Best Laptops for Electrical Engineering Students : 2019 Buyers’ Guide!

If you’re a student who want to pursue a career as an electrical engineer, you probably already know how hard it is to choose an electrical or electronics engineering school. But even once you settle on a particular school, you will be probably asking yourself what type of laptop is best for an electrical engineering student; and I assume that’s why you’re here!

In order to help you make the best decision and buy the best laptop for your needs, we have compiled a list of some of the best laptops for electrical engineering students available right now. But before we jump to the list, let’s find out more about the specs that you should consider in a laptop for running engineering software.

What to consider when looking for a laptop for electrical engineering school?

A lot of people think that you’ll need a very powerful laptop for all the electrical engineering software that you’re going to use. By powerful laptop, I mean one that’ll cost you a lot. Luckily though, that’s not necessarily the case for most electrical engineering students. Unlike civil engineers, you won’t be messing a lot with things such CAD software or 3D modelling software, which requires more RAM and a dedicated graphics card. A lot of the programs used in the electrical engineering field are not particularly demanding, when it comes to graphics card for example. For instance, most electrical engineering students will need a laptop that can run programming software such as Matlab/Simulink, NI Labview, NI Multisim, pSPICE, or Saber. And of course, a laptop than can do regular things like web browsing, and running MS office.

With the amazing amount of options Windows laptops have to offer, it won’t be a headache to find one that suits both your needs and budget. So, here’s what you’re going to look for when it comes down to specs:

• Processor: you might save a little bit choosing a laptop with an Intel Core i3 processor, but an i5 is recommended most of the times. Compared to older chips, the eight generation of Intel processors is so good, because it allows for faster processing and doesn’t drain your battery that much.
• RAM: the least you should aim for is 8 GB of RAM. It’s an easier choice than the processor, though, since you can upgrade most laptops’ RAM later, when you see the need for it.
• Graphics card: Most electrical engineering software doesn’t require a dedicated graphics card, so even a laptop with an integrated Intel chipset can work very well. In fact, a laptop without a dedicated graphics card usually means a better battery life. However; if you’re going to do anything that requires a graphics chip, such as gaming, running 3D modelling software, CAD software…etc, then consider a laptop that has one. If you’re on a budget, you can also go for an entry-level dedicated graphics card with 2 GB of RAM, like the Nvidia GeForce MX150 which provides a quite decent performance for its price and isn’t too demanding when it comes to power consumption. You can also find a list of some of the best MX150 laptops here.
• Storage: the amount of storage space is mostly up to your needs. You can choose an SSD over a traditional HDD, which costs a little more but significantly boost your laptop’s overall performance.
• Portability: More important features that you need to consider depend your personal requirements and needs. If you’re going to carry your machine along with you all day long, or stare at the screen for so many consecutive hours, you’ll need: A. A bright and sharp screen, at least 13”; B. A laptop that doesn’t weight on your shoulders. It’s unfortunate, because these two commodities might fight with each other. That’s why we compiled this list of reviews to help you find some balance.
• Price: And last but not the least, the price is one of the most deciding factor for most students. If you’re on a budget, there are  a few great budget laptops for electrical engineering students which cost around $500; we will be recommending some of them here.  If you’re on a budget and still need a relatively powerful laptop, you might also consider getting a used or refurbished laptop.

So, now that you have an idea what to look for in a laptop for electrical engineering school, please keep in mind that the best way to determine which laptop is best for you is to make a list of any specific software you intend to use regularly and see if the laptop you’re planning to buy can run it properly. If you’re also going to need a laptop that can run CAD software, check out our other articles about AutoCAD, 3DS Max, and Revit.

And now, without further ado, let’s check some of the laptops we recommend for you:

Best Laptops for Electrical Engineering Students

Acer Aspire 5 A515-54-51DJ 

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The new Acer Aspire 5 A515-54-51DJ comes with a lot of improvements compared to the last generation, and offers even more value for its price. This laptops comes with an Intel i5-8265U Processor, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD, all packed in a stylish slim design. The aspire 5 is also one of the cheapest laptops with SSD you can find, but it’s also comes with the fast PCIe NVMe standard; which offers even more speed compared to traditional SSDs. This translates to faster boot times, and a more responsive laptops when it comes to transferring files, launching programs…etc.

