5,000 UNiDAYS members were asked about how important laptops are for university life and overwhelmingly, 97% said that it's vital to course success.
It's no surprise then, that a laptop will probably be the biggest pre-uni expense, so UNiDAYS teamed up with TechRadar to put together a list of top devices with the biggest savings.
There's so much choice between brands and plenty of differences in specs but for students, quality and price came out as the top two purchase drivers. 87% of students said reliable tech helps with stress levels so whether you're researching for yourself or a loved one, you want to make sure you're getting the most for your money.
This guide below will navigate you through Chromebooks to Ultrabooks, Mac and Windows machines in order to find you a quality device and help you stick to a budget!
Under £400
Acer Chromebook 311 - from £195.49 with 15% student discount
If you're looking for a durable, versatile machine whilst keeping your spend below £400, this Chromebook is a great choice. The impact resistant body and reinforced ports will stand up to all sorts of daily wear and tear.
The powerful battery lasts for up to 20 hours and its impressive 2-in-1 model has an excellent touchscreen display. If versatility is a top priority, then look no further than the Acer Chromebook Spin 311. This is an all-round great student laptop and with UNiDAYS, students can get 15% off.
Dell Inspiron 15 3000 - from £269.00 with 14% student discount
Dell has a reputation for its solid hardware, but this fantastic Windows laptop boasts a lightweight, portable design without compromising on the important and adding a little flash storage.
This 15-inch laptop comes with HDMI, 3x USB ports and an audio jack, plus fingerprint login. Unite your devices with Dell Mobile Connect and stay focused on tasks by interacting with your phone directly from your Dell PC– you can easily make calls, send texts, and get notifications.
With UNiDAYS, students can get up to 20% off laptops, monitors and accessories.
£400 - £600
Lenovo Thinkpad C13 Yoga - £548.99 with 10% student discount
This Chromebook is one of the most powerful on the market, meaning you're going to have to pay extra, but with UNiDAYS you're able to get it for well under £600.
The new AMD 3000C series processors and 2-in-1 flexibility set it aside from its competitors, whilst features like Rapid Charge and its military grade, tough exterior will see you through whatever uni throws at you.
This is a great choice for students looking for a high-end laptop that will last for years to come.
Huawei Matebook 13 - £599.99 with up to 39% student discount
Just sneaking into the sub £600 price range, thanks to this fantastic offer, is a Windows laptop that packs plenty of performance.
It's perfect for students who are looking for a little bit of everything from a luxury laptop without paying full price.
The sleek 13-inch design only weighs 1.32kg and is 14.9mm thin making it easy to carry around to lectures throughout the day.
£600 - £1,000
Lenovo Yoga 7i 15-inch - from £810.00 with up to 20% student discount
Another 2-in-1 on the list but one fitted with plenty of extras that justify the price. Enjoy an incredible battery life of up to 17.5 hours with Intelligent Cooling that optimizes performance based on your activities. Combined with its slim, lightweight design, it’s an ideal device for students on the go all day.
When you’re ready to relax, flip it into tablet mode and enjoy the vibrant display and Dolby Atmos Speaker System. It’s stylish, it’s super portable and students can benefit from up to 20% off all Lenovo products.
MacBook Air - £898 with 10% student discount
At last, an Apple device, and possibly one of the best laptops money can buy. The Air topped TechRadar’s best laptops 2021 list and for good reason.
The new M1 chip delivers better performance than ever before, taking the macOS to new levels whilst offering incredible efficiency with a battery life of 11 hours on a single charge.
This stunning device, at well under £1000, is sure to be popular amongst students and is well worth the money even if you’ve only ever used Windows before.
HP Envy x360 13 - from £880 with up to 40% student discount
2-in-1 laptops are a bit of a theme, but we think the flexibility between work and play is perfect for student life and HP have delivered.
Its AMD Ryzen processor, Radeon graphics card and 512GB SSD provides impressive notebook performance for studying, video-editing or gaming.
Features like HP dual speakers, audio boost and tuning from sound experts Bang & Olufsen give an exceptionally rich audio experience when streaming in tent mode.
£1,000+
Apple MacBook Pro - from £1,168 with up to 10% student discount
Although it doesn't look different on the outside, the latest Pro now comes with the M1 chip and delivers great performance and exceptionally long battery life.
A huge 17 hours of wireless web browsing, and up to 20 hours of video playback, 10 hours more than the previous model, means students can go from through a whole day before needing to plug in.
The processor offers great performance for video-editing and graphics whether that’s your course or hobby. It's a big price but you're packing a lot into a 13-inch laptop.
Dell XPS 13 - £1,099.00 with 10% student discount
A regular on best of lists for its high-end specs and lightweight 13-inch design, the XPS 11th generation laptop is a pricey but solid choice.
It looks and feels professional with aluminium and carbon fibre for a strong chassis, an incredible display with optional 4k HD and thin bezel to make the screen feel bigger.
The XPS consistently delivers and is a fantastic all-rounder for students who want high end without the need for specialist hardware.
Huawei Matebook X Pro - £1,599.99 with up to 29% student discount
Right at the top end of the range, the Matebook is a fantastic machine full of features and top specifications to rival its competitors.
The 13.9-inch 3K display has a 91% screen to body ratio and although not a 2-in-1, it is touchscreen should you need it. The processor is 22% faster than the previous gen and battery life should last you up to 15 hours.
From design and build this is definitely one of the best Windows laptops out there and for students, the huge discount you get with UNiDAYS makes it more attractive.
"96% of over 5,000 students agree that having decent tech helps get their coursework done to the required standard, and 89% rely on their laptop and devices to keep in touch with family and friends. UNiDAYS are proud that we can help in any way possible to make the university experience more affordable and fun." Josh Rathour, CEO UNiDAYS
Win the ultimate uni tech bundle
If you loved this laptop guide, UNiDAYS is giving a lucky reader the chance to WIN the ultimate uni tech bundle before term starts.
Click on the link below to win all the tech you'll ever need for uni, including a MacBook Pro, iPad, printer, monitor and headphones. Altogether worth a massive £3k!
