Today teaching methods have become so widespread that learning new things is already accessible to a large group of people. Hence online teaching has brought that change to the sphere. Teachers use different platforms and software for online teaching and having the best laptops is a necessary part of this process.
Here we will review the best laptop for online teaching and you can easily understand which one is appropriate and necessary for you.
Many techno companies offer innovative, advanced, and affordable laptops that can facilitate the learning process. Though there is a wide range of choices, it is still difficult to find the best, most affordable, and quality products. That’s why you should thoroughly consider your needs and wants beforehand.
But there are general points that you can consider while choosing your best laptop for online teaching.
A guide for buying an online teaching laptop
Screen size and dimensions
Especially during online teaching, it is crucial to have a good-sized laptop. You can see a great variety of size offerings in the market. There are small screen sizes as 10 inches and as big as 17.3 inches. We all like to have small and handy laptops and devices that you can take away with you.
But to be honest, when it comes to working with a small screen and keyboard it is not as comfortable and enjoyable as it is with larger sizes. For online teaching, you will need at least 15.6 inches screen size.
It will best serve you as you will see your documents, platforms, video more precisely and clearly. You can open several programs, files on your screen and work comfortably while talking, writing, and reading.
Webcam
Today nearly all laptops have built-in webcams. The difference lies in the quality. Having a high-quality webcam is an essential part of online teaching. Your students will necessarily want to have a clear and sharp image of you.
Eye contact, clear images of you are significant factors as students must feel as if they are in a real classroom. So choose an HD webcam and make sure it is built-in.
Storage
For teaching online 128 or 256 GB storage is quite normal. Anyway, if necessary, you can upgrade it to 512GB as some models allow. You can work comfortably with both variants. But remember SSD is better than HHD as it works faster. Laptops with SSD are higher in price but they run the computer and apps faster.
Ram
Most laptops come with 8GB RAM. For online teaching, you should at least have a laptop with a RAM of 4GB. Anyway, there are online teaching platforms that require you to have 8GB RAM.
Operating system
Your laptop operating system should be Windows 7, 10, 11, or Mac OS X. The higher the operating system, the bigger the availability of programs running for your laptop. For teaching online you will need access to different sites and software that require the latest operating system updates.
So consider buying Windows 10. Anyway, all modern laptops already come with Windows 10 Home or safe mode. You can use Mac or Chrome OS as well, but users complain that they don’t work with all online platforms.
Processor
Teaching online requires the fastest working laptops. You should feel the real vibe of the classroom. The processor or the CPU is the logic part of the laptop that manages the instructions that run the laptop. It is the most important part of the computer so its quality matters how your laptop works. The majority of laptops use either Intel or AMD CPU.
For online teaching consider buying at least Intel i3 or above processors.
Battery
This point depends on your needs. If you are a teacher who works on the way, you will need a laptop supporting a longer battery life. But this point will increase the price tag of your laptop. Also, if you are a teacher on the go, make sure you have a lightweight and portable laptop.
Connectivity
Most online teaching companies require teachers to have strong ethernet cable or LAN connections. And this is a strong requirement that you should have. So consider if your laptop has cable ports for that. This is for stability during online teaching to prevent bugs that can appear.
Touch screen
It is already considered an advantage to have a touch screen possibility. Though most people are used to mouse working, it is fun and comfy to work with a touch screen as you can edit and write on screen fast and impressively. Both teachers and students enjoy the process. Anyway, it is not a strong recommendation.
Price
Price also matters. To have the best buy, you need to consider and compare the same features of different models of laptops. So, if you find a laptop with the same features but with a lower price laptop, why not buy it?
While choosing your best laptop for online teaching, make a comparison table and write the key factors for each model, then compare prices. Not all good-quality laptops will cost you a fortune.
Of course, the best brands add extra money for their reliability, durability, and name and they are worth it. So, if you don’t save on money, at affordable prices too, you can buy your best laptop.
Acer Aspire 5, Intel Core i5-1135G7, 15.6″ Screen, 8GB DDR4, 256GB NVMe SSD
Acer Aspire 5 is one of the best choices that teachers can make when buying a laptop for online teaching. At its price, it offers great features that other laptops with higher prices have. This is because Acer tries to deliver quality yet affordable laptops and computers.
First of all, it is a very light and slim thin laptop (0.7″thin, weight is 4.19 lbs) which nowadays is a great priority as people tend to use laptops and devices that are portable, lightweight, and at the same time have lots of features. The same is about screen size, which is 15.6 inches.
This size is great for online teaching, it is not as small as 11 or 13 inches laptops are and not as big as 17 inches.
Acer Aspire 5 has a processor Intel Core i5-1135G7, which ensures great performance. The next goes to storage; 256GB storage is perfect for using the laptop during online classes. It will be enough to store your data, software, and necessary files. RAM is 8GB which is the minimum requirement for using the laptop for long periods.
