Being an enthusiast laptop savvy, Evan Charles shares his wisdom on LaptopEcho to help others pick the right machine. He loves guiding people to get...
Are you a Ph.D. student looking for a suitable laptop for your work? Have you tried many laptops brands and models and have found comfort in none? Then, this article is for you.
The amount of work Ph.D. students do is more than college and high school students. Their workload is bulky, and that’s why they need the best laptop for PhD students. Such laptops should have a good processor, RAM, and ROM, plus other qualities that make them the best Mac for Ph.D. students and Windows, too.
So in this article, we will take you through the many reasons Ph.D. students need to handpick their laptops. We will also take you through the best laptops and their specifications to simplify the searching time. Learn more below.
Why Is It Necessary For Ph.D.? Students To Look For Their Laptops Wisely?
There are a few reasons Ph.D. students must choose the right laptop. These include faster work delivery, longer working hours, bulky work to save money, and durability. Let’s go into detail on these factors below:
Faster work delivery
Ph.D. Students work a lot, and most times, they have limited time for the work. Using a laptop with a slow processor will harm them in such situations. So, they must look for their laptops wisely for faster school work delivery.
Long working hours
Also, they need a good laptop for long working hours. Most of the work that Ph.D. students do takes much time to complete. Some of these students don’t have a steady power supply in their location.
So, such students will get stranded if their laptops go off on them while they are still working. However, a laptop with an excellent battery life will do better.
Bulky works to save
The memory storage of a laptop might seem useless until you have hefty and bulky works to save on it. Then you will search for extra space to save important work on the laptop. Whereas a laptop with good ROM will keep you at rest, knowing that there is enough space to save whatever you want.
Durability
The pain of taking one laptop to a technician to repair either is excruciating. It is tiring and money-consuming at the same time. Your laptop can go just go dead on you for no serious reason other than you have used it for too long. So, a durable laptop is a necessary consideration for a Ph.D. student.
Let’s Look at the Quality of Different Laptops for College Students
Low-powered laptop
Law students, theater arts, education, and other college courses that require more research than intensive work can do with low-powered laptops. These students need laptops for researchers. They might just waste the capacity of a high-powered laptop on minor works. A 4GB RAM to 8GB RAM laptop will do for the work of this set of students.
High-powered laptops
Medical students, engineering students, computer science students, and other intensive courses will do better with high-powered laptops. Students in this field of study usually do intensive work. They create, research, design, run programs, and do other things that require high-powered laptops. Laptops that have 8GB RAM and above will suit such students.
Statistic on Laptops Uses Among College Students
Research has shown that, in a survey of 64,536 students across 9 countries, over 90% of students commented that laptops are essential for their course work. College students are not known for using high-powered systems, excluding people running intensive courses like engineering, medicine, and computer sciences.
A research conducted by Pearson in 2015 on a total of 1,211 college students reflected that university students’ interests in using laptops for school work grew more and more. In fact, laptops are the most commonly used gadgets for facilitating school work. Over 87% of college students own a laptop and use the device every week for handling school work.
Also, in contrast with other gadgets, laptops, chromebooks, and notebook computers are the most likely to be used by college students. Additionally, these gadgets are used weekly, more than other devices. Here is a tabulated description of things below.
| Gadgets | Daily Usage | Weekly usage | Overall usage |
| Laptops | 73% | 87% | 89% |
| Smartphones | 42% | 64% | 86% |
| Hybrid | 9% | 15% | 12% |
| Tablet | 24% | 40% | 51% |
Table of Contents:
Here in this section, we’ve arranged a summary of all the subheadings we’ve touched on in this article. You can check the table below for quick navigation of the whole guide. You can even find the information you need faster by clicking on the heading.
Comparison Chart:
Comparing the top 10 best laptops is important for making your best pick. Here is the comparison chart is below.
| Best laptops for Ph.D. students | RAM | ROM | Screen resolution | Screen size | Battery life | Processor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Apple MacBook Air Laptop | 8 GB RAM | 512 GB ROM | 2560 x 1600 | 13.3 inches | 18 hours | 1.1 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 |
| Acer Nitro 5 | 8 GB RAM | 1 TB | 1920 x 1080 | 15.6 inches | 7 hours | 1 GHz 5x86 |
| 2020 Apple MacBook Pro | 8GB | 256GB or 512 GB | 2560 x 1600 | 13.3 inches | 20 hours | 2 GHz |
| HP Pavilion x360 | 8 GB | 512 GB | 1920 x 1080 | 14 inches | 9 hours 25 minutes. | 3.6 GHz |
| Alienware m17 R3 | 16GB | 1 TB | 1920 x 1080 | 17.3 inches | 2 hours 30 minutes | 5.1GHz |
| 2020 HP 14” Laptop | 4GB | 128GB | 1366 x 768 | 14 inches | 13 hours and 30 minutes | 3.1GHz |
| LG Gram 15z995 Laptop | 8GB | 512GB | 1920 x 1080 | 15.6 inches | 17 hours | 2.3 GHz |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 5 | 12GB | 512GB | 1920 x 1080 | 15.6 inches | 17 hours | 2.8 GHz |
| Acer Swift 3 Thin & Light laptop | 8GB | 512GB | 1920 x 1080 | 14 inches | 5 hours | 4.1 GHz |
| Lenovo Flex 5 | 16GB | 256GB | 1920 x 1080 | 14 inches | 10 hours | 2.1 GHz |
10 Best Laptop for PhD Student’s Reviews
This section will discuss the 10 best laptops for Ph.D. students in detail. You’d get to know in-depth knowledge of every one of these laptops and why we chose them. Also, we haven’t left out the limitations of these laptops, as there’s no perfect laptop available. If you’re ready to proceed, then let’s move on.
