With digitalization advancing rapidly, laptops have become a necessity for everyone. For teachers, having a good laptop is an essential requirement to maximize their reach to the students during this Covid-19.
Whether you’re engaging in online classes or not, owning a laptop will allow you to design your curriculums easier. It’ll also save you time as you don’t have to spend hours on a dedicated PC at your school.
The existing market is flooded with reputable brands, and the competition is relatively high. Hence, choosing the best laptops for teachers can be bewildering for most. But, fear not, because we’ve lined up some of our top picks to help you narrow down your choices.
Let’s get right to it!
Table of Contents
Best Laptops for Teachers
Considering the storage space and performance, we’ve brought together a list of our top picks. These will help you narrow down your choices to choose one that fits you best.
1. Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop
- Display: 15.6” 1080p
- CPU: Intel Core i7-9750H
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 256GB SSD
The Predator Helios 300 from Acer is a beast when it comes to processing speeds, and the sharpness of the display it packs will leave you stunned.
First of all, you need to understand that the laptop’s size is quite larger than the average. Within the 15.6-inch shell, you receive a Full HD IPS display with a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels. The Helios 300 is essentially a gaming laptop that aims to deliver bright and saturated color tones.
Upon looking into the performance aspects of the laptop, we lay eyes on the Core i7 processor by Intel. The 9th generation processor will provide you with 2.6 Gigahertz processing speeds.
Also, featuring a turbo boost technology, you can boost this up to 4.5 Gigahertz! When paired with its 16 GB DDR4 RAM, your processes will be running at lightning speeds.
Now, if you’re in control of a large group of students and multiple courses, you’ll need large storage space. While cloud storage is always an option, it is never as accessible as your own dedicated space.
The 256 gigabytes of SSD storage provides you with enough space for your educational videos and documents. When you bring together the force of the processor, RAM, and the SSD, you’ll receive fast boot-up speeds that minimize lag time.
Acer surprises us all with its 144 Hertz monitor, a step up from the usual 60 Hertz models. Since this is a gaming laptop, it has a dedicated VRAM of 6 GB. The NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1660 Ti provides you with stunning visuals at high FPS settings.
Featuring a refresh rate of 144 Hertz means that you’ll receive crisp colors and textures in every game you play.
2. Microsoft Surface Pro 7
- Display: 12.3” (2736x1824p)
- CPU: Intel Core i5-1035G4
- GPU: Intel Iris Plus Graphics
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 256GB SSD
With a slim and sleek design but equally powerful as most laptops with high specifications, we bring to you the Surface Pro 6 by Microsoft. Being the one to bring you the world’s most favored operating system, this is one brand you can trust to deliver.
Right off the bat, you’ll notice that the Surface Pro is more of a tablet with unreal performance features of a laptop. The slim 1.7 lb laptop comes with a portable keyboard to allow you to switch between laptop and tablet mode.
And with the new Windows 10 pre-installed, you’ll be able to take advantage of all the latest Windows 11 upgrades for free.
What’s more, this laptop is perfect for those teachers who are entirely dependent on designing and drawing for their teaching. Using the kickstand, you can alter between tablet, laptop, or studio mode to suit your mode of work.
Another great addition to this device is the surface pen; it allows you to engage in design projects with precision. The touchscreen feature is something that you don’t receive with many laptops, and once you get used to it, you’ll not want to go back.
Featuring a 12.3-inch screen and a resolution of 2736×1824 pixels, the Surface Pro brings out some fantastic colors. Whether you’re designing a project for your students or simply watching a video, the details you see will leave you amazed.
When we look into processing speeds, this low-profile device packs a 10th Gen i5 processor. The combination of the processing speed with the battery life is truly heaven for workaholics. Microsoft offers what they call an “all-day battery life” with video playback of up to 10.5 hours!
If you’re going to be up all day engaging in online classes and research, this is the way to go.
