Zeroing on the best laptop for aerospace engineering students can be a tough challenge with so many impressive laptops available to choose from.
Being one of the best disciplines in the field of engineering, you want a solid companion in the form of a laptop, not just some random laptop.
You will also need to do a fair bit of work on your laptop like working on assignments and even projects later on. For all these, you need a top-rated notebook to give you company.
We’ve seen a lot of laptops over time and not all are a great fit for students. In this guide, we give you the best laptops for aerospace engineering majors and explain why they’re a good fit.
Best Laptops for Aerospace Engineering Students in 2020
Microsoft Surface Book 2 - Best Laptop For Aerospace Engineering Students
Based on a ton of research, the Microsoft surface book 2 is the best laptop for aerospace engineering students. It brings a myriad of features and gives the best computing experience for most students.
If you have seen a Microsoft Surface Book 2 in person, you can’t stop talking about the design of this laptop. This laptop comes with a beautiful, industrial design that looks and feels premium.
Even though the laptop is made of strong materials, it weighs just 3.62 lbs which makes it a very portable laptop. If you are a student, then you will appreciate the portability of the laptop as it gives you the freedom to take it along with you wherever you go.
One of the best advantages of Microsoft Surface Book 2 is that you can also use it as a tablet. You can detach the screen from the dock and simply start using it in the tablet form. The operating system is also optimized for the tablet version so that you’re not getting a half baked experience here.
The display we have here is a 13.5-inch pixel since display that comes with a resolution of 3000 x 2000 pixels. This is one of the most color-accurate displays you will find on the market. It is excellent for media consumption and other color-related professional work.
The bezels on the side are not that thin which gives you some space to hold the laptop in the tablet mode. The screen is responsive to touch and supports most styluses which allow you to take notes during lectures. You will also fall in love with the palm rejection tech as well.
How powerful is the Microsoft Surface Book 2? The laptop comes with an Intel Core i7 processor that clocks up to a maximum of 4.2 GHz. This chip is an eighth-gen Intel chip and comes with four physical cores. In terms of sheer performance, this is one of the best CPUs you can get your hands on in the market right now.
The laptop is perfect for everyday school use. As an aerospace engineering student, if you have certain applications to run on a daily basis, there is no doubt that this processor will handle it with ease.
The processor is well supported by the 8GB rain in the memory department. 8 GB is like the minimum required memory in a laptop for aerospace engineering students. We did not go with 16 GB RAM as it would unnecessarily bring the cost of the laptop up. But if the cost is not a problem, then, by all means, go for the model with 16 gigs of memory.
For storage, we have a 256GB solid-state drive. This being Microsoft’s flagship laptop, it comes with a solid-state drive that is very fast. It comes with excellent read and write speeds and takes the performance of the laptop to the next level. Even when you’re dealing with huge files, the SSD makes the process such a breeze.
The Microsoft Surface Book 2 comes with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 graphics card. This is a dedicated graphics card and it comes with a video RAM of 2GB that is of GDDR5 type. If you have to do graphics-intensive work for school, then this GPU will come in handy. It is also useful when you have to deal with 3D modeling and other heavy workloads.
The battery life is easily one of the best selling points of the Microsoft Surface Book 2. With a light load, a laptop can last for an astounding 17 hours which is unheard of. Even when you are working on something heavy, the laptop will still last for at least eight hours which is simply fantastic. Not many laptops will come close to the battery life of the Surface Book 2.
Overall, the Microsoft Surface Book 2 is a solid laptop and is one of the best laptops for aerospace engineering students without a fraction of doubt. If you are serious about school and want to get the best notebook for everyday use, then go with this one. Much recommended.
- Gorgeous display
- Stellar battery life
- Also a tablet
- Only USB type C port is available
Apple MacBook Pro - Best Mac For Aerospace Engineering Students
The MacBook Pro 13.3 inches laptop is our choice for the best Mac for aerospace engineering students.
