When looking for a laptop to use for studying, one of the initial questions is how much you are willing to spend. The other factors that come into play after the cost include the batteries and the portability of the device. For the students who have to take their laptop with them wherever they go, these features are crucial.
There are countless laptop options available, but when it comes to studying, your choices are typically narrowed down to two categories: Chromebooks and Ultrabooks. Each one of the three has its own advantages and suited for specific purposes.
Chromebooks: Affordable and Efficient
If your primary concern is battery life, more than 10 hours, and you use Google suite, including Gmail, Google Docs, and Classroom, then a Chromebook is a great purchase. Chromebooks are powered by ChromeOS, Google’s operating system for education. Since the ChromeOS does not need a powerful central processing unit, chrome books are cheaper than windows laptops.
However, there’s one significant limitation: Unlike the other devices, Chromebooks cannot support the windows application. Therefore, if there is a need for software such as Microsoft Office, or Adobe Photoshop, then a Chromebook is not suitable. However, if you are going to work mostly with web based applications, then the value for the money is phenomenal.
Top Chromebook Picks:
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Gen 8 Chromebook
14-inch Full HD display
MediaTek Kompanio 520 processor, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB of internal storage.
Price: €279
ASUS Chromebook CX1500CKA
15.6-inch Full HD display
It is powered by Intel Celeron N4500 processor, 8GB RAM and has storage of 128GB.
Price: €299
Acer Chromebook Plus 514
AMD Ryzen 3 7320C processor, 8 GB of RAM, 128 GB SSD
A screen with an IPS display and XUXGA resolution
Price: €329.99
Ultrabooks: Versatility with Windows Apps
If you require a Windows operating system and need to run most of the software, then Ultrabook is the right machine for you. These thin and light notebooks come preinstalled with Windows 11, and that means you can install any apps you want from the Microsoft Store and elsewhere. These devices also have between 10 to 12 hours of battery longevity, which is almost the same as Chromebooks but with a better performance.
These are light and portable computers, however, they do not have dedicated graphics cards which are essential in playing high graphic games or performing graphic intensive operations. But for ozoned and general use, they provide a good amount of performance in a portable form factor that rarely goes beyond 1.5 pounds.
Top Ultrabook Picks:
Samsung Galaxy Book4
15.6-inch Full HD display
Intel Core i5-1335U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD.
Price: €999
Lenovo IdeaPad 1 Gen 7
15.6-inch Full HD display
It has an Intel Core i5-1235U processor, 16GB of RAM and 512 GB SSD.
Price: €479
ASUS ZenBook 14
A 14-inch OLED panel WQXGA+ display with a resolution of 2880 x 1800 pixels.
Intel Core i5-1340P, RAM 16 GB, SSD 512 GB
Price: €1,039
Conclusion: Chromebook or Ultrabook?
It primarily depends on what you require in a device between the two; a Chromebook and an Ultrabook. If you’re on a tight budget and require a laptop that has a long-lasting battery life and is compatible with Google products, a Chromebook is perfect for you. On the other hand, if you require Windows apps/ more power, then the Ultrabook is the one to choose, and it is versatile but costs more.
Both are lightweight and aims to cater students, so whichever you choose, you won’t be wrong.