Finding the best Laptop for Medical School Students is critical because med school is impossible without a computer. Fortunately, there are lots of great laptops for medical students out there.
We understand that time is something medical students have very little of. Therefore we went over the computers on the market today and compared them to make laptop suggestions for medical school. Thus, you will not have to waste any time laptop shopping. Instead, you can concentrate on your studies and your goal of helping others through medicine.
Thus you will not need to spend your time laptop shopping. Below is a list of the best laptops for medical school students out there with a break down of all the pros and cons. Best of all we create a detailed laptop for medical school reviews for all the 2020 models. You should be able to find the laptop that meets your needs with a minimum of time and hassle.
Table of Contents
Best Laptop for Medical School Students
| Product | Our Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple MacBook Air Review |  (4.3 / 5) | CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON | |
| Acer Aspire E 15 Review |  (3.7 / 5) | CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON | |
| ASUS ZenBook 13 Ultra-Slim Laptop Review |  (4.2 / 5) | CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Review |  (4 / 5) | CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON | |
| Dell Inspiron i5378-7171GRY Review |  (2.7 / 5) | CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON | |
| ASUS VivoBook S Thin & Light Laptop Review |  (3.8 / 5) | CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON | |
| Acer Aspire 1 Laptop Review | (3.8 / 5) | CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON | |
| Huawei Matebook 13 Laptop Review | (4 / 5) | CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON | |
| Microsoft Surface Go Laptop Review | (4 / 5) | CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON | |
| OMEN by HP 15.6 Inch Laptop Review | (4.3 / 5) | CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON |
Do Medical School Students Need a Laptop?
Yes, you will need a laptop for medical school because you will need to process vast amounts of data on the go. As a med student, you will not need to crunch data at your desk; but you will need a reliable laptop to take and store notes with.
Importantly, you will need mobility as a medical student; because you will be constantly running from class to class, and lab to lab. Hence, you will need something that can store hundreds of pages of notes and all of your laboratory data.
Moreover, you will need a keyboard in order to take notes and write papers quickly and efficiently. A tablet will not help you in med school because of the lack of a keyboard. Instead, you will need a medical school laptop with at least eight gigabytes (GB) of memory.
Finally, a new laptop for a medical student with a service policy is a must; because you will need to get your computer back up and running fast if it goes down. Although, it is an excellent idea to have two laptops, a late model with a powerful processor as your go-to computer and another used laptop as back up if you can afford but it’s not rational to think every medical student can afford two laptops. A second laptop can be a lifesaver at med school; because your instructors will not reschedule courses and lab work if your laptop dies or gets stolen. Fortunately, you can find a good used laptop on Amazon for under $200.
Best Laptops for Medical School Students Reviews: Updated 2020
1. Apple MacBook Air Review
The latest model of the MacBook Air is widely considered the Best Laptop for Medical School, as it easily meets most students’ needs. For example, it makes typing with the latest Apple-designed keyboard faster, hence taking notes will be easy with the MacBook Air.
More importantly, this laptop offers 12 hours of battery life so it will not die in class. However, many users find the new USB-C charging system hard to use. In addition, some reviewers think you will better off spending an extra $100 for a 13-Inch MacBook Pro as your med school laptop.
The MacBook Air is very secure with Touch ID which makes it ideal for busy students who might leave the laptop in public. Finally, like all Apple products, the MacBook Air will be easy to use from the moment it arrives. Thus, you will not need tech support.
- 13.3-Inch Retina Display
- Touch ID
- Up to 12 hours of battery life
- Latest Apple-designed keyboard
- Dual-core 8th-Generation Intel Core i5 Processor
- Fast SSD Storage
- 8GB memory
- Intel UHD Graphics 617
- Price is little high.
Editor NOTE:- The Apple MacBook Air is the best computer for those who need just a basic laptop. It will meet medical students, and like most Apple products, the MacBook Air is reliable. However, the MacBook Air will disappoint gamers and video watchers.
