Look for an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 at the very least . If you are in a demanding major like engineering or film, bump this up to an i7 or Ryzen 7 .
While 8 GB is the bare minimum, 16 GB is highly recommended by experts from Reddit to prevent "choking" when running multiple browser tabs and research tools simultaneously . things to consider when buying a laptop for college
You will be carrying this across campus daily. Experts at PCMag suggest keeping the weight under 4 lbs and sticking to a 13 or 14-inch screen for the best balance of portability and workspace . Look for an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 at the very least