Top 12+ Best Laptops for CS Majors 2021 – Reviews & Buyer’s Guide

If you are pursuing a degree in computer science, you definitely need a good laptop with high specifications. Besides doing coding, learning different types of programming languages, making projects, working in heavy and high-end applications and developing software etc. you need the best laptop for other activities too. In such scenarios, having the best laptops for CS Majors is a must.

Top-12+-best-laptops-for-cs-majors

Sometimes an easy task like finding a good laptop for college work can become difficult due to a so many options available in market. To make the decision easier for you, we have compiled a list of powerful laptops for CS Majors, especially college and university level computer geeks.

Keeping in view your needs as a computer programmer, an app developer and a software engineer, here is the list of the best laptops for CS Majors from a plethora of options.

Top 12 Best Laptops for CS Majors in 2021

As mentioned before, the market is filled with hundreds of laptops. Moreover, with each passing day, hundreds of these products are released. Each has their own Pros and Cons. Thus, searching for an ideal product is a difficult thing. Therefore, after a lot of analysis and research, we have selected the Top 12 Best Laptops for CS Majors. These laptops for CS Majors are selected according to their key features like performance, quality, durability, specs, design, cost as well as real customer reviews. All these reviews are completely neutral and are given in details to help computer geeks decide the perfect laptops for CS Majors with no confusion.

Now let’s get to our comprehensive reviews of the Top 12 Best Laptops for CS Majors.

1. HP Spectre x360 15.6″ 4K Touch-Screen – CS Majors Laptops Winner

Key Specifications:

  • CPU → 1.3 GHz Intel Core i7-8565U (8th Gen; up to 4.6 Ghz)
  • RAM → 16 GB (LPDDR4; 3200 MHz)
  • Display → 15.6-inch, 3840 x 2160 LED
  • Storage → 512 GB SSD
  • Graphics → NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  • Weight → 4.6 Pounds
hp-spectre-x360-UHD-best-laptops-cs-majors

The 2019 edition of HP Spectre x360 is a 15 inch high performance best laptop for CS majors and professionals. Having an Intel core i7 processor combined with the famous Nvidia GeForce MX150 graphics GPU, it is easily ranked among the top ten best laptops for CS Majors.

Dimensions wise, it is 14.2 x 9.8 x 0.8 inches with a weight of 4.6 pounds. Thus, it is a bit heavier than its competitors. With a brushed metallic finish and a pale brass like accents around the sides, both with the hp logo and on the 360 rotatable hinges, it gives it an aesthetic look. Spectre x360 had an elegantly cut chassis on both side which add more beauty to its look. The interior has got the same color scheme, having a joyful neat space keyboard with a soft backlight.

Talking about the ports, it is among the richest laptops in the area. On the left side, there is a power jack along the power button, an HDMI port and one jack for headphones. On the right side, it houses two thunderbolt 3 ports, a USB Type-A port and a microSD card slot.

The keyboard it is very decent having cladded clicky keys, solid key travel and a numpad. All these contribute to a fast and long period of typing without any fatigue. Spectre x360 also gives you a sleek looking stylus in the shape of HP active Pen with two programmable buttons. With its smooth touchscreen and active pen, you can easily do editing in images or work on graphics software.

Looking at the performance, it is without any doubt the laptop we have reviewed so far. 16 GB of Ram, Core i7-8565U and fair 512 GB SSD can easily run any of your heavy programming applications and web design software you may throw into it. In addition to that it also got the infamous Nvidia GeForce graphics card, further enhancing its overall effectiveness and efficiency.

If you are a student enrolled in CS majors and asking yourself that what laptops to get for computer science majors requirements as well as to quench your thrust for gaming. Then you get your answers in the shape of Hp Spectre x360. Its high performance, 4k graphics, long battery life and smooth touchscreen won’t let you down in your class.

PROS
  • Aesthetic design
  • Efficiency
  • Smooth touch screen
  • High specifications
  • Long battery life
CONS
  • A bit heavier
  • Less sensitive stylus

2. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon UltraBook – Best Durable Laptop

Key Specifications:

  • CPU → 1.8 GHz Intel Core i7-8565U (7th Gen; up to 4.6 Ghz)
  • RAM → 16 GB (DDR3; 2133MHz)
  • Display → 14-inch, 1920 x 1080
  • Storage → 512 GB SSD
  • Graphics → Intel HD Graphics 620
  • Weight → 2.6 Pounds
Lenovo-ThinkPad-X1-Carbon-Gen-7-cs-majors-laptops

Lenovo is the considered as a king when it comes to durability of laptops. ThinkPad x1 carbon is among the top of the list of most durable yet highly accessible laptops. Being one of the best laptops for cs majors, it not only offers you a vivid 14-inch display, sleek design and fast performance but also a long battery life for your hours’ long projects.

