Which Brand of Laptop Is the Best?

Trying to choose your next mobile computer based on what might be the "best laptop brands" isn't the best way to go about your purchasing decision. That way, you might miss out on a diamond in the rough with a logo on its screen lid you didn't recognize. You will quickly find out in your laptop search that many brands have developed specific reputations for themselves as to what they're best suited for. For instance, Apple has long been known for its MacBooks' particular aptitude for creative professionals, from writers to photo/video editors and even digital designers. Meanwhile, Lenovo is best known for its class-leading keyboards and ThinkPad business machines and mobile workstations. As a last example, brands like Acer and Asus, while they play just fine in the high end, tend to dominate the midrange and budget sectors with maximum-value systems. If you still must know what the top laptop brands are, then go with the wisdom of the crowd: See what you can find within our running Readers' Choice: Best Laptop Brands series, which polls readers like you to name their favorite laptop brands for certain use cases and scenarios.

What Is the Longest-Lasting Laptop?

Many laptops can last an entire day away from the power outlet, even when you’re using them for demanding but common activities like streaming internet video. You'll find exceptions; a laptop with a 4K display and a powerful CPU probably will not last for more than eight hours or so before its battery dies, and most gaming laptops die far sooner. When you’re playing demanding games that tax the GPU, gaming laptops tend to run out of juice even more quickly off the plug than they normally do. You’ll find more than a few exceptions, though, and even powerful laptops have become adept at sensing when their maximum power isn’t required and reducing various components’ consumption. This is where PC Labs’ battery testing comes in. We evaluate battery life by playing a locally stored video file nonstop with no wireless connections active and 50% screen brightness. An excellent result on our test suggests that the laptop is adept at adapting its power use to the task at hand, and you can use the results to compare the potential of the machines you are considering. We evaluate all laptops using this test, and at the preceding link, you can see an extended summary of the best performers on our battery test. Measuring battery life is notoriously tricky, though, since it’s entirely dependent on how you use your laptop. Your usage profile probably doesn’t match our test—or anyone else’s—to a T. So you’ll want to look at tested battery life in a relative, rather than absolute, sense. However, if you're keeping score, the Getac S410 G5 semi-rugged laptop is the longest-lasting laptop you can buy today, going for more than 29 hours in our battery rundown test. The Getac's extra internal battery capacity certainly helped, but we've also seen MacBooks meet or come close to this figure.

What Are the Best Laptop Specs for Work From Home?

Because you'll find only so many unique makes of processor, graphics chip, memory, and storage, the most identifiable and popular laptop "specs" aren't all that different regardless of whether a given system was designed for working from home. However, a few key laptop specifications have an outsize impact on getting work done in a home office. First and foremost is the webcam. The laptop's camera is your window into your working world, so it better be of high quality to make the best impression every time. Avoid webcams that aren't at least 1080p in recording resolution, and it might behoove you to look out for newer laptops with Intel Core Ultra processors that enable AI enhancements to their webcam image, automatically improving lighting, framing, and audio. Also, pay close attention to the ports and other hard connections of any laptop you're considering to buy for working from home. The laptop's port selection will dictate whether you'll need an additional USB hub or docking station to expand its connectivity. Otherwise, specs like CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage will be directed more by the type of work you need to accomplish at home and the hardware needed to meet those requirements. We explore all of those internal considerations below.

How Much Will the Right Laptop Cost?

Don’t care about cutting-edge design and powerful components? You might be satisfied with a cheap laptop. Today’s market is flooded with basic but full-featured models with list prices under $500. "Shopping holidays" like Prime Day and Black Friday , and actual holidays like Presidents’ Day, bring frequent sales, discounting some of these models even further. Most of them will handle word processing and e-mail checking just fine, but they’ll struggle with heavier tasks, such as keeping many web browser tabs, or memory- and CPU-demanding programs, open at once. You'll want to look at our reviews to compare performance. PC Labs has tested many of the latest budget laptop models across the market; some of them are classic clamshells, and others are convertible or detachable 2-in-1s. (We've detailed a couple of our top cheap-laptop picks in our lineup of favorites above.) Increasing your budget to around $1,000 will unlock access to nearly all of the cutting-edge features modern laptops offer. These include slim, sturdy aluminum chassis, brilliant touch-enabled 4K displays, powerful processors and graphics chips, and batteries that will last all day and well into the night. We're increasingly seeing laptops bring these features down closer to the $800 range, as well, in some models from brands like Acer, Asus, and HP. The major caveat in this price range is that you’ll have to pick and choose which features are most important. You might be able to land a laptop with a beautiful 4K display or a cavernous terabyte of solid-state storage at this price, but probably not one with both. If your piggybank has $2,000 or more, you can choose almost any combination of features you want. Even the most powerful laptop that money can buy, though, must still obey the laws of physics. Powerful hardware generates heat, and the cooling mechanisms that such components require take up space. Hardcore gamers who want a large display and a screaming-fast graphics processor that requires bulky cooling pipes and fans can’t expect to find it in a thin, light laptop. IT-manageable, security-conscious business laptops—models made primarily by Dell, HP, and Lenovo—have their own pricing dynamic, and they tend to cost a bit more, all else being equal. That’s because of their premium warranty or support plans, enterprise-specific silicon focused on manageability or security, fingerprint or face-recognition login features, and more rugged build quality .

