A RAMageddon guide to back-to-school laptop shopping
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A buying guide for students facing a laptop market squeezed by ongoing RAM and storage shortages that are driving prices up. Recommendations include the Apple MacBook Neo (from $599) as the best cheap option for middle/high schoolers, the MacBook Air ($1,299/$1,199 for students) for college, the Asus Zenbook A14 as a lighter Windows/Snapdragon alternative, the budget Acer Aspire 14 AI, the HP OmniBook 3 for a large cheap screen, refurbished Lenovo ThinkPads for durability, and two Chromebook picks (Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 and Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514). General advice: aim for 16GB RAM and 512GB storage, avoid Windows chips older than 2022-2023 generations, and consider spending more upfront since prices are expected to keep rising through 2027 due to memory allocation shortages.
Table of contents
Featured ProductsThe best cheap laptopThe best laptop for collegeA Windows laptop nearly as nice as a MacBook AirA cheap laptop with a great processorA formidable 16-incher for about $500Consider a refurbished ThinkPadOur go-to pick for a cheap ChromebookA great convertible ChromebookQuestions this post answers
Why are laptop prices going up right now?
A RAM and NAND storage shortage is driving up laptop prices, with some models becoming a little pricier and others wildly more expensive. Memory manufacturing capacity through 2027 is already fully allocated, so prices are expected to keep rising well into next year rather than stabilize soon. Track how component shortages are reshaping hardware prices with daily.dev before your next laptop purchase.
How much RAM and storage should a student get in a new laptop?
Aim for at least 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage when possible, especially for college students, since these specs help a laptop stay usable for four or more years. 8GB of RAM is workable on macOS but Windows laptops tend to struggle more with that amount. Compare hardware specs and buying tradeoffs on daily.dev before committing to a student laptop.
How old can a Windows laptop's processor be and still be a good buy for school?
Avoid Windows laptops older than Intel's 13th-gen Raptor Lake or AMD's Ryzen 7000 series, which both launched around 2022 to 2023. Snapdragon X Arm chips are also solid choices unless specialized Windows-only software or gaming is required. Keep up with processor generations and compatibility notes on daily.dev when picking hardware for school or work.