The company has continued its sleek design for the ThinkPad series and extended it to x1 Carbon too. Exterior is a minimalist clean surface with smooth lining and a stylish logo placed diagonally in the upper corner of the lid. Opening the lid, you will find dual speaker grills on the deck along with a stylish keyboard with curved keys and Bi-color touchpad buttons.

It is a weightless machine with just 2.6 lbs. weight and dimensions of 8.55 x 12.74 x 0.59. Yet, Lenovo retains its credibility when it comes to accessibility installed a number of ports on either side of X1 Carbon. On the left side there are two thunderbolt 3 ports, a USB 3.1 Type-A slot, an HDMI input, slot for ethernet connectivity and also a headphone jack. On the right side you’ll get another type-A USB 3.1 port and a Kensington lock. The only thing that lack in this model is the micro SD card slot. Sadly, this is an unfortunate thing if you are consistent in transferring data from-and-to to an SD card.

The 14-inch screen having both 1080P and 4K quality display, gives you a pleasant and bright experience of graphics. A 1.8 GHz processor and 16 GB of RAM will provide you with a fast and strong performance. Thus making it among the best laptops for CS Majors to have for college work. SSD memory of 512 GB and intel Graphics card is like an icing on the cake.

Having the best laptop features for college students and professionals who are constantly on the go due to its light weight and long battery life of over 9 hours on 1080P mode. Lenovo has proven again that they are a good laptop brand for students, professionals and home users too with X1 Carbon which is an all in one package.

PROS
  • Sleek and Beautiful design
  • Lightweight
  • Strong Performance
  • High speed keyboard
CONS
  • Battery performance drop on 4k display
  • No MicroSD card Slot

3. Microsoft Surface Pro 6 – Best Lightweight CS Majors Laptop

Key specifications:

  • CPU → Intel Core i5 – i7, 8th Generation
  • RAM → 8 GB – 16 GB
  • Display → 12.3” Touchscreen 2736 x 1824 pen input resolution
  • Storage → 128 GB – 1 TB SSD
  • Graphics → Intel Iris GPU and HD graphics card
  • Weight → 1.7 Lbs
microsoft-surface-pro-6-best-laptop-cs-majors

It is one of the most sought after 2-in-1 laptops with a detachable touch screen display of boasting 2736 x 1824 pixels and a 12.3” screen. Having a RAM of 8GB – 16GB LPDDR 1886 MHz, it is best for a laptop for college work. Moreover, it comes in both the core i5 and i7 processor with Intel Iris GPU and HD graphics card.

It is easy to carry to a mini laptop with just 1.7 lbs. or 0.8 kg weight with a smart and slip architecture of 0.33 inches. Although the company claims more than 13 hours of video play back battery life, it can give you 8 or 9 hours at max.

It comes with an ergonomic keyboard with a sleek design and 20% larger battery as compared to its predecessors. The SSD storage that ranges from 128 GB to 1 TB in this model boast it speed more and makes it easier for you to have dual functions. Thus, work on the go as well as play some games or watch movies to kill your boredom.

One thing we didn’t like about this tablet/laptop is that it only comes with a single USB 3.0 type A port with no type C ports, which we think should have been there. Apart from that, it has a Display Port and also MicroSD card reader. Thus, hook up your Portable Monitor if you want a secondary display for your tasks.

With high RAM, SSD storage and Intel i5/i7 processor you can run any of your computer programs like NetBeans, Eclipse, Android Studio, Dreamweaver and so on and so forth. It is easily carryable. So you can carry it with you to your class, your lab or on an outing with your pals. It is a highly recommended best laptop for computer programming students which will give you a pleasant experience.

PROS
  • Smart & Slim architecture
  • Long battery life
  • Detachable touch screen
  • Ergonomic Sleek design keyboard
CONS
  • No Type C ports
  • A bit heavier than older versions
  • No port for SD Card

4. New Apple MacBook Pro – Fastest CS Majors Laptop

Key specifications:

  • CPU → 2.3 GHz 8-core Intel Core i9
  • RAM → 16GB (DDR4, 2,666MHz)
  • Display → 16-inch, 3,072 x 1,920 Retina display
  • Storage → 1 TB SSD
  • Graphics → AMD Radeon Pro 5500 M
  • Weight → 4.3 Pounds
new-apple-macbook-pro-laptop-for-cs-students

Although MacBook Pro series is always the talk of the town having the best laptop features for college students and computer geeks. But this 16-inch MacBook Pro has outclassed its predecessors with a large, spectacular screen. Apple has refined and modified their MacBook Pro line in an unbelievable way and has offered its customers — a product — that is lovable in every way.

