Shopping for a laptop can be daunting since there are many options to choose from. Also, most laptops have various display, CPU, GPU, and memory configurations, making the choice even harder. To help you narrow down your options, we've compiled a list of our top picks for different uses, and hopefully, you can find something that interests you.
We've tested over 80 laptops, and below, you'll find our recommendations for the best laptops you can buy. You can also see our picks for the best Chromebooks, the best travel laptops, and the best business laptops.
Best Laptop
School8.7Gaming7.7Multimedia8.3Workstation8.4Business8.4Portability8.4Build Quality9.5Brightness8.6Typing Quality8.0Touchpad9.2Battery Life (Web Browsing)12.5 hrsThe best laptop we've tested is the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021). This mobile workstation feels incredibly premium and provides plenty of processing horsepower to handle demanding tasks. It has a sharp, bright Mini LED display, a spacious, tactile keyboard, and a gigantic, responsive touchpad. The speakers are among the best on the market; the same can be said about the webcam. It's great for video editing and other color-critical work, as the display covers the full DCI P3 color space, and its calibration is superb out of the box. You get plenty of ports, including three USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI, and a full-size SD card reader.
If you want more screen space and don't mind paying more, you can get the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021). It's the same device but with better-sounding speakers and a slightly longer battery life. Before you make any purchasing decision, though, know that Apple has released the M2 MacBook Pro 14 and 16. They're identical to the M1 models in design; you just get a faster M2 SoC, HDMI 2.1, and increased memory support (up to 96GB). If you're willing to shop around, you can find a good deal on an M1 model through a third-party seller, marketplace, or even Apple's refurbished section. Otherwise, go with an M2 model.
For Windows users, we recommend the MSI WS76 (2021). This 17.3-inch model is available with Intel 11th Gen processors and NVIDIA discrete GPUs. The CPUs are two generations old but still more than adequate for demanding workloads. It has multiple display options, including a 4k 120Hz panel with full Adobe RGB and DCI P3 coverage, making it a good option for color-critical work. Portability is the main tradeoff; it's bulkier and heavier, and its battery lasts less than eight hours of light use.
Best Upper Mid-Range Laptop
School8.5Gaming6.4Multimedia7.9Workstation7.8Business8.0Portability9.1Build Quality9.5Brightness8.5Typing Quality8.0Touchpad9.2Battery Life (Web Browsing)10.9 hrsIf you only need a laptop for light tasks like text processing, web browsing, and video playback, get the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022) instead, one of the best laptops for home use we've tested. Replacing the very popular Apple MacBook Air 13 (M1, 2020), this M2 model has a fresh new design, a better 1080p webcam, and a more powerful SoC. The main drawback is its limited port selection, as it's still limited to two USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports with support for one external display only, although the new MagSafe charging port frees up the USB-C you would otherwise use for charging.
A larger alternative would be the newly-released Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023). It's the same laptop as the 13-inch MacBook Air but with a 15.3-inch display and better speakers. The larger display makes multitasking easier, and you get more room on the keyboard deck to rest your wrist. Also, unlike the 13-inch model, you get an M2 chip with ten GPU cores without upgrading to the more expensive model with a larger 512GB SSD. This all comes with a price increase of $200 USD over the 13-inch model.
For Windows users, get the LG gram 14 (2023). Weighing only 2.1 lbs, this 14-inch ultraportable is even lighter than the Apple MacBook Air 13. It has a nice sharp display, a tactile keyboard, and a wide port selection that includes two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4s, allowing you to connect up to two 4k displays at 60Hz with a single cable. The main downsides are that it has a smaller touchpad and a dimmer display.
Best Mid-Range Laptop
School8.1Gaming4.7Multimedia8.0Workstation6.7Business7.8Portability8.5Build Quality7.5Brightness7.4Typing Quality7.5Touchpad6.8Battery Life (Web Browsing)13.6 hrsWe recommend the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2022) for a more modest mid-range option. This 14-inch laptop provides a good user experience and has way more processing power than you would need on a Chrome OS device. The display gets bright enough for use in most indoor settings, and since it's a 2-in-1 convertible, you can flip the screen all the way around and use it as a tablet. It also supports pen input and comes with a stylus that you can dock into its charging slot for transport. Port selection is decent; you get one USB-A, two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4, and an HDMI port.
