Here is a 2517-word blog post on the best laptops for nursing students for 2024:
The 5 Best Laptops For Nursing Students (2024)
A good laptop is essential for nursing students today. You’ll need it for everything from taking notes during lectures to accessing course materials online to studying on-the-go between classes or during clinical rotations.
With so much daily use, you want to choose a laptop that’s up to the demands of a nursing program. Ideally, it should have excellent battery life, a display comfortable for long study sessions, and solid performance to handle all required software and multitasking. Portability is also key when you’re rushing between the classroom, lab, library, and clinic on a packed schedule.
I’ve researched the latest laptop models to pick the 5 best options for nursing students in 2024. I focused on critical features like battery runtimes over 12 hours, anti-glare displays, lightweight designs under 3 pounds, and enough processing power and RAM to avoid slowdowns, even when you’ve got 20 browser tabs open.
Of course, budget was also an important factor. Nursing school is expensive enough without dropping $2,000+ on a laptop. I made sure to include excellent budget and mid-range picks for under $1,000.
No matter your needs and budget, you’ll find a great nursing laptop pick below!
Quick Picks: Best Laptops for Nursing Students
- Best Overall: Acer Swift Go
- Best Apple Option: MacBook Air (2023)
- Most Portable: Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro
- Best Budget Choice: HP Notebook 15
- Best 2-in-1 Convertible: Acer Spin 5
Best Overall: Acer Swift Go
With its thin, premium design, over 12 hours of battery life, and powerful performance, the Acer Swift Go is a fantastic all-around laptop for nursing students.
Despite its slim 0.63-inch thick chassis, the Swift Go still manages to pack an Intel Core i7 Evo processor and 16GB of RAM. That’s plenty of processing power and multitasking speed for intensive nursing workloads. The laptop ships with Windows 11 and has a speedy 512GB SSD.
The 14-inch touch display hits all the right notes for nursing school use. Its 1920 x 1200 resolution is sharp without being overkill. And it has a taller 16:10 aspect ratio that fits more content vertically compared to widescreen displays. The panel covers 100% of the sRGB color gamut and reaches an excellent 450 nits max brightness. Colors are vivid, images are crisp, and you won’t have any issues seeing the screen in bright clinical settings.
Finally, the backlit keyboard is comfortable with plenty of travel, the Precision Touchpad is highly responsive, and the magnesium alloy chassis gives it a durable, premium feel that still weighs under 3 pounds.
Pros:
- 12+ hour battery life
- Intel Core i7 Evo processor and 16GB RAM
- 512GB SSD
- 14” 1920 x 1200 100% sRGB touch display (16:10 aspect ratio)
- Durable, premium design still under 3 lbs
- Comfortable backlit keyboard with fingerprint reader
Cons:
- No discrete graphics card option
- Limited selection of ports (2 x Thunderbolt 4, 1 x USB-A, headphone jack)
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Best Apple Option: MacBook Air (2023)
Apple’s beloved MacBook Air got some nice upgrades for the new 2023 edition. Most importantly, it now comes equipped with Apple’s latest M2 chip. Performance is excellent, on par with a Core i7, and still delivers incredible 18+ hour battery life.
The new Liquid Retina display stretches the screen from 13.3 to 15 inches while keeping nearly the same footprint. And the 1080p webcam has been upgraded from the embarrassingly bad 720p module in previous models.
MagSafe charging returns for easy cable connections that detach gently without dragging your laptop off the table. For connectivity, you get two Thunderbolt USB-C ports for power delivery, external displays, and high-speed data transfers.
The slim wedge-shaped aluminum chassis is as sleek as ever at just 0.44 inches thick and 2.7 pounds. Despite the larger screen, it’s still extremely portable. The excellent Magic Keyboard and huge Force Touch trackpad complement the portable design.
Pros:
- Incredibly thin and light (0.44 inches thick, 2.7 lbs)
- 15-inch Liquid Retina display with slim bezels
- M2 chip provides excellent performance
- 1080p webcam with image processing engine
- MagSafe charging connector
Cons:
- Limited to just two USB-C/Thunderbolt ports
- Higher starting price than competitors
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Most Portable: Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro
The Galaxy Book2 Pro packs a bright 13.3-inch AMOLED display into an impossibly thin and shockingly light chassis at just 0.45 inches thick and 2.3 pounds.
Yet it still delivers excellent performance from its 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB of memory. Battery life is equally impressive with over 21 hours of video playback on a charge. The 1080p webcam captures sharp video, and Dolby Atmos speakers provide rich audio.
While those specs make it an awesome traditional laptop, the Book2 Pro has a trick up its sleeve. Its touchscreen can rotate 360 degrees into tablet mode, convert into tent mode for cramped spaces like airplanes, or fold flat for presentations. It also supports Samsung’s S Pen for precise pressure-sensitive input with a stylus.
Pros:
- Extremely thin profile at 0.45 inches
- Incredibly lightweight at just 2.3 lbs
- Bright 13.3” 1080p AMOLED touch display
- 21+ hours battery life
- Built-in S Pen slot and Wacom stylus support
Cons:
- Limited to 2 USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports
- Higher starting price
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Best Budget Choice: HP Notebook 15
If money is tight, the HP Notebook 15 offers solid performance and a nice 15.6-inch screen at an affordable price point.
The Intel Pentium Silver N5030 quad-core chip and 16GB of RAM provide enough power for web browsing, document editing, emails, video calls and basic multitasking. Storage is speedy with a 512GB PCIe SSD.