It would have been better if it had higher RAM but you can upgrade this system memory up to 20 GB if you want.
The keyboard is quite comfortable to use, due to its backlighting you can use it in dark easily. On the mouse part, there is also a fingerprint reader. The battery can last up to 8 hours. The laptop can elevate up to 130 degrees. While elevating the laptop it lifts the inner part of the laptop creating an angle of 130 degrees.
This helps to cool the laptop at the same time having enjoyable typing. You can control the fan modes to have the options normal, silent, or performance.
Apple MacBook Air 13”, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage, Apple M1 chip
Apple is a leading company in tech and always introduces us with its innovative and stylish devices. The main feature of this 13 inch MacBook air is its longest battery life. It can work as long as 18 hours. This is a great priority for laptops of this kind.
The next powerful feature of this MacBook lies in its processor type. It is an Apple M1 chip with an 8-core CPU, which enables the fast performance of the device. And having 8GB RAM the speedy and fast performance is ensured. 256GB storage is quite perfect for installing the necessary apps and files that you will need during online teaching.
The next 13.3-inch Retina display gives us sharp, clear, and exact colors of the pictures and videos. Of course for online teaching, the 13.3-inch screen size may be a little small as for online teaching, we would need a bit larger screen for opening several websites and files side by side.
Nevertheless, its quality display provides clear and nice colors so it may compensate for that drawback.
Whole in all it is a very stylish, thin, very lightweight, and fast laptop with very long battery life. Anyway, users complain that Macbook doesn’t support some online teaching platforms, also, it doesn’t have an ethernet port as most teaching platforms insist on having ethernet. For that, you can buy an adapter.
Lenovo Yoga C740 2-in-1 Laptop 14″, Intel 4-Core i5-10210U, 8GB RAM, 512GB
This three-pound Lenovo Yoga C740 2-in-1 laptop is another alternative on our list. With its quality product, best features, and performance it can greatly serve you in your online classes. This laptop has a nice and stylish look and is rather impressive when folding and becoming a tablet (360-degree hinge).
The backlit keyboard is enjoyed by users. The 14-inch screen is way better if the Macbook air 13 inch is too small for you.
8GB RAM and 512 GB storage make the performance of the laptop rather fast and speedy. With a powerful processor (10th Generation Intel Core i5) you will have uninterrupted lessons.
HP 15 Laptop with Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, 15.6” screen size
HP is another great company that ensures quality products with budget-friendly prices. This HP 15 laptop can be considered one of the best laptops for online teaching. This laptop is a good choice for students, teachers, office, and home users.
Has a quite good keyboard that will help you in typing for long periods of time without much tiredness. They are very responsive and tactile.
Its 11th Gen Core i5 processor is ideal for laptop performance. 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD storage are again enough in the requirements for laptops for online teaching.
The battery can last up to 7 hours, and if you are usually a home-based worker then it is quite normal.
It weighs 3.72 pounds and has a 1,79 cm thickness. So it is still light and you can take it away with you easily.
The 15,6” screen is super good for having a nice view of the pictures, files, etc. Its anti-glare monitor will reflect the light providing better viewing whether you are indoors or outdoors.
720 HD camera will help your students to see you clearly and feel the real vibe of the classroom.
Front-mounted speakers are rather impressive. They can give a clear, crisp sound of your voice which is super crucial while teaching online.
Dell Inspiron 15.6″ display laptop, 16GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, Windows 10
The next laptop belongs to the Dell Inspire series. It has a 15.6-inch display, a powerful processor that provides stable performance. It will be quite convenient for online teaching. RAM is 16 GB, which is great because you can run multiple applications at the same time without interruption.
It has a 512GB SSD, which is a lot to store different things, be it heavy files, programs, books, etc.
It is made of plastic, is 18 mm thick, and weighs 4.04 lbs. This is quite a good size for a 15-inch laptop.
The device has an HD camera, which will ensure good quality during lessons.
The processor is AMD 3rd Generation Ryzen 5 3450U. It can run a laptop very quickly.
The operating system is Windows 10.
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 13.3”, Intel Core i7 Processor, 8GB RAM, 512GB
Our next review about the best laptop for online teaching will be of Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 13.3″.
And so the case is made of aluminum, which has a very beautiful vivid blue color, that sets it apart and gives it a unique look.
It can be considered one of the most portable laptops. Its 13.3-inch screen is quite comfortable to use. Due to its one-in-two function, you can use it as a tablet, i.e. have a laptop that can also become a tablet.
The Galaxy Book Flex has a 13.3-inch QLED display. The screen quality is very good with bright colors and clear images. Therefore, you can examine clear and sharp pictures during the lessons, which makes this hard and energetic work even more enjoyable.
In the meantime, you can create different profiles of different colors; if you have more preferred color shades for your eyes.
Of course, the 13.3-inch screen has good quality, but you may want a larger version for online lessons. Samsung has a 15.6-inch version of this model too. If the large screen works for you, choose that option.