Windows vs. ChromeOS vs. macOS: Which Operating System to Get?

Most laptops you’ll run across in-store or at your favorite online seller will run Windows 11 (unless the seller is named “Apple”), but Microsoft’s best-known product isn’t necessarily the best operating system for everyone. Thanks to the ascendance in recent years of Google’s ChromeOS up the ranks of budget laptops, you now have an alternative to Windows at every price level. The tipping point for non-Windows laptops is around $1,000; above a grand, your main alternative to a Windows machine is a MacBook ; below it, it’s a Chromebook. Today, laptops based on ChromeOS are the primary alternatives to budget-priced Windows laptops. A Chromebook could be a fine, value-minded choice for someone who needs a laptop just to watch movies, create text documents, write emails, and work in basic spreadsheets. With a Chromebook, the main features you will need from your laptop are a decent screen and a comfortable keyboard, since cloud services like Google Drive can handle most of your storage and processing needs. And, if you still insist on key creature comforts, you can find midrange Chromebooks with full-HD (1080p) displays and comfortable keyboards just as easily as you can find bargain-basement ones these days. Indeed, Google's Chromebook Plus program sets a level for impressive-quality Chromebooks at near-budget prices. PC Labs has tested Chromebooks all across the market, including clamshell models, convertibles, and even a few detachable 2-in-1 Chrome tablets. (We've detailed our top Chromebook pick in our lineup of favorites above.) For people with similar needs but larger budgets, an Apple MacBook might be the way to go, assuming you’re cool with running your day-to-day computing life on macOS. You won’t find a “cheap” MacBook anywhere in the Apple family, but you will find unmatched industrial design, universally excellent battery life, and a ton of built-in apps to manage your multimedia collection and sync with your iCloud account and the rest of your Apple devices. Higher-end MacBook Pros also suit content creators, with the option for a 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR display and CPUs up to Apple's own M3 Max . One of the most significant Mac-laptop drawbacks is a total lack of touch-screen support, which is an option in various ChromeOS and Windows machines. A Windows-based machine affords access to the widest range of software, including most AAA games; the subset of popular, first-rank game titles is much smaller on macOS, and games on ChromeOS are limited to what runs in a browser or what you can download as an Android app or from the Chrome Web Store. A Windows machine also drives the most form-factor flexibility. A few Chromebooks have designs built around detachable or foldable keyboards, letting you use them as tablets, but Windows offers a far broader selection of these flexible physical designs. The vast number of Windows devices means Microsoft’s OS gives you the most flexibility in choosing a laptop, period. Most of the rest of your buying decisions, which we’ll address below, are therefore relevant mainly to Windows machines. (We’ll be sure to note when Macs or Chromebooks offer a certain feature as well, however.)

What Is an Ideal Weight and Size for a Laptop?

