https://www.rtings.com/laptop/reviews/best/by-usage/college
The best laptop for college we've tested is the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024). This premium model is near perfect for college students who need a thin, light laptop to write papers, browse the web, and consume media. It provides an amazing user experience, sporting a sharp, bright display, a spacious keyboard, and a gigantic haptic touchpad. Apple's M3 SoC can easily handle light productivity tasks and even some light video editing and 3D graphics. Plus, it doesn't even need a cooling fan, so you won't have to worry about loud fan noise in classrooms and libraries. Its battery life is excellent at 11 to 12 hours of light use, though it takes a while to charge to full. Port selection is its biggest weakness; it only has two USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports, and while it can output to two external displays, it can only do so with the lid closed. The 15-inch MacBook Air is also a good choice if you want a bigger screen. It has better-sounding speakers but costs more. We'll have a full review of the 15-inch model soon.