Students owning a laptop has become less of a fashion statement and more of a requirement in the modern education system. Corona's lockdown changed the entire landscape of the way education is consumed.
The role of laptops has become ever so prevalent for IIT students since they are required to source numerous references to construct their study material.
It is paramount for an IIT student to purchase a laptop with the right specifications. It is also important to have an eye on the budget of the laptop.
Not all laptops which have the right specification produce the desired output. Here are the handpicked laptops for IIT students.
A small guide to getting the best laptop for IIT Students
When I started college I made the dumb decision of getting a stupid laptop that didn't get things done. So today, I want to make sure that you don't make the same mistakes which I made.
The most important part of a laptop is the processor. Get the right processor and the laptop will last for a longer while. The latest processor released is the 13th generation Intel processor. The performance difference between generations is very high. For example, the Intel i5-13600K is more powerful than the Intel i7-12700K and both have almost the same price. So always go for the latest generation processor.
A graphics card is not a must for a laptop. But the following situations need a graphics card.
1. Gaming
2. Studying AI ML (to run simulations), you can also use Google Cloud, so this is not so mandatory
3. Editing videos
So if you're getting a graphics card also, go for the latest generation. 40 series is the latest set of graphics cards for Nvidia.
For RAM, 8GB is the bare minimum, but the more the merrier and the same for storage. You can go for a 512GB SSD (SSD and not HDD), but more is not going to hurt.
Look for laptops that have a longer warranty period. The chances that your laptop is going to get damaged is high during college years, so get one that offers the most warranty.
Keeping all these in mind, look for laptops. Happy life at IIT.
HP 15s-du2071TU laptop
Processor: 1.2GHz Intel i3-1005G1 10th Gen processor
RAM: 8GB DDR4 RAM
Graphics Card: Intel UHD
Storage: 1TB 5400rpm hard drive
Display: 15.6-in Display
This multitasking budget laptop was launched in May 2020. The device proves to be a decent all-rounder that packages an impressive string of features.
This computing device effortlessly runs MS Office applications and other heavy-loaded learning software, making it the best laptop for IIT students.
The device comes in jet black. HP logo is embedded in the centre of the lid, which is painted grey and black.
It has a 15.6-inch monitor with a 1080p full HD display. It is mounted with a 0.9MP webcam, which proves to be efficient during online classes.
The keyboard is not backlit but it does have a very good chicklet keyboard with the num pad.
The touchpad feels good on our fingers and provides smooth cursor movement. The palm resting place is good and convenient.
It comes with a reliable i3 10th Gen processor. The performance of the processor is impressive considering its price range.
It has 8GB of RAM, which is more than sufficient to pull off day-to-day office works and attend online classes.
Though it has an integrated graphics card, we do not recommend this laptop for high-end gaming.
The memory storage capacity is a massive 1TB HDD which allocates enough space for high-end learning applications to function.
It takes about 10 to 15 seconds to boot windows, which is quick enough for an office laptop.
It comes with a Windows 10 Home and MS Office Home.
Speakers are attached to either side of the keyboard and the audio quality is good. The sound is clear and not loud.
It comes with 2 USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI port, an audio-out port, an ethernet port, an SD Card Reader, and a microphone port.
In terms of connectivity, it has Bluetooth and WiFi.
The device is equipped with a 3-cell Lithium-Ion battery with a 45 Watt Hour of energy content. The battery life lasts about 6.15 hours, which is sufficient for a student laptop.
It comes with a 1-year warranty.
Overall, this laptop satisfies all the requirements for an IIT student laptop.
Apple MacBook Pro (2019)
Processor: Ninth-generation 6-core Intel Core i7 processor
RAM: 16GB RAM
Graphics Card: AMD Radeon Pro 5300M graphics with GDDR6 memory
Storage: 512GB Storage
Display: 16-in Display
Apple MacBook Pro delivers the best combination of performance, display quality, and outstanding battery life.
This is definitely the priciest suggestion we made on the list, but we couldn't ignore this impressively built laptop that makes multitasking looks like child's play.
It is built to support all the high-end learning and coding software. It runs C, C++, Python, and Java applications effortlessly, making it the best laptop for IIT Computer Science students.
