Engineering grads usually require a lot of computational power during the length of their degrees.
It makes choosing a suitable laptop that much more difficult as it requires a careful inspection of available options and their ability to run the desired software.
Contents
- Asus Zephyrus G14 – Best for Software Engineering Students
- HP Spectre x360 – Best HP Laptop for Engineering Students
- Microsoft Surface Pro 7 – Best For Mechanical Engineering Students
- Dell G5 15 5590 – Best for Electrical Engineering Students
- Lenovo Legion Y740 – Best Budget Laptop for Engineering Students
- Razer Blade 15 – Portable and Highly Efficient Laptop
- Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme – Best Lenovo Laptop for Engineering Students
- Dell XPS 15 7590 – Versatile for Engineering Students
- Asus ZenBook 13 – Best For Aerospace Engineering Students
- Apple MacBook Pro – How can we leave out a MacBook?
Engineering is a vast field; hence its sub-disciplines require specific expertise.
For this reason, we will review the 10 best laptops for engineering students in 2023 so that you can lay back, relax, and make this decision with the utmost ease.
Our guide covers a diverse range of budget laptops as well as high-end ones so that you can select the best laptop for your needs.
Quick Overview: 10 Best Laptops for Engineering Students in 2023
 | OUR TOP CHOICE Asus Zephyrus G14 |
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 | BUDGET PICK HP Spectre x360 |
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 | Microsoft Surface Pro 7 |
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 | Dell G5 15 5590 |
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 | Lenovo Legion Y740 |
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 | Razer Blade 15 |
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 | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme |
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 | VALUE FOR THE MONEY Dell XPS 15 7590 |
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 | Asus ZenBook 13 |
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 | Apple MacBook Pro |
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In-Depth Review: 10 Best Laptops for Engineering Students
Asus Zephyrus G14 - Best for Software Engineering Students
- AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS Processor.
- 16GB RAM & 1TB SSD.
- NVidia GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card.
- Lightweight for the specs.
- FHD Display with 120 Hz refresh rate.
CPU, GPU, and Performance
The choice of a processor in a laptop is the foremost consideration an engineering student must make before setting out to buy one. The computational world of engineering requires faster processing and hence top-notch processing abilities.
The AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS processor, in this regard, fits the bill for an engineering student. The Ryzen processor clocks a 2.30 GHz with its 8-cores providing ample firepower to power through any engineering software.
For its price, the Asus Zephyrus G14, which boasts the Ryzen 9 processor, definitely trumps Intel’s Core i7 series as the AMD processor is built on a 7nm architecture. This innovation makes this laptop one of the best laptops for engineering students & engineers.
Design & Display
The design of the Zephyrus G14 will appeal to most students with its white magnesium alloy material that also finds its way on the chassis. The diagonal division on the exterior makes the design somewhat unique and classy.
The laptop boasts a slim design with only a .70-inch average thickness with minimum bezels. The display also provides clear pictures with a refresh rate of 120 Hz, which will please the gamer in you.
The 1080p resolution for the 14 inches is the optimum resolution as it doesn’t need a higher resolution for popping colors.
Storage and RAM
In the storage department, the Asus Zephyrus packs a whopping 1 TB of PCIe SSD, which will let you perform all your tasks smoothly.
Meanwhile, the 16GB RAM ensures you’re well topped up with memory for multitasking capabilities as well as running the most demanding software out there.
Additional Features
The Zephyrus G14 is an extremely portable device with a 14-inch form factor that will easily slide into your backpack. Moreover, the weight, which is around 3.5 pounds, is convenient enough to carry around.
The touchpad and keyboard also provide great utility and excellent user experience with responsive gestures and typing speeds.
The Asus Zephyrus may be an excellent laptop for engineering students, but for users who are looking for a webcam or Thunderbolt 3 capabilities, you will be disappointed. Other than these, the laptop provides enough firepower to run all your engineering software.