Like other Apple’s laptop, it is also a slab of aluminum at 4.3 pounds and 0.64 x 14.09 x 9.68 inches in size. But due to its slimmer bezel around the screen, it gives a very modern look. It gives you an advantage to carry it easily from your college to home while sharpening your programming skills in a crowded bus.

Along with a high speed 2.3 GHz 8-core Processor and 16 GB of RAM which is upgradable up to 64 GB, you get 4 Thunderbolt 3 Type-C Ports. The only drawback of this Pro machine is that it lacks a port for SD Card. It also gives you a 11-hour-long battery life for web surfing.

As there were a lot of complaints about Apple keyboards having keys that pop off or don’t register at all, the company introduced a new Magic keyboard in this model. Having key travel of 1 mm, which was previously just 0.7 mm, you will feel very comfortable while coding or making reports. The touch ID fingerprint is also separated from the touchbars and arrow keys have found their way back.

While looking for top laptops for computer science students, one will always find MacBook Pro (16-inch) at the top of the list. This is due to its modern looking eye-catching design, lightweight, long-battery life and high performance.

PROS
  • Larger 16-inch display
  • Long battery life
  • Excellent Audio output
  • New magic Keyboard
CONS
  • No 4k Display
  • A bit heavier than older versions
  • No port for SD Card

5. HP ENVY 13 Inch Thin Laptop – Best Affordable CS Majors Laptop

Key Specifications:

  • CPU → 1.8 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 (8th Gen)
  • RAM → 16 GB (DDR4, 2,400 MHz)
  • Display → 13.3-inch, 1,920 x 1080 Full HD
  • Storage → 256 GB SSD
  • Graphics → Nvidia GeForce MX250 2GB.
  • Weight → 2.59 Pounds
hp-envy-13-inch-laptop

If you are a computer major student and you are looking for the best 13-inch laptops for college, then you are in the right place. With a 2.59 Pounds and 14.5 mm thickness, it fits in the category of the best portable student laptops. It has a soft touch, silver-metal frame with a chrome HP log centered at the back. Interior is fully silver with both keyboard and deck having the same color.

In the bottom-right corner there is a little fingerprint sensor and on the opposite upper corner of it you will find an LED stripped power button. On each sides of the Envy 13 there is a USB 3.1 Type-A port with a USB-C port. On the left side you have a headphone jack port. On the right side just beside the USB Port is microSD-card reader.

It offers a strong performance with its Intel Core i7-8565U quad-core processor with a matching high graphics due to GeForce MX250 2 GB card. It does not just provide a huge boost for running your coding applications, but also is a sharp machine. Therefore, if you are working on some 3D or VR projects in Unity or making mobile applications in Android Studio.

With your day-to-day use, it will easily keep up not only with your college work demands, but also with your gaming choices and other extracurricular work. Having a four cores power with a headroom of up to 4.6 GHz, you can also play your favorite games to shake up your mind.

While looking at good laptop brands for students, one must keep an eye on battery performance. We consider Envy 13, a complete package, as it offers productivity with a lifelong battery. A 53 WH four cell battery, when fully charged, can give you more than 8 hours of battery life with multiple programs running at the same time and screen at full brightness.

HP was able to put a lot in one package of Envy 13-inches. Also, if you compare the laptop specs of the different machines along with their price tags, this one is pretty affordable too. With its glossy design and overall performance, it is well ahead of some of its competitors.

PROS
  • Attractive Design
  • Lightweight
  • Long battery life
  • Powerful Speakers
CONS
  • Same Keyboard and deck color
  • Uncomfortable in Laps sometime
  • A bit darker display

6. Dell XPS 9570 FHD Laptop – Powerful Multitasking Laptop

Key specifications:

  • CPU → 4.1 GHz 9th Gen 6-core Intel Core i7
  • RAM → 16 GB (DDR4, SDRAM)
  • Display → 15.6-inch, 3840 x 2160, OLED
  • Storage → 256 GB SSD
  • Graphics → 4 GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650
  • Weight → 4.5 Pounds
Dell-XPS-9570-best-gaming-laptop

Dell is always being there in the market as one of the best laptop makers. XPS 15 7590 model released by them in 2019 is surely a fit choice for you if you are looking for a powerful multitasking laptop. Dell made a necessary change in XPS 15 7590 model and moved webcam to its natural position unlike its previous models Dell XPS 9370 and Dell XPS 9570 where webcam was awkwardly placed at the bottom bezel.

Other than moving webcam, there is not as much alteration in the design as compared to the older versions. The lid is aluminum-clad with a keyboard with 1.3 mm key travel residing on a black carbon fiber base. As for the dimensions, it’s a 0.66 × 9.3 × 14.1 inches (35.81 centimeters) with a lightweight of 4.5 pounds (2.04 kilogram).

