BEST LAPTOP FOR GOOGLE CLASSROOM
- BEST OVERALL: MacBook Air 13” (M1, 2020)
- BEST LOW COST: Asus E410 14”
- BEST FOR BUDGET: HP 14”
- BEST PREMIUM: Macbook Pro 14” (M1, 2021)
- BEST FOR PORTABILITY: Microsoft Surface Go 2 10.5″
GOOGLE CLASSROOM LAPTOPS COMPARISON
| PRODUCT | PRICE RANGE | BOOT TIME / BATTERY |
WEIGHT | WEBCAM | SCREEN | PERFORMANCE | REVIEW | SHOP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BEST OVERALL MacBook Air 13” (M1, 2020) |
HIGH | 15 sec 11h 15m |
2.8 lbs | 720p | 13.3″ | Processor: Apple M1 RAM:8GB Storage:256GB |
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BEST LOW COST Asus E410 14” |
LOW | 12 sec on Linux 6h 34m |
2.8 lbs | VGA | 14″ | Processor: 1.1 GHz celeron RAM:4GB Storage:128GB |
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BEST FOR BUDGET HP 14” |
MEDIUM | N/A 12h 46m |
3.24 lbs | 720p | 14″ | Processor: 4.1 GHz Intel RAM: 4GB Storage:128GB |
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BEST PREMIUM Macbook Pro 14” (M1, 2021) |
VERY HIGH | 17 sec 15h 58m |
3.5 lbs | 1080p | 14.2″ | Processor: Apple M1 Pro RAM: 32GB Storage:512GB |
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BEST FOR PORTABILITY Microsoft Surface Go 2 10.5″ |
LOW | Nearly instant 8h 25m |
1.2 lbs | 1080p | 10.5″ | Processor: 1.7 GHz Intel RAM: 4GB Storage: 64GB |
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Table of Contents
BEST LAPTOP FOR GOOGLE CLASSROOM REVIEWS
MacBook Air 13” (M1, 2020)
BEST OVERALL
| BENEFITS | DRAWBACKS |
|---|---|
| – Good value for a Macbook. – Remarkably fast performance, thanks to Apple’s new M1 processor. – Great battery life that can last 8 hours for light productivity. – Good screen. – Feels good to type on. – Large and responsive touchpad. – Absolutely silent. – Light and slim. – Nice speakers. | – Fanless design could limit its performance. – Only two USB-C ports. – Not upgradable. – The webcam still isn’t great. |
HOW EVOLVED TO PREVIOUS MODELS:
- It looks exactly the same as previous MacBook Airs.
- Apple replaced its butterfly keyboard, prone to issues with dust and broken keys, with a new Magic Keyboard.
- Gets warm but still cooler than the previous MacBook Air.
- Feels able to do more with the M1 chip.
- The 720p FaceTime webcam that feels outdated is still unchanged.
WHAT SET IT APART FROM ITS COMPETITORS:
- Compared to premium Windows 10 laptops which are pricier, the Air’s price tag looks even more competitive.
- Plenty of Windows laptop competitors do not get close to the MacBook Air’s combination of price and performance.
QUICK SPECS
- Price: $999
- Boot time: 15 sec
- Battery: 11h 15m (looping a 1080p video at 50% brightness)
- Weight: 2.8 lbs
- Webcam: 720p
- Screen: 13.3″
- Processor: Apple M1
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 256GB
TODAY’S PRICE
MacBook Air 13” (M1, 2020) REVIEW
- BOOT TIME:
From opening the lid to the login screen, this MacBook Air takes just 15 seconds to boot thanks to its M1 chip.
- PERFORMANCE:
M1 MacBook Air (2020) is lightning-quick.
Compared to its predecessors, this MacBook Air now packs far better performance and is outperforming its Windows rivals and mostly matching the MacBook Pro 13.
One thing to note is that the fanless design could mean that performance is reduced when it’s performing demanding tasks over long periods of time, which is not the case using Google Classroom.
- DISPLAY:
Retina display on this computer displays very sharp images and text due to its high pixel density.
Bezels are not as slim as some elite Windows laptops and look a touch out of date, but that’s hardly a deal-breaker.
- KEYBOARD AND TRACKPAD:
Apple has replaced the butterfly keyboard, which is prone to issues with its new Magic Keyboard that feels tactile and responsive.
The massive trackpad is responsive, precise, and has smooth scrolling.
