Whether you’re teaching in the classroom, preparing lessons at home or supporting students online, having the right laptop makes your day smoother and more efficient. Many educators rely on their devices for everything from uploading assignments to hosting virtual meetings, so it’s important to choose a computer that fits your teaching style and daily workload.
Many NEA members look for ways to upgrade their technology, and we often hear from teachers who want guidance on how to use their NEA member benefits to save on laptops. You can always find educator‑friendly discounts through NEA Shop & Dine.
Before you begin shopping, it helps to understand which features matter most for teaching, online learning and classroom prep.
There is no “best laptop for teachers,” because you have to select one based on your own needs, which will depend on your familiarity with technology, what programs you feel comfortable using, and how interconnected your instruction resources need to be. Dell, Apple, Microsoft, Lenovo and others offer high-quality laptops that are popular with teachers.
Essential Laptop Features for Teaching and Lesson Planning
Here are some suggestions on what to look for as you decide which laptop to buy to support your teaching needs now:
- A lightweight laptop with at least a 12-inch screen
- At least 8GB of RAM memory so your computer will work quickly
- An i5 processor or better so your computer will work quickly
- A hard drive with at least 250GB so you have room to store large files
- A built-in camera/microphone for video calls
- A graphics card that’s at least 512MB to support video calls
Tech Tools and Programs Every Teacher Should Have
You also need to evaluate the rest of your setup to make sure you have the optimal configuration:
- The fastest WiFi access available from your internet provider
- A web browser program such as Safari, Chrome or Firefox
- A video service, such as Skype, MS Teams or Zoom
- A word processor, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs
- A spreadsheet tool, such as Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets
- A presentation tool, such as Microsoft Power Point or Google Slides
- Cloud-based storage – such as on Google, DropBox or Microsoft One Drive—so you don’t have to store all of your documents on your hard drive. Cloud storage is backed up, handles large files and is easily sharable.
- A PDF creator, such as Adobe Acrobat
Optional Accessories to Improve Your Home Classroom
Setting up a home classroom isn’t just about choosing the right laptop—adding a few helpful accessories can make your teaching setup more comfortable and efficient.
- A good set of headphones to help you focus, especially if you’re self-quarantined at home with other people
- An all-in-one printer/scanner if you need to scan in documents to send to students and parents, or if you prefer printing documents to read, grade papers, plan lessons and more
- Enough ink cartridges and paper to handle the amount of documents you’re printing
Look for deals through NEA Shop & Dine through third-party retailers such as Best Buy.
Be sure to check out NEA’s resources on lesson planning and remote instruction to put your new equipment to work.