Overall, the Asus Zephyrus is one of the most favored devices by engineering students due to its robust design, excellent performance, excellent battery life, and a perfect machine to run games and software alike.
- Excellent battery for a gaming laptop.
- Dedicated graphics card for enhanced graphics.
- Lightweight and portable design.
- No Thunderbolt 3 capabilities.
- No webcam.
HP Spectre x360 - Best HP for Engineering Students
- 10th generation Intel-powered processor.
- Full HD 1920×1080 display.
- 2 in 1 design with tablet mode.
- 512 GB Solid-state drive for faster performance.
- Lightweight and slim.
CPU and Performance
The HP Spectre x360 is one of the most elegant laptops on the market; however, its performance is also top-notch thanks to Intel’s 10th generation processor.
The 1.3 GHz processor has a quad-core setup with eight threads, which is possible due to the HyperThreading technology.
All in all, the processor performs amicably to meet all your software needs. It can easily handle intense setups and software, including that of an engineering nature.
HP Spectre x360 with its latest processor is sure to keep you on top of your game during any assignment or project.
Design & Display
In the design department, HP Spectre outshines its counterparts by providing a sleek and elegant design. Modern laptops usually rely on curves to maintain a chic aesthetics, but this device uses straight lines to produce a great-looking laptop.
The white color adds to the grace of the laptop; meanwhile, an FHD screen shines for you as you complete your daily work.
Perhaps the most impressive feature is the ability to be used as a tablet device, thereby increasing the portability of the laptop. You can easily edit documents and photos, as well as perform complex calculations thanks to an excellent CPU and GPU.
On the connectivity front, the laptop provides two USB-C ports and a standard USB port along with WiFi 6 and Bluetooth capabilities.
Storage and RAM
The capabilities of any laptop cannot be ascertained unless you look at its memory functionalities. This HP Spectre model comes with 8GB of RAM and 512 SSD, which will make your work a breeze.
Although the RAM is soldered and you cannot upgrade it, you can always look for the same model with a higher RAM configuration.
The Spectre x360 is a good-looking laptop; however, it has some flaws such as glitches in WiFi connectivity due to WIFI 6 technology. Moreover, the touchpad is placed in the center, which is not an optimal position, and the battery life is also average at best.
Overall, the HP Spectre x360 is one of the best laptops for software engineering students as it packs enough firepower to run all your coding projects. It does this in an elegant chassis, which is sure to turn some heads around.
- SSD for shorter bootup times.
- Sleek and elegant design.
- Can be used as a tablet.
- Extremely Portable.
- RAM is not upgradeable.
- No dedicated graphics card.
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 - Best For Mechanical Engineering Students
- Latest 10th generation Intel Core i5 processor.
- 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD to power through work.
- Innovative design.
- USB-C and USB-A connectivity.
- Ultra-lightweight.
Microsoft’s Surface Pro 7 is the latest iteration of the award-winning surface series, which is sure to appeal to a range of users. Microsoft has tried to innovate and give the masses a completely new experience which it partially fulfills.
Processor and Performance
The processor that is Intel-powered 10th generation with a 10nm architecture increases the processing output by a considerable margin compared to its predecessor.
This switch from the 14nm architecture means that transistor size is reduced, and more of them can be accommodated in the same area.
This larger transistor number contributes to the increased performance which engineering students will love as they look to find solutions for complex equations and problems.
The Core i7 processor will make your work, assignments, projects, and personal ventures a smooth experience.
Design & Display
A unique design since its launch a few years ago, the Surface Pro series has kept its basic model with a tablet-like 2 in 1 design. The laptop is chic with its two color options in platinum and matte black.
The cover will let you use the laptop as your studio to draw, sketch, and work as it adapts to the surroundings and let you enjoy high performance anywhere.
Display-wise, the Surface Pro 7 is an amalgamation of excellent screen resolution, good color clarity, and a bright screen to provide you with an authentic experience. The screen also possesses an ambient display as it automatically adjusts to surrounding light input.
