Category: Acer

We review a lot of laptops. Only the most exceptional earn a spot on this list.

Whether you’re cranking out school projects, diving into your favorite games, or binge-watching late into the night, your laptop should keep up with you–not the other way around. But let’s be real. Picking the right one can feel overwhelming. Do you need a big screen? Dedicated graphics? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. We’ve tested all the picks below ourselves, so you’re getting real recommendations backed on hands-on experience.

We’ve cut through the clutter to bring you the top picks across every category–from sleek, no-fussChromebookstopowerhouse gaming machines.

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Asus Zenbook 14 OLED – Best overall

Pros

• Attractive OLED touchscreen
• Good CPU and integrated GPU performance
• Outstanding battery life

Cons

• Blah design
• Keyboard isn’t memorable
• Mediocre connectivity options

Who should buy the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED?

The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED is a terrific laptop for most people. The vibrant OLED screen looks great, it’s fast thanks to the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor, it’s light enough to toss in a backpack at 2.82 pounds, and the battery lasts all day. If you want a laptop that nails the basics and still looks sharp, this one’s tough to beat — and it’s quite darn affordable for the performance and quality on offer, too.

Asus Zenbook 14 OLED: Further considerations

The Zenbook 14 OLED isn’t perfect. It’s missing some ports (no Ethernet and not many USB-A) and the shiny OLED screen can be a pain to use outside or in bright rooms. But overall, the good stuff drastically outweighs the downsides.

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Acer Aspire Go 15 – Best budget laptop

Pros

• Affordable
• Decent battery life
• Good display visibility

Cons

• Big and bulky
• Cheap build
• Limited performance

Who should buy the Acer Aspire Go 15?

The Acer Aspire Go 15 is a great (affordable!) choice if all you need are the basics. It’ll run everyday tasks like surfing the web or writing emails, and the 12 hour battery life isn’t half bad.

The appeal mostly lies in its value, though. While more expensive laptops nail the polish and the speed, the budget variety is strictly about what’s functional and that’s exactly what you’re getting here. It’s a good option for students or anyone seeking a reliable, no-frills machine under $500.

You’ll also find a surprisingly generous port selection on the Acer Aspire Go 15–USB-A on both sides, a USB-C, an HDMI, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a Kensington lock. That’s more than what some laptops get twice the price.

Acer Aspire Go 15: Further considerations

Like many laptops in the budget category, the Aspire Go 15’s got a few trade-offs to be aware of. The chassis is made of plastic, though that’s part of what keeps the cost down–cheaper materials. It also weighs a little over four pounds. Sure it’s not the lightest machine in the world, but this is such a minor nitpick and it’s still fine for day-to-day portability. The 1920×1080 display also isn’t very bright, but it’s sharp enough for day to day usability.

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Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 10 Aura Edition – Best battery life

Pros

• Over 24 hours of battery life (in our standard test)
• Good build quality
• Snappy desktop performance
• 2-in-1 experience with pen

Cons

• On the expensive side
• Lunar Lake’s low multithreaded performance is an issue for some workflows

Who should buy the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1?

If you want a laptop that just keeps on trucking along, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 blew us away with its crazy-long battery life. PCWorld clocked it at up to 25 hours, so you won’t be stuck hunting for outlets throughout the day.

Stamina aside, it’s also very portable at under three pounds. Add in the flexible 2-in-1 design and a seriously good keyboard, and you’ve got a laptop built to keep up with real life stuff.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1: Further considerations

There’s a lot to love here, but it’s not cheap ($2,336 as tested). And if you want a built-in SD card reader, for instance, you’ll need to pick up a dongle. But if you need a professional laptop that truly lasts, this is it.

Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 – Best Chromebook

Pros

• Zippy processor performance
• Nice keyboard
• A wide array of connectivity options
• Chic design

Cons

• Battery life isn’t competitive
• The display’s 16:9 aspect ratio feels a little cramped

Who should buy the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34?

If you’re in the market for a reliable, good-looking Chromebook for everyday use, the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 has it all. This machine will run daily tasks just fine thanks to its Intel i5 processor and 8GB of RAM. The 14-inch 1080p display also looks sharp, and the 1080p webcam is perfect for Zoom calls.

Asus Chromebook Plus CX34: Further considerations

While the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 offers smooth performance and a pretty design, there are minor trade-offs to be aware of like the non-competitive battery life (13 hours) and the lack of a touchscreen. You’ll also need to be comfortable with ChromeOS. If you prefer Windows or macOS, we’d recommend looking elsewhere.

MacBook Air (M3) – Best MacBook

Pros

• Excellent battery life
• 256GB SSD is now two NAND chips, maintaining performance

Cons

• Expensive memory upgrades
• Dual external display support requires closed lid

Who should buy the MacBook Air (M3)?

The MacBook Air (M3) is a great choice if you want a powerful, quiet Mac without the Pro price. Starting at $1,299, it handles everyday tasks and light creative work smoothly with the fast M3 chip. The battery lasts up to 19 hours, easily powering through a full day. Its 15-inch Liquid Retina display is sharp and colorful, though it’s not quite as bright as the MacBook Pro model’s. Plus, it’s thin and light (just over three pounds), making it super portable.

MacBook Air (M3): Further considerations

If you need powerful performance for 3D rendering or video editing, the MacBook Pro is a better option than the Air. For most folks, though, the MacBook Air (M3) offers pretty good performance, long battery life, and a chic design.

Lenovo Legion 5i – Best gaming laptop

Pros

• Great GeForce RTX 4060 performance
• Good build quality
• Nice cooling and vent positioning

Cons

• Display is a little dim

Who should buy the Lenovo Legion 5i?

Want solid gaming performance without breaking the bank? The Lenovo Legion 5i hits that sweet spot. It’s rocking an Intel Core i9 CPU and an RTX 4060 GPU, so expect high frame rates on modern games at 1080p. Plus, that 165Hz screen? Makes everything look sharp and buttery smooth.

Lenovo Legion 5i: Further considerations

There are some nice extras worth noting. The first is a 1080p webcam with a physical shutter and the second is a full-sized keyboard with a number pad. It might not seem like much on paper, but these things are important and further add to the value as a whole.

Acer Nitro V 16 – Best budget gaming laptop

Pros

• Fast performance
• Fast 165Hz display with good colors

Cons

• Fully plastic build
• Mushy keyboard

Who should buy the Acer Nitro V 16?

Anyone that wants good performance and a fast display for around $1,000 needs to check out the Acer Nitro V 16. Stuffed with an RTX 4060 GPU and an AMD Ryzen 7 CPU, it comfortably runs modern titles on the higher graphics settings.

Acer Nitro V 16: Further considerations

The thing about the Nitro V 16 is that it really leans into the gamer aesthetic with its sharp lines and glowing keyboard. If you dig that style, cool. If not, this might not be the laptop for you. The battery life lasts about four hours, which is typical for a laptop in this category, but you probably can’t game untethered–at least not for very long!

Asus ProArt P16 – Best content creation laptop

Pros

• Big touchpad with virtual scroll wheel
• Gorgeous 4K OLED display
• More connectivity than the competition
• Good battery life

Cons

• Chassis is light, but doesn’t look remarkable
• CPU performance falls behind the best
• Can get hot under load

Who should buy the Asus ProArt P16?

