Let’s cut to the chase, there are no laptops designed specifically for teachers.
But we conducted a survey. We asked real teachers about what they look for in a laptop.
As a teacher, you want an awesome laptop which has the following factors:
- Lightweight & highly portable – to carry it from classroom to classroom
- Long battery life – so you don’t have to worry about connecting it to power outlets
- Good connectivity – plenty of USB and HDMI ports to connect to school equipment (projectors)
- Mid to high performance – to run multiple tasks and windows at the same time
- Durable and well made – so it’s a worthwhile investment and if you drop it once, it won’t break
If you’re required to do a LOT of writing, we would recommend cross-referencing this list with our best laptops for writers.
We’ve got your requirements in mind. It just depends on your budget and preference now.
Let’s get started on the best laptops for teachers.
Best Teaching Laptops in 2018
Apple 13” MacBook Air
What is the MacBook Air?
The Apple MacBook Air is one of the most obvious choices if you are looking for a new laptop. It will get its job done with minimum difficulty in terms of speed or performance. MacBook Air is a series of ultra-portable notebook that offers Intel Broadwell Processor and also comes with Thunderbolt 2 connectivity.
MacBook Air Product Features
The MacBook Air has amazing features in every aspect. The slim and stylish MacBook Air has elegance written all over it. The variation in its shape, size, and price make it one of the best laptops in the market at present despite stiff competition. The MacBook Pro is available in two sizes; 11″ and 13.” It has been listed as Apple’s top-selling product when compared to different competitors in various areas.
At present Macbook Air is present in two variants.
- The MacBook Air, 2.2GHz Intel-Core i7 Dual Core Processor/512GB SSD/Mac OS/8GB RAM and
- The MacBook Air, 1.8GHz Intel-Core i5 Dual Core Processor, 512GB SSD, Mac OS, 8GB RAM.
Key Specifications
| Item | Specification |
| Display | 13″ |
| Processor | 2.2 GHz Dual Intel Core i7 processor |
| RAM | 8GB (LPDDR3 memory) |
| Hard Drive | 512GB with SSD storage |
| Graphics | Intel Graphics HD 6000 |
| Weight | 2.96 lbs |
| Average Battery Life | Up to 12 hours |
The MacBook Air has been a flagship product of Apple for a long time now. It is probably one of the best laptops on the market at present with tons of features. Back in 2008 when MacBook Air first came out, it was promoted as the world’s thinnest notebook at that time. It also came with a custom Intel GMA Graphics and an Intel Merom CPU. Ever since then the MacBook Air has come a long way.
Features
Long battery life
MacBook Air battery can last up to an astonishing 12 hours. For a teacher who cannot afford the luxury of plugging in your laptop to charge at regular intervals, MacBook Air is the perfect solution. You can use the laptop for the whole day without any worries. Good battery life should be one the primary features that a teacher should look for while choosing a new laptop and in that case, nothing comes close to the 12-hour battery back-up that MacBook Air offers.
Widescreen
Since you will be spending much of your time either writing materials or teaching those to students, you want a laptop that has a good screen size. Small size often means the keyboard is cramped and the screen is too small to write or read from a distance. You have to constantly go and look at your screen to see the materials properly. MacBook Air has “widescreen” support as it offers 16:9 aspect ratio that is often used in widescreen television.
802. 11 ac Wi-Fi
The Wi-Fi system in the MacBook Air is flawless. In simple, the internet connection will be fast and reliable with the new 802. 11 Wi-Fi. The 802. 11 ac Wi-Fi is the latest wireless standard and is three times faster than its predecessor 802. 11n standard.
USB-3 and Thunderbolt-2
Connecting your device to the MacBook air is faster by twice as its predecessors. It also comes with two USB-3 ports, this means that you won’t have any problem with connection or transferring files speed.
