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Studying IT is more than just writing code. You’re running virtual machines, pushing Git commits, testing networks, and troubleshooting systems — all while carrying your gear around campus. A slow or clunky laptop will bottleneck your whole workflow.
You need something that’s portable, powerful, and actually built for the job. These five machines are the best laptops for IT students in 2025 — each one tested and picked for speed, comfort, battery life, and the ability to keep up with both school and side projects.
Best Laptop for IT Students Overall
ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12
This is the one that never lets you down. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 nails the balance of power, portability, and comfort — especially for those spending long hours coding or documenting lab work.
If you’re looking for the best Windows laptop for programming, this is it. You get a rock-solid keyboard, a bright anti-glare display, and enough performance to smoothly handle VS Code, terminal sessions, and even the occasional remote Linux VM.
For students focused on back-end dev, cybersecurity, or systems work, this is also one of the best laptops for coding in college that won’t choke under pressure.
Best OLED Laptop for Programming and Design
ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED
The Zenbook 14 OLED is sleek, fast, and ideal for IT majors leaning toward front-end, UI/UX, or anything visual-heavy. The OLED screen is bright, sharp, and honestly a lifesaver during late-night projects or long design reviews.
At under $1500, this is easily one of the best laptops for IT students under $1500, and it doesn’t cut corners. Battery life holds up, the keyboard is clean, and it runs cool even with multiple dev tools open.
Best MacBook for IT Majors
MacBook Pro M4
For those deep into development, this is a no-brainer. The MacBook Pro M4 crushes workloads across Xcode, Docker, VS Code, and cloud platforms. The M4 chip gives you ridiculous speed and battery life, even when multitasking hard.
It’s a strong pick for iOS dev, web dev, or even system-level programming, and easily ranks among the best laptops for coding in college if you’re on team macOS. The Retina display makes long hours easier, and it’s whisper-quiet under pressure.
Best Laptop for Running Virtual Machines
Dell XPS 15
The XPS 15 is for IT students who treat their laptop like a desktop. If you’re in classes that require running multiple VMs, handling server emulations, or doing complex sysadmin work, this is the best laptop for running virtual machines without stuttering.
With an Intel i7 or i9 CPU, 32GB+ RAM options, and dedicated graphics, it eats up multitasking and heavy lab environments. The 3.5K OLED screen also gives you tons of space for split-screen setups and terminal multitabs.
Best AI-Ready Laptop For Tech Students
Microsoft Surface Laptop Copilot+
For students juggling papers, code, and class notes, the Surface Laptop Copilot+ brings AI into the mix. With built-in Windows 11 Copilot tools, it helps summarize articles, clean up code, or even rewrite project descriptions — all in seconds.
At under $1500 depending on config, it’s also one of the best laptops for IT students under $1500 — especially those working cloud-first or doing most of their development in web-based environments.
It’s light, silent, and perfect for IT students who want speed without bulk, and tools that actually speed things up.
Final Thoughts: What’s the Best Laptop for IT Students?
If you’re looking for the best Windows laptop for programming with a keyboard that just makes sense, grab the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12. Want vivid visuals for UI work and a price under $1500? The ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED gets it done.
Mac user doing heavy dev? The MacBook Pro M4 will last you through college and beyond. Need serious power and VM flexibility?
The Dell XPS 15 is the best laptop for running virtual machines in your lab-heavy classes. And if you’re looking for built-in AI help and sleek portability, the Surface Laptop Copilot+ fits the modern IT workflow.
Pick based on what tools you use, how you code, and how much you need to carry. Then get back to building cool stuff.
Edited by TannerT, 07 April 2025 - 06:32 PM.