3. Apple MacBook Pro M1
- Display: 13.3” Retina display
- CPU: Apple M1 Chip
- GPU: 8-core GPU
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 512GB SSD
Running on an entirely different Operating system, we’ve got the new MacBook Pro from Apple. Not only are they the pioneers in the cellphone industry, but their MacBooks have brought a new sense of competition.
When purchasing this laptop, you’re given the versatility to choose between its silver space gray color. Based on your requirements, you’re also given the free will to choose what goes inside.
Apple provides you with an Apple M1 chip; an 8-core CPU. You can also pick either of the two storage options, 256 GB and 512 GB, respectively.
The color gradients and sharpness of the graphics on this laptop are on par with some of the best laptops for teachers. Featuring a True Tone screen setting, the white balance of your screen changes according to the surroundings. This feature reduces your eye’s stress by making the screen colors warmer and more comfortable to look at.
Integrated into the top right corner of the keyboard is Apple’s unique Touch ID system. While most laptops come with facial recognition or the basic PIN-unlock system, this one unlocks with your fingerprint. Featured in all the new iPhone models, the touch ID is super fast and reliable.
As a teacher, you don’t have to worry about others prying into your laptop and getting access to your work.
4. Lenovo Yoga C740
- Display: 14” 1080p
- CPU: Intel Core i5-10210U
- GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 256GB SSD
This laptop from Lenovo takes flexibility to the next level. With ‘Yoga’ in its name, the screen of the laptop features an overall flexible design. You can easily bend the screen back to switch the device into tablet mode.
Pre-installed with Windows 10, the ability to alternate between laptop and tablet modes unlocks a new set of possibilities. As you already know, the tablet mode makes use of Lenovo’s high-quality IPS touchscreen.
Using the included stylus, you can now quickly dive into your designing projects or simply avoid using a mouse.
The Yoga C740 features a large 14-inch display, which provides a Full HD resolution of 1920×1080 pixels. In terms of hardware, this laptop has an integrated Ultra HD graphics card from Intel and is well optimized for the screen size to give you some amazing viewing angles.
Other than for work purposes, you can also engage in some lightweight gaming to ease the stress.
Whether you bend the screen 360 degrees to use tablet mode or you don’t, the battery life will last you up to 8 hours on moderate usage. So if you’re away from your teaching institute and need to engage in a few back-to-back online classes, this will fit the bill just right.
Plus, if you’re too tight on battery life, you can always use the power-saving settings built into Windows 10.
5. Dell Inspiron 14
- Display: 14” 1080p
- CPU: Intel Core i3-1115G4
- GPU: Intel UHD
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 512GB SSD
If you’re looking for a basic laptop to aid your professional teaching career, then look no further. The Inspiron 14 will provide you with all the necessary functionalities with little added features.
At the heart of the laptop is its 11th gen Intel i3-1115G4 processor. The thing with these newer generation processors is their quad-core boosting capabilities. This turbo boost does not put excessive strain on the unit and reduces the risk of decreased longevity.
The CPU displays a base processing speed of 1.7GHz, which can be bumped up to 4.1 GHz. Interestingly enough, this performs better than the i5 processors of the previous generation.
Besides, you’ll never have to worry about spending extra and expanding the storage. The Inspiron is loaded with a 1 TB SATA hard drive, which should be more than enough to store your documents and teaching content.
The 16GB DDR4 RAM works well with the solid-state drive and processor to reduce the time taken to boot applications.
Moving on, Dell has fitted an excellent pair of speakers within the device just in case you don’t always carry headphones. The Stereo speakers with MaxxAudio Pro Audio processing system give you loud and clear sounds. Even at high volume levels, the sound will not crack up and will remain crystal clear.
Other than that, it features your usual backlit keyboard, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.1. The webcam on the top of the screen is of decent quality, although not the clearest.
Moreover, the sides of the laptop contain 2 USB 3.0 ports for high-speed transfer and 1 USB 3.2 Type-C port. You also receive an HDMI port to connect your laptop to external screens or projectors.
