Laptops
Best Laptops for Undergraduate Students – 2022
Students have a budget but also need the most durable laptops to survive the harsh college or campus conditions. Here are the Best Laptops For undergraduate Students in 2022 that I would recommend. All the laptops are available at BESTBUY link in the description. If you are going to buy a laptop as a student, these are key features to consider to maximize your budget.
- RAM – Minimum of 8GB
- Storage – minimum of 250GB SSD
- OS- support for windows 11/ MacOS
- Graphics – minimum 4GB integrated or 2GB dedicated
- CPU – at least 10th gen intel or at least 6 cores for AMD 2.5GHz with Turbo boost
- Cache – 8MB
- Battery – 51Wh minimum
- USB ports – at least 2 USB 3.0 and a USB C Port
In the event you want a cheaper laptop for light use then I would recommend a chrome book. Click
Here for 5 best affordable chrome books.
Table of Contents
1. ASUS ZENBOOK 14″ 2022 – Best Laptops For Undergraduate Students 2022
The Asus Zenbook 14 UM425 2022 is purely designed for portability. And as a student, you really don’t need something that is bulky. I have used the Zenbook 14 for about a month and these are my thoughts.
Key Specifications
| OPERATING SYSTEM | Windows 11 Home |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U 6-core |
| GRAPHICS CARD | NVIDIA GeForce MX450 (Dedicated) |
| SCREEN SIZE | 14 inches 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) |
| RAM | 8GB LPDDR4X |
| STORAGE | 256 GB SSD (PCI-e) |
| CACHE SIZE | 8MB |
| BATTERY | 51Wh |
| NUMBER OF USB PORTS | 2 – USB 3 Ports, 1 – Type C Port |
| WEIGHT | 1.13 Kgs (2.5lbs) |
MY THOUGHTS
It’s worth noting that the Zenbook 14 has a decent battery life capable of full-day use. Approximately 7 to 8 hours of use. Accompanied with My Asus app that thrives on lots of features including but not limited to battery charging levels. The Ryzen 5, thanks to nAMD comes with tons of performance and reliability features have edited my video on this laptop and the only problem I ran into is it gets warm under intense use cases. And this may be due to it only having a single fun inside. also for student who do play the games the Zenbook can handle that except for more demanding games the it becomes very difficult to use.
At its current price of $470 on best buy (link in the description), I find it easy to recommend. The major downside is the Key Board color combinations. As it makes it more difficult to type as its grey keys on light grey. Also, the Power on key is close to delete hence might easily mistake it when deleting something.
Pros
- Great Battery Life
- Thin and high-quality design
- great display and colors
- 92% sRGB coverage has a greater color accuracy
- High-Performance Ryzen Processor
N/B soldered Ram is not upgradeable.
Cons
- noisy on the Performance mode
- RAM Soldered to the motherboard
- no Thunderbolt 3 connectivity
- The keypad combination of colors Isn’t favorable
2. Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 – Best Laptops For Undergraduate Students 2022
The Best Surface Laptop and The best laptop for writers with one of the very best keyboards ever. For students portability and useability is key. The Surface 4 thrives in Performance, good battery life, and audio output.
Key Specifications
| OPERATING SYSTEM | Windows 11 Home |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 4680U 6-core |
| GRAPHICS CARD | AMD Radeon Vega 9 |
| SCREEN SIZE | 13.5 inches 2256 x 1504 Touch Screen |
| RAM | 16GB LPDDR4X |
| STORAGE | 256 GB SSD (PCI-e) |
| CACHE SIZE | 8MB |
| BATTERY | up to 19hrs 65Watts |
| NUMBER OF USB PORTS | 2 – USB 3 Ports, 1 – Type C Port |
| WEIGHT | 1.26 Kgs (2.7lbs) |
MY THOUGHTS
After Spending Close to 3 months trying to exhaust and maximize the Surface 4. its clear that for what its meant to do it does perfectly well. Priced at 899$ on BestBuy. The Surface 4 is a pretty nice deal. As stated earlier the surface 4 has a great design and very comfortable keyboard but easily gets dirty. Performance is outstanding and Accompanied with the AMD processor this laptop is a super beast lets just say it, With a super quite fun the Surface 4 is worth buying.
obviously, It has its own imperfections. For instance, their is no thunderbolt 4 ports, which is a possible problem for some. Also, irrespective of having a good keypad, the glossy screen is too reflective, and honestly found it too annoying. especially under bright conditions. Such as outside sunlight.