If you are an aerospace engineering major, and if you’re not a fan of Windows, then you have very few options left at your disposal. You can either go with Linux distribution or you can go with the Mac. If you want a seamless user experience then we suggest going with a MacBook Pro for a number of reasons.
The design of the MacBook Pro is one of its best features, the build quality of the laptop is excellent and you can say that it is a premium laptop by just looking at it. The laptop is portable and comes at around 3 lbs which makes it the most portable laptop for students.
The hinge on the MacBook Pro is super smooth and is probably the best on any laptop. You can lift the lid of a laptop with just one hand and that goes to show how Apple appreciates even the smallest details.
The keyboard on the laptop is pleasant to use and is one of the best keyboards you will find in a notebook. The key travel might not be as deep as you will find another laptop, but it is something you will get used to. The backlighting on the keyboard is excellent and comes in handy when you’re working in dark rooms.
The touchpad on the MacBook Pro is solid and is bigger than most laptops. It takes your gestures responsively and makes things more fluid than ever.
The display on the MacBook Pro is one of the best displays you will find on a laptop, period. We have a 13.3-inch display that comes with a retina resolution which is a little bit better than QHD resolution.
The screen has an IPS panel and with that, you get excellent colors, brilliant viewing angles, and an impressive contrast ratio. One disadvantage with the MacBook Pro here is that the display is not a touchscreen so you are just getting a simple, straightforward laptop with this one.
The multimedia experience on the MacBook Pro is excellent. The speakers are louder than on most laptops and they do not get distorted even at high volumes. Together, the display and the speaker offer a complete multimedia experience to the user.
The MacBook Pro does not only look good but also packs a punch when it comes to processing power. It comes with an Intel Core i5 processor that belongs to the eighth generation of Intel chips. This is a quad-core processor and comes with a maximum clocking frequency of 4.1 GHz.
When it comes to handling everyday schoolwork, the processor excels at it. It is capable of handling even some complex applications like my club and 3D modeling software that most aerospace engineering students use. The memory department comes with eight gigs of DDR4Ram and offers solid support of the processor in giving the user seamless computing experience.
Apple laptops usually have solid-state drives for storage and this one is no different. The SSD comes with a storage capacity of 256GB which is adequate for a student. This is one of the fastest SSDs you will ever find. The laptop comes with excellent reading and writing space and will copy even huge files within a snap of a finger.
There is another minor gripe with the MacBook Pro and that is the GPU. We do not have a dedicated graphics card in the Apple MacBook Pro 13 inches. We only have the integrated Intel HD graphics card and it does a pretty good job when it comes to handling most applications.
If you are someone who doesn’t have the need to do 3D modeling or any other graphics-intensive simulations, then you should be fine with this UHD graphics card from Intel. But if you have the above needs, then your laptop is going to be pushing its limits. In that case, we suggest you go with the MacBook model that comes with a dedicated graphics card.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 inches comes with a battery life of 12 hours. This battery life will allow you to do more at school without having to search for a power socket to recharge your laptop.
Overall, the MacBook Pro 13 inches is one of the best laptops for aerospace engineering majors. It comes in a small package but manages to handle all your student needs without any problems.
- Incredible display
- Excellent battery life
- Beautiful construction
- Lack of dedicated GPU
Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop - Best Budget Laptop For Aerospace Engineering Students
The Acer aspire 5 Slim laptop is our choice for the best budget laptop for aerospace engineering students.
With a price tag of under $700, this Acer laptop comes with an impressive array of features and delivers a solid user experience for students irrespective of their disciplines.
There is nothing to boast about in the design department as the laptop looks like pretty much every other laptop in the Acer Aspire series. The keyboard on the laptop is a full one with a dedicated number pad to the right. The touchpad is decent and gets the job done.
The display here is a 15.6 inch full HD display that comes with an IPS panel underneath. Thanks to the IPS panel, the display delivers vibrant pictures and excellent viewing angles making this laptop great for both media consumption as well as presentations. The sound output on the laptop is not that great but serviceable.
