Education IT devices are not ‘one-size-fits-all’.
Every school, college and university has different requirements and considerations when procuring laptops and other devices for their students.
In this article, we break down the best laptops for each key consideration in 2025.
What Is the Best Overall Education Laptop?
HP ProBook 440 G10 14-Inch Laptop – Intel Core i5-1334U
£644.94 | £544.94 with HP Brighter Futures Trade-In Deal
The HP ProBook 440 G10 14-Inch Laptop is an excellent option for any school, university or college looking for devices that blend performance, security and manageability.
This device is ideal for school-wide deployments, whether it’s used as a 1:1 student device, a teacher laptop, or in shared carts. It brings long-term value, strong performance and sustainability into a single device.
It builds on HP’s trusted ProBook design with a newer Intel Core i5 processor in a compact and secure package that’s easy to manage at scale.
All-Round Credentials
- Intel Core i5-1334U Processor – A hybrid 10-core design (P-core + E-core) built for high-efficiency performance and excellent software compatibility.
- 14″ Full HD Anti-Glare Display – Ideal screen size for portability, focus, and all-day use in a classroom setting.
- Windows 11 Pro – Fully supports accessibility tools, cloud environments (such as M365 or Google Workspace integration), and secure exam setups.
- All-Day Battery Life – Optimised for low-power operation and reliable, day-long use.
- MIL-STD-810H Tested – Built to survive bumps, drops, and classroom wear and tear.
- HP Wolf Security + TPM 2.0 – Enterprise-grade protection that secures data and supports multi-user safety.
- IT-Friendly Design – RAM and SSD are upgradable, making it easier for school tech teams to maintain or repurpose devices across cohorts.
- Excellent EDU Value – Eligible for up to £150 cashback, making it even more cost-effective for school budgets.
What is the Best Education Laptop for Battery Life (and Value)?
Lenovo V15 G4 AMN 15.6 Inch Laptop – AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
£353.99 SAVE £80.52
With up to 14.4 hours of battery life, this budget-friendly laptop from Lenovo will help keep your students powered up for the entire school day.
Featuring a lightweight design, a powerful AMD Ryzen 5 7520U processor, and Windows 11 compatibility, this laptop is well-suited to an educational setting.
Why the AMN Model Lasts Longer
- LPDDR5 RAM – Lower power draw compared to DDR4
- Ryzen 5 7520U – Built on 6nm Zen 2 architecture, optimised for battery life
- TN Display – Less vibrant, but consumes less power than IPS
- Low Power Envelope – 15W or lower TDP compared to 28W on performance CPUs
What Is the Best Refurbished Education Laptop?
Refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad T490 14-Inch Laptop – Intel Core i5-8365U
£219.99
Due to budget constraints, environmental goals and increased demand for digital learning, refurbished devices are becoming increasingly popular in educational environments.
With savings often reaching 30–50% (compared to new devices) and like-for-like performance, more and more educational institutions are sourcing refurbished laptops.
This refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad T490 strikes the perfect balance of price and performance for institutions looking to stretch their IT budget.
At just over £200, this durable, business-class laptop includes 16GB of RAM – double that of most alternatives at this price point. With a 256GB SSD, you get fast storage and boot times at a budget-friendly price.
Performance Highlights
- 16GB RAM – Exceptional multitasking capability for this price point.
- 256GB SSD – Plenty of fast storage for curriculum materials and local resources.
- Good battery endurance – Designed for all-day office use, making it well-suited for a full school day.
- Durable ThinkPad Build – Built to military-grade specification with a spill-resistant keyboard for added classroom resilience.
- £219.05 – Excellent value with no compromise on usable performance. Ideal for schools looking to maximise budget without sacrificing quality.
What is the Best Eco-Friendly Education Laptop?
HP ProBook 445 G10 14 Inch Laptop – AMD Ryzen 5 7530U
£595.18 SAVE £100 after Trade-In Deal
If eco-friendly design is at the top of your institution’s priority list (and you are not looking to buy refurbished), then look no further than the HP ProBook 445 G10 Laptop.
This laptop is EPEAT registered, ENERGY STAR® certified, and includes recycled materials in both its chassis and packaging. It has also passed 19 MIL-STD tests, meaning it is durable enough to last multiple academic years, which helps reduce e-waste and total cost of ownership (TCO).
Sustainability Highlights:
- Recycled Materials: Incorporates post-consumer recycled plastics and sustainable packaging.
- ENERGY STAR® Certified: Lower energy usage helps reduce environmental impact.
- Efficient Bulk Packaging: Minimises packaging waste in large-scale deployments.
- Easily Upgradeable: Supports long-term use through memory and storage upgrades, reducing the need for early device replacement.
- Durability: MIL-STD testing ensures an extended lifespan, helping to minimise e-waste and improve total cost of ownership.
What is the Best Budget Education Laptop?
Acer Chromebook 311 11.6 Inch – Intel Celeron N4500
£138.99 SAVE £45.45
The Acer Chromebook 311 is a compact, durable and highly affordable device designed for education. It is ideal for schools looking to deploy 1:1 devices at scale without sacrificing usability or battery life. With ChromeOS at its core, it offers seamless integration with Google Workspace, quick boot times and excellent power efficiency.
Its ruggedised build and long battery life make it particularly well suited to younger students and shared learning environments, where reliability is more important than high-end specifications.
Budget Highlights
- ChromeOS – Fast, secure, and simple to manage across large school networks with built-in access to Google Classroom, Docs, Sheets, and Drive.
- Intel Celeron N4500 Processor – Energy-efficient dual-core chip built specifically for education-grade Chromebooks.
- 11.6″ HD Display – Compact size makes it highly portable and student-friendly, especially for KS1–KS3 learners.
- Rugged and Lightweight – Weighs just over 1kg, with a reinforced chassis and hinge designed for school use.
- All-Day Battery Life – Up to 12 hours on a single charge keeps lessons and learning uninterrupted.
- Ideal for IT Teams – Chrome Education Upgrade available for centralised admin, remote configuration, and automatic updates.
What is the Best Budget Education Chromebook?
Lenovo Chromebook 100e 11.6 Inch Chromebook – MediaTek Kompanio 520
£237.42 | £50 Reward Available
Coming in at just £237, this classroom-tough, budget-friendly Lenovo 100e Chromebook offers schools a desirable blend of durability, manageability and affordability.
It is ideal for primary and secondary learners who rely on Google Workspace, with a compact design that is easy to handle and battery life that comfortably covers the full school day.
With a rugged chassis, spill-resistant keyboard and long battery life, it is built for reliable performance in busy classroom environments, all at a price point that supports large-scale rollout.
Chromebook Highlights
- Chrome OS: Fast, secure and simple to manage. Ideal for Google Classroom and cloud-first learning environments.
- MediaTek Kompanio 520 Processor: ARM-based, energy-efficient chip designed to run smoothly with minimal heat and noise.
- 11.6″ HD Anti-Glare Display: Compact and clear for extended use; ideal for KS2 or KS3 pupils and 1:1 deployments.
- Rugged Design: Drop-resistant up to 75 cm, with a sealed, tamper-resistant keyboard and reinforced ports.
- All-Day Battery: Up to 10 hours of battery life to avoid interruptions during lessons or between classes.
- Built for Scale: Affordable, easy to manage with Chrome Education Upgrade, and ready for central IT deployment via Google Admin Console.