- STORAGE:
This base model that is advertised with a capacity of 256 GB has 218 GB usable, which is more than enough for a Google Classroom computer.
- BATTERY LIFE:
This MacBook Air’s battery life is very impressive.
It can last 11 hours and 15 minutes running a looped 1080p video at 50% brightness.
- PORTABILITY:
How thin and lightweight this laptop, combined with its small power adapter that can fit easily into most bags makes the MacBook Air 13” (M1, 2020) very portable.
- ISSUES:
As said before, the fanless design force the computer to reduce its performance if it gets under lots of loads.
A small group of people reported on Reddit and Apple’s Community forum that their laptop’s screen is spontaneously cracking.
At the time of writing this article, I am not sure of what is the cause but what I can say is that if you are careful with how you use it, you use a sticker for the webcam instead of the bulky webcam cover, you keep it in case, and before you close your computer you check for things that can crack the screen you will be good with this computer.
CONCLUSION
This laptop is best for students looking for an affordable Macbook, a powerful thin, light, and long-lasting battery laptop.
If you want a budget laptop or you hate Mac computers for whatever reason, you will be better with one of the other options in this article.
Asus E410 14”
BEST LOW COST
| BENEFITS | DRAWBACKS |
|---|---|
| – Excellent battery life. – Responsive for basic tasks – Lightweight and portable. – Low price. – Great battery life. – Fanless design makes it silent. | – Too light and spongy keys. – Poor webcam. – Low display brightness. |
HOW EVOLVED TO PREVIOUS MODELS:
- There are no previous models to compare it to.
WHAT SET IT APART FROM ITS COMPETITORS:
- I can say that its long battery life is what set it apart from other budget laptops.
QUICK SPECS
- Price: $295
- Boot time: 12 sec on Linux
- Battery: 6h 34m (looping a 1080p video)
- Weight: 2.8 lbs
- Webcam: VGA
- Screen: 14″
- Processor: 1.1 GHz celeron
- RAM: 4GB
- Storage: 128GB
TODAY’S PRICE
Asus E410 14” REVIEW
- BOOT TIME:
The SSD storage helps a lot with faster boot time. On Linux, it takes just 12 sec to boot.
- PERFORMANCE:
Despite being a low-cost laptop with a Celeron processor, due to the more cache upgrade, the Asus E410 is perfectly adequate for office applications, including Google Classroom.
- DISPLAY:
In broad daylight, this laptop barely gets bright enough to work.
For simple tasks like web browsing and word processing, this is not a big issue.
It only matters if what you do is based on photos and videos like editing or watching films because photos/videos on this display look a little lifeless.
- KEYBOARD AND TRACKPAD:
The keyboard keys feel spongy under the fingers and a little bounce back.
The trackpad double as a number pad and allows you to type in figures and do calculations.
- STORAGE:
128 GB of SSD storage is on the limited side. But it remains enough for you as a Google Classroom user.
- BATTERY LIFE:
The battery life is one feature where this computer standout.
It can play a looped 1080p video for 6 hours and 34 minutes before its battery drains out.
- PORTABILITY:
Weighing 2.8 lbs, which is extremely light, the Asus E410 is designed to provide extreme portability.
It is easy to carry with you and even to use on the train or airplane.
- ISSUES:
Apart from the dim screen and photos and videos that look a little lifeless, this laptop has no issues with Google Classroom use.
CONCLUSION
If you are looking for a laptop that can run Google Classroom from just about anywhere without spending much, the Asus E410 is a great choice.
HP 14”
BEST FOR BUDGET
| BENEFITS | DRAWBACKS |
|---|---|
| – Good battery life. – Fingerprint reader to skip passwords. | – No keyboard backlight. – Screen look flat and bland with minimal contrast. |
HOW EVOLVED TO PREVIOUS MODELS:
- There are no previous models to compare with.
WHAT SET IT APART FROM ITS COMPETITORS:
- I see that the the long battery life is what set this computer apart from many laptops in the same price range.
QUICK SPECS
- Price: $429
- Boot time: N/A
- Battery: 12h 46m (looping a 720p videos at 50% brightness)
- Weight: 3.24 lbs
- Webcam: 720p
- Screen: 14″
- Processor: 4.1 GHz Intel
- RAM: 4GB
- Storage: 128GB
TODAY’S PRICE
HP 14” REVIEW
- BOOT TIME:
No information about how fast this computer starts up.
