10+ Best Laptops for PhD Students in 2025
Shako Memon
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If you are trying to complete your PhD, you are probably looking for the best laptops for PhD students. This notebook should seamlessly meet your research,?word processing, and data analysis needs for various statistical?models or applications.
Laptops are an essential piece of equipment in a Ph.D. student's arsenal. Especially Ph.D. students need the best laptop while doing research work and reviewing various research publications. After completing the theoretical part, a sample survey is conducted, followed by the data collection part.
After that, the student analyzes the data using various statistical models and applications to test his hypotheses with the collected data. Later wrote a research thesis about his research work. The data analysis part is the most resource-intensive on a laptop.
So, let's take a closer look at what to consider when buying a laptop!
Best laptops for Ph.D. students Buyer's Guide 2025
Laptops come in various types and sizes and have many features that set them apart. Choosing the best laptop for you depends mainly on your needs. Here are some basic things to consider when buying a laptop:
1. Size
It is true to say that size matters when choosing a laptop. The right size should fit your student's needs. Whether they need a bigger screen or a lighter laptop, you can take it wherever you go. Laptop size is not something that can be upgraded later, so choosing the right. Many laptops today are thinner and lighter.
Most laptops are 11.6-inch but can be as large as 17.3-inch. Some people find 13.3-inch laptops the most comfortable to own because they aren't as big as others, but the screen isn't as small as an 11.6-inch laptop.
However, the problem is the limited capacity to support high-end Intel Core CPUs. They also tend to feature a limited selection of ports. A larger-sized laptop is best when you need a wide range of display requirements.
2. Screen quality
Laptops have different screen quality. If you have to face your laptop for hours every day, you should choose a screen that is very comfortable for your eyes.
Some laptops have beautiful displays. They often use high-resolution display panels that are 1920 x 1080 pixels or more significant. The higher the pixel, the more detail can be put on the screen. Low-res content displays significantly less content than high-res content.
More specifically, the 1080-pixel display screen can display up to 10 additional lines of text on a web page. Videos and photos at this specific resolution are sharper and more detailed. A higher horizontal pixel can display two full-size windows side-by-side on the screen.
Modern laptop screens are also equipped with touchscreen functionality. Useful if you want easier and faster navigation.
3. Keyboard
Most graduate students have lengthy typing sessions. This requires a comfortable keyboard. You should have an easy-to-use follow layout with full-size keys. Also, the key should react with every click. The keyboard should be backlit to allow students to type even in dimly lit environments.
4. CPU
The central processing unit or CPU is an essential component of any laptop. Most CPUs are now Intel Core-based. There are several types, such as Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, Etc. This CPU type offers the best performance, especially when multitasking and multimedia tasks are required.
5. RAM
Random-access memory houses the computing device's operating system (OS), applications, and data. In the past, only 4GB or less of RAM was required, but today's laptops require more. The more RAM you have, the more applications you can run simultaneously.
For Ph.D. students, a minimum of 8 GB of memory is required. It would be great if you could go higher. But computer memory isn't expensive these days, so it's not a big deal.
6. Storage
It's a personal preference, so I think you should choose according to your taste. However, I would suggest SSD storage because it can make your laptop performance much faster. Solid-state drives can significantly reduce boot times, file/document access, or retrieval times. Also, buying a PCIe SSD is probably the best because it can provide faster speeds than standard SATA SSDs.
7. Battery life
The average battery life of most laptops can be between 1 and 7 hours, but this can vary greatly depending on the activity you have done on your device and what programs are running.
Ph.D. students who are always on the go may need a laptop with a long-lasting battery. Best of all, you can go up to 8 hours. It is known that battery life decreases over time, but proper handling and charging practices can help prolong battery life.
8. Budget
Another thing to consider when buying a laptop is the budget students must pay. There are laptops you can buy for less than $200. However, if students want better quality and more robust performance, you can allocate a substantial budget to broaden their options.
We have focused on putting together a collection of notebooks that can quickly be declared the best laptops for Ph.D. students.
