I want to buy my son a laptop for college this Christmas. He’s going into business and needs something reliable but not too expensive. My budget is $800 or less, and I’d prefer not to get a MacBook Air. We can upgrade when he graduates.
ThinkPad T series. Solid choice for business and lasts a long time.
Cody said:
ThinkPad T series. Solid choice for business and lasts a long time.
I agree, you can’t go wrong with a ThinkPad T series.
A high-powered laptop isn’t necessary for business studies. Reliability matters most. Here are some great options within a reasonable budget:
- Surface Laptop 7
- Lenovo ThinkPad
- Dell Latitude 7xxx series
- Lenovo Yoga 7X
Remember, students often get discounts, and Black Friday deals might help too. If he prefers Windows, the Surface Laptop 7 is a fantastic choice and starts at $899. For macOS users, a MacBook Air M3 is another great option, though I see you’d prefer to avoid MacBooks.
M1 MacBook Airs are around $700 at some stores like Best Buy if you reconsider.
It depends on what OS he prefers. For long battery life and campus use, a MacBook Air is fantastic.
Frost said:
It depends on what OS he prefers. For long battery life and campus use, a MacBook Air is fantastic.
For macOS, go with a MacBook Air (16GB RAM). For Windows, try the Surface Laptop 7—it’s discounted right now, and the storage is easy to upgrade.
Check out the JustJosh YouTube channel. He reviews budget laptops. Focus on portability and a good screen instead of power.
ThinkPad E series is affordable and reliable. A good option if you want to stay on budget.
The Asus ExpertBook P5 would fit perfectly for a business student.
If you’re skipping a MacBook Air, avoid Chromebooks. Look at Lenovo and Acer options in your budget—they’ll get the job done.
Make sure to check if he needs specific software for college. Otherwise, something like a MacBook Air (16GB RAM) or a Surface Laptop 7 will be more than enough. Both Apple and Microsoft offer student discounts.
Check the university’s website. They often have recommendations or minimum specs for required software.
Can you share your exact budget range? That’ll help narrow down the choices.
You could buy a refurbished ThinkPad T480s and upgrade the SSD to 1TB. Solid machine at a good price.