11 Best Laptops For PhD Students – A Hands-On Review

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2. ASUS L203MA-DS04 VivoBook L203MA Laptop

The 11.6 inches screen laptop will come in handy for those students who have to travel to college every day either for research purposes or for attending lectures.

The small screen is designed to make mobility convenient as it is easy to carry and can fit inside a backpack.

It comes with an Intel Celeron N4000 Processor and has 4 GB of computer memory. The HD laptop has a 63 GB hard disk and 64GB emmC Flash Storage. Window 10 is the operating system that can be easily upgraded to Windows 10 Home.

One of its distinctive features is that it comes with an HD webcam compatible with various social media platforms. The battery life can be extended up to 10 hours, enabling the students to work at a stretch.

If you are looking for a lightweight laptop capable of performing basic tasks like editing papers and serving the internet, this is the one for you.

With all the advanced features, especially the HD webcam, it has been placed on our list of best laptops for PhD students.

Pros:-

• The HD webcam is compatible with Google classroom, enabling students to attend online lectures or communicate with their guides without going to college.
• The laptop weighs only 2.2 pounds, making it easier to carry while traveling.
• It can be stretched 180 degrees, providing the students with enhanced screen flexibility. The students can adjust the position of the screen according to their needs.
• The laptop offers a micro SD slot, enabling the students to store more data, sources, images, and other required study material to complete their research.
• One year of Microsoft office 365 is made available to the users for free.
• Although the screen is small, the quality is not compromised, and the color resolution is also on point.

Cons:-

• The RAM or 64GB emmC Flash Storage cannot be updated.
• If your research involves high-quality images or video editing, this laptop may not be able to fulfill the task efficiently. 

3. HP 14″ Touchscreen Home and Business Laptop 

If you are looking for a touchscreen laptop, the HP 14″ Touchscreen Home and Business Laptop are the ones for you.

The 16 inches screen is big enough to provide the students with more expansive space, enabling them to see the text comfortably.

The HD-quality laptop comes with a smart dual-core and Windows 10 S as its operating system, which can be updated free of cost. It has 8GB DDR4 RAM and a Solid-state drive (SSD) with 128GB storage.

If your research requires photoshop and high-quality video editing, this will be the ideal laptop for you.

Not only is this commendable for its portrayal of crisp, clear, and sharp images, but it also ensures that the system doesn’t lag when multiple tabs are opened. It is one of the best laptops for researchers in 2023.

Pros:-

• The laptops are lightly weighted compared to their size, hence easy to carry.
• The inbuilt webcam with a microphone enables the students to discuss their thesis with their guides. 
• The multiple connectivity ports include a Built-in media reader, which makes transferring images and videos more accessible.
• Solid-state drive storage along with 8 GB DDR4 RAM ensures the smooth and uninterrupted working of the laptop while multitasking.
• The wireless connectivity with the AC helps the students concentrate on their research and eliminates the hassle of searching for the AC remote.
• It doesn’t heat up quickly, even after multitasking.
• The accuracy of the touch screen is on point, and the response speed is commendable.

Cons:-

• The screen may freeze in between an auto reboot. But on a positive note, the data gets saved.
• As mentioned in its description, it may not come with a built-in fingerprint reader.

4. 2021 HP 14 Laptop 

If you are looking for the sole purpose of doing your projects, making notes, or writing and editing your research paper, you have come to the right place.

The 14 inches 1366 x 768 HD laptop comes with the latest 7th Generation AMD A9-9425 Processor and incorporates the edge web browser, enabling you to mark web pages on your screen. The 4 GB system memory laptop has a CPU speed of 3.1GHz.

It also features three USB ports, allowing the users to connect multiple external devices per their requirements. The sleek silver designed laptop has a Flash Memory Size of 4.

The webcam and inbuilt microphone may attract attention as Ph.D. students always need to converse with guides or professors. Try out one of the best laptop for chemistry phd students and enjoy its features.

Pros:-

• The installment and the setup of the device are easy to understand.
• Since it does not have highly advanced features, it is convenient to operate without needing to search for instructions.
• The battery power can easily last until 7 hours, providing a long, uninterrupted time for the students to utilize.
• The webcam allows the face to face interaction with professors, guides, or friends who may help them with their research papers.

Cons:-

• Although the description says it comes with Windows 10, the customer reviews stated that it comes with Windows 10 S.
• The camera quality is not extraordinary.
• The laptop is not suitable for photoshop or video editing.

5. HP Stream Laptop 14-ds0110nr

The 14 inches HD touchscreen laptops have a Windows 10 S operating system. The sleek, designed laptop gives an expressive look and is easy to carry.

