a number of enrolled students, but it can also be open and accessible to a wide variety of participants, such as with a MOOC. Online classes are a form of distance learning.
Why become an online teacher?
Online teaching has a lot of benefits: more Time Flexibility, location flexibility,easier information sharing, online teaching also provides a better opportunities for those with a disability or have difficulties attending a regular course.
Becoming an online teacher can also pay quite well. A great example is the number of online ESL teachers who are teaching and traveling the world in the same time!
How to choose the best laptop for online teaching?
There is best laptop that can fit every one out there, is it all depends on what you are intending to use. However, there is a number of things that you should consider in a laptop for teaching online, and most of the platform available online have quite low system requirements. Here are a few tips:
– Processor and RAM: The processor is the core fuel of your computing experience. We wouldn’t recommend going any lower than an 8th generation Intel Core i5. Pick a laptop that’s packed with at least 8 GB of RAM. That’s a good standard for everything you’ll need to run on your laptop, be it the office software or your browser of choice.
– Storage: We recommend going for a SSD rather than a traditional HDD. They’re safer and faster. Yes, they’re a little bit more expensive, but the fast start up of your laptop will repay you in the long run. Also, there are hybrid solutions available, with both a SSD for the start up and a HDD for the additional storage space.
– Display Size and Resolution: For online teaching, is it recommended to get a laptop with a 14 inch display at least. With a smaller screen, it can be hard to focus on what the participants are doing, so you’d want a screen on which you can display things side by side. However, a bigger display means more power consumption and a lower battery life, so choose your optimal screen size wisely if battery life is important to you.
– Webcam and ports: A high-definition webcam, as well as a comfortable trackpad and keyboard are essential when it comes to online teaching. Most laptops nowadays come with integrated cameras, but a lot of them have terrible image quality, and thus force you into using an external web cam. So make sure to check the integrated webcam quality before buying, and go for laptops that designed for video conferencing as they tend to have better cameras. You should also check the number of ports your laptop comes with, in case you need to connect any external device. The latest standard is USB Type-C/Thunderbolt 3 , make sure your laptop has one, as these will be standard in the future.
– Internet connection: A stable and fast internet connection is of course very important for teaching online. It is recommended to get a fiber optic internet service if it’s available in your area; if not get the fastest broadband connection you can get. Usually, the platform you’ll be using for online teaching, or attending an online class will usually tell what is the minimum internet speed you should have in order to function properly.
Keep in mind that if you are intending to run any specific demanding software, you should male sure that your next laptop meets the minimum requirements for that program too. Let’s say you’re doing classes about a certain 3D modelling program; you’ll need a laptop with a fast processor and plenty of RAM if you are going to do any demos during your course.
Most of this also applies for students who are looking to enroll in an online course, and don’t know which laptop is best for online classes.
So, now that you have an idea what types of laptops we’ll be looking at, let’s find out about some of the best laptops for online teaching and online classes available right now. More options will be added to the list soon, and you can also ask us in the comments if you have questions about a particular laptop.
Best laptops for Online Teaching:
Acer Aspire E15 E5-576G-5762
The Acer Aspire E 15 E5-576G-5762 is a great all-purpose laptop for those on a budget. The E15 is a great option whether you’re a teacher looking for a budget laptop to start teaching online, or a student looking for an all purpose laptop that won’t hurt your wallet. That’s because it features an entry-level dedicated Nvidia GeForce MX150 graphics card. The Aspire E15 is equipped with an 8th generation I5 processor, 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD.
The Aspire E 15 offers a consistent performance and stays very responsive thanks to the included SSD and the fast RAM. In case you need more power, the RAM is expandable up to 32GB. You can add a second hard drive, too.
The Aspire E15 also offers great battery life: while Acer claims it can last 15 hours, you can expect an average of 10 hours in real world use, which is excellent at this price range!
| Processor | Intel Core i5-8250U Processor |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB, SSD |
| Graphics | Dedicated, NVIDIA GeForce MX 150 |
| Screen | 15,6 inch, 1920X1080, IPS |
| Connectivity and Ports | 1 – USB Type C port
2- USB 3.0 port 1- USB 2.0 port 1 – HDMI port, Card reader, Bluetooth 4.1, DVD/RW |
| Battery | up to 15 hours battery life |
Lenovo Flex 5
The Lenovo Flex 5 is a convertible, 15.6” touchscreen Full HD laptop. It features an 8th generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM and a 256 SSD. The IPS display is just amazing to look at, for your best comfort while giving online classes.