1. 2020 Apple MacBook Air Laptop – Best for storage capacity
This is a laptop, especially for personal, multimedia, and business uses, even if people can still use it for other things. It has a 13.3 Retina display and a FaceTime HD camera for its users to enjoy. The laptop is lightweight, just like most other Apple laptops.
One most interesting fact about this laptop is that it has a touch ID, and the battery lasts for a straight use of 18 hours. The RAM of 8GB makes it one of the best laptops for research and writing. Then, the 512GB SSD storage is one of the largest storage capacity laptops have, which is enough to hold most of your files. With such storage space, your laptop can serve as your memory device for a long time.
The above is not all about the MacBook Air. The laptop has a human interface inputted keyboard; it is 13.3 inches, and its connectivity technology is Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi. The manufacturers made the laptop with 100% recycled aluminum, and this makes the laptop environmentally friendly. The powerful performance of the laptop is impressive as it is 3.5x faster than its predecessor. More efficiency for everyone!
If you have already used any Apple device, you will not find it hard to navigate your way through the functions of the MacBook Air. It is easy to use and has a smooth connection with all the Apple devices you have. The intensive nature of your work does not affect the temperature of the laptop.
Asides from that, the 2020 Apple MacBook Air laptop is sleek, lightweight, and portable. It comes with a fanless structure, which still facilitates performance powerfully and highly effectively. Also, notwithstanding the amount of workload it carries, this laptop remains cool and functions quietly while performing high-demanding activities.
Furthermore, if you’re a newbie into the Mac OS sphere, you do not need to worry because the 2020 MacBook Air laptop is easy to understand and navigate. So, anyone can use it—even your kids. Its user-friendly interface is almost matchless with other laptops. Using a laptop like this for your Ph.D. course, you won’t have any issues working out your computational tasks.
Another fascinating thing about the 2020 Apple MacBook Air is that it comes with a 12-month limited warranty and over 90 days of technical support when you purchase the laptop. If you want to extend the warranty coverage further and minimize the challenge of unplanned repairs, then you should consider getting the AppleCare+ package for your device.
If you’re considering graphics while shopping for a laptop for your Ph.D. course, then the 2020 Apple MacBook Air should be at the top of your list. Why so? Its 13-inches display provides a 2560×1600 ultra-HD display and a 6k external display.
Interestingly, for a portable laptop, the 2020 Apple MacBook Air laptop surpasses all others to this list of 10 best laptops for Ph.D. students.
Specifications
| CPU | 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficient cores |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Operating system | Mac OS |
| GPU | 8-core |
| GPU RAM | Integrated |
| Battery | 18 hours |
| Screen size | 13.3 inches |
| Weight | 2.8 pounds (1.25 kg) |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1600 |
| Dimension | 11.97 x 0.63 x 8.36; 2.8 Pounds |
Summary
When you need a quiet and long-lasting laptop that is easy to use and has high screen resolution, the MacBook Air Laptop should cross your mind. The laptop has advantages and disadvantages, but the advantages supersede the disadvantages.
2. Acer Nitro 5 – Best for RAM
15.6 inches is quite a big screen size for a laptop. That is why Acer Nitro 5 gets preferred by many. This is a system for game lovers. Its big screen and fast processor confirm this.
This windows 10 Home operating system laptop has 8GB RAM, making it fast in delivery. Also, it supports multiple web browser tabs and allows you to run high-end software programs. The speed of this laptop makes it smooth and enjoyable for gamers. The manufacturers specify it for personal use, and it has a microphone and keyboard human interface input. Games usually consume vast space in devices, and the Acer Nitro 5 has a hard disk of 1TB (HDD/SSD).
So, if storage is your concern, then storage won’t be a problem for the Acer Nitro 5. This implies that the laptop has enough space to contain as many games and files as possible for the user’s satisfaction. The manufacturers ship the laptop from China to all around the world. Additionally, the manufacturers of the Nitro 5 laptop categorize this laptop under the Notebook Computer type. The screen resolution at 1920 x 1080 is good for graphics display. Ideal for producing high-quality videos, pictures, and gaming resolution.
7 hours is not a bad battery life length for a laptop to run at. This laptop runs for straight 7 hours, and when it is charged fully, the battery requirement is 1 lithium-ion battery. Using this laptop, you have a webcam resolution of 720 pixels, and it has 4 processors.