2. Acer Aspire E 15 Review
The Acer Aspire E-15 is a low-cost laptop best suited for medical school students. In particular, it comes with six gigabytes of memory. You can install additional memory if you feel 6 GB is not enough and plan to use Acer Aspire for anything but internet access.
The E-15 also packs some impressive features for a low-cost computer. For instance, the large 15.6-inch full high definition (HD) screen will be easy to see in poorly lit lecture halls and labs. In addition, there are 13.5 hours of battery life more than the MacBook Air.
You will have to be familiar with Windows to use the E 15 because it comes with Windows 10. Finally, you may have to reinstall Windows 10 to remove bloatware from this laptop. That procedure can be a real hassle if you aren’t a good tech.
- Large 15.6 Inch Full HD Screen
- Low Price
- Up to 13.5-Hours of battery life
- Windows 10 Home
- Widescreen LED-lit Display
- Best medical student laptop for do it yourselfers and tech bros
- Limited memory (6 GB)
- You will have to install additional memory that can cost over $67.
- Comes with bloatware (unwanted apps and software)
Editor NOTE:- if you are low on budget or you recently had your main laptop stolen or damaged and looking for a cheaper replacement then Acer Aspire E15 is the best choice to go after. As medical school student E15 will be your perfect companion.
3. ASUS ZenBook 13 Ultra-Slim Laptop Review
The big advantage to the ASUS ZenBook 13 is the lightweight which makes it easy to carry from class to class. In addition, this medical school laptop has lots of memory (8 gigabytes) for its size and users report it boots fast.
However, reviewers report the keyboard is of poor quality and design. In particular, keys will stick which makes it hard to write papers and take notes. Students who want to write a lot will be better off with a MacBook Air.
- 13.3 Inch Anti-glare FHD 1920 x 1080 Display
- Wide View 170 degrees with Windows 10 Pre-installed
- Latest 8th Gen Intel i5-8250U 1.6 GHz Processor
- Extensive connectivity with micro HDMI/USB 3.1 Type C, 802.11ac WiFi, and SD Card Reader
- Built-in fingerprint reader with one-touch login via Windows Hello feature.
- Only two USB ports
- Keyboard is little hard to get used
- Sound system is not as reliable as in some popular models.
- The screen is not as sharp as some other models.
Editor’s NOTE:- If you are looking for a lightweight laptop then you will like the ASUS ZenBook 13 Ultra-Slim Laptop. However, the small size will require you to get used for faster typing.
4. Microsoft Surface Laptop Review
This is the best medical school laptop for those who like to watch videos and people comfortable with Windows products. The typing on Microsoft Surface is bliss and feels a lot easier compared to actual physical key-based keyboards.
The different modes that surface laptop offers make it the most versatile medical school laptop and its compact size and weight will make it carrying anywhere piece of cake.
The 8GB memory and 13.5 hours battery backup will keep your worry free throughout the day. In addition, three USB ports will come in handy for dorm or student life.
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON- Lots of storage 256 GB and 8GB of memory
- 14.5 Hours of video playback
- Latest Windows and Office backed directly by Microsoft
- Ultra Thin and Light
- Natural typing and trackpad experience
- Higher Pricing
- Keyboard requires some time to get used to
- Battery Life can be unpredictable
Editor NOTE:- The Microsoft Surface Laptop is great for taking notes, video watching and as it comes pre-bundled with Windows Office utilities, you will enjoy this laptop as a medical student.
5. Dell Inspiron i5378-7171GRY 13.3 FHD 2-In-1 Review
The Dell Inspiron i5737-7171GRY is the best laptop medical students that want lots of memory. It comes from the factory with eight gigabytes of memory. Plus, you can add another eight gigabytes to give yourself 16GB of memory.
Overall Dell Inspiron i5737-7171GRY is a perfect laptop with reasonably better specs compared to other laptops in this price range, however, the audio output isn’t good enough and you may not like it if you are music enthusiast and love to listen to music while you are doing your medical studies on the laptop. This downside can easily be handled by using external speakers or Bluetooth portable speaker.
