A laptop isn’t a necessity for technical fields like engineering or architecture. Instead, the medical field is a non-technical field, too, that requires a laptop to function its tasks trouble-free. From research to diagnosing diseases, the medical field needs a laptop at every stage.
A medical student might utilize it to prepare data sheets, attend lectures, make presentations, read health reports, research, analyze statistical data sheets, etc. Apart from this, the major use is for reading e-books as everyone cannot afford to buy the costly books for a semester or so.
During the COVID pandemic, educational institutions switched to the online world, making digital devices a basic need. Technology is now an essential part of our education system, and many courses have modules available online or through educational software.
In the fast-changing medical world, especially in the medical sciences, laptops are more necessary and more urgently needed and in use now. In this article, I’m going to give you a list of the best laptops for medical school and provide you with my recommendation that will blend in well with your academic needs as a medical student.
Our Top Pics Laptops for Medical Students are:-
- 2020 Apple MacBook Pro (13.3-inch/33.78 cm, Apple M1 chip with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) – Space Grey
- Acer Aspire 1 A114-32-C1YA, 14″ Full HD, Intel Celeron N4000, 4GB DDR4, 64GB eMMC, Office 365 Personal, Windows 10 Home in S mode
- Lenovo Legion 5 15 Gaming Laptop, 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) Display, AMD Ryzen 7 5800H Processor, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050Ti, Windows 10H, 82JW0012US, Phantom Blue
- LG gram Laptop – 15.6″ Full HD Touchscreen, Intel 8th Gen Core i7, 16GB RAM, 1TB (2 x 512GB SSD), 18.5 hrs Battery, Thunderbolt 3 – 15Z990-R.AAS9U1 (2019), Dark Silver
- Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14″ Laptop, 14.0″ FHD 1920 x 1080 Display, AMD Ryzen 5 3500U Processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD, AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics, Narrow Bezel, Windows 10, 81W0003QUS, Abyss Blue
Top 5 Laptops for Medical Students
1. New Apple MacBook Pro
Apple MacBook Pro is designed with a chic and elegant body consisting of a 16” Retina display. It is the highest retina display ever facilitated by Apple. The brightness of 500 nits purveys extraordinary and crystal clear pixels. The visionary effects are highly embellished and qualitative. Also, a color gamut’s presence leads to accomplish color vision, enabling the students to view through the beaming light effect. Apple MacBook Pro’s Intel Core i9 processor combined with 8 cores and 16 threads rapidly increases the processing power speed.
Key Features
- 16-core Neural Engine for advanced machine learning
- Active cooling system sustains incredible performance
- 8GB of unified memory so everything you do is fast and fluid
- Get more done with up to 20 hours of battery life, the longest ever in a Mac
- Apple-designed M1 chip for a giant leap in CPU, GPU, and machine learning performance
- 8-core CPU delivers up to 2.8x faster performance to fly through workflows quicker than ever
- 8-core GPU with up to 5x faster graphics for graphics-intensive apps and games
- Superfast SSD storage launches apps and opens files in an instant
- 33.78cm (13.3-inch) Retina display with 500 nits of brightness for vibrant colors and incredible image detail
- FaceTime HD camera with advanced image signal processor for clearer, sharper video call
Technical Specifications
Manufacturer | Apple Computer, Apple |
Packer | Apple |
Importer | Apple |
Item Weight | 2 kg 440 g |
Item Dimensions LxWxH | 34.1 x 24.8 x 7.3 Centimeters |
Net Quantity | 1 U |
Included Components | 13-inch MacBook Pro, USB-C Charge Cable (2 m), 61W USB-C Power Adapter |
Generic Name | Laptop |
Pros
- Magic keyboard
- Enormous display
- Enhanced thermals
- High battery backup
- Extensive storage capability
Cons
- Heavily weighted
- Absence of SD card slot
Recommendations
However, it is a lot more expensive than other laptops. Hence, it prevents the students from getting pissed off due to continuing the other hand, laptops-in. Laptops are often considered poor at sound systems and webcam.