Storage and RAM
The storage on a tablet laptop may not be a priority, but with a 256GB of SSD, it sure does pack enough storage for you to store all your essential data in one place. Moreover, the SSD drive reduces bootup times and enhances the overall performance of the system.
The RAM is an essential utility, especially for engineering students, and that is where the Surface Pro 7 shines with a 16GB RAM. It is enough to ensure the running of all primary and specialized software of your engineering program.
Additional Features
The Surface Pro 7 weighs a measly 1.7 pounds and is .33 inches thick on average. These facts make it one of the most portable laptops on the market, and with a 10.5-hour rated battery life, it sure will be a hassle-free experience to carry around.
Charging again is a strong point with zero to fifty percent charging completed in under 50 minutes. WIFI 6 technology is the way forward as it lets you smartly connect to wireless connections in your vicinity.
Surface Pro 7 may be an excellent device at this price point, but it can be better. The thick bezels, less than optimum screen performance in sunlight, and old tech in USB 3.0, makes its price somewhat questionable.
Overall, if you’re looking for one of the best laptops for electrical engineering students, the Surface PRO 7, with its sleek design, may be the one. It packs enough firepower to run all required software without any hitches.
- Slim and lightweight design.
- Excellent portability.
- Impressive tablet mode capabilities.
- Excellent battery life.
- Accessories sold separately.
- Thick bezels.
Dell G5 15 5590 - Best for Electrical Engineering Students
- Hexa-core Intel 9th generation processor.
- Nvidia GeForce 1660 Ti for excellent graphics.
- Smart and portable design.
- Sturdy build.
- Backlit keyboard.
CPU and Performance
The Dell G5 15 is a beast when it comes to providing the right specs at the right price. The processor on this device is a 9th generation Intel-powered one with six cores and 12 threads. The base frequency stands at 2.60 GHz while it can clock at 4.50 GHz when turbocharged.
The coffee lake series gives users extreme performance, and Dell utilizes this performance to its max in its Dell G5 15 ensemble. The chip also supports 4K playback at 60 Hz, which should be enough for the average person to enjoy their games as well as enjoy the crisp multimedia performance.
Design & Display
The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is at the helm of this laptop to provide you with a seamless gaming experience as well as other graphic-intensive software. This software includes engineering-related and photo editing ones that require a lot of GPU power.
The 6GB graphic card will enable you to work on rendering software as well as computational software without any lags. The design follows a simple yet sturdy theme by Dell with moderate bezels and a fat chin. The plastic and metal combo provide enough durability for long-haul portability.
Storage and RAM
Dell is a name of reliability and durability at an affordable price. It continues in this vein by providing 16GB of DDR4 memory with 512GB of SSD and 1TB of hard-drive storage to meet every storage need a user may have. Dell offers all this well below 1500$, which makes it quite a bargain.
Additional Features
Dell G5 shines in the department of connectivity, where it offers USB 3.1 ports, HDMI ports, and even a ThunderBolt 3 port. The keyboard and touchpad paint a similar story of reliability with a monochrome backlit keyboard that is certainly pleasing to the eye. The touchpad is responsive and performs all gestures smoothly.
The Dell G5 15 offers maximum specs at an affordable price; however, it may lack some design aesthetics to make it even more pleasing. The bezels are slightly thick, and the screen performance is also average.
The Dell G5, despite its slightly dim screen, is the best laptop for engineering students on a budget. It provides top-of-the-line processing prowess along with outstanding graphic processing capabilities to run all your engineering software with minimum fuss.
- Nvidia 6GB dedicated graphics memory.
- Great battery timings.
- Backlit keyboard.
- Moderate bezels.
- Average IPS panel.
Lenovo Legion Y740 - Best Budget Laptop for Engineering Students
- Hexa-core Intel Processor – Turbocharged up to 4.5GHz.
- Slim bezel 15.6” IPS Display.
- Nvidia GeForce 1660 Ti for optimum graphics.
- SSD plus HDD for higher performance.