Interestingly, the Acer Nitro 5 laptop arguably gives one of the best gaming experiences for a gaming laptop. It comes with an 8GB RAM facility which also allows you to perform processor-intensive tasks on your laptop without freezing or hanging, or even lagging while running.
The Acer Nitro 5 is a gaming laptop, it uses a higher-performance processor chipset, which is NVIDIA that runs at 1 GHz 5×86. For a 15.6-inch large laptop, the Acer Nitro 5 provides a 1920×1080 pixels resolution, high enough to run powerful games comfortably.
One other thing about the Acer Nitro 5 laptop is that being a large gaming system; it isn’t lightweight. Thus, we don’t recommend that you carry it about everywhere you go as this can lead it to develop faults easily. Note gaming laptops come with some of the most high-end components for a laptop. That can cause the laptop to generate more heat and damage some internal things, or even scald your skin if used if placed directly on your bare skin.
There are different power outlets associated with countries. The Acer Nitro 5’s electrical plug is only for U.S. Users that are not in the U.S might need an adapter to plug this laptop into a power supply. However, it is important to check the compatibility of the laptop with your national outlet type if you don’t want to get an adapter.
Specifications
| CPU | 1 GHz 5×86 |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 1 TB |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| GPU | NVIDIA GTX 1650 |
| GPU RAM | Dedicated |
| Battery | 7 hours |
| Screen size | 15.6 inches |
| Weight | 5.50 lbs |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| Dimension | 21.5 x 12.75 x 3.75 inches |
Summary
The Acer Nitro 5 is fast and sufficient for game lovers. The laptop has lesser disadvantages than its advantages because of how efficient its features are. An interesting fact is that with all these qualities, the laptop is still cheap.
3. 2020 Apple MacBook Pro – Best for battery life
The 2020 Apple MacBook Pro is a luxurious and high-performance laptop that allows you access to one of the best laptops in the world. Apple, in their deep ingenuity, proceeded to deploy this laptop while integrating it with several amazing features. So much can be said about this laptop, and we’d try our best to enlist most of its unique features.
Amazingly, the 2020 MacBook Pro provides users with more than 20 hours of power on battery life—the most ever delivered in a MacBook. Its 8-core CPU an ultra-fast performance for users to fly seamlessly through workflows as easily as you desire. Interestingly, this innovative model is over 2.8x faster than the previous model.
Also, it comes with an 8-core GPU that provides surreal graphics for users who are interested in graphics-demanding games and software programs. It’s worthy to note that the 2020 Apple MacBook Pro offers more than 5x faster graphics for all graphics-intensive software programs and activities than its predecessor.
Also, on the topic of speed, the 2020 Apple MacBook Pro integrates a 16-core NE (Neural Engine), which enables complex machine learning. When placed in contrast with its predecessor, the 2020 Apple MacBook Air is over 11x faster and more efficient in machine learning performance.
Furthermore, it comes with an 8 GB unified memory which helps to speed up things and make your interaction with the computer seamless. Additionally, it uses an extremely fast solid-state hard disk. Most often, Apple products are not known to hang or freeze while running heavy-duty programs or activities. This, as we’ve seen, is because of the high-end components integrated into the computer.
The 2020 MacBook Pro also comes with a proactive cooling system, ensuring the entire computer constantly remains cool. For display, the laptop comes with a 13.3-inch Retina display and a 500 nits brightness to provide superb and vivid colors and more vibrant video calls.
Conversely, although integrated with high-end parts for high-quality performance, the 2020 Apple MacBook Pro comes with a lean but effective cooling fan. So, you would rarely find this laptop heating due to processor-intensive tasks and apps. Needless to say, the laptop uses an advanced solid-state drive (SSD) for storage, which facilitates twice the speed of operation as an HDD storage will do.
Another more captivating thing about this laptop is that it incorporates a high-quality camera for HD pictures clearer and more vivid video conference calls. Also, just like the 2020 Apple MacBook Air laptop, this one comes with one of the highest visual resolutions for any laptop screen. It’s very easy to interact with and understand, and all the software programs inside this laptop are high-end and native to it.
Uniquely, this laptop comes with one of the loudest and clearest microphones and speaker set for any laptop. This makes the learning process easier to work with and more achievable.
Specifications
| Brand | Apple |
| Series | 2020 Apple MacBook Pro |
| CPU | 2GHz 4-core Intel Core i5 |
| RAM | 16 GB LPDDR4 |
| Storage | 512 GB SSD |
| Operating system | macOS Catalina 10.15.3 |
| GPU | Apple 8-core GPU |
| GPU RAM | Dedicated |
| Battery | 20 hours |
| Screen size | 13.3 inches |
| Weight | 3 lbs |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1600 pixels |
| Dimension | 13.41 x 11.97 x 0.61 inches |
Summary
Asides from being a top-notch all-rounder, the 2020 Apple MacBook Pro is one of the most classic laptops anyone can buy. If you’re looking for a high-end laptop with excellent battery life, then seek no further.
4. HP Pavilion x360 14 Convertible 2-in-1 Laptop – Best for versatility
The HP Pavilion x360 14″ is one of the most innovative laptops you can use, as it provides 4 flexible modes for users to interact with. These modes include the normal laptop mode, tablet mode, tent, or stand mode, which you can use to jot notes, draw, and perform other activities.