2. Acer Aspire 1 Full HD
The Acer Aspire 1 laptop has a 14 inches wide display, which can produce a maximum of 206 nits of brightness. Even though it is a low budget laptop, it still provides a full HD (1920-by-1080) resolution. The 1080p resolution gives a phenomenal display best for watching videos. The webcam may not be the best and is a bit grainy but can serve well for Skype calls and video chats.
If you want a stylish and lightweight laptop but you don’t have the budget to buy it, don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with this laptop. The Acer Aspire 1 laptop is one of the best laptops for medical students with a lower budget. Let’s discuss some of its features.
Key Features
- Up to 6.5 Hours Battery Life
- System Ram Type: Ddr4 Sdram
- 4GB DDR4 SDRAM Onboard Memory & 64GB eMMC
- Intel Celeron N4000 Dual-Core Processor (Up to 2.6GHz)
- 14″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) Widescreen LED-backlit Display
- Microsoft 365 Personal 1-Year Subscription & Windows 10 Home in S mode
Technical Specifications
Standing screen display size | 14 Inches |
Max Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1080 Pixels |
Processor | 1.1 GHz celeron |
RAM | 4 GB DDR4 |
Memory Speed | 2.6 GHz |
Hard Drive | 64 GB Flash Memory Solid State |
Chipset Brand | Intel |
Card Description | Integrated |
Wireless Type | 802.11ac |
Number of USB 2.0 Ports | 2 |
Number of USB 3.0 Ports | 1 |
Average Battery Life (in hours) | 6.5 Hours |
Pros
- Economical
- Lightweight
- Different sorts of ports are present
- Full HD (1920- by-1080) resolution display
Cons
- Battery life is not long-lasting
Recommendations
With Intel HD Graphics 600 graphics card, you can easily play web games but try not to overload it. The students who don’t require intensive tasks on their laptops, the Acer Aspire 1 might suit you just well. The battery life is not long-lasting. The Acer Aspire provides you with 6 hours and 40 minutes battery on a single charge.
3. Lenovo Legion 5
The Lenovo Legion laptops offer a wide range of features, including powerful hardware and cool features that enhance students’ productivity. Legion 5 gaming laptop comes with an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor, 16GB DDR4 RAM, and 512GB NVMe SSD storage.
Along with it, the Legion 5 comes with a 15.6″ FHD display that has stunning image quality and sharp text, as well as Windows 10 operating system, which makes it perfect for all your work and college tasks.
Key Features
- The 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS display on the Legion 5 gaming laptop delivers speed and color clarity for full-fidelity gaming
- Connectivity: Built-in 720p webcam with e-shutter, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, 4 USB, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, RJ45 Ethernet
- Escalate your game with up to 8 high-performance cores in the AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor, 16GB DDR4 RAM, and 512GB NVMe SSD storage
- With NVIDIA GeForce GTX 3050 Ti graphics behind you, you can enjoy the depth and visual fidelity of real-time ray-tracing – RTX Gaming, It’s On
- Legion TrueStrike keyboard with 4-zone RGB backlight; 2 x 2W speakers with Nahimic Audio for Gamers
Technical Specifications
Standing screen display size | 15.6 |
Max Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1080 Pixels |
Processor | 3.2 ryzen_7 |
RAM | 16 DDR4 |
Memory Speed | 3200 MHz |
Hard Drive | 512 GB SSD |
Chipset Brand | NVIDIA |
Card Description | Dedicated |
Wireless Type | Bluetooth |
Number of USB 3.0 Ports | 4 |
Pros
- Comes with 16GB RAM & 512GB SSD.
- It comes with AMD’s ryzen 7 5800H processor.
- RTX 3050ti support for advanced users and gamers.
Cons
- Nothing as such.
Recommendations
Moreover, The Lenovo Legion 5 is also equipped with a built-in 720p webcam, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C ports for connecting peripherals to other computer systems and other devices, and other connectivity options like RJ45 Ethernet port for wired networking or USB Ports.