6. HP ENVY 13
- Display: 13.3″ 4K
- CPU: Intel Core i7-1065G7
- GPU: Intel Iris Plus Graphics
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 512GB SSD
Sturdy build quality and good sound are two of the most popular features in this next laptop. The ENVY 13 is a people’s champ when it comes to buying HP products.
Upon looking into the specifications, we noticed the 10th gen Intel i7 processor packs within itself. The processor is well optimized with all the other hardware; this enables you to run multiple applications at ease.
The 1.3 GHz quad-core processor works hand in hand with its 8GB DDR4 RAM to provide superfast booting speeds. Whether you’re running multiple applications or loading new ones, the lag time is significantly reduced; this makes it ideal for teachers engaged in teaching programming courses.
Weighing in at only 2.6 pounds, it is quite portable and lightweight. Featuring an all-metal construction, the laptop is well built to last you for many years to come without suffering wear and tear. The 13.3-inch 4K screen allows the laptop to fit inside your bag with ease, aiding portability.
What’s more, you receive insane battery life with this laptop. HP’s performance optimization allows your battery to run almost 14 hours in one go, which is almost more than half a day!
Furthermore, the 512 gigabytes in your SSD will give you super-fast transfer speeds. Also, 512 GB is more than enough to store your documents and teaching materials. HP believes that its SSD has been tweaked so well that it performs almost 17 times faster than other hard drives.
7. ASUS ZenBook 13
- Display: 13.3” 1080p
- CPU: Intel Core i7-1165G7
- GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 512GB SSD
To compete with the HP ENVY, we bring you a 13.3-inch laptop to broaden your list of options. Constructed out of high-quality aluminum, this laptop is much lighter than most 13.3-inch models.
The display packed into the compact shell is stunning. Featuring an IPS anti-glare screen, it brings out all the bright colors on your screen without reflecting off light from your surroundings. This feature takes the stress off your eyes when you’re working in bright light settings.
With a viewing angle of 178-degrees, you can easily watch a movie or let others view your presentations.
Focusing mainly on portability and sturdiness, the Zenbook 13 takes the cakes as one of the lightest in its class. With a thickness of half an inch (maybe even less), it will take up less space inside your bag. You can even invest in stylish laptop cases and avoid using a bag when you don’t have other things to carry.
At the heart of the laptop is the latest 11th gen i7-1165G7 processor paired with 16 gigabyte DDR4 RAM and 512 GB SSD. The three of these work in sync to give you super-fast boot speeds. Besides, the higher RAM allows you to edit your photos or videos using large editing suites without experiencing lag.
Furthermore, ASUS has emphasized improving the speakers to provide enhanced sound quality. Partnering up with Bang & Olufsen has allowed the device to be tweaked for the perfect sound clarity. Integrated oval voice coils and innovative speakers work together to give you a soft and clear sound.
8. Dell Inspiron 15 3000
- Display: 15.6” 1080p
- CPU: Intel Core i7-1065G7
- GPU: Intel Iris Plus Graphics
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 512GB SSD
For those looking to get the best features on a budget, the Dell Inspiron 15 is a godsend. With just the right combination of processing speed and RAM, you’ll be able to switch between multiple windows seamlessly.
The laptop runs an Intel Quad Core i7 processor with a speed of 1.3 GHz. As with most of the newer Intel processors, you can boost your processing speed to 2.8 GHz. Running on Windows 10, the laptop will efficiently run all your programs and applications without any sort of lag.
The full HD large 15.6-inch IPS touchscreen with a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels displays saturated colors with accurate tones. The efficient LED backlight works to give you the right screen brightness while minimizing the strain on battery life.
Moving on, much like the previous Dell Inspiron we’ve talked about, this device also features the same MaxxAudio Audio system. Even with the volume on max, you’ll hear a crystal clear sound with no cracking.
What’s more, the 15.6 shell has a large keyboard with an included 10-key numeric keypad. For those of you teaching accounting or finance, this can come in quite handy as it makes inputting numbers a lot easier.
Each of the keyboard keys is soft and provides a satisfying click; this is crucial for those who spend hours typing away on their laptops, as they may be susceptible to RSI syndrome.