If it’s laser-sharp visuals and raw power you’re after, the Asus ProArt P16 delivers. The 16-inch 3840×2400 display is perfect for photo editing, watching movies, or design work. It’s also rocking an Intel Core i9 CPU and an RTX 4070 GPU, which is the kind of power you’ll need for something like video production. Battery life is strong too, lasting over nine hours, and it supports lightning fast USB 4.0 transfers.

Asus ProArt P16: Further considerations

Performance and display quality are the standout features here, of course, but understated design deserves a mention too. Some may find the all-black chassis too plain while others find it elegant. Also, under heavy workloads, the chassis can run a little warm.

Microsoft Surface Pro (2025) – Best ultraportable

Pros

• Compact and well-built
• Good office performance
• All Copilot Plus features available
• Good battery life

Cons

• Narrow screen to work on
• No HDR support
• No charger included

Who should buy the Microsoft Surface Pro (2025)?

If you’re always bouncing between places—on the train, working from coffee shops, or just working around the house—the Surface Pro 2025 is kind of perfect. It’s super light (1.51 pounds!) and still powerful enough to handle all the usual stuff like emails and Zoom calls.

With its Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus CPU, it’s great for anyone who wants something that works like a laptop but feels like a tablet. You can doodle or get work done, all without feeling like you’re lugging around a heavy brick.

Microsoft Surface Pro (2025): Further considerations

The compact screen won’t suit everyone for full-time multitasking, and there are only two USB-C ports (you’ll want a dock or hub). Also, while battery life can stretch surprisingly far, it varies widely. Expect around two hours at full brightness under heavy use or up to 19 hours with lighter tasks.

Still, if your work mostly lives in the cloud and you value portability above raw power, this is the best ultraportable Windows device you can get right now.

MSI Summit 13 AI+ Evo – Best 2-in-1 laptop

Pros

• Spectacular battery life
• Attractive and robust design
• Plenty of RAM and solid-state storage for the price

Cons

• Cramped keyboard and touchpad
• IPS touchscreen’s image quality doesn’t stand out
• Lackluster CPU and GPU performance

Who should buy the MSI Summit 13 AI+ Evo?

Anyone seeking a versatile 2-in-1 laptop with long battery life will love what the MSI Summit 13 AI+ Evo brings to the table. Its nearly 21-hour battery life ensures productivity throughout the day without needing another charge up. The included MSI Pen2 stylus and bright display make it an especially strong choice for creatives and note takers.

MSI Summit 13 AI+ Evo: Further considerations

The chassis is primarily plastic, which isn’t a huge deal in the short term, but durability may be affected over time. The keyboard’s also got a compact layout, which may be uncomfortable if you’ve got bigger hands, and the audio quality is average at best.

Framework Laptop 13 (2025) – Best laptop for upgrading

Pros

• Repairable and upgradeable
• Great keyboard
• Display is easy on the eyes

Cons

• High up-front cost
• Battery life lags way behind
• Not quite seamless design

Who should buy the Framework Laptop 13 (2025)?

Need a laptop that’s super easy to upgrade and tough enough to stick around? The Framework Laptop 13 (2025) is where it’s at. You can swap out pretty much anything—RAM, storage, even the motherboard if you want. It runs on an AMD Ryzen AI 300 processor and is slim enough to toss in your bag and go wherever.

Framework Laptop 13 (2025): Further considerations

The price might sting a bit upfront, and the built-in graphics are okay for everyday stuff, but don’t expect to game on it. Battery life’s decent, but nothing groundbreaking.

How to choose the best laptop

What’s the best laptop style?

Regular ones are fine for everyday stuff. 2-in-1s are cool because the screen flips around. Chromebooks are cheap and good if you mostly do web browsing.

How much power?

Depends on what you’re doing. For basic web or email, an Intel Core i3 or Ryzen 3 works fine. If you’re into video editing or creative stuff, an i7/i9 or Ryzen 7/9 is better. And if you’re handling heavy 4K editing or lots of apps, a Ryzen 9 is your best bet.

Discrete graphics vs. integrated graphics?

If you’re gaming or editing videos, you want a proper graphics card (like Nvidia or AMD) for better performance. But if you’re just browsing or watching stuff, the built-in integrated graphics work just fine.

How much RAM?

8GB of RAM is plenty for most stuff. If you’re gaming, 16GB is better, and 32GB will keep you covered for a while. Content creators should try to get as much RAM as they can.

What’s the right display size?

If you’re doing video editing or a bunch of media stuff, go for a bigger screen, like 15 to 17 inches. But for most people, 13 to 14 inches hits the sweet spot. Bigger screens mean heavier laptops, so 13 or 14 inches is usually the best combination of portability and value.

Battery-life expectations

If you’re gonna carry your laptop around, try to get one that lasts 10 to 12 hours on a charge. That’s usually enough for a long flight or a full day of classes. Some of the new Snapdragon laptops are even crushing that, withone going up to 25 hours thanks to their super-efficient chips. Just remember, bigger batteries usually mean heavier laptops. 

Laptop pricing guide

Good laptops usually run $500 to $750, but if you’re on a budget, Chromebooks or basic business laptops under $500 work fine. Around $750 to $1,000 gets you better screens and more power. Over $1,000 means premium build and performance.

Gaming laptops cost more (expect $1,000+ for decent 1080p gaming). Better graphics and features can push prices into the thousands, but $1,200 to $2,000 usually gets you a powerful rig.

Don’t forget the ports

I like laptops with lots of ports so you don’t need adapters. Having both USB-C and USB-A is great, and an HDMI port is a bonus and super handy for hooking up to a monitor.

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.

A small, convertible Chromebook with a sharp display

Verdict

The Acer Chromebook Spin 312 is small enough for easy portability, if a little heavier than you might expect, which makes tablet use somewhat uncomfortable. Build quality is admirable, though, and its touchscreen capabilities are pretty good. The display is sharp and enjoyable for viewing content, while battery life is impressive, too. Its performance is far from class-leading, but if you’re after a small and well-made device for light work and entertainment, the Chromebook Spin 312 isn’t a bad choice.

Pros

• +Small size
• +Sharp display
• +Pleasant keyboard and touchscreen

Cons

• -More heft than you might expect
• -Can’t handle multitasking that well
• -Imprecise touchpad

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Acer Chromebook Spin 312: Two-minute review

TheAcerChromebook Spin 312 is the smallest device in the brand’s line of 2-in-1 Chromebooks, measuring just 12.2 inches. Despite this, it’s not the sleekest Chromebook around, with its sharp angles and juts spoiling the otherwise elegant design, which is aided by the quality of the materials used in its construction.

It’s quite thick and heavy for its size, so it’s perhaps not ideal for using as a tablet, despite its convertible nature. But thanks to that solid hinge for the lid, it can be propped upside down and used exclusively in touchscreen mode with ease.

It’s not just the hinge mechanism that’s well made – all aspects of the Spin 312 feel as solid and sturdy as any of thebest Chromebooks, including the keys and trackpad, which feel premium to the touch as well.

Port selection is reasonable, too, although I would’ve liked to have seen more than just one USB-C port, and the lack of an SD card slot might be detrimental for some. Thankfully, there are two USB-A ports to improve connectivity options, and the HDMI port and audio jack are further additions I welcome.

The review unit I had came equipped with anIntelN100 processor and 4GB of RAM. Despite these underwhelming specs, the Chromebook Spin 312 performed admirably, handling many typical Chromebook workloads quite well. However, slowdowns can occur when pushed a little too far.