The 10th generation Intel Core i7 processor will not leave you a minute late in launching this or that operation. Speed is very important today, which is the case with this processor.
The performance of the battery is amazing, it can work up to 20 hours. Great for those who teach in different places during the day.
WI-FI 6 allows you to download the necessary files and programs in seconds. Extra speed only helps during lessons.
ASUS VivoBook F512, 15.6”, AMD R5-3500U CPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD
The next one belongs to Asus company. Let’s see what features this Vivobook has.
The screen is a 15.6-inch FHD 4-way NanoEdge bezel display. It makes the images even more impressive. Such a screen size is ideal for online teaching. It is neither too big nor too small.
In the case of this Vivobook, the SSD is 128 GB. This, of course, is one of the minimum requirements in the case of online teaching. This is also personal, if you do not have a large number of files, programs, etc., this will suffice you. If you use online folders and drives, there is no need to enlarge the SSD.
This is a matter of preference. But at least 128 GB is a must.
RAM is 8 GB. This is also the minimum GB that you need to have a laptop to work normally.
The operating system is Windows 10 Home. Windows 10 is compatible with all the software that you will need while teaching online.
One of the most important is the processor. In the case of this laptop, it is AMD Quad Core Ryzen 5 3500U. This is a pretty good option. Equivalent to its performance with Intel Core i5. You can run several programs at the same time without any obstacles.
HP Pavilion 15.6-Inch Laptop, Intel Core i7, 16 GB RAM, 512 SSD
The next laptop belongs to HP. It is from the HP Pavilion 15 Laptop series. Let’s look at the features.
The screen size is 15.6 inches. The resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels and has an 81% screen-to-body ratio. This size is great for use in online lessons. You can open several files at the same time on the screen and use them side by side.
The camera is a Wide Vision HD Camera with a dual array digital microphone, i.e. you can fully see your gestures and facial expressions clearly during the lesson. And the sound quality is very good, you can be heard clearly.
In the case of HP, the storage is 512 GB. And the RAM is 16 GB. Both are excellent in terms of performance. This will ensure a very fast, hassle-free operation. You can run several heavy programs at the same time.
The operating system is Windows 10 Pro. Unlike Windows 10, Windows Pro is more secure to use. It better protects your information and system.
The processor is 10th Generation Intel Core i7-1065G7. With the rest of the functionality, this is a great CPU. Provides super-fast processor operation.
Battery life is up to 10 hours. Of course, we think it is not enough for such a price, but laptops of this size mainly have this much battery life.
LG 17″ IPS LCD, Intel 11th Gen i7, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Windows 10 Home
The next and among all the biggest screen-having laptop is from LG. This 17” LG laptop is a good work-support laptop with incredible features.
First of all, the screen size is 17 inches. It has an IPS LCD display. Of course, this size of the laptop is good if you mainly use it at home for online teaching. But for portable laptops buy screens with fewer inches. Anyway, it is quite comfy to work on a widescreen. You can see several materials side by side clearly.
The processor is powerful. It is the 11th generation Intel core i7-1165G7. Very fast and speedy laptop to work on.
16 GB RAM is great for multitasking and images with 1TB SSD, you can have “countless” content on your laptop.
Battery life is up to 19.5 hours. It is good but for such a price it could have been longer.
Anyway, it is a very light laptop; the weight is only 3lbs. So you can take it with you anywhere, having long battery life and lightweight.
The operating system is Windows 10 home. So you will have all modern and up top date software and platforms accessible for you.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 – 15″ Touch-Screen, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 is another great laptop on this list. 15” screen size is quite normal for teaching online. The processor is 2.3 GHz ryzen_7, which ensures the fast performance of different system options. Its design is elegant, it is very thin and light weighing only 2.79 pounds. So you can carry it with you easily.
Battery life is up to 11.5 hours. For the price, it’s quite low, as many other low-priced laptops with the same features have longer battery life.
Anyway, it has 16 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD and this will ensure your uninterrupted work while multitasking.
With USB-C and USB-A ports you can have connections. The HD camera is great for having clear and quality pictures
Final Thoughts
Well, now we can conclude that for online classes anyone can find its best laptop for teaching online. There are some key factors that buyers should take into account, like screen size, HD Webcam, quality processor, etc. Each teacher has their own schedule and requirements.
One needs to sit long hours and teach the whole day long, while the other takes away with them their laptop and teaches on the way a few hours of online lessons.
The models we have introduced here in this review are the best ones. They all have good reviews and a high ranking on Amazon. They differ in price, processor model, screen size and quality, portability, and storage size. But all of them are quite convenient while teaching online.
You must take into account your needs and requirements so as to buy your best laptop while teaching online and at the same time enjoy technological innovations and comfortability as if you are in a real classroom having face-to-face lessons and not feeling the distance.
