The best laptop for engineering students will power through just about every task you can throw at it, from running office apps to complex datasets and CAD projects.
This month, we've re-assessed our top recommendations, based on extensive testing and benchmarking of each laptop. The Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon Gen 12 and the Dell XPS 15 both stand out as the best laptops for engineering students, depending on the configurations and features you need. These business laptops are seriously performance-driven, and both offering comfortable, relaxed keyboard typing experiences - essential for engineering students.
Check out the full showcase below. We've reviewed each model, comparing specs and evaluating everything from design to price to help you find the right laptop, whichever branch of engineering you study. For more options, we've reviewed all the best business laptops and best student laptops.
- Best laptop for AutoCAD deals: We tracked down the best AutoCAD laptop deals around right now
The quick list
The Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon Gen 12 is all around a gorgeous laptop designed for those who need to get some serious work done but don't want to feel like they're carrying around a workstation. It's powerful, lightweight, has a great keyboard, looks fantastic, and is reliable.
"Laptop perfection" is how we described the Dell XPS 15. A Windows laptop with a robust chassis, comfortable carbon fiber palm rests for prolonged use. The powerful performance is driven by impressive specs.
The HP Victus 15 offers strong performance at an impressive price. Equipped with an Intel Core i5 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, it's capable of tackling advanced programs such as CAD, which are essential for engineering students.
The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) is a powerful yet portable laptop that blends excellent performance, fan-less design, and long battery life into a sleek, lightweight package. With Apple’s M3 chip, 8-core CPU, and up to 24GB of RAM, it easily handles everyday tasks, creative work, and even light gaming.
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 is a powerful laptop designed for gaming enthusiasts and professionals who require high-performance computing. It features a 13th-gen Intel Core i9, Nvidia RTX 4090, and an impressive 18-inch QHD+ display with a 240Hz refresh rate, delivering exceptional speed and visuals.
The Lenovo Thinkpad X1 2-in-1 Gen 9 is a versatile 14in touchscreen laptop designed for professionals who require flexibility and power. It is equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 5 processor, 16GB of RAM, with a comfortable keyboard and long-lasting battery life of approximately 14 hours.
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Performance, powerful, a beautiful design - the Razer Blade 15 has a lot going for it. It packs a RTX 3000-series GPU, DDR5 memory, and a 12th-generation Alder Lake Intel CPU - and in our testing process, it easily handled even the most demanding workloads. But all that power will cost you.
Best laptop for engineering students overall
✅ You need a lightweight, portable business laptop: With 14 hours of battery life, this laptop delivers exceptional performance and battery life all day long
✅ You value a premium build quality and sharp display: This laptop features a sharp OLED display making work and media consumption that much more beautiful.
❌ You're on a budget or do not need high-end specs: This laptop is definitely not for those looking for a cheap laptop to just get them by. This is a high-end machine.
❌ You need a wide range of ports: The X1 Carbon has very limited ports on one side.
Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 can be described as the epitome of laptop versatility. It features a sleek and minimalist design, maintaining its lightweight, portable nature that professionals appreciate, making it perfect for frequent travelers or those working in a hybrid environment. The strong carbon fiber chassis and redesigned keyboard provide comfort during extended work sessions, while the matte display reduces glare, ensuring usability in various lighting conditions.
Despite excelling in portability, the X1 Carbon Gen 12 does not compromise performance. With Intel Core Ultra processors and up to 32GB of RAM, it effortlessly handles multitasking and demanding business applications. The 14-inch IPS display may not be the most vivid, but it is sufficient for business tasks, offering sharp visuals and surprising depth in dark scenes. The excellent battery life, lasting up to 12 hours, also ensures this laptop will keep up with an entire workday.
Although it has a few drawbacks, such as limited port selection on one side and a slightly underwhelming webcam, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 remains an excellent choice for professionals. Its high price tag is justified by its premium build, excellent battery life, and powerful performance, making it a top contender for business users who need a reliable, portable, and robust laptop for their work.
Read our full Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 review
Best mid-range laptop for engineering students
✅ You want outstanding performance: We adore the performance of the Dell XPS 15, which motored through all our benchmarks without breaking a sweat.
✅ You want a relaxed typing experience: It might not have ThinkPad levels of comfort, but we enjoyed the typing experience on the XPS 15 keyboard.
❌ You're on a tight budget: Configurations for the Dell XPS 15 can get expensive, especially considering the specs aren't great on the entry-level model.
