A good laptop is one of the main investments of your new college life. And while medical students may not have the need to get a powerful laptop for class, there are still quite a few things to keep in mind in order to get the best laptops for there needs. To help make a decision which laptop to get for medical school, we have have made this short guide, as well listed some of the best laptops for medical school you can get right now. But first, let’s find out about some of the things to consider before buying.
What to look for when buying a new laptop for medical school?
So, medical school, eh? That’s a rather difficult one. Also, it’s a lengthy path to your career as a doctor. If you’re looking for a laptop to be your trustworthy companion through all your curriculum years, just read through the rest of the article. We’ll be sharing reviews for some of the best laptops for medical school and college life that you can find online.
First, let’s walk through what specs you’ll need to consider before buying your laptop:
Processor and RAM: If you want your machine to stick around, we wouldn’t recommend going any lower than an 8th generation Intel Core i3 processor, paired with a minimum of 8 GB of RAM. With those, you won’t have any problems running office applications and other light, non-demanding software. That’s the lowest power setting for a durable performance over the course of the years.
Storage type and Capacity: Nowadays, many laptops that you’ll find on stores feature a solid state drive (SSD) instead of a traditional hard drive (HDD). Even if they still cost a little more and offer less storage space, SSDs will boost your overall computing experience. They enable your laptop to boot in seconds, and make opening files and applications blazing fast. That’ll come in handy to catch up on the class when you’ll be late. Yes, it will happen! SSDs’ prices have dropped significantly over the last few years, you can even find many cheap laptops with SSD under $500.
Build quality and size: For a laptop that you’ll bring to school, you should consider a few things about the chassis, the body of the laptop. Today, there are quite a few 13” to 14” laptops available at a rather affordable price. They offer the best balance between portability, ease of use and power performance. If you’re always on the go, picking up a lightweight and compact laptop will turn out to be the better choice. If you prefer the big screen size instead, stick with the traditional 15.6” laptops. Last, don’t forget about the battery life.
Battery life: As you may already know, a bigger display means a shorter battery life. And that’s why a 13,3 or 14 inch display is recommended. For battery life, a 8 hours minimum on average usage should get you through a school day without having to search for a power outlet. However, not all laptops offer such battery life. So, if you don’t want to have your laptop shut-down on you when you need it the most, make sure to check the battery life before buying.
If you want more details on how to choose a new laptop, you can also check our detailed guide here for more information. And now, without further ado, here are some of the best laptops for medical school, available currently. We will be adding more laptops to the list soon!
Best Laptops for Medical School:
HP 14-df0023cl
The HP 14-df0023cl is a sturdy, 14 inch laptop for those on a tight budget, and want an affordable laptop for note taking. It features an 8th generation Intel Core i3 processor, 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of SSD. It also comes with a backlit keyboard and one of the latest, USB Type-C ports for a better connectivity.
The HP 14DF offers an overall good build and p²erformance for running office software. Thanks to its design, you’ll be able to carry it along comfortably in any bag of yours. It makes for a rather affordable option for college students, that you can easily upgrade to 8 GB of RAM if you need more raw power.
Processor | Core i3-8130U Processor |
RAM | 4GB |
Storage | 128GB, SSD |
Graphics | Integrated, Intel 620 |
Screen | 14 inch, 1920X1080 |
Connectivity and Ports | 1 – USB 3.1 port Type C
2- USB 3.1 1 – HDMI port, Ethernet Card reader, Bluetooth, backlit keyboard |
Battery | up to 7 hours battery life |
Asus ZenBook UX331FA-AS51
On a higher budget, we recommend the new Asus ZenBook UX331FA-AS51, a 13.3” Full HD, ultra-slim laptop. If features an 8th generation Intel Core i5-6265U processor coupled with 8 GB of RAM. It comes with 512 GB of PCIe SSD, for the fastest booting experience.
Weighing less than 2.5 lbs, the ZenBook 13 is a rather portable option that doesn’t renounce on power performance, thanks to its processor and RAM setting. Surprisingly, its battery life lasts up to 14 hours on everyday usage. This laptop is a great choice for medical school: it’s relatively affordable, has solid features, and plenty of storage!
