Begin with the school or department
Some schools provide devices. Some degree programs publish exact operating-system, memory, graphics, or software requirements. Check those first, because a well-reviewed laptop can still be the wrong computer for the course.
Most students need reliability before raw power
- Comfortable keyboard and useful battery life
- Enough memory for the required apps and browser tabs
- A screen size the student can carry every day
- Ports or adapters for classroom displays
- Repair and warranty support that works near campus
Pay for performance when the work needs it
Engineering, architecture, animation, video, music production, and some data programs can justify more memory, storage, graphics power, or specialized software support. General writing and web-based coursework usually cannot.