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Such cases include gaming, where the Chromebook Spin 312 struggled to run even fairly modest mobile games on high settings during my testing. However, lowering these did improve matters to the point where games such asAsphalt Legends Unitewere playable to an enjoyable extent.

More pleasing on the performance front is the display. The resolution looks especially sharp on the 12-inch screen, although colors aren’t rendered as vibrantly as they are on some rival Chromebooks. The bezels also encroach quite considerably on the allotted real estate for the screen, and the display can be quite reflective under certain conditions. In most cases, though, it makes for a pleasant viewing experience.

The touch inputs are also quite responsive, tracking well with swipes to make drawing and handwriting a realistic option, although it can be a little grabby at times. You’ll also need to provide your own stylus if you want to make the most of your creative time with the Chromebook Spin 312.

I found the touchpad disappointingly inaccurate by comparison, as it failed to track with what I was expecting from my movements, leading to a lagging and stuttering, which in turn made it imprecise.

Thankfully, I had a better time typing on the Chromebook Spin 312, thanks to the generous spacing of the keys and their satisfying dampening. Their lack of indentations and grip, however, can lead to slipping and mispresses on occasion.

Its battery life is impressive, lasting just over 11 hours in our test. This places it near the higher end of the Chromebook spectrum – theLenovoIdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook performs significantly better on this front, although admittedly this is somewhat of an outlier.

The Chromebook Spin 312 sits somewhere in the middle of the convertible Chromebook market. Some rivals are better performers, while others have a sleeker design. But, overall, if you won’t be demanding too much from it in terms of performance, the Chromebook Spin 312 is a good 2-in-1 Chromebook for those who prize portability and a sharp image.

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Acer Chromebook Spin 312 review: Price and availability

• Starts from £329.99 (about $450 / AU$690)
• Various CPU, RAM, and storage options
• Middle of the market

The Chromebook Spin 312 starts from £329.99 (about $450 / AU$690). It can be configured with 64GB or 128GB of storage, 4GB or 8GB of RAM, and an Intel Core i3 or Intel N100 CPU.

This places the Chromebook Spin 312 somewhere in the middle of the market considering its spec. It’s considerably cheaper than theSamsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 360, which it bests in terms of performance, although its display isn’t quite as sharp or as vibrant, and lacks its premium design (although it isn’t too far behind in this regard).

However, the Chromebook Spin 312 is more expensive than theLenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook, which is one of thebest budget Chromebooksin our view. This lacks the compactness of the Chromebook Spin 312 and the performance isn’t exactly impressive either, but it makes up for these deficiencies with its great build quality and enduring battery life.

• Value: 3.5 / 5

Acer Chromebook Spin 312 review: Specs

These are the specs of the particular Acer Chromebook Spin 312 I reviewed:

Price	Starting from £329.99 (about $450 / AU$690)
CPU	Intel N100 (4 threads, 3.4GHz)
Graphics	Integrated, Intel UHD Graphics
RAM	4GB LPDDR5
Screen	12.2-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS LCD, 16:10, 60Hz touchscreen
Storage	64GB eMMC
Ports	2x USB-A, 1x USB-C, 1x HDMI, 1x 3.5mm audio
Wireless	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Camera	1280 x 720
Weight	2.84lbs (1.29kg)
Dimensions	11.4 x 8.1 x 0.8in (29 x 20.5 x 2cm)

Acer Chromebook Spin 312 review: Design

• Bulky for the size
• Solid lid hinge
• Only one USB-C port and no SD card slot

The Chromebook Spin 312 takes a somewhat utilitarian approach to design, with its sharp angles, large vents and lid hinges appearing quite conspicuous. However, it’s still a compact device, and has enough flat sides to help impart some sleekness.

This is further aided by the steely grey colorway and look of the chassis materials, which have a subtle shine to them. What’s more, the quality of these materials seems high, feeling solid and fairly premium to the touch. This extends to the lightly textured keycaps and silky smooth touchpad.

The hinge mechanism is also reassuringly solid. There’s no wobble at any angle, yet it’s smooth and easy to open and adjust. This stability also helps when tenting the Chromebook Spin 312 to use it in touchscreen mode.

However, it can’t compete with the best tablets for usability. Despite its small 12-inch size, the Chromebook Spin 312 is a relatively thick and heavy slab, which can make it awkward to hold in the hand when folded back all the way.

The screen has a large bezel around it, which somewhat compromises the already limited real estate for the display. On a more positive note, it’s made from Corning Gorilla Glass, so it should prove resistant to wear and tear when taking the Chromebook Spin 312 on your travels.

Port selection is reasonable for a Chromebook this small, although it’s a minor shame there’s only one USB-C port and SD card slot, as you’ll find two on many modern Chromebooks. Still, you do at least get two USB-A ports, and I also welcome the inclusion of a dedicated HDMI port and a 3.5mm audio jack.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Acer Chromebook Spin 312 review: Performance

• Capable of light work
• Sharp but reflective display
• Struggles with intensive tasks

Benchmarks

These are the results of our benchmarking tests for the Acer Chromebook Spin 312:

TechRadar Battery Life Test:11 hours and 12 minutes
Jetstream2 Benchmark:179.327
Kraken Benchmark:1309.3ms
Speedometer 3.0:9.52 (±0.52)

The Chromebook Spin 312 offers capable enough performance for everyday tasks, meeting the demands typically placed upon Chromebooks. Apps load fast and light productivity and general browsing are handled well. Despite its somewhat limited 4GB of RAM, it’s even capable of some degree of multitasking, coping well with multiple browser tabs open, for instance.

However, it can come a little unstuck when those tabs are running more complex activities, or when multiple apps are in play. The Chromebook Spin 312 can also generate a fair amount of heat underneath, which is bothersome when on your lap.

Gaming performance isn’t particularly impressive, either. It can handle some mobile titles, but you’ll likely have to play with modest graphics settings. When I playedAsphalt Legends Unite, for instance, high settings caused stutters and considerable slow downs, rendering the game almost unplayable. However, it ran much better on lower settings, if not quite as smooth or as fast as some rivals can manage – and certainly the Chromebook Spin 312 isn’t a match for thebest gaming laptopsin this regard.

When it comes to video playback, the Chromebook Spin 312 can handle streaming content in4K, although it’s not always the smoothest experience. The WUXGA display at least provides a sharp image: the 1920 x 1200 resolution might sound a little low compared to other laptops and some Chromebooks on the market today, but due to its small screen size, it looks sharper than you might imagine.

It’s also quite bright when displaying lighter shades. However, while colors are rendered well enough, they don’t appear quite as vibrant as those on the displays equipped in thebest laptopsorbest MacBooks, looking slightly washed-out by comparison.

The screen is also quite reflective, which, combined with its somewhat lackluster backlighting, makes darker scenes hard to view at times. However, the effect isn’t too troublesome, and compared to many other Chromebooks, the Chromebook Spin 312 is still great for viewing content.

The touchscreen capability is impressive, too. It responds well to all sorts of swipes and gestures, making for smooth doodles and handwriting, even if it’s a little grabby at times. It’s also a shame no stylus is included to unleash the full potential of its functionality.

Unfortunately, the touchpad is less responsive, and I experienced issues with its tracking: many times it felt as if it was either dragging or jumping ahead, lacking the smoothness I was expecting. As a result, I struggled to use it accurately, which can really hamper productivity.