It comes with two USB 3.1 ports, a port for your HDMI cable, an SD card reader, a headphone jack and yes, a Thunderbolt 3 type-3 USB port. Thus making it a complete package for your computer science projects. One major change that we liked most in this model is the display. A stunning OLED of 3840 × 2160 pixels makes it the best dell laptop for college work.

The display is pretty good, with incredibly vibrant color and a more bright and clear experience. So, if you are a computer geek who is working on a project in Unity3D or Autodesk Maya and need sharpness in color choosing, XPS 15 (2019) is a perfect choice for you.

Performance wise, it met our expectations with its 6-core i7 processors and GTX 1650 Graphics card. You can turn yourself into a part-time gamer with it along with being a coding geek. It also offers a whooping long battery life of 13 hours on a 4K display and a 7 hours long life if OLED is turned on. If you are looking for a good laptop for college and gaming as well, XPS 15 should be at the top of your list

PROS
  • Well positioned webcam
  • OLED Display
  • Cheap laptop as compared to features offered
  • Gaming Capable GTX 1650 graphics
CONS
  • A bit outdated design
  • Not impressive secondary storage capacity

7. Acer Aspire 5 Slim – Cheap CS Majors Laptops

Key specifications:

  • CPU → 1.60 GHz intel core i5-i7 8250U (Quad-core up to 3.40 GHz)
  • RAM → 8 GB (DDR4)
  • Display → 15.6-inch, FHD (1920 x 1080)
  • Storage → 256 GB SSD
  • Graphics → Intel UHD Graphics 620
  • Weight → 4.85 Pounds
Acer-Aspire-5S-Core-i5-best-notebook

Acer didn’t disappoint us when they came up with this model as it made easily to our list of the best notebook laptops for students. It is a mid-range laptop but has got everything to compete in high-end laptops market.

Looking at the affordable price you may think that it is a chunky ugly looking notebook computer for students but it is not. Having dimensions of 15.02 × 0.85 × 10.35 inches (26.29 cm) and weight of 4.85 pounds (2.2 kg), it is an easily carryable laptop within affordable price tag. A plastic chassis with a textured lid surface having Acer logo more toward the bottom left side. It comes with a decent sized display and a keyboard with fair key travel distance which makes long period typing comfortable.

Acer Aspire 5 gives you two USB 2.0, one USB 3.0 and also a USB-C port. Additionally, there are ports for Ethernet connection and an SD card reader. The laptop is among those cheap laptops for CS Majors and notebooks which is efficient for all day-to-tasks. It comes both with an Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, depending upon your requirements. Likewise, there is a whooping 8 GB of RAM along with solid-state drive storage, giving a huge boost to overall performance. Moreover, it also has a Full HD display with 1920 × 1080 pixels having color intelligence technology included by Acer.

If you are a computer programming student and looking for durable laptops for college work within your budget, then Acer Aspire 5 must be your go-to option. It just not gives you high performance but a good battery life of up to 7 hours.

PROS
  • Low budget notebook
  • Comfortable keyboard for long typing periods
  • Good battery life
  • Decent performance
CONS
  • Not very vibrant screen
  • A bit thick compared to similar laptops

8. Asus ZenBook 13 Ultra-Slim – Best All Rounder Laptop

Key Specifications:

  • CPU → 4.6 GHz Intel Core i7
  • RAM → 16 GB (LPDDR3)
  • Display → 13.3-inch, 1,920 x 1080
  • Storage → 512 GB SSD
  • Graphics → Intel UHD Graphics 620 GPU
  • Weight → 2.6 Pounds
asus-zenbook-13-ultraslim-laptops-for-cs-students

The best laptop for computer programming students must not always be an expensive machine. Asus ZenBook is well within your reach with its affordable price as compared to high specs.

It’s a Charming Royal Blue color with a beautiful Asus logo right in the middle, having a ripple effect on the lid gives it a very glossy look. A well-made keyboard resides on the deck, keys rising slightly from the inside of the deck, giving it a more beautiful look.

Weighing 2.6 pounds (1.18 kg) with dimensions of 7.4 × 0.7 × 11.9 inches (30.23 cm), ZenBook 13 is the best light laptop for college. It is a bit thicker but still lighter than its closest competitors like Dell XPS 13 and Apple MacBook Air. At the left edge, there is an HDMI 1.4 port, a USB 3.1 port, Power jack and one port for USB type-c. On the opposite side, it houses a microSD card slot, USB 2.0 port and a headphone jack.