As for the configurations, although it's available with various Intel 12th Gen CPUs, availability is scarce. The Core i5 model with 8GB of memory and 128GB of storage is the easiest to find in stock. Don't worry; the Core i5 is plenty fast for Chrome OS. Battery life is outstanding; we're talking around 13 to 14 hours of light use. Unfortunately, there's no fingerprint sensor or a facial recognition IR camera for quick logins. Chrome OS is more limited than Windows or macOS in the types of applications you can install, so you need to make sure that you can do everything through a Chrome browser or Android apps.
If you have to use Windows, go with the Acer Swift 3 14 (2020). It's easy to carry around, feels well-built, and has around the same battery life as the Spin 714. You can get it with an Intel 11th Gen Core i5 or i7 and up to 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage. It has a great port selection, including two USB-As, one USB-C/Thunderbolt 4, and a full-size HDMI. We have two complaints: the first is that the screen doesn't get very bright, meaning you may have trouble with visibility in well-lit rooms. Second, the webcam is bad; the image is underexposed, and the microphone sounds staticky.
Best Budget Laptop
School7.5Gaming4.3Multimedia7.1Workstation4.4Business6.9Portability7.8Build Quality8.0Brightness6.6Typing Quality8.0Touchpad7.6Battery Life (Web Browsing)12.1 hrsIf you're shopping on a small budget, get the Lenovo Chromebook C340 15 (2020), a 15.6-inch 2-in-1 convertible with a sturdy build and long battery life. You can get this laptop with an Intel Core i3 or Pentium Gold CPU, both of which are getting a little long in the tooth but still powerful enough to provide a smooth experience on Chrome OS. That said, you can only get a maximum of 4GB of memory, so limit the number of applications or Chrome tabs you open simultaneously.
As with most budget laptops, the display is where Lenovo makes some compromises. Its IPS panel doesn't get very bright, meaning you'll have trouble with visibility in very well-lit environments, and due to its narrow color gamut, most content looks slightly washed out. Images and text look decently sharp, and there's plenty of screen real estate for split-screen multitasking. The keyboard feels great to type on, and while the touchpad is small, it tracks all movements and gestures well.
Best 2-In-1 Tablet
School7.7Gaming6.7Multimedia7.9Workstation7.2Business7.4Portability8.9Build Quality8.5Brightness8.3Typing Quality8.0Touchpad7.6Battery Life (Web Browsing)7.3 hrsThe best 2-in-1 tablet we've tested is the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 (2021). This versatile tablet form factor makes the Surface Pro one of the best laptops for home use. You can detach the keyboard to make it easier to hold or save space, like on a kitchen counter, and pop it back on when you need to type something out. Its 3:2 display looks sharp, gets bright enough to combat glare, and has a 120Hz refresh rate to make pen input feel more responsive. Above the display sits an excellent 1080p webcam and a Windows Hello IR camera for quick logins. The keyboard feels good to type on, although you need to buy it separately, and the same goes for the stylus. The battery lasts only around seven hours of light use, but luckily, the power adapter is fairly compact, and you can also charge via its USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports.
As this is a model from 2021, there's already a newer version, the Surface Pro 9. It's essentially the same device but with faster Intel 12th Gen processors. The Surface Pro 9 is easier to find, but if you don't need the performance increase, you can save a good chunk of cash with the Surface Pro 8 since it's an older device and often on sale.
Best Gaming Laptop
School7.6Gaming8.6Multimedia7.0Workstation9.0Business8.0Portability7.3Build Quality9.0Brightness7.1Typing Quality8.0Touchpad8.6Battery Life (Web Browsing)7.4 hrsThe best laptop with gaming in mind that we've tested is the Razer Blade 14 (2022), a premium model with a solid aluminum chassis and a minimalistic, Apple MacBook-esque design. You can choose between three preset configurations: a 1080p 144Hz display with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, a 1440p 165Hz display with an RTX 3070 Ti, or a 1440p 165Hz display with an RTX 3080 Ti. All three configurations deliver a smooth gaming experience in graphically demanding AAA titles, so it's just a matter of resolution preference. We recommend getting the RTX 3060 or the 3070 Ti variant, as the RTX 3080 Ti model is significantly more expensive and a poor option value-wise.
It has a great keyboard with per-key RGB lighting, a wide port selection with an HDMI 2.1 port, and a fast Wi-Fi 6E wireless adapter for low-latency online gaming. As for upgradeability, the storage drive is replaceable, but not the memory, as all three configurations come with 16GB of soldered RAM. The battery lasts about an hour or so when gaming, typical for any laptop with a powerful GPU, so you'll need to keep the charger close. The keyboard gets a little hot under load, but the fans aren't overly loud or distracting.