❌ You don't want a business laptop: We love the Dell XPS 15's professional apoproach, but while it's stylish, it's not eye-catching in the same way a gaming laptop is.
"Laptop perfection" is how we described Dell's excellent XPS 15. Maintaining its outstanding classic design from previous generations, the laptop comes solidly built. It's made with a brushed CNC aluminum chassis and carbon fiber palm rests that, alongside the ever-comfortable Dell keyboard design, we found comfortable for prolonged use. If you're writing a lot of essays, you'll feel the benefit of this design very quickly. We were also impressed with the extended battery life, letting you work across campus without worrying about losing charge too fast.
However, limiting portability (without the use of a laptop docking station at least) is the lack of available ports. You'll find three USB Type-C ports, which won't be ideal if you're using USB-A peripherals.
It's a small complaint, perhaps, in an otherwise great laptop. Paired with a beautiful screen, a great keyboard, and plenty of storage space, you'll blaze through your latest project. Better still, this is a Windows laptop - and many engineering programs, particularly Autodesk's line-up, only run on Windows.
Read our full Dell XPS 15 review
Best budget laptop for engineering students
✅ You want a very affordable gaming laptop: At a starting price of $600, the HP Victus 15 offers solid gaming performance and excellent value for the price.
✅ You want a laptop that doubles as a work machine: The Victus 15 is not only good for gaming but can also handle work or school tasks efficiently.
❌ You need a long-lasting battery: The Victus 15 struggles with battery life, offering only about 4.5 hours of usage before needing to be recharged.
❌ Design and aesthetics are important to you: The Victus 15 has a rather plain, uninspired design, which might not appeal to users looking for something more stylish.
It might be marketed as a gaming laptop. Still, the HP Victus 15's simple design (free from the gaudy 'gamer aesthetic' of many powerful laptops) and RTX-equipped models make it a solid choice for any engineering student who will be running graphically-demanding programs.
It's also remarkably cheap for a laptop with a discrete GPU, likely to please any budding engineer on a budget. During testing, it performed below other gaming laptops in our standard benchmarks, but not by a huge margin. We also found that it takes air circulation seriously, boasting a dual-fan setup and a large air vent at the bottom. That's going to be a major benefit when working in those resource-intensive apps and large, complex projects that really test the mettle of any engineering laptop.
A bright 15.6-inch FHD display and generally robust build quality mean that while this isn't the most lightweight laptop in the business, it's tough enough to withstand the bumps and bruises of college life. If you're looking to save space in your dorm, this machine easily pulls double-duty as a laptop and a desktop replacement.
Read our full HP Victus 15 review
Best MacBook for engineering students
✅ You want a powerful and lightweight laptop: The MacBook Air (M3) combines high performance with a slim, lightweight design, making it an excellent choice for students who need portability without compromising power.
✅ You're looking for a great value MacBook: With the M3 chip, this MacBook Air offers improved performance at a lower starting price compared to its predecessor.
❌ You need a lot of memory or storage out of the box: The base model’s 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD can feel limited, especially if you work with large files or need to run demanding applications.
❌ You rely on multiple external monitors: The MacBook Air M3’s external monitor support is limited to one (up to 6K) display, which may be restrictive for users needing a more extensive setup. There are ways around this with plugins, but they don't always work as well as natively running external displays.
The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) brings improved performance and a slightly refined design at a lower entry price, making it the best MacBook for most users. It maintains its lightweight and slim profile, while adding upgrades like better fingerprint resistance on the Midnight color option. Powered by the new M3 chip, this fan-less laptop excels in day-to-day tasks, web browsing, and even light gaming, offering users an excellent balance of portability and power. Battery life continues to impress, with over 14 hours on a single charge, making it an ideal choice for those who need a reliable, long-lasting device for work or travel.
The new MacBook Air starts at $1,099, cheaper than its M2 predecessor, but the base model’s specs of 8GB unified memory and 256GB storage feel somewhat limited for modern demands. For better future-proofing, upgrading to 16GB RAM and 512GB storage is recommended. The M3 chip, with its improved Neural Engine, also enhances AI performance, making the laptop an attractive option for professionals using machine learning and AI-driven tasks. External monitor support has been expanded, though with a caveat: only two external displays can be used with the laptop closed.
In terms of design, Apple has made minimal changes from the M2 model, which was already well-received. The screen remains bright and vibrant, the keyboard is comfortable, and the port selection is adequate but could benefit from more Thunderbolt 4 support. Overall, the MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) delivers excellent value with its lower price and enhanced capabilities, making it a top contender in the laptop market for most users.