1. Lenovo Flex 5
The Lenovo Flex 5 offers the best of both worlds, packed with an AMD Ryzen 4500 CPU with integrated Radeon graphics, 16GB of memory, and a 256GB SSD. This 2-in-1 machine can handle any computing task with ease.
The touchscreen panel is a 14-inch Full HD IPS panel compatible with Lenovo digital pens, allowing students to create digital artwork on the Flex 5 freely.
On the left are the power port, HDMI output, USB Type-C port, and 3.5mm combo jack, and on the right are two USB-a ports and an SD card slot.
It has a good battery life and can work up to 10 hours without interruption. You need a laptop with tablet-like features to take notes on the go during a survey or fieldwork. This laptop is for you so that it can be a good laptop for PhD graduates.
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2. Acer Aspire 5
For PhD students engaged in remote or face-to-face learning, the Acer Aspire 5 offers a lot in a slim, luxurious chassis. This laptop has an 11th-generation processor, 8GB of RAM, and a high-speed SSD.
Experience vivid colors and sharp details on the 15.6-inch 1080p IPS display with an 82.58% screen-to-body ratio. This laptop offers more workspace thanks to its narrow bezels. This laptop supports Wi-Fi 6, which supports gigabit speeds nearly 3x faster than standard Wi-Fi.
This laptop has multiple ports, including USB Type-C, two USB Type, and HDMI ports. All statistical data analysis applications are available, so the Aspire 5 will not disappoint you.
In addition to this, it comes with Acer's true harmony. Two?front-mounted speakers deliver crystal-clear sound quality. This laptop performs research work and data analysis, giving it a perfect score as the best laptop for PhD students.
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3. HP Pavilion x360
This laptop has a beautiful 14-inch Full HD multi-touch screen with 1920 x 1080 resolution and boasts impressive color and clarity. Touch, tap, glide and get the most out of Windows 10. IPS technology for wide viewing angles. Energy-efficient WLED backlight.
16GB DDR4 memory for full-power multitasking with 256GB PCIe SSD Solid State Drive (PCI-e). Store files quickly and store more data. With mass storage and advanced communication performance, PCI-e SSDs are perfect for major gaming applications, multiple servers, daily backups, and more.
Get up to 15x faster performance than traditional hard drives. Windows 10 Home 64-bit English introduces new features like the Edge web browser that brings back Windows 7's Start menu and can display web pages on your screen.
The HP Pavilion x360 is an outstanding mid-range 2-in-1 laptop powered by a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor that delivers fast performance at an affordable price.
It offers a long battery life of around 7 hours, so students can continue their research in one fell swoop without worrying about recharging every few hours.
Moreover, the lightweight and compact chassis make it a pleasure to watch. So, if you're looking for a stylish laptop that can turn into a tablet, think no more and buy the HP Pavilion x360.
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4. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
The display features an anti-glare screen with 14-inch IPS, an incredible 400 nits of brightness, and a Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 px. It also supports Intel UHD Graphics 620. Consistent typing doesn't stop even at night with a beautiful backlit keyboard.
This laptop has capable 8GB memory and efficient 256GB SSD storage. It is integrated with an 8th generation Intel Core i5-8265U quad-core processor with a base speed of 1.6 GHz, a?boost-up speed of 3.90 GHz, and a 6M Smart Cache. Windows 10 Pro serves as the operating system.
The wireless connection consists of 802.11ac higher bandwidth Wi-Fi 5, AC-9560, and Bluetooth 5. The laptop comes with the highest level of security, consisting of the most secure fingerprint reader and ThinkShutter privacy webcam cover.
The 4x 360-degree far-field microphone excels in any meeting and video conference, and the Dolby AtmosSpeaker audio system delivers crystal-clear sound. It is packaged in a beautiful mouse pad.
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5. HP Stream 14
If you are a Ph.D or a student looking for the best touchscreen laptop, the HP Stream is the best choice for working at home or in the classroom.
The 14-inch display offers a bright, vivid display with a resolution of 1366×768, which is sufficient for Ph.D. students. It is large enough to help students.
