Probably, a laptop is the most crucial piece of equipment for most study majors including med school. For medical school, there are unlimited uses of a laptop and it will become your best friends soon. But before you make any purchase, make sure it is right enough for you.
Since there are tons of options available for laptops in the current competitive market. It might be confusing for anyone while determine which is the best laptops for med school students, especially if you are not familiar with the technology. If you made the wrong decision, that can cost you heavily in the future, so it is recommended to choose the laptop very carefully. Because no one will definitely want to be regretted and helpless after spending a lot of money.
However, if you consider some tenets that it will be a piece of cake for you. I have gathered some best information for you to make your decision perfect. I hope it will help you to pick the best laptop that will match your requirement and budget. If you’re in a hurry, you can jump to my recommendations.
Ok, what is the important factors, that should be considered before purchasing the best laptops for med school students?
Best Laptops for Medical Students in 2023 – Reviews
Processor
Firstly, I would recommend going with Intel Core i5 or i7 U-series processor. As you know i7 is faster than i5, i5 is faster than i3, and i3 is faster than whatever’s left, but there is a small exception for AMD Ryzen processors. However, they also have a similar name pattern for easy understanding, that means Ryzen 7 can be compared to Intel i7, Ryzen 5 to i5 and so on.
I have recommended the U-series processor because of their low power consumption. What’s more, you should prefer the latest generation to go with. Right now, that means prioritizing laptop with i*-8*** over i–7***, because the Intel’s 8th generation processors are significantly faster than the 7th gen.
There are some good examples: i7-7500U, i7-6500U, i5-8250U, i5-7200U.
It is recommended to go above until you are not planning to play the game on your laptop. There is a little reason for choosing the h-series processor (i7-7700HQ, i7-8759H) for gaming because they are faster but on the other hand, they consume more battery. So, make sure before choosing the processor, because it can change the whole story.
Memory
As everyone knows, the more Memory (RAM) is better, but it should be chosen according to the requirements.
For instance, if you use your laptop for the general thing like emailing or browsing the internet then you may not need more RAM, because it will be useless and will remain always free. However, if someone plays games or edits the videos then in this scenario definitely requires more RAM to handle those tasks.
You can simply understand from like this:
- Budget laptops: 6 GB of RAM
- Laptops under $1,000: 8 GB RAM
- Laptops above $1,000: 16 GB or more
Also read: Best stethoscopes for nurses with hard of hearing
Storage
It depends on your requirements, that how much space do you need, but it also affects laptop’s performance. More storage means more data you can store and hard disk type defines the speed of the laptop.
HDD or SSD
Nowadays, there are two options are available when we talk about the storage drives for a laptop – HDD and SSD.
HDDs are slower than the SSDs, but they are cheaper and provides large storage. While SSDs are pricier and offers less storage compared to the price, but they have a faster speed.
For the student, there is no need for going with the large hard drive, instead, an SSD can boost up the performance of the laptop.
Capacity
If you’re choosing an SSD – you can go with 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB. In my opinion, at least 256 GB drive is recommended.
- Laptops below $600: 128GB
- Laptops below $1,000: 256 GB
- Laptops above $1,000: 512 GB
But, you still need a lot of storage – just catch a 1 TB HDD that is sufficient in most of the cases. If you can’t afford an SSD and you need a lot of storage for your files then HDD is the only option to go with.
Screen Size
In general, 14-inch or 15.6-inch laptops are considered as normal screen size, these are not too small to compromise with usability or not too big to handle.
However, as a med student, you don’t need to go above that size, because it will become bulky besides the attractive big screen. If you need the highest portability, then you can slightly go below 14 inches, don’t worry, I will also include some small laptops too in my review.
Battery life
As I said above, a processor’s selection can drastically change the battery performance. However, I have listed only laptops, those have sufficient battery backup (around 8 hours) for working the whole day.
If you tend to play the game then you might need to compromise with battery life, however for all general tasks you can find a decent battery life laptop easily.