Intriguingly, for a 14-inch portable laptop, the HP Pavilion x360 laptop gives ideal performance for users all the time.
It is integrated with the recently updated Wi-Fi 6 for wireless connectivity. This allows users to stream media using the high-bandwidth component. Asides from that, the laptop comes with a wide view Hi-Def webcam that allows you to video and takes pictures in high quality.
It also comes with a BIOS recovery & protection that automatically runs checkups on your computer’s health, guarding against intrusive and authorized access. Also, the HP Pavilion x360 laptop helps to protect your local storage and also restores itself from booting problems.
The HP Pavilion x360 integrates a 14″ diagonal FHD, IPS, WLED backlit, multiple-touch, micro-edge, edge-to-edge touchscreen laptop screen for a display. This provides users with a 1920 x 1080-pixel resolution. Also, it provides an 80% screen-to-body ratio.
The Pavilion x360 laptop uses a 10th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i5 Quad-Core processor with a 1.0 GHz base frequency. Additionally, it uses a 3.6 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost tech. The laptop facilitates a super-fast booting process and file transfer via its 512 GB PCIe NVMe SSD flash memory hard disk. So, users can run any kind of high-end app on this laptop easily.
For memory, the HP Pavilion x360 uses a non-upgradable DDR4-3200 SDRAM to deliver at optimum performance. Its battery life lasts over 9 hours and 15 mins. While watching movies, this laptop can last you over 6 hours and 45 mins, whereas wireless streaming lasts you the complete 9 hours and 45 mins. Also, the laptop comes with advanced features that allow the laptop to boost charge up to 50% from 0% in less than 45 mins using the HP fast charge feature.
Additionally, the HP Pavilion x360 allows users to store and retrieve their files, data, records, etc., in the blink of an eye. Also, users get access to Amazon Alexa voice control, which can allow you to control and command your laptop using voice control. The Alexa intelligent assistant can help you read updated news, play music, and even access over 50,000 Alexa skills embedded in the laptop.
The Pavilion x360 laptop is one eco-friendly laptop that comprises mercury-free, low-halogen display backlights arsenic-free laptop screen. It also comprises BIOS recovery and protection to help restore and safeguard your laptop from intrusive entry. Basically, this laptop integrates high efficiency with a simplistic design and a budget-friendly price for you.
Specifications
| Brand | HP |
| Series | HP Pavilion x360 14 Laptop |
| CPU | 3.6 GHz core i5 |
| RAM | 8 GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 512 GB SD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| GPU | NVIDIA GTX 1650 |
| Battery | 9 hours 25 minutes |
| Screen size | 14 inches |
| Weight | 3.50 lbs |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| Dimension | 12.76 x 8.78 x 0.81 inches |
Summary
The HP Pavilion is a top-notch laptop that allows you to access a variety of accessibilities while being cost-effective and portable.
5. Alienware m17 R3 17.3 inch FHD Gaming Laptop – Best for processor
When we talk about gaming laptops, we have to mention the best of them, and on our list today is the Alienware m17 R3 gaming laptop. The Alienware m17 is an amazing 17.3″ laptop that comes with high-quality materials like copper, magnesium, and steel to ensure a lightweight and efficient gaming experience.
It also uses the AlienFX lighting for its keypads. The Am17 laptop works ideally to provide high-end resolutions, providing a 300Hz 300nits 3ms Full HD display to give users ultra-high motion graphics. Notably, 300 nits are one of the smoothest framerates for gaming laptops. The Alienware m17 R3 is truly an alien. It comprises some of the most advanced and innovative laptop components to deliver top-notch computing for all kinds of users—especially gamers.
Howbeit, for users who aren’t gamers but interested in getting a great laptop for Ph.D., then you shouldn’t neglect this super-machine. It functions perfectly for personal, business, and gaming use.
Its maximum screen resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels. Thus, users can leverage the high-quality display. Also, if you savor large screens and wide views, then the Alienware m17 R3 is your guy. It functions very effectively in performing office duty, which is general stuff. Also, programmers of all kinds can use this laptop to run all their processor-intensive software programs. So, this laptop is one of the most versatile laptops for anyone.
Amazingly, the m17 integrates Alienware Cryo-Tech to enhance component cooling, which helps provide better ventilation for your laptop. Additionally, Alienware m17 weighs only 5.51 lbs and comes in a sleek 20.5mm diameter, making it thinner and lighter than the preceding m17.
Asides from the display and thickness, the Alienware m17 integrates a 16 GB DDR4 RAM, 1 TB SSD hard drive, and 2070 SuperTM 8GB GDDR6 graphics coprocessor. Furthermore, the Alienware m17 is designed to offer ultra-fast computational activities with its 10th Gen Intel CoreTM i7-10750H processor. For a laptop of this size, the Alienware incorporates 6 processor counts to function. Using the m17, users do not need to worry about running complex software programs on it.