3. HP – ENVY 2-in 1 2022 – Best Laptops For Undergraduate Students 2022
In a nutshell, the HP envy has a professional look, sleek design, and is classy. want something you can carry to class and still doubles as a tablet especially when you want to handwrite notes when the professor is talking too fast? then this is the gear for you.
Key Specifications
| OPERATING SYSTEM | Windows 11 Home |
| CPU | Intel Evo 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1250U 4.7GHz speed 10 cores |
| GRAPHICS CARD | Intel Iris Xe Graphics |
| SCREEN SIZE | 13.3 inches 1920 x 1200 Touch Screen |
| RAM | 8GB LPDDR4X |
| STORAGE | 512 GB SSD (NVMe) |
| CACHE SIZE | 12MB |
| BATTERY | up to 17hrs 65Watts |
| NUMBER OF USB PORTS | Thunderbolt 4 – 2 ports, USB 3.1 – 2 ports |
| WEIGHT | 1.38 Kgs (3.05lbs) |
MY THOUGHTS
The 2022 HP envy which starts at $800 which is a budget friendly segment. The 2in 1 laptop functions as a high performer laptop and also as a easy to carry tablet. The Performance of the HP envy x360 is top notch spent sometime using it and its satisfactory, especially for a student. well as a gamer or a video editor this I cant recommend, that’s because the Envy isn’t built to handle video editing or heavy gaming. But for simple tasks its Superb. Display is Great and inclusion of thunderbolt 4 ports makes it a better deal.
Audio quality is a 8 out of 10, the touch pad also has precision TouchPad which is a big thumbs up. All in All the Envy is a easy to recommend laptop But has its own limitations, weighing more than 1kg or rather 3.05 pounds, making it one of the heaviest laptops in this category. Its worth noting for those who spend time in online classes the camera in the envy is not appealing at all.
PROS
- Long battery life
- Easy-to-use keyboard
- Plenty of ports
- great battery life
- Awesome display
CONS
- Large, bulky size
- Mediocre camera quality
4. MACBOOK AIR M2 2022 – Best Laptop For Students 2022
The Most popular laptop is back and with it comes unique features and refreshed design.
Key Specifications
| OPERATING SYSTEM | macOS Monterey 12 |
| CPU | Apple M2 8 core |
| GRAPHICS CARD | Integrated Apple |
| SCREEN SIZE | 13.6 inches 2560 x 1664 |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| STORAGE | 256 GB SSD |
| CACHE SIZE | 12MB |
| BATTERY | 52.6 Wh Lithium polymer battery |
| NUMBER OF USB PORTS | Thunderbolt 4 – 2 ports, USB 3.1 – 2 ports |
| WEIGHT | 1.22 Kgs (2.7lbs) |
MY THOUGHTS
Its important to understand that the Macbook air M2 doesn’t replace the M1 option. For any MacBook air Buyer , the M2 is the ultimate choice. its more elegant, improved performance, incredible audio, and better display. in simpler terms the M2 is slightly better than M1. as it addson the already game changing M1 MacBook Air. While interms of Pricing one can be tempted to get the M1 due to pricing, the M2 variant is a better laptop around.
One thing worth noting is the M2 is not meant for gaming hence with no fans and dedicated GPU, it does handle the Apple Arcade titles pretty well and a few light weight games. Beyond that the M2 is not great for gamers. The issue with slower SSD is still on M2, also the display is fixed to 60Hz and has limited number of ports.
PROS
- Refined design
- Efficient performance
- Outstanding battery life
- Bright Liquid Retina display
- Quality keyboard and trackpad
- Improved webcam and speakers
CONS
- Slow SSD on the base model
- Limited ports
- Display only 60Hz
- Single external monitor only
- More expensive than MacBook Air M1
5. DELL XPS 13.3 inch 2022 – Best Laptop For Students 2022
When you buy a Dell XPS laptop, you’re buying some of the best that money can buy. You’re getting a premium aluminum laptop and an immersive InfinityEdge display. Ultimately, you’re buying the best that Dell has to offer. With the Dell XPS 13 Plus, you’re still getting that, but the company is getting a bit more experimental.
