Whether you’ve taken an online class before or not, we know that much of the future of education will be remote!
Children, college students, and professionals alike will depend on the internet for education.
But what are the best laptops for online classes? How do you adapt to online learning?
You’ll need a laptop that has a great internet connection. It has to have reliable internet for your learning modules. You might also need one that is easily portable.
This guide will help you determine the right laptop and some of our recommendations on the best laptops for 2021.
Portable
For the most portability, choose a laptop that you can carry for at least an hour. If you find 1 to 3 pounds comfortable then don’t exceed this amount.
If you don’t struggle to lift a heavier laptop that’s 4 to 6 pounds, this is fine. Do what works best for you.
You should also choose one that’s as thin as possible. Again, if you are comfortable with a thicker laptop this is fine. As a general rule, it’ll be much easier to choose one that’s thin and lightweight.
You want to also consider what size works best. You might be comfortable with a 10-inch screen. Or you might need to upgrade to a 13-inch screen for stronger visuals.
Security
Unfortunately, hackers are going to be on the lookout for online students. Online classes are some of the best places where hackers can access data from hundreds of students at once.
As such, make sure you choose a laptop with great security features. Make sure to see if it has built-in antivirus or malware software.
When shopping around, make sure you inquire about the security strength of a laptop. Read reviews on how often the laptop was hacked through the internet or when offline.
Storage
You want to consider how much storage you’ll need for your coursework. For example, does your coursework only consist of a few exams and essays? In such a case, as long as you have 100 GB you’ll be fine.
But what if you are required to do multimedia work? Whether it’s editing videos or designing graphics, you’ll need a lot of space and memory. Choose a laptop with at least 200 GB of storage. You also want high RAM and fast speeds.
It’s always best to invest in a flash drive and external hard drive when needed. Make sure you choose a laptop that works with USB 3.0 technology for prime efficiency.
Now let’s look at our recommendations for the best laptops for online classes.
- Lenovo Yoga 920
This laptop is sure to become a favorite among online students across age ranges. Regardless of your coursework, you’ll find benefits with using the Lenovo Yoga 920.
It has a 13.9-inch screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. It has 256 GB of storage space and 8 GB of RAM. With a full charge, the laptop can last for up to 15.5 hours.
The best feature of this laptop is that you can detach your screen. This lets you use it as a tablet. It has both touchscreen capability as well as a stylus for tablet use.
You have 3.0 USB support as well as an array of apps with different purposes. Whether you need to create documents, stream videos, or create graphics this is the perfect laptop. It’s only 3.02 pounds making it comfortable for most users.
You should visit Lenovo.com to find the best deals for the Yoga 920.
- MacBook Pro/Air
Are you a university student or a professional? Is your focus on multimedia learning? Then you’ll hardly do better than a MacBook Pro/Air.
The new MacBook Pro laptops are available in different sizes, but we suggest the 13-inch as the best option for online learning. The standard storage is 256 GB but you can upgrade to 500 GB. You’ll get 8 GB RAM on all models.
The battery lasts up to 10 hours after a full charge. You’ll have to buy an additional port to connect to USB 3.0
You can also ensure more security and stability with Macs. You’ll find that this laptop works better for creative applications such as graphic design and video editing.
The enhanced stability makes this laptop perfect for online classes. You can stream your educational content without major lagging. If weight is a major factor, you can opt for a MacBook Air.
- Microsoft Surface Laptop
Are you an IT student? Then you’ll find the Microsoft Surface laptop to be the best option.
As IT is a complex subject, you can expect hours of streaming your online lectures. You’ll need a full day to complete your coursework and study your online modules.
With this laptop, you’ll get 14.5 hours after a full charge. There’s 256 GB of storage and 8 GB of RAM. It has a 13.5-inch screen and has a resolution of 2256 x 1504 pixels.
It comes with one USB 3.0 port and weighs 2.67 pounds. This is perfect if you need to take your laptop for a study group at the library or coffee shop.
- Dell Inspiron 5000
If you need a laptop for a high school student, then this is a great option. It’s an affordable option that you can find for under $1,000. It’s simple to use and has great security features.
You won’t have to worry about your child damaging this laptop. It weighs 4.54 pounds and has a 15.6-inch screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. It has 1 TB storage space and 8 GB of RAM.
You also have HDMI connectivity and a port for headphones. This makes it great if your child is in an online school program.
They can connect the laptop to a larger monitor to watch their lectures. They can listen to their teacher through headphones so as not to disturb the rest of the house.
- ASUS VivoBook 15
This is the perfect option for elementary or middle school students. It’s an affordable option that you can find for between $400-$500.
It has 128 GB of storage and 8 GB of RAM. This ensures that they’ll have fast speeds and adequate storage space for their homework. It also lasts up to 10 hours after a full charge.
It has a 15.6-inch screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. It weighs 3.75 pounds. As this is for younger children, you won’t have to worry about them needing to haul it around.
While the graphics are simple, the VivoBook has excellent connectivity for internet usage. It works with both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 and has an HDMI connection.
While security is great, you want to consider installing a VPN for when your child is on the web. This protects their browsing and search history from potential hackers.
- Microsoft Surface Go
This is a great option if your main focus is portability. It has a 10-inch screen and a resolution of 1800 x 1200 pixels. It weighs 1.15 pounds, making it the lightest option on this list.
What it lacks in size and weight, it makes up in power. It has 128 GB of storage and 8 GB of RAM. As a result, you can expect great performance for streaming online content.
You won’t have issues when watching lectures or doing your coursework through online learning modules.
It’s not ideal for multimedia work but it’s perfect for everyday tasks. The laptop also works as a tablet. It lasts for 9 hours after a full charge and has a USB-C port which you can use to connect to other USB types.
- HP Envy 15
This has become one of the most popular PC laptop options. We think it’s also the best option for online schooling.
It has 512 GB of storage and 16 GB of RAM. It has a 15.6-inch screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. After a full charge, the battery lasts up to 18.5 hours — the highest on this list.
It’s a reliable laptop that works well for online learning as well as completing your coursework. You’ll get the MS Office package which is what most school students will depend on.
It also has a webcam and a high-quality in-built microphone. This is ideal when you have to interact with your teacher and classmates through the internet.
It weighs 4.75 pounds so it works well for keeping at home or taking on the go. With the high level of storage, you can install applications for multimedia work. This makes it easier for creating presentations and working on school projects.
- Acer Nitro 5
What if you need a laptop for video editing and game design, but are on a budget? The Acer Nitro 5 can be found for under $1,000.
It has 1 TB of storage space and 8 GB of RAM. It has a 15.6-inch screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.
The battery only lasts 5 hours for a full charge so it only works for at-home studying.
It has great internet connectivity and high levels of security. If you want to focus on complex multimedia projects without breaking the bank, you won’t get better than this.
Those Are the Best Laptops for Online Classes
Now that you know these 8 laptops for online classes, you can choose the best one for your needs.
Make sure you figure out what criteria among storage, security, and portability are most important to you.
Read further reviews of each laptop online before making your decision. Choose the one that works best for the type of learning you’ll need.
Please share this guide with anyone else interested in online learning. You can find more great tech content on our website.
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