Weight
As I said above, big laptops are not recommended for the students, it is an incredibly important factor. Heavy laptops are not important for the students, because it is not the only thing that you carry with you – after adding a few pounds of the textbooks you likely won’t want a bulky laptop. Find a laptop that is not incredibly bulky or heavy and you will be happy while using longer.
Graphics
It is a considerable requirement for those who play games on the notebook, otherwise, integrated graphics are sufficient for all everyday work and entertainment. Graphics refer to the onboard graphics processor (GPU).
If you are a gamer, then integrated graphics will not work for you, you’ll need a dedicated graphics GPU from Nvidia.
- Mid-range: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050
- Upper-range: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 or GTX 1070 (with or without Max-Q)
Best Laptops for Med School Students – Reviews
1. Acer Aspire E 15 (Most Affordable Laptop for Med Students)
5.27 lbs | i3-8130U | HD 620 | 6GB | 1TB HDD | 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 | 13.5-hours | Win 10
If you are on a tight budget then the Acer Aspire might be a great choice for you, that matches the all minimum medical school requirements and all general use cases.
It comes with a latest 8th generation entry-level i3-8130U processor, sufficient amount of RAM and unbelievable battery life. Sadly, due to the capacious battery, it is the highest weighted laptop on our list. Moreover, it has a full HD 15.6 inches screen, which is a good thing in this price range.
Overall, for this price, Acer has done a great job, this laptop is capable to handle the stress of medical school, but, there is no SSD provided. However, it is upgradable to M.2 SSD within the $80-$160 price range, which can add a few more years into the life of this laptop. The drive and memory replacement or upgrading process is very simple, a convenient compartment door allows you to do the same. If you are not ready for an expensive laptop and can accept some of the weak points, then this laptop delivers the best performance in the budget price range.
Bottom line is that Acer Aspire E 15 is one of the best budget’s friendly laptop for the med school student, that is capable to handle most of the task very easily.
2. ASUS ZenBook 13 (Performance in Budget)
2.6 lbs | i5-8250U | GeForce MX150 | 8GB | 256GB SSD | 13.3-inch 1920 x 1080 | 12-hours | Win10
The ASUS ZenBook 13 is the replacement of our previous laptop that was Lenovo IdeaPad 710S. However, that is still a great laptop, but I found something better, that’s why I have listed ASUS ZenBook 13 here on updating.
The Asus ZenBook is an amazing deal for its affordable price. Because it is powered by the latest generation and energy efficient Intel i5-8250U processor and a solid-state drive, that’s why it is a quite faster laptop of our list. Despite the smaller size, it provides a similar battery life without compromise in the external ports. Also, it has the micro HDMI port with 3 USB port, and one of them is the latest USB Type-C port (which is used by latest tablets, smartphone, and notebook). The built-in fingerprint scanner provides a quick and secure way to log in.
It is capable to handle almost all task which is required as medical students, but there are also some compromises that you need to do – in facts, it is much faster than the laptop without SSD, but it is not fast as Microsoft surface or gaming laptops those uses NVMe drives. The processor is the main highlight here, which preserve the good battery along with faster performance. Also, keep in mind it might become hot during use, so you might need to keep this on the table. The display is much sharper than our previous laptop because it has the same resolution in the 13.3S” size.
Overall, if you are looking for a high-performance laptop that should not burn your bank account, the Asus ZenBook a solid option that has the great performance with reasonable price.
3. Apple MacBook Air (Most Durable and Premium Option)
2.96 lbs | i5-5350U | HD 6000 | 8GB | 128 GB SSD | 13-inch 1440×900 | 12-hours | Mac OS X
In facts Apple products are expensive but they worth investing – according to a published article, a typical MacBook gives you at least of 5 years of average use. MacBook Air is one of the most popular products of Apple’s lineup that offers a compact design with decent performance.
The MacBook Air meets the expectation in terms of durability, that provides the solid metal body design, and it has a brilliant quality display with 1440×900 pixels resolution. Additionally, it has a great battery life too, that can last around 12 Hours on normal usage.
But, it has some weak point too, for example – the storage is limited, which might not suitable for those people who tend to fill up their computer with the applications, videos, and music. It’s worth mentioning, that you can go with the latest MacBook 12″ version, which has 256 GB of SSD storage with $300 extra price.