Key Specifications
| OPERATING SYSTEM | Windows 11 Home |
| CPU | Intel 12th Gen core i7 4.7GHz 12 Cores Evo platform |
| GRAPHICS CARD | Intel Iris Xe Graphics |
| SCREEN SIZE DISPLAY | 13.4 inches 3456 x 2160 (3.5K) Touchscreen |
| RAM | 16GB LPDDR5 5200 Megahertz |
| STORAGE | 512 GB SSD |
| CACHE SIZE | 18MB |
| BATTERY | 60 Watts Lithium ion battery |
| NUMBER OF USB PORTS | Thunderbolt 4 – 2 ports, USB 3.1 – 2 ports |
| WEIGHT | 1.27 Kgs (2.8lbs) |
MY THOUGHTS
Powered by the latest 12th Gen intel Core i7 processor, integrated iris Xe graphics card, the notebook is a sweet powerhouse to recommend. closing in is 12 hours battery life, the performance of the dell meets my expectation for the price tag.
Its worth noting that the integrated graphics card is an entry level and cant expect much from it. The Design is Attractive just as its performance, The laptop is smaller in size , lightweight, a large track pad greater keyboard for typing in class. Looking for a long term portable windows laptop here is where the search ends.
The dell isn’t perfect especially if you are someone interested in video calling and online classes as Dell stuck with the 720p Webcam which is mediocere for its price point.
PROS
- Attractive, premium chassis
- Powerful performance
- No bezels whatsoever
- Excellent battery life
CONS
- NO Legacy PORTS
- 720P WEBCAM
- 28W processor uses more battery life
FINAL THOUGHTS
IN 2022 there is lots of competition, in the laptop segment and in the event you are a student and need a more budget friendly laptop click here
In case you need a Chrome book click here.
The Best Refurbished Laptops Under 30K in Kenya – 2023
Hey, Ratwebtech here. Let’s dive into the best refurbished laptops under 30k in Kenya and where you can buy them.
Here are 5 affordable XUk or rather Certified Refurbished laptops you can buy in Kenya or East Africa in 2023
When looking for a laptop, there are things that you as an individual always want. These are Your Personal Preference and can range from needing large storage, or Maybe More RAM to satisfy your needs, some focus on the build Quality, and others will focus on battery life, Display size and even Graphics.
Either way, 2 things will for sure determine what you get 1 is warranty cover and the other is the PRICE
Well, I have considered all these and compiled a list you can use this link to make your order that way you support the website’s growth.
All Refurbished laptops do have a 6 months warranty.
The key factor that determines what you buy is your budget or rather how much are you willing to spend
So without further ado let’s get started
Table of Contents
Minimum Specification Considered for The Best Refurbished Laptops Under 30K in Kenya
- Processor – Intel Core i5, 6th Generation Onwards
- Processor Speed – 2.3GHz Upwards
- RAM – 8GB Minimum
- Storage – 256GB SSD and Not Hdd
- Display – 12.5 inches minimum Full HD
- Operating System – Windows 10 or 11
With that out of the way, let’s get the best laptops you should consider buying under 30k in Kenya or east Africa
1. HP Elitebook 840 G4 – Best Refurbished Laptops Under 30K in Kenya
Specs at a Glance
- The 840 g4 is equipped with
- Intel core i5 7th generation processor 2.5 GHz, up to 3.1 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost technology
3 MB cache, 2 cores - 8GB RAM upgradeable to 32GB and 256 NVME SSD for storage
- As well as a full HD 14-inch touchscreen display. 1920 X 1080
- Integrated Intel HD Graphics 620
My Thoughts
The EliteBooks from the 800-series are premium business notebooks from HP. The 840 G4 combines magnesium alloy and painted aluminum, and only the bottom is made of dark plastic. Therefore, palm rests are cool and fingerprints are no problem. The EliteBook 840 G4, Uses modern Kaby Lake ULV processors with integrated GPU. The two SODIMM memory slots support up to 32 GB DDR4-RAM. Storage options include conventional 2.5-inch HDDs as well as M.2 SSDs.
The 14-inch business laptop does not disappoint in terms of performance. The laptop is quiet and does not get overly warm, and the Intel Core i5-7200U can greatly utilise its performance potential. The battery capacity has a practical runtime of almost 7hrs. The keyboard is pretty good plus the backlight makes it a great deal usability is incredibly easy to type on
In simple terms this a worthy laptop and provides value for money, thou the back casing is plastic and which can be a no for some though that’s a compromise some might go with
You can check it out here
The next laptop on the list is
2. Lenovo Yoga 260 – Best Refurbished Laptops Under 30K in Kenya
The Thinkpad Yoga 260 is a 12.5 inch convertible Ultrabook with 360-degree rotation, touchscreen, intel Skylake 6th gen dual core i5 CPU with 1366 X 768 HD display.