The HP Stream is equipped with an AMD dual-core a4-9120e with clock speeds of 1.5 to 2.2 GHz. This means that the hp stream offers the best performance compared to the previous generation.
The laptop with HD display quality comes with a smart dual-core processor, and Windows 10 Home's S-mode operating system is free to update later. It has 4GB DDR4 RAM and 64GB solid-state drive (SSD) storage.
The HP Stream battery lasts up to 8 hours, and multimedia playback lasts about 4 hours. HP Stream does the average if your research requires Photoshop and high-quality video editing.
All these qualities make the HP Stream the best laptop for a PhD. research scholar. The HP Stream is more than a budget laptop and is the best choice for anyone looking for a great touchscreen laptop for research and writing.
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领英推荐
6. Dell Inspiron 15
The Dell Inspiron 15 is an affordable laptop with incredible responsiveness and smooth, seamless multitasking. This laptop is powered by a powerful 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. You will not feel delays or freezes in your daily research work for your Ph.D.
This laptop has integrated Intel Iris XE graphics that provide excellent processing power and can be used for casual gaming. This laptop features a 15.6-inch anti-glare display and Full HD resolution.
Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, six multiple USB ports, HDMI output, a micro SD card reader, and more than enough for all your peripherals.
Simply put, the Inspiron 15 is a high-quality laptop that delivers reliable performance across research work and data analysis and is a great laptop for Ph.D. students.
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7. Acer Swift 3
The Acer Swift 3 is a laptop built for the mobile performance you need for your busy research life on the go. With amazing 10th Gen Intel Core performance, 8GB of RAM, and an ultra-fast SSD, it delivers a super smooth and responsive Windows experience.
This laptop has a narrow bezel display. It offers 2k resolution and an IPS panel with a 3x2 aspect ratio, providing 18 vertical heights that are more efficient for data analysis.
Swift 3 also has dual-band Wi-Fi 6, which improves all average networks and reduces latency compared to the previous Wi-Fi 5. This laptop has a built-in fingerprint reader, allowing you to log in quickly and securely—no need to memorize and tap the password.
With all the amazing features, Swift 3 will help you with your research work while giving you the break you need from your monotonous schedule focused on portability and flexibility.
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8. Lenovo Ideapad 5
The Lenovo Ideapad 5 is packed with features that will surprise you in every way, as it is a worthy partner at an affordable price. This laptop supports an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and, when combined with 12GB RAM and SSD, can provide a responsive experience.
The Full HD touch display boasts slim bezels along the sides and a small notch for the webcam at the top for great color and clarity. The Ideapad's display also offers excellent color reproduction and decent contrast for everyday writing and browsing needs.
Despite its lightness, Lenovo can fill any port you need. As for connectivity, there are two USB-a ports, USB-C, HDMI, and SD card readers, plus a combo jack for headphones.
The Lenovo Ideapad 5 uses a 45-watt-hour battery and lasts up to 12 hours so that?you can meet all your quotas. In addition to research work, you can also do some video editing or live games in your spare time.
The laptop lets you connect wirelessly with supervisors or other researchers via Google Classes or Zoom. This laptop is the best laptop for PhD students.
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9. Asus Zenbook 13
Asus Zenbook 13 delivers powerful performance and accurate live video with outstanding OLED technology. This laptop is equipped with a 13.3-inch Full HD OLED screen. It also offers stunning detail with a 100 DPI color gamut and 400 nits brightness.
This laptop has the latest 10th Gen Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and 256 NVME SSD. It also has an Intel UHD graphics card for graphics processing.
This ultrabook also features a new ergonomic keyboard, Asus number path 2.0, and function keys. A precision-engineered ErgoLift hinge also lifts the upper back. The result is a slimmer design, yet the keyboard tilts slightly for an optimal typing angle.
This laptop has HDMI 2.0b, Thunderbolt 3 over USB Type C, Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.0, USB 3.2 Type-A, and a Micro SD card reader. This laptop weighs about 2.45 pounds.