ZenBook 13 UX333FA having intel core-i7 8565U processor and 16 GB of RAM is high-end laptop with good speed and ability to cope with data in bulk. It can easily run applications like Android Studio, Dreamweaver, Unity3D along with a number of Chrome Tabs and YouTube videos, all opened at same time, without any stuck or delay.

The laptop was made to our list of the most recommended laptops for cs majors as well as high school students. This is because of its reasonable price, high specs, good performance and light weight. It is not just easy to carry a top notebook computer but also gives a good battery life of more than 10 hours of web surfing. Not by spending too much you can own an eye-catching laptop, and carry it around your campus with ease or take it out with you on vacations, all thanks to ZenBook 13 UX333FA.

PROS
  • Attractive Design
  • Light weight
  • Strong all-round performance
  • Long battery life
CONS
  • Get a bit warm (still not a deal-breaker)
  • Dim Display

9. Apple MacBook Air – Best Sleek & Slim Design

Key Specifications:

  • CPU → 1.6 GHz Intel Core i5-8210Y (Dual-Core up to 3.6 GHz)
  • RAM → 8 GB (LPDDR3, 2,133 MHz)
  • Display → 13.3-inch, 2560 x 1600 retina TT
  • Storage → 256 GB SSD
  • Graphics → Intel UHD Graphics 617 GPU
  • Weight → 2.75 Pounds
Apple-macbook-air-best-macbook

Calling MacBook Air the most portable MacBook and the most affordable laptop for computer programmers won’t be wrong. Apple has done justice to the expectations of its lovers with another beautiful Mac.

There is no match of Apple’s designs in laptop and MacBook Air is an example of it. It is a very slim piece with 11.97 × 0.61 × 8.36 inches (21.23 cm) dimension and weight of just 2.75 pounds (1.25 kg). It is not just light but also very durable. In addition, with its solid structure, you won’t have to worry about dents and scratches. As claimed by Apple, it is made up of 100% recycled aluminum, which is highly applaudable. It is available in three colors — Silver, space gray and a stunning golden color.

Apple’s forward-looking, which may be a drawback for some, is their selection of USB ports. MacBook Air, like other of its products, also comes with dual Thunderbolt 3 ports on the left edge which are used for charging as well. On the right side there is a single headphone jack and that’s it for the ports.

It offers a similar sort of keyboard to the MacBook Pros versions with a click of shallow but decent looking buttons. Having a 0.7 mm key trip it the overall typing experience is pretty fair. The touchpad is smooth with fluid shrinking and zooming capability. One of the best features of MacBook Air or probably of all Apple products is the highly-sensitive Touch ID biometric scanner, which can be found in the same line as function keys.

With its 8 GB of RAM and armed with a 8210Y version Intel Core i5 CPU, it is among the best performing laptops for programming lovers. You won’t see any stutter while multitasking. Whether Coding in NetBeans and Eclipse, roaming around in stack overflow, listening to some soothing music and download movies for your weekend.

 If you are a MacBook lover or planning to switch from conventional brands to Apple, then MacBook Air is a perfect choice for you. With an 8-hour-long battery life, you can leave your Type-C Power cable at home while carrying around this light piece with you. Its shining elegant design is surely going to grab some attention from your fellows.

PROS
  • Stunning look
  • Good battery life
  • High-resolution screen
  • Strong sound
CONS
  • Having only Type-C ports
  • Old-fashioned 0.7-megapixel Webcam

10. Lenovo Flex 14 2-in-1 – Best 2 in 1 Convertible Laptop

Key Specifications:

  • CPU → 2.1 GHz AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
  • RAM → 12 GB (DDR4, 2,400MHz)
  • Display → 14-inch, 1920 x 1080 FHD; Multitouch Screen
  • Storage → 256 GB SSD
  • Graphics: AMD Radeon Vega 8
  • Weight: 3.52 Pounds
Lenovo-Flex-14-2-in-1-Convertible-Laptop

Lenovo has revolutionized the world of laptops by the extensive variety they offer. You can choose between Intel Core series or AMD Ryzen 5-3500/3700 processor in the same or similar models. Lenovo Flex 14 is another 2-in-1 masterpiece for young professionals and programmers.

It is a light and thin Laptop-cum-tablet with just 3.52 lbs. weight and dimensions of 12.91 × 9.02 × 0.7 inches (1.78 cm). This smart looking machine is a full-time laptop while you are working on your projects. Moreover, it can turn into a tablet if you are surfing through web or designing something. Also, you can get into stand mode if you want to watch or some documentaries. The rotating dual hinges are tight enough to keep the lid from wiggling while getting into stand, tent, and tablet modes.

