We're in full back-to-school mode now, making this one of the best times of the year to shop for a new laptop. You can now get an entry-level laptop for $200 to $400. But we think it's worthwhile to spend at least a few hundred more to get a machine that will last longer and perform better. This list, which represents our top choices for college, university and even high school students, is based on our own hands-on use and benchmark testing. 
Most of these laptops cost $500 or more. If you're looking for something less expensive -- or if you're interested in an alternative to Microsoft Windows and Apple's MacOS -- we'd recommend checking out our list of the best Chromebooks for students. Though the prices are generally lower, they're great for basics like email, getting on the internet, creating documents or working with spreadsheets -- especially if you're already working with Google's apps.  

Best Mac value

Apple MacBook Air (2018)

In 2018, Apple announced a new version of the MacBook Air -- an evergreen student favorite -- upgrading it with a Retina display, Touch ID and USB-C ports. This discount is just $50 shy of the all-time lowest price we've seen for that model -- which is nearly identical to the brand-new one that debuted in July -- except that it doesn't have Apple's True Tone display technology. But you do get an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of memory and a 128GB SSD that's faster than the one in the newer model. 
$1,100 AT WALMART