By contrast, typing with the Chromebook Spin 312 is a largely pleasant experience. The keys are satisfyingly damped and are spread surprisingly wide for a Chromebook this small. The keycaps also feel nice under the finger tips thanks to their texture, although they lack grip, which is made worse by the lack of indentation as well. This made the keyboard feel less secure in use, but overall I still found it amenable for typing quickly on.

• Performance score: 3.5 / 5

Acer Chromebook Spin 312 review: Battery life

The battery life of the Chromebook Spin 312 is quite impressive. During our tests, where we ran a movie on a continuous loop, it managed to last over 11 hours. This makes it much better than theSamsungGalaxy Chromebook 2 360, which could only manage six and a half hours. It also beats theAcer Chromebook Spin 314 (2023), one of the best Chromebooks around in our view, which managed over 10 hours.

However, it can’t outlive the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook, which, when we tested it, endured for a remarkable 16 hours and 20 minutes. However, this is rather exceptional in the Chromebook world, and the Chromebook Spin 312 can still lay claim to having one of the best battery lives in the market.

• Battery life: 4.5 / 5Buy it if…You want something compact
  The 12-inch size makes the Chromebook Spin 312 easy to travel with, and yet it doesn’t feel compromised when typing or getting work done.You want a 2-in-1 device
  The 360-degree rotating touchscreen makes the Chromebook Spin 312 versatile, although it’s perhaps not best suited for full-on tablet-style use.Don’t buy it if…You want the fastest Chromebook
  Although it’s surprisingly capable, those with more demanding workloads should seek more powerful models.You want the sveltest device
  Despite its small size, the Chromebook Spin 312 is fairly bulky and weighty, which impairs its tablet-style credentials.

These are the best laptops for students across all budgets and preferences

Picking the best student laptop can be difficult, whatever level of learning you’re at. Balancing value, performance, and battery life is vital, since you’ll need a laptop that can handle a full day of classes and study sessions but won’t break the bank.

We’ve rigorously tested every laptop in this guide for our in-depth review process, including synthetic benchmarks, graphical performance, battery testing, and general real-world use. If a laptop has made it into the list below, you can be confident that it’s been carefully selected by yours truly as a worthwhile inclusion.

Our current number one pick is theApple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3)- since the release of the M4 models, you can often find this one at a discounted price, but that M3 chip is no slouch, so you’re still getting plenty of bang for your buck. If you’d prefer something even more affordable, theAcer Chromebook Plus 514is a stellar choice. Whichever laptop you decide on, know that you can buy in confidence with batterymap’s combined expertise at your back.

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The best student laptop overall

1. Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024)

The best student laptop overall

Specifications

Best for:All students

CPU:Apple M3 (8-core)

Graphics:Integrated 10-core GPU

RAM:Up to 24GB Unified Memory

Screen:13.6-inch 2560 x 1664 Liquid Retina display

Storage:Up to 2TB SSD

Reasons to buy

+Excellent performance
+Fan-less design
+Very good battery life
+Lower price

Reasons to avoid

-Base specs are a bit weak
-External monitor support feels compromised

Buy it if:

✅ You want great performance:Apple’s M3 chip is a powerhouse, delivering top-notch all-rounder performance with 14+ hours of battery life.

✅ You like to stay on the move:Weighing just 1.24kg, the 13-inch model of Apple’s flagship laptop is easy to take with you wherever you go.

Don’t buy it if:

❌You’re on a tight budget:Although the M3 model is a year old now and can often be found below retail price, it’s still a fairly premium laptop.

❌ You prefer Windows:While macOS is great, some software is only available on Windows, and if you’re used to Microsoft’s OS already, making the switch can be tough.

The M3 MacBook Air 13-inch might be last year’s model, but that’s preciselywhyit takes the crown of the best student laptop. A healthy generational price cut on the 2025 M4-powered model means that you can now frequently pick up the M3 version ofApple’s signature laptop at a discounted price at most retailers.

And here’s the thing: the M3 MacBook Air is still an absolute powerhouse of a laptop. In our review, we gave it a rare five-star score, citing its boosted performance in virtually every area, new AI features, and excellent display. It also boasts solid battery life, around 14 hours in our tests, and is even capable of a bit of gaming – and it does everything without a whisper thanks to its fanless design.

It’s honestly hard not to recommend it, especially since it can now be commonly found at prices comfortably below its $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,799 launch price. If you’re willing to wait for a sale event, you can pick one up at a ridiculously low price; our deals hawks recently spotted it on sale forjust $699 at Best Buy. I’m not beating about the bush here: that’s an insane deal, and I’d recommend it to just about any student.

also:C21N2003 Battery for Asus Chromebook Flip CM3 CM3200 CM3200FVA

The best laptop for students on a budget

2. Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (2025)

The best budget laptop for students

Specifications

Best for:Budget-minded students who don’t need a lot of power

CPU:Intel Core 3 100U

Graphics:Integrated Intel UHD Graphics

RAM:8GB LPDDR5

Screen:14-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS, 16:10

Storage:128GB UFS

Reasons to buy

+Great performance
+Excellent display
+Practical port selection

Reasons to avoid

-Keyboard isn’t the most premium
-No SD card slot
-Can get a little noisy

Buy it if:

✅ You’re after a great value laptop:Despite its low price, this Chromebook punches above its weight.

✅ You want something simple but effective:With decent battery life, speedy performance, and an impressive screen for the price, this laptop is perfect for students.

Don’t buy it if:

❌You need a powerful device:While the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 offers great performance in everyday workloads, we wouldn’t recommend it for more intensive tasks like video editing or 3D rendering.

❌ You want a silent laptop:One of our only key criticisms of this laptop is that the fans can get quite noisy if you’re running more demanding software.

Chromebooks can be an excellent choice for students working with a tight budget, as they’re designed with affordable efficiency in mind. ChromeOS is a less resource-intensiveoperating systemthan Windows or macOS, meaning that a Chromebook can run smoothly even with a less powerful (and therefore cheaper) processor.

Still, theIntelCore 100U CPU at the core of the latestAcerChromebook Plus 514 is leaps and bounds ahead of the feeble chips we’ve seen powering budget Chromebooks of yore. No, it’s not going to run the latest triple-A games or handle complex scientific modeling software, but for straightforward tasks like writing assignments or researching online, our reviewer found it ran smoothly and efficiently, with enough battery life to see you through a full day of classes.

>>>GG02XL Battery for HP Chromebook Enterprise x360 11 G4 EE HSTNN-OB1X

The best overall Chromebook for students

3. HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch (2025)

The best Chromebook for students overall

Specifications

Best for:Students who want a high-quality ChromeOS laptop

CPU:Intel Core i3-N305

Graphics:Integrated Intel UHD Graphics

RAM:8GB LPDDR5

Screen:15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080), 144Hz, 16:9

Storage:128GB UFS

Reasons to buy

+Great all-round performance
+Good display for a Chromebook
+Premium build quality

Reasons to avoid

-Small lid opening angle
-Not convertible
-Typing can feel cramped

Buy it if:

✅ You want one of the best Chromebooks around:With good performance and a premium-feeling design, this sets a new gold standard for Chromebooks.

✅ You like using the cloud:Like most Chromebooks, HP’s Plus model works best when you take advantage of Google’s cloud-powered software suite with Google Drive.

Don’t buy it if:

❌You want a large keyboard:Since it includes a numpad, the keyboard of the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch may feel a little cramped for users with larger hands.

