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What is the best computer for law school or college?
In law school or college, the computer is critically important because you will need it to study for classes, prepare for final exams, and take exams using special software. So, what is the best computer for law school or college?
The computer for law school or college must be portable, reliable, durable, and with sufficient performance characteristics to handle these tasks.
Usually, it is a good laptop which can last you at least four years. Law schools have more specific laptop performance characteristics requirements listed on their websites.
PLEASE NOTE, THAT LAPTOPS REVIEWED BELOW IN THIS GUIDE CAN BE USED EQUALLY WELL IN ANY OTHER COLLEGE OR GRADUATE SCHOOL SETTINGS.
When trying to earn better grades at law school or college every small step counts. You will need to type so fast and so accurate just to get few extra points or type extra notes in class that God forbid your laptop cannot catch up with you.
I kid you not – extra few sentences can get extra few points which will make a difference between B and B+, or even A -, for example.
- You ability to type fast is critical. So, screen size matters, so you could see all you are typing just by glance.
- Screen resolution matters.
- Processor speed matters when you run software, including exam software.
- Keyboard quality and readability matters.
- Your computer must be of a good quality that will last you for 5-7 years because you may not have the money to get another one early in your prosperous career.
Let me quickly tell you a story from my law school laptop experience. I did not purchase a new laptop when I went to law school. I went to law school with my original not-too-expensive Lenovo.
Because I already had it for about a year or one and a half before I went to law school. It was not top of the line but I thought it will be fine. Was I wrong?
In law school, my Lenovo laptop had to work like for 15-18 hours each day. Generally, I liked its performance – it covered all my needs. I carried it practically everywhere I could because law students have to study almost all the time.
Carrying it back and forth, and it being not the best – I physically damaged it by the end of the first year. It fell apart and was kept together only by wires – but it still worked!
I just could not carry anymore and it had no value as a laptop. So, I purchased a heavy-duty expensive Toshiba laptop with excellent performance characteristics and high durability ratings. I still have it and it still works!
NOTE: Laptop is your primary study and work tool. You will use it in the law school to quickly find necessary information, answers to questions, write outlines, study materials, case briefs, and much more.
All that to help you get information quickly, at your fingertips. A laptop for law school must be even better and more reliable than that for most undergraduate studies. Because you are a professional now.
Use the internet instead of going to the law school library to find out that all good books were checked out, and all computers are taken.
I am not even going to go in detail about law school exams when the quality of your laptop is critical. If your laptop fails you will be required to write out an exam, and that is equivalent to getting loss of points in your grade.
MUST have a good, reliable computer for law school or college and beyond.
What are Law Schools’ Laptops Minimum Requirements?
Let’s look at some of the law schools’ web-sites to see what laptops they require.
Duke University School of Law has pretty strict requirements: minimum 8GB RAM, 1080 HF minimum resolution and so on. Duke actually list good table with requirements and I suggest you look at it.
For example, law school at the University of Indiana
- Minimum Windows requirements
- Processor: 2.0 GHz or better dual-core AMD or Intel processor. Pentium, Celeron, or Athlon processors should be avoided. Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen are minimum preferences.
- Memory (RAM): at least 4GB (more is better)
- Hard drive: 256 GB or larger
- Operating system: Windows 10*
Minimum Mac requirements
- Any Apple MacBook manufactured in 2015 or later
- Operating system: macOS X 10.13 (High Sierra); macOS X 10.14 (Mojave), macOS 10.15 (Catalina).**
What does St. Mary’s University School of Law requires? Let’s see.
- Intel processor i3, i5 or i7
- Hard drive with 120GB storage or greater
- 4GB of RAM or greater
- Windows 10
Let’s see what top law schools require – Harvard, Yale, etc.:
Harvard School of Law laptop requirements:
Harvard School of Law published which laptops they prefer for themselves. They list these as options to purchase for staff, I guess.