In terms of ports, the Aspire 5 has everything you need: including 3 USB ports, and 1 USB type C, HDMI, Ethernet, and a card reader. Battery life is also great, with around 9,5 hours of use.

Acer Aspire E 15 E5-576G-5762

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 The usual Acer Aspire E 15 E5-576G-5762 is one of the most popular options for students. Just like the Aspire 5, it features an 8^th generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD, for faster loading times. Although the storage is limited, you can easily upgrade with an external drive if you need the additional memory. This machine is packed with the Nvidia GeForce MX150 graphics card, with 2 GB of RAM.

The Aspire E 15 offers a simple, clean chassis design, with a traditional screen size, making up for one of the cheapest options in your alley. It has got all the recommended specs covered, so you won’t have any problem running your software. On top of it, the Aspire E 15 offers a remarkably good battery life, with up to 15 hours of autonomy on average use. That means it’ll have your back for the whole day, attending to all the scheduled classes.

Dell Inspiron 15 i5580-7707SLV-PUS

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Next, we highly recommend the new Dell Inspiron 5580, a 15.6” Full HD business laptop with a touchscreen display. It’s packed with an 8^th generation Intel Core i7 processor, 8 GB of RAM and a dual 128GB SSD + 1TB HDD. This laptop also comes with the latest Nvidia Geforce MX250 graphics chip with 2GB video memory.

The Inspiron 5580 is equipped with a FHD anti-glare Non-touch Narrow Border IPS Display, which produces great visuals and offers excellent viewing angles. This laptop also offers an incredible computing performance, thanks to the processor and the added solid state drive.

LG Gram 13Z990-A.AAS5U1

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The LG Gram 13Z990-A.AAS5U1 is a lightweight 13.3” Full HD laptop, featuring a touchscreen display with narrow bezels. The specs are an 8^th generation Intel Core i5, 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD, while the integrated graphics card is the Intel UHD 620.

This model might not look cheap, based on the specs, but it offers a good lot of portability and ease of use. If you don’t plan on using any rendering software, that is heavy on the graphics card, the Gram might be the best device for you to carry along anywhere you go. It weights just over 2lbs! Moreover, the battery is reported to last up to 20.5 hours in a single charge. Although you probably won’t make it to that point, you’ll know you’ll be able to rely on the Gram for the whole workday.

MSI GS65 Stealth THIN-051

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The MSI GS65 Stealth THIN-051 is a 15.6” Full HD gaming laptop, with a narrow bezel designed display. It features an 8^th generation Intel Core i7 processor, 16 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD. It’s also packed with a Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card, with 6 GB of RAM.

The GS65 Stealth is a model that offers lots of value per price. The specs might be an overkill for an electrical engineer, but they’re so good if you like gaming a little bit on the side of your studies. Even if it’s VR. Or, if you plan on using any rendering and designing tool in your course. Consider that all the goodies in this laptop are packed in a thin body, only 0.69”. You’ll enjoy a RGB customizable backlit keyboard and plenty of connectivity options thanks to the Thunderbolt port.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme

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ThinkPads have always catered for the needs of professional users in general, and especially for engineers. And the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme is definitely on of the best laptops for electrical engineering students to consider, if it is within your budget. This 15.6 slim laptop features an 8^th generation Intel Core i7 processor, 32 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD for the storage, which is a rarity when it comes to solid state drives. It’s also packed with a Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti graphics card, with 4 GB of RAM. It comes with the Windows 10 Professional operating system.

This laptop is a good investment if you care about purchasing a device that’ll last you way past your university years. The high amount of RAM and the fast processor will guarantee a solid lifespan. Moreover, you’ll be pleased by the ThinkPad design, especially when it comes down to a keyboard that feels so good. As cherries on the top, you’ll have a backlit keyboard and a couple USB Type-C ports for connectivity.