❌ You want to run demanding software:Like most Chromebooks, this laptop simply isn’t well-suited for high-level tasks like 3D rendering or video editing.

If you’re already a ChromeOS lover or are looking to make the leap to Google’s cloud-focused operating system, theHPChromebook Plus 15.6-inch is a solid choice. With strong productivity performance and a battery that gave us more than 11 hours of continuous use in our tests, this feels like a laptop for serious students.

Reviewing this laptop, our Reviews Writer praised its premium-feeling build quality – something of a rarity for a Chromebook, which can often feel a little cheap in the hands – along with its surprisingly good display and quiet cooling fans. He described using the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch to navigate ChromeOS as “a largely seamless experience” – although he did note that the keyboard can feel a little cramped at times, due to the inclusion of a numpad.

Of course, since it’s a Chromebook, it’s not going to be the right choice for students studying creative disciplines like graphic design or videography. If you’re taking a course that doesn’t require the use of intensive software, however – like Business Studies or Creative Writing – this laptop can definitely go the distance.

The best lightweight student laptop

4. Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 (2025)

The best lightweight laptop for students

Specifications

Best for:Students who want something super-portable to use on the go

CPU:Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core

Graphics:Qualcomm Adreno X1-45

RAM:16GB LPDDR5X

Screen:13-inch, FHD+ (1920 x 1280) 60Hz PixelSense Touch Display

Storage:256GB SSD

Reasons to buy

+Stunning design
+Extremely portable
+Fantastic battery life
+Great keyboard and trackpad

Reasons to avoid

-MacBook Air M4 offers far better performance
-Limited ports
-Display is just OK

Buy it if:

✅ You need a super-portable laptop:Incredibly thin and lightweight but still delivering good performance, the Surface Laptop 13-inch is ideal for taking with you on the go.

✅ You want a great Windows laptop:With full support for Copilot+ in Windows 11 and Microsoft’s own close control over the Surface hardware ecosystem, this is one of the best Windows laptops out there.

Don’t buy it if:

❌You’re on a very tight budget:Though not quite as pricey as other premium Ultrabooks, this might be out of reach if you’re seeking something super affordable.

❌ You prefer macOS:Considering the price point, a MacBook Air will give you better overall performance – though it does mean switching over to macOS.

In his review, my American counterpart described the new Surface Laptop 13-inch as “the Purple MacBook I’ve been begging for” – and trust me, he’s been begging for that forquite a while now.

With 17+ hours of continuous battery life, strong performance across productivity workloads, and a wonderfully portable design (weighing just 1.22kg),Microsoftseems to have finally hit its stride with the Surface product line. This is a made-for-Windows Ultrabook with a premium-feeling chassis, offering a very comfortable keyboard along with a high-quality touch display.

John did note that in terms of performance-per-dollar it loses out to the latest M4 MacBook Air, but for users who prefer Windows to macOS, it’s practically perfect. It’s also one of the best ways to use Microsoft’s fancy new Copilot+ AI PC features inWindows 11.

The best laptop for creative students

5. Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4, 2025)

A powerhouse MacBook for students on creative courses

Specifications

Best for:Students working in visual creative disciplines

CPU:Apple M4 (10-core)

Graphics:Integrated 10-core GPU

RAM:Up to 32GB Unified Memory

Screen:15.3-inch 2880 x 1864 Liquid Retina display

Storage:Up to 2TB M.2 PCIe SSD

Reasons to buy

+Excellent performance
+New, lower price
+Silent design

Reasons to avoid

-No need to upgrade from M3
-No Wi-Fi 7

Buy it if:

✅ You want creative control:With a powerful Apple M4 chip and gorgeous Liquid Retina display, the latest MacBook Air 15-inch is perfect for creative workloads.

✅ You want a premium laptop:The MacBook Air 15-inch remains one of the best-looking laptops on the market, with a high-quality keyboard and great battery life too.

Don’t buy it if:

❌You’re on a budget:With a bigger screen and newer processor, this MacBook Air will cost you a fair bit more than the 13-inch M3 model at the top of our list.

❌ You just need to do simple tasks:If your course primarily involves attending online classes and writing up coursework, any current-gen MacBook is frankly overkill.

As I’ve already noted further up in this guide, some laptops that are great for the average student won’t hold up against the workload of a student studying creative disciplines. Graphic design, photo and video editing, 3D art – all of these need a bit more power than even thebest student Chromebookscan provide.

Enter the MacBook Air 15-inch with Apple M4 chip. A powerful system that packs an improved CPU (10 cores vs 8 cores) over the M3 model, plus a larger battery thanks to the 15-inch chassis, this is a solid choice for anyone who wants plenty of bang for their buck when it comes to running creative software.

Sure, you could opt for aMacBook Proif youreallywant a ton of power at your fingertips, but frankly, the standard M4 chip in the MacBook Air is perfectly capable – and you won’t have to worry about fan noise here, either.

The best 2 in 1 Chromebook for students

6. Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 360

The best 2-in-1 Chromebook for students

Specifications

Best for:Students who want a lightweight, versatile Chromebook

CPU:Intel Celeron N4500

Graphics:Integrated Intel UHD Graphics

RAM:4GB LPDDR4x

Screen:12.4-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) LED Touch Display

Storage:64GB eMMC

Reasons to buy

+Excellent display
+Great build quality
+Small form factor

Reasons to avoid

-Less powerful CPU and RAM
-Heavy and thick for the size
-Unimpressive battery life

Buy it if:

✅ You need a versatile 2-in-1:The low package weight and 360-degree hinge on the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 360 make it a flexible and effective little device.

✅ You prefer looks over performance:Design-wise, this is one of the best-looking compact Chromebooks on the market – but it doesn’t offer high-end performance.

Don’t buy it if:

❌You prefer a larger display:The 12.4-inch touch display on this Samsung Chromebook is actually very sharp and colorful, but it’s certainly on the smaller side.

❌ You need lots of processing power:With only 4GB of RAM, this is probably the least powerful laptop on this list – it puts portability over performance.

While its lower-end internal specs might hold it back from achieving true greatness, theSamsungGalaxy Chromebook 2 360 nonetheless does an admirable job of what it sets out to be: a lightweight, compact, and flexible laptop.

With the smallest display size of any laptop on this list, it’s easy to take with you on the go or hold in your hands when flipped into tablet mode – and despite its small size, the touchscreen is a rather impressive QHD+ panel that places it above many of its Chromebook siblings.

Granted, some sacrifices have been made here to allow that excellent display at the very reasonable $429 / £419 / AU$707 starting price (though you can often find it cheaper than that). In terms of its CPU and RAM, this Chromebook is admittedly one of the weaker devices on this list – but as long as you’re just planning to do basic tasks like word processing and watchingYouTube, you should be fine.

The best 2 in 1 Windows laptop

7. Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 (2025)

The best 2-in-1 Windows laptop for students

Specifications

CPU:Up to Intel Core Ultra 9 288V

Graphics:Up to Intel Arc Xe2

RAM:Up to 32GB LPDDR5X

Screen:Up to 14-inch FHD+ (1200p) touchscreen

Storage:Up to 1TB PCIe Gen 4.0 NVMe

Reasons to buy

+Very solid productivity and general performance
+Affordable
+Lightweight

Reasons to avoid

-Not good for high-performance work
-Display isn’t good for a 2-in-1

Buy it if:

✅ You want a well-rounded 2-in-1 laptop:With strong performance at a very respectable price point, the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 is a great all-rounder.