- Lenovo X1 Carbon G8 (it is 14’’ screen, so I will not talk much about it. You can view it)
- Microsoft Surface Pro 7
- Apple MacBook Pro 13”
- My problem with all above is that these have small 13” screens. But Apple and Lenovo brands are ok for Harvard law school?
Yale School of Law Laptop Requirements:
Here is a quote from their website:
“If you have an older laptop (pre-2012) we strongly urge you to purchase a new laptop. You should at least have the minimum configuration of Windows 7, a 2 GHz Core 2 Duo processor, and 4 GB of RAM.
We recommend, however, a minimum of 8 GB of RAM, Windows 7 64-bit on all PCs. For Macbook Airs/Macbook Pros, we recommend 8GB of RAM and Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) or later.”
For whatever reason Yale School of Law also specifically recommends Lenovo laptops:
“If you decide to use a PC, we strongly encourage you to purchase a Lenovo laptop through GovConnection, which has significantly discounted pricing available to Yale affiliates. These computers come with an excellent four-year onsite warranty that covers all repairs, including accidental damage.”
I tend to think that both schools may have made a deal for a discount with Lenovo. Lenovo laptops are ok.
Boston University School of Law requirements.
Here are requirements from the University of Arkansas School of Law.
What Technical Specifications Does Best Computer for Law School or College Must Have?
Therefore, the best computer for law school must have sufficient characteristics. It:
- Must have good, modern, current performance specifications.
- Must be lightweight and portable.
- Must be durable. Preferably, with chassis made of light metal.
- Meaning, it must be made by a good reputable company – a good brand name.
To elaborate, that means:
Modern Performance Characteristics. Must have good performance characteristics that will be current for three years of law school. And, preferably, for one more year after law school, when you have to prepare for and take the bar exam. It takes at least four (4) years in total.
Here is what I suggest:
Memory: More than 8 GB RAM. Many schools say minimum 4GB Ram, but with Windows 10 4GB RAM will be slow.
Processor: Intel Core i3 or better. I3 will take less energy than i5, hence, longer battery life and less overheating. Plus, try to get a laptop with a processor that has “U” at the end of its name. For example, Core i5-8250U. These are also more energy efficient but still offer good performance. I5 with “U” is optimal.
Display: 1080 resolution is best. But, the less resolution – the longer battery life.
Storage: I suggest 120 GB or higher for SSD and 256 or higher for regular hard drives. SSD drives have smaller storage capacity but there are quite faster than regular drives. You will see the difference once you start using them. They are worth the money and they also are easier on the battery charge.
Schools sometimes say 250GB is minimum because you will need to install ExamSoft software for exams. And later for the bar exam. But, if you do not store lots of garbage on your laptop (like a bunch of movies, videos, video games installed, 1 000 000 high-res selfie photos), and keep your laptop clean – you will be able to get by with 120 GB hard drive ok.
Not good, but ok. Of course, 250 GB or more is better.
Battery: As long battery life as possible. Preferably, 4 hours or longer.
My Toshiba Satellite was 17” – good large screen making it easy to do outlines and take exams. My Asus too. But both are quite heavier and bulkier than a 15” and use more energy. They still work. I have smaller laptops which I carry around with me.
Portable. It must be sufficiently portable. It should not be too heavy, and preferably lightweight so that you could easily carry it. It also must not be too heavy so you would have no problem carrying it in your backpack or bag around the campus, or on a trip.
Durable. Computer laptops with plastic chassis may break down more easily. But, if they are more lightweight and slicker, they will fit into bags more easily and have less risk of falling or getting damaged otherwise.
Reliable. Simply means it must have a good warranty and must be made by a company with a reputation for quality laptops which do not fail. Those include Apple, for example. But not only them.
TIP: I suggest buying a computer with a display size of 15” or 17” (you will understand this when you start typing your first law exam). Or, at least 14 inches.
I would stay away from 13” screens for personal reasons. It is all about the eyes, comfort, and easiness of operating machines and typing exams. 15’ is probably the most optimal – easier to carry and decent display size.