When it comes to the graphics processor, the Alienware m17 R3 comes with the NVIDIA 2070, runs on a 5.1 GHz Core i7 CPU. To ensure a faster, more conservative, and more effective storage, it uses a 1 TB solid-state drive. It also uses 1 Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery to power the computer.
On the contrary, Alienware doesn’t work so well on battery power. This is because of the ultra-high-performance components, which are invariable high-power. Typically, regular laptops integrate lower-quality components to help save the battery life of laptops. Gaming laptops like the Alienware m17 R3 that incorporate high-quality components, in turn, have lower qualities of battery life.
Specifications
| Brand | Alienware |
| Series | AWm17-7296WHT-PUS |
| CPU | 5.1 GHz Ci7 10750H |
| RAM | 16 GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 1 TB SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| GPU | NVIDIA RTX 2070 |
| GPU RAM | Dedicated |
| Battery | 2 hours and 30 minutes |
| Screen size | 17.3 inches |
| Weight | 5.51 lbs |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 pixels |
| Dimension | 15.74 x 11.59 x 0.89 inches |
Summary
When it comes to a laptop with a high-end processor, then the Alienware m17 is the best choice anyone can consider. Providing ultra-high performance and high-quality resolution, the Alienware is just the right heavy-duty laptop.
6. 2020 HP 14” Laptop – Best for personal uses
Another high-efficient laptop for college graduates and researchers is the 2020 HP 14″ laptop. Asides from being one of the most portable laptops, the 2020 HP 14″ is equipped with various hardware and software components to provide high-quality accessibilities. It mainly functions perfectly for personal purposes.
It runs on the Windows 10 OS and is integrated with the latest 7th Gen AMD A9-9425 (which is Dual-Core with speeds of 3.1 GHz—3.7 GHz), offering high efficiency for users to execute maximum quality computing. This high-efficient laptop is one of the most balanced laptops for handling several activities. Undeniably, it supports high-end software programs and multiple tabs on your web browsers.
Also, the 2020 HP 14″ comes with a 14-inch bright View glossy screen display that helps retain the vivid colors in videos and pictures. High-quality display for users of all kinds. Its graphics are a superb 1366 x 768 HD resolution.
Furthermore, it has a WLED backlight and no Optical Drive. One other thing about the 2020 HP 14″ is its 4 GB RAM which facilitates high-bandwidth multitasking. Using the 2020 HP 14″ laptop, users can comfortably commute without worrying about its developing faults. With its small-sized, lightweight, and sleek design, you can move about seamlessly.
That’s one of the most advanced benefits of the HP 14″ laptop—its portability is superb. It’s almost easy to overlook the efficiency of the HP 14″ because of its size, but it stands out when it comes to performance.
Although this laptop provides a 128GB SSD (solid-state drive), which is much lesser than a hard drive, the SSD is much faster, immobile, smaller, lighter, and more effective than the HDD.
Notably, the 2020 HP 14″ laptop operates perfectly as a personal laptop. Making it easy for you to use the laptop at work, at home in your bedroom, or even in your car. It gives you the best office accessibilities all in a 14″ effective computer. Also, being portable, you can as well use it whenever and wherever you are.
Another thing to observe about the HP 14″ is that it’s powered on an AMD A-series processor and uses the AMD Radeon R5 graphics card to process its graphics. Thus, enabling a fast frame rate for video editing and video gaming software applications. This 14-inch laptop comes with Bluetooth for wireless connectivity. For dimensions, its dimensions are 12.76 x 8.9 x 0.78 inches.
Notably, this laptop is an ideal choice if you’re looking at a highly affordable but high-quality laptop. Its AMD-powered processor has 2 processor counts, and it uses 1 Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery to function. So, if you are looking for one of the best laptops for Ph.D. students, you should as well consider the 2020 HP 14” laptop.
Specifications
| Brand | HP |
| Series | 14-DK000 |
| CPU | 3.1 GHz amd_a_series |
| RAM | 4 GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 128 GB SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| GPU | AMD Radeon R5 |
| Battery | 13 hours and 30 minutes |
| Screen size | 14 inches |
| Weight | 3.20 lbs |
| Resolution | 1366 x 768 Pixels |
| Dimension | 12.76 x 8.9 x 0.78 inches |
Summary
For one of the most portable and high-efficient laptops for researchers, the 2020 HP 14” laptop is one to add to your cart.
7. LG Gram 157995 Laptop – Best for screen resolution
Next on our list of best laptops for research and writing is the LG Gram 15z885 laptop. LG specifically designed this laptop to provide seamless components for every user to use and enjoy seamlessly.
For a large-sized laptop, the LG Gram 15z995 has emerged to be one ultra-high-performance laptop that allows users to interact and run high-end software programs. Partnering with Intel, LG offered a 10th Gen Intel i5-1020U CPU to enable a more effective laptop for executing tasks. The Core i5 laptop operates at a speed of 2.3 GHz.
The LG Gram 15Z995‘s 15.6-inch-widescreen provides users with a revolutionary display 1920 x 1080 pixels IPS LCD Screen. Thus, enabling users to view pictures, videos, and games of extremely high quality. Additionally, it comes with a 512 GB M.2 NVMe SSD and 8 GB DDR4 RAM. Its memory speed is a whopping 2666MHz, so users can enjoy the speed at its best.
