March 06, 2023

Whether you’re the next Scorsese or Kahlo, working on the great American novel or mastering rocket science, there’s a Microsoft Surface laptop for your college major. With a wide variety of features and dimensions, there’s something for everyone. Use these tips to find the best student laptop for your college experience and thrive.

Matching your student laptop to your discipline

While any Microsoft Surface device could be useful for college students, here are specific recommendations to help you find the best device for your discipline:

Artists and graphic designers: Digitize your sketches

Check out Surface Pro 11ᵗʰ Edition. This Copilot+ PC converts to a tablet to make the best of both worlds. Not only can you replace your tablet, laptop, and create a full desktop or ultimate creative studio—all in a thin and lightweight package, but you can also take advantage of its iconic 165-degree fluid kickstand that delivers flexibility at any angle. Pair your Surface Pro 11ᵗʰ Edition’s 13-inch PixelSense Flow display and our most advanced digital pen that unlocks your creativity and productivity like never before:

Surface Slim Pen.¹ With real-time writing, pin-point accuracy, and a built-in haptic motor,² Surface Slim Pen brings the feel of writing and drawing on paper to your display. Versatility and portability make this series the ideal choice to create in your unique way wherever inspiration strikes.

Editing videos and movies? You’re going to need a bigger processor

Modern-day problems require modern-day solutions: The storage and processing demands of video editing software call for a device with real fighting strength. Cue Surface Laptop 7ᵗʰ Edition, which is the fastest, most intelligent Surface laptop ever. It has the longest battery life on any Surface with up to 20 hours of battery life,* so you can edit videos and movies at a smooth rate. Its Snapdragon® X series processors help this Copilot+ PC deliver higher performance using less energy. Take advantage of these features with Surface Laptop 7ᵗʰ Edition’s turbocharged Qualcomm® Hexagon™ neural processing unit (NPU) to unlock unique Copilot+ PC experiences that help improve your editing process so you can produce better work.

Stay more focused in class with AI

Use Surface Laptop 7ᵗʰ Edition and Surface Pro 11ᵗʰ Edition to elevate your productivity and creativity with Copilot. Find what you need for class faster with Recall (in preview). Searching for a document, email, or webpage on your PC can be time-consuming. Now you can just describe how you remember something and Recall with find it, instantly.³ Pay better attention in your virtual lectures with Live captions. When you never miss a word, you never miss a beat. Like the conversation in your video calls. Or dialogue in your movies. If there are spoken words, Live captions can turn them into English subtitles in real time on your screen.⁴

If the outdoors are your classroom, this Surface is for you

Flexible, ultra-thin, and ultra-light, Surface Pro 11ᵗʰ Edition is an ideal fit for fieldwork, weighing in at just 1.97 lb. With the ability to stay connected anywhere with ultra-fast speeds anywhere with optional 5G⁵ and Wi-Fi 7⁶ connectivity, you can relay your research back to your colleagues or up to OneDrive cloud storage. Surface Pro 11ᵗʰ Edition also has up to 14 hours of battery life and you can charge it on the go, transfer data fast, or create the ultimate desktop setup with two USB-C® 4 ports and support for up to three 4K monitors at 60Hz.⁷ If you’re in the environmental sciences, marine studies, or agricultural fields, you’ll appreciate the go-anywhere spirit of Surface Pro 11ᵗʰ Edition.

Now that you know which Microsoft Surface Copilot+ PC is best suited to your college major, you’re ready to become a top student and tackle any future academic challenges. Whatever your major, thinking through the ways you’ll use your laptop for college will help you choose the best device to give it your all. Whether you need the fastest processor, best graphics card, longest battery life, or most portability, choose a Surface Copilot+ PC that will set you up for success in college and beyond.