- 16GB DDR4 memory for lag-free operations.
Processor
The Lenovo Legion Y740 is similar to the Dell G5 15 in several key ways. One of them is the processor it shares; the Intel-powered Hexa-core one with turbocharge clock speed up to 4.5 GHz. Twelve threads, thanks to HyperThreading technology, ensure multitasking at its finest.
The chip also contains an integrated graphics processing unit, which adds more firepower to the Nvidia GeForce 1660 Ti GPU. The integrated unit can handle daily tasks with ease while the Nvidia one will let you perform heavy-duty tasks with relative ease.
Design & Display
The design of the Lenovo Legion laptop is one to savor for the gamer inside you. It possesses a sleek yet basic design consisting of greyish aluminum on the exterior and chassis alike. This minimalistic approach gives a touch of class to the whole design.
The design also features careful port placement at the back of the laptop, making the life of a gamer considerably easier. Moreover, there are considerable connectivity options such as USB-C and 3.1 ports to cater to each user’s needs.
Most budget gaming laptops sacrifice their screens, but the Lenovo Legion delivers a high-performing IPS display panel with an impressive 144Hz refresh rate. It allows users to experience top-level gaming along with 500 nits brightness that will surely let you enjoy the multimedia to the fullest.
Storage and RAM
The storage and RAM section sees a similar story as the Lenovo Legion Y740 also comes with a 16GB RAM of DDR4 classification. It means multitasking can be done at a blistering pace while the 256GB SSD provides the foundation that your operating system needs for smooth functioning.
Engineering software often requires significant disk space, and although 256 GB of SSD would suffice, the additional 1TB of the hard-disk drive goes a long way in fulfilling every student’s high storage needs.
These demands can stem from programs, documents, and multimedia alike with the Lenovo laptop covering all of them with the utmost ease.
Additional Features
The Lenovo Legion is a powerful gaming device with features to enhance the gamers’ experience. The thermal dissipation system, i.e., ‘Legion Cold Front,’ manages excess heat with four heat vents placed strategically to cool the CPU, GPU, and the keyboard.
The RGB compatible keyboard is also a treat for gamers and performs admirably well with a rubbery feel to the keys. The screen comes with G-Sync capabilities for reduced tearing during gaming. Speaker
The Lenovo Legion Y740 may just be the best laptop for civil engineering students if you can compromise on the low battery life and slightly awkward placing of keys on the keyboard. The webcam is also inconvenient to use with an unusual positioning at the bottom of the screen.
Despite the few shortcomings, the Legion Y740 offers some of the best performance stacked in a slim and elegant chassis. The gamers amongst you will love the device with a dedicated graphics card, high refresh rates, G-Sync capabilities, and the heat dissipation mechanism.
- Intel 9750H with six cores provides reliable performance.
- Nvidia GeForce 1660 Ti GPU.
- Ample storage and RAM.
- RGB compatible keyboard.
- Poor battery timings.
- Awkward key placement.
Razer Blade 15 - Portable and Highly Efficient Laptop
- 10th generation Core i7 processor.
- Top of the line GeForce RTX 2060 GPU.
- FHD IPS display panel with a 144 Hz refresh rate.
- Thunderbolt 3 port for faster transfers.
- Customizable backlit keyboard.
Processor
When it comes to processing power, the Razer Blade 15 delivers close to the maximum with a six-core processor capable of 5.0GHz clock speed when turbocharged. It offers gamers maximum leverage to enjoy their gaming to the fullest ably supported by the Ray-tracing GPU by Nvidia.
The Nvidia GPU optimized your system to produce the best graphics and performance while minimizing the stress on the battery. Moreover, the Max-Q design of the GPU and 8GB VRAM ensures excellent display thanks to the excellent rendering of intense visuals during any gameplay.
Design & Display
Another laptop that excels in the design department with an array of aesthetically pleasing features to lure the users. The CNC aluminum body of the Razer laptop reeks of elegance with a smooth finish, and the anodized surface provides a neat and uniform chassis and exterior.
