Finding the best laptop for PhD students can feel a bit overwhelming, but it’s really important for making life a lot easier during your research. Whether you’re crunching huge datasets, running simulations, designing graphics, or just juggling mountains of papers and references, having a laptop that actually keeps up can save you a ton of frustration.
Of course, what you need really depends on your field and the kind of tasks you do every day. If you’re in the humanities or social sciences, portability and long battery life might be more important than raw power. But if you’re in STEM, creative arts, or lab-based life sciences, you’ll probably want a strong processor, plenty of RAM, and maybe even a dedicated GPU. Knowing what matters for your work helps you pick a laptop that strikes the right balance between performance, portability, and durability.
- Typical workload: reading articles, writing, referencing, using Word, Zotero, NVivo, light stats packages (SPSS, Stata, R).
- What you need: good keyboard, long battery life, light to carry to libraries and conferences. Power is less critical.
- Specs: 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, mid-range CPU is more than enough.
Here are five models. I’ll list their key specs and why they might suit your work.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Copilot+ 13‑inch
- CPU / Processor: Predicted high-end chip (for this line, often Intel/Ultra or comparable)
- RAM: ~16 GB
- Storage: ~512 GB SSD
- Screen: ~13-inch, high resolution, good display quality
- Weight / Portability: Lightweight, made for mobility
- Other: Good keyboard, solid battery life, premium build
Why it’s good: Excellent for portability, writing long documents, taking to seminars. The screen size and weight make it nice to carry, and 16 GB RAM means you can have many tabs, PDFs etc open without lag.
Apple MacBook Air 13‑inch (M4)
- CPU / Processor: Apple M4 chip
- RAM: 16 GB unified memory (some versions more)
- Storage: Up to ~512 GB or 1 TB SSD depending on version
- Screen: 13.6-inch Retina / Liquid Retina with high pixel density
- Battery life: Very strong (often 15-20+ hours in light-use)
- Weight: Very light (~1.2-1.3 kg)
Why it’s good: Macs are very reliable, often smoother for tasks like writing, referencing, reading. The battery life is excellent so you can work many hours away from power points. Also solid build and resale value.
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
- CPU / Processor: Mid-range Intel (or sometimes AMD)
- RAM: ~16 GB
- Storage: 512 GB SSD
- Screen: 14-inch Full HD or similar
- Portability: Moderately light, decent battery life
Why it’s good: Balanced spec. Big enough screen to have PDF + Word / browser side by side. Enough storage for lots of papers, references etc. Good choice if you move around but not needing ultra-premium.
HP 15s‑fq5021na
- CPU / Processor: Intel i5-1235U (or similar)
- RAM: 8 GB (note: this is less, may feel a bit limited)
- Storage: 256 GB SSD
- Screen: 15-inch Full HD
- Other: Bigger screen means more room, but less portable; keyboard + build good
Why it’s good: If you do a lot of reading or prefer a bigger display, this supports that. But for very heavy multitasking you might feel the RAM is marginal; upgrading (if possible) is something to check.
Lenovo IdeaPad 1
- CPU / Processor: Lower end (basic CPU)
- RAM: Likely 8 GB or less
- Storage: Smaller SSD, maybe 256 GB or less
- Screen: Usually 14-15″ Full HD or HD depending on model
- Weight / Portability: Light, but trade-offs in speed
Why it’s good: This is a very entry-level model. Useful if your usage is minimal: writing, reading, light browsing. But for PhD work you would probably want something a bit more powerful or more RAM if in your budget.
Best Laptop for PhD Students in Economics, Psychology, Education Research
- Typical workload: lots of statistical software (R, Stata, Python, MATLAB), sometimes big datasets.
- What you need: more RAM and stronger CPU to avoid lag when crunching data.
- Specs: 16–32 GB RAM, recent i7/Ryzen 7, 512 GB–1 TB SSD.
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 (i7 / 16 GB / 512 GB)
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i7 (recent generation, multi-core, strong for analysis)
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 512 GB SSD
- Screen: 15.6-inch Full HD, slim profile
- Weight / Portability: Moderately light, designed as a slim laptop
- Other: Solid build, decent ports, business-like feel
Why it’s good: Strong balance of performance and portability. Handles R, Stata, Python or SPSS smoothly while staying easy to carry between office, home, and library.
Acer Aspire 3 – 15.6-inch Full HD
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core (mid-range, good for everyday data analysis)
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 512 GB SSD
- Screen: 15.6-inch Full HD, wide view
- Weight / Portability: On the larger side, less portable but better screen space
- Other: Reliable, affordable, widely available model
Why it’s good: Large display makes it easier to compare spreadsheets, datasets, and documents side by side. Solid mid-range performance for heavy multitasking.
Lenovo V15 G4 – Business 15.6-inch
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i7 (12th or 13th gen)
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 512 GB SSD
- Screen: 15.6-inch Full HD, anti-glare
- Weight / Portability: Mid-weight; durable business build
- Other: Built for business reliability, often with better keyboard and cooling
Why it’s good: Designed for professionals, this laptop will stand up to long office-style use. A good choice if you want durability and steady performance for statistics and modelling.