The 4 GB DDR4-1866 SDRAM ensures the fast working of the device and comes with 64 GB eMMC storage.

The battery life of 8 hours is commendable and an extremely portable design. Let’s finally introduce the much-awaited feature with all these fantastic features.

It indeed has an inbuilt webcam. Considering the price, the facilities offered by the device are pretty commendable. The touch screen works fine, eliminating the hassle of using the keyboard for every minor click.

One of the best features of the laptop is that it automatically denies unauthorized access and keeps off securing the device on its own. If under any circumstances, the device reboots itself; it automatically recovers from the issue.

It also comes with a digital media card reader. Check out one of the best laptops for PhD students of all time.

Pros:-

• It is easily portable and takes a few minutes the setup.
• Suitable for students working on spreadsheets or Office applications.
• It has a free package of inbuilt Office applications for a year, including MS Word, MS Powerpoint, and many more.
• Moreover, it allows printer connectivity, which makes the life of a Ph.D. student a lot easier as they can print their thesis right from the confinements of their homes. 
• Along with three USB ports, the laptop also offers an HDMI port. All the ports are systematically constructed on the left side of the device, making it easier to use.

Cons:-

• It may slow down if multiple tabs are opened.
• Does not come with a backlit monitor.
• It is not recommendable for photoshop or graphics-related works that require high proficiency in a few features.

6. Lenovo 15.6″ High-Performance Laptop

The 15.6 inches laptop is pretty light weighted as compared to its size, and its durability is commendable. The device comes with Intel Celeron 4205U Dual-Core Processor and has an HD LED screen.

The laptop offers an anti-glare display to protect the eyes of the users from harmful lights, making them use the laptop for hours without being worried about their eyes. Some standard features include 4GB DDR4 RAM and 128 GB SSD.

The laptop has a costly look with its matt black texture and negligible bezels. Along with the mentioned features, the laptop comes with an inbuilt webcam located at the top center of the bezel.

Windows 10 is the operating system of the device. Wireless Bluetooth is inbuilt into the Lenovo laptop.

The laptops may not be suitable for gaming, but we are confident that a Ph.D. student will find it useful as it does not fail to perform the required basic needs like working on Microsoft apps and net serving. According to us, this is one of the best laptops for Ph.D. students. 

Pros:-

• The laptop comes with around 3 USB ports and one 1 HDMI port.
• It is light weighted and easy to carry around.
• The laptop is recommended for everyday tasks such as browsing, using MS Word, and more.
• It has a webcam built inside it.

Cons:-

• The touchpad may not work correctly.
• The quality of the display may not be adequate.

7. Jumper EZbook X3 

The 13.3 inches wide laptop comes with Windows 10 Home S as its operating system and features an N3350 Dual-Core Processor. The 8mm thin bezels offer a stylish look to the sleek silver-colored laptop, weighing around 2.7 pounds.

It not only weighs featherlike but also manages to portray high-quality images and videos because of its HD-quality display.

It also incorporates a micro SD card slot with extensive connectivity ports, allowing the user to expand the storage capacity and download or store more file documents, videos, or images.

The double antenna wifi helps to secure a strong and fast wireless connection with the internet. The 6GB DDR3 ram is responsible for the smooth functioning of video editing apps.

The 64GB EMMC Storage capacity, allows storage of larger files without worrying about clearing space on the laptop.

The average battery life of the Jumper EZbook X3 is around 6 hours. The laptop is known for its ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously.

According to customer reviews, switching from one website to another is like a breeze, and one need not worry about lagging even if ten tabs are opened simultaneously. This one is undoubtedly one of the best laptops for PhD students. 

Pros:-

• Full HD screens can portray vivid colors and sharp images with crisp, clear texts.
• The laptop is slim and light-weighted, easy to be packed inside a backpack.
• It has a metal top cover that protects from scratches or other damage.
• Unlike most laptops, this one comes directly with Windows Home rather than Windows S.
• The most important feature is the smooth connectivity with wifi. Usually, cheaper laptops do not possess the strength to identify all kinds of signals. But the Jumper EZbook X3 accurately catches the weakest signals, helping the user serve the browser without interruptions.
• Quick processor.
• It has various connectivity ports, including one mini HDMI port, one 3.5mm headphone jack, 2 USB 3: ports, and many more.
• Lastly, it arrives with 12 months of warranty.

Cons:-

• The palm-based keyboard may not work correctly at times.
• The screen’s contrast is not up to the mark, leading to bleeding of the backlit of the back screen. But most of the time, it is not visible.