The design comes with an Apple logo etched out among a sea of grey colours. While it sports the same aesthetic for years, we can't deny that it looks classy.
The chassis is built with solid unibody aluminium and weighs about 2 kg. This device is portable enough to slip into your backpack and feels light.
It comes with a 16-inch screen which has stellar picture quality. With pixels going as high as 2560*1600, it is surely a treat for your eyes.
It has a brightness of 500 nits which enhances the colour grading and it is one of the best in this segment.
The audio quality is incredible owing to the Six-speaker sound system and Studio-quality mics. You can feel every beat of music without overwhelming the vocals.
It has 3 USB Type-C ports, a traditional USB Type-A port, and a micro SD card slot. In addition to that, it also has 3 Thunderbolt ports with ultra-versatility.
This MacBook Pro has a 2nd-generation MacBook Pro Butterfly keyboard and it is quieter and more comfortable to type. It also enhances your typing speed which comes in handy while attending online classes and during coding.
The device also has a Touch ID Sensor and Touch Bar, both are welcome additions.
It justifies its pricing with a magnificent performance. It is embedded with a Ninth-generation 6-core Intel Core i7 processor which doesn't allow the device to lag even during extreme usage.
AMD Radeon Pro 5300M graphics with GDDR6 memory is a superior graphics card that challenges the laptops that are specifically designed for gaming. Students who use 3D modelling software will feel its worth.
It has a battery life of 11 hours and it is mightily impressive considering the hardware heavyweights it has.
This stunningly built elegant device has everything going for it. It has a buffet of outstanding abilities which can be attributed to its powerful hardware.
Overall, this magnificent beast will provide IIT students worth every penny spent on it.
HP Envy x360 13-ag0035AU
Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 2500U Quad-Core processor
RAM: 8GB DDR4 RAM
Graphics Card: AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics
Storage: 256GB SSD
Display: 13.3-in Display
Launched in late 2018, this premium laptop is received well by tech enthusiasts and upon closer looking, we agree.
This slim beauty weighs only 1.3 kg and comes in a Dark Ash Silver colour.
This stylish device not only provides the necessary support for coding software, it can also provide entertainment value. For this reason, this can be considered one of the best laptops for IIT students.
The display comes with a 13.3-inch screen with a resolution of Full HD 1920*1080 pixels. The touchscreen is available and has an MS active pen. The display has bezels on top and bottom.
On the top, an infrared camera is mounted that supports Windows Hello face authentication.
The keyboard comes with the chicklet version and is backlit with a single level of LED.
The audio output is controlled by 4 speakers. The voice is clear and the audio quality is quite good.
The laptop is powered by a 4-cell Lithium-Ion Fast Charge battery that lasts about 7 hours. However, epic hours of multitasking, only last about 3 and a half hours.
It comes with a pre-loaded Windows 10 Home edition with lifetime validity.
It has 2 USB 3.1 ports, a USB 3.1 Type-C port (Data Transfer up to 5 Gb/s, Power Delivery, DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0, HP Sleep and Charge), and a headphone/microphone combo.
With a powerful combo of AMD Ryzen 5 2500U Quad-Core processor and AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 graphics, this device packs a solid performance.
Storage of 256GB SSD is sufficient enough to perform multitasking. No lags are there to be found while running heavy-loaded software.
It takes very little time to boot and resumes pretty fast during hibernation.
The HP Pen is creatively built and adds an extra 'oomph' to this device. It works well with Windows Ink and comes in handy when drawing.
The cooling system is adequately built and fan noise is minimum even during prolonged working hours.
It comes with a 1-year warranty and a wireless optical mouse.
Though this laptop isn't built for gaming, it can handle some moderately demanding games quite efficiently.
If you are looking for a laptop that multitasks with ease and delivers a solid overall performance, then this one might just be for you.
Lenovo Yoga 530 - 81EK00ACIN
Processor: 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8250U processor
RAM: 8GB DDR4 RAM
Graphics Card: 2GB Nvidia Graphics
Storage: 512GB SSD
Display: 14-in Display
This variant in the Lenovo Yoga boasts powerful performance and long battery life that comes with a premium chassis. This is built as a professional laptop that can handle heavy software and application.