4. LG gram Laptop
In the LG gram laptops, there are a few features that stand out from all other laptops. This laptop was designed with the main objective of providing lightweight laptops to the world. Let us tell you more about this awesome product.LG gram laptop comes in different display sizes from 14 to 17 inches and you can also choose for the 2 in 1 system. The design of the LG gram is quite slim and its frame is made up of magnesium alloy which gives it a metallic look and also makes it lightweight.
Key Features
- Windows home 10
- Thunderbolt 3 connectivity
- Fingerprint reader : Backlit keyboard
- Intel Core i7 (8th Generation – 8565U)
- 16GB RAM & 1TB SSD (512GB x 2)
- Ultra lightweight laptop weighing just under 2. 5 pounds
- 15. 6 inch Full HD IPS touchscreen display w/ultra slim bezel
- Long lasting 72Wh battery for up to 18. 5 hours Battery Life (Mobile mark 2014 standard)
Technical Specifications
Standing screen display size | 15.6 Inches |
Max Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1080 Pixels |
Processor | 1.8 GHz core_i7 |
RAM | 16 GB DDR4 |
Memory Speed | 2400 MHz |
Hard Drive | 1 TB Flash Memory Solid State |
Graphics Coprocessor | Intel HD Graphics 620 |
Chipset Brand | Intel |
Card Description | Integrated |
Graphics Card Ram Size | 128 MB |
Wireless Type | 801.11ac |
Number of USB 3.0 Ports | 3 |
Average Battery Life (in hours) | 18.5 Hours |
Pros
- It is lightweight
- Very functional ports
- Large battery lifetime
- Has outstanding durability
Cons
- Takes a bit longer to charge
Recommendations
LG gram laptop has a 72Wh battery that can keep the laptop going for 18.5 hours on a single charge as claimed by the company. But it may vary according to the usage. The battery life is still more than enough for a medical student.
5. Lenovo IdeaPad 3
The Lenovo Ideapad 3 is just like any other ordinary laptop in terms of features but not in terms of price. It comes at a very reasonable price while its performance is impressive as compared to other products of almost the same price tag. There is nothing so unique about the design of the Lenovo Ideapad 3. It is rectangular with curved corners. Abyss Blue color is the signature color of the Lenovo Ideapad 3 which is an uncommon color and looks awesome on it. Its undercarriage is made up of hard plastic.
Key Features
- System RAM Type: DDR4 SDRAM
- Connect with ease using Bluetooth 4.1, up to 2×2 Wi-Fi 5, three USB ports, and HDMI
- AMD Ryzen 5 3500U Mobile Processors with Radeon Graphics deliver powerful performance for everyday tasks
- Dopoundsy Audio delivers crystal-clear sound, while the 14” FHD screen and narrow side bezels give you more viewing area and less clutter
- Effortlessly swap between fast and powerful performance and quiet battery saving mode
- Keep your privacy intact with a physical shutter for your webcam. You’ll enjoy privacy right at your fingertips
Technical Specifications
Standing screen display size | 14 Inches |
Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
Max Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1080 Pixels |
Processor | 2.1 GHz ryzen_5_3500u |
RAM | 8 GB DDR4 |
Memory Speed | 2400 MHz |
Hard Drive | Flash Memory Solid State |
Graphics Coprocessor | AMD Integrated Graphics |
Chipset Brand | AMD |
Card Description | Integrated |
Wireless Type | 802.11ac |
Number of USB 2.0 Ports | 1 |
Number of USB 3.0 Ports | 2 |
Pros
- Affordable
- Availability of ports
- Comfortable keyboard
- A sharper image due to (1920-by-1080) resolution
Cons
- The display is a bit dim
Recommendations
The sad thing about the Lenovo Ideapad 3 is that its display is a bit dim and provides you 250 nits of brightness. But the resolution should also be acknowledged in this case which plays a major role in presenting a sharper image. So you can have a good experience while watching videos or making projects. The battery life a medical student requires is at least 7 hours on a single charge. Lenovo Ideapad 3 provides 7 hours and 30 minutes of battery life.