Consequently, the Dell Inspiron is worth the price, but it is one of the heaviest laptops around.
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON- Vast amounts of memory you can install up to 16 Gigabytes (GB) of RAM
- 256GB SSD storage
- Easy to use keyboard
- Convertible design
- Low battery life
- USB 2.0 and 3.0 are marked with same color
- Dull Screen
Editor NOTE:- The best thing about the Dell Inspiron i5737-7171GRY is a vast amount of memory. However, there is no Optical Drive and the sound quality is poor. Many people will dislike the Dell Inspiron i5737-7171GRY because it is heavy and uncomfortable in your lap.
6. ASUS VivoBook S Thin and Light Laptop Review
Med students on a budget who are looking for one computer that will do everything will like the VivoBook S. Despite the low cost, it comes with a large screen, lots of ports and lots of memory.
Unfortunately, the VivoBook S does not ship with Windows installed. However, it comes with WPS Office Suite, a great low-cost alternative to Windows Office. In fact, WPS Office is free but will do most of the basic tasks as an office. Medical students who buy the VivoBook S will not need to buy Microsoft Office to write papers. To explain, WPS documents will convert quickly and seamlessly into Microsoft Office Docs.
Gamers and video fans will like the two gigabytes of NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphics, and music fans will love the separate headset port. However, the VivoBook’s construction may not be rugged enough to survive Med School.
Plus, the backlit keyboard will make it easy to type notes in those dark lecture halls. If you are looking for a medical school laptop that can double as a desktop or entertainment system, the VivoBook S is a great choice. It offers comparable features to the MacBook Air for a far lower price.
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON- Initiative Design
- Multiple colors options
- Runs silent and cool
- Lightweight
- Loaded with bloatware
- No SD Card Reader
Editor NOTE:- The ASUS VivoBook S Thin & Light Laptop is the best computer for med students on a budget. For example, the VivoBook offers lots of memory, a large screen, and lots of ports for connectivity. Plus, you get such useful features as a fingerprint sensor for security and a backlit keyboard that will make note-taking easier in a dim lecture hall.
7. Acer Aspire 1 Review
You will get what you pay for if you buy the Acer Aspire 1 laptop for medical school. The Acre Aspire 1, is cheap but it lacks memory and features.
In particular, this laptop is heavy for a basic model with very limited memory. In fact, there may not be enough room to store all your med school notes and documents on this computer. You will need to buy extra memory for the Aspire 1 if you want to use it for writing or class.
In the final analysis, the Aspire 1 will not meet most med students’ needs. However, it could serve as a backup or secondary computer. For example, as a backup to your regular laptop or for a person who does most of her work on a desktop but needs a laptop for class.
On the other hand, the Acer Aspire 1 will fail those who rely upon a laptop as their primary computer. This laptop lacks the memory and computing power to serve most students’ needs.
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON- Very low price, affordable
- 14-inch screen
- Ports placement is good
- Lightweight and slim design
- Plastic Body
- Gets really warm fast
- Aweful battery life
- Worst Webcamera
Editor NOTE:- You will get what you pay for the low price this laptop. It’s heavy, at 3.644 pounds but has just four gigabytes of memory. Plus, many apps open slowly on the Acer Aspire 1. Finally, you will need to install additional memory if you want to use it for tasks like note-taking.
8. Huawei Matebook 13 Review
Huawei Matebook is a great choice if you just want a computer for writing. However, it is very small, with a 13-inch screen. In fact, the screen is supposedly smaller than the keyboard which will confuse some users.
This is a great med school laptop for those who merely want to take notes or write reports. On the other hand, it lacks the picture quality for gaming and watching videos. However, that will be very helpful if you want to avoid distractions from your studies and laboratory work.
Unfortunately, this laptop is expensive for the lack of features. However , the Matebook 13 will be a great backup computer to your regular desktop. In addition, the Huawei Matebook 12 is ideal for those who will do most of their work or gaming on a desktop in their homes.