The laptop is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 processor that comes with a maximum clock speed of 4.0 GHz. This is a dual-core processor and comes with enough power to tackle the needs of most students. Though we usually suggest going with a quad-core processor is, this one gets a pass due to its impressive performance.
There are eight gigs of DDR4 RAM in the memory department that help in delivering lag-free user experience. You can run several apps together without bringing down the performance of the laptop.
For storage, we have a 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD. This solid-state drive gives ample space to store all your work. The SSD is not only spacious but also provides you with a boost in the performance aspects of the laptop. It loads up the operating system in a few seconds and brings the same vigor in opening and closing apps as well.
We do not have a dedicated GPU in this laptop. The graphic needs are taken care of by the AMD Radeon RX Vega 10 mobile graphics card. Unless otherwise, you need a lot of graphics processing power, this GPU can handle most of your graphics work out without any issues.
The laptop can last for about 7.5 hours with regular use. If you are going to do something complex, then expect the laptop two stay alive for about 3 to 4 hours at best.
Being a budget laptop, the Acer Aspire 5 Slim laptop that’s an excellent job and takes care of the students’ need without failing on too many occasions. For the price, this is probably the best laptop for aerospace engineering majors.
- Affordable
- Excellent performance
- Decent battery life
- No dedicated GPU
What To Look For in the Best Laptops for Aerospace Engineering Majors?
If you’re a student, then you’re going to need a laptop that’s gonna last for a few years at the minimum. You don want to get an underpowered laptop that you’ll have to replace in a couple of years.
Knowing what your school needs are will give you a good idea of which laptop is the best one for your needs. Since we are dealing with aerospace engineering students here, this section will talk about different aspects of a laptop with respect to this discipline.
Portability
The reason why we’re putting portability first on this list is that as a student you’re going to have a lot of lectures to attend and you’re going to need a laptop that you can carry along with you.
If you want a portable solution, then you are better off going with a laptop that has a 13.3″ display. This display is not that small and at the same time, it gives you a light laptop that you can take with you wherever you go.
If you’re a girl, then be sure to put an emphasis on the weight as you don’t need anything heavy. Anything more than 3.5 pounds is not a great choice for school when portability is the main criterion.
Be sure to not lose on the performance side of things just because you’re going for portability. Pick a laptop that is lightweight and also handles all your workload without any hiccups.
If you want to go to the absolute lightest laptop, then we have to take a slight detour here. Since portability is more important to you, you might want to go with an iPad rather than a regular laptop. But do keep in mind that you might not have the flexibility of choosing the software for your major when it comes to iPadOS.
Display
As a bare minimum, go for a 1920 x 1080 pixels display. This is what we call full HD resolution and brings with a ton of advantages when compared with low-resolution displays.
If you’re going with an HD display, then you have to focus hard on the screen to get a good idea of what’s going on. With a full HD display, the contents on the screen are a lot sharper and you don’t have to squint.
It also gives you the option to arrange two windows side by side so that you can have more productivity as a student.
Panel
While getting a good resolution display is nice, the panel underneath the display is crucial as well.
If you’re going to get a TN panel, then you will have a hard time figuring out what’s going on the screen when you view it from an angle. The viewing angles are that good in TN and VA panels.
To get the best viewing angles and color reproduction, you should get yourself an IPS panel display. This panel is much better and should give you the performance for school work.
How big?
This is more of a personal preference if you ask us.
If you like enjoying some media content on your laptop, then you should go with a 15.6″ display as it will give you a more immersive experience. It also provides you a lot of screen real estate to do more at the same time.
If you don’t mind working on a smaller screen, then going with a 13.3″ screen might be the smart thing to do as you will also be saving some money.
Processing Power
How much power you’ll require is dependent on the software you’ll use at school.
If you’re going to be doing light work most of the time, then going with a simple i3 or i5 processor will be more than enough.
But we’ve known the student life long enough to know that it won’t be the case.
As a bare minimum, get an Intel Core i5 processor with a good base frequency. Also, make sure that you get a processor that is not more than a couple of years old.