✅ You need longer battery life:Considering that 2-in-1 laptops often struggle with battery life due to their form factor, the 15+ hours of use you get from a single charge is great.

Don’t buy it if:

❌You want something super-cheap:Although the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 is very competitively priced for a Windows 2-in-1, there are cheaper laptops out there.

❌ You need a high-quality display:The display on this laptop is decidedly just average, which is a shame considering how well it performs in other areas.

Earlier this year, our US computing editor John reviewed the new Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 and was pleased with its performance, design and price (starting at $649 / £849 / AU$1,498). However, he also noted that he was willing to accept some flaws on the regular Dell 14 Plus clamshell model to keep the price low, but had more issues with the 2-in-1 model. Specifically, John noted in his review that the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1’s display was “okay.”

On a 2-in-1 device, however, where notetaking and collaborating across a table with your classmates are common use cases, the quality of the display matters a lot more than it does on other laptops. That’s not to say the 14-inch IPS panel on the 14 Plus 2-in-1 isbad, it’s just not great, and it’s a compromise that more than a few 2-in-1 fans might not be willing to make.

The other big issue John had with the laptop was its lack of high-end performance, but given the focus on a lower price point with the 14 Plus lineup, you really shouldn’t be expecting more than a productivity and general computing laptop. In that regard, John found the performance more than up for the task, but he definitely recommends against trying to do any serious PC gaming or video editing work on this one.

The best premium laptop for students

8. Dell XPS 13 (2025)

The best premium Ultrabook for college and university

Specifications

Best for:Students with a larger budget who want a premium-feeling device

CPU:Up to 2nd-gen Intel Core Ultra 9

Graphics:Integrated Intel Arc Graphics

RAM:Up to 32GB LPDDR5X

Screen:Up to 13.4-inch 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED 60Hz Touch Display

Storage:Up to 2TB SSD

Reasons to buy

+Gorgeous 3K OLED screen
+Best-in-class battery life
+Strong overall performance
+Copilot+ ready

Reasons to avoid

-Not enough ports
-Touchpad and touch bar hurt accessibility

Buy it if:

✅ You need best-in-class battery life:With a ridiculously good battery life that almost makes it to a full 24 hours on a single charge, this laptop can go the distance.

✅ You want a strong all-rounder laptop:The Intel Core Ultra chip that powers the Dell XPS 13 is a beast, and the premium build quality and high-end display make it the definitive premium Windows laptop.

Don’t buy it if:

❌You’re on a tight budget:While it’s great value for money in terms of the quality and performance you get, this is a fairly pricey laptop, especially for the more powerful configurations.

❌ You want lots of ports:The biggest criticism we can level at the XPS 13 is that it lacks a good range of physical ports – though this won’t be an issue for many users.

Looking for a laptop that just screams ‘premium’? Look no further: students with some cash to splash who want a high-end device with some real staying power should absolutely spring for the 2025 Dell XPS 13 – perhaps the last XPS 13 we’ll ever see, sadly.

See, Dell is switching up its naming conventions, ditching the XPS brand (a totally insane move, in my humble opinion) in favor of new Plus, Premium, and Pro tiers for its laptops. Despite this, the latest XPS 13 is still available from both Dell and third-party retailers, and it’s still an absolutely gorgeous laptop.

When I reviewed it, I had nothing but praise for its excellent touch display, absolutely phenomenal 24-hour battery life, and strong productivity performance with its Intel Core Ultra processor. My only real criticism is the lack of ports; with just two USB-C ports and nothing else, you’ll want to go fully wireless or invest in a USB hub.

FAQs: How to choose the best student laptop for you

The best student laptop is going to give you the right balance between sufficient performance for productivity tasks, affordability for a student’s budget, and durability to handle the kind of wear-and-tear that a student can put their laptops through – and having it look good never hurts.

But that can be a hard thing for students and families to balance, especially if they aren’t as familiar with computer hardware as they’d like to be. Fortunately, there are some general guidelines that you can follow to get the right student laptop for your needs and budget: check out these frequently asked questions.

How much storage does a student need?

This depends on what type of laptop you decide to pick up, as well as what subject you’re studying. For example, if you’re a creative writing student rocking a straightforward budget laptop, you really don’t need to worry about storage that much. Simple text documents don’t take up much space, and Chromebooks make heavy use of cloud storage via Google Drive anyway. 256GB, 128GB, or even 64GB is fine in these cases.

On the other hand, students studying disciplines that involve using resource-intensive software and large files – think photo and video editing, scientific modeling, and anything that involves rendering 3D files – are going to want a lot more storage. For this, I’d recommend 1TB of SSD storage as the minimum; 2TB is better, and you might even want to consider investing in one of thebest external hard drives.

The same goes for students who plan to install and use lots of programs at once – if you’re like me, and like to keep dozens of games installed on your computer (because I’m chronically indecisive), bear in mind that you’ll want a laptop with storage measured in the TBs rather than the GBs.

Is 4GB RAM enough for a student laptop?

For any Windows or macOS laptop, 4GB is fundamentally not enough RAM for modern use cases. 8GB should be considered the bare minimum for light work on these operating systems; 16GB is better, and has become the de facto new industry standard.

For Chromebooks, things are a little different; the lightweight software ethos of ChromeOS means it can comfortably run well on less powerful hardware, meaning that 4GB of RAM is a more viable option. Still, more RAM is useful for multitasking; I’d recommend springing for 8GB if you’re the sort of person who likes to keep 10+ browser tabs open at once while playing music in the background.

Is a MacBook a good laptop for students?

This is a slightly loaded question, because the best operating system for students (whether that’s Windows 10 or 11, macOS, or ChromeOS) will ultimately come down to which OS the student in question prefers to use. Some of us are married to the effective functionality of Windows; others might prefer the aesthetically pleasing UI of Apple devices, or the Android-esque, streamlined user experience Chromebooks provide.

If you’re already comfortable using a specific operating system, making the leap can be tricky. ChromeOS is arguably the easiest to pick up and use, but changing to MacOS after a decade spent familiarizing yourself with Windows might lead to confusion. Take this into consideration when choosing a new laptop for school or college.

On the hardware side, we’re pleased to say that MacBooks are more competitive than ever. Apple’s fantastic M-series chips are much more capable of running demanding tasks than processors with integrated graphics, making Apple laptops excellent all-rounders for the busy student. However, if you need to run highly intensive software, it’s worth considering a Windows laptop with a dedicated GPU – ideally an Nvidia RTX one – since this will give you a lot more grunt in GPU-accelerated programs.

Which is better for students: a laptop or a desktop?

Simply put, most college-level students will need a laptop for their studies at this stage. While having a computer of some kind is practically a necessity at this point – with the rise of remote learning and content creation among university students – a laptop can be thrown into a rucksack and taken along to lectures and workshops, unlike a desktop PC.

Yes, a desktop will typically offer more processing power and the advantage of a bigger screen, but you can easily end up spending more (especially once you factor in the need for peripherals) and then still find yourself needing a portable device for note-taking and working on the go. If you’ve already got a small tablet or laptop that you can take out and about, you might want to consider buying one of thebest desktop computers, but otherwise, we recommend you get a more capable laptop and use that in lieu of a desktop.

