7 Best Laptops for MBA Students in 2023

You don’t need to tell us how overwhelming it can get trying to pick a good laptop for MBA studies with so many options on the market. 

To help you out, we did our homework and handpicked some great models with various features and price points. Moreover, we’ll show you some of the main things you must consider when selecting the right option for you. 

So, stay with us, and we’ll guide you toward finding a laptop that fits your taste and budget. 

Excited? Then, let’s get cracking.

Minimum & Recommended System Requirements

Buying a new laptop for an MBA doesn’t require you to break the bank. But to get your money’s worth, you need to have a clear understanding of what to expect. 

In the table below, we’ve listed the minimum and recommended specs a good laptop for MBA studies should pack for a smooth and efficient workload. To give you a general idea in terms of pricing, a laptop featuring the minimum specs shouldn’t cost you more than a few hundred bucks. On the other hand, if you’re aiming for the recommended specs, there are great laptops for just under $900 that feature at least those specs.

A quick tip

If you want a laptop that can also handle video games, shoot for something with a dedicated GPU. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30-series is a good place to start.

Top 7 Laptops for MBA Students

So, want to learn all about the best laptops for MBA studies? Let’s get to it then.

1. Powerful + Thin & Light: Acer Swift Go

Acer Swift Go

• CPU: 1.7GHz Intel Core i7-1355U
• RAM: 16GB DDR5
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Display: 14-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200)
• GPU: Integrated ‎Intel Iris Xe
• Battery: Up to 10 hours

$649.99

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When it comes to laptops for MBA students, power and portability seem to be the winning combo — and that’s exactly what Acer Swift Go is all about. Add to that a great display and good cooling, and you’ve got one of the top picks.

I find it interesting that Acer opted for a processor this powerful for this price range. It shows their commitment to excellence since the 13th-gen. i7 can do so much. Whether you’re giving presentations, compiling data, or doing calculations, this machine will fly across the tasks.

The 16GB of the latest DDR5 RAM makes the laptop faster and lag-free, and also pretty future-proofed for the next few years.

With a high-quality WUXGA display, the images and docs look crisp, vivid and easy to work with. Not everyone will be happy with the 14” diagonal, but the size actually makes the laptop more portable.

I got around 9-10 hours of battery life on a single charge, which is enough for any day on campus. And the machine weighs only 2.76 lbs, which makes it lighter than a MacBook Air — and super easy to carry in a backpack.

Granted, Swift Go is not the prettiest laptop on the market. Acer still goes for the blocky design, but it is what it is.

However, when everything is added and subtracted, this is one of the most rounded laptops for an MBA. If you don’t care about the looks, it will bring you great value.

2. Cheapest Option: Lenovo IdeaPad 3

Lenovo IdeaPad 3

• CPU: 3GHz Intel Core i3-1115G4
• RAM: 8GB DDR4
• Storage: 128GB SSD
• Display: 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
• GPU: Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
• Battery: Up to 10 hours

$269.00

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Laptops for MBA don’t have to be expensive. In fact, Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is a very affordable machine that does a lot of things right by MBA students.

IdeaPad is one of Lenovo’s most popular lineups because of its reliable performance. An 11th Gen. i3 and integrated Intel UHD card will easily handle everyday tasks, emails, multitasking, presentations and college assignments.

I’m also happy with the 14” FHD display. It’s actually a pretty good panel for docs, spreadsheets, and entertainment when you need a break.

And the device is portable. I normally get about 9-10 hours of work on IdeaPad 3, very similar to Acer Swift Go. It’s great when you’re taking it to the classroom, because you won’t need a charger.

The body weighs around 3.3 lbs, which is quite acceptable for students.

And I just love how Lenovo will always add a little extra. In IdeaPad’s case, for example, you get a physical privacy shutter across a webcam, which can be useful for online classes.

8GB RAM and 128GB of SSD are good starting points, but I’d upgrade this asap if you want to future-proof the laptop for college years.

And if you’re a gamer or photo editor, the graphics card on IdeaPad will struggle, so I’d look at Swift Go instead.

