These are the best laptops my team and I recommend based on testing dozens of models from Apple, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft and more.
My team and I review over 200 laptops a year, and if you’d told young me that one day I’d be getting paid to review the best laptops on the market I’d have never believed you.
If you, like me, prefer Windows over macOS I recommend theDell XPS 13instead. The fact that it runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips means its as fast and long-lasting as any Macbook, and the elegant design and ultra-thin bezels of the XPS 13 are awfully charming.
If those laptops are too pricey for your needs, I recommend theAcer Aspire Go 15because it’s a solid, decent Windows laptop that costs a couple hundred bucks—so it’s a smart choice for children, students and anyone who needs a cheap Windows laptop for work.
But if you need something more powerful, that’s great for gaming or has a luscious OLED display, I have other suggestions for what to buy. Scroll down—I have lots more tips and advice to help you find the best laptop for you!
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What is the best laptop for me?
To find the best laptop for your needs, I need to know what you’re going to do with it and where you plan to use it most often.
Work & Productivity:If your #1 priority is having a portable PC you can use to answer email, prepare documents and get work done on the go, you want a modern ultraportable that’s light, comfy to use and offers great battery life. I generally recommend theMacBook Air M4(macOS) or theDell XPS 13(Windows 11) for this, and you can upgrade to models with bigger screens if you want more room to work. If you’re technical and like the idea of upgrading and repairing your own laptop, I wholeheartedly recommend you check out theFramework Laptop.
Gaming:If you plan to spend a lot of time gaming, you want a laptop with a speedy CPU, a discrete graphics card and plenty of RAM. If you plan to play at higher than 60 frames per second, a screen with a high refresh rate is also great. Personally, I recommend theAsus ROG Zephyrus G14since it satisfies all these requirements.
Creative work:If you plan to do a lot of 3D work, video editing or demanding content creation you will want a laptop that’s very similar to a gaming laptop, with a powerful CPU, a discrete GPU and plenty of RAM to handle demanding workloads. A great screen is also nice to have, and I recommend theMacBook Pro (14-inch M4)or theAsus ProArt P16.
Casual use:If you just need a laptop for basic word processing, browsing the web and binge watching your favorite shows, you can save yourself a lot of money with a budget-friendly laptop. I recommend theAcer Aspire Go 15if you prefer Windows, or theLenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plusif you’re okay with a Chromebook.
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Should I buy a MacBook, Windows laptop or a Chromebook?
Buy a MacBook ifyou are comfortable using Macs or are already embedded into the Apple ecosystem. While macOS is not as robust as Windows when it comes to gaming, many people find it easy to use and it’s tightly integrated with Apple’s other products, so your iPhone and AirPods will seamlessly interface with your Mac.
Buy a Windows 11 laptop ifyou need access to the widest selection of apps, are not tied down to any particular ecosystem, want the best gaming experience and are looking for the broadest selection of laptop designs. Only Windows laptops come with features like touchscreens, high-speed displays or the option to transform into a tablet.
Buy a Chromebook ifyour work and entertainment needs revolve entirely around a browser. If everything you do is within a Chrome browser, then a Chromebook is the most direct (and cheap) way to get there. Just be aware you’ll be limited to that browser window—ChromeOS is a robust operating system, but without Internet access it can’t do much.
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The best laptops you can buy today
The best laptop overall
1. Apple MacBook Air M4
The best laptop for the money
Specifications
Display:13.6 inches; 2560×1664
CPU:Apple M4
GPU:8-core or 10-core GPU
RAM:16GB-32GB
Storage:256GB-2TB SSD
Weight:2.7 pounds
Reasons to buy
+Strong M4 performance+
Long battery life
+Sharper 12MP webcam
+Bright and colorful display
+Thin and lightweight design
Reasons to avoid
-No anti-glare display option
-Some Windows laptops last longer
-No Wi-Fi 7
What you need to know
The MacBook Air M4 is once again another fantastic all-rounder — definitely the best MacBook and the best laptop for most folks reading this list. And not only that, but the starting price is $100 less than it was for the M3 Air!