Computer for Law School or College -The Ultimate List
TIP: I do NOT suggest buying “renewed” or “refurbished” computers unless you have extra money to purchase back up computer if this one fails. Such renewed or refurbished computers are of inferior quality in my opinion. They are not as reliable as the original new products. Especially, if you have to carry them around.
The below list-review of the best laptop is structured as follows:
- Top of the line, best and most expensive but top quality laptops.
- Second best – just good quality durable workhorse laptops.
- Budget laptops for smaller budgets.
Read on.
Apple - the Best Computer for Law School or College Ever?
Apple MacBook Pro.
Apple is one of the leaders in personal computing devices since the 1980s. I am confident that 99.99% of those who read this post are familiar with Apple as a brand and with Apple’s products. Apple computers are reliable and durable, and with standard care, they can last for a long time.
Please note, if you buy Apple Macbook Pro with Retina technology – this may get outdated. Since 2020 it is becoming obsolete since Apple came up with new technology.
NOTE: If you have the cash. I think it is better to buy a new Apple MacBook Pro and use it for many years to come. You simply cannot go wrong with Apple – power, performance, quality, durability and customer service are unmatched. Hence, the price.
Apples are those computers which I think should work fine if you buy a new computer, but model which is a few years old – to save money.
New Apple MacBook Pro (16”, 16GB RAM, 512GB – 1TB Storage, 2.3GHz Intel Core i9) – Space Gray – $2100.00 – $2500.00
This model is probably the best one on the market and it is a boss. Granted, it is not cheap. But also take for granted that it will serve very well. It has a 16-inch display, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB storage and Intel i7 Core processor.
More than enough to make ensure easy and comfortable law school studying experience and subsequent bar exam preparation plus work. Expensive? Yes. Worth every penny? Definitely.
Remember, you are investing in your ability to study efficiently and successfully go through school and pass the bar exam. Everything counts especially reliable technology. This boss’s computer is just that technology.
If you really into monster power than you can choose option with i9 processor. You can follow the link above to Amazon and simply choose i9 option. Now, if previous Apple was a boss, this one is a monster.
The 16-inch display with new tech, 16 GB RAM, 1TB storage, and 2.3 GHz Intel Core i9 – this is a supercomputer for law school purposes and can make life superiorly easier. I was an avid amateur gamer, and I gamed in even in law school. I wish I had one of such computers from the beginning.
During the day you can use it for school, at night for gaming, and watching educational videos or movies. And you can store plenty of useful informational and educational materials on its enormous 1TB hard drive.
The point of these expensive laptops is superior performance, long service time, and reliability. You may even keep using such a monster after you pass the bar exam. This machine can work well for 5-8 years easily, if not longer.
TIP: Financial Aid often includes extra money (loan) for laptop purchase. Find out at your financial aid office if you can get a max laptop loan allowance and apply it to the purchase of one of these solid Apple computers, even if the loan does not cover the full purchase. This way you can add your saved cash and get one of these.
Do not feel like spending a fortune on a laptop? But still, want a cheaper version of Apple? Then with some regret, I am letting you know that you can buy 13” MacBook Air by Apple.
Apple 13″ MacBook Air Core i5 CPU, 8GB RAM (2017 Model 128GB) – $999
It has all you need for performance – 8GB RAM, 128 GB storage, i5 processor (you can get flash drives or separate hard drive to store unnecessary staff or data which takes a lot of space). Yes, recall that Harvard law school likes this one too.
Pros: Durable, reliable, lightweight, smaller slick size, easy to carry.
Cons: It has an only 13-inch display. Only 128 GB hard drive.
Well, these two are probably the only disadvantages. I admit, that a 13-inch display does not create too much of a disadvantage for note-taking at classes. But it may be less convenient for law school final exams and bar exams. But not hugely.
CUTE LAPTOP ALERT!