The Flex 5 is a rather affordable and powerful laptop that offers you plenty of options for the easiest use. You can fold it all the way around to have a perfect tablet experience, that is best for reading through your documents. Also, the Flex 5 features a fingerprint reader for a fast and secure login into your system.
With about 10 hours of average use, the Flex 5 will be a trustworthy companion for teaching online no matter where you are!
| Processor | Intel Core i5-8250U Processor |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB, SSD |
| Graphics | Integrated, Intel UHD 620 |
| Screen | 15,6 inch, 1920X1080, IPS |
| Connectivity and Ports | 1 – USB Type C port
2- USB 3.1 port 1 – HDMI port, Card reader, Bluetooth 4.1, |
| Battery | up to 10 hours battery life |
ASUS ZenBook DH74UX533FD-DH74
At a higher price range, we have the ASUS ZenBook UX533FD-DH74UX533FD-DH74, an ultra-slim and compact 15.6” laptop. The four-way narrow bezel design of the IPS display is just stunning! No wonder this machine is a customer’s favorite. The ZenBook 15 features an 8th generation Intel Core i7 processor, 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD. It’s also packed with a dedicated Nvidia GTX 1050 graphics card.
If you’re a creative skills teacher, the ZenBook 15 might be the perfect choice for you. Thanks to the GPU and the high amount of RAM you’ll be running Photoshop and other editing software as smoothly as cutting through butter.
Despite the traditional screen size, the ZenBook 15 weights just 3.7lbs. You’ll be able to easily carry it along and give your classes wherever a wi-fi connection is available!
| Processor | Intel Core i7-8565U Processor |
| RAM | 16GB |
| Storage | 512GB, SSD |
| Graphics | Dedicated, Nvidia GTX 1050 Max-Q |
| Screen | 15,6 inch, 1920X1080, IPS |
| Connectivity and Ports | 1 – USB Type C port
2- USB 3.1 port 1 – HDMI port, Card reader, Bluetooth 4.1, |
| Battery | up to 15 hours battery life |
LG Gram 15Z990-A.AAS7U1
The LG Gram 15Z990-A.AAS7U1 is a thin and light, 15.6” Full HD touch-screen laptop with a narrow bezel design. It features an 8th generation Intel Core i7 processor, coupled with 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD. Despite having a traditional screen size, the Gram weights less than 2.5 pounds, making it a great choice for portability.
Thanks to its processing power and good amount of RAM, the Gram makes for a rather powerful machine for your business. It’s equipped with a backlit keyboard that features a separate numeric keypad, as well. That comes in handy if you do data entry work or are a heavy spreadsheets user.
The LG Gram also features one of the latest USB Type-C ports and a fingerprint reader. The most surprising spec, though, is the battery life. The manufacturer claims it lasts up to 18.5 hours on average usage! That’s remarkable.
| Processor | Intel Core i7-8565U Processor |
| RAM | 16GB |
| Storage | 256GB, SSD |
| Graphics | Integrated, Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| Screen | 13,3 inch, 1920 x 1080 IPS |
| Connectivity and Ports | 1- USB 3.1 port Type C// Thunderbolt
2- USB 3.1 port 1 – HDMI Port , Card reader, Bluetooth 5 |
| Battery | Up to 20,5 hours battery life |
MSI GS65 Stealth THIN-051
Aa a high-end solution, we recommend the MSI GS65 Stealth THIN-051, a sleek 15.6” Full HD laptop with a narrow bezel designed display. It features an 8th generation Intel Core i7, 16 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD. It’s packed with a dedicated Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card with 8 GB.
The GS65 Stealth is a good looking, gold and diamond gaming laptop with a backlit, customizable RGB keyboard. Despite being thinner than a dime, it will run smoothly any software that you need for your online teaching business. The GS65 Stealth also includes a USB Type-C port for the better connectivity. There’s really nothing you could wish more for this powerful machine to have.
| Processor | Intel Core i7-8750H Processor |
| RAM | 16GB |
| Storage | 256GB Nvme SSD |
| Graphics | Dedicated, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Ti |
| Screen | 15,6 inch, 1920X1080, IPS |
| Connectivity and Ports | 1 – USB 3.1 Type C port //Thunderbolt 3
3- USB 3.0 ports 1 – HDMI port,Mini Display Port Card reader, Bluetooth 4.1 |
| Battery | up to 8 hours battery life |
