The Best Laptops for Teachers and Educators Teaching Online
Here are our top picks of the latest models to help find the best laptop for your needs for Online teaching. Note that NOT all ESL teaching companies require laptops; some only require a tablet or even teach on a smartphone. However, having a computer will open up a lot more opportunities in online teaching.
The Criteria for Getting the Best Laptop for Online Teaching
The best laptops for online teaching do not need to meet the standards of heavy video game players that max out on every equipment measure, so there’s no reason to burn over a thousand dollars for one. Nonetheless, there are some critical criteria in order to deliver a smooth online course to your students.
Are you Traveling or Home-based?
- Thinner and lighter ultrabook laptops are better for traveling, but it’s also pricier than regular ones.
Minimal Technical Requirements for Online Teaching
- HD High Definition Camera: high-resolution for video conference
- CPU: minimal Intel Core i5
- RAM: minimal 8GB
- HDD or SSD Storage: minimal 128GB
- Wifi: Wi-Fi 802.11ac
- Operation System: Windows 10+ or Mac OS X recommended
- Screen Size: Screen size 13.3-inch HD or larger will definitely preserve your eyesight. Anything smaller, then you might have trouble finding your students.
- Microphone – the audio quality, but this can be replaced and done better by the top headsets for online teachers.
Price Range
- Anything within $500 – $1000 for a brand new computer would be a good purchase for online teaching. Ones over that price range might be overkill for online teaching, and laptops below that price might underperform or just on the edge of requirements, which means you’ll be buying a new computer again very soon in order to keep up with the ESL companies’ technical requirement.
Ethernet Cable
- Some companies insist on the ethernet cable connection even Wifi is extremely fast. Nowadays, the connector is often removed to make the computer thinner. But don’t panic because you can just get an Ethernet Adapter to perform the same job.
- Connects a USB 3.0 device (computer/laptop) to a router, modem, or network switch to deliver Gigabit Ethernet to your network connection. Does not support Smart TV or gaming consoles (e.g.Nintendo Switch).
- Supported features include Wake-on-LAN function, Green Ethernet & IEEE 802.3az-2010 (Energy Efficient Ethernet)
- Supports IPv4/IPv6 pack Checksum Offload Engine (COE) to reduce Cental Processing Unit (CPU) loading
- Compatible with Windows 10/8/7, does not support MacOS, Chrome OS, Windows RT, Linux or Android.
What About Chromebook?
No, don’t risk it. You will likely run into software compatibility issues since Chromebook doesn’t run Windows nor Mac OS, but Chrome OS. Many Online ESL companies developed their teaching software for Windows or Mac OS only, and some have an additional mobile app on iOS and Android. As a result, getting a Chromebook is the worst kind, which doesn’t work on your computer or mobile device.
Teachers have reported that Chromebooks are not compatible with QKids and MagicEars. There might be issues with Chromebooks not being compatible with certain schools that have their own teaching platforms. The list below has the potential of bringing back results that include Chromebooks.
Here Are the Best Ones
VivoBook by ASUS
- 15.6 inch FHD 4 way NanoEdge bezel display with a stunning 88% screen-to-body ratio
- Powerful AMD Quad Core Ryzen 5 3500U Processor (2M Cache, up to 3.6 GHz)
- AMD Radeon Vega 8 discrete graphics with Windows 10 Home
- 8GB DDR4 RAM and 256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
- Ergonomic backlit keyboard with fingerprint sensor activated via Windows Hello
Even though the company Asus appeared on the market in 1989, it is currently the fourth largest computer vendor. Providing first-class computers to consumers has become a known, reliable brand that you can trust.
This laptop by Asus has a black matte finish, making it discrete to carry. Due to it having an 802.11ac wireless capability, you will notice that your internet connectivity is reliable and perfect when you are traveling and need to pick up a connection in your hotel room or hostel. This is a definite need for nomad teachers who are on the go. The OS is Windows 10 and comes accompanied with a 15.6-inch screen, 1920 x 1080 resolution, one USB 3.1 Type-C port, one USB 3.0 port, one USB 2.0 port, and a 2.3 GHz Intel Core i3 processor. On top of that, it comes with 1TB hard drive and 4GB of RAM, making it a great option to store numerous files.
Weighing 5.1 pounds, the Asus F556UA-AB32 has sold like hotcakes, and it does not seem like this is going to change anytime soon. With this unit, you can have peace of mind, as it comes with one-year accidental damage protection and international warranty. In case something happens to your laptop, you can rest assured Asus will take care of it in a timely-fashion manner to get you back on track as soon as possible.
XPS 13 by Dell
- Precision cut from a block of aluminum in two pieces so there is no variability in construction.
- Corning Gorilla Glass 6 is tough, damage resistant, durable, elegant and allows for no flex in its display.
- Dual fans separated to spread heat over a larger area, to dual heat pipes to hidden exhaust venting through the hinge,
- The power button lets you log on with just a touch
- A 2.25mm high quality HD webcam gives you the best camera experience.
It has every port you need, built-in Webcam, USB 3.0, USB-C, Thunderbolt 3 via USB Type_C, Card Reader for SD family, Network: None, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.1.
This is a very simple laptop, but yet, it is very effective to teach on. It has an average battery life of six hours. With HP, you can always count on warranty and technical support to be at your service free of charge for an entire year, unless you want to extend it.
Aspire E 15 by Acer
- 8th Generation Intel Core i3 8130U Processor 2.2 GHz (Up to 3.2GHz)
- 15.6 inches Full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen LED lit Display
- 6GB Dual Channel Memory, 1TB HDD and 8x DVD
- Up to 13.5 Hours of battery life
- Windows 10 Home. Operating System Architecture 64-bit
At the moment, this computer is a number one bestseller on Amazon, which is not shocking once you take a look at all the innovative features it comes along with, including a battery life that can last up to twelve hours, Intel Core i3-7100U Processor (7th generation), ColorBlast technology, backlit keyboard, 4GB DDR4 memory, 15.6 inch full HD widescreen (1920 x 1080 resolution), and 1TB hard drive.
The company Acer has become well known in the industry for providing advanced computer solutions. Starting with a $25,000 USD capital in 1976, Acer has become one of the most trusted computer companies in the world.
Upgrades can be easily conducted on this laptop that operates Windows 10. It has a convenient compartment door that permits educators to upgrade memory and hard drive without hassles. This Acer unit is simply one of a kind!
Swift 3 by Acer
- Aspect Ratio:16:9
- AMD Ryzen 7 4700U Octa-Core Mobile Processor (Up to 4.1 GHz) with Radeon Graphics; 8GB LPDDR4 Memory; 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
- 14" Full HD Widescreen IPS LED-backlit display (1920 x 1080 resolution; 16:9 aspect ratio)
- Intel wireless Wi-Fi 6 AX200 802.11ax; HD webcam (1280 x 720); Backlit keyboard; Fingerprint reader
- 1 - USB Type-C port USB 3. 2 Gen 2 (up to 10 Gbps) DisplayPort over USB Type-C and USB Charging, 1- USB 3. 2 Gen 1 port (featuring power-off charging), 1 - USB 2. 0 port and 1 - HDMI port
Latest Best Sellers
By the time this article is written, there will be new laptops on the market. So, this is a list of the current bestsellers that are pulled back automatically on Amazon.
Related Equipment and Supplies
- Online teaching supplies and setup
- What are the technical requirements of online English teaching?
- English and ESL teaching reference books
- Get the best priced and quality headsets that are less than $25
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Last update on 2022-12-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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