- PERFORMANCE:
Thanks to the 11th Generation Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor, this HP 14” laptop is more than enough for Google Classroom and another basic task of most students.
- DISPLAY:
Fine details and the edges of letters are sharp enough but compared to the IPS display, the viewing angles of this computer aren’t wide.
- KEYBOARD AND TRACKPAD:
Personally, I don’t like how the up and down arrows are stacked between full-size left and right arrows.
The keyboard of this laptop contains a fingerprint reader in the palm rest for skipping passwords but unfortunately, it has no backlit.
The touchpad clicks stiffly but has smooth glides and taps.
- STORAGE:
The SSD makes this computer start up and launch applications faster but its 128 GB is very limited for storage.
- BATTERY LIFE:
This HP 14” laptop is able to loop a 720p video at 50% brightness for 12 hours 46 minutes.
This battery life is able to get you through a day of school plus a few evening hours.
- PORTABILITY:
Weighing 3.24 lbs, which is considered lightweight, and having a 14 inches screen makes this laptop easy to carry around school.
- ISSUES:
One user said that just watching a simple youtube video makes the CPU run very hot at 70+. I am not sure about this, but it’s something to pay attention to.
Macbook Pro 14” (M1, 2021)
BEST PREMIUM
| BENEFITS | DRAWBACKS |
|---|---|
| – Very powerful – Best screen on a laptop – Very long battery life – Brilliant speakers – Great keyboard and trackpad – Comfortable Magic Keyboard – 1080p webcam | – No USB-A or HDMI 2.1 support – Not upgradeable after purchase |
HOW EVOLVED TO PREVIOUS MODELS:
- The new M1 Pro chip gives it longer battery life, compared to the old Intel-based MacBook Pros.
- The webcam on this laptop evolved to full HD instead of the only HD one, found in the Intel-based 2020 MacBook Pro.
- The better display quality.
WHAT SET IT APART FROM ITS COMPETITORS:
- The full HD webcam.
- Screen quality.
- Performance.
QUICK SPECS
- Price: $1950
- Boot time: 17 sec
- Battery: 15h 58m (looping a 1080p video)
- Weight: 3.5 lbs
- Webcam: 1080p
- Screen: 14.2″
- Processor: Apple M1 Pro
- RAM: 32GB
- Storage: 512GB
TODAY’S PRICE
Macbook Pro 14” (M1, 2021) REVIEW
- BOOT TIME:
Macbook Pro 14” (M1, 2021) start-up in 17 sec.
- PERFORMANCE:
This Apple laptop has an incredible performance due to the Apple M1 Pro chip.
There is no perceptible dip in performance running only on its battery.
- DISPLAY:
The Macbook Pro 14” (M1, 2021) display is stunning for HDR work and the larger screen of 14.2″ makes everyday tasks like writing, browsing, and emailing more comfortable compared to 13.3″ laptops.
Thanks to the thin bezels, the larger display does not make the laptop much bigger than its predecessors.
- KEYBOARD AND TRACKPAD:
The Magic Keyboard is responsive, feels great to type on, and is reliable.
The class-leading huge trackpad is enormous, precise, and smooth.
- STORAGE:
This laptop comes with a 512GB SSD that is more than enough for most students using Google Classroom or even editing videos if you know how to organize your storage space.
- BATTERY LIFE:
Playing a looped 1080p video, the Macbook Pro 14” (M1, 2021) was able to run solely on the battery for 15 hours and 58 minutes, which is very impressive.
- PORTABILITY:
Despite being slightly heavier than consumer machines, this machine remains easy to carry in a backpack.
Compared to the Pro 16in, this one is more portable.
- ISSUES:
The SD card reader issues are fairly widespread amongst owners of this laptop.
This Reddit user is the first one who wrote about having issues with the LED light on the MagSafe charger repeatedly turning on and off.
CONCLUSION
If you are after a laptop with the best camera and audio quality, with no fan nose to use for Google Classroom, this is the one if you can afford it.
Microsoft Surface Go 2 10.5″
BEST FOR PORTABILITY
| BENEFITS | DRAWBACKS |
|---|---|
| – Affordable price. – Lightweight and portable – Impressive audio volume – Nifty built-in kickstand – Excellent 1080p webcam and crisp and clear microphone – Decent-sounding speakers – Stays completely silent – Very good battery life – Runs any Windows app | – No stylus included – Become pricey with you get it with accessories – Windows Store still too bare – Only one USB-C port – Touchpad is a bit small |
HOW EVOLVED TO PREVIOUS MODELS:
- Unfortunately, at 1.2lbs, it’s slightly heavier than the original.
