March 06, 2023Â | Updated: January 13, 2026
The best Surface laptops for engineering students
Engineering coursework requires a laptop that can run specialized software and tools. While you’ll need the power and capability to access these programs, you’ll also want a device that’s easy to carry and a pleasure to use. Find a great 2-in-1 or laptop for engineering students by choosing a Microsoft Surface Copilot+ PC.
Essential laptop features for engineering students
When choosing a laptop to get you through your engineering program, there are certain features you should prioritize. To complete your coursework and excel as an engineering student, look for these essential features:
Fast processing power
Engineering tasks require a great deal of power. You’ll need a laptop that has a fast, strong processor to handle your demanding coursework. The best laptops for engineering students have processors that can handle working with different software simultaneously.
As Copilot+ PCs from Microsoft, Surface Laptop and Surface Pro are powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon® X Series processor. This super-fast CPU is paired with a turbocharged neural processing unit (NPU), a specialized computer chip capable of running AI-intensive processes locally, like real-time translations, image generation, and AI-enhanced video calls.
The NPU can perform 45 trillion operations per second (TOPS), which means you’ve got a super-fast CPU with a turbocharged NPU to get going, confidence to make it happen with better performance across your apps, and a long battery life to go the distance.
The Qualcomm Adreno™ GPU integrated into the Snapdragon X Series processors gives you stunning visuals and smooth performance while optimizing power consumption.
Industry-leading AI experiences
Look for an engineering laptop with the power to quickly process all data. Surface can handle your specialized programs to support the coding, intensive mathematical requirements, and more.
Surface Laptop or Surface Pro have the power and portability with the advantage of industry-leading AI experiences, such as:
- Copilot in Windows: An AI-powered companion that helps you work smarter, be more productive, and stay connected to the people and things in your life. From problem-solving to creating schematics, Copilot can do it all while helping you navigate the day-to-day. Use the dedicated Copilot key2 to quickly launch Copilot.
- Live Captions with translations: Catch up with engineering students and peers across the world, and speak the same language using AI-powered, automatic Live Captions. Experience real-time subtitles and translations from 40+ languages into English.
- Recall (preview)3: Searching for a document, email or web page on your PC can be time-consuming. With Recall (preview), just describe how you remember something, and Recall will find it instantly.
Long-lasting battery
You shouldn’t have to stop to charge your laptop while you’re traveling from lectures to labs to the library. Get an engineering laptop that’s fast and powerful with a long battery life, and you can focus on being productive instead of replenishing your power supply.
Whether you’re taking notes in class or completing homework on the go, you won’t have to scurry to find a plug when you have a device you won’t have to scurry to find a plug when you have a device, like a Surface Laptop or Surface Pro 2-in-1. The energy-efficient battery technology used in Surface reduces bulk while providing all-day battery life1. This smart engineering helps ensure you can enjoy powerful computing capabilities in a lightweight form factor, making Surface one of the best lightweight laptops.
Lightweight design
You’ll want a laptop that doesn’t add unnecessary weight to your textbook-filled backpack. The best laptops for engineering students have massive power, but that doesn’t mean they have to be massive.
Microsoft Surface Copilot+ PCs redefine what it means to be ultra-portable without compromising on performance. As Copilot+ PCs, Surface Pro (a 2-in-1 tablet) and Surface Laptops offer power and portability with their ultra-thin, ultra-light design, lightweight materials, and smart engineering – an ideal combination for smart engineering students.
Surface Laptops weigh as little as 2.7 lbs. (1.22kg), while Surface Pro 2-in-1s weigh in under 2 lbs. (0.907 kg) and have thefeatures you’ll need to get your work done successfully.
Easy-to-use touchscreen
Another laptop feature you’ll want – especially if you’re comparing options to find the best laptops for mechanical engineering students or any other engineering discipline – is a large screen that’s easy to navigate. Some of your coursework will require you to look at a great deal of data and information or examine minute details. Find a laptop for engineering students that has a large touchscreen that allows you to manipulate data or images, scroll, and more with the touch of a finger.
Adding to the lightweight design of Surface is the high-resolution PixelSense Flow™ Display, which integrates both the display and input functionalities into a single surface. The display senses touch through electrical signals when you interact with it by touch, a Surface Slim Pen, or a touch-enabled keyboard, showcasing advanced mobile touchscreen technology.
What makes Surface laptops great for engineering students?
Surface Laptops and Surface Pro 2-in-1s have the speed, battery life, and portability you’ll need to complete rigorous coursework at a fast speed.
Engineering students need a laptop that’s powerful and versatile. You should be able to complete your coursework without worrying about how long your laptop will stay charged or if it can handle the software you’ll need.
Do you want the fastest, most intelligent Windows PC for your engineering education? Go for it:Â Choose Surface, the ultimate Copilot+ PCs from Microsoft.
- DISCLAIMER: Features and functionality subject to change. Articles are written specifically for the United States market; features, functionality, and availability may vary by region.
- [1] Battery life varies significantly based on device configuration, usage, network and feature configuration, signal strength, settings and other factors. See Surface Battery Performance for details.
- [2] Use Copilot key with supported Windows 11 devices; feature availability varies by device and market, see aka.ms/KeySupport.
- [3] Recall is coming soon through a post-launch Windows Update. Optimized for select languages (English, Chinese (simplified), French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.) Content-based and storage limitations apply. See https://aka.ms/copilotpluspcs.