Another interesting thing about the LG Gram 15z995 is its Intel chipset which is integrated into the laptop. This laptop comes with 3 USB 3.0 ports. Although being large in structure, the LG Gram has the following dimensions 14.1 x 9 x 0.7 inches.
When it comes to battery life, the LG Gram 15Z995 stands out with a 72Wh Lithium battery (which can power it for 17-21 hours on battery life). This is because of the 2 Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery cells that are intact with the laptop. So, by choosing this laptop for your research, battery power will be the least of your concerns, and that’s something you will be thankful for.
More importantly, although being a large-sized laptop, the LG Gram 15Z995 laptop is extremely lightweight, portable, and lean. It weighs circa 2.4 lbs (one of the lightest laptops in our list of best laptops for Ph.D. students.
Also, it supports a USB Type-C connection and supports fingerprint security login for users who don’t want to use passwords but biometric. The Intel-powered computer comes with 4 processor counts. It’s a very durable laptop—more specifically, military-grade durability that is dust-proof, water-proof, able to withstand both high and low temperatures vibration, and is shock-resistant.
Thus, having a large display, long-lasting, high-efficient laptop with HD graphics and noiseless components like the LG Gram, you can only savor the experience. A laptop like this is usually ideal for personal and business purposes. Its components and features enable you to work with the at high-end performances. Moreover, it doesn’t work very well for gaming purposes as games and some video editing tools are very advanced and require higher-quality processors to run.
So, when it comes to choosing a laptop for your research and study practices, the LG Gram 15z995 is one you should consider. However, if you have gaming in mind, then you can go for another laptop.
Specifications
| Brand | LG |
| Series | LG Gram |
| CPU | Core i5 2.3 GHz |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| Battery | 17 hours |
| Screen size | 15.6inches |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| Dimension | 14.1 x 9 x 0.7 inches |
Summary
Who knew the LG Gram 15z995 laptop could supersede millions of others in deploying such a next-gen laptop with a supreme display?
8. Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15.6″ FHD IPS Touchscreen Laptop – Best for research and writing
Another laptop in the list of the best laptop for Ph.D. students is the Lenovo IdeaPad 5, the widescreen laptop. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is an innovative laptop that offers users several high-quality features and accessibilities to work with. It comes with a 12 GB high-bandwidth RAM to facilitate games, programming, and video-editing software programs and also run multiple browser tabs simultaneously. This RAM enables the laptop to run high-quality software programs without freezing.
For storage, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 used flash-based SSD storage with a 512 GB capacity. This leads to quicker booting times and data loading. Additionally, it is noiseless and minimizes heat production and power consumption on the battery. Typically, SSD storage is more than 2x faster than HDD storage, and luckily, the IdeaPad 5 facilitates all kinds of software programs.
The IdeaPad 5 uses the Intel i7-1165G7 processor, which comprises 4 cores, 8 threads, and runs at a speed of 2.8 GHz. Thus, enabling high responsiveness, lengthier battery life, and reduced power consumption. Users can enjoy their using the computer seamlessly.
Using a laptop like this for your Ph.D. study ensures you execute your activities at a high level. Notably, using the 15.6-inches laptop daily, you can interact with the laptop any time and any day.
It is designed with a 15.6″ LED-Backlit IPS capacitive touchscreen, which provides a display of 1920 x 1080p. Notably, this picture resolution enhances the color and clarity of pictures and works best with 1080p video content. For graphics, the Lenovo IdeaPad uses the Intel Iris Xe Graphics—the next-generation Integrated Intel Xe Graphics to facilitate vivid and clearer gaming experiences. It also provides quicker speeds for programmers, gamers, creators, and designers.
Also, the IdeaPad laptop comes with Bluetooth hardware to allow you to pair up with your external Bluetooth devices. It weighs a typical 4.44 lbs and has dimensions of 14.04 x 9.18 x 0.75 inches. Notably, this laptop comes with a 1.2 MP web camera. Another amazing feature about the Lenovo IdeaPad is that its battery is wildly strong and super-efficient. This implies that you can work with the laptop on battery power for over 12 hours without giving any issues.
It integrates several other features like a fingerprint scanner for providing users the ability to log into the computer without needing to use a password or pin. Asides from that, the Lenovo IdeaPad comprises a Lithium-Polymer (Li-Po) battery, which is one of the newest and most efficient battery cells available. These batteries consist of a 3-cell 45Wh battery pack. It runs in a Windows 10 Home Operating System.
Also, asides from being a very effective and high-efficient laptop that comes with high-end components, it is very affordable.
Specifications
| Brand | Lenovo |
| Series | IdeaPad 5 |
| CPU | 2.8 GHz core_i7 |
| RAM | 12 GB SDRAM |
| Storage | 512 GB SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce MX450 |
| Battery | 17 hours |
| Screen size | 15.6 inches |
| Weight | 4.44 lbs |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| Dimension | 14.04 x 9.18 x 0.75 inches |
Summary
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is one of the most ideal and high-end laptops. It works perfectly for research and writing, thanks to the high-performance SSD hard disk, RAM, and processor integrated into the laptop.