9. New Apple MacBook Air M1
- Display: 13.3” Retina display
- CPU: Apple M1 Chip
- GPU: 8-core GPU
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 512GB SSD
Much lighter and portable than the previously mentioned MacBook Pro, Apple’s MacBook Air is perfect for serving your teaching purposes on the go.
Unlike most of the essential laptops in the market, Apple has reduced the number of USB ports and omitted the DVD ROM to make the MacBook minimalistic.
Instead of having multiple ports on both sides, you’re provided with two of their very own Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports. Optimized for fast charging and high transfer speeds, it will serve you better than your traditional USB ports.
Besides, it doesn’t matter how you plug in the USB-C cord as it is reversible, so there isn’t a right side to plug it in.
Furthermore, the MacBook features the new Apple M1 Chip. This will give you super-fast processing speeds as it is well optimized with the Mac OS. The 8 gigabytes of RAM is an excellent addition to the laptop as it boosts your boot speeds and allows you to multitask at ease.
Apple has always made some of the best displays when it comes to laptops and phones. Although they don’t provide LED or LCDs like most brands, their retina displays offer quite the competition.
The 13.3-inch display features True Tone technology to bring warm colors that reduce strain on your eyes; this makes working for prolonged periods much more straightforward.
10. ASUS Chromebook Flip
- Display: 12.5” 1080p
- CPU: Intel Core M3
- GPU: Intel HD Graphics 515
- RAM: 4 GB
- Storage: 64GB SSD
Much like the Lenovo Yoga, the ASUS Chromebook features a 360-degree flip function that lets you access a laptop, tablet, and tent mode. The sleek and slim profile of the laptop makes it very easy to carry as well.
For starters, the laptop features a 12.5-inch Full HD display at a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels; this also doubles as a touchscreen to maximize efficiency in tablet mode.
ASUS has used Corning gorilla glass for the screen. Renowned for its durability and scratch resistance, your screen will look good as new for years to come.
Moving on to the hardware, this convertible laptop runs an Intel Core m3 processor in its base model. However, ASUS provides you with two other powerful variants running Intel Core m5 and m7, respectively.
While the 4GB of RAM might not seem enough, the operating system manages all applications efficiently to make up for it.
What makes this laptop different is its Chrome OS. While most run Windows or Mac OS, ASUS has placed its faith in the new and improved Chrome OS. Rightfully so, the operating system makes use of the 4 GB RAM and 64 GB of storage as efficiently as possible.
The laptop also features a long-lasting battery life of up to 10 hours! So if you have a long day planned, charge your laptop the night before and roam without worry.
Best Laptops for Teachers: Quick Answers
How can I get additional ports for my laptop?
Most laptops come with 2 or 3 USB ports, but if you’re purchasing slim and portable ones, you might not get many ports. The best option is to invest in a USB hub to get additional ports.
What is the optimum storage capacity for teachers?
Given that you’ll be working with documents, you won’t need much storage as they take up less space. However, it is always best to get a laptop with 500 gigabytes of storage.
What is the ideal RAM for running photo and video editing software?
Editing software uses up a lot of RAM, and so you should get a laptop with at least 8 gigabytes if you want to run multiple applications at a time.
Should I go for Mac or Windows OS?
Both Mac and Windows are great operating systems when it comes to teaching purposes. Windows support most of the software and applications, but Mac does an excellent job in maximizing performance.
How important is a high processor speed?
High processing speeds will allow your laptop to carry out each task efficiently and faster too. So if you plan on running multiple applications, you’ll require processing speeds of 2.4 GHz.
Does turbo-boosting your processor inflict damage?
No. Turbo boosting keeps your processor speed within its limits, but we would advise you not to run it for prolonged periods.
Final Words
Finding the best laptops for teachers requires much thought into the processor and RAM specifications. Ideally, an 8 GB RAM and a processing speed of over 2.4 GHz will ensure that your laptop does not run slow after a few years.
All the products mentioned above are great options, but it all comes down to your preference.
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