You do not need to spend a fortune to buy a laptop to follow your Economics curriculum. All you need is a device that will allow you to read the documents, browse the internet for research, draw some graphics, make a few charts, and prepare some reports.
TOP PICKS:
In This Article
Minimum & Recommended System Requirements for Economics Students
For the basic tasks, the students of economics must have a PC with some minimum system requirement like an Intel Core i3 or an equivalent AMD processor, 4 GB of RAM and 256 GB of SSD storage, a good and efficient integrated graphics card and a 12-inch screen with a decent resolution.
Depending on the type of usage and needs for studying economics, the requirements of the laptop’s specs will vary.
If you are into more advanced computing and need to use complex and classified software and apps, then it is good to have a laptop with the recommended system requirements.
Minimum System Requirements: 8th gen Intel Core i5-8300H | 8GB DDR4 SDRAM | 256 GB M.2 NVMe SSD | Intel UHD Graphics 620 | 14 inches screen | 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution.
Recommended System Requirements: 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8550U or better processor | 16GB DDR SDRAM or more | 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD and 1TB HDD or more storage | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 or better GPU | 16 inches screen or bigger screen | 1920 x 1200 pixels resolution or higher resolution.
5 Best Laptops for Economics Students:
1. Lenovo ThinkPad E580 – Best Overall
Bottom Line: Considering all the specs and features of this laptop, this is the best overall system for the Economics students. The Intel i7 processor will be able to handle all given data and process them fast and most accurately. The fingerprint reader and durable keyboard adds to the safety and convenience.
Key Features
- Screen: 15.6 inches
- Storage: 512 GB SATA SSD
- RAM: 16 GB DDR SDRAM
- Processor: 8th generation Intel Core i7 8550U
- OS: Windows 10 Professional
- GPU: Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620
Pros
- There is a fingerprint reader.
- The separate numeric keypad ensures faster data entry.
- The screen comes with an anti-glare feature.
Cons
- The touchpad needs some improvement.
- There is no optical drive.
- The graphics card is not dedicated.
This is another laptop for the Economics students that offers reliable performance. The 8th generation Intel Core i78550U comes with four cores, 8 MB cache and an operational speed ranging between 1.8 GHz and 4.0GHz.
Though the graphics card is integrated, it supports high end games. Lenovo ThinkPad E580 is also good enough to handle all the needs of your Economics curriculum.
The full HD 15.6-inch screen comes with matte finish and anti-glare property to deliver images on this IPS panel that are softer to the eyes.
The RAM and SATA SSD storage provides adequate support to deliver a better user experience. The useful features of the Windows 10 Professional operating system will enable you to make the most out of it.
The fingerprint reader and d-TPM 2.0 chip integrated in the system assures optimal security to your data and safer login. The keyboard is just like any standard notebook but is good enough to type on.
The built-in 720p HD webcam is good enough but the speakers need some serious improvement.
The system supports Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11ac Wi-Fi network and Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity.
The ports of this system include one USB 2.0 Type A port, two USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type A ports, one USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type port, one HDMI 1.4 port, and a 3.5 mm audio jack.
2. Acer Travelmate P4 Laptop – Runner Up
Bottom Line: It is an excellent choice for economics students. With its fast processing speed, ample storage, and sleek design, it can handle all your academic needs. Whether you’re running data analysis or typing up papers, this laptop can be your great assistant and is occupied the runner-up position of our list.
Key Features:
- Screen: 14 inches
- Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD
- RAM: 8GB DDR4 SDRAM
- Processor: Intel Core i5-1135G7
- OS: Windows 10 Professional
- GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Pros
- USB Type C port with good transfer speed
- A lightweight device
- Battery backup is extremely good
Cons
- The installed webcam is not so good.
- Very basic outfit
- Don’t have a full-size keyboard
Economics students require a powerful and reliable laptop to meet the demands of their coursework.
This laptop is an ideal choice for economics students as it offers an impressive combination of speed, storage, and functionality.
Its processor and RAM help the PC to quickly and efficiently analyze data while the SSD helps in transferring files faster.
The laptop’s slim design and long battery life make it easy to take with you to class or the library, and the high-quality display ensures that all data is presented clearly and accurately.