9. Acer Swift 3 Thin & Light Laptop – Best lightweight
When it comes to a super-high-performance laptop that is portable, the Acer Swift 3 is one you should consider. The portable laptop is a 14-inch HD Widescreen IPS LED-backlit display laptop. Reinforced with high-end parts and features to enable users the best experience working with it.
It integrates an AMD Ryden 7 4700U Octa-core mobile processor with speeds up to 4.1 GHz, a Radeon Graphics processor, 512 GB PCIe Solid State processor. This makes it much easier and faster to write and retrieve data into the laptop’s hard disk while using it. Also, it sufficiently runs all your computing-demanding tasks seamlessly.
For memory, the Acer Swift laptop integrates an 8 GB LPDDR4 RAM. This enables the laptop to run multiple tabs on a web browser simultaneously. Also, it allows users to run high-demanding and processor-intensive software programs and heavy-duty software programs.
The display resolution on this laptop is another unique feature that stands it out from others as the 14″ laptop comes with a 1920 x 1080 HD resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio. A wide view is for us all. It comes with a high-quality webcam (that offers 1280 x 720 pixels of picture quality). provides you with an ideal display resolution.
Additionally, the Acer Swift 3 integrates an Intel wireless Wi-Fi 6 AX200 802.11ax. For users that work on their laptops at night, the Acer Swift 3 will be a very good partner for you. Why so? It has a backlit keyboard that helps you to work well both in the day and at night. Also, if you’re not in with signing into your computer using a password or pin, the Acer Swift 3 comes with a fingerprint scanner that enables you easily log in to your computer.
Its dimensions are 12.73 x 8.62 x 0.63 inches. So basically, this is not a large-screen laptop, but it provides some of the most ideal resolutions. Therefore, you can run several high-quality games and software on the laptop without it breaking down.
Furthermore, it comes with a USB-C port, USB 3.2 Generation 2 (which facilitates over 10 Gbps) DisplayPort that enables Type-C charging and access, a USB 3.2 Generation 1 port that enables power-off charging. Also, the Acer Swift 3 comes with a USB 2.0 port and an HDMI port. Thus, you have several options to charge your laptop or even connect other devices to it.
Amazingly, this portable laptop is a 2.65 lbs. lightweight and 0.63-inch lean laptop. So, you can fit it into any portable place without worrying. Also, it comes with an efficient laptop battery that can enable you to work effectively for over 5 hours on battery life. Combining its sleek, fanless design and fully-compressed components, the Acer Swift 3 laptop offers high-end power efficiency for users.
Specifications
| Brand | Acer |
| Series | SF314-42-R9YN |
| CPU | 4.1 GHz ryzen_7_4700u |
| RAM | 8 GB LPDDR4 |
| Storage | 512 GB Flash Memory SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| GPU | Intel HD Graphics 620 |
| Battery | 5 hours |
| Screen size | 14 inches |
| Weight | 2.65 lbs. |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| Dimension | 12.73 x 8.62 x 0.63 inches |
Summary
If you are looking for a lightweight and portable laptop, then you shouldn’t look far off from the Acer Swift 3 laptop. It provides you with superb accessibilities
10. Lenovo Flex 5 14 2-in-1 Laptop – Best for luxury
The last on our list today is the Lenovo Flex 5 laptop. This 2-in-1 laptop integrates portability, style, and efficiency to provide users with the best laptop for their pockets. It’s flexible, efficient, portable, and lightweight—some thrilling features demanded by users around the globe.
It focuses on style and luxury while not overlooking the effectiveness of the laptop. This laptop comes in a 10-point, 14″ Full HD (1920 x 1080 resolution) IPC touchscreen that enables you to use the laptop in two ways: as a laptop or tablet. Additionally, this 2-in-1 laptop comes with a digital pen to help you interact swiftly with the computer in tablet mode. Surprisingly, the hinges of this laptop are extremely flexible. So, you can bend it all the way and work only with the screen if you want.
Not only that, the Lenovo Flex 5 comes in various modes that make it easy and accessible for you. These modes comprise the Tent mode, which allows you to share things, Tablet mode for direct interactions with the screen, Stand mode that provides binge-watching, and the normal laptop mode. This super-sleek laptop allows you to view the 4-side slim bezels that surround the screen.
The Lenovo Flex 5 offers a 1920×1080 pixels resolution, integrates a 16 GB DDR4 memory and 2.1 GHz Ryzen 5 4500u processor to facilitate super-fast and seamless operation. For storage, it uses a 256 GB Flash memory SSD (solid-state drive).
Also, with its boosted charging capacity that allows you to charge up to 80% in less than an hour, it offers 10 hours of efficiency on battery power. So, users don’t have to worry about battery life when using this laptop because it is built to be very economical with power consumption.
Additionally, the Flex 5 comes with the AMD Ryzen 5 4500U mobile processor and Radeon graphics unit to ensure the maximum display and up-to-par performance. This makes the Lenovo Flex 5 an ideal laptop for content editing, content creation, gaming, programming, etc. Notably, the Lenovo Flex 5 incorporates an AMD Integrated Graphics for graphics unit.