Starting at $999, it may look the same from the outside. But with the speedy new M4 chip giving it performance potential that far exceeds Intel, AMD and Qualcomm’s similarly-priced efforts, a long battery life, and an impressive new 12MP camera, there’s a lot to love for everyone.
Buy it if
✅ You want a small, fast MacBook:The M4 chip inside this MacBook Air delivers exceptional multitasking power, seamlessly balancing performance with impressive battery life and an ultra-light design.
✅ You need a long-lasting laptop:While the M4 Air doesn’t last as long as M3, and some Windows laptops have caught up, with just under 15 hours clocked in my battery life testing, it’s got great stamina.
Don’t buy it if
❌ If gaming is important to you:Yes, Apple Silicon-optimized games run well here. But the vast majority of titles struggle. Intel and AMD have made big graphical gains in their
❌You own a MacBook Air 13-inch M3 or M2:Yes, there are impressive performance gains and that new webcam on the table here. But if you have the M3 or M2 MacBook Air, you’ve got a few more years of software support yet!
The bottom line
💻The MacBook Air M4understood the brief — give us more of the same, but better and cheaper. And at $999 for this lightweight monster of a system, I know you’ll love it just as much as I do.
The best value laptop
2. Acer Aspire Go 15
Best value in laptops right now
Specifications
Display:15.6-inch (1920×1080) 60Hz LCD
CPU:Intel Core i3-N305
GPU:Intel UHD Graphics
RAM:8GB LPDDR5
Storage:128GB UFS (Universal Flash Storage)
Weight:3.86 pounds
Tested battery life:10:15
Reasons to buy
+Comfortable keyboard
+Useful port array
+Good battery life (10 hours tested)
Reasons to avoid
-Crappy 720p webcam
-Poor performance
What you need to know
The Acer Aspire Go 15 is easily one of thebest budget laptopsyou can buy, for better and for worse. At $299, you get a thick-set 15-inch ultraportable with a spacious keyboard, plenty of ports and 10+ hours of tested battery life.
Of course, you have to make some trade-offs when you buy this laptop. The speakers aren’t very good, the low-res webcam makes you look washed-out and performance in anything but writing and browsing the web is pretty disappointing.
But if you can live with those compromises you get a pretty useful laptop for not very much money. It’s the kind of thing I’d recommend a parent give a child as their first laptop, as it’s great for surfing the web and doing homework. Remote learning, office work and research are all easy to do on this affordable 15-incher, but don’t expect to play games or run apps more complicated than Minecraft.
Buy it if
✅You need a Windows 11 laptop under $500:The Acer Aspire Go 15 is one of thebest laptops under $500you can get, in my opinion, because it delivers all the utility of a Windows ultraportable for $299. If you need a cheap laptop for school or getting basic work done, this is a great choice.
✅ You need a versatile productivity machine:Acer’s Aspire Go 15 can feel sluggish and can’t run demanding games or apps, but what it can do is handle web surfing, writing, schoolwork and emails. The keyboard is surprisingly spacious and comfy and you get a versatile array of ports to boot, making this cheap laptop surprisingly good for school and office work.
Don’t buy it if
❌ You can’t stand sluggish PCs:The Acer Aspire Go 15 can help you get work done, but it won’t do it quickly. The weak Intel Core i3-N305 CPU in our review unit chugged if I opened too many Chrome tabs or apps at once, and forget about playing any but the simplest of PC games.
❌You want to look good on video calls:The cheap 720p webcam built into the Acer Aspire Go 15 is just not very good. It’s serviceable if you need to have a chat with colleagues or family, but you won’t look your best.