With its solid performance and durability, this laptop is sure to serve economics students well throughout their academic careers.
3. ASUS VivoBook 16X Laptop – Feature Loaded Laptop
Bottom Line: With a high-quality display, solid performance, and useful features this laptop can meet all the demands of any economics student. Its powerful processor and fast storage, slim design, and long battery life make it an easily portable device.
Key Features:
- Screen: 16 inches
- Storage: 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD
- RAM: 16GB DDR4 SDRAM
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 5600H
- OS: Windows 11 Home
- GPU: AMD Radeon Vega 7
Pros
- Fast and smooth multitasking.
- Updated operating system
- Inbuilt fingerprint reader
Cons
- The audio quality is not so good
- The webcam has a low-resolution
- No touchscreen panel
The ASUS VivoBook 16X Laptop that comes with Ryzen 5 is a fantastic choice for economics students who require a reliable and efficient device for their studies.
The Ryzen 5 processor and 16GB of RAM provide enough power for complex data analysis tasks, while the 512GB updated SSD provides ample storage for all necessary files and documents.
The laptop’s 16-inch Full HD display offers a clear and vibrant image. The slim design and excellent battery life make it an easily portable device.
Overall, the ASUS VivoBook laptop is an excellent investment for any economics student who seek a reliable, powerful, and efficient laptop for their academic needs.
4. HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop – Value for Money
Bottom Line: The Economics students will also find this laptop to be very useful for their academic needs and provide a high value for money. Within their reach they will get an Intel i5 processor, full-size backlit keyboard, a dedicated graphics card, a lot of storage and more.
Key Features
- Screen: 15.6 inches
- Storage: 1TB HDD
- RAM: 8 GB DDR4 SDRAM
- Processor: 8th generation Intel Core i5 8300H
- OS: Windows 10
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050
Pros
- The keyboard is backlit.
- There is a separate numeric keypad.
- The storage capacity is huge.
Cons
- There is no optical drive in the system.
- The battery life could have been better.
- The off-center location of the touchpad.
Here is a robust gaming laptop for Economics students on a budget. The specs of this model will support graphics-intensive computing tasks.
It is equipped with a powerful 8th generation processor. This Intel Core i5 processor provides adequate power and support to the 8 GB DDR4 memory and the 7200-rpm HDD.
The RAM allows you to work on several browser tabs and applications at the same time without affecting its performance. The HDD provides a lot of storage space.
The dedicated Nvidia GTX graphics card is also powerful enough to deliver images seamlessly at a faster rate and with better color reproduction.
The display of the Pavilion offers full HD resolution and the IPS panel comes with anti-glare technology.
It ensures you stare on the screen for a long time, even outdoors, without feeling any strain to the eyes. The content is readable even from a wider viewing angle.
However, this potent machine has somewhat poor battery life which is due to the ‘H’ factor of the processor and the dedicated graphics card. Both of these are known to consume more power.
5. LG Gram 15Z90N – Long Battery Life
Bottom Line: This laptop is light in weight and has all the necessary specs for the Economics students. Most importantly, it comes with a long battery life of up to 17 hours in spite of having a touchscreen. It is a durable and secure device for work and study.
Key Features
- Screen: 15.6 inches
- Storage: 256 GB M.2 NMVe SSD
- RAM: 8 GB DDR4 SDRAM
- Processor: 10th generation Intel Core i7 1065G7
- OS: Windows 10 Home
- GPU: Integrated Intel Iris Plus graphics
Pros
- This system is pretty light in weight.
- The battery life is long.
- The keyboard is backlit and comes with a separate number pad.
Cons
- There is no optical drive.
- The graphics card is integrated.
- The speaker location is not right.
If you are in search of a laptop with an extended battery life and is light in weight at the same time, go for LG Gram 15Z90N. In spite of its lightweight, the battery life of it is exceptionally long.
Therefore, in terms of power and portability this machine is just the right one for the Economics students.
The backlit keyboard allows comfortable typing and the numeric keypad ensures faster and easier data entry. The touchpad will add to your navigating convenience, even in darker settings.
The 10th generation Intel core i7 processor is just right for the job and provides the best support to keep its computational and graphics performance high, in spite of the integrated Intel Iris Plus graphics.