Overall the MacBook Air is a premium and durable option for biology majors, which can provide great performance and can last up to years. But keep in mind, it might be not suitable for playing games (if you do often) and have limited storage.
If you are looking for a better option even at double price – you might need to take a look at the MacBook Pro 15″ which is the ultimate solution.
4. Microsoft Surface (Recommended Laptop for Med School)
2.76 lbs | i5-7200U | HD 620 | 8GB | 256 GB SSD | 13.5-inch touch 2256×1504 | 14.5-hours | Win10 S
Last year, I recommended the Microsoft Surface Pro 4, but on the update of this article, I have ditched that one. Because I have added another similar but up to date product from Microsoft: Surface Laptop. This version has many great improvements compared to the previous model.
First, it comes with a very lightweight body, which is ideal for studying whenever you need it. Additionally, it has a capacious battery that can juice up this machine around 8-14 hours, which depends on exactly what you are doing and how bright the screen is.
There is a downside of this machine too, it has a limited number of ports – there’s is only mini Display port and 1 USB 3.0 port along with headphone jack are given. If you prefer a mouse during laptop use, then you might need a Bluetooth mouse without a receiver. It will give you a wireless experience and will make your USB port free for something else useful.
Microsoft Surface Laptop comes with Windows 10 S (it is also a specially designed variation of windows for the tablets), but I would recommend you to upgrade to the Pro version. it will allow you to install even those application those are not available in the Windows Store. Don’t worry, this upgrade is totally free, but it is not reversible.
Microsoft surface is the best laptops for med school students without any doubt, its portability, performance, great touch display is just tremendous.
5. Acer Predator Helios 300 (Best Performance But Heavy)
5.95 lbs | i7-7700HQ | GTX 1060 | 16GB | 256 GB SSD | 15.6-inch | 1920 x 1080 7-hours | Win10
Of course, the Acer Predator Helios 300 is a gaming laptop, but it is a solid piece of equipment for advanced use and entertainment. The great thing about this laptop is that it will not cost more than the Microsoft Surface or MacBook Air. And, it is still capable to handle the most critical task without any problem because of its i7-7700HQ processor and a massive 16 GB of memory.
But there are few drawbacks of this powerful laptop – it has a heavier body and less battery backup time. However, it can last around 7 hours on normal usage, but on gaming, you can’t expect greatness from it.
Moreover, it offers 256 GB of SSD and Nvidia GTX 1060 (6GB) dedicated graphics chip, which is a solid feature for the high-performance gaming and critical task handling. If you want even more storage, it has expandability and offers an extra 2.5″ hard drives slot.
The Acer Predator 300 is worth mentioning for the med school students because it offers highest-performance processors, big memory, dedicated graphics supports, and great quality full HD 15.6 display at the competitive price.
If you can compromise with the battery life and weight, then you will get a powerful beast in the same price of Microsoft Surface and MacBook Air 13, which is unstoppable in any condition.
Wrapping it up
All laptops are acceptable and considerable choice for a med school computer. If you have a low budget – if you are a general user, the Acer Aspire allows you to do most of the things that you want to do, at an affordable price.
The MacBook Air is considered the most reliable machine of all time, but it has the highest price compared to its rivals. Many MacBook users still want to use their laptops even longer, after using them for years.
While Microsoft Surface is most the versatile option for Medical school, it is a powerful laptop or tablet whatever you like you can say it, but overall no one can beat it in terms of usability, portability. The touchscreen is a display is extremely sharp and incredibly desirable, making this one of the most innovative devices.
Finally, the Acer Predator Helios 300 is for those people, who want the ultimate performance and gaming capability. It has the most powerful laptop on our list, that offers i7-7700HQ processor, GTX 1060 graphics, and 16 GB of RAM at the commendable price.
Finally, it is up to you – what are your requirements, and how larger your budget is?
I also want to tell you, a laptop is a one-time investment, so find something that will last you for several years, because frequently replacing the laptops is not a fun thing to do.
Ok, if you have any question regarding these best laptops for med school students, drop a comment below for me, I will back to you quickly.