The bottom line
💻The Acer Aspire Go 15is a cheap Windows laptop, in both good and bad ways. Luckily, the parts of it which feel cheap in a bad way aren’t dealbreakers unless you really can’t stand a slow laptop. But if you can make peace with its underpowered performance, the Go 15 will reward you with a sturdy, versatile Windows experience that can last 10+ hours on a full battery, according to our testing.
The best Windows laptop
3. Dell XPS 13
The best Windows laptop overall
Specifications
Display:13.4-inch (1,920 x 1,200) non-touch ISP 60-120Hz
CPU:Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
GPU:Qualcomm Adreno
RAM:16GB
Storage:512GB SSD
Weight:2.6 pounds
Reasons to buy
+Lightweight design
+Bright display
+Powerful performance
+Long-lasting battery life
Reasons to avoid
-No function row or visible touchpad
-Only two ports
What you need to know
TheDellXPS 13 hits a sweet spot between portability, price and performance in a Windows laptop.
We’ve long loved the excellent compromise between portability and screen size that is the XPS 13, and the 2024 model maintains that killer look while upgrading to a killer Snapdragon X CPU that delivers outstanding battery life.
While the row of capacitive touch function keys and the invisible touchpad are controversial design choices that take some getting used to, those that do will be rewarded with one of thebest Windows laptopsyou can buy. The 2024 Dell XPS 13 may only have a pair of USB-C ports and little else in the port department, but if you just need a fast, lightweight Windows 11 machine for getting things done on the go, this is a great choice.
Buy it if
✅ You want a great Windows laptop:There are many great Windows laptops out there, but the Dell XPS 13 shines with its winning combo of svelte design, performance and portability.
✅You want great battery life:The Snapdragon X chip helped our review unit last nearly 20 hours (19:41) in our battery test, which is incredible for a Windows laptop. If you want all-day battery life, get an XPS with Snapdragon inside.
✅ You don’t use a lot of peripherals:The XPS 13 only offers two USB-C ports, one of which you need to use when charging the laptop, so it’s not great for folks who like to plug in a lot of devices.
Don’t buy it if
❌ You like physical keys:The Dell XPS 13 has no physical function keys, instead sporting a touch-sensitive bar with light-up capacitive touch keys in its place. So if you hate capacitive touch keys, don’t buy this laptop.
❌ Ports are important:The XPS 13 sports 2 USB-C ports, and that’s it. You don’t even get a headphone jack (though it does come with an adapter that lets you plug some into a USB port), so if you value ports don’t buy this laptop.
The bottom line
💻The Dell XPS 13is an excellent Windows laptop that’s perfect for work thanks to its light weight, speedy performance and incredible battery life.
The best Copilot laptop
4. Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x
The best Copilot+ PC laptop
Specifications
Display:14.5-inch 3K (2,944 x 1,840) 90 Hz 16:10 OLED touch display
CPU:Snapdragon X Elite X1E80100
GPU:Qualcomm Adreno GPU
RAM:16GB
Storage:512SSD
Weight:2.8 pounds
Reasons to buy
+Fast Snapdragon X Elite performance
+Exceptional battery life
+Vivid OLED display
+Ultraportable design
Reasons to avoid
-No headphone jack
-Half-baked AI features
-Arm compatibility issues
What you need to know
TheLenovoYoga Slim 7x is a Windows 11 laptop built for portability and efficiency.
Thanks to its Snapdragon X Elite chip, you’ll get more than all-day battery life and enough performance to power through your regular workload. The OLED panel is amarvelto behold, and its ultraportable design makes it easy to travel with. For $1,199, it offers an excellent value all around.
Buy it if
✅ You want a great Copilot+ laptop:Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon X Elite chips are great, but the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x delivers a great combination of portability, performance and battery life.
✅You want an OLED display:The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x’s OLED display is one of its strongest attributes. It delivers vibrant colors and deep contrasts at a sharp 2,944 x 1,840 resolution.
