The best laptops for school, college or university

Acer Aspire 5742G-384G64Mnkk - £480

Students on a tight budget will find great value to be had from the Acer Aspire 5742G-384G64Mnkk (£480 inc. VAT). Strong performance is just the icing on the cake, with plenty of great features to speak of, although the short battery life is a pain.
The Aspire 5742G looks immediately familiar with Acer’s usual raised keyboard filling the interior. Anyone used to bevelled, rounded keys might be put off by 
the completely flat design, but we find them perfect for touch-typing, thanks to the generous key size.
Only the arrow keys are a little cramped. However, the gaps 
between the keys are a magnet for crumbs, so typing while eating crisps is not recommended.
The body features a matt-black finish, which prevents fingerprints and other marks from showing up, although we did notice some flex around the palmrests when we pushed down on them.
At just 2.4kg, it’s the lightest machine here behind the Packard Bell, and perfect for slipping into backpacks, thanks to the slender frame. Unfortunately, the battery dies faster than any other in this group, lasting just two hours when watching video.
Read the full Acer Aspire 5742G-384G64Mnkk review here
Dell Inspiron 15r N5110 - £549

Dell has impressed us lately with a great range of laptops to suit all users, and the Inspiron 15r N5110 (£549 inc. VAT) is no exception. It’s the most expensive laptop here, but still offers great value for money, thanks to its excellent performance.
That extra cash buys you the latest Intel Core i5 processor, which is a step above the Core i3 processors found in most of the other machines here. While the other laptops can comfortably run all of your applications, the Dell provides an extra bit of future-proofing and won’t need replacing any time soon. Even the most demanding software loads quickly and runs smoothly.
You also get a powerful dedicated nVidia graphics card, while most other laptops here make do with basic integrated graphics, where the processor also has to handle image rendering.
The result is much better multimedia performance. High-definition (HD) movies run perfectly, you can comfortably edit all of your media, and gamers can play the latest titles without sacrificing graphics quality for a smooth frame rate. If you enjoy kicking back with action games after a tough day of studying, this is the laptop for you.
Read the full Dell Inspiron 15r review here

HP G62-B32SA - £400

Despite being the cheapest laptop here, we were stunned to discover that the HP G62-b32SA (£400 inc. VAT) packed a powerful Intel Core i5 processor. This gives incredible value for money in terms of performance, although the G62 also has its flaws.
In our benchmarking tests, that powerful processor beat everything here except the Dell. We found we could perform any number of tasks at the same time – for instance, burning a DVD while listening to music and surfing the internet – and there was next to no slowdown.
This is a truly remarkable result, given the low price point. There’s only 3GB of memory compared to the 4GB that comes installed in most of the 
laptops here, but even that doesn’t seem to impact on how well the HP runs programs.
Of course, sacrifices have to be made somewhere and the G62 has to contend with integrated graphics. This is where the processor has to handle images on top of everything else, instead of a dedicated graphics card doing the work.
While the MSI and Packard Bell also have integrated graphics, their Sandy Bridge processors are more capable of rendering images than the HP’s older technology. So while most of the machines here can happily edit home movies and play older games, you’re limited on this laptop to mucking around with your drunken party snaps and watching high-definition (HD) films.
Read the full HP G62-B32SA review here
MSI CR640-020UK - £450

Korean company MSI hasn’t got the brand power of the likes of Dell and Packard Bell, but the CR640-020UK (£450 inc. VAT) is a well-crafted laptop that offers decent performance and media potential at a reasonable price.
Like the Packard Bell and Dell in this group, the MSI uses Intel’s latest Sandy Bridge technology to run software. The results are excellent, with tons of power considering the low cost. We found we could surf the web, listen to music and run powerful editing software all at the same time with no slowdown.
As with most of the laptops here, there’s no dedicated graphics card. Instead, the processor handles tasks such as editing media and playing games. Despite this, the MSI does an admirable job, as the Sandy Bridge technology has been optimised for rendering graphics. You can edit your home movies and stream high-definition (HD) films without issue.
You can also play DVDs on the built-in drive and the integrated speakers are commendably loud, although sound quality is not amazing. However, if you want to play the latest games, you’ll need a more powerful option, such as the Dell. Recent titles lag on the MSI and suffer from low frame rates on the highest detail settings.
Read the full MSI CR640-020UK review here
Packard Bell NS44-HR-033UK - £430