But, if you want newest 13″ model, then go for Golden-Pinkish cuter color version:
Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage) – Gold (Latest Model) – $949
If you want same one but gray color you can see it here.
Although, I think 13-inch is not the best option for eyes, because you will need to read a lot. If you have excellent eye vision – make sure you keep it that way. Get 15” or larger.
Among the advantages of the 13-inch screen is that such a computer is lightweight and easy to carry around. It also fits better in a smaller regular bag.
TIP: If you really want Apple but want to save money by buying 13″ model, you can also purchase large stand-alone monitor and connect your small laptop at home or in the office and work like a pro on a large monitor screen. I own two monitors at home.
NOTE: Remember, any computer, best or not, for law school or college can be a long-term investment. You may use it for the next 10 years to study and even for work. Unlike textbooks and commercial outlines, which you will sell right after you took the class or graduate.
If you get 100K-120K in law school or college loans – an extra $1000-$1500 for a very good computer as well is a smart long-term decision.
Samsung - Apple's Competitor
Samsung is the major competitor of Apple in many market niches. For a good reason. Here is a decent one.
2020 Newest Samsung Notebook 9 Pro 2 in 1 Laptop, 15″ FHD Touchscreen, 8th Gen Intel Quad-Core i7-8550U, 2GB AMD Radeon 540 Backlit KB USB-C Pen Win 10 + CUE Accessories (16GB RAM I 256GB SSD) – $1399
Note: Intel processor is always better than AMD, but you may not see the difference in regular use. AMD processors are inferior to Intel, in my opinion.
But many people use AMDs, including gamers, and they feel fine about AMD. I’d say that just for studying, browsing and typing, AMD should work fine. Hence, the lower price tag!
ASUS - Also Good Computer for Law School or College
ASUS is another popular brand. If you like ASUS than this one may be good:
ASUS VivoBook F510UA 15.6” Full HD Nanoedge Laptop, Intel Core i5-8250U Processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB HDD – $999
I have ASUS laptop since about 2013. I had to repair it once and change the battery. Overall, it is a decently working comp. ASUS may have trouble – slimmer body, metal chassis, heats stronger.
You may need to make sure internal fans are working properly and outer thrusters are cleaned from dust to ensure airflow from built-in fans. You can buy supplies for that – dust blower.
Here is a new 2020 ASUS for $719 with a solid SSD drive and AMD processor:
2020 Newest ASUS VivoBook 15.6″ FHD Laptop Computer, AMD Ryzen 7 3700U (Beat i5-8250U) (12GB RAM | 512 SSD)
TIP: All laptops must be carried in bags designed specifically for laptops. Do not neglect this requirement and your laptop will serve you for many years to come. Even if you put it in the special compartment of your regular backpack, you still need to first put your laptop in a smaller slim bag.
This may save you broken hinges or some other unexpected troubles and break downs of your laptop. Take good care of laptops – they are all fragile.
Lenovo - Nice Computer Workhorse
Well, this is also not a budget type computer, but twice less expensive compare to Apple. Lenovo is rather a good working horse and is liked by folks at Yale School of Law.
I mentioned earlier that I had Lenovo laptop and it worked even after I carelessly broke it into two pieces by accident. Overall, I was satisfied with the Lenovo laptop performance.
This particular model has everything law student needs – 15-inch display, Intel Core i5 CPU, 16 GB RAM, 512 SSD drive and 1TB hard drive. I wonder if having two drives instead of one may lead to some unexpected problems. But having two drives of this side covers all data storage needs.
NOTE: SSD drives operate significantly faster than regular hard drives, but they are more expensive and thus usually manufacturers offer smaller storage capacity. Keep it in mind.
I think, if you take good care of your Lenovo laptop then it can serve you for a long time – through law school and beyond.
Want something less expensive but performing? You can get Lenovo ThinkPad for less than $900,
This computer for law school can give a good performance. Yes, the screen is smaller, but less energy required. I5 “U” takes less energy. SSD takes less energy and is of respectable storage capacity for this money. Plus, it comes with Windows 10 Pro, removing the necessity to figure out upgrades, etc.