✅ You want dependable battery life:The Yoga Slim 7x lasted for 14 hours on our battery life test, which is well more than you’ll need for a full workday — with enough left over to stream some videos.
Don’t buy it if
❌ You expect useful AI features:This is an issue with all Copilot+ PCs at the moment, but the advertised AI features this laptop supports aren’t fully realized yet. As such, don’t expect this laptop to deliver in that regard.
❌ You want a headphone jack:If you want to listen to music or videos without bothering your neighbors then you’ll need to use a pair of wireless headphones since this laptop doesn’t have a headphone jack.
The bottom line
💻The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7xis arguably the best Copilot+ PC thanks to its ultraportable design, fast performance, gorgeous OLED panel and phenomenal battery life. Best of all, it won’t break the bank.
The best Chromebook
5. Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus
The best Chromebook
Specifications
CPU:Intel Core i3-1315U
RAM:8GB
Storage:128GB eMMC
Display:14-inch (1920×1200) IPS touchscreen
Dimensions:12.4 x 9 x 0.8 inches
Weight:3.57 pounds
Reasons to buy
+Good performance
+Bright touchscreen
+Comfy keyboard
+Plenty of ports
Reasons to avoid
-Middling battery life
-No stylus included
What you need to know
The Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is thebest Chromebookthat I recommend most often to folks shopping. It does everything a Chromebook can do rather well, from basic office work to watching videos and streaming games.
Buy it if
✅ You want a Chromebook that turns into a tablet:The Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus can fold 360 degrees to function like a hefty Chrome tablet. It’s harder to type on, but more comfortable to hold in some situations and also easier to tent when watching movies.
✅You expect to type a lot:Keyboard quality can be hit or miss on Chromebooks, especially 2-in-1s, so I’m pleased to report I really enjoyed my time typing on the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus thanks to its spacious, well-designed keyboard.
Don’t buy it if
❌ You need oodles of battery life:The Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus lasted under 8 hours (7:36) in our battery test, so I can’t recommend it if you need a laptop with all-day battery life. However, if you can bear to lug the charger along it at least charges quickly.
❌ You need great performance:Chromebooks are rarely very powerful, and this one isn’t amazing in that department. While it’s faster than many competing Chromebooks, the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is a poor choice if you plan to do demanding work like audio/video editing, production work, game development or the like.
The bottom line
💻The Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plusis a great value, giving you a lovely 1200p 16:10 touchscreen, a comfy keyboard and enough ports for all your accessories in a a very affordable package. It’s not the best laptop on the market, but it is the best Chromebook right now.
The best laptop to repair and upgrade
6. Framework Laptop
The most customizable, repairable and upgradable laptop
Specifications
Display:13.5-inch 3:2 (2,256 x 1,504 pixels)
CPU:13th Gen Intel Core i5 – i7 OR AMD 7040 series
GPU:Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics or AMD
RAM:8GB – 64GB
Storage:256GB – 4TB SSD
Weight:2.8 pounds
Reasons to buy
+Unparalleled ability to upgrade/repair
+Useful Expansion Card port system
+Great keyboard
+Speedy performance
Reasons to avoid
-Loud fans under load
-Webcam not great
What you need to know
When it came out we called the Framework Laptop the Anti-MacBook because it’s everything Apple doesn’t do in laptops: Repairable, upgradable and respectful of your rights as an owner.
I was initially excited about those promises but dubious the company could deliver on them without some glaring sacrifices. But now that I’ve used one myself, I’m happy to report the Framework Laptop is as good as advertised. With its intentionally easy-to-repair design (you can pop pieces off this laptop and get at the innards in minutes, with no tools besides the spudger it comes with) and super cool swappable Expansion Card ports, the Framework Laptop 13 is a versatile ultraportable that’s one of the best laptops you can buy if you care about your right to repair and tinker with your devices.