The full HD touchscreen display will also add to your navigational comfort apart from displaying stunning pictures.
There are lots of ports in this system including a Thunderbolt 3 port that supports multiple functionalities.
The military grade durability makes this light and slim laptop easy to carry and work on any given setting.
The fingerprint reader adds to the security aspect which also allows faster login without needing to enter the password every time.
How to Select Best Laptop for Economics Student?
As an Economics student, there are a lot of things that you should consider while buying a laptop.
Ideally, for a student, a laptop that is portable and light is most suitable. It will not add much to the weight of the backpack with all those textbooks inside it. However, a thin and light laptop may not have the desired specs.
The laptop should allow you to store all your projects, run R scripts and different software, come with a solid battery life, and offer a good internet connection.
There are lots of questions to answer and things to consider for an Economics student to buy a laptop.
For example, which software and operating system you need and are familiar with and which screen size do you prefer. Also, consider whether you want to play high end games on it.
It may sound simple but you may have no idea where to start. If you do not want to compromise on the performance and productivity, but still want the best laptop for Economics students, here are a few important factors that you should look for.
Meet the IT Department
For all students, and Economics students are no exception, the search for a laptop should start from the school premises itself.
To be precise, you should meet with the IT department first.
This is an important step to follow. Almost all schools and colleges now have specific rules, regulations, and requirements for their students to follow when it comes to using a laptop within the school premises and classrooms.
This is done to keep the IT department, the service and maintenance department, the computer labs, and the students, all on the same page.
They may want Windows, Mac or Chrome operating systems to be installed in all the systems, irrespective of your preference, familiarity, or convenience.
They may also have specific needs for processors, RAMs, other hardware specs, and even the model.
You must follow it to the last word to avoid disciplinary actions due to violations. Therefore, shop accordingly.
Processor
If you are allowed to shop as per your liking by your college and do not want to buy any of the laptop brands mentioned above, start by looking for the type of processor the device comes with. This will depend on the usage.
You will be well off with an Intel Core i3 processor or even with a mid-range AMD Ryzen processor within your budget, if your job is restricted to working on a few specific documents or browsing the web.
However, if your job involves high-end computing, you will need a more robust and powerful processor, say an Intel Core i5 processor at least for instance.
Ideally, an Economics student should always go for a processor with two cores at least, a reasonably good clock speed range, and belonging to the 7th generation at least. This will make your laptop future-proof.
As for the i7 or i9 processors, you should avoid them unless you are into extremely complex and intensive jobs or rigorous gaming.
Keep in mind that the Core i7 processors will consume a lot of power and will also cost you much more.
RAM
You will need a fair amount of RAM, preferably not less than 8 GB, in your laptop, even if your jobs currently are limited to the fundamentals of Economics curriculum.
This will help you in multitasking with several documents and multiple browser tabs open at the same time. This is very common for economics students.
The memory of the device also plays a significant role in allowing the CPU to extract the files stored in it, though temporarily.
Larger RAM amount means larger number of files stored and quicker extraction of them by the processor as and when required.
It is for this reason a higher cache memory is also required in the processor as it is far more accessible as compared to the RAM.
Finding a laptop with 8 GB of RAM is not a big deal anymore because nowadays most of the devices come with it since it is not costly.
However, make sure that the system design allows upgrading it to 16 or 32 GB if you intend to use it for gaming or other rigorous tasks down the road.
Remember, most of those slim and compact laptops out there in the market do not come with this feature.
Display
A good display will ensure that you can view and read the content on it clearly. You may choose a laptop that has an IPS panel as well as delivers images at a higher resolution.
The IPS or In Plane Switching technology of the display will provide a broader viewing angle. It will also have far better color accuracy in comparison to a TN or Twisted Nematic panel.
In addition to that, if you intend to use the laptop outdoors or in rooms with bright lighting, you will be better off with an anti-glare feature and matte display. This will minimize reflections on the screen.
It will ensure that the images are softer to your eyes. It will therefore eliminate the chances of causing strain to your eyes even if you stare at it for a long period.
As for the resolution of the screen, a full HD resolution at 1920 x 1080 pixels is quite good for an Economics student.