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON- Dedicated GPU (Nvidia)
- Value for Money
- Great keyboard and trackpad
- Sharp and Crisp Display
- No thunderbolt port
- Battery life is low
- Not enough USB-C ports
- No SD card Reader
Editor NOTE:- The Huawei Matebook is light and easy to carry, but it has a small screen that makes watching videos hard. Thus, the Matebook could be a good choice for students who want to avoid distractions like video games and movies while studying.
9. Microsoft Surface Go Review
If you ever thought of going for Microsoft Surface Pro 6 but stopped yourself because of the pricing then you have the best alternative in a most compact form but in less price, i.e Microsoft Surface Go.
As the name suggests, Surface Go is made for a laptop with a tablet form factor for medical school students like you. The Windows 10 S mode offers full-fledged Windows 10 OS experience but better optimized for Surface Go like devices so as to offer more battery power.
The small downside of Surface Go is, you will have to buy surface keyboard additionally as the Surface Go on-screen keyboard is not suitable for faster typing making it difficult to take notes during lab or lecturers.
Microsoft Surface Go also adds up as perfect multimedia device if you’re movie and tv show enthusiast or love to browse lots of videos online. The sound quality is exceptionally well for such small form factor.
Aesthetic Design
Resonably priced and best amoung all budget windows laptops
Tablet form factore
Above average graphics
Windows Hello
No dedicated Keyboard, need to buy separatly
Not suitable for heavy processing tasks
Short battery life
Editor NOTE:- The Surface Go comes with a lot of memory: 8 to 12 gigabytes and battery life; nine hours is perfect on the go device for students of any stream. Unfortunately, the screen is small which might not be suitable for all medical students.
10. OMEN by HP 2018 15-inch Laptop Review
If you need a powerful med school laptop to run big and complex programs; like games and videos, the Omen by HP fits the bill. In fact, it comes with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card.
In addition, the Omen by HP is built for virtual reality (VR). Students need to ready for virtual reality because some medical schools could experiment with VR educational tools.
Moreover, if you want to relax by playing games or streaming videos the Omen is for you. Hewlett Packard (HP) claims it runs the biggest games like Fortnite and Apex Legends.
In addition, you can playback up to four hours of video on the Omen. You can record your classes or lectures and play them back to enhance your learning. Additionally, you can stream massive open online courses (MOOCs) to add to your med school experience.
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON- Beautiful Display with Crisp colors
- Perfect for Gaming
- Best Graphics performance
- Better Sound output
- Below average battery life
- Plastic Chassis
- Poor SSD performance
Editor NOTE:- This is a gamer’s computer which could create a lot of distractions. However, it is VR ready, which could come in handy. Some Med Schools will soon be using virtual reality as a teaching tool. You can also stream video and run games anywhere you get a decent Wi-Fi signal. Thus, video junkies and games will love the OMEN by HP.
Best Brands Laptop for Medical School students
The best laptop brands for medical students are Apple and Dell; because they offer lots of technical support and help. In particular, both Dell and Apple offer fairly fast returns.
In addition, the Apple Store still offers some of the best tech support for non-Geeks around. Unfortunately, Apple Stores can be hard to find outside big cities. However, Best Buy offers technical support and service for many brands. In fact, Best Buy now supports Apple products in most of its stores.
Finally, Amazon will make returns very easy. Moreover, some of Kohl’s department stores in the United States now accept Amazon returns. Hence, you should have no problem finding excellent service for your laptop, or tablet.
Is a tablet good for medical school students
We make laptop suggestions for medical school because tablets just won’t work for med students. In particular, you will need a keyboard to take notes in class and write reports.
Moreover, you will probably need lots of memory and processing power to complete all the work. Plus, some med schools are experimenting with virtual reality (VR) and other advanced digital teaching tools that require a lot of processing power. You will need a powerful laptop.
However, if you want to take a tablet to med school we recommend the Apple iPad Pro (12.9-inch, Wi-Fi, 256GB). In particular, 12. 9-Inch edge-to-edge Liquid Retina display with Promotion, true Tone, and wide Color are easy on the eyes.