The 16GB RAM is good enough for education, browsing, watching videos, and even playing various games (although, not all of them). Although, graphics is not the best for gaming here.
It is also not good for things like day-trading because graphics are a little blurry on graphs and charts. Other than that, it is a good machine, I think. Easier to carry due to smaller size, more lightweight.
Note, this comes with a regular hard drive of decent capacity, so it is slightly cheaper. But 15” screen should make it a worthy buy.
If you like this ThinkPad model series but want full HD (for gaming or other activities where you need good graphics) you can check out full HD version of this model at $1000+ here:
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 14″ Full HD Laptop (1920×1080) Intel i5-8350U, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Win10 Pro , Black
But if you want the newest model in this series, as of 2020, then it it probably better to get this newest model with 10th generation CPU i5 and few other new tech perks, also at only $1000+:
2020 Newest Lenovo ThinkPad T490 14″ FHD IPS Business Laptop, 10th Gen Intel Core i5-10210U (Beat i7-8550U), 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Fingerprint Reader, HDMI, Windows 10 Pro w/Ghost Manta Accessories
Toshiba - Simple and Best Computer for Law School or College?
Toshiba Laptops are sometimes overlooked and overshadowed by other brands, but generally, they are not bad computers. My ancient law school laptop is Toshiba Satellite 2009. If not for an old battery, I would say it works very well, with excellent graphics and superb sound.
Here is decent Toshiba at $999, which, I think, has everything a professional grad-level student needs. What I like about these is their 15-inch screens – optimal size, in my opinion:
Here is a slightly lighter and slightly cheaper version of this model, but a still good one:
Here is more affordable Toshiba laptop that is enough for college purposes.
Please mind that it has 8GB memory – if you are avid gamer some modern games may run slower than if you had 16GB laptop.
But it is enough for education, browsing, using most software and watching youtube or netflix.
Toshiba Dynabook Tecra A50-F 15.6″ Full HD Notebook Computer, Intel Core i7-8565U 1.80GHz, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Windows 10 Pro, Graphite Black – $679
ACER - Another Popular Brand
I am no fan of ACER’s. I am not even sure why. I am am old school. But it is a popular brand. But here is one with decent characteristics.
Among Acers I like these two below.
CUTE LAPTOP ALERT!
Here is very pretty golden color laptop – deluxe Acer model with good performance characteristics and overall good reviews.
Acer Swift 3 SF315 Laptop: Core i7-8550U, 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM, 15.6″ Full HD IPS Display, Windows 10 (Luxury Gold)
$1299
After looking at tech specs, reviews, etc., I think this may be an optimal affordable price range Acer laptop for college or law school or school. It has Intel processor, SSD drive and decent price range.
Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop, 15.6 Inches FHD IPS Display, 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8265U, 8GB DDR4, 256GB SSD, Fingerprint Reader, Windows 10 Home, A515-54-51DJ
$689
HP
Value alert!
I do not like HPs because I don’t trust them since ancient ages. I hated their printers. But, they are getting better and you can get 17″ display for only $650!
I wonder what trade offs did they make in terms of quality, but 17″ display is very helpful when you study, work, take exams or just browse or watch videos.
HP 2020 Newest 17.3 Inch Flagship Laptop?Computer (8th Gen?Intel Core i5-8265U 3.9GHz, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Intel HD 620, WiFi, Bluetooth, DVD, Windows 10)
$650 (not bad for this price)
Best Budget Laptops for Law School or College
NOTE: Cheap laptops nowadays often come with Windows S (C) version – a limited Windows version. It is pain in the neck because it does not allow the installation of non-Windows software. Upgrade to full version costs about $130+. Check with your future college if they have a contract with Microsoft to upgrade to full Windows 10 for free.
ACER
Not bad. This one will get you through law school or college, but do not expect long life out of it.
Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop, 15.6″ Full HD IPS Display, 10th Gen Intel Core i3-10110U, 4GB DDR4, 128GB PCIe NVMe SSD, Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 802.11ax, Backlit KB, Windows 10 in S mode, A515-54-37U3,Black
$550
Here is the same model but with 1 TB regular hard drive.
Acer Aspire 5 15.6″ Full HD(1920×1080) Display, 7th Gen Intel Core i3-7100U, 8GB DDR4 SDRAM, 1TB HDD, Windows 10 Home 64-Bit, A515-51-3509
$535
If you rather go cheap, ready to look at 14″ screen, then here you go – a newer version of budget laptop. They call it “premium” but I would disregard this claim. Just a budget college or law school laptop. Frank;y, I do not recommend it for law school or grad school, but should be moderately ok for college.
2020 Newest Acer Premium Aspire 3 14 Inch Laptop (AMD A9-9420e 1.8GHz up to 2.7GHz, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, AMD Radeon R5, WiFi, Bluetooth, HDMI, Webcam, Windows 10 Home) (Black)
$489
ASUS
Another ASUS which I tend to think should work fine – Intel processor, SSD hard drive, 8GB RAM…BUT, Windows in S mode. I suggest to upgrade.
ASUS VivoBook 15 Thin and Light Laptop, 15.6” FHD, Intel Core i3-8145U CPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, Windows 10 in S Mode, F512FA-AB34, Slate Gray
$544
This below laptop has AMD processor. I prefer Intel but AMD processor is cheaper hence for they same price you can get some other perks like full windows, etc.
2019 ASUS 15.6″ High Performance Laptop Computer, AMD Quad-Core A12-9720P Processor up to 3.6GHz, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 128GB SSD, AMD Radeon R7 Graphics, WiFi, Bluetooth, USB 3.0, HDMI, Windows 10 Home
$449
Best CHEAP Computer for Law School
Cheap alert. I do NOT recommend these for professional purposes. But if you are cheap – indulge yourself! Enough for typing notes in college, reading and browsing. Sound and video (screen display quality) may not be great.
Intel processor, SSD drive – ok for college and life basics. Not ok for law school exams. 14″ only.
2019 ASUS ImagineBook MJ401TA Laptop Computer| Intel Core m3-8100Y up to 3.4GHz| 4GB Memory, 128GB SSD| 14″ FHD, Intel UHD Graphics 615| 802.11AC WiFi, USB Type-C, HDMI, Textured White| Windows 10
$395
It has a 15” inch display. HD. The processor is of average power. On the same Amazon page, you can select an upgrade to a better processor for a total of $500+ for a laptop.
Below are 4GD RAMs – I do not recommend this. But ok if you want something secondary, cheap, to type, read and browse the internet and carry with you anywhere, and save a better laptop at home for school, exams and bar exams. Screen sizes are 15”.
Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop, 15.6 inches Full HD IPS Display, AMD Ryzen 3 3200U, Vega 3 Graphics, 4GB DDR4, 128GB SSD, Backlit Keyboard, Windows 10 in S Mode, A515-43-R19L, Silver – $349
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RF1XD36/ref=twister_B082RB7DZH?_encoding=UTF8&th=1
This Acer has a better resolution than Lenovo below. And only 4GD RAM.
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15″ Laptop, 15.6″ HD (1366 x 768) Display, AMD Ryzen 3 3250U Processor, 4GB DDR4 OnBoard RAM, 128GB SSD, AMD Radeon Vega 3 Graphics, Windows 10, 81W10094US, Business Black – $359
Conclusion
All laptops are made for a specific type of consumer. All the above can serve well for law school, except for cheap computers. I recommend buying Apple. If not, then Samsung, ASUS, Lenovo, Toshiba should be fine. Any computer may break down, even Apple.
Take good care of your laptop and use it for a very long time. A laptop or any computer is just a tool to serve your personal or professional needs. And you need to take care of your tools so that they could take care of your needs.
Good luck.