8GB of Ram upgradeable to 16 GB and 256 NVME SDD storage currently selling for 27000 KES
Weighing 1.3Kgs
The Lenovo Yoga 260 is a slim yet durable laptop and easily portable the keyboard is a super great trackpad and the fingerprint sensor works seamlessly. Yet the yoga 260 is powerful enough to be a main machine if you are a student or business person who does productivity work in MS office photo editing web streaming and occasional video editing. This can only handle straightforward editing as it uses the integrated Intel HD 620 graphics. The Yoga 260 Laptop enjoys up to 5 hours of battery life which is great for its price.
The laptop is great in all aspects except for the 768 HD display which might be limiting to some
Either way, if you need a bigger screen then opt for the Lenovo Yoga 460 which has a better 1080 Full HD display and a bigger screen
Key Specifications At a Glance
| Brand | Lenovo Yoga 260 |
| CPU | 2.3-GHz Intel Core i5-6200U |
| Card Slots | microSD |
| Display Size | 12.5 |
| Graphics Card | Intel HD Graphics 520 |
| Hard Drive Size | 256GB |
| Hard Drive Type | SSD |
| Native Resolution | 1920×1080 |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Pro |
| Ports (excluding USB) | OneLink+, HDMI, Mini DisplayPort |
| RAM | 8GB RAM Upgradable to 16GB |
| Size | 12.20″ x 8.66″ x 0.70″ |
| USB Ports | 2 |
| Weight | 1.3kgs |
Third, on the list is
3. HP ProBook 430 G4 – Best Refurbished Laptops Under 30K in Kenya
My Thoughts
Leveraging the i5-7200U processor two core model of laptop processor from the 7th Generation Intel Core i5 line of processors, the HP ProBook 430 G4 packs a processor frequency of 2.50 GHz, which leverages a frequency boostable up to a max of 3.1 GHz, with 3 MB of processor cache, with an alternate name of the processor being a Kaby Lake processor.
The memory offers the Laptop a maximum of 8GB of DDR4-SDRAM memory, and there’s a 2133 MHz ram clock speed on the internal memory. To Add on to this is 256GB SSD Storage.
There is only one screen size available and that is a backlit Full HD 13.3″ screen with a screen resolution of 1920×1080 pixels.
Priced At KES 30,000 the Probook 430 G4 is A good deal for the buck.
Key Specifications At A Glance
- DISPLAY – 13.3″ (33.78 cm) display, 1366 x 768 px
- STORAGE – 256 GB SSD
- PROCESSOR – Intel Core i5 (7th Gen) Processor
- RAM – 8 GB DDR4 RAM
4th on the list
Dell Latitude 7389 2-in-1 – Best Refurbished Laptops Under 30K in Kenya
My Thoughts
The corporate world demands productivity in all sorts of circumstances, so it only makes sense that you would want a business convertible that can keep up with those expectations. The 13-inch Dell Latitude 7389 2-in-1 goes from laptop to tablet and back again, and it pairs that flexibility with strong performance and battery life that will take you through your workday without requiring you to plug in to charge. Though competitors offer more style and endurance, the Latitude 7389 is a compelling and versatile choice for productivity workers on the go. Priced at 35,000 The Dell Latitude 7389 2 in 1 Qualifyies Perfectly to be among the Best Refurbished Laptops Under 30K in Kenya.
Pros
- +Rock-solid performance
- +Decent battery life
- +Lots of port
Specs At A Glance
| CPU | Intel Core i5-7600U |
| Company Website | http://www.dell.com |
| Display Size | 13.3 |
| Graphics Card | Integrated HD Graphics 620 |
| Hard Drive Size | 256GB |
| Hard Drive Type | M.2 SSD |
| Highest Available Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| Native Resolution | 1920×1080 |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Pro 64-bit |
| Ports (excluding USB) | USB 3.1, Microphone, Headphone, HDMI, DisplayPort |
| RAM | 16GB |
| Size | 12 x 8.26 x 0.7 inches |
| Weight | 1.3kgs |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11ac |