If you are focused just on the exceptional support it provides for educational software and does not care about other features like entertainment and gaming, then this is the best laptop for you.
It has a sleek grey aluminium chassis, which feels like a premium laptop. This svelte aluminium lid features a glossy silver Yoga logo in the top left corner, while the other corner has a glossy Lenovo logo branded in the metal.
The bezels are incredibly slim and the webcam is embedded with a privacy shutter. It can flip 360 degrees into tent or tablet mode. This is an important feature that sets it apart from the rest and makes it the best laptop for students.
On the left side, it has 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports, while the right side features a headphone jack and a USB Type-A port.
The display stands at 14 inches with a resolution of 1920*1080 pixels. The touchscreen display is also available and is surprisingly colourful for the price. The touchscreen is also easy to navigate around.
It comes with an active pen, which flirts quite smoothly with the touchscreen. It also features a 4096-point sensitivity with palm rejection technology.
The screen is embedded with anti-glare technology and a wide-angle IPS display. The brightness is 250 nits and offers sufficient color grading.
The keyboard is comfortable to type on, thanks to the adequate spacing between the keys. This enables the user to type more quicker.
The touchpad is 4.1 x 2.7 inches and is smooth to the touch. The cursor responsiveness is standard for this pricing.
Lenovo Yoga 7i features a pair of top-firing speakers that manage to emit a loud and audible sound. It comes with the Dolby Atmos Speaker System app, which features audio presets.
Beneath the Lenovo Yoga 7i’s deck, it has a powerful 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8250U processor with 8GB of RAM. It’s more than enough to juggle 30 browser tabs and five 1080p videos without any hitch.
It sports 2GB Nvidia GeForce MX130 Graphics, which is nothing home to write about. However, this does all the basic graphic requirements with ease.
The memory storage is 8GB DDR4 RAM and proves to be a smart addition to the laptop’s already impressive features.
The device is powered by a Lithium Polymer battery which lasts about 10 hours.
Overall, the Lenovo Yoga 7i is definitely one of the best 2-in-1 laptops that you can buy for the price.
ASUS VivoBook S S15 - S532EQ-BQ502TS
Processor: Intel Core i5-1135G7 11th Gen processor
RAM: 8GB DDR4 RAM
Graphics Card: 2GB NVIDIA MX350 Graphics
Storage: 512GB SSD
Display: 15.6-in Display
Upon its release, Asus VivoBook was one of the most sought-after laptops. So naturally, we took a deep dive into it to see what the buzz is all about.
After putting this device through rigorous testing, we are pleasantly surprised by how good the performance of this laptop is.
Sure, there are high-end laptops that provide a better performance, but in this price range, this is hands down the best laptop for IIT students.
This device is compact and weighs only around 1.8 kg.
It is coated with silver and sports an elegant look. The lid has the Asus VivoBook logo on the right-hand side.
The monitor stands tall with a 15.6-inch full HD display. It is equipped with IPS anti-glare technology and has a wide-angle view of 178 degrees. This enables the viewers to tilt the laptop without compromising the viewing experience.
The top of the screen has an infrared HD webcam, which has facial recognition login. It also has a screen-to-body ratio of 88 per cent.
It also comes with a pre-loaded Windows 10 Home with lifetime validity.
The keyboard is backlit and comes with a Chiclet version. The keys are spaced apart for a better typing experience. The palm resting space is good and offers a convenient setup.
The device has an HDMI 1.4 port, a 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, 2 USB 2.0 Type-A ports, a Thunderbolt 4 port, and a Micro SD card reader.
In terms of connectivity, it has Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.0.
The laptop is powered by a 3-cell Li-ion battery which gives a battery life of about 8 hours.
11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 Processor and NVIDIA GeForce MX350 GDDR5 2GB VRAM graphics card combine to provide outstanding performance. This device fits the saying, the sum is greater than its parts.
In addition to this, it also comes with 8GB of RAM, which is more than enough to do our tasks. The RAM can also be extended to 12GB.
This thoughtfully integrated device can do all the multitasking abilities and effortlessly supports all the powerful learning applications.
DELL XPS 9300
Processor: 10th Gen Core i5-1035G1 processor
RAM: 8GB DDR4 RAM
Graphics Card: Intel HD Graphics
Storage: 512GB SSD
Display: 13.3-in Display
The 2020 version of Dell’s venerable XPS 13 sports a slightly larger display and boasts a significantly more futuristic design.