The 15.6-inch 1366 x 768 display looks decent with accurate colors. While the resolution isn’t as sharp as a 1080p screen, text and images are perfectly usable. The anti-glare coating helps reduce eyestrain.
With its DVD drive and built-in numeric keypad, the Notebook 15 offers a few bonuses you rarely find in budget laptops nowadays. It weighs 4.1 pounds, which is somewhat heavy but expected given the large screen and budget components.
For ports, you get two fast USB 3.2 Type-A ports, one USB-C 3.2, HDMI, Ethernet, headphone jack and the DVD drive. That USB-C port lets you connect modern peripherals and delivers charging.
Pros:
- Very affordable price
- Respectable performance for basic tasks
- Large 15.6-inch anti-glare display
- Numeric keypad and DVD drive still included
Cons:
- Weighs 4.1 pounds
- 1366 x 768 screen resolution isn’t very sharp
- No biometrics like fingerprint reader
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Best 2-in-1 Convertible: Acer Spin 5
If you’d like the flexibility of a tablet for notetaking or touchscreen operation for certain apps, the Acer Spin 5 is an excellent convertible choice. Its 360-degree hinges allow you to rotate the screen into tablet, tent or stand modes.
It matches the Swift Go with a bright 14-inch touch display covering 100% of sRGB at a sharp 2K (2560 x 1600 pixel) resolution. The 16:10 screen ratio fits even more content vertically like textbook pages and articles. And it supports precise input with an Acer Active Stylus.
Inside you’ll find a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD powering Windows 11. That’s plenty of performance for intensive nursing workloads. The battery lasts over 15 hours for all-day use.
At 3.3 pounds, it strikes a nice balance between performance and portability. You can comfortably carry it around campus or the hospital floor.
Pros:
- 14” 2K 16:10 touchscreen with Acer Active Stylus
- Full 360-degree convertible design
- 12th Gen Core i7 processor and 16GB RAM
- Over 15-hour battery life
- Weighs 3.3 pounds
Cons:
- No discrete graphics card option
- Smaller 52Wh battery than some competitors
Check Price on Amazon
What to Look for in a Nursing School Laptop
Here are the most vital factors I considered when picking the best laptops for nursing students:
Portability
Look for thinner, lighter laptops if your role involves frequent transport like clinical rotations or moving between campus buildings for classes. Prioritize battery life over 12 hours so you aren’t tethered to wall outlets.
Display Quality
Comfortable viewing is crucial when you spend hours daily reading articles, studying textbooks, analyzing patient data and writing reports. Seek out anti-glare panels with 1080p or 2K resolutions, brightness over 300 nits, and 100% sRGB color gamut coverage.
Performance
While you don’t need cutting edge specs for gaming or video editing, make sure to get a recent Intel Core i5 or i7 CPU and at least 8GB of RAM that can smoothly handle dozens of browser tabs, productivity apps, videos and multitasking.
Budget
Find the right balance between price and meeting the above criteria. My budget pick runs under $500, while the mid-range options land between $700 and $1,000 with better displays, battery life and processors.
Using a Laptop in Nursing School
If you’re used to a desktop PC, be prepared for both advantages and compromises transitioning to a portable laptop.
The smaller size results in a keyboard and trackpad that take some adjustments compared to full-sized external options. But this shrinkage comes with the huge benefit of having your entire computer easily carried in a small backpack or messenger bag.
The limited space also means less room for processing power and graphics performance compared to most desktops. But modern laptops continue closing this gap exponentially, especially for non-gaming needs. The SSD flash storage most laptops use nowadays also keep them feeling incredibly responsive despite CPU differences.
Bottom line – with some minor ergonomic adjustments, andperformance tradeoffs, laptops grant you computing power wherever your education takes you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions students have about choosing a nursing school laptop:
Are Chromebooks good for nursing students?
Chromebooks are affordable and offer long battery life. But their limited offline functionality makes them hard to recommend for nursing school unless specifically permitted by your program.
Can you upgrade a laptop’s storage or RAM later on?
Some laptops allow you to upgrade components by adding more RAM or swapping the SSD. But many ultraportables solder parts right onto the motherboard, preventing post-purchase upgrades.
What display size laptop is best?
14 to 15.6-inches are ideal sizes. Large enough for comfortable viewing without being overly huge and heavy.
Should I get a touchscreen model?
Only if you specifically want finger or stylus input. Otherwise a traditional display works great.
What about Mac laptops?
MacBooks like the Air and Pro are excellent portable options with incredible battery life if you prefer macOS over Windows, unless incompatible with required nursing software.
How long should the battery last?
Aim for at least 8 to 10 hours of actual usage time so you can make it through long days of classes or shifts before needing to charge.
Do I need specific laptop requirements or specs?
Check with your nursing program, as some want modern processors, RAM amounts, webcam presence, etc. to match lecture software or exam proctoring apps.
Summary
Investing in the right laptop makes life much easier as a busy nursing student constantly in transit across campus and clinical sites. After extensive evaluation, I believe the Acer Swift Go stands above the rest thanks to its premium yet portable build, over 12 hours of battery runtime, vibrant 16:10 display, and powerful Core i7 Evo performance.
Of course, everyone‘s needs and budgets differ. The MacBook Air, Galaxy Book2 Pro, Notebook 15 and Spin 5 all offer excellent alternatives focused on Apple OS, weight, affordability or convertible design. Any of these nursing laptop recommendations will serve you well from lectures and simulations through clinical rotations and exams!
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