The Best Laptops For Medical School In 2023

Last updated: Today

Erin Carpenter

Top 5 Best Laptops For Medical School 2023:

  1. Acer Aspire Slip 5
  2. Apple MacBook Air
  3. Lenovo Ideapad 330
  4. HP Elite X2 1012 G1
  5. Dell Inspiron 15 7567

Studies are the time in one’s life when there are many tasks a student needs to accomplish and deal with – midterms, exams, deadlines, papers… The list is a never-ending one (until you graduate).

Luckily, in our day and age, there are a lot of devices that can help students reach their goals and overcome troubles more easily. 

Nowadays, pretty much any book can be found in an electronic format. Not to mention that you can google anything that is not entirely clear (though you should approach this skeptically & carefully).

Now, while googling terms as a medical student is not really advisable, you can benefit a lot from using a good laptop that can save your time and nerves.

The best laptop for medical students will significantly facilitate and aid not only your studying process but all the other complicated tasks along the way as well.

The journey to the medicine degree is neither easy nor short, so do not further complicate it with a bad laptop!

Related: The Best Tablet For Nursing School; The Best Laptop For Nursing Students


5 Best Laptops For Medical Students In 2023: Detailed Reviews

With so many laptops vying for your attention, picking the best one for medical students is not easy. 

We’ve reviewed dozens of laptops for many purposes, and after evaluation, here are the top five for medical students.

1. HP Elite X2 1012 G1 – Best 2-in-1 Laptop

Image Credit: Amazon.com

Elite series by HP is hands down one of the best business laptop series out there. As such, this laptop has many features that make it a great choice for medical students, too.

It has a detachable 12-inch ultra-slim screen, which allows you to switch between the laptop and tablet mode quickly.

But this is not all – it is a touchscreen, has a Full HD resolution (1920×1280), and features quality Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

All of these features are very useful, e.g., if you’re reading an electronic book or report. You just switch to the tablet mode, and scroll down on the touchscreen! There are three heights for the tablet mode, which is also great for watching videos.

As for the processor, HP Elite x2 1012 G1 has an Intel Core m5-6Y54 1.10 GHz Processor, with turbo speed 2.70 GHz, which ensures smooth and fast work.

256 GB SSD is more than enough for storage space. Paired with 8GB of RAM, this laptop can process anything that you want (except for games).

It also has the fingerprint reader on the back upper left side. One thing we want to mention is that we had to manually download the driver for this feature, which is not really common for Windows 10 – it usually updates all the drivers on its own. However, if you suspect that your fingerprint reader isn’t working, make sure to check the driver first.

Lastly, you get the smart HP Active Pen with the purchase.

The OS is Windows 10 Pro 64-bit.

Pros

  • Durable screen
  • 2-in-1
  • Long-lasting battery
  • Bluetooth
  • The only touchscreen on our list
  • Active Pen included
  • Excellent price

Cons

  • There are models with a better processor
  • Some users might prefer larger screen than 12’’

2. Apple MacBook Air – Best High-End Laptop

Image Credit: Amazon.com

For those medical students who are faithful to Apple’s signature – quality, durability, and no bugs – we’ve chosen a laptop that has all the features you’re looking for.

This version of Apple MacBook Air has the famous and reliable (one of our favorite) 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor with turbo boost up to 2.9GHz, and the built-in Intel HD Graphics 6000.

This integrated GPU can even handle some light gaming, but definitely not some high-end games.

The 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen does look nice, though the maximum resolution is not Full HD, but 1440×900 pixels. The difference is not that noticeable, though, and this is not a terrible flow.

Medical studies include a lot of typing, and Apple MacBook Air has a great keyboard with intuitive and comfortable keys.

What we also like about all the Apple laptops is that the power adapter comes with a magnetic tip to latch on the power inlet. It is a nice little detail.

Other than that, it doesn’t offer many extra features, such as the fingerprint ID, but this is something we’re used to with Apple. They put their focus on durable parts that won’t experience any troubles and can be used for a long period.

All in all, Apple MacBook Air is a compact laptop with quality parts, excellent for those of you who may not study in their hometown and travel a lot.