Most people searching for a general-purpose laptop should choose one that measures about half an inch thick and weighs 3 pounds or less. In general, these are the maximum dimensions and heft a laptop can have for us to consider it ultraportable , and for most users, portability is the key to maximizing use and enjoyment. Aiming for that weight and thickness, in most cases, will limit the laptop’s screen size to 13 or 14 inches, although a few models with 15-inch or larger screens now fit into the ultraportable category. At most of these screen sizes, you can find models in either the conventional “clamshell” laptop shape or a 2-in-1 convertible design. The latter has a hinge that rotates the screen 360 degrees so you can use it as a makeshift tablet or prop it up like a tent for watching movies. Some Windows and ChromeOS laptops do have smaller displays, such as 10 or 11 inches. Some of these are not technically laptops in the pure sense, but rather tablets with detachable keyboards . Unless you’re specifically looking for a part-time tablet or the lightest possible laptop, avoid these designs. They’re lighter than most 13-inch ultraportables, often less than 2 pounds, but they’re not as effective at being tablets as the Apple iPad is, and their detachable keyboards mean they’re not much better at being laptops, either—typing on most of them tends to be subpar. At the other end of the size spectrum are 17-inch laptops . They mostly appeal to hardcore gamers, but you can find the occasional 17-inch productivity machine or workstation if you happen to like a larger screen for other reasons. A 17-inch laptop can closely mimic the experience of a desktop, at the expense of size and weight. Some of these designs can exceed 8 pounds and measure more than an inch thick. If you plan to park your gaming rig on your desk and seldom move it, a 17-incher is a possibility. Otherwise, most gamers should stick with a 15-inch laptop. However, mobile PC gamers have even bigger options now: 18-inch machines. The larger panels complement the latest GeForce and Radeon GPUs, which make use of the extra chassis space for cooling. These monsters from Alienware, Asus, and Razer (geared toward gaming) tackle the hardest graphics tasks to date to varying effects.

What Kind of Laptop Screen Should You Get?

Laptop screens have grown denser over the past decade, packing more pixels into the same area. That enables crisper text, sharper onscreen images, and, often, better-looking colors. Display density is sometimes measured in pixels per inch (ppi), but the main specification that defines a laptop screen is its native resolution, which is expressed in horizontal by vertical pixels. Most laptops that cost $500 or more have screens with at least “full HD” resolutions. Also known as “1080p” displays, they sport a resolution of 1,920 by 1,080 pixels (or in a few cases, 1,920 by 1,200) and typically employ LCD panels built on what’s known as in-plane switching (IPS) technology. IPS screens’ quality can vary, but they are best known for keeping the quality of the image high if you look at the screen from an oblique, or off-side, angle. Thin-film transistor (TFT), the other major screen type in modern laptops (and the kind often found in gaming-geared models), tends to shift colors or look faded if not viewed straight-on. That matters if you often share the contents of your screen with others—say, when giving impromptu presentations. Cheap Windows- and ChromeOS-based laptops will usually have lower-resolution thin-film transistor (TFT) displays (1,280 by 720 pixels and 1,366 by 768 are the common numbers there), which means text won’t appear as crisp and colors might not be as vivid as you’ve come to expect from your smartphone or TV. If you’re not picky about image quality, though, a lower-resolution display might be an acceptable sacrifice in the quest to save money. For the crispest text and details, you can go higher than full HD. Many high-end laptops now have displays with 4K native resolution (generally 3,840 by 2,160 pixels) as standard or optional extras. These screens mostly use the same IPS technology as full HD panels, but a few use OLED technology , similar to what you’ll find in cutting-edge smartphones. OLED screens command a premium, and their inky blacks and luxurious colors are best suited for movie buffs. Some laptops, particularly from Apple, Dell, and Razer, have moved to mini LED backlighting technology that introduces finer control over color depth and image brightness, especially boosting HDR content. Whether the screen is OLED, IPS, or TFT, people who plan to use their laptops in brightly lit rooms or outdoors will want to make sure that the panel has a maximum brightness level of at least 500 nits.

Is a Laptop Touch Screen Necessary?

To take advantage of the touch-screen support present throughout Windows and ChromeOS, you’ll want to seek out a touch-enabled laptop , and perhaps even a digital stylus to write or draw on it. Some Windows laptops come in both touch- and non-touch versions, so check the specifications of what you’re buying carefully. Glossy screens typically feature touch support, while most matte screens designed to filter out glare from ambient lighting do not. Since many gaming laptops have matte displays, touch support is much harder to find among their ranks. Many gaming laptops above budget level do offer high-refresh-rate screens, though. Hardcore gamers or esports hounds who are looking for silky-smooth visuals to give them a competitive edge will want to maximize the number of frames per second that their screen can display, and can do so by opting for a screen with a 120Hz or greater refresh rate. However, before you pay a major premium for a high-refresh screen, you’ll want to be sure that the graphics chip, or GPU, is muscular enough to push the kinds of games you play at a high enough frame rate to make a difference. Standard laptop screens have 60Hz refresh rates, and if you’ll be playing games at 60 frames per second or lower, in most cases a high-refresh screen won’t confer many benefits.

