Back-to-school season is a great time to buy new laptops. You can find great deals on many models this fall, including the Asus ZenBook 13 and Alienware X17 R2. We also cover the HP Elite Dragonfly G3 and the Dell XPS 13 Plus. But which one is the best laptop for college students? Read on to find out which one is best for you! And don’t forget to check out our reviews!
Asus ZenBook 13
The Asus ZenBook 13 laptop is an entry-level device that has a thin, lightweight design. It comes with a 13.3-inch IPS screen and weighs 2.36 pounds. It also offers two USB-C ports and a traditional USB-A port, as well as an HDMI audio/video connector and a microSD card slot. One negative is that it lacks a headphone jack. However, Asus offers a USB-C adapter for standard audio cables.
A backlit keyboard makes typing on the ZenBook 13 an absolute delight. The keyboard is a work of art – designed to provide the optimum typing experience with just the right amount of key travel. The keyboard also has dedicated hotkeys that allow users to perform tasks such as capturing screen grabs and locking the system. Ultimately, the ZenBook 13 has a strong, solid construction. It isn’t as lightweight as the competitors, but it doesn’t feel cheap, either. Fortunately, it’s built to last.
The ZenBook 13 is fast enough to play most games on low settings. Its internal Intel GPU performs 4% better than the average G7, and it is faster than the MacBook Air in The Witcher 3. It also outperforms the Apple MacBook Air in Cinebench R15, a benchmark that stresses the CPU. You can expect to pay for the lower score, but the ZenBook 13 is certainly a viable option.
The Asus ZenBook 13 laptop is attractive to look at. Its aluminum chassis is brushed metal, while the Asus logo is stamped off-center on the front. The brushed metal lid does not collect fingerprints like the ZenBook Flip S does. You can purchase the ZenBook 13 in Lilac Mist if you like this shade. You can also choose a color other than the black or white variant. There’s also a version with an integrated webcam.
Alienware X17 R2
The Alienware X17 R2 laptop comes with a 17.3-inch Full HD or Quad HD display with 360-Hz refresh rate. The GPU is an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti with 16GB of GDDR6 memory. It also has a 12th-generation Intel Core i7 or i9 processor. It boots into Windows 11 Home straight out of the box.
As a professional laptop, the Alienware x17 comes with an Intel Core i7-12700H 14-core processor. It is equipped with a 360 Hz refresh rate and has a 1 millisecond response time. The Alienware x17 R2 also lacks a fingerprint scanner. The Alienware x17 R2 is built with top-of-the-range internals. Its processor is a 12th-generation Intel Core i7-12700H, which has 14 cores and a turbo boost speed of 4.7GHz.
While the Alienware X17 R2 has a relatively high price, it is definitely one of the more powerful laptops available today. Its price starts at $2,499 for the Core i7 12th-gen with 32GB of RAM. You can also purchase the Alienware X17 R2 with a Core i9 12th-generation processor for $4,099.
The Alienware X17 R2 is a bigger gaming laptop, but still retains a bigger display and keyboard. Its slim design is also ideal for playing games, thanks to its FHD matte and touch screen display. It features a Nvidia GeForce 900 Series graphics card and a port for graphics amplifier. It’s a great option for gamers who need a laptop with cutting-edge features.
The Alienware X17 R2 is a laptop that runs Windows 11 Home. It comes with a 17.3-inch display and offers a full-HD or UHD 165Hz refresh rate. The display also features Nvidia G-Sync display technology and a 12th-generation Intel Core i7 or i9 processor. Up to 32GB of RAM and 4TB SSD storage are also available.
HP Elite Dragonfly G3
The HP Elite Dragonfly G3 is a budget-friendly 13.5-inch clamshell laptop with 12th-generation Intel processors. It also boasts Audio by Bang & Olufsen, with four individual amps to provide crystal-clear audio. The HP Elite Dragonfly G3 has the option of a Windows Hello fingerprint reader and IR camera, and an integrated touch screen, so you can use it without removing your eyes from the screen.