Importantly, the 12MP back camera and 7MP True Depth front camera will make recording your lectures easy. Finally, it has up to 10 hours of battery life. In addition, there’s iOS 12 with group FaceTime to make video conferences and discussions with other students easy. However, the iPad Pro is pricey starting at $1,087.33 on Amazon.
Laptop or PC for Medical School students
The best laptop; or personal computer (PC), for medical school students we found is the ASUS VivoBook S Thin & Light Laptop. The VivoBook S offers the features most students want for a reasonable price.
Notably, the VivoBook S comes with several gigabytes of NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphics. Thus, this laptop could run virtual reality (VR) and other advanced digital learning tools.
Moreover, the VivoBook S does not come loaded with bloatware you will never use. Hence, you will not have to waste time and effort in removing unwanted programs and apps.
Also of note is the Omen by HP. Yes, the Omen is expensive; and built for gaming, but it offers a lot of processing power and memory. In particular, the Omen is VR ready and capable of running big complex programs. In addition, the Omen will playback up to four hours of video.
Hence, you can use it to watch the classes you miss but your friends tape for you. Furthermore, you can watch your professors lectures over and over again to learn more.
Maintenance Tips: Laptops For Medical School Students
There is nothing more frustrating for a busy med student than a dead or dying laptop. Fortunately, their many maintenance tips that can help your medical school laptop live a long life.
The top med school laptop maintenance tips include:
- Get lots of memory. Make sure your laptop has at least eight gigabytes (GB) of RAM or more. That way vast amounts of data will not jam its operations. If a laptop has less than eight GB of memory buy more.
- Remove the bloatware. Bloatware is all the extra programs manufacturers stick on PCs. Bloatware slows operations and can pose a security threat. Hence, it is a good idea to remove any program you do not use.
- Use anti-virus. Generally, the security programs that come with present-day operating systems like Windows and Apple iOS provide sufficient protection for the average person. However, you will have to keep the security programs turned into protecting yourself. Never turn off security features and regularly check to see if they are turned on.
- Get a good warranty. If you are in medical school you will probably be short of both cash and technical knowledge. In addition, busy med students lack the time and resources to repair their computers. You should have a warranty or service policy that obligates the manufacturer or retailer to replace or repair your computer when it goes down.
- Have a spare laptop. No computer is totally foolproof or dependable. Therefore you should take a spare laptop to med school. You can either buy a used laptop for this purpose or keep one of your old laptops in the closet.
- Get a case that protects your laptop. You will probably carry your laptop everywhere you go to med school. Thus, it will pay to get a waterproof case that offers some protection from falls and bumps. Check out New York Magazine’s “Best Laptop Cases” to find some good protection.
Frequently Asked Questions while buying Best Laptop for Medical School Students: FAQs
Q1: Do I need a laptop for medical school?
Answer: Yes, a tablet will not cut it. Moreover, your instructors will probably expect you to have a laptop.
Q2: Do I need both a laptop and a desktop at medical school?
Answer: No, but it is a matter of personal preference. Many writers work better on a desktop with a big screen; or two screens, than a laptop with a small screen. Yet, many others do just fine with nothing but a laptop.
Q3: What is the best place online to shop for laptop suggestions for medical school?
Answer: Online, Amazon is still the best place to begin computer shopping. However, you can often find better prices at competitors like Walmart.com and Newegg. Apple’s website is always the best place to shop for that company’s products.
Q4: What is the best brick and mortar store for computer shopping?
Answer: The Apple Store is a great resource – if you can find one. Additionally, Best Buy offers good customer service and selection. Visiting a brick and mortar electronics store is a great way to see what is available in computers these days. You can also view laptops first hand at a store before buying.
Final Words
In medical school, your academic survival will depend on your laptop. Therefore, you must invest the time, money, and effort to get the best laptop possible for med school. You must research your medical school laptop carefully before spending money on it.