Price hikes are coming soon, laptop leader warns

• Acer CEO warns customers will see laptop prices rise from March 2025
• 10% rise follows news of tariffs imposed by Trump administration
• The tariffs apply to products imported from China

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The chairman and chief executive ofAcer, one of the world’s biggest computer manufacturers, has warned a 10% price rise is coming to US customers ‘by default’ as a result of President Trump’s tariffs on imported Chinese goods.

In an interview withThe Telegraph, CEO Jason Chen confirmed price adjustments for customers will be added on Acer laptops to reflect the tariff, noting “we think 10pc probably will be the default price increase because of the import tax. It’s very straightforward.”

The tariffs are applicable on items imported from China, but don’t apply to products that left before February 2025, so it could be a few weeks before the prices rise to reflect this. Since electronic goods make up a significant portion of Chinese imports, and most Acer products are manufactured in China – it’s likely many products across the industry will be affected.

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Customers bear the brunt

The move was pretty widely predicted in the industry, with theCEO of the Consumer Technology Association recently warning the tariff plan would be ‘devastating’, reminding that tariffs are not paid for by either country involved, “they’re paid for by the consumers that are paying for a tax”.

Whilst 10% may not seem like a lot, Acer laptops can often sit between $2,000-$3,000, meaning customers will see hundreds of dollars added to their bills.

Acer is not the only company to manufacture their products overseas, in fact almost 80% of laptops and 40% of all tech products imported into the US are made in China and will be affected by these tariffs one way or another – so Americans can expect to see their pockets hurt in the near future.

Some firms may use the tariffs as an excuse to raise prices beyond 10%, but many companies have not yet confirmed how they expect their products to be affected.

Chen confirmed that Acer is looking into the possibility of “different supply chains beyond China”, and that “one of the options” was an American manufacturing line.

Get long battery life for a modern gaming laptop

Verdict
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 offers commendable performance, a color-rich ISP display, a comfortable keyboard for both gaming and typing long essays, and a damn-good battery life for a gaming laptop. It’s not flashy, but who needs flashy when everything else it offers is rock solid?

Pros

• +Vivid ISP display
• +Comfortable and springy keyboard
• +Over eight hours of battery life
• +Stays cool
• +Good gaming performance

Cons

• -Rough trackpad
• -Collects many fingerprints
• -Bass doesn’t come through the speakers

The Predator Helios Neo 14 is a quiet gem of a gaming laptop and a wonderful addition to the Helios line-up. It doesn’t stand out like flashier 14-inch portable machines, butAcerdidn’t sacrifice any key features for the sake of making it a fine competitor on price alone.

Its processor and graphics card put it within punching distance of gamer favorites like the ROG Zephyrus G14 andRazerBlade 14 and get long battery life for a modern gaming laptop. The places where Acer did skimp on taking this laptop to the next level are easy to forgive.

If you like 14-inch gaming laptops as much as I do, don’t overlook this one.

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Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (2024): Specs

Price:	(originally $1,799)
CPU:	Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
GPU:	Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070
RAM:	16GB LPDDR5X
Storage:	1TB SSD
Display:	14.5-inch 2560 x 1600 IPS, 120Hz, G-Sync
Battery:	8:42 hours
Dimensions:	12.76 x 10.05 x 0.77 inches
Weight:	4.19 lbs.

Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (2024): Price and configurations

(Image credit: Future)

The configuration I reviewed has the best-balanced price-to-performance ratio compared to its cheaper or more expensive alternatives. For $1,799, this Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 pairs a mid-range CPU and GPU with 16GB of memory but doesn’t leave out a high refresh rate display and Nvidia G-Sync. For the price, those are standard features these days, but it’s still nice to see Acer include them in a 14-inch gaming laptop.

It’s not exactly a steal over the RTX 4060 version, though, which costs $1,474 (originally $1,499). Other than the GPU, both variations have the same features. That goes for the $1,744 (originally $1,799) configuration, too. It has the same GPU but a fasterIntelCore Ultra 9 185H.

Acer traded fancier features like a 4K OLED display and a slimmer chassis (which is a good thing — more on that in a bit) to make the Helios Neo 14 as cheap as possible, which makes it a more compelling choice against the competition. A newAsus ROG Zephyrus G14with anAMDRyzen 9 8945 HS, an RTX 4070, and a nicer display still costs $2,000 or more. (A similarly configuredRazer Blade 14costs hundreds of dollars more.) However, there are 14-inchHP Omen Transcendsout there with the same GPU, an OLED display, and a Core Ultra 9 for the same price (when on sale) as the most expensive Helios Neo 14.

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Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (2024): Design

(Image credit: Future)

Acer has continually refined the look of its Predator line-up for the last few generations, and the Predator Helios Neo 14 is, so far, my favorite. Its all-black chassis is sleek and refined. The engraved Predator logo on the lid is subtle, only more noticeable when light catches on its metallic surface. Size-wise, it’s about a pound heavier than something as small and slim as the ROG Zephyrus G14, but it’s bearable to carry around.

The display does not connect directly to the back of the laptop, though. The bottom chassis extends about another inch, giving this gaming laptop a “butt.” It’s for thermal management, so I don’t mind how it looks. Exhaust ports line the backside, which helps keep this 14-inch laptop cool so it can run games as fast as possible. (Excuse me while I giggle like a child about butts and exhaust ports.) I also like how it expels heat away from my body; gaming on a laptop that blows hot air directly onto my mouse hand is not comfortable at all!

One thing the Helios Neo 14 needs is a special finish to reduce the appearance of fingerprints, something likeApple’s anodization process orAsus’ Ceraluminum. This might drive up its price, but globs of oil smudges really take away from its overall appearance. I found myself cleaning the laptop’s surfaces after every time I used it; they bothered methatmuch.

Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (2024): Ports

Acer stuck about every type of port you could think of into the Helios Neo 14: two USB-A, two USB-C ports, a headphone/mic combo jack, a microSD slot, and an HDMI 2.1 port. One USB-C port supports Thunderbolt 4 with passthrough charging, though the battery does not charge as fast with that method compared to its proprietary charger with a barrel-style connector.

Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (2024): Display

(Image credit: Future)

One advantage of an IPS display over an OLED for gaming is its lack of a reflective surface — and you don’t need to crank up the brightness just to be able to see the game properly. Aside from cost, it’s a big reason I’ve stuck with IPS displays and monitors. Not all IPS displays handle colors the same way, though, so I was delighted to see how vibrant and sharp everything looked on the Predator Helios Neo 14.

Our tests showed its display covers 110% of the sRGB color gamut, which is more than the gaming monitor I use, theGigabyteM28U (and Ilovemy monitor). Anything I threw on the screen, from games to YouTube videos, looked and felt the same, just on a smaller screen. The Helios Neo 14’s display also has a higher brightness compared to my beloved monitor; 358 peak nits compared to 300, making it better to game in the dark without roasting my eyeballs.

Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (2024): Keyboard and touchpad

I usually have trouble typing as fast and as accurately when I start using a new keyboard. (My hands are tiny!) But I can legitimately say the Helios Neo 14’s keyboard made me a better typist even though its keys are smaller and spaced out further than what I’m used to.

UsingMonkeytype’s typing test, I was able to reach 91 words per minute (WPM) with 97 percent accuracy. I can only do as much as 81 WPM with 90 percent accuracy with the keyboard I use every day.