Buy it if
✅ You care about your right to repair:I’ve never seen a laptop that’s easier to open up, fiddle around with and put back together. No other laptop on the market can match the Framework in this regard, so if you care about being able to repair and upgrade your laptop, this is the one for you.
✅ You’re plagued by port envy:On most laptops, the ports it comes with are all you get. The Framework is different: you can change what ports it sports by buying hot-swappable Expansion Cards that you plug into 4 slots on the bottom of the laptop, and each can have one port on it. So you can swap out 2 USB-C and 2 USB-A ports for 1 USB-C, 1 USB-A, a DisplayPort out and an Ethernet jack, for example.
✅You like a tall screen:The 3:2 display ratio of the Framework’s screen feels a bit taller than the displays found on most laptops, and it’s great for working with “tall” things like long documents, emails, coding projects and more.
Don’t buy it if
❌ You’re scared by pieces of your laptop coming off:The Framework is well-designed and sturdy, but because it’s designed to be taken apart you may occasionally find yourself accidentally doing something like popping the bezel off the screen. This is a feature, not a problem, but it can unnerve new owners.
❌ You don’t want to pay extra for ports:The Framework offers unrivaled port versatility thanks to its Expansion Card system, but it does require buying a handful of Cards for all the ports and other options you want, some of which could be easily lost or misplaced.
The bottom line
💻The Framework Laptopis a remarkable piece of tech. It’s a great laptop for getting work done, but more than that it’s a statement of purpose, a clear example that every other laptop maker could be building and selling us more repairable, sustainable laptops if they cared to as much as Framework does. Its a fantastic investment if you care about your right to repair and upgrade your own laptop.
The best gaming laptop
7. Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
The best gaming laptop for most people
Specifications
Display:14-inch (2,880 x 1,800 pixels) OLED 120Hz
CPU:AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
GPU:Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080
RAM:Up to 64GB
Storage:Up to 2TB
Weight:3.5 pounds
Reasons to buy
+Super sleek, premium design
+Gorgeous OLED display
+Mighty gaming performance
+Stellar ergonomics
Reasons to avoid
-Battery life is underwhelming
What you need to know
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is my personal favorite gaming laptop you can buy — primarily because it doesn’t forget about the “laptop” part like a lot of gaming systems do.
This refreshed model packs a ton of power into that sleek MacBook Pro-esque aluminum shell in the form of the latest AMD CPU and Nvidia RTX 50-series GPU combo. But the more things change, the more they (fortunately) stay the same, thanks to that gorgeous CNC-milled utilitarian aesthetic and a mesmerizing OLED display.
If you need more raw horsepower dedicated to gaming, there are more performant options, and I recommend you check out our best gaming laptops list. But for a better balance of all elements that still delivers big on power, the Zephyrus G14 is a near-perfect pick.
Buy it if
✅ You want a beasty gaming machine:AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 + Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 makes for a monstrous pairing of power. Combine that with improved cooling and DLSS 4, and you can run the latest AAA games at over 140 FPS in max settings.
✅ You don’t want other people to know you have a gaming laptop:The standard gaming laptop design is pretty cringe. I always feel uncomfortable pulling one out. But the Zephyrus G14’s tastefully utilitarian CNC-milled aluminum construction looks fantastically subtle from every angle.
✅ You care about a good screen:That 3K OLED panel is a real marvel to look at — presenting all your favorite games with a real HDR quality that pushes impressive color and a deep contrast ratio.
Don’t buy it if
❌ Battery life is a chief concern:This is more a problem I’ve found with gaming laptops as a whole rather than this specific model. But it’s worth noting, as the stamina levels of such highly demanding internals does drop the battery life in day-to-day use to below 7 hours of casual use.
❌Webcam quality matters:The 1080p webcam remains unchanged from the Zephyrus G14 last year, which means you’re getting quite the grainy picture that struggles with low lighting.