- Significantly faster than the original Surface Go.
- 0.5-inch larger display compared to its predecessor.
- Better battery life.
WHAT SET IT APART FROM ITS COMPETITORS:
- Comes with an incredibly useful built-in kickstand, when the iPad needs a case with one.
- The Windows OS has a wider range of productibity and creative applications.
QUICK SPECS
- Price: $364.99
- Boot time: Nearly instant
- Battery: 8h 25m (looping a 1080p video)
- Weight: 1.2 lbs
- Webcam: 1080p (front)
- Screen: 10.5″
- Processor: 1.7 GHz Intel
- RAM: 4GB
- Storage: 64GB
TODAY’S PRICE
Microsoft Surface Go 2 10.5″ REVIEW
- BOOT TIME:
I don’t know the exact duration, but the Macbook Pro 14” (M1, 2021) starts up nearly instantly.
- PERFORMANCE:
For day-to-day tasks and schoolwork like Google Classroom, the Surface Go 2 runs fine.
- DISPLAY:
Its 60Hz display with no VRR technology makes fast-moving content won’t look very clear but it can display all standard web content colors, making it bright and colorful.
Compared to the first-generation Surface Go, this one has a slightly larger display and smaller borders around the screen that makes it look sleeker and more modern.
For people who often use external displays, this tablet takes up far less room on a desk than a laptop does.
- KEYBOARD AND TRACKPAD:
The keyboard keys are decent enough to type on. For people with big hands, for example, the small size button might be uncomfortable.
The Type Cover is sturdy, attractive, and easy to remove when you’re done with it.
Unfortunately, the touchpad is cramped and tracks poorly.
- STORAGE:
This tablet comes with 64 GB of storage, which is limiting but more than enough for Google Classroom use.
- BATTERY LIFE:
This tablet can last 7 hours and 40 minutes in regular use, which is enough for the whole school day.
- PORTABILITY:
The Microsoft Surface Go 2 10.5″ is thin and light enough to easily carry around with you.
- ISSUES:
The keyboard flexes a bit and bends easily when twisting.
It wobbles when typing with the keyboard at a tilt.
The screen itself can get hot under heavy use, which can be an issue if your work requires you to touch the screen.
CONCLUSION
If you are seeking an excellent webcam and microphone for Google Classroom and a remarkably portable computer that feels very well built that can last a full school day of light productivity use, this tablet is good for you.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST LAPTOP FOR GOOGLE CLASSROOM
DISPLAY SIZE
If you will be hauling your laptop around, it’s better for you to avoid big laptops with 15-inch or 17-inch screens. 13 or 14-inch widescreen panel is ideal.
POWER VS BATTERY
If you are after all-day battery life, Chromebooks are ideal, they are enough for non-demanding tasks like web browsing
If you are after a performance, a Macbook with an M1 chip or a Windows laptop with at least an Intel Core i5 is good for Google Classroom use and demanding tasks like video editing.
STORAGE
Even with cloud storage, getting a plentiful local storage space remains important.
For people editing videos, you’ll need 500GB of space or more.
For people using their computer for a simple task like video calling, writing, or web browsing, 128 GB of storage can be enough.
Compared to SSD, hard drives offer more storage for less money but they are noticeably slower.
BATTERY LIFE
Since most new laptops come with a non-removable battery, you should pay attention to this point, especially if your day is filled with classes and extracurricular activities.
HYBRID LAPTOPS
The 2-in-1 laptops are capable of functioning as laptops and can transform into a tablet.
What you should pay close attention to when you are buying a 2-in-1 laptop with a detachable keyboard is the price of buying the keyboard separately because sometimes their price can be more than you’d expect.
FAQ
MY BEST LAPTOP FOR GOOGLE CLASSROOM IS …
Since Google Classroom does not require much and I am on a budget, the best laptop for me is the Asus E410 14”. It is very affordable, very portable, and has a good enough battery life.
CAN I TRUST A 2-IN-1 LAPTOP-TABLET FOR GOOGLE CLASSROOM?
Yes, the Microsoft Surface Go 2 10.5″ is a good example.
It comes at an affordable price, excellent webcam, and microphone, battery life that can last a full school day and is remarkably portable
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