How to Maintain Your Laptop as A Medical Student
Once you’ve succeeded in selecting your desired laptop and purchased it, you now need to worry about usage and maintenance. Most recently produced laptops are pretty durable but even buying a $1 million product doesn’t guarantee that the product will last.
Also, the durability of your laptop depends on your maintenance culture. In light of that, we’ve assembled some of the best maintenance tips to keep your laptops durable.
Always Delete Unused Files
Even if you have a 1TB storage capacity, it’s unwise to leave unused files in your system, they can slow down the performance of your laptop.
As a medical student, you’ll have a lot of important files to store. Once you find one that you do not need, delete it or better still move it to the cloud so you can access it anywhere with any of your devices.
Avoid Downloading Unknown Software
Downloading illegal or pirated software, videos or music can damage your device hardware. Most of those illegal files contain malware or viruses which can destroy your devices’ hardware or encrypt your entire system and files which causes loss of data on a catastrophic level.
Power down or Reboot Your Device Regularly
To conserve your device’s resources, it is recommended that you power down your device every night to avoid overheating. This is not necessary for newer models but even with newer models, it is necessary to reboot your device at least once a day.
Always Update Your Laptop
Whether you’re on a Mac or Windows machine, if you want your laptop to be secure during your medical study, you should always update your device with all the latest security patches because hackers are quick to exploit vulnerabilities found in any Operating system. So please always update your laptop.
Do not allow your Laptop Battery to Die Completely
As a medical student, you’re going to be working late at night frequently. But don’t allow your laptop’s battery to power off on its own; it kills the battery slowly. Once you get the low battery alert, either plug it in or switch it off.
Also don’t always leave your laptop to charge overnight, it leads to overcharging which reduces the battery’s life span.
Avoid Overloading or Overheating your Laptop
As a medical student, if you purchase a laptop not powerful enough for your daily tasks, you will end up overloading the system and possibly crashing it.
Yeah, don’t run programs made for laptops higher than yours. Don’t over multitask if you know you’re using a low-end laptop.
Final Verdict
Medical students don’t really need a laptop to get started with med school. However, it can be a useful device that will make life easier during one’s MBBS journey. From converting the huge textbooks into PDFs to making PowerPoint presentations and staying up to date with the latest news in the medical field, it’s a beneficial tool to have in college.
The use of computers by medical professionals has been shown to improve the quality of care, facilitate the use of evidence-based treatment, and maintain and update knowledge over the last several decades.As medical education in many countries around the globe becomes increasingly computerized and internet-based, there’s no doubt that computers and the internet are having a major impact.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much RAM do I need for medical school?
RAM: Unless you prefer to keep 10 software programs open simultaneously (e.g. internet, iTunes, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Powerpoint, video software, virtual histology slides, and more), for general internet browsing and study-related use, you should not need more than 4 gigabytes of RAM. Otherwise, go for 8GB.
2. Are Chromebooks good for medical students?
Though if you find a good deal in i5 or i3 of 8th or better gen processor, u can consider buying it. But u can definitely go for ipad. Chromebooks are not worth money. Though if u find a good deal in i5 or i3 or better gen processor, u can consider buying it.
3. What is the difference between a laptop and a Chromebook?
The main difference between Chromebooks and laptops is of course the operating system. While laptops run on the most popular operating system Windows, Chromebooks run on web-based Chrome OS, which is basically a skinned version of the Chrome browser with some added functionalities.
4. What kind of computers do hospitals use?
According to the Office of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, over 75% of office-based clinicians and 96% of hospitals in the United States use an EHR system, which allows health files to be shared more readily and eliminates the need for cumbersome paper records.
5. Why do you think a doctor uses a computer for?
Major uses of computers in medicine include hospital information systems, data analysis in medicine, medical imaging laboratory computing, computer assisted medical decision making, care of critically ill patients, computer assisted therapy and so on.