Pros

  • Durable & reliable
  • Lightweight
  • Sleek design
  • SSD
  • Great battery life
  • Upgradable OS to all the newest versions

Cons

  • No Full HD
  • 128 GB might not be enough for some

3. Acer Aspire Slip 5 – Best Laptop Overall

Image Credit: Amazon.com

Acer Aspire Slip 5 has vaulted past many other laptops because of its premium characteristics.

First of all, if you buy this laptop on Amazon, you can fully customize it.

We’ve decided to go for the cheapest deal and see whether it was good enough to be called one of the best laptops for medical students – and, as you can see, it was! So, with upgraded hardware, it can just get better and better.

The AMD Ryzen 3 3200u processor is very fast (up to 3.5GHz), and you can also choose between Ryzen 5, and Ryzen 7. However, if you’re buying this laptop only for your studies and occasional work, Ryzen 3 will be more than enough.

Another thing you can choose is whether you want to buy a laptop only, or laptop + backpack/laptop + Acer mouse combo. We ordered it with the backpack because we really liked how it looked, and, for a few bucks, you get basically a carrying case for your laptop.

Other than the high-quality processor, this laptop features 15.6 inches Full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen display, which we had no negative words about. It is supported by the AMD Radeon Vega 3 Mobile Graphics, which can account for some non-demanding games.

One thing we couldn’t decide whether we liked or not was the S Windows mode that this laptop comes with. It means that you can only download apps from the Windows Store.

On the one hand, it is simple and makes your experience more secure, but we still preferred the regular Windows mode. You can turn off the S-mode from your settings.

Pros

  • Upgradable RAM (2 slots)
  • Excellent value for the price
  • Has an HDMI port
  • Ryzen 3 is very fast
  • High-end camera for a laptop (720p)

Cons

  • Ships with 128 GB (though this can be upgraded)

4. Lenovo Ideapad 330 – Best Budget-Friendly Laptop

Image Credit: Amazon.com

While we were discussing laptops at our lab, most of us agreed that we didn’t like some of the earlier Lenovo products. We considered them mid-range competitors that cannot come to the top.

But over the years, the products have gotten better and better, and are now frequently among our top choices when it comes to laptops. Their best laptop for medical students is Lenovo Ideapad 330.

Lenovo has upped the ante on design, too, so that this laptop looks elegant and modern at the same time, with the red upper part, and rose gold base.

As for its capacity, it comes with 256GB SSD, which should be enough for most of the medical students, paired with 8GB of RAM.

The 7th Generation AMD A9-9425 Processor can handle speeds up to 3.7GHz. This processor is, for instance, better than i5 that one of our previous choices had, but it uses more battery power.

While the 15.6-inch large HD screen is among the biggest out there for the laptops, the maximum resolution is slightly lower than some of our other picks, at 1366×768 pixels. Of course, you can connect it via HDMI to another screen, and then you can even get the 4K.

What distinguishes it from other laptops is that it is one of the rare models that have retained the Optical Drive (DVD-RW), and we kinda appreciate that.

It comes with Windows Home 64-bit installed.

Pros

  • Bluetooth
  • Good webcam
  • 4-in-1 card reader (MMC, SD, SDHC, SDXC)
  • Has the Optical Drive

Cons

  • No Full HD
  • The sound quality is not the best

5. Dell Inspiron 15 7567 – Best Gaming & Studying Laptop

Image Credit: Amazon.com

Our last contender, Dell Inspiron 15 7567, is also the most expensive one on our list, but for a good reason.

Now, most of the medical students are looking for a laptop to use only for their studies – processing documents, perhaps watching some videos, writing, etc. In that case, we suggest one of our previous picks.

However, if you’re looking for a laptop that is also great for occasional gaming (only when you’re taking a break from studying!), this is the one.

The crucial part of the hardware that accounts for this is the GPU – NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti. Again, this is not a gaming laptop – we’ve selected the best laptops for the medical students – but it can run all the popular games at a decent quality.

Paired with an excellent CPU, 7th Generation Intel Core i5-7300HQ that runs on 2.50GHz, you’ll get anything that you want from this laptop.

Next, it has a 15.6-inch widescreen display that supports the Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080). The screen is very quality and perfectly visible from all angles.