The Helios Neo 14’s keys also have a shorter actuation point than what I’m used to, but every press still felt full and satisfying. While not mechanical, they have the spring of a mechanicalswitch, so typing barely requires pressure. It was pleasant!

But, oh, the trackpad — I avoided using it altogether, even if I was only using the laptop to check my email. While it was responsive and didn’t miss any of my inputs, my fingers did not glide over the surface at all. Every movement sent quick, unpleasant vibrations through my fingertips.

Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (2024): Audio

If you listen to metal or industrial music like I do — anything with a fast, heavy bass — this laptop’s speakers will take the hard edge out of your favorite songs. Even equalizing the sound with the laptop’s included DTS:X software didn’t make mefeellike I was in a goth club dancing toRob Zombie’s “Dragula”or one of my favorite Combichrist songs.

It sounded like I had the volume cranked in my old 2001 Saturn’s stock speakers: the instruments were flat, lifeless, and slightly tinny. They were definitely lower quality compared to the speakers of other gaming laptops, like the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 and theRazer Blade 14.

Podcasts and dialogue? The Helios Neo 14 shines here. Voices are crisp, and you won’t even need to turn the volume all the way up to understand whoever is talking. As a person with hearing loss, I appreciated this immensely.

Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (2024): Gaming and graphics

Compared to other, similarly configured 14-inch gaming laptops we’ve previously tested like the ROG Zephyrus G14 (RTX 4060) and Blade 14 (RTX 4070), the Helios Neo 14’s gaming performance falls in the middle. At 1080p and high or ultra graphical settings, it averaged about five to 15 frames per second (fps) higher than the Zephyrus G14, and about 10 to 15 fps lower than the Blade 14.

Some specific, notable differences: the Helios Neo 14 achieved 76 fps inFar Cry 6, with the Zephyrus G14 coming in at 69 fps and the Blade 14 at 85 fps; inBorderlands 3, the Neo 14 averaged 82 fps, with the Zephyrus G14 at 67 fps and the Blade 14 at 98 fps; and it managed 87 fps inGrand Theft Auto V,close to the G14’s 84 fps but much lower than the Blade 14’s 100 fps. It was also much closer to the G14 in Assassin’s Creed Mirage (83 to 78 fps, respectively) but further away from the Blade 14, which achieved 107 fps.

InRed Dead Redemption 2on medium graphics settings at 1080p, the Neo 14 also barely passed the Zephyrus, 58 fps to 53 fps, respectively. The Blade shot ahead to 73 fps.

Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (2024): Performance

With the release of Intel’s new Core Ultra processors, the Helios Neo 14’s processor is technically last-gen. It’s still no slouch, although it didn’t score as high as its competitors in synthetic benchmarks.

In GeekBench 6 single-core and multi-core tests, it scored 2425 and 13091, respectively, falling behind the AMD Ryzen-configured Zephyrus G14 (2614) and Blade 14 (2684) by about 7-10 percent. In 3DMark TimeSpy, it scored 10263, falling behind the Blade (12602) by roughly 20 percent. But the Neo 14 scored 7 percent higher than the Zephyrus (9535), which makes sense since the model we tested had an RTX 4060 GPU instead of an RTX 4070 like the Neo.

Synthetic tests are great for quick comparisons, but real-world benchmarks can often tell a better and more realistic story. In transcoding a 4K video to 1080p, the Helios Neo 14 took three minutes and 55 seconds with HandBrake — 30 seconds faster than the Zephyrus G14. It also transferred 25GB of data faster (1784 MBps) than the G14 (1289 MBps) and slightly faster thanHP’s Transcend 14 (1730 MBps).

Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (2024): AI performance and features

This laptop’s RTX 4070 graphics card does all the heavy lifting regardingAI, scoring 13072 in GeekBench’s ML 0.6 test. The Intel processor, on its own, only achieves a score of 3989.

However, that’s still faster than the Qualcomm Snapdragon chip we tested in the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus. However, as we noted before, GeekBench’s ML test may not be optimized for Snapdragon processors; the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H’s NPU provides about 11 TOPS of computational power, while the Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100 has up to 45 TOPS.

The Helios Neo 14 lacks AI features, though. Microsoft has specific requirements as to what defines a Copilot+ PC, and the Helios Neo 14 doesn’t have a powerful enough NPU to meet those requirements.Only new AMD Ryzen AI and Intel Core Ultra 200Vseries laptops can access Windows AI features.

Finally, for some more real-world gaming experience, we tested all of the laptops on Sid Mieier’s Civilization VI: Gathering Storm graphics benchmark at Medium graphics settings and 1080p resolution.

The Zenbook S 14 averaged 48fps, which is solidly in the middle of the pack for gaming performance compared to the other premium laptops. The Zenbook S 16 had the best gaming performance, averaging 63fps, while the MacBook Pro 14 (51fps) came in second. Both the Zenbook 14 OLED Q425 (31fps) and XPS 13 (22fps) performed worse than the Zenbook S 14.

Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (2024): Battery life

A gaming laptop that can last more than a few hours on battery power, even just streaming video or music, is still hard to come by these days. The best productivity laptops can reach double digits, so gaming laptops don’t usually suffice for everyday tasks. But the Helios Neo 14 lasted eight hours and 42 minutes in our battery run-down test, which is fantastic for a gaming laptop.

That’s a half-hour longer than our results with the ROG Zephyrus G14 and 15 minutes longer than the Blade 14.

Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (2024): Webcam

I have a habit of assuming that all laptop webcams are awful, but I would not be afraid to use the Helios Neo 14’s webcam on an important work call.

In a well-lit room, the webcam’s automatic exposure adjustments didn’t make me appear washed out. Even against a white background, the light didn’t bounce back too brightly.

When my cats decided to explore the laptop, all their cute little whiskers appeared clearly defined. It even made the faded blue streaks in my hair more noticeable without adjusting the color saturation.

Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (2024): Heat

Fourteen-inch gaming laptops usually get hot since their chassis are so compact. There’s less room for heat to dissipate, so it gets trapped inside and could make certain parts of the laptop uncomfortable to touch.

Even parts of the keyboard. This laptop intakes air from its underside, so while I don’t recommend gaming with it in your laptop for this reason, I was surprised that I could play less graphically intensive games with it in my lap. Even in performance mode. (Not on my bare skin, of course.)

The hottest part of the Helios Neo 14 is the top center of the keyboard deck (above the vent), reaching up to 121.5 degrees Fahrenheit while gaming — makes sense since it expels hot air out of its backside. But the WASD and spacebar keys, places that I have felt get uncomfortably warm on the ROG Zephyrus G14 and Razer Blade 14, stayed cooler than my normal body temperature.

Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (2024): Software and warranty

Like most Acer laptops, the Helios Neo 14 comes with a standard one-year warranty but also abunch of software that you may or may not want: Planet 9, Dropbox, ExpressVPN, McAfee, Acer LiveArt, two separate DTS sound applications, and Intel Unison (another take on Windows Phone Link). You can easily uninstall those, though it will take a little bit of time.

Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (2024): The bottom line

The Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 isn’t a love-at-first-sight laptop. But after getting to know it, I could see myself being happy using it every day for gaming and working.

I’m not thrilled with its trackpad, but its keyboard is one of the most comfortable I’ve ever used for typing short emails or long pages of text. It’s much cheaper than flashier gaming laptops, cranks out high frame rates even in demanding games, stays cool, and the battery lasts over eight hours. It’s everything you’d expect from a gaming laptop, plus a little extra.