This 0.7” best touch screen laptop has a durable and rigid chassis made primarily of polycarbonate carbon, having an onyx black color desk. Though very slim, Lenovo is still able to add a number of ports into either side including a barrel-style charging jack, an HDMI port, a USB-C and 3.5 mm audio jack on the left. On the right side, it houses two USB-A ports and a power button along with an SD Card reader. 

Having a very affordable price, Flex 6 is not just low-price good laptop but also a good performer. The model under review comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 3500U processor. If you are still using Intel processors till now, you definitely need to give this one a try. Have 12 GB of DDR RAM which can be extended and a 256 GB SSD memory which is not very high. But by throwing some more bucks, you will get a perfect piece for your coding. Also, if you are interested in graphics designing or in rich CSS work on your webpages, the FHD display of Flex 6 aids you with its smooth touch display and doodling active pen.

Lenovo has been always our favorites when it comes to the mobility and durability of laptops. Flex 6 is without a doubt in mind the best touch screen 2-in-1 laptop in a very affordable price laptop range. It gives strong performance, high battery life, excellent security and accessibility all in an under $600 price tag.

PROS
  • Comfortable Backlit keyboard
  • Thin and light weight
  • Excellent Performance
  • Easy to carry and convertible
CONS
  • Less Memory
  • Loud Fan

11. Acer Spin 3 Convertible – Best Touchscreen Laptop

Key Specifications:

  • CPU → 1.8 GHz Intel Core i7-8565U (8th Gen; up to 4.6 Ghz)
  • RAM → 16 GB
  • Display → 14-inch, 1920 x 1080 retina TT
  • Storage → 512 GB SSD
  • Graphics → Intel UHD Graphics 620 GPU
  • Weight → 3.7 Pounds
Acer-Spin-3-Convertible-Laptop

Acer spins 3 in another robust 2-in-1 touchscreen laptop with powerful specs. It is the first Core i7 equipped model in Spin family of Acer. It comes with a 1920 × 1080 LED touch display and a backlit IPS technology with a very little bezel on its 14 inch (35.56 cm) screen providing plenty of space.

The exterior is composed of a gray slate color and a slippery plastic material. It is easily convertible into tablet mode with its 3600 hinges that smoothly rotatable. The inside of Spin 3 is dual color toned, with a black textured upper bezel and a glossy bottom in silver. It comes with a super smooth keyboard with the same black texture as the lid, giving it a soothing look. Additionally, at the same time providing a comfortable typing experience even for a longer period with a key travel of 1.0 mm.

It is a bit heavier than its competitors like Asus ZenBook and Lenovo Flex, having 3.75 pounds (1.7 kg) and a slightly thicker dimensions of 13 × 9.4 × 0.8 inches (2.03 cm). On the left side of the lower deck houses a USB 2.0 port, an SD card and a power button along with charging input. On the right side, a USB 3.0 port, an HDMI out pour and an audio jack reside.

Performance-wise, it won’t disappoint you with its Core i7 8565U processor and 16 GB of Random-Access memory running your powerful coding and developing applications with a stutter. The only drawback we have seen in this model is a lower battery life than claimed by the company. Acer claims up to 12 hours of web surfing, but the machine could hardly touch the 7 hours barrier.

Despite not having a super battery life and a slightly old-fashioned look, Acer spin 3 is still a deal if you look at the specifications it offers as well as the smooth touchscreen and 2-in-1 package. A rechargeable active stylus and fingerprint reader is a plus.

PROS
  • Best Graphics performance
  • High specs
  • Affordable price
  • Smooth Touchscreen
CONS
  • Old fashioned Design
  • Average battery

12. Dell Inspiron Gaming Laptop – Best Laptop for Gaming

Key Specifications:

  • CPU → 2.5 GHz Intel Core i7-7700HQ (7th Gen; up to 3.5 GHz)
  • RAM → 8 GB (DDR4; extendable to 32 GB)
  • Display → 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080
  • Storage → 128 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD
  • Graphics → Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050
  • Weight → 5.66 Pound
Dell-Inspiron-Best-Gaming-laptop

Due to its specifications, Dell Inspiron 15 7000 is a deal to steal. It is not just a usual laptop for your day-to-day computer projects, but also one of the best cheap laptops for gaming too. Having Nvidia Max-Q internal design, all the components internally are squeezed into a less than an inch thick frame.

Dell has been reluctant about chaining the design of Inspiron and has kept the light black and gray color combo in this model too. However, the grayish dell logo is replaced with a reddish one to give it a gamer look. The soft touch lid is colored with a matte-black color and the rear, composed of a series of vents, takes a gray color. The interior continues the color scheme with a soft touch keyboard with red lettering and a backlight.