That said, the Lenovo Flex 5 is an outstanding laptop that combines style, flexibility, efficiency, and design to give a highly-affordable laptop to use for your Ph.D. This portable laptop has the following dimensions 12.66 x 8.56 x 0.82 inches. Being lightweight, the laptop weighs 3.63 lbs and operates using 1 Lithium Polymer (Li-Po) battery.
This laptop is very ideal for business and personal purposes. It serves multiple purposes, as you can go anywhere with this amazing laptop. So, if you’re considering an option, a laptop with that is high-end, classy, and affordable features, the Lenovo Flex 5 14” is a great consideration you should have in your cart.
Specifications
| Brand | Lenovo |
| Series | Flex 5 14″ |
| CPU | 2.1 GHz Ryzen 5 4500u |
| RAM | 16 GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 256 GB flash memory SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce 330 |
| Battery | 10 hours |
| Screen size | 14 inches |
| Weight | 3.63 lbs. |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| Dimension | 12.66 x 8.56 x 0.82 inches |
Summary
The Lenovo Flex 5 14″ is, by far, one of the best laptops for college graduates and anyone interested in getting a high-end laptop.
Things to Consider While Buying the Best Laptop for Ph.D. Students
As a Ph.D. student, when shopping for a laptop to use, there are several things you need to consider. Why so? This is because of the high demand related to having your Ph.D. Now that we’ve stated that, let’s consider the factors related to the best laptop for Ph.D. students.
CPU and GPU
Among the key components in a laptop, the CPU and GPU are two very essential parts you want to consider. They affect the efficiency of your computer. While the GPU affects your frame rate and graphics speed, the CPU affects the overall performance of your computer. The two widely adopted CPUs are Intel and AMD.
However, Intel laptops are more widely-adopted among the majority of high-efficient laptops in contrast with AMD laptops. But on the other hand, the recently deployed AMD Ryzen processors have emerged to conquer the scenario.
For GPU, integrated GPU is more popularly used in leaner and lightweight laptops than discrete ones. However, if you desire to achieve more creative results, the laptop will need to pair up with the discrete ones.
RAM
The RAM in a laptop affects its speed and efficiency while executing multiple programs simultaneously. That said, the more RAM capacity in your computer, the more efficient it will be. Also, the RAM determines the ability to run heavy-duty software programs on your laptop.
Having a laptop that comes with DDR4 RAM is more beneficial for users, as it is upgradeable and cheaper.
Battery Life
Several things can affect your laptop battery. These include brightness, screen resolution, the intensity of programs running on your computer, among others. Moreover, laptop battery life differs according to laptops.
When shopping for a Ph.D. laptop, ensure to go for a laptop with efficient battery life. Preferably one that can last you for at least 5 hours.
Display
Another major factor to consider is the display on your laptop. A laptop with a great display can measure up for your cost on getting the laptop. We recommend that you stay clear from laptops with resolutions lower than 1280 x 1080 pixels FHD (Full HD resolution).
Also, laptops that provide ultra-display (4k pixels) are affordable, and you can find some below $500. If you’re considering picture quality, then a laptop that has this specification should be on your cart.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which MacBook is best for Ph.D. students?
The best MacBook laptop for Ph.D. students is Apple MacBook Air. It is faster than the old models of MacBook Air as well as lightweight. Moreover, it’s a great laptop for research works, web browsing, and typing papers.
Which laptop is the best for psychology majors that can lead to Ph.D. as well?
The best laptop for psychology students must be such that it possesses high quality and efficient processing capacity, features, and the right price that meets users’ budget. The laptop should meet the basic requirement that suits psychology majors like a RAM of at least 8GB, speedy processor, good storage capacity, sharp and larger display, and others.
How many hours a Ph.D. student has to work or study in a week?
On average, a Ph.D. student should study for 35 hours per week. This puts the timing to run similarly as 9-5 working period. However, there could be a slight change of the time depending on the fields of the students.
How much RAM does a Ph.D. student need?
The minimum RAM requirement for a Ph.D. student is 8 GB. But where the student’s budget carries it, he may go for 16 GB RAM for the faster and more efficient performance of the laptop.
Do all Ph.D. enrolled students get laptops from their university?
All Ph.D. students hardly receive laptops from their universities. Most students get their laptops or desktops. In some cases, students may share a common laptop.
Conclusion
When considering the best laptop for Ph.D. students, two significant laptops we recommend include the 2020 Apple MacBook Pro and Alienware m17 R3. Undeniably, the Apple MacBook Pro provides the best of all features in CPU, GPU, storage, battery life, and resolution.
Among the list of best laptops for Ph.D. students, the only other contender is the Alienware m17 R3 gaming laptop, which provides everything in high-end as well, but is larger and heavier. However, if you are considering costs while shopping for a laptop, then the Alienware m17 R3 is your laptop.
Being an enthusiast laptop savvy, Evan Charles shares his wisdom on LaptopEcho to help others pick the right machine. He loves guiding people to get the best out of their laptops as he does.
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