The device is thin, light, and ultraportable. It weighs only 1.27 kg which makes it an awesome travel companion.
It also combines a powerful processor and highly efficient graphics card to provide a blisteringly fast device that can do all the various multitasking abilities.
The unlikely duo of powerful hardware and lightweight makes it the best laptop for IIT students.
The display has a 13.3-inch screen with a Full HD resolution of 1920*1200 pixels. It has an Infinity Edge 500 nits brightness which is responsible for the sharper image quality.
Screen to body ratio is 91.5 per cent and also has Eyesafe technology, which protects our naked eye from the harmful emissions of a laptop screen.
It has a webcam with infrared sensors that offers good video quality.
It has a Chiclet keyboard which is backlit. It feels easy on fingers and keys are spaced in such a way as to enhance typing speed. It also has a black carbon fibre composite palm rest, which proves its worth during prolonged typing.
The keycaps are larger and the touchpad has grown by a stunning 17 per cent.
The operating system is Windows 10 Home edition and it comes with MS Office 365 (with a 1-year subscription). A free upgrade to Windows 11 is available.
The device has a 4-Cell Lithium-Ion Battery with 52 Watt Hour. The battery life lasts about 6 hours.
It comes with two USB Type-C ports, a headphone jack, and a microSD card reader. Both USB ports support Thunderbolt 3 data transfer speeds.
In terms of connectivity, it has WiFi and Bluetooth.
The device comes with a 10th Generation Intel Core i5-1035G1 Processor, which is an impressive feature in this price range. This is definitely an upgrade over its previous version.
It has Intel HD Graphics, which surprisingly exceeds expectations. The device comes on its own when this graphic card is integrated with a powerful processor.
It has a memory storage capacity of 512GB SSD with a RAM of 8GB.
With its lightning-fast booting time and outstanding hardware package, this is quickly becoming a favourite among students.
MSI Bravo 15 - A4DDR-212IN
Processor: AMD Ryzen7-4800H processor
RAM: 16GB DDR4 RAM
Graphics Card: Radeon RX5500M 4GB Graphics
Storage: 512GB SSD
Display: 15.6-in Display
This laptop is clearly aimed at light wallet customers that also want a performance powerhouse.
MSI series of laptops is always known for its stylish looks and this one is no different. The build quality of the case is impressive and competes with its pricier alternatives.
The device is coated with black with the MSI logo majestically placed at the top of the lid.
This laptop has a 15.6-inch monitor with a Full HD resolution of 1920*1080. It has IPS anti-glare technology with a 144Hz refresh rate.
This refresh rate is excellent in this price range and provides for a steady viewing experience during gaming and graphic content creation. This is one of the reasons to list this laptop as the best laptop for IIT students.
The keyboard is backlit with red and the keys are built to soak up the constant pressure of typing. No issues are to be found during typing fast and this is an important feature.
The touchpad is 10.5x6.5 cm (~4.1 x 2.6 in) large and offers a smooth surface. It guarantees fast and precise cursor control.
This MSI laptop comes with a 1-year Carry-in warranty. It covers MSI manufacturing defects and does not cover physical damage.
The device lacks a DisplayPort, a card reader, and a Thunderbolt 3 port. It has 2 USB Type-A ports, 2 USB Type-C ports, a USB 3.0 port, an HDMI port, an RJ45 port, a gold audio jack, and a Kensington lock slot.
The cooling system is impressively built and fan noise is only audible in a quiet room. The heat dissipation is evenly spread, which is always a positive.
The audio system is satisfactory and nothing to complain about.
The device is powered by a Lithium Polymer battery which lasts about 6 and a half hours. During intense graphics work, the battery life is reduced to 4 and a half hours.
It is equipped with an AMD Ryzen7-4800H processor, which may not be the best in this segment, but it is more than capable of doing all the pedestrian tasks that are required for a student laptop.
It has 16GB RAM and a Radeon RX5500M 4GB Graphics card.
The memory storage capacity is 512GB NVMe M.2 SSD, which is standard in this segment.