Other additional features of MacBook Air are as follows:-
- LED-backlit display
- Faster storage Standard
- Excellent webcam
- Powerful processor
- Improved Graphics
- Multi-Touch trackpad
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Conclusion
The MacBook air is overall a very efficient laptop. Of course, there are some demerits, but it performs well and does what it needs flawlessly, thanks to its fifth-generation Intel Core i7 and Intel HD Graphics 6000. From a simple task of editing photos to browsing the web, the MacBook Air does it effortlessly.
One of the best laptops for teachers, without a doubt. Especially if you’re a fan of the Mac OS.
Granted, this is on the pricey side. But Apple components tend to last a good 5 – 10 years so it makes a good investment.
Lenovo Yoga 710-15 15.6” Laptop
What is Lenovo Yoga?
The Lenovo Yoga is a range of convertible laptops. It was first released back in 2012 at The International CES. The name “Yoga” is taken from its design features, the fact that this range of laptops can use “double hinge” to allow four different configurations enabling maximum flexibility. Hence, the name “Yoga.”
Lenovo Yoga Product Features
The Lenovo Yoga comes with 13” capacitive touch display that allows touch controls of up to 10 points. The yoga series also comes powered with “Intel chief river” platform that uses an Ivy Bridge processor. It has 4GB RAM and SSD of 128 GB or 256 GB of ROM.
The Lenovo Yoga has 13.3” display with a resolution of 1600×900. It makes the use of an IPS panel that enables a wide viewing angle. The yoga range also comes with USB 3.0 ports and USB 2.0 ports.
Key Specifications
| Item | Specification |
| Display | 15.6” (1920 x 1080) |
| Processor | 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 Processor |
| RAM | 8GB SDRAM DDR4 |
| Hard Drive | 256GB with SSD storage |
| Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 620 |
| Weight | 2.96 lbs |
| Average Battery Life | 8 hours |
The Lenovo Yoga 710 comes with a sleek and stylish design. It has a convertible design that allows the screen to flip around 360 degrees and, hence, the Lenovo yoga can be used in four different ways. It can be used as a Tablet, Tent, Stand or a Laptop.
Features
Powerful Performance
The Intel 7th Generation Core processor delivers great performance and fast responsiveness. The Yoga 710 also has an impressive battery backup life of up to 8 hours. It comes with the Windows 10 operating system by default that enables you to work on your laptop effortlessly at any given time. The Yoga 710 also comes equipped with 8GB RAM and 512 GB of SSD storage that does any task effortlessly.
Lightweight and still Robust
The yoga 710 is just 0.70″ thin and 4.40 lbs in weight. It is thin and highly portable, and yet it is durable. Its aluminum chassis and attractive gunmetal gray combination gives it a more premium feel and looks. Due to its design, it enables a more stable protection if it is dropped accidentally.
Excellent surround sound system
The Lenovo yoga comes with Dolby Audio that enhances dialogue, maximizes the laptop volume and renders details across a wide range of sounds without any distortions. The sound system is excellent when it comes to yoga 710.
Phenomenal Edgeless Full Display
The flawless Full HD 15.6″ display comes with 1920X1080 resolution display. The IPS ten point multi-touch enables detailed visuals, bright displays, clear visuals at any possible angles and a superior touch experience overall. The Lenovo Yoga 710 comes with an optional NVIDIA 940MX GeForce graphics card with which you get a lightning speed performance experience.
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Conclusion
Lenovo Yoga 710 is overall a very efficient laptop with very reasonable pricing. With a small size and a beautiful design, the Lenovo Yoga 710 is a great pick and an absolute value for money.
Dell Inspiron i7559 15.6 inch Laptop
Third on our list is the Dell Inspiron i7559-2512 BLK. The Dell Inspiron series laptops are a range of affordable laptops. They were first released in the mid-1990’s.