8. HP 14 Notebook 7MP80UA

The 14 inches laptop is just the one for you if you are looking for something light weight that can perform basic tasks like surfing and is even capable of running basic games smoothly.

The laptop comes with Windows S, but it can be upgraded. Be careful; once you upgrade, there is no turning back. So make sure this is what you want for your laptop. The 4 GB RAM is more than enough to handle the activities of a Ph.D. student without any disturbance.

On top of that, it has a battery life of approximately 8 hours, so you can conduct your research for hours without getting disturbed. Well, cheer up, pals; you will have 3 USB ports to connect our external devices.

We understand one may want to buy expensive-looking laptops, but we are all victims of the budget. The silver-colored laptop is not only budget-friendly but will also have a polished aura to it.

The webcam installed in it can be the most useful future a Ph.D. student could ever ask for. This, indeed, is one of the best laptops for PhD students.

Pros:-

• The laptop is known to have a commendable screen resolution despite not having HD quality as its features. 
• The color accuracy is on point, considering the price of the laptop.
• The processor has received praise for its effective performance and high speed; in fact, we were surprised to find out that the HP 14 Notebook 7MP80UA has been chosen over other expensive processors by the customers.
• The laptop is capable of downloading various programs at a fast pace. 

Cons:-

• They may send used laptops at times. Users may then face the hassle of communicating with the company to demand an exchange. 
• It may freeze in between if many tabs or programs are opened simultaneously.

9. DELL Inspiron 5000 Series 5570 Laptop

It is highly unlikely not have DELL as one of the best laptops for PhD students. Even though the said laptops are a little expensive compared to the other laptops on our list, we can guarantee that DELL will never compromise on quality.

Firstly, the 15.6 inches screen will attract the students searching for a widescreen here; minor details can be monitored. The colossal screen display would provide the students with maximum space, allowing them to multitask conveniently.

The laptop comes with an 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8550U Quad-Core Processor, 16GB DDR4 RAM, and 512GB SSD.

Moreover, considering the laptop has a touch screen facility and LED-backlit display, the price doesn’t seem so high. Some standard features include various connectivity ports, Windows 10 Home, and a card reader.

Users can now enjoy the built-in stereo speakers with MaxxAudio Pro Audio Processing to add to these exciting features. The silver-colored laptop gives an exquisite look to it. Check out one of the best laptops for Ph.D. students of all time.

Pros:-

• The high speed of the processor can be looked forward to. From getting connected to the internet in seconds to getting started or shut down in seconds, the speed will never taste your patience.
• Multiple connectivity ports include 2 USB 3. 1, 1 USB 2. 0, 1HDMI, 1 Combo Headphone / Microphone Jack, 1 RJ-45 Video.
• It features an inbuilt HD Webcam and microphones.
• The screen size makes the weight relatively light and easy to carry around. 

Cons:-

• The battery may die down sooner if multiple programs are running simultaneously.
• The SSG storage is not expandable.

At the time of our research on Best Laptops For PhD Students, we found a video about “Why “C” Students Are More Successful Than “A” Students,” which is worth watching.

10. Lenovo IdeaPad 130-15AST – Best laptop for engineering graduate students

The 15.6 wide laptop initially comes with Windows S as its operating system, but it can be easily updated to Windows Home 10 for free.

It features an AMD A9-9425 processor along with 4GB RAM and 128 GB SSD storage.

The HD display will let the users experience crisp and clear images. One of the standard features of this laptop is its inbuilt webcam.

With its strong wifi compatibility, users can connect to the internet without facing difficulties.

Adding to its features, unlike the recent laptops, the IdeaPad comes with a DVD RW, allowing the users to listen to recorded audio or videos on the laptop, watch movies or even watch documentaries needed for their research.

The laptop offers a wireless Bluetooth facility, allowing the users to transfer data from or to the device without needing to connect to a USB.

So if you are looking for a student laptop, this is the one for you. Whether using spreadsheets, MS Word, or Excel, serving the browser, or scrolling down your social media, the device won’t disappoint you. Try out one of the best laptops for PhD students. 

Pros:-

• The laptop is highly compatible with Office applications and different browsers. 
• The laptop is suitable for carrying out, and the charger can also fit inside the pocket. 
• The competency of the keyboard is commendable, as its big, spacious keys make it convenient to type.
• Along with 2 USB ports, it also comes with an HDMI port.

Cons:-

• The quality of the webcam is not suitable for conference meetings.
• The battery life may not meet the expectations of long-lasting hours.

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