What Is the Best Processor for Your Laptop?

Most $1,000 ultraportables use Intel Core processors, or, less commonly, AMD Ryzen CPUs. All of these offer plenty of power for everyday computing tasks but keep in mind that higher CPU model numbers typically indicate more processor cores, higher maximum clock speeds, and sometimes even multithreading. With multithreading, each CPU core can run two sets of software instructions simultaneously, instead of just one. Modern software is designed to take advantage of as many CPU cores as possible, so it can run faster on multithreaded chips. Meanwhile, budget laptops typically use AMD A-series or Ryzen 3 processors, or Celeron, Core i3, or Pentium chips in Intel's case. These typically have just two or four individual cores. At the other end of the spectrum, high-end powerhouse laptops have workstation-class Intel or AMD CPUs with double-digit core counts. Regardless of which CPU a laptop has, it’s typically designed to use less power and generate less heat than its desktop counterpart. Intel laptop CPUs in the latest mainstream, lightweight laptops typically consume 15 watts (W) of power or less to as much as 45W for the highest-end mobile tasks. Gaming laptops and mobile workstations typically feature higher-powered CPUs, usually denoted by an "H" in the CPU's model name. These require more cooling hardware and consume more energy, but they drive performance that's closer to that of a desktop PC. You’ll find H-series CPUs from both AMD and Intel. As for Apple, it's in its third generation of M-series silicon for MacBooks. As of this year, all of Apple's laptop models contain some variation of its M3 processors. Getting into laptop-processor specifics can get you pretty deep in the weeds, but for a decent overview that doesn't overwhelm you, check out our guide to choosing a laptop CPU that fits what you do.

Which Graphics Chip Should You Get in Your Laptop?

A graphics processor that’s built into the CPU (also known as an “integrated graphics processor,” or IGP) is perfectly adequate for most everyday laptop use. You’ll know you’re looking at an IGP if you see a reference to Intel’s HD Graphics, UHD Graphics, or Iris as the graphics solution on an Intel-CPU laptop (or Radeon Graphics on an AMD-based laptop). An IGP shares the CPU’s processor cores, memory, or both. The amount of memory available to the integrated graphics chip is usually fixed, so increasing the amount of system memory won’t result in better graphics performance. Most gamers will want to consider a discrete GPU with dedicated computing resources. Even a budget gaming GPU will offer an immense advantage over an integrated graphics processor when it comes to playing 3D games. At the high end, hardcore gamers should look for Nvidia’s latest GeForce RTX GPUs. With gaming laptops, the level of GPU you need is deeply tied to the frame rate you want to run at the laptop’s native screen resolution and the kind of games you play. That’s where our reviews come in handy. We test with several demanding gaming and industry-standard benchmarks to give you a relative sense of a laptop’s graphics performance. Check out our roundup of the best gaming laptops overall and the best budget gaming laptops for much more. PC Labs has tested all of the latest gaming laptops across the market, from budget models to cost-no-object deluxe ones. We've also detailed our top picks in three categories (budget, mainstream, and high-end) in our lineup of favorites above.

How Much Storage and Memory Does Your Laptop Need?