It comes with a 256GB that can be expanded with another  2.5-inch extra drive. If you’re planning to install a lot of games, you might need to add an HDD or SSD. 

Like in most of the cases, the laptop doesn’t come with an Optical Drive, but it has everything else that you need – an SD card reader, three USB ports, one ethernet cable port, one aux, and an HDMI port.

The Windows 10 Home 64-bit is installed.

Pros

  • Suitable for studying & gaming
  • Modern design
  • Full HD
  • SSD
  • Two ram sticks
  • Excellent backlit (red) keyboard

Cons

  • Heavier than all the other models

Do You Need The Best Laptop For Medical School?

Obviously, if you are a medical student, you will largely benefit from buying a laptop for medical studies.

It is a noble profession, and requires a lot of work – keeping medical reports, doing research, regular studying… Therefore, a good laptop can help you handle all of that easily and ensure maximum productivity.

Additionally, if you choose wisely, your laptop will serve you for many years to come, even after you graduate.

See Also: The Best Chromebox


Which Factors Should You Consider When Buying A Laptop For Medical Students?

They need to fit a few criteria – it’s not the same when a graphic designer and a medical student wants to buy a laptop.

Hardware

Getting the right hardware elements is of prime importance when choosing the best laptop for medical students.

1. CPU (Central Processing Unit)

You probably call it a processor. This is the heart of your future laptop and the crucial one for medical students.

Why?

Simply put, this unit is the control center of everything that happens in your laptop and enables that it all runs smoothly and trouble-free.

Its speed (also known as clock rate) is measured in Hertz. It represents the number of clock cycles per second.

We generally don’t go for models below 1.50GHz, as the tract of the processor is extremely important for laptops of this kind.

The most popular manufacturers of the CPU and the ones that are on our list today are:

  • Intel (their most popular series is the Intel Core)
  • AMD (their most popular series that is even considered to outperform Core is Ryzen)

2. GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)

This part of your laptop is responsible for the image that you see on your screen.

Now, this part is more important if you’re shopping for a gaming or a graphic designer’s laptop since there’s a lot of data-to-image conversions.

As far as it goes for the best laptop for medical students, you will be fine with an integrated GPU, which uses the RAM of your laptop.

If medical studies & gaming, however, is your combo, you’ll need a dedicated graphics card. We’ve made sure to include a gaming pick on our list.

Generally, for the integrated GPU, Intel’s products are most popular, and for the dedicated, there are the NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards.

3. Screen

Another aspect of the laptop that cannot be overlooked is its screen.

First, you need to choose the appropriate screen size.

13 to 15-inch screens are the best balance between utility and flexibility. If you travel and need to transport your laptop often, you’ll probably want a smaller model, and if you don’t, widescreen options like 15.6’’ are the best for you.

Next up, you should consult the resolution property of the screen. If you’re analyzing a lot of visual reports, watching videos, etc., you might want to do it in Full HD (1920 x 1080)

Other than that, some lower resolutions are perfectly acceptable, and the ratio of pixels is not visible to the naked eye when the difference is not that big.

You can also opt for a touchscreen. We included one in our top list.

4. Storage

There are two types of internal drives:

  • HDD (Hard Disk Drive) – these are the standard drives, and they are cheaper, which means you get more storage space for the lower price. However, they are slowly being substituted by the SSDs.
  • SSD (Solid State Drive) – they are much faster than HDDs and use less battery. The only con might be that it is a bit more challenging to retrieve lost data from an SSD.

As the focus with laptops for medical students is on speed rather than storage space (documents, books, etc., don’t take up much), we’ll go with an SSD in our picks.

See Also: The Best Bluetooth Adapter


Conclusion: Our Recommendations

The best laptop for medical students overall is the Acer Aspire Slim, which offers extremely fast Ryzen 3 and a superb display.

Apple fans will prefer the Apple MacBook Air, but they should know that it is a bit costly. Nevertheless, it offers anything that you can wish from a laptop for medical students.

For those of you on budget, we suggest the Lenovo Ideapad 330.

About Erin Carpenter

Erin Carpenter has over 15 years experience in the diamond industry working with Artic Canadian Diamonds, Anglo-American Diamonds. She is recognized as an industry expert and has been quoted in publications such as USA Today, Forbes, The New York Times and more.