The bezels are thin owing to contemporary demands meaning they will fit in with the modern-day users’ choice of style. The 1080p display provides accurate colors with an sRGB gamut of 100%.
Moreover, the 144Hz refresh rate will excite the gamer inside you as you can play different games at higher settings.
Storage and RAM
The memory and storage on the Razer Blade 15 are a decent 16GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD storage, which should be sufficient enough to meet all your gaming needs. Moreover, the combo should be powerful enough to run all memory-intensive software for engineering students.
Additional Features
The thin and compact device provides enough firepower to play the most intense games out there as well as run demanding software with ease.
The laptop measures just .78 inches in thickness and a decent battery life of around 5-6 hours makes it a highly portable device. The keyboard also supports RGB lighting, which gaming fans will love.
The Razer Blade 15 with an anodized aluminum will be an excellent choice for engineering students with a keen interest in gaming. However, there are certain hiccups such as the fans getting loud when gaming, below-average battery life, and RGB lighting on the logo that doesn’t turn off.
The Razer Blade 15 is an excellent all-around device with great graphics and screen quality to make sure you can work around powerful engineering software with ease.
- Nvidia GeForce 2070 for excellent gameplay.
- 512 SSD for faster bootup times.
- RGB lighting.
- Fans get loud when gaming.
- Average battery life.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme - Best Lenovo Laptop for Engineering Students
- 9th generation Intel processor up to 4.0GHz.
- A whopping 32 GB of RAM.
- Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q.
- Full HD screen with brightness up to 500nits.
- WiFi 6 compatible.
CPU and Performance
The intel 9th generation processor that the Lenovo ThinkPad houses is capable of extreme performance due to its Hexa-core structure and ability to clock 4.50GHz.
This processing speed is enough to cater to all your engineering software requirements making it one of the best laptops for mechanical engineers.
Design & Display
The Lenovo ThinkPad follows a run-of-the-mill design for a Lenovo device, which isn’t entirely bad as the Lenovo devices may look basic but provide a minimalistic approach.
The minimalists will love this approach by the tech manufacturer with its classy black finish with a tinge of red here and there.
The display on the Lenovo is a class act with a 1080p display providing reliable color reproduction and excellent viewing angles thanks to an excellent IPS panel.
On the other side, the 3.8-pound machine with a 0.70-inch thickness is highly portable, hence the ease of carrying around.
Storage and RAM
The RAM and storage are where the Lenovo ThinkPad outshines its competition as it boasts a whopping 32 GB RAM of DDR4 class and a massive 1TB SSD. These specs mean you can multitask and store as many files as you want on your system without it feeling the pinch.
Additional Features
The Nvidia GeForce 1650 Max-Q is the star of the show with an exquisite performance that will run your software and games with ease. It is ably complemented by the latest WiFi 6 technology and Bluetooth 5 for greater connectivity.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme comes with some flaws like average battery life, audio quality, and screen-flickering during operations.
Overall, Lenovo delivers an excellent laptop, which is the best laptop for mechanical engineering students who look to harness maximum power out of their systems. This laptop provides just that and more with dedicated Max-Q graphics, 32GB RAM, and an able Intel processor.
- Nvidia GTX 1650 dedicated 4Gb graphic memory.
- 32 GB RAM for maximum multitasking.
- 1TB SSD for seamless operations.
- Screen flickers sometimes.
- Audio quality average.
- Average battery life.
Dell XPS 15 7590 - Versatile for Engineering Students
- 9th gen Intel processor up to 4.5GHz.
- 4K OLED screen for dazzling colors.
- Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 with 4GB graphic memory.
- Slim design with .66 inch thickness.
- WiFi 6 ensures speeds up to 2.4Gbps.
CPU
The Dell XPS 15 7590 is a device that you’ll love due to its sleek design, premium build, and powerful specs.
The top-spec is the six-core processor by Intel that will provide you with all the power to run basically as well as intense programs on the laptop.