However, the price is simply unbeatable. While it does have its flaws, Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is an excellent choice for MBA studies if you’re strapped for cash.

3. Best for Gaming + School: Sager NP7881D

Sager NP7881D

• CPU: 2.2GHz Intel Core i9-13900HX
• RAM: 32GB DDR5
• Storage: 1TB SSD
• Display: 17.3-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
• GPU: 8GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060
• Battery: Up to 5 Hours

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So you want an MBA laptop that’s also a fierce gamer — then Sager might be a great investment. With amazing specs, incredible display, and a price tag that doesn’t turn your bank account alarmingly red, this laptop is definitely worth considering.

Sager comes with a super-powerful 13th-gen. Core i9 processor and one of the latest graphics cards, the RTX 4060. The MBA requirements are laughable for this sort of power; as for AAA titles, you name them — Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts’ Legacy — and Sager will handle them like a pro.

I also love what they did with the display. Gaming laptops are notorious for low color accuracy, but Sager’s 17.3” display is both accurate AND fast with 144Hz. It’s a joy to work — and game on.

The laptop looks sleek, polished and elegant. The yellow-lit keyboard may scream gamer, but the sturdy chassis without RGB strips makes it great for classrooms.

If you’re doing online classes, you’ll be happy to know that the webcam is also pretty good. It’s a 1.0M HD webcam, awesome for learning platforms — or multiplayer modes.

Like most gaming beasts, Sager lacks in portability. I got around 5 hours of juice, which is ok-ish for college. But the machine weighs over 6 lbs, so lugging it around to campus could get annoying.

While it is the priciest MBA laptop on this list, Sager is way cheaper than similar gaming laptops. It’s an amazing pick for college days filled with high-quality titles.

4. Reliable 2-in-1 Laptop: ASUS Vivobook S Flip

ASUS Vivobook S Flip

• CPU: 3.3GHz AMD Ryzen 5 5600H
• RAM: 8GB DDR4
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Display: 14-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200)
• GPU: Integrated ‎Intel Iris Xe
• Battery: Up to 9 hours

$599.00

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Why not go for a different laptop for an MBA? ASUS Vivobook S Flip is a convertible, elegant machine that will make your MBA college days easier, interactive, and enjoyable.

Vivobook packs a capable Ryzen 5 processor and one of the best integrated GPUs, Intel Iris Xe. Together, this pairing adds up to a reliable performance across many tasks: MBA software, datasheets, and calculations.

The real star of the show is the 14” touchscreen display that’s very responsive and — fun. If you ever wished to take notes directly or flip the screen and place the laptop on your knees in a crowded classroom, you can.

With convertibles, you should take note of weight. For example, if you put a 16” HP Spectre in tent mode, your hand is gonna hurt because of all the weight. Luckily, Vivobook weighs a mere 3 lbs, so it’s easy to hold and carry around campus.

I also like the battery. Touchscreens tend to drain the juice faster, but I got consistent 8-9 hours of work on Vivobook, which is quite enough.

If you want to make your laptop last, I’d take the initial 8GB RAM and upgrade it to at least 16GB. Not only will this boost the performance, but it will also make the touchscreen features better.

Overall, Vivobook S Flip is a great, affordable convertible for MBS students, whether you take it to campus or — when you attend online classes — use its AI noise-canceling features in a crowded dorm room.

5. Excellent Value: Acer Aspire 5

Acer Aspire 5

• CPU: 3GHz Intel Core i3-1115G4
• RAM: 20GB DDR4
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
• GPU: Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
• Battery: Up to 8 hours

$489.99

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Aspire 5 is one of Acer’s most popular models and for a good reason. This laptop for MBA is portable, reliable and comes with a large display — at a very reasonable price tag.

With a whopping 20GB RAM, 11th Gen. i3 and integrated GPU, Aspire holds enough power to tackle and handle all the multitasking, multiple tabs, and assignments a typical MBA student will encounter. 

The magic happens on a 15.6” display that’s color-accurate and crisp. For many students, this is the ideal screen size because it minimizes the horizontal scrolling while still keeping the portability.