Powered by a 12th-generation Intel Core processor, the HP Elite Dragonfly G3 is also designed for mobile users. The laptop can handle up to 4G LTE mobile internet connections. It also features an as-yet-unidentified 135-mm f/2.0 camera with an auto-frame feature. It also comes with an optional wireless charging pen. The Elite Dragonfly G3 is also built with up to 32GB of RAM and up to 2TB of M.2-based PCIe NVMe SSD storage.
The HP Elite Dragonfly G3 features Windows 11, and is available in Slate Blue or Natural Silver. It has a 13.5-inch screen and 3:2 aspect ratio. It is designed for users who work remotely. It is equipped with a camera for video conferencing. It can also connect with other devices via Bluetooth. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano 2e generatie laptop also supports video conferencing.
The HP Elite Dragonfly G3 weighs less than a kilogram and has a 13.5-inch display with a 3:2 aspect ratio. It has Intel 12th-generation processors and a Bang & Olufsen audio system. It also offers intelligent charging and HP Wolf Security for business. With a price starting at $1,999, the HP Elite Dragonfly G3 is an excellent budget laptop for any user.
Dell XPS 13 Plus
Dell has updated its XPS 13 Plus laptop line with a refreshed design and new hardware. The keyboard has been redesigned with capacitive touch buttons that extend to the outer edges of the chassis. Its touchpad has been integrated into the chassis, so you can press it and experience haptic feedback. The keyboard also features larger keys and a radically minimalist design. The Dell XPS 13 Plus also offers a new and improved touchpad.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is currently only available from the manufacturer’s website, but third-party retailers should join the race soon. The price is right at $1,299, and you can even get it with Ubuntu instead of Windows – if you’re a fan of open source software. The laptop has a fingerprint scanner to protect your identity. The Dell XPS 13 Plus laptop offers fast internet connectivity with Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 for seamless audio playback.
There are several different configurations available for the Dell XPS 13 Plus, including a 4K display option. However, the company did not provide pricing information for the other configurations. The XPS 13 Plus also has a 3.5K display with a Gorilla Glass 7 covering and 100 percent DCI-P3 color gamut coverage. The display is quite bright, with a contrast of 299:1 for the most vivid colors. Its curved, zero-lattice keyboard is one of the most comfortable features in a laptop.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus features an aluminum-clad body with a glass palm rest. Its screen is 11.6″ wide and 7.8″ deep. It has a 720p webcam and fingerprint sensor built into the power button, as well as dual microphones. The laptop features a 55-watt-hour battery and supports Bluetooth 5.2 and WiFi 6E. It also offers two Thunderbolt 4 ports and includes a USB-C-to-A adapter. The Dell XPS 13 Plus is designed to be a powerful workstation and a great value for the price.
MSI Creator Z17
If you’re in the market for a new laptop, you may want to consider the MSI Creator Z17 laptop. This device’s fast CPU and GPU make it a great choice for gamers. And with an attractive design and comfortable, if somewhat small, keyboard, you’re sure to find one you’ll enjoy using. The touchpad is excellent too, with RGB lighting that makes the experience even more pleasant.
The Creator Z17 is one of the thinnest laptops available today. It features a 14-core Core i9-12900H CPU and a GeForce RTX 3080 Ti graphics card. It’s only 0.75-inches thick and has a footprint of 14×10 inches. There’s no optical drive, but a 3.5-inch audio port and a SD card reader give you enough flexibility.
The Creator Z17 comes in three configurations, each with their own set of strengths. The base configuration starts at $3250 and includes a Core i7-12700H and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD. A more powerful, 2TB model will cost $4600, and comes with a RTX 3080 Ti graphics card. The high-end configuration, however, boasts a Core i9-12900H processor and a 2TB SSD. Both models come with plenty of RAM, but lag is a big problem, especially in its most powerful configuration.
The MSI Creator Z17 laptop is a solidly-built machine that uses the latest components. Its keyboard has RGB backlighting per-key and a large, spacious keycap. However, its keyboard isn’t as impressive as the ones in other Windows machines, and it isn’t as responsive as those on MacBooks. Nonetheless, it’s a great choice for creative pros. If you’re in the market for a new laptop, it’s well worth a look.