Sit back and relax while the Core i7 processor delivers top-quality gaming and processing.
Design & Display
The Dell XPS 15 7590 promises premium build with a silver aluminum exterior and a carbon-fiber interior. The screen is where things get exciting as the 4K resolution on this IPS panel will surely mesmerize you.
A contrast ratio of 100,000:1 ensures the darks are detailed, and you can obtain visuals that are close to life.
The display panel provides a brightness of 400 nits, which is impressive on a 15.6-inch panel. The IPS screen offers superior viewing angles, and the slim bezels provide maximum real estate to view your multimedia.
Storage and RAM
Powering the beautiful 4K OLED screen are the 16GB of RAM and the 256GB of NVMe SSD storage.
These specs ensure the smooth functioning of the laptop in even demanding scenarios and intense gameplays or extreme software applications.
Additional Features
The XPS 15 by Dell offers superior performance on a thin form factor. It houses small bezels, and for this, the webcam is the smallest HD webcam in the world.
Moreover, it houses the latest WiFi technology and Bluetooth connectivity for better access to the outside world.
The Dell XPS 15 is a premium laptop with chic and style that students will love. The powerful device, though, can face some heating issues as well as bloatware that comes pre-installed. However, these minor niggles shouldn’t put you off from the overall experience.
Dell XPS 15 7590 is an excellent laptop for engineers and engineering students with an exquisite display that will surely take your breath away. The powerful GPU and CPU are on hand to render the fantastic images as well as run any required software smoothly.
- Beautiful 4K OLED screen.
- GeForce 1650 by Nvidia to power your graphics.
- Infinity display with thin bezels.
- Premium build quality.
- Heating issues when gaming.
- Some bloatware installed.
Asus ZenBook 13 - Best For Aerospace Engineering Students
- 14-inch FHD display.
- 92% screen to body ratio.
- GeForce MX250 graphics card.
- Ultra-slim and lightweight design.
- Military-grade durability.
Processor
The Asus ZenBook 14 is the budget-friendly device on our list that doesn’t shy away from punching above its weight.
The Asus laptop provides a 10th-generation processor with a turbo frequency of 4.90 GHz and a quad-core structure.
Design & Display
The Asus ZenBook features an interesting innovation in the form of a ‘ScreenPad,’ which is the touchpad doubling up as an extra screen.
This touchpad turned screen allows you to toggle between different options such as quick links, numeric keys, writing textures, and much more.
The design also features sleek and elegant as it boasts thin bezels that account for the extremely high 92% screen-to-body ratio.
It ensures you have the maximum screen real-estate at your disposal while you enjoy HD multimedia playback.
Storage and RAM
With 512 GB SSD and 16GB of RAM, the Asus ZenBook 14 delivers reliable performance at your fingertips. The dedicated GPU in the form of MX250 adds to the graphics handling of the system.
Let yourself free from worries as you can edit photos, play HD multimedia, and perform calculations with great ease.
Additional Features
The Asus ZenBook 14 is a feature-packed laptop with an ultra-thin design and equally slim footprint weight-wise.
The .60-inch thickness and 2.8-pound weight mean you can easily carry it around wherever you go. Moreover, the military-grade conformance proves its durability and ensures peace of mind for the user.
The only shortcomings for the Asus ZenBook include its innovative touchpad design, which sometimes becomes a hassle. Moreover, the chassis is elegant but prone to fingerprints and smudges.
Overall, the Zenbook 14 provides an immaculate user experience at an affordable price range, making it the best laptop for engineering students on a budget. The all-around processing and GPU prowess, coupled with ultra-slim design makes it a trusted daily driver.
- Solid performance benchmarks.
- Intuitive touchpad for more access.
- Excellent portability.
- Sleek and ultra-thin design.
- Prone to fingerprints and smudges.
- The screen pad can be annoying sometimes.
Apple MacBook Pro - How can we leave out a mabook?
- 9th Gen Processor.
- Retina Display with True Tone technology for stunning visuals.