And Aspire 5 is portable, make no mistake. In my tests, the laptop lasted around 8 hours of moderate work, which is awesome for the classroom. At 3.6 lbs, I didn’t feel the strain when carrying around this 15” machine.

Moreover, if you’re someone who uses lots of peripherals for data transfer — or an external screen — Acer’s got you covered with ports. With USB-C, several USB ports, and HDMI, you’ve got everything you need for MBA studies.

I also like the keyboard — the keys are tactile and comfy. The overall design, however, suffers the same fate of Acer Swift Go: it’s a little outdated.

But, just like its bro, Aspire 5 brings a lot of value for the money. It’s a smart, practical investment that will keep on running well throughout the college years.

6. Budget Option from Lenovo: Lenovo V14 G2

Lenovo V14 G2

• CPU: 2.1GHz AMD Ryzen 5 5500U
• RAM: 20GB DDR4
• Storage: 1TB SSD
• Display: 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
• GPU: Integrated AMD Radeon RX Vega 7
• Battery: Up to 6 Hours

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V14 G2 is another budget Lenovo laptop for MBA students, only somewhat more expensive than the IdeaPad 3. However, where IdeaPad lacks, V14 G2 excels.

To start with, the capable Ryzen 5 processor and Radeon Vega 7 graphics run circles on many budget options in terms of performance, especially when you take into account the existing 20GB of RAM. These specs ensure lag-free, stutter-free — and annoyance-free — work and studying.

Add to that 1TB of storage, and you’re pretty much settled for complex calculations, hefty projects, and detailed datasheets.

V14 comes with a 14” FHD display, and Lenovo did really well with this one. Numbers look clear on the panel, with no blurry edges, and I even use it outdoors occasionally (though it’s no match for a MacBook’s brightness).

Lenovo laptops are known for good keyboards. As for V14, the keyboard is super comfy and great for long typing sessions.

You’d think that a 14” display would extend the battery life. So it’s a bit of a disappointment to get only 6 hours of battery life on a single charge with V14. It’ll still do, but I kinda wished the battery was better.

However, if you don’t mind taking the charger, the V14 G2 is a pretty good, strong, future-proof laptop for MBA studies. It’ll easily last many years and maybe even well into your first job.

7. Powerful Ultrabook Elegance: Apple MacBook Air M2 15

Apple MacBook Air M2 15

• CPU: 3.5GHz 8-core M2
• RAM: 8GB DDR5
• Storage: 256GB SSD
• Display: 15.3-inch Retina (2880 x 1864)
• GPU: Integrated Apple 10-core GPU
• Battery: Up to 18 Hours

$1,099.00

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The latest MacBook Air is an excellent pick for MBA students. With lightning-fast performance, unparalleled battery — and finally a larger display — Air M2 is one of the top choices.

Air runs on Apple’s M2 chip, which is a performance powerhouse. Seriously, this thing flies across regular AND demanding tasks, so the MBA software and curriculum will be no problem.

If you’re worried about the 8GB RAM, don’t be. In Mac’s case, this is more than enough because of the overall system optimization and counts as much more than on Windows laptops. In other words, there are no lags or stutter when multitasking.

You also get to enjoy the new and improved 15.3” Retina display on Air. It’s super comfy to look at, won’t strain your eyes, and the colors are deep and rich.

Plus, the battery life on this thing is unbelievable. I legit get 16-17 hours of battery and basically forget when I charged the laptop, so kudos to Apple on that.

Although you will get an iCloud for storage, make sure that 256GB suits your needs. Sadly, upgrading the storage is a complicated process and generally not recommended.

Moreover, switching to MacOS isn’t for everyone. The MS Office will work fine, but some other Windows apps and games might not, in which case you need to use the Parallels.

If you’re ok with the above, and you have the money, then MacBook Air M2 is one of the best laptops for MBA studies you can get.

Buying Guide for Best Laptops for MBA Students in 2023

Before I show you our favorite laptops for MBA, here are some useful tips that could make it easier to choose your ideal match. 

So here we go:

1. Performance Is Your Number One Priority 

This may not come as a big surprise, but performance is usually the most important thing to consider, no matter what you plan to do with your laptop. Luckily, drafting docs, web surfing, working on spreadsheets, and other similar tasks don’t require a powerhouse. 