The bottom line
💻The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14is a fantastic gaming laptop that kept me entertained across 5,000 miles of travel, balancing performance and portability perfectly. The OLED display makes all your gaming look incredibly colorful and immersive, the speakers have been improved, and it’s impressively thin and lightweight.
The longest-lasting laptop
8. MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024)
The best laptop when battery life matters
Specifications
Display:Liquid Retina XDR (3,456 x 2,234) | 120Hz
Processor:M4 Pro 14-core CPU
Graphics:M4 Pro 20-core GPU
Memory:16GB to 48GB
Storage:512GB to 2TB
Weight:4.7 pounds
Reasons to buy
+Utilitarian design
+Fast M4 Pro performance
+Bright and colorful display
+Incredible battery life
+Useful Apple Intelligence features
Reasons to avoid
-Desk view is awkward
-Expensive
What you need to know
The new MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) occupies the middle spot between the more affordable 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 and the more powerful (and expensive) MacBook Pro 16-inch M4 Max. It’s a laptop for those who want a 16-inch MacBook Pro but don’t want to spend an extra $1,000 for an M4 Max model.
This laptop sports the same practical design as modern MacBooks, alongside fast M4 Pro-driven performance and nearly 21 hours of battery life. That makes it thebest laptop for battery life, and as before, you also get a gorgeous Liquid Retina XDR display, full-height function keys, amazing speakers and plenty of ports.
Buy it if
✅You want a fast MacBook: While you shouldn’t expect this to match the video-crunching power of the beefier M4 Max Max MacBook Pro, the M4 Pro-equipped 16-inch MacBook Pro is one of the fastest laptops on the block.
✅Battery life is key: The 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro set a new high-water mark for battery life when we tested it, lasting for nearly 21 hours in our battery endurance tests. That’s one of the longest-lived laptops we’ve ever tested.
✅You don’t want to pay for an M4 Max model: If you want a 16-inch MacBook Pro but don’t want to spend an extra $1,000 for an M4 Max model, this M4 Pro-driven laptop is the best bet as it still offers fantastic performance and epic battery life.
Don’t buy it if
❌ You’re on a budget: While this laptop is cheaper than an M4 Max MacBook Pro, it’s still an expensive device. If you’re on a budget and mainly want a notebook for work or watching videos, the $1,299 15-inch MacBook Air M2 is a better choice.
❌ You need more power:Conversely, if you’re a professional content creator or gamer who needs as much processing power as possible, you’re better off with an M4 Max MacBook Pro.
❌Notches bug you:There’s a little notch in the center of the top bezel where the camera housing sits, and while most of us get used to it some folks really hate the way it looks. If that’s you, consider another laptop.
The bottom line
💻The 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Prodelivers some of the best battery life of any laptop we’ve tested to date, along with great performance, a beautiful display and a refined design.
The best MacBook Air alternative
9. MSI Prestige 13 AI+ Evo
The best MacBook Air alternative
Specifications
Display:13.2-inch 2.8K (2880 x 1600) OLED
CPU:Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
RAM:32GB DDR5
Storage:1TB SSD
Weight:2.13 pounds
Reasons to buy
+Extremely lightweight and compact design
+Superb performance
+Amazing 3.5K OLED display
+Good battery life
Reasons to avoid
-Cheap-feeling build
-AI is lackluster
What you need to know
The MSI Prestige 13 AI+ Evo (from $1,399) isn’t just a fantastic MacBook alternative due to its incredibly lightweight design and compact size, but it also packs nearly as much power as Apple’s excellent offering. That says a lot for this excellent 13-inch laptop, especially if you prefer Windows over macOS.
Weighing just 2.13 pounds (under 1kg), this laptop makes for a great travel companion for on-the-move professionals or remote workers. With great performance from its Intel Lunar Lake chip and a gorgeous 2.8K OLED display to watch all your favorite shows on, it’s hard to go wrong with this featherweight machine.