Lenovo IdeaPad 5 2-in-1 — i7-13620H
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i7-13620H (10 cores, very strong for computation)
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 512 GB SSD
- Screen: 15.6-inch touchscreen, convertible into tablet mode
- Weight / Portability: Slightly heavier, but adds 2-in-1 flexibility
- Other: Touch + pen support, flexible for reading and marking documents
Why it’s good: Powerful processor for heavier analysis combined with tablet functionality. Useful if you like to annotate PDFs or use stylus input for reviewing articles.
Blackview AceBook 8 – 15.6-inch, 16 GB
- CPU / Processor: Intel N97 (lower power, not as strong as i7/i5)
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 512 GB SSD
- Screen: 15.6-inch Full HD
- Weight / Portability: Larger, more desk-friendly than ultra-portable
- Other: Budget laptop with unusually high RAM for the price
Why it’s good: Very affordable way to get 16 GB RAM and enough storage for datasets and writing. Good for light to moderate analysis, though the CPU is not as powerful as premium options.
Best Laptop for PhD Students in Physics, Engineering, Computer Science, Bioinformatics
- Typical workload: coding, compiling, simulations, machine learning, large datasets.
- What you need: strong multi-core CPU, plenty of RAM, sometimes a discrete GPU for CUDA or ML.
- Specs: 32 GB RAM if possible, high-end CPU, GPU if your field requires it. Battery life often shorter if you go for power.
Dell XPS 15 9520
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i7-12700H (12-core, high performance for computation)
- RAM: 32 GB
- Storage: 1 TB SSD
- Screen: 15.6-inch OLED 4K optional, excellent colour accuracy
- Weight / Portability: Moderate weight (~2 kg), sturdy build
- Other: Discrete GPU (NVIDIA RTX 3050 Ti), multiple ports, great cooling
Why it’s good: Powerful enough for heavy coding, simulations, and large datasets. The OLED display helps with visualisation tasks and research graphics. Discrete GPU supports GPU-accelerated computation.
MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Pro)
- CPU / Processor: Apple M3 Pro chip (10-core CPU, 16-core GPU)
- RAM: 32 GB unified memory
- Storage: 1 TB SSD
- Screen: 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR, excellent colour accuracy
- Weight / Portability: ~2.2 kg, portable for a 16-inch laptop
- Other: macOS ecosystem, long battery life, silent operation
Why it’s good: Excellent for programming, data analysis, and research software supported on macOS. Huge battery life and display quality make it ideal for long coding or lab sessions.
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16
- CPU / Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 6800H (8-core high-performance CPU)
- RAM: 32 GB
- Storage: 1 TB SSD
- Screen: 16-inch QHD, 165Hz refresh, great colour accuracy
- Weight / Portability: 2.5 kg, gaming-style build
- Other: NVIDIA RTX 3060 GPU, excellent cooling, multiple ports
Why it’s good: Ideal for STEM students doing GPU-heavy tasks, simulations, or 3D modelling. High refresh QHD display is excellent for visualisation, and strong CPU/GPU combination handles demanding computational tasks.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14
- CPU / Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS (8-core, strong single- and multi-core performance)
- RAM: 32 GB
- Storage: 1 TB SSD
- Screen: 14-inch QHD 120Hz, colour accurate
- Weight / Portability: 1.6 kg, lightweight for a high-performance laptop
- Other: NVIDIA RTX 4070, very good cooling, compact design
Why it’s good: Combines high computational power with portability, excellent for coding, simulations, and occasional GPU-accelerated work. Good if you move between lab, office, or library frequently.
HP Omen 16
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i7-12700H (12-core)
- RAM: 32 GB
- Storage: 1 TB SSD
- Screen: 16-inch QHD, 165Hz, high colour accuracy
- Weight / Portability: 2.4 kg, heavier than ultrabooks
- Other: NVIDIA RTX 3060 GPU, solid cooling, good ports
Why it’s good: Great for heavy STEM tasks such as simulations, large dataset analysis, and machine learning. Larger screen and discrete GPU make it ideal for graphics-heavy computational work.
Best Laptop for PhD Students in Creative Arts, Architecture, Design
- Typical workload: graphic design, video editing, 3D modelling.
- What you need: excellent display (high colour accuracy), GPU for rendering, larger storage for files.
- Specs: 16–32 GB RAM, discrete GPU, OLED or high-quality screen, 1 TB SSD.
Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max)
- CPU / Processor: Apple M3 Max chip (12-core CPU, 38-core GPU)
- RAM: 32–64 GB unified memory
- Storage: 1–2 TB SSD
- Screen: 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR, extremely colour-accurate
- Weight / Portability: ~2.2 kg
- Other: macOS ecosystem, silent operation, excellent build quality
Why it’s good: Exceptional for graphic design, video editing, 3D rendering, and complex visual workflows. The high-end GPU and large RAM allow smooth operation with demanding creative software like Adobe Creative Cloud, Blender, or AutoCAD.