The ZenBook 13 is also equipped with a fast charging battery, a backlit keyboard and one of the latest USB Type-C ports.
Last, the ZenBook 13 features a fingerprint reader that you can use to fast login into your computer.
Processor | Intel i5-6265U Processor |
RAM | 8GB |
Storage | 512GB PCIe SSD |
Graphics | Integrated, Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
Screen | 13,3 inch, 1920X1080 IPS |
Connectivity and Ports | 1- USB Type C
2 – USB 3.1 port, HDMI Card reader, Bluetooth |
Battery | up to 14 hours battery life |
Lenovo Yoga 730
The Lenovo Yoga 730 is a beautiful, 15.6” Full HD touch-screen laptop. It has a 2 in 1 design, meaning that you can flip the laptop all the way around to have a tablet experience. The Yoga 730 features an 8th generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of SSD.
The Yoga 730 is equipped with a backlit keyboard, a fingerprint reader to login on the go and one of the latest Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports. It’s an overall good performing laptop, suitable to college students, and medical students in particular. Thanks to the flip-and-flop design and the traditional screen size, you can comfortably watch TV series and movies on your bed, on the side of your school work.
Processor | Intel i5-8250U Processor |
RAM | 8GB |
Storage | 256GB SSD |
Graphics | Integrated, Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
Screen | 13,3 inch, 1920X1080 IPS |
Connectivity and Ports | 1- USB 3.1 Type C// Thunderbolt
1 – USB 3.0 port 1 – USB 2.0 Port 1 – HDMI port, Card reader, Bluetooth |
Battery | up to 8 hours battery life |
LG Gram 15Z980-A.AAS7U1
We love the LG Gram, and there are a number of reasons why it made it to our recommended laptops for medical school list. The LG Gram 15Z980-A.AAS7U1 is a thin and light, 15.6” Full HD touch-screen laptop. It features an 8th generation Intel Core i7 processor, coupled with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of SSD. Despite having a traditional screen size, the Gram weights less than 2.5 pounds.
Thanks to its processing power and RAM, the Gram makes for a rather powerful, high-end machine. It’s equipped with a backlit keyboard that features a separate numeric keypad. That’ll come in handy if you’ll be asked to perform data entry tasks or you are a heavy spreadsheets user.
The Gram also features one of the latest USB Type-C ports and a fingerprint reader. The most surprising spec, though, is the battery life. It lasts up to 16.5 hours on average usage! That’s remarkable.
Processor | Intel Core i7-8550U Processor |
RAM | 8GB |
Storage | 256GB, SSD |
Graphics | Integrated, Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
Screen | 15,6 inch, 1920 x 1080 IPS |
Connectivity and Ports | 1- USB 3.1 port Type C// Thunderbolt
3- USB 3.1 port 1 – HDMI Port , Card reader, Bluetooth 5 |
Battery | Up to 16,5 hours battery life |
Apple MacBook Air
Last, at a slightly higher price range we recommend the Apple MacBook Air, a beautiful and thin 13.3” laptop with a Retina display. It features an 8th generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of SSD. It’s a wonderful laptop of choice if you’re an aficionado of the Apple OS and prefer the home’s office software.
The MacBook Air is a 15.6mm thin, 2.75lbs light laptop, making it a great option for carrying it along comfortably through your college’s facilities, or in the daily commute. The size and design of the Macbook Air is definitely one of the reasons why it’s a popular option as a laptop for medical students, and college students in general.
The Macbook Air features the home’s Touch ID, a fingerprint reader for secure login and online payments. It’s packed with a Thunderbolt 3 port (USB-C) as well, as a nice connectivity option. The battery life will last up to 12 hours on average usage, that is remarkable considering the stunning quality of the display.
Processor | Intel Core i5-8210Y Processor |
RAM | 8GB |
Storage | 256GB, SSD |
Graphics | Integrated, Intel UHD Graphics 617 |
Screen | 13,3 inch, 2560X1600 IPS |
Connectivity and Ports | 2- USB 3.1 port Type C// Thunderbolt
Card reader, Bluetooth 4.2 |
Battery | Up to 12 hours battery life |