Packard Bell’s EasyNote NS44-
HR-033UK (£430 inc. VAT) is a 
light and slender laptop that will suit any student who’s regularly on the move. A bright and vibrant glossy screen is another highlight, making this laptop an excellent option for work as well as play.
The Packard Bell features an attractive white patterned design that certainly stands out from the other laptops here. This design covers the lid and interior with a silver palmrest thrown into the mix.
At just 2.2kg, it’s the lightest laptop here, making it easy to carry around all day if needed, while the excellent four-hour battery life means it’s perfect for use in lectures where you might not have access to power sockets. We actually got over five hours of use when we used it to browse the web, the best result in the group by far.
The 14-inch screen is one of 
the brightest here and is excellent 
for working late into the night without straining your eyes. It’s 
also one of the most colourful displays here and impressively sharp, thanks to the smaller panel. This is especially good when working on graphs, spreadsheets and other detailed charts.
Like all of the laptops here, you get a built-in webcam that sits just above the screen. This is perfect for shooting YouTube monologues or keeping in touch with friends and family, as you can install an application such as Skype and video chat with them online.
Read the full Packard Bell NS44-HR-033UK review here
Samsung RV511-S01UK - £489

Samsung’s RV511-S01UK (£489 inc. VAT) is a great all-round laptop, and offers a lot to cash-strapped students searching for an affordable portable that is still a strong performer. From its excellent keyboard to the dedicated graphics, there’s a lot to recommend.
As with all of the laptops here, you get good performance at a reasonable price. One of Intel’s previous-generation Core i3 processors is in charge and capably runs everything you throw at it, from word processors and web browsers to complex design software. An impressive 6GB of memory is the most in this group and keeps everything running smoothly.
If your studies involve heavy design and editing work – for instance, touching up photos and videos or constructing artistic masterpieces – the Samsung is a great choice, thanks to its basic dedicated nVidia graphics card. Not only can you edit your media, you can also kick back and enjoy Full HD video or indulge in light gaming.
Of course, you’ll need a decent screen so you can comfortably work all night on your course work (or indulge in a marathon of BBC iPlayer shows). While this laptop’s display isn’t very bright, and can’t match the crisp images produced by the Packard Bell, it’s still a colourful panel that produces vibrant images. We enjoyed browsing our photo collections and happily worked for hours at a time.
Read the full Samsung RV511-S01UK review here

Toshiba Satellite L755-13F - £500

Students will find lots to like from the Satellite L755-13F (£500 inc. VAT), from the huge hard drive to the colourful screen. Unfortunately, the lack of dedicated graphics means it won’t suit those with demanding multimedia needs.
The same Intel Core i3 processor as the Acer and Samsung is used here and the results of our benchmarking tests were just as encouraging. As with those machines, you can comfortably multi-task with all of your software. There’s little to no slowdown, even when working with the most complex design suites, and you shouldn’t need to upgrade to a more powerful laptop until your studies are over.
Unfortunately, while the Samsung has a dedicated graphics card for rendering images – an important feature if you wish to edit video or play games – the L755-13F makes do with basic integrated graphics, where the processor handles all the heavy lifting.
You can still watch high-definition (HD) video and edit your photos, but if your studies demand the use of more complex multimedia software, there are more suitable machines here. You’re also restricted to the oldest, most basic games.
Read the full Toshiba Satellite L755-13F review here


THE WINNER
PACKARD BELL NS44-HR-033UK
We thought the Packard Bell NS44-HR-033UKwas the most fully rounded laptop in the group and had the most to offer students.
Whether you’re travelling to college every day or need something light and portable to lug to university, it’s important to have a portable machine that won’t weigh you down.
While the likes of the Apple MacBook Air and Sony VAIO Z Series ultraportables are well out of the price range of most students, the dinky 14-inch Packard Bell will slip easily into most bags and is so light you’ll barely notice you’re carrying it. Combined with the long-lasting battery, this is easily the most portable machine here