Back to School 2025: laptops for students and pupils

A laptop is more than 'handy for school' 

In 2025, a laptop is no longer just an 'extra' in the school bag. For many students and pupils, it is the central place where learning, working, planning, and relaxing come together. The demands are high: from smooth Teams calls and writing reports to image editing, coding, or gaming. 

That’s why it pays to look beyond just the price tag. The right choice is tailored to the type of student: what someone studies, how much they multitask, and how much mobility is needed. In this overview, we not only look at Dell and Alienware, but we primarily provide insight into which laptop fits which type of user.┬áThis article is part of our guide on back to school laptops of 2025.

­ƒôî Looking for more tips? Also check out our overview on buying laptops.┬á

Budget-friendly and solid: Dell 15 

For parents with multiple school-going children or students on a tight budget, the Dell 15 is a wise choice. The laptop is not a speed monster, but it is surprisingly complete for its price range.┬áThis laptop offers enough power for daily tasks such as typing, browsing, and video calling, with a bright screen and long battery life – perfect for students looking for reliability at a sharp price.

• Price: from €399┬á
• Suitable for: basic tasks such as Google Docs, browsing, video calling┬á
• Pros: long battery life, bright screen, reliable┬á
• Ideal for: lower secondary students, vocational students, students who mainly work text-oriented

Tip: Also look at refurbished models or temporary offers for extra benefits. See also our archived article on more sustainable alternatives, where students often choose new while refurbished models are perfectly adequate. For those looking for back to school laptops in 2025 within a sharp budget, this is a logical choice.

All-round and powerful: Dell 16 Plus 

The Dell 16 Plus is an excellent choice for students who use their laptop all day – from study to relaxation. With a powerful processor, plenty of RAM, and a large screen, this is an ideal all-rounder for students seeking a balance between performance and ease of use for school, work, and leisure.

• Price: from €899 ├á┬á€999
• Suitable for: multitasking, video calling, media consumption, light photo editing┬á
• Pros: large screen, many connectivity options, quiet operation┬á
• Ideal for: higher vocational students, dual students, entrepreneurs in training┬á

Note: the larger screen is nice for home, but somewhat less handy in small lecture halls. Still, this model deserves its place in the overview of back to school laptops 2025 due to its all-round use.

Creative programs require power: Dell 14 Premium 

Students working with graphic design, video, engineering software, or heavy (media) apps need a different type of laptop. The stylish┬áDell 14 Premium is designed for those scenarios – compact, powerful, and stylish. The laptop comes with a long battery life and supports demanding assignments and creative projects, wherever you are.

• Price: from €1,799┬á
• Suitable for: Adobe Creative Suite, 3D software, video editing┬á
• Pros: high resolution, powerful CPU + GPU, premium build quality┬á
• Ideal for: students in design, media, engineering, or art academies

An external monitor at home can provide even more comfort during project work. This model also ranks high in the premium segment of back to school laptops in 2025.

Flexible learning and working: Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 

In hybrid education – where lessons take place both online and physically – flexibility is crucial. The Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 caters to this. This laptop is also a tablet and offers touchscreen functionality. This 2-in-1 laptop effortlessly adapts to different learning environments and is perfect for students who combine school, work, and creativity.

• Price: €849┬á
• Suitable for: digital notes, brainstorming, drawing notes┬á
• Pros: lightweight, tablet mode, stylus support┬á
• Ideal for: students who think creatively, plan, reflect, or work on the go┬á

Combine with apps like OneNote or Notion for the ultimate learning dashboard. For hybrid education, this model stands out within the range of back to school laptops of 2025.

Studying and gaming? Alienware Aurora laptop  

For students who not only attend lectures but also game enthusiastically (or work with heavy graphic software), the Dell Alienware Aurora is a logical choice. This powerful laptop is designed for top performance in a sleek design and fits well in the classroom and in the game room. It is the ultimate back-to-school choice for students who demand top performance – both inside and outside the classroom. The entry-level model includes an NVIDIA RTX 3050 GPU but can be upgraded to the NVIDIA RTX 5070 series graphics, ideal for those seeking maximum performance.

• Price: from €949, but temporarily €899, thus €50 discount
• Suitable for: gaming, heavy applications, rendering┬á
• Pros: NVIDIA RTX 50 series graphics, sleek design, robust cooling system┬á
• Ideal for: students who demand performance – also outside of class┬á

­ƒÄ« Note: these are not ultralight models, but they are ideal for desktop replacement.┬áGamers also find suitable back to school laptops in 2025 that are just as good for gaming as for schoolwork.

Other brands doing well in 2025

Not only Dell and Alienware have strong back-to-school models. Other brands also cleverly respond to the wishes of students and pupils:
 

• ASUS launched back in 2021 its Education Explorers campaign aimed at educational use, parents, and schools, but is still working on laptops that are very suitable for both business and students.
• HP is responding in 2025 to young users with fresh models such as the OmniBook X Flip 16, a lightweight 2-in-1 with OLED screen, and the business ProBook 4 G1a – both intended for students who work on the go and expect high performance.┬á
• Lenovo offers solid and current options for beginning students or those who mainly work in the cloud with its IdeaPad series, such as the recent IdeaPad 1 models and the Slim variants.

And here outlined in a model:

Considering a brand outside Dell? Then look at the combination of build quality, battery life, and service in your price range. 

What to look for when buying a school laptop? 

The specifications are important, but context matters just as much. Think about:
 

• Battery life: at least 8 hours for a full study day┬á
• Weight and size: 13–14 inches is ideal for mobility┬á
• Storage space: at least 256 GB SSD – or combine with cloud storage┬á
• RAM: at least 8 GB, preferably 16 GB for students with heavier apps┬á
• Software: Windows 11, Office 365, antivirus┬á
• Warranty and service: especially with intensive use a must┬á

Also check if you are entitled to student discounts or lease arrangements through school, university, or employer. 

Back to school in 2025: ready for the school year with a laptop?

The right laptop is more than a tool – it is the digital learning environment, the notepad, the project tool, and the relaxation center in one. Whether you choose affordability, flexibility, or brute power: there is plenty of choice in 2025 for every type of student or pupil.┬á

Are you still considering an upgrade or first purchase? Until the end of September, there are often sharp back-to-school deals to be found – although the rule is: the sooner, the more choice.