Buy it if
✅ You need power and portability: The MSI Prestige 13 AI+ Evo’s Intel Core Ultra 7 258V chip and 32GB of DDR5 RAM as standard can handle multi-tasking, creative apps and more — all in a delightfully small package.
✅ You enjoy a gorgeous display: With a 13.2-inch 2.8K (2880 x 1600) OLED screen, this laptop is great for binging your favorite shows on, and it even offers greater colors than a MacBook Air.
Don’t buy it if
❌ You need a sturdy laptop:Despite its welcome light weight, the MSI Prestige 13 AI+ Evo can feel cheap and a tad fragile, with plenty of flex on the lid and keyboard. For its premium price, it should feela lotmore durable.
❌ You’re looking for next-gen AI: Aside from some usual Copilot+ features and effects in video calls, this isn’t the AI machine that will change the way you’ll use a laptop — regardless of being “AI+.”
The bottom line
💻The MSI Prestige 13 AI+ Evomay be a pricey notebook, but it delivers on its promise of delivering excellent performance in a lightweight design, making for a fitting MacBook alternative for Windows fans.
The best 2-in-1 laptop
10. Asus Zenbook Duo
The best Windows 2-in-1
Specifications
Display:Dual 14-inch 3K OLED touchscreen displays 16:10
CPU:Up to Intel Core Ultra 9 285H
RAM:Up to 32GB
Storage:Up to 1TB
Weight:3.8 pounds
Size:12.3 x 8.6 x 0.8 inches
Reasons to buy
+Gorgeous dual OLED displays
+Intel Core Ultra 200 series beefs up performance
+Best keyboard and touchpad in a dual-display
+Strong, durable design that looks great
Reasons to avoid
-Battery life takes a hit
-Limited port array
What you need to know
A new king of 2-in-1 laptops has taken the throne. Asus has refined the new Zenbook Duo it launched last year with a speed increase to make this a multitasking marvel unlike anything else on this list.
That comes down to three reasons. First, the gorgeous dual OLED displays give you a much bigger canvas to work across. Second, the detachable keyboard and touchpad is the best I’ve used in a 2-in-1. And finally, starting at $1,599, this is good value for money for what you get.
Buy it if
✅You’re a multi-screen multitasking machine:If you’re working in front of multiple monitors on your day-to-day, going back to a single laptop screen can be constricting. Well, expand to two gorgeous 3K OLED touchscreen panels and in the words of ‘Step Brothers,’ there’s so much more room for activities!
✅You need some strong performance under the hood:The Intel Core Ultra 9 285H makes impressive gains in performance and graphics, to the point that it beats Snapdragon X Elite. This ensures smooth multitasking across every app window you snap on both displays.
✅Ergonomics matter:In a lot of 2-in-1 laptops, the keyboard gets compromised. Asus’ detachable board here is amongst the best I’ve typed on with a nice tactile feel to every key press and mouse click. Plus, the latency free multi-touch makes zipping across Windows a breeze.
Don’t buy it if
❌ You need long battery life:That chip upgrade has compromised the battery life a bit, to the point where you’re looking at just over 6 hours on one charge with both screens running at 120Hz.
❌ You need a lot of ports:It’s not the stingiest laptop I’ve seen in terms of ports, but with only a couple of Thunderbolt 4 Ports, a USB-A, HDMI and headphone socket, it’s a little limited.
The bottom line
💻 The Asus Zenbook Duoformed a paradigm shift in dual-screen multitasking last year — bringing dual-screen laptops to the masses at a more affordable price. For 2025, the speed increases under the hood make it all the more mighty. Pair this with mesmerizing OLED displays and fantastic ergonomics, and this is a top machine for both work and play. Just watch out for that battery life.