The combined performance of the hardware is impressive and makes up for any of the processor's shortcomings.
HP 14 - 14s-fq1030AU
Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 5500U processor
RAM: 8GB DDR4 RAM
Graphics Card: AMD Radeon Graphics
Storage: 512GB SSD
Display: 14-in Display
HP has launched this laptop with attractive specifications with even more attractive pricing. It has a powerful CPU and GPU system that can provide solid graphics, quick booting time, and can also multitask.
All of this can be attainable with just 50000 INR making it the best budget laptop for IIT students.
This professionally built laptop weighs about 1.46 kg and comes in natural silver. HP logo is placed at the centre of the lid.
The display screen stands at 14 inches and comes with a full HD resolution of 1920*1080 pixels. The monitor has anti-glare micro-edge technology.
It has a brightness of 250 nits which provides for a solid viewing experience. The screen-to-body ratio is very good with a narrow bezel.
It has amounted webcam with 720p HD resolution. This offers decent video quality for this segment.
It comes with a pre-loaded Windows 10 Home with lifetime validity. The operating system can be upgraded to Windows 11 when it becomes available.
It also features Microsoft Office Home & Student 2019 with built-in Alexa.
HP FQ1030AU comes with a backlit keyboard. It is backlighted with 2 levels of brightness. Like the rest of the 14-inch laptops, this also does not provide a num pad.
It has 2 USB 3.0 Ports, an HDMI port, a USB Type-C port, a headphone jack, an SD Card Reader, a Led light indicator for ON/OFF, a LED light indicator for SSD, and a PIN connector for charging.
The device is powered by a 3-cell Lithium-Ion battery with 41 Watt-Hours. The battery life is tested to be 9.15 hours.
The audio quality is excellent with clear and audible sounds.
It consists of an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U processor with a clock speed of 2.1 GHz. The clock speed can be increased up to 4.0 GHz.
AMD Radeon Graphics offers a decent graphic picture. Though this is not suitable for gaming experience and heavy-handed graphic creation software, it is sufficient for a student laptop.
It has 8GB of RAM, which can be upgraded to 16 GB.
The memory capacity is 512GB SSD, which is standard for this price segment.
Overall, this laptop might be cheaper compared to its competitors, but it does provide value for money.
LG Gram - 17Z90N
Processor: 10th Gen Intel i7-1065G7 processor
RAM: 8GB DDR4 RAM
Graphics Card: Intel Iris Plus Graphics
Storage: 512GB SSD
Display: 17-in Display
LG has not been established as one of the significant brands in the world of laptops thus far. That might change with this newest edition of the Gram laptop.
This lightly weighted laptop (1.35 kg) is one of the crown jewels of the brand LG and its impressive array of hardware specifications is the main reason.
Its massive display and industry-best battery life propel this laptop to be the best laptop for IIT students.
The device is slickly built and coated with dark silver. The gram logo is centrally placed on the lid, which looks aesthetically pleasing.
It comes with a huge 17-inch display which naturally paves for an immersive viewing experience. The massive display screen is an added benefit for coders, content creators, and students to attend online classes.
It has 3 USB 3.1 ports, a USB 3.1 Type C port, a Thunderbolt 3 port, a USB PD, and an HDMI 2.0 port.
Thunderbolt port allows up to 5k display, up to 40Gb/s bandwidth of data transfer speed, and charging connected devices without a separate power cable all at the same time over a single cable.
It comes with Windows 10 Home operating system with 64-bit architecture.
The device is powered by a Lithium-Ion battery with 80 Watt-Hours. The battery life lasts for an incredible 17 hours. Even during extreme usage, it lasts more than 10 hours.
It has a 10th Gen Intel i7-1065G7 processor with Intel Iris Plus graphics. This processor gives two times more graphic performance than 8th Gen. It supports professional content creation with up to 2x faster HEVC encodes.
It comes with 8GB of RAM with 512GB SSD memory capacity.
To sum it up, this impressive machine gives its rivals a run for their money.
Conclusion
After a long and thorough analysis, we have filtered this impressive list of laptops that each in its own right can be titled 'the best laptop for IIT students'.
If you select any of these 9 laptops, it would be a massive tool that gives you a competitive edge. And all the best to the future leaders of India.