It is a bulky laptop with hefty 5.6 pounds (2.54 kg) of weight and dimensions of 10.43 × 15.7 × 0.99 and is among the heavier laptops out there in the market. But the good thing is, it provides you with almost every port you may need for peripherals and outside connectivity. On the left side, there is an Ethernet jack, a USB 3.0 port and an SD card slot along with the noble lock slot. On the right side, you will get a headphone jack, a pair of USB 3.0 ports, a thunderbolt 3 port and also an output for HDMI.

With its 1080P IPS technology screen,2.5GHz Intel Core i7-7700 processing power and 8 GB of RAM you won’t have to worry about any lagging and sticking while running heavy software or working on projects that make you keep a number of programs open at the same time. Additionally, with a powerful Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Graphics you can enjoy gaming in your free time, watch your favorite seasons on Netflix or roam through YouTube videos. Just wear your favorite Wireless Gaming Headsets and hop on.

Dell Inspiron 15 7000 although not as light as you’d like and with mere 128 GD of SSD memory, gives you everything you need as a computer science student. It is without any question the best dell laptop for college students who also possess a passion for gaming. Cherry on the top, it comes with a 10-hour long battery life, so leave your charger at home while bringing Inspiron 15 7000 to your class.

PROS
  • High performance
  • Best for long period work
  • Durable
  • Long battery life
CONS
  • Heavy in weight
  • Old Fashion look

More Recommended Laptops for CS Majors

As mentioned earlier, there are hundreds of Laptops available from which you have to decide your final choice. Above you will find a list of the top 12 best laptops for CS Majors. If these do not accomplish all your required objectives, then here are some other recommended laptops for CS Majors students.

Asus FX504 TUF 15.6” FHD Gaming Laptop

To know about all the features, specifications and current price of Asus FX504 TUF Gaming Laptop, 15.6”, click the picture below.

Asus-FX504-TUF-Gaming-Laptops-for-cs-students

Acer Aspire E 15, FHD Laptop

To know about all the features, specifications and current price of Acer Aspire E 15, 15.6″ Full HD, click the picture below.

Acer-Aspire-E-15-UHD-laptop-for-computer-science

HP Pavilion 15 15.6″ IPS Touchscreen FHD Laptop

To learn more about all the features, specifications and current price of HP Pavilion 15 15.6″ IPS Touchscreen, click the picture below.

HP-Pavilion-15-FHD-laptop

ASUS VivoBook 15 15.6” FHD AMD Slim Laptop

To learn more about all the features, specifications and current prices of ASUS VivoBook 15 Thin and Light Laptop, click the picture below.

ASUS-VivoBook-15-ultra-thin-best-laptops

2020 HP 15 15.6″ HD TouchScreen Premium Laptop

To learn more about all the features, specifications and the current price of a 2020 HP 15 15.6″ HD Touch Screen Premium Laptop, click the picture below.

2020-HP-15-HD-Touchscreen-laptop

Lenovo Ideapad L340 FHD Gaming Laptop

To learn more about all the features, specifications and current prices of Lenovo Ideapad L340 Gaming Laptop, click the picture below.

Lenovo-Ideapad-L340-best-Gaming-Laptops-for-cs-majors

Dell Inspiron 15.6″ HD Touchscreen Flagship Laptop

To learn more about all the features, specifications and the current price of the Dell Inspiron 15.6 Inch HD Touchscreen, click the picture below.

Dell-Inspiron-15.6-Inch-HD-Touchscreen-cs-majors-laptops

Best Laptops for CS Majors – Complete Buyer Guide

With a vast number of competitors and even a larger number of models available in the market, it is not an easy task to select a laptop as per your requirements. As a computer science major student, you will be expected to make the right choice not just for yourself, but for your non-technical buddies also. But sometimes even professionals miss out on some very basic things that need to be looked into while buying laptops. After deciding upon your budget, you may go with any brand such as Lenovo, HP, Acer, Dell or apple in that price range but not every machine will do things as per your requirements for you. Without a doubt, all these brands produce terrific machines, but not everyone of those will work out for your needs as a computer science major.

Best CS Majors Laptops – Features

After analyzing different aspects of laptops and different models, we have selected a few of the best and top laptops for CS Majors already mentioned in this detailed article to save you from the tedious work. If you still want to do your own homework or want to look for something other than the given product, we are compiling a detailed buyer guide. Go through all the specifications and factors given below to select a laptop which is not just good in performance but is also able to fulfill all of your requirements.

best-laptops-for-cs-majors-infographics

All of these features are explained in detail below:

Processing Power

CPU, generally known as processor, is one of the major factors you should consider while selecting laptops for CS Majors. The better and faster a CPU is, the quicker it will be able to execute a task. While making your choice, look at the clock speed of the processor which will be in Giga Hertz and the type of processors famous for which are Intel’s Core-based CPU. For a computer science student Core i9, core i7 and latest versions of core i5 will work fine as these are very strong performers. But some selected brands also offer AMD’s Ryzen CPU’s, which will work for you as well if you have a passion for gaming too.

