Finding the best laptop for actuarial science students might be a bit of a challenge considering how many options there are to choose from.
Though there aren’t any strenuous requirements from laptops, the sheers amount of choices can drive one crazy.
Luckily for you, we’ve done all the hard work and have come with a carefully selected list that comprises only the best laptops for actuarial science majors.
Let’s dive into it.
Best Laptops For Actuarial Science Students
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Best Laptop For Actuarial Science Students - Lenovo Thinkpad E590
The Lenovo Thinkpad E390 is our choice for the best laptop for actuarial science students in 2020. It strikes balance with both features and affordability and offers a solid user experience for students.
The laptop takes every good thing from the Thinkpad series and improves it making it a solid laptop for business students. It comes in a nice shade of black and feels super-premium with its rigid construction.
The laptop weighs around 4.7 pounds which makes it somewhat portable. If you’re looking for a portable laptop, then you probably shouldn’t go after one with a 15.6″ display. However, we found that most actuarial students didn’t care much about this aspect.
The 15.6″ display is only an HD display but provides a decent viewing experience. Though we recommend going after laptops with full HD displays, we’ll give this one a pass as the pros of this laptop outweigh the cons.
The display is perfect for working on your schoolwork. It is a widescreen display so you can have two windows side by side without any issues. It is also a good fit for watching movies and tv series on your favorite streaming platforms.
The processor that powers the Lenovo Thinkpad is an Intel Core i5 8265U chip that comes with a typical clock speed of 1.6GHz. The quad-core processor can go up to a maximum of 3.9GHz which is more powerful than a student would ever expect.
There are 16 gigs of DDR4 RAM for memory which makes this laptop an excellent fit for multitasking on the go. You can run several applications side by side without affecting the performance of the device. Most software for actuaries works fine on this laptop without any issues.
The storage we have here is a 512GB SSD which gives you both the speed and the space you need. The SSD gives you a lot of advantages over a traditional hard drive. It boots up the operating system in a few seconds and makes your regular apps available in a flash.
The laptop comes only with an integrated graphics card in the form of an Intel UHD 620 graphics card. This GPU is pretty good when it comes to handling specific apps for actuarial majors. In most cases, actuarial students will not need a dedicated graphics card so you’re good here.
The keyboard here is a pretty good one and comes with an impressive key travel for a laptop. The typing experience is neat and you also get a dedicated number pad which should make working with numbers a bit easier.
The touchpad is pretty good and works as advertised. The surface is smooth and takes input without missing a beat. The support for Windows gestures is excellent and it is easy to just restore your touchpad habits from your memory.
You get a decent number of connectivity options on the laptop. There is a USB 3.0 port, a USB 2.0 port, an HDMI port, a microSD card reader, and a headphone jack. There is also support for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity as well.
One of the best reasons for us recommending this laptop is the battery life. With a light load, the notebook can last for about 12.5 hours which is great for students. If you’re going to do something processor-heavy, then expect around 8 hours which is still an excellent result.
Overall, the Lenovo Thinkpad E390 is a solid laptop and comes with a ton of features that make life easier for students. Without a doubt, this is the best laptop for actuarial science students in 2020.
- Excellent processor
- Stellar battery life
- Great at multitasking
- HD display might not please everyone
Runner Up - HP Pavilion 15.6"
The HP Pavilion 15.6″ is only second to our best laptop as it comes with excellent performance and an even friendlier price tag. If you’re on a budget, then this would be the best notebook for you.
Most specs in this laptop are more or less the same when compared with the Lenovo Thinkpad model. This laptop is a great fit for students as it comes with amazing battery life. The notebook will last for about 12 hours which is fantastic considering the price. Even with a heavy workload, you should be able to get a battery life out of this laptop.
There is no lack of processing power, thanks to the Intel Core i5 8265U chip. This quad-core processor is the same chip we found in the Lenovo model and it delivers a similar performance here as well. You can run pretty much anything on this laptop without breaking a sweat which is nice.
As opposed to the 16 gigs of RAM in the Thinkpad model, we only have 8 gigs of DDR4 RAM here. However, the laptop still does a good job when it comes to multitasking. You can run a few apps simultaneously without breaking the laptop down. You can even open a number of Chrome tabs without causing any lag which is impressive.
The 256GB solid-state drive is stupid fast and handles applications smoothly. You can read and write even large files super quick, thanks to the SSD.
Just like the Lenovo model, you don’t get a dedicated graphics card here as well. The Intel UHD graphics card gives a similar performance when it comes to handling graphics-heavy applications.
When it comes to connectivity, the HP Pavilion comes with more options on board. There is a USB type C port, a USB 3.0 port, a couple of USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI port, and also a headphone jack. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity is built-in and comes in handy.
Overall, the HP Pavilion laptop is a great fit for an actuarial science major. It brings excellent performance to the table while carrying an inexpensive price tag. Recommended if you’re on a tight budget.
- Solid performance
- Impressive battery life
- Not a full HD display
Best Mac For Actuarial Science - Apple MacBook Air
If you’re an avid Mac user, then you probably don’t want to get a Windows laptop for school. In this case, the Apple MacBook Air is the best mac for your needs.
One of the best things about the MacBook Air is the battery life. The laptop can last for about 12 hours with a light load. If you’re an actuarial science major, then this laptop will last you an entire day before running out of juice.
The MacBook Air also the most portable laptop in this list. The laptop weighs just around 2.75 pounds which makes it easy to carry around. You can easily slide this laptop into your backpack and move along. This convenience is not available in the other models.
Another compelling feature of this laptop is the 13.3″ display. Unlike the other two models in this list, we have a super high-resolution Retina display in the MacBook Air. This display gives us excellent colors and a contrast ratio that makes for a great viewing experience.