It also features a high-capacity 67-watt-hour battery that can last up to 22 hours of battery life. The fast-charging feature can charge the battery up to 50% in 30 minutes.
Overall, sleek-looking ultrabooks are generally recommended for Ph.D. students who want portability, long battery life, and the ability to handle the demanding tasks of research work, data collection, and, more importantly, data analysis.
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10. Apple MacBook Pro
A list of laptops without Apple is unimaginable. Apple MacBook Pro features a new Intel processor for Ph.D. and increased RAM speeds. It empowers students to do better. With a screen size of 13.3 inches, it is highly portable. This MacBook has a 10th generation Intel Core i5 processor with capacities ranging from 512GB to 1TB.
As a Ph.D. student, you have to write a lot and write a lot of notes and reports. So the MacBook Pro has a backlit keyboard that responds very well to silent input and a Touch Bar and Touch ID. It also features a gorgeous Retina display with Intel Iris Plus graphics and an ultra-fast SSD.
Battery life of up to 11 hours is very good. Apple MacBook Pro is the best laptop for a PhD. Because it has everything, a student needs to handle their workload efficiently. Apple MacBook Pros have 16GB and 32GB of computer memory and up to 4TB SSD storage so that?students can keep everything in their laptops later.
It will surprise you with its amazing features and use the inverted arrow keys to navigate spreadsheets or lectures quickly. Magic Keyboard provides a responsive, quiet, and comfortable typing experience.
As students, we have to spend hours on our laptops, and it is difficult to be there all day. But the MacBook Pro makes it easy to work with what the eye can see. It's attractive with 500 nits of brightness, accurate True Tone technology, and 25% more colors than sRGB.
Apple MacBook Pro has a mighty Thunderbolt 3 port, which is helpful for super-fast charging and data transfer.
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11. HP Specter X360
Our Hp's best choice for Ph.D. Students are presented with a fascinating 15.6-inch diagonal IPS Brightview and WLED-backlit display. The resolution is 3840 x 2160px, which is 4x more attractive and attractive than regular FHD displays.
The screen is also touch-enabled and includes an active stylus (pen) that lets you create ideas and play them right on the screen. The NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphics processor with 2GB of GDDR5 dedicated memory enhances the overall graphics experience.
Powered by an 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8565U quad-core processor, 16GB of memory, and 512GB of PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD storage, it provides ample space for power-intensive tasks and stores important data. Keep working for hours with our 15+ hour premium battery stand.
A comfortable backlit keyboard facilitates work in dimly lit environments. The operating system is Windows 10 with built-in Windows Ink for touch-centric features and more. Bluetooth 4.2 and 802.11ac (2×2) Higher bandwidth Wi-Fi ensures fast wireless connections. Finally, use the powerful Thunderbolt and other ports to transfer data quickly.
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12. Apple MacBook Air
Meet Apple's Macbook Air 2020 M1, Apple's top-of-the-line laptop. This laptop has pro-level features but is reasonably priced.
Apple has packed its Macbook lineup with an M1 chip that integrates things like a CPU and GPU neural engine. The results are astounding, as rigorous tasks like editing and gaming can be done much faster than Intel jobs.
Despite having a powerful chip, the most surprising thing is that the fanless design allows the laptop to run without noise or fuss. The 13.3-inch Retina display offers 400 nits of brightness and a native resolution of 2560 x 1600p, allowing you to display screen content with even greater color clarity and rich detail.
This laptop has 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. However, there is always room for upgrades to up to 16 GB of RAM and 2 TB of mass storage if you wish, but the price isn't too bad.
This laptop weighs only about 2.8 pounds and can be used for up to 18 hours without a battery connected.
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Conclusion
All these laptops can be considered the best laptops for Ph.D. students with all the features they need to carry out their busy research schedules. You can go with any laptop, and you won't be disappointed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Apple Laptop is Best for PhD students?
As previously mentioned in this article, the Apple MacBook Pro is the best laptop for Ph.D. students worldwide.
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