- GDDR6 graphic memory – AMD Radeon 5300M.
- Apple’s trademark Touch ID and Touch Bar.
- 512 GB SSD for seamless operation.
Apple is a leader in optimized performance, which will make you a fan of its products.
CPU and Performance
The MacBook Pro is a similar device with high potential, housing an Intel Core i7 processor to power through your work with ease.
The Hexa-core processor clocks up to 4.5GHz and provides more oomph due to Apple’s impressive thermal architecture that dissipates heat at a faster rate.
Design & Display
Apple’s proprietary Retina Display has always been the highlight of its MacBook series. Here as well, the Retina Display delivers tremendous results with 500 nits of brightness for a 15.6-inch display.
This caveat is bolstered by a P3 wide color gamut that offers truer to-life pictures with utmost clarity.
Design is where Apple usually excels with a sleek and minimalist theme. The MacBook Pro perfects this by providing a neat brushed grey finish with an Apple logo and excellent port placement to enhance the user experience.
Storage and RAM
Apple’s MacBook Pro can house storage up to 8TB, but this model comes with a 512GB SSD that is enough to meet a student’s requirements. The DDR4 RAM in this model comes at 16GB, which ensures smooth multitasking operations and lag-free operation.
Additional Features
Apple ensures the security of its users with a dedicated T2 Security Chip. Another innovation is the touch bar which acts as a customizable and intuitive control panel to change the basic settings of the laptop with maximum ease.
In the ports section, the coveted Thunderbolt 3 provides versatility and speed at the same time. It can support two 5K screens at the same time while ensuring data transfer speeds up to 40Gb/s.
Sound quality is also commendable as Apple has done its homework by offering six speakers instead of the two on the previous model for a room-filling experience.
MacBook Pro is truly a remarkable device with a great aesthetic appeal to it; however, it may cost a little on the higher side for students and is slightly on the heavier side with a 4 pound plus builds.
The new MacBook Pro is truly a beast in all sense of the word as it delivers extreme performance and graphics with a stunning display.
It adds the Thunderbolt 3 port for maximum efficiency in external connectivity and provides a rich audio experience to boot. Overall, it may just be the best laptop for engineering students and engineers.
- Retina Display offers beautiful visuals.
- Thunderbolt 3 for maximum data transfer speeds.
- Excellent sound quality.
- Dedicate GPU as well as integrated graphics.
- Slightly heavier device than rest.
- Expensive.
Laptop for Engineering Students
Buyers Guide
Now that we have cherry-picked ten of the best laptops for engineering students, it is time to elaborate on the things you must be heedful of when buying the device most suitable for you.
CPU
The CPU or the processor is at the heart of any laptop, and while gaming machines usually pay more importance to GPUs, laptops for engineering students tilt the relevance back to the CPU.
Engineering software is more iterative and hence benefits from multiple core performances that the Core i5 and Core i7s of this world offers.
It is better to have more cores, as the computational performance increases with the number of cores, hence we recommend at the very least a Core i5 processor, and if you have got the bucks to invest in a higher one.
A Core i5 works well for all engineering disciplines.
Graphics Card
As mentioned above, the GPU plays second fiddle to the CPU when it comes to the requirements of engineering students.
Most engineering students will require just an integrated graphics card for their work. It is especially true for electrical, software, biomedical, and chemical engineers who do not work on 3D simulations.
Fields such as mechanical, civil, and aeronautical, on the other hand, require 3D rendering and software that require higher graphical processing power.
To achieve this, an entry-level or mid-tier graphics card by Nvidia would do the trick.
Similarly, GPUs vary according to their functionalities. While some are good for gaming, there are dedicated GPUs that handle software, and 3D rendering in a better way. You can get such a GPU as the Nvidia Titan or the M2000 or higher ones.
RAM & SSD Storage
The RAM on a laptop is an essential feature that all engineering students will utilize during the course of their degrees.
Though, this is the question. Students with a background in electrical, software, and chemical can work well with 4GB RAM at their disposal.