Dell Inspiron Product Features
- Improved performance
- Faster boot times and application launch time
- The durability of the laptop helps protect files on accidental drops
- Longer battery life and low power consumption
- Lightweight, quieter and cooler than standard hard drives
Key Specifications
| Item | Specification |
| Display | 15.6” (1920 x 1080) |
| Processor | 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7 |
| RAM | 8GB DDR3L SDRAM |
| Hard Drive | 1 TB Hybrid HDD |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M 4GB GDDR5 |
| Weight | 5.67 lbs |
| Average Battery Life | 8 hours |
Features
Optimum performance
Dell Inspiron i7559-2512BLK comes with 6th generation Intel i5 quad-core processor that enables you to have all the power required for any task whether its gaming or entertainment.
It comes with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M graphics card which is more than enough to deliver any high frame per second rates in games. That is if all you are interested in gaming.
Solid State Drive (SSD) in Dell Inspiron is similar to that of flash-based memory in USB memory devices. SSD’s are also more secure and are less probable of failing than Standard Hard Drives.
Stylish
The Inspiron has a light and beautiful design. It is highly portable because of how light it is, and you can carry it with you whenever and wherever you require it. You can also choose from a range of various color options depending on your choice.
Battery life
The Inspiron comes with a battery that is expected to give 10+ hours back-up. It is a massive achievement considering how light the laptop actually is. It comes with a 6-cell 74 Watt-hour battery that enables you to work effortlessly without any interruption.
Keeps things cool
The Dell Inspiron comes with a revolutionary cooling system that helps keep the laptop cool even after hours of usage. The thermal cooling system is designed to handle the highest task for maximum duration.
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Conclusion
At its price range, the Dell Inspiron i7559-2512BLK is an excellent choice for your work. It enables you to work for long hours without generating any heat. The cooling system is one of its key features as it allows you to work without any heat. It should be amongst your top list if you want a laptop that performs well and runs smoothly
Microsoft Surface Pro 4
The Microsoft Pro is an innovative and smart product. It is great for multitasking; work on the laptop the whole day, doing research on the internet and listening to music all day long. The one important aspect to remember is that Microsoft Surface Pro is more of a tablet rather than a laptop. It would require some hefty amount to make it a proper laptop.
Key Specifications
| Item | Specification |
| Display | 15.6” (1920 x 1080) |
| Processor | 3 GHz Intel Core i5 |
| RAM | 4GB SD RAM |
| Hard Drive | 128GB SSD |
| Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 520 |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs |
| Average Battery Life | Up to 9 hours |
Features
Performance
Microsoft surface pro comes with 6th gen Intel Core i5 processor, which not only delivers high performance but it also runs smoother, quieter and much more efficient than its predecessors.
Build and Design
As already mentioned, Surface Pro can be used like 2 in 1 device, both tablet as well as a laptop. The surface pro can be attached magnetically to the left side of the body and can be removed for various applications such as drawing and writing. Without this magnetic property, the surface pro only functions as a tablet.
Keyboard and touchpad
The keys in surface pro are flat and offer excellent feel on the fingertips. The backlight has three levels of brightness that operates well. The touchpad is highly accurate on its own without needing any external third-party drivers.
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Conclusion
Microsoft Surface pro stands out amongst the sea of regular laptops and delivers where most laptops cannot. Its versatile nature continues to be one of its main characteristics and continues to pave the way for a “hybrid genre” of laptops. It has been tagged as “the ultimate laptop” and “A best in the class laptop.”
HP ENVY Convertible 15.6″ Touchscreen
The HP Envy is a 2-in-1 laptop that is light in weight and gives high performance and styling. It has an all-metal chassis body and battery life that can last for a whole day. The HP Envy comes with a top class keyboard on the market.
Key Specifications
| Item | Specification |
| Display | 15.6” (1920 x 1080) |
| Processor | 1.8 GHz Intel Core i7 |
| RAM | 12 GB SD RAM |
| Hard Drive | 1 TB HDD 7200 rpm |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs |
| Average Battery Life | Up to 9.5 hours |
Features
Design
The HP Envy has 15.6” diagonal Full HD IPS backlit multi touch-enabled edge-to-edge glass design. It is slim enough to fit in a narrow pocket of your bags or even the narrowest seat-back trays. It weighs in about the same as the MacBook Air.