Memory (RAM)

RAM or Random-access memory is a temporary memory which fetches data from secondary storage and passes it to CPU or where all of your programs stay for sometime before being executed. As a computer science major, you need at least 4GB+ of RAM in your system. You can also go for laptops with higher RAM like 16 GB or even 32 for a better and faster experience. If a system offers good specifications but low temporary memory, you should go for it and modify your RAM at the same time.

Storage Capacity

Storage, generally known as Secondary Memory, is another major factor you should look for while choosing a powerful machine. In the good old days, hard disk drives commonly known as hard disks were all over the market. But as we move toward more speed and weightless machines, HDD seems a bit old-fashioned as they are a bit bulky, slow and produce noise and heat. While selecting a fit laptop for you, go for one with SSD (Solid State Drive) at high capacity.

As your computer programs may need more space, always choose wisely while looking at this aspect. Laptops with more than 256 GB of SSD storage will work well for you and you can always increase it as per your needs. Also, if you still have additional storage requirements, we always recommend using NAS (Network Attached Storage).

Display & Graphics

As you will be supposed to stare at your screen for a good number of hours every day, you need to have a screen you will that can give comfort to your eyes. Before you finalize your choice, do consider the graphics quality or to be more specific: the screen resolution it offers. For your designing projects and graphics purposes, a 1920 × 1080 Full HD resolution will work fine, but you can opt for the modern models offering 4k resolutions. Besides that, you should also decide in advance if you are going for a touchscreen or non-touchscreen display. Both have their own pros and cons.

Secondly graphics card also play a vital role while you are running high-end, heavy graphical software on your system. With Nvidia and AMD graphics cards being the most famous in the market followed by Intel Graphics, you should choose wisely what you need. If you are buying a laptop only for coding and programming purposes, Intel Graphics GPU is enough for you. But if you possess a passion for gaming too, then go for Nvidia or AMD.

Keyboard Quality

Computer Science is a subject that will always be expected from you, long hours of typing in the form of coding and writing algorithms. For that purpose, you’ll need a laptop with a comfortable keyboard. Choose laptops that have keyboards with comfortable and more standardized layouts. This should have a fine space between the keys with fair key travel and snappy responsiveness. If you like to work in the dark, then go for a keyboard with backlit.

Battery Life

Another major aspect that you should consider before choosing any system for yourself is Battery life. Even the most powerful laptops are nothing if they don’t offer a good battery life. Don’t always trust manufacturer-quoted battery life, as it will not always indicate real life experience. Battery life can be affected by a number of variables. For example, screen resolution, brightness, number, and type of applications running in the background etc. Moreover, if you are overcharging or even fully discharging it, it reduces battery health and life. So, always do your research and read some first-hand experiences of users before making your final choice.

OS Platform

Choosing a platform is the most basic thing which you should do even before making up your mind to buy a laptop. Now a day, most laptops come with one of these three famous operating systems – Windows, MacOS and Chrome OS. All of them have their own strengths and weaknesses. Looking at your requirements and also at your comfort area, go for the one which you won’t regret later. Our advice is that as a CS major you should avoid going for Chrome OS as those laptops won’t be compatible with your needs.

Size & Dimensions

Size is also very important as some users are comfortable with smaller laptops which they can easily carry with them while others go for bigger screens and keyboards with more keys and numpad. You will have to be careful with your choice regarding size because it is something which you can’t upgrade later. Laptops usually range between 11.6-inches and 17.6-inches. The most commonly offered sizes, as offered by some top brands like HP, Lenovo, and Dell etc., are between 13 and 17 inches (43.18 cm). Laptops with high processers like Corei7 and above mostly come in bigger sizes. Keep your priorities and your requirements in mind before making your final decision.

Recommended CS Majors Laptops – Editor’s Choice

In the end, after going through all the specs, features and research, checking the key features in detail and looking at the practical experience and reviews of different CS students; we at DigiChasers selected HP Spectre x360 2 in 1 UHD Touch Screen Laptop as our favorite pick for the best amongst laptops for CS Majors.

The world is evolving at a very fast pace. Whether you are a student, an entrepreneur, a businessman, a gamer, a freelancer or just a regular user, you need a laptop that fulfills each and every requirement. So if you think that we should have included some other good CS Majors Laptops in our list of Top 12+ Best Laptops for CS Majors, just drop the product in your comments and share your experience.

1 thought on “Top 12+ Best Laptops for CS Majors 2021 – Reviews & Buyer’s Guide”

Leave a comment