On the other hand, students requiring 3D modeling during their coursework will want to invest in at the very least an 8GB of RAM. More RAM is always recommended, hence upgrading to even 16GB will be preferential, however not required.
Always look for a laptop with an SSD in it as it ensures faster bootup times, a lag-free environment to work in, and excellent multitasking capabilities. Similarly, when running full software, an SSD performs exceptionally well compared to an HDD, which is limited by its revolutions per minute.
Software such as CAD produces humongous output files that require a lot of memory, processing power, and storage to open. An SSD will go a long way to operate these files smoothly.
Display
If you’re looking for a 4K screen on your laptop, then you should re-evaluate the purposes for which you are buying the laptop.
It is safe to assume a 1080p IPS panel will be more than enough to suit your needs, and going beyond that would be an overkill.
Most engineering students require a powerful CPU and decent display to work their calculations.
Hence a 1920 x 1080 resolution will work perfectly fine, and if you can manage higher, that will be a bonus. Screen size should be around a 14-inch mark and preferably 15 inches as it will increase the display area for multitasking operations.
Moreover, a touch screen is not a necessity and, in some cases, may become a hassle for smooth performance. Most engineering students don’t require to draw and use a stylus per se and hence should look for a traditional display setup.
Operating System
Most software for engineering students requires Windows as their operating system.
You can run a number of programs on the MacBook Pro, but running them requires some sacrifices.
Hence, a Windows operating system will be your best companion on a laptop, while for programming or coding purposes, you may wish to install and learn Linux.
Peripherals Required
Although laptops for engineering students differ from pure gaming laptops, the latter can ably run engineering software. A high processing power, superior RAM, SSD storage, and dedicated GPU are the hallmarks of a gaming laptop and hence will favor the engineering students.
So, as gaming laptops may require some peripherals, these engineering laptops may also need one. The following few recommendations may come in handy for you.
Laptop Cooling Pad
A cooling pad becomes a necessity with thin form factor laptops that do not have the required heat dissipation mechanisms.
Even with dedicated thermal dissipation, the underside of laptops tends to heat; hence a cooling pad such as the Kootek Laptop Cooling Pad with its five fans can help solve the problem.
This cooling pad has an adjustable height, adjustable number of fans that can be turned on, and caters to laptops between the 12 to 17-inch size range.
Display Monitor
Engineering students who wish to use the full power of their GPUs and render 3D models may look towards using an external monitor for better results.
The AOC G2460PF is an excellent monitor that you can attach to your laptop for maximum efficiency when using modeling software.
Keyboard
An ergonomic keyboard is a must for programming or coding; hence such students look for a sturdy and responsive keyboard.
If your laptop doesn’t offer such a keyboard, an external keyboard will surely help. The Havit Gaming Keyboard may do the trick for you with its affordable price and a blue backlit that will help you use the keyboard in dim lights.
It is convenient to use as well as carry around.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
How much weight do you recommend for a laptop?
The weight of the laptop should be such to make the laptop a portable machine as students need to move around a lot. The weight of the laptop should ideally be between 3 to 4 pounds.
How much RAM would you recommend for 3D rendering and modeling?
Most 3D software can run on 8GB of RAM, but as they say with RAM, more is always better. Always look for a laptop with more RAM, and 16GB is a good place to start.
Do I need a 4K resolution to run modeling software?
No. A 4K resolution may be too much as a 1080p screen does the trick for running most engineering software.
Should my laptop get warm when subject to intensive applications?
Yes, the GPU and CPU functioning together at their peak may cause the laptop to heat, and it is reasonable to experience such scenarios. You can use a cooling pad for such purposes to cool the laptop.
Conclusion
The best laptop for an engineer requires specific parameters to be fulfilled to run engineering software without any hitch.
We have reviewed a diverse list of laptops for you to choose from, yet there may be others that you may prefer over these.
Mention what you look for in a laptop as a student in the comment section below.