That being said, as the best balance between price and performance, I’d recommend aiming for a laptop powered by a later-gen Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen equivalent. 

However, if you’re looking for something more affordable, even an entry-level Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 processor should be enough for light productivity work.

For MBA and other similar studies, you don’t need to splash the cash on a powerful graphics card. Even an integrated GPU would suffice. However, if every now and then you like to blow off steam with video games, getting a laptop with a dedicated GPU is a must. 

2. Choose a Portable Laptop With Good Battery Life 

If you need to carry the laptop around campus while juggling between classes, I’d advise you to look into lightweight models with a decent battery life. 

As a general rule of thumb, a laptop that weighs around 3lbs and pumps enough battery juice to last above 8 hours is considered pretty good. Keeping this in mind, we included a bunch of options that fall within these criteria.

3. Pick the Right Display for You

Choosing a display that works best for you is always important since it’s the piece of the laptop that you’ll be interacting with the most.

In terms of size, it’s pretty straightforward, and you can go for a small and portable 14-inch laptop up to an 18-inch desktop replacement. It’s totally up to you.

As for the resolution, I personally find FHD (1920×1080) displays in laptops to be more than enough. But not all FHDs are built the same, so I’d advise you to pick something with an IPS panel for broader viewing angles and better overall image quality.

Still, I’m not trying to convince you that FHD resolution is the best you can get. But by all means, it is probably the best balance between price, availability, and visual quality.

However, if you’re set on getting a higher resolution (QHD/UHD and whatnot) display, be aware that those usually come with a higher price tag and drain the laptop’s battery much quicker.

4. Consider the RAM and Storage

Let’s rewind a bit and talk about internals a bit more. Besides the CPU, a couple of things can greatly improve your laptop’s performance. And that is RAM and Storage.

On that note, slowly but surely, 16GB RAM is becoming the gold standard for most users, and with a good reason. I know there are a few budget 8GB laptops on our list, and they are still pretty good for light productivity work and day-to-day activities. But that may not be the case in a few years since modern computing is becoming more RAM intensive.

If you’re still set on an 8GB RAM laptop, at the very least, get one with an extra slot for upgrades. You’ll thank me later.

Choosing the storage in laptops these days is a bit simpler since most manufacturers have ditched the traditional HDDs (Hard Disk Drive), which were slow, bulky, and less reliable. So, even the cheapest modern laptop should pack an SSD (Solid State Drive), and the size will pretty much depend on your needs and budget. Ideally, you should start with at least 512GB SSD so you won’t have to worry about running out of space within a few months of usage. 

5. Set a Budget

Since there are countless options to choose from at various price points, a predetermined budget will simplify your options a bit. Luckily, getting a good laptop for MBA studies doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

As you’ll soon find out, there are several budget options with great value for money on our list.

Finally, if you’re on a super tight budget and you mostly work with web-based apps, then maybe opting for a Chromebook over a Windows laptop would be a better option.

FAQs about Laptops for MBA Students

Verdict

All of the laptops we mentioned in this article are solid choices for MBA students, one way or the other. But it’s important to be specific about the features you want and to understand what you can realistically expect within your budget. 

If you need more information about laptops in general before deciding, I suggest you go over our comprehensive buying guide.  

Still reluctant to make your pick? Let’s simplify a bit: 

• If you’re looking for a powerful and super-portable machine for a great price, Acer Swift Go is the way to go. 
• But If you prefer Apple products, who could blame you? Super-portable, endless battery life, elegant design, and blazing performance – the Macs seem to have it all. On that note, check out the Apple MacBook Air M2 15.  
• Finally, a list of laptops for college students wouldn’t be complete without a gaming machine. If you fall under this category, check out the Sager NP7881D. This beast packs powerful internals and a gorgeous display for a reasonable price. 

Over to you. Do you have any other questions about a specific laptop? Let us know in the comments below. 

Before signing out, you might be interested in checking out this piece we did on the best webcams for Zoom. If you’re enrolled in an online MBA course, a good-quality webcam may prove to be a worthy investment.