The keyboard on this laptop is one of the best in the business and is a pleasure to type on. Though the keyboard doesn’t come with a deep key travel, you’ll get used to this and improve over time. The touchpad is huge and is perfect for all your Mac gestures.
The laptop is powered by an Intel Core i5 processor. This is a dual-core processor from Intel’s 8th gen and clocks at 1.6GHz with normal usage. With the help of turbo boost, the processor can be clocked higher and it should be enough power for most actuarial science majors.
There are 8 gigs of DDR4 RAM that go well with this CPU and together, the laptop gives a seamless user experience. You can pretty much use any application on the laptop without any hiccups whatsoever.
The laptop does not come with a dedicated graphics card. It has an Intel UHD graphics card and it does a fair job when it comes to handling graphics-oriented applications. If you’re not into gaming, then this GPU will do just fine.
You might be a bit disappointed with the connectivity options on the MacBook Air. You only get a couple of Thunderbolt ports which are very versatile in nature. The problem is if you don’t have USB type C devices, then you’re going to drown yourself in an ocean of adapters.
Overall, the Apple MacBook Air is the best Mac laptop for actuarial science students, thanks to the optimized performance, stellar display, and astounding battery life.
- Excellent display
- Solid battery life
- Neat overall experience
- Only USB Type C ports
What To Look For In The Best Laptop For Actuarial Science Majors
The first thing we want to clear is that you’re not going to use your personal laptop at work. That’s a big no-no in the business as you’ll be dealing with a lot of sensitive information.
You’ll be provided with a laptop or computer at work and that’ll be your official work machine.
We say this because you don’t have to go all-in for the laptop you’re going to use in school. The requirements for actuarial science is a lot less demanding than for actuaries. So do keep this in mind before you proceed to get a laptop for your studies.
Processor
When you pick a laptop for actuarial science, it has to have a decent amount of processing power.
Any laptop with an i5 processor from Intel will pass with flying colors. If you’re planning to do something intensive with regards to your work, then we’d recommend getting an i7 processor instead.
If your curriculum involves the usage of certain high-end applications, then you might want to go with a more business-focused processor like the Intel Xeon series. Either way, an actuarial student’s laptop will do fine with any of the above options.
Memory
For most actuarial science students, a good amount of RAM would be in the 8GB range.
Having at least 8 gigs of DDR4 RAM with a good clock speed is a good choice as it gives you a lot of options when it comes to multitasking. You can browse the web, run several apps side by side, and also run industry-specific applications without any issues.
If budget is not a problem, then getting 16 gigs of RAM won’t hurt. But we’d say that is a bit of overkill as most students will do just fine with an 8GB RAM.
Storage
Storage is more of personal preference. But if you’re serious about the performance of your laptop, then we suggest you spend some extra dollars and get a laptop with an SSD.
If you plan to go with an SSD, then a 256GB SSD would be a good starting point. If you can afford some more, then go for a 512GB solid-state drive.
1TB is the minimum storage to go for if you’re going for a traditional mechanical hard drive. Be warned that these things are a lot slower than SSDs and will test your patience. However, if you’re truly on a tight budget, hard drives will do just fine.
Display
It is important that you get a laptop with a good display. As an actuarial studies major, you’re going to spend a lot of time in front of your laptop screen.
Going with a subpar display is only going to make things worse for your eyes. So go with a good display that comes with eye care features over a long time.
Go for a screen size of 13.3″ as it gives you a good amount of portability as well. If portability is not a concern for you, then pick a laptop with a 15.6″ display. With a 15.6″ screen, you can a lot of screen real estate to do more at the same time.
The resolution of your screen also plays a major role. At a minimum, get a screen with HD resolution. It will make the text on your screen sharper and the pictures will look a lot better too. You can also go for a Full HD display if your budget allows you to.
Keyboard and Touchpad
Having a good keyboard and a touchpad is essential for any student. If you’re going to deal with numbers a lot, then getting a good keyboard should be high on your list.
Make sure that the keyboard comes with good feedback as it makes a good improvement to your typing speed. It also makes your typing experience a lot better.
The touchpad should be smooth and should support Windows gestures at the minimum. Apple MacBooks have the best touchpads out there followed by the ones on the Surface Book.
Graphics
Graphics is not a big deal for an actuarial science student. You would do just fine with a laptop that has only integrated graphics. Just be sure to get one that is, at worst, a couple of years old.
But if you’re someone who loves to game online, then we’d recommend you to get a laptop with a dedicated graphics card. Our picks do not include a laptop with a discrete GPU as we had the needs of most actuarial majors in mind.
Battery Life
For any student, the battery is life is one of the most important criteria in a laptop.
Ideally, you need a laptop that comes with full-day battery life. Whether you plan on taking notes or want to browse the latest topics during work, your laptop needs to be with you for the whole day without losing juice.
Even if you go with a budget laptop for school, pick one that gives you at least 5 to 6 hours so that you can plan your hours without losing on important school work.
The models we’ve recommended come with impressive battery life and should give you an uninterrupted user experience for an entire day.
Connectivity
You need a laptop that gives you a lot of options when it comes to connectivity.
Being an actuarial student, you need access to a wide variety of ports for a number of reasons. At the bare minimum, you need a USB 3.0 port, an HDMI port, an SD card slot, and a headphone jack.
You can also get a laptop with USB type C port as the industry is slowing moving towards this standard. This would be a nice way to future-proof your notebook.
Also, make sure that your laptop comes with support for wireless standards like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi as well.
That brings us to the end of this huge post. Thanks for holding your patience up until this point by the way.
When you’re searching for the best laptop for actuarial science students, we truly hope that this guide helps you and gets you what you seek.
If you have any questions or comments regarding this topic or anything about the website, please let us know using the comment section below.