Anything above that is recommended, if you can afford it. However, anything below full HD should be preferably avoided as that will be not good for reading.
The size of the display is also an important factor to consider to read and view clearly. Normally, anything between 14 and 15 inches is good enough.
A larger size than that will add to the weight, and since portability is important, it should be avoided.
A screen with narrow bezel is also preferred because that will provide a larger body to screen ratio or real estate. It will also keep the weight of the laptop significantly down on the whole.
You may opt for a touchscreen laptop, if you can afford it. It is more popular among the students as it allows them to take notes, sketch and draw on it directly.
It saves time and hassles of using the in-built mouse and keyboard. Just make sure that it is convertible or else you will not be able to make the most out of it.
There is a catch here. A laptop with high resolution and a touchscreen will consume more battery life as compared to any standard laptop.
Storage
This is a factor that will depend on the needs mainly. If you want to store a very large number of images, files, folders, music, games, movies, or videos then you will need a bigger storage to the tune of 1 TB or 2 TB.
However, for Economics students, it is more than enough to have 256 GB storage in their laptop as it will be able to store thousands of your project files and documents.
It is very essential to keep in mind that you should always go with a Solid-State Drive or an SSD rather than a hard disk drive, though it is a bit more expensive than the conventional HDDs.
This is because an SSD storage will offer much faster performance and reduce booting time than the HDDs. It will also be less prone to failures and will not generate much heat as well as be quieter during the operation.
However, choosing a laptop with a larger SSD will be costly. The best solution is to choose a laptop that comes with a hybrid storage of lower capacity SSD and a higher capacity HDD. It will offer both storage space and speed, at a much lower price.
Alternatively, you can go with a laptop with a low SSD but supports using an external hard drive and/or cloud storage.
Graphics card
You will not need a costly dedicated graphics card in your laptop to study Economics. An integrated graphics memory of Intel is good enough, provided you do not play games on it.
However, if you still want to go for a dedicated variant, stick to the entry-level graphics card. This will be good enough to reduce the workload from the processor during operation.
You can go for an Nvidia or AMD graphics card because both are equally good in the dedicated graphics card circuit.
Battery life
This is another thing apart from portability that almost every student wants to be high.
Ideally, a battery life ranging between 7 to 8 hours is good enough for an Economics student to work on the system all day on a single charge.
However, there are several factors of the device itself which will depend how much power you will get and for how long.
For example, an Intel U or Y product line processor will consume much less battery than any other type of CPUs.
The quality of the display will also define the battery life. A touchscreen and a 4K display will use up more power, just like a dedicated graphics card.
All compact, ultra-thin, and lightweight laptops will come with low battery life. This is because there is not enough room to fit in a larger battery, and you cannot upgrade it.
However, there are exceptions, but they do not make the rule or nullify the facts. And, these are often costlier.
Keyboard
Since you will be typing a lot and punching in a lot of numbers to make your projects and reports as an Economics student, it is good to have a keyboard that is solid and comes with a decent key travel, feel and a separate numeric keypad.
It is also good to have a backlit keyboard to allow typing easily in dimly lit situations.
Having an integrated fingerprint scanner is also good to ensure security and a faster login.
A large, responsive, and good touchpad with proper protection and gesture support will also add to your productivity.
Questions & Answers:
Should you prefer a 2-in-1 form factor over best specs in laptops for Economics students?
It all depends on your personal preference and budget. For some, best specs and battery life may be important and for some design and form factor may be crucial. A 2-in-1 form factor will only help in taking notes and editing, if it is a touchscreen, but then it will certainly add to the price.
Can you opt for a gaming laptop to study Economics even if you are not an ardent gamer?
Yes, you can, if your sole intention is to have a better performance. All gaming laptops come heavily equipped with solid specs. You can throw anything at it from your curriculum. However, if you want design value, or do not have the dough to pay for it, a gaming laptop is certainly not meant for you.
Is it possible to opt for a feature-rich yet bulky laptop for Economics students?
Ideally, that is one trade-off that you should decide, provided you have the strength to carry the bulk. Usually, feature-rich laptops are a bit heavy to carry but you will gain in terms of performance. It is economical that way in the long run as you do not know what interest you may develop down the road.