Ports
The HP Envy has two standard USB 3.0 ports and two Standard USB-C ports. It has also had a microSD card slot and a 3.5mm audio jack. The USB-C ports can also be used for charging purpose.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The keyboard is one of the laptop’s key features. In fact, it makes a compelling choice for teachers who are constantly working. The world-class typing experience you get in HP envy is just phenomenal.
Battery life
The battery life of Hp Envy is impressive. The HP Envy lasted for 9 hours 46 mutes which included continuous operation and Wi-Fi.
Configuration
The HP Envy comes with a 1080p touchscreen, 8GB RAM and 256GB of ROM. If you purchase the product from HP official site, you can configure the laptop with a larger SSD or upgrade the laptop to a 4K panel. For best performance the Hp Envy with the Core i7 model with at least 256 GB SSD.
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Conclusion
The HP Envy is a great choice for both students and teachers as well. It has a sleek and light design that allows you to carry it with you anywhere you want with ease. It helps you enjoy an amazing typing experience for teachers who are constantly making notes. Also, it has long battery life and excellent performance. In short, the HP Envy combines all the features of long battery life, excellent typing experience and good performance into a lightweight and affordable price range product.
Buying Guide – Best Laptops for Teaching
What Features Does a Teacher Need?
As a teacher, you will not be looking for features such as high-quality graphics, gaming capabilities or graphic design. You have specific needs and these needs have to be maintained by the laptop you choose. What features do we think are ideal in a teacher’s laptop?
Battery Life
Battery life is probably the most important feature that you will look for in a teacher’s laptop. Charging cables are generally very heavy and you do not want to be someone who carries his charging system around all day in school or college. Let it charge once and it should give you at least a few hours of solid working time.
Also, as a teacher, you might have to sit with your students in different locations. It might be a quick meeting in a cafe or maybe a two minute one in an empty classroom. What if your classroom doesn’t have enough sockets to charge your laptops?
Though the world has moved on, classrooms were built long time ago and they are not properly designed to entertain laptops yet. This is why, battery life is definitely the most important factor that you should look for.
Weight (Portability)
The second feature that we think is vital will be the actual weight of the laptop. You can call it the portability factor too. In simple words, the laptop should be easy to carry around all the time. You don’t want a heavy machine as your classrooms might be far from each other and you might have to entertain different classrooms at one go.
In case if you didn’t know, students hate those teachers who make them carry their bags and laptops. Do not be one of them. At the same time, it is not logical to carry your laptop bag with you all the time when you are at work.
Combining all these situations, having a lightweight model definitely makes a lot of sense. You should also understand that it will give you a lot more ease even if you use the laptop as a stationary device. Lightweight units are easy to use even at home. You need to take that advantage.
Durability
Alright. Who wants to buy a new laptop for every academic year? Some tech-savvy students of yours might want to do that but you are a professional. You sure want to get a laptop that lasts long.
As a teacher has to move around a lot, we are expecting you would do the same. The laptop shouldn’t be an unit that breaks or damages easy. We don’t expect you to be super careful while using the laptop and you shouldn’t have to either in the era of 2018 and beyond.
Cost
The last thing that you need to ‘worry’ about is the price. Now, prices vary according to the model that you are choosing and the brand value of that particular one. Price also will hugely vary depending on the features and the screen size.
Think about it. Do you need more features? If yes, you might want to be loose on price. On the other hand, if you are fine with basic office and presentation feature that a teacher need, you probably wouldn’t need an extreme laptop.
However, you might want to multi-purpose the laptop for occasional gaming and internet usage, who knows? Think about all these possibilities and then go for one.
That’s about it. By now, you should have a clear idea on what are the best laptops for teachers and more importantly, what would be the best one for you. In case if you are still confused, leave a comment and we would do our best to help you.
More to read:
Best Laptops Under $600 on the Market 2021
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Best Toasters in the U.S. That Are Worth Buying 2021
Last update on 2023-09-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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