Read our full Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) review
Best engineering laptop for gamers
✅ You need the most powerful laptop for gaming and multitasking: The ROG Strix Scar 18 is built for top-tier performance, featuring cutting-edge specs for handling the most demanding tasks and games.
✅ You want a large, stunning display: The 18-inch QHD+ display with a 240Hz refresh rate offers exceptional visuals and is perfect for both gaming and productivity.
❌ You are on a tight budget: This laptop comes with a high price tag, which may be overkill if you don’t need top-of-the-line specs.
❌ Portability is important to you: At 6.83 lbs, this is a heavy and bulky machine, not ideal for frequent travel or carrying between classes.
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2023) stands out as a dynamic, high-performance gaming laptop, offering an unparalleled blend of top-tier hardware and a visually striking design. Equipped with an Intel Core i9 processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics card, this laptop excels in delivering class-leading speed, ensuring it can effortlessly handle the most graphically demanding games and complex engineering software.
What distinguishes the Strix Scar 18 is its impressive 18-inch QHD+ display, boasting a 240Hz refresh rate for smooth, captivating visuals. This feature, combined with an advanced cooling system, promises an enjoyable experience during prolonged use, whether for gaming marathons or extensive engineering simulations. However, users should note the potential for loud fan noise under heavy use and the laptop's weight, which exceeds 6 lbs, impacting its portability.
While the Strix Scar 18 commands a premium price, its exceptional performance more than justifies the investment, particularly for engineering students who are also gaming enthusiasts. This laptop is not aimed at the casual user, but for those seeking raw power coupled with a large, high-quality display for both work and play, the ROG Strix Scar 18 emerges as one of the finest choices on the market.
Read our full Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 review
You could save on your purchase with our Asus promo codes.
Best 2-in-1 laptop for engineering students
✅ You want a versatile 2-in-1 laptop: The ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 9 offers great flexibility, allowing you to switch between laptop and tablet modes for a variety of tasks.
✅ You need a business laptop with great battery life: With up to 14+ hours of battery life, this laptop is perfect for long workdays.
❌ You’re looking for a budget laptop: The ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 comes with a high price tag, making it less suitable for those on a tight budget.
❌ You rely heavily on USB ports: The laptop’s limited USB-C ports, only available on one side, could be restrictive for those needing more connectivity options.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 9 stands out as a versatile and reliable business machine, combining flexibility with robust performance. Its 2-in-1 design allows you to switch seamlessly between laptop and tablet modes, making it a great choice for students and professionals who need a device that adapts to various tasks.
Powered by an Intel Core Ultra 5 processor and 16GB of RAM, the ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 9 is well-suited for multitasking and business applications. The 14-inch WUXGA display is bright and easy on the eyes, with an anti-glare coating that reduces strain during extended use. Despite its slim design, the laptop manages to pack in an impressive array of ports, making it highly functional for a wide range of tasks.
The high price and some odd design choices, such as the placement of the fingerprint reader, may be drawbacks for some users. However, its long battery life, flexible form factor, and strong performance make the ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 9 a top choice for those seeking a reliable, portable, and adaptable device for both work and play.
Read our full Lenovo Thinkpad X1 2-in-1 Gen 9 review
Best premium laptop for engineering students
✅ You want a sleek, powerful machine: The Razer Blade 15 offers outstanding performance in a slimline package.
✅ You want control over your display: With a host of display settings, this laptop lets you have full control over what you seen on-screen.
❌ You’re working to a budget: The Razer Blade 15 is a seriously premium gaming laptop with a price-tag to match.
❌ You don't need top-tier performance: This laptop is performance-driven to tackle gaming, but it may be more than most engineering students need.
If money is no object and you want a future-proofed laptop that will continue running AutoCAD and the like for the next few years at least, then the Razer Blade 15 is certainly an investment. It is an expensive laptop for engineering students compared to rivals, but you get a lot of bang for your buck.
Of course, as a Razer-branded laptop, this one is built for gaming - making it ideal for more resource-intensive engineering software like the Autodesk line-up. With a RTX 3000-series graphics card, DDR5 memory, and a 12th-generation Alder Lake Intel CPU, our tests have shown that this machine can easily power through the most demanding workloads you'll face on your course.