Most laptops above entry-level come with solid-state drives (SSDs), which use memory cells instead of a spinning platter (the classic hard drive) to store data. Since information stored in cells is much faster to access, SSDs are the best and most common drive configuration. They’re also immune to jolts and bumps that might crash a spinning platter’s heads. Some laptops‚ especially larger-chassis ones designed for gaming, come with both kinds of drive: a small SSD to hold the operating system, essential apps, and a few games, and a larger spinning one to store the bulk of your game files or other space-consuming media. That’s a perfectly fine option if you’re looking to save some money or simply need the maximum possible local storage amount, but you should stick with an SSD-only setup whenever possible. Note that not all laptop SSDs are created equal. SSDs that use the more modern, generally faster PCI Express NVMe standard, as opposed to the older, slightly slower SATA interface, are preferable. (PCI Express SSDs are rapidly taking over the field in new laptops, in any case.) Either of these, however, is far better than a third type, which is a not-quite-SSD: the much slower eMMC, a kind of flash storage drive found in budget machines. (If your budget laptop has 32GB, 64GB, or possibly 128GB of local storage, it is probably using eMMC.) All of them are better than a traditional spinning hard drive unless you simply need sheer capacity for the least money. The minimum amount of storage space most laptop shoppers should consider is 256GB. This will accommodate the considerable requirements of operating system updates and large apps like Microsoft Office with room left over. People who have sizable collections of videos, photos, or music (or any but the most casual of PC gamers) should seek out a minimum of 512GB. At the high end, you’ll find laptops configurable with 1TB or even roomier SSDs, and these will sound exciting. But beware that the absolute highest capacities can cause a laptop’s price to skyrocket—a 4TB SSD can add thousands of dollars to the overall price of a high-end laptop. It’s more cost-effective to get a 512GB SSD and add an external drive if you need additional space. While a laptop’s SSD stores your data, its system memory (or RAM) works with the CPU to run apps and helps define its capacity to multitask. Basic productivity apps will run just fine with 8GB of memory, but you’ll want to configure a midrange laptop with 16GB to ensure that tomorrow’s more advanced apps will have access to enough memory. That’s also a decent target amount for heavy multitaskers, PC gamers, and people who surf the web with many tabs open. Modern web browsers loading multimedia-rich sites and web apps are voracious consumers of memory. Few people who aren’t professional or prosumer content creators will see much additive benefit from memory amounts above 16GB. On the flip side of that, a budget Windows system with just 4GB of memory will be sluggish with multitasking and is generally indicative of a bare-bones configuration. The same is true of Chromebooks—although ChromeOS is designed to demand fewer computing resources than Windows does, if you’re prone to performing memory-intensive tasks like browsing with dozens of tabs open at once, 4GB can be limiting.

What Kind of Connectivity Does Your Laptop Need?

If you plan to use your laptop’s touchpad, touch screen, and keyboard as the primary means of control, most of the time you may never need to plug in anything other than the power cord. In this case, you’ll rely on the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections that almost every laptop offers. The latest mainstream Wi-Fi standard is 802.11ax (also dubbed “ Wi-Fi 6 ”) and it’s an important feature to look for in a laptop to ensure fast Wi-Fi connectivity in the future. Steer clear of the older 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5), though, as it’s now being phased out, with the high-end Wi-Fi 6E standard appearing in more premium laptop options. We're also on the cusp of Wi-Fi 7 hitting the mainstream, so watch out for that even faster version to hit more laptops in the coming years. (It reduces latency and provides access to additional bandwidth.) Serious gamers might want to opt for a machine with a Killer Networks setup. It will allow for more granular control over giving wired or wireless gaming traffic priority on your internet connection. Business users and gamers may also want a dedicated Ethernet jack. Most gaming machines will have one, and some gamers insist wired Ethernet is still the only way to go for competitive online gaming. Some laptops implement Ethernet as a full-size or fold-out jack; others may come with an adapter in the box that routes Ethernet through a USB port. Still, others come with neither, leaving wired Ethernet up to you to add via a dongle if you want it. As for other physical connections, you’ll want to examine the edges of a given laptop carefully and take count. If you have an external storage device like a thumb drive, you’ll want to pay attention to the type and quantity of USB ports. Look for laptops that have both USB Type-A and Type-C ports . Type-A is the familiar rectangular connector that has been around for decades, while Type-C is smaller, oval-shaped, and sometimes doubles as a receptacle for the laptop’s charging cable. Budget laptops may only have Type-A ports, which is a disadvantage in an increasingly Type-C world. On the other hand, some ultra-thin designs only have Type-C ports, which means you’ll need dongles to connect any Type-A peripherals you might already own. A mix is what you want. If video output matters to you, check for a dedicated port like an HDMI connector, especially if you plan to connect your laptop to your TV, desktop monitor, or lecture hall A/V system. Sometimes video outputs are implemented on laptops as micro HDMI or mini DisplayPort connectors to save space. You’ll need a special cable to use these, which may or may not be included in the box. Photographers will benefit from a built-in SD or microSD card reader for more convenient image uploading. And if you plan to use your laptop in a public, unsecured location, a security notch for fastening a physical locking cable is helpful. These fall into two types, the Kensington-cable style and the Noble-lock style. Make sure the notch type matches the kind of cable you intend to use to tether the machine to an immovable object.

Are Refurbished Laptops Worth Buying?

Every manufacturer and reseller has different standards for refurbishing previously used laptops. A slight discount on a rigorously tested MacBook Pro that Apple sells with the same warranty as a new one might be worth the cost savings, while a laptop refurbished by a third party you’ve never heard of could be chancy. It