While the Razer Blade 14 is an excellent gaming laptop, it's also very expensive. A cheaper alternative would be the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2022). Its QHD display has a slightly lower refresh rate of 120Hz, but it gets much brighter to combat glare. It has an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS CPU, and you can choose between an AMD Radeon 6700S or 6800S GPU, both powerful enough to provide smooth gameplay. It gets hotter and louder under load, though, and its overall build doesn't feel as premium as the Razer.
Best Budget Gaming Laptop
School6.5Gaming8.2Multimedia6.2Workstation8.6Business7.5Portability5.3Build Quality8.0Brightness6.7Typing Quality8.0Touchpad7.2Battery Life (Web Browsing)4.1 hrsWe recommend the Lenovo Legion 5 Gen 6 15 (2021) for those on a tight budget. It's an affordable model with multiple GPU options, from an entry-level NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 to a powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070. You can choose between an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H or Ryzen 7 5800H CPU, both powerful enough to provide smooth gameplay. It has a sturdy build, a spacious keyboard with backlit keys, and a wide port selection that includes six USB ports and an HDMI 2.1 port. It's bulky, though, so it isn't very portable.
For the display, we recommend getting the 165Hz 1080p or 1440p panel for the best visual experience; make sure you pair the 1440p panel with an RTX 3070 to get the most out of it. Any GPU will do for 1080p gaming, although the GTX 1650 can only reach 60 fps at low settings and might not reach reasonable frame rates in the newest AAA titles. The memory and storage are user-replaceable, so you can get a cheaper configuration and upgrade it later. That way, the bulk of your budget can go towards the best CPU, GPU, and display configuration, as they aren't replaceable.
Notable Mentions
- Acer Swift 14 (2023): The Acer Swift 14 (2023) is a great alternative to the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) if you need a high-performance CPU but don't need lots of graphical processing power, like programming and music production. However, its keyboard feels less comfortable to type on, and its battery life is shorter at only nine hours of light use. See our review
- ASUS Zenbook 14 Flip OLED (2023): The ASUS Zenbook 14 Flip OLED (2023) is a great alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022) if you prefer a Windows 2-in-1 convertible. It has a nice 2.8k OLED display, stylus support, and a wider port selection. However, its battery life is shorter at around eight hours of light use, and the display doesn't get as bright to combat glare. Also, keep in mind that OLEDs are susceptible to permanent burn-in. See our review
- Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 (2023): The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 (2023) is a great ultraportable alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022). It has a wider port selection and Thunderbolt 4 support, and its SSD is user-replaceable. However, it's slightly bulkier, and its battery doesn't last as long. It's also more expensive. See our review
- Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 (2022): The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 (2022) is a good alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022). It's a better option if you need to connect multiple external displays since the MacBook Air can only output to a single external monitor. However, its speakers don't sound as good, and its battery life is shorter. Also, the Surface Laptop 5's display is less bright than the MacBook Air. It's good enough for indoor use, but the MacBook Air is still a better option if you plan on working in a sunny environment or outdoors. See our review
- Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (2023): If you're willing to spend a little more, the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (2023) is a great Windows alternative to the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2022). It has a larger display, a better touchpad, and a fingerprint sensor; however, it doesn't support Thunderbolt 4 and pen input. See our review
- Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 (2021): The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 (2021) is a good alternative to the Lenovo Chromebook C340 15 (2020) if you want a device for consuming media. It has a much nicer OLED display, and you can detach the keyboard to make it easier to hold as a tablet. However, it isn't as good for productivity because the keyboard feels cramped, and its ARM-based SoC can only handle very light workloads. See our review
Recent Updates
Jul 28, 2023: No change in recommendations. Added the ASUS Zenbook 14 Flip OLED (2023) as a Notable Mention.
Jun 30, 2023: Added the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 (2023) and the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (2023) as Notable Mentions. Small text changes to include information about the Apple MacBook Air 15. No change in recommendations.
Jun 01, 2023: Added the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 (2021) as the 'Best 2-In-1 Tablet'. Minor text changes to add the LG gram 14 (2023) as an alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022).
May 03, 2023: Verified the accuracy of picks. Added the Acer Swift 14 (2023) and the Dell XPS 13 Plus (2022) as Notable Mentions.
Apr 07, 2023: Minor text changes to include the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 (2022) as an alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022). No change in recommendations.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best laptops to buy for most people. We factor in the price (a cheaper laptop wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no laptops that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you prefer to make your own decision, here's the list of all of our laptop reviews, sorted by price from low to high. Keep in mind that most laptops are available in various configurations, and the table only shows the results of the model we tested, so it's best to see the full review for information about other variants.