The exterior of the Razer Blade 15 is beautiful - a durable brushed aluminum chassis, with a precision glass trackpad and a gently illuminated RGB keyboard that adds a bit more flavor when writing up coursework. The screen is excellent, too, with various resolutions up to a glorious 4K panel with a 144Hz refresh rate and 100% DCI-P3 color gamut for enhanced design-work.
Read our full Razer Blade 15 (2022) review
Check out our Razer promo codes to get the best deal on your next purchase.
Best laptops for engineering students: FAQs
Are Apple laptops good for engineering students?
Are MacBooks good for engineering students?
Apple MacBooks have always been a solid competitor in the world of laptops for engineers. With the recent jump to Apple's own silicon with the M1 and M2 chips, these laptops have gotten even more efficient and even better at multitasking while also powering through even the largest of programs and tasks.
However, the issue is that many engineering programs, like those from Autodesk, will only work on the Windows operating system. If in doubt, ask your school or college which software you'll be using on your course.
If you do decide to buy an Apple MacBook Pro, check out our Apple promo codes to save money on your purchase.
Do engineering students need a powerful laptop?
Engineering students need a powerful laptop - although this need is balanced by the portability of the device and the type of software that's being run.
Using engineering programs pushes devices far harder than, say, the best laptops for writers. Even the best laptops for programming won't work as hard as laptops for engineering students.
Ultimately, a CAD or SolidWorks window pulls significantly more power than a text document or web search. As such, a dedicated GPU and plenty of RAM are key requirements, while CPU is more dependent on the chosen software.
How to choose the best engineering laptop for you
When choosing the best laptop for an engineering student, there are a number of factors to consider.
A great laptop for engineering students must operate high-powered applications simultaneously with many open program windows - a CAD window, a large mapping service, and a large Excel sheet.
Since you will likely be using complex programs like AutoCAD, MATLAB, and SolidWorks, you will need a laptop with sufficient power to run them smoothly and effectively. It can be graphically intensive when using programs like the best graphic design software and the best 3D modeling software.
For that reason, and for an uninterrupted workflow, look for laptops spec'd with the best graphics cards, best processors, and best RAM. We recommend a laptop with the latest Intel Core i5 or Core i7 chips as a minimum, 1TB SSD storage, and 16GB of RAM – although 32GB is even better.
A clear display with a minimum 1080p resolution is advisable - although size will be a matter of preference, unless you need as much information on the screen as possible.
Portability and ruggedness are key features - you should be able to carry your laptop around all day, wherever you need to work. And the device handle a few accidental bumps along the way. As part of this, check the battery life of each device. An all-day battery means you won't have to lug around a charger everywhere. But if you're mostly going to have your setup in one place, then a lower battery capacity will be acceptable too.
Typical laptops focus on a lightweight frame, long battery life, or other specifications for easy communication and media consumption (eg. webcams, WiFi, screens). Laptops for engineering students need to be able to perform advanced operations easily, even if they don't have all-day battery life.
It's also worth asking your school, college, or university if they have preferred machine, or minimum hardware specifications. In many instances, the engineering software you use will be restricted to a particular operating system - usually Windows - so it's best to get that information before committing.
How we test the best laptops for engineering students
✅ More than 1,800 laptops, Chromebooks, and MacBooks reviewed
✅ 15 years of product testing
✅ Over 16,000 products reviewed in total
✅ Nearly 200,000 hours testing tech
Our team of reviewers have tested hundreds of the best laptops to find the top-rated for all students.
We take the same rigorous approach to our review process whether we’re reviewing the best laptops for MBA students, comparing the specs of the best laptops for computer science students, or benchmarking the performances of the best laptops for architecture students.
When testing the best laptops for engineering students, we compare all specs, and run simulated and real-world benchmarking tests. We also undertake a full battery life test to see how well it measures up to a manufacturer’s generous claims - because being able to work on the move is essential here.
We’re looking for devices that are powerful, running engineering programs across a range of disciplines without slowdowns or lagging. They should be discreet and high-performance machines that keep you focused on your classes, not the overwhelming noise from the fan.
We also look at portability - the best engineering laptops for students boast slim and sleek designs, comfortably slipping into your bag. While when we evaluate build quality, we expect to see a durable construction that can withstand a busy commute, crossing campus, and from dorms to libraries to labs.
We also assess connectivity and port selection, screen size, overall weight and dimensions, and test out extra features such as face recognition or fingerprint sensors. Finally, we look at which of the best student engineering laptops offer genuine value for money.
You can find out more in our detailed guide How we test laptops and desktops: our reviewing process explained.