Dell XPS 17 9720
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i9-12900HK
- RAM: 32 GB
- Storage: 1 TB SSD
- Screen: 17-inch UHD+ Touch, high colour accuracy, 100% AdobeRGB coverage
- Weight / Portability: ~2.7 kg, heavier but large workspace
- Other: NVIDIA RTX 3060 GPU, multiple ports, strong cooling
Why it’s good: Perfect for design and architecture students needing a large, accurate display and powerful GPU. Excellent for 3D modelling, CAD, and video rendering.
ASUS ProArt Studiobook 16
- CPU / Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX or Intel Core i9
- RAM: 32 GB
- Storage: 1 TB SSD
- Screen: 16-inch 4K OLED, 100% DCI-P3
- Weight / Portability: ~2.4 kg
- Other: NVIDIA RTX A3000 GPU, creator-focused build
Why it’s good: Designed for professionals and students in creative fields. Handles large projects in video, 3D design, or photography with excellent display accuracy and strong GPU performance.
HP ZBook Studio G9
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i9-12950HX
- RAM: 32–64 GB
- Storage: 1 TB SSD
- Screen: 16-inch 4K DreamColor display
- Weight / Portability: ~2.3 kg
- Other: NVIDIA RTX A5000 GPU, professional build, many ports
Why it’s good: Ideal for architecture, animation, and video work requiring colour-critical displays and powerful rendering capabilities. Very stable under long creative workloads.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i7-12700H
- RAM: 32 GB
- Storage: 1 TB SSD
- Screen: 14.4-inch PixelSense Flow Touch, high colour fidelity
- Weight / Portability: ~1.8 kg, 2-in-1 design
- Other: NVIDIA RTX 3050 Ti, convertible design for pen input
Why it’s good: Flexible design allows for drawing and pen input directly on the screen, great for digital art, UI/UX, and design sketching. Powerful enough to handle rendering, photo editing, and design software efficiently.
Best Laptop for PhD Students in Lab-based Life Sciences
- Typical workload: lab software, some data analysis, image processing, reference management.
- What you need: stable, reliable laptop that can connect easily to lab equipment; not always computationally heavy unless doing bioinformatics.
- Specs: 16 GB RAM, good CPU, 512 GB SSD, but not necessarily a GPU.
Dell XPS 13 9315
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i7-1250U
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 512 GB SSD
- Screen: 13.4-inch Full HD+ touchscreen
- Weight / Portability: ~1.2 kg, very portable
- Other: Long battery life, good keyboard, multiple USB-C ports
Why it’s good: Lightweight and easy to carry between lab, office, and library. Sufficient RAM and storage for lab data management, image analysis, and general computing tasks.
HP Spectre x360 14
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i7-1255U
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 512 GB SSD
- Screen: 13.5-inch OLED touchscreen, high colour accuracy
- Weight / Portability: ~1.3 kg, 2-in-1 flexibility
- Other: Convertible design, excellent battery life, premium build
Why it’s good: Ideal for reading papers, annotating PDFs, and running lab software. The touchscreen and pen support make it convenient for note-taking and data visualisation.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i7-1365U
- RAM: 16–32 GB
- Storage: 512 GB–1 TB SSD
- Screen: 14-inch Full HD or UHD, anti-glare
- Weight / Portability: ~1.1 kg, extremely light and durable
- Other: Excellent keyboard, long battery life, robust build
Why it’s good: Highly reliable and portable. Perfect for long lab days or fieldwork, with plenty of RAM for lab software and data analysis.
Acer Swift 5
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i7-1260P
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 512 GB SSD
- Screen: 14-inch Full HD touchscreen
- Weight / Portability: ~1.2 kg, lightweight
- Other: Good battery life, antimicrobial coating on chassis
Why it’s good: Very portable and user-friendly for researchers who move between lab, office, and meetings. Can handle typical lab software, image processing, and reference management easily.
ASUS ZenBook 14 UX435
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i7-1165G7
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 512 GB SSD
- Screen: 14-inch Full HD
- Weight / Portability: ~1.3 kg, compact
- Other: Good connectivity options, decent battery life
Why it’s good: Lightweight and practical for lab-based PhD students. Handles general lab computing, data management, and software for experiments without overkill.
Conclusion
Choosing the right laptop as a PhD student doesn’t have to be stressful. I recommend that, if possible, you try to buy these laptops at your local shops so you can get a real feel for the keyboard, screen, and overall build. If you prefer buying online, many of these models are available on Amazon and other major retailers depending on where you are, so you can still compare prices and read reviews before making a decision. The right device isn’t just a tool—it’s a companion for your PhD journey.
If you’re thinking about keeping costs down while earning your PhD, don’t miss our roundup of the Cheapest Online Doctoral Programs in 2025—it’s full of flexible, budget-friendly options that could make your doctoral journey a lot easier.