The best MacBook Pro
11. MacBook Pro 14-inch M4
The best MacBook Pro
Specifications
Display:14.2 inches Liquid Retina XDR (3024 x 1964 pixels), 120Hz
CPU:M4 10-core
GPU:M4 10-core
RAM:16GB
Storage:1TB
Weight:3.4 pounds
Size:12.31 x 8.71 x 0.61 inches
Reasons to buy
+Amazing battery life
+Fantastic nano-texture display with zero glare
+Strong M4 performance
+Sharper webcam
+Supports dual external displays
Reasons to avoid
-Relatively slow write speed for SSD
-Not the best gaming performance
What you need to know
The 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip is one of the most powerful laptops we’ve yet tested, which is all the more impressive when you consider its svelte 3.4-pound chassis slips into a backpack with ease.
Of course, that’s no surprise given that the company has been iterating on this design for years. The addition of an M4 chip under the hood takes the 14-inch MacBook Pro to new heights, making it the best MacBook Pro for most folks thanks to its unbeatable combo of size, performance and price.
Buy it if
✅You need to edit videos on the go:And I’m not talking iMovie clips, either – I’m talking about working with Final Cut and Adobe Premiere to edit videos while you’re away from desk. The M4 chip is built for this kind of work, and it will serve you well.
✅ You plan to work outside often:The M4 MacBook Pro is the first to come with the optional nano-texture glass coating, which costs $150 extra but helps stop glare from bright light-which is great when you work outdoors a lot.
✅ You want a MacBook that’ll last for years:M4 MacBooks are still (barely) viable, so it stands to reason that M4-driven notebooks could potentially last you 5-10 years. This could help justify the admittedly high initial price.
Don’t buy it if
❌ Gaming is important:The M4 MacBook Pro runs Mac-compatible games pretty well, but it’s not the best gaming laptop for the money. If you care about gaming performance, go with one of thebest gaming laptopsinstead.
❌ You own a MacBook Pro M3:The M4 MacBook Pro is more capable than its predecessor, but not by much. If you already own a recent MacBook Pro and you’re not craving the nano-texture coating, there’s no reason to rush out and upgrade.
The bottom line
💻The MacBook Pro 14-inch M4retains the same fetching design and gorgeous mini-LED display as its predecessors while delivering unprecedented speed and power efficiency. If you want a portable Mac more powerful than a MacBook Air but can’t afford the extra expense or weight of a 16-inch MacBook Pro M4, this is the best MacBook Pro for you.
How to choose the best laptop for you
What kind of power do you want?
If you only need something basic for surfing the web, consider a Chromebook or a cheap Windows laptop with an Intel Core i3 processor and 8GB of RAM, because that’s the minimum you should expect from a modern laptop.
If you want something that feels speedy and can handle more than basic writing and web browsing, look for beefier laptops with at least an Intel Core i5 CPU from the past few years, 16GB of RAM and a 256GB to 512GB SSD for storage.
What kind of games (if any) do you want to play?
Most laptops feature integrated graphics chipsets that are built into their CPU, which usually struggle to run demanding modern games but can often handle old or less graphically-demanding games.
But if want to play the latest and greatest games on your portable PC you’ll want a dedicated gaming laptop, because they come with more powerful discrete laptop graphics cards, more RAM, better cooling systems and other advancements designed to make them decent gaming machines.
Of course, you have to make compromises when buying a gaming laptop that you don’t have to make when buying one of thebest gaming PCs, since your laptop needs a beefy battery and enough room to be able to discharge heat effectively without cooking its innards.
How big of a laptop do you want?
Think about how often you might carry this laptop around. Machines such as the Dell XPS 13 and MacBook Air are remarkably light and slim, but their 13-inch screens are on the small side.
You can get a larger 15-inch display on a premium ultraportable like the XPS 15 and still not have to worry about weight too much, but once you start getting up into the realm of 16-inch to 18-inch screens, expect your laptop to weigh at least 3-5 pounds. As mentioned above gaming laptops are almost always several pounds heavier than thin-and-light ultraportables because they need more room for beefier components, but they offer big power in exchange.