You don’t want a processor that is not in line with the most recent architecture.
If you’re going to be dealing with a lot of heavy software like 3D modeling, then going with an i7 processor is the smart thing to do. Though it will reduce the battery life of your laptop, having this much processing power is definitely a requisite.
Memory
Having enough RAM on your laptop will give you the freedom to multitask and run some applications that need a lot of resources to run properly.
If you’re on a tight budget, you might be able to manage most of your aerospace engineering work with a 4GB memory. But we don’t recommend this as you’ll easily outgrow this memory in the coming years.
We suggest a minimum of 8GB DDR4 RAM for aerospace engineering students. This RAM will allow you to do most of your tasks without any performance issues.
If you’re going to be dealing with a lot of complex applications, then you might want o switch over to a laptop with at least 16 gigs of RAM. This is suitable when you have to deal with 3D modeling, complicated MATLAB routine and so on.
But if you have no idea how your workload is going to be, then it is a safe bet to go with a laptop with 8 gigs of DDR4 RAM.
Also, go for laptops that will allow you to upgrade your memory at a later date. It makes the upgrading process simple and straightforward.
Storage
If you plan on doing a lot of 3D modeling, then you’re going to be presented with output files that are super huge. In this case, you need a lot of storage space to store all these files. You should be shooting for a 1TB hard drive as a starting point.
If you’re planning to use your laptop only for assignments and simple browsing work, then you may not as much storage on your laptop. You’ll do fine with a 256GB storage drive.
Focus on Speed
As a student, you don’t want to be held back by a slow storage drive. Going with traditional hard drives will do the exact same for your workflow.
A good choice would be to pick SSDs over HDDs so that you get an excellent performance boost to your everyday computing experience.
SSDs are expensive and often not as generous as hard drives, but the performance enhancements they bring along makes them totally worth it. If you’re going to be dealing with MATLAB and CAD, then you should totally get an SSD for regular use.
Not only with your software, but SSD also makes your everyday computing a lot faster as well. From booting the operating system to opening even heavy apps, the solid-state drive conquers them all.
Having a backup is also super important. You don’t want to wake up one day and lose all your progress on your project. There are a couple of ways to keep a backup of your important files.
One way is by getting cheap external hard drives. They are very inexpensive and can come in handy as backups.
The second way is to go with a cloud solution. You can get a free plan and that should be good enough for most users. If you can get enough referrals on board, then you can increase your free storage space on that cloud platform. Most cloud platforms give these benefits to user referrals.
Graphics
If you’re an aerospace engineering student, then having a dedicated graphics card on your laptop is a good thing. This is not to say that you can’t have a good time without a discrete GPU.
In fact, most students will do just fine with an integrated GPU considering it is not more than a year old.
If your needs comprise regular laptop usage and dealing with 2D applications, then the latest Intel UHD graphics card can take care of your needs without any issues.
But if you’re going to spend time on 3D modeling, then you’ll need some dedicated graphics power. Going with an Nvidia GeForce GPU (latest generations) might come in handy in this situation.
If you’re not bound by your budget and are looking to get the latest and the greatest GPU, then we would advise you to stop and think again. Going for a GPU like that could be overkill and will push you in the range of diminishing returns.
Battery Life
If you’re an aerospace engineering student, then you want a laptop with all-day battery life, period.
Having a laptop that stays with you for an entire day gives you the freedom to work on it whenever you want. You can take notes, work on assignments and make improvements to your projects on the go without having to search for a power socket.
All our recommendations come with excellent battery life, so you really can’t go wrong with either one of those.
That brings us to the end of this mammoth post.
We suppose we helped you to finalize the best laptop for aerospace engineering students for you in 2020.
If you have any issues with the content or with the laptops mentioned on the content, do let us know in the comment section below.
If you feel like we’ve not covered something in detail enough or if we’ve missed your favorite laptop, let us know that as well. We’d love to hear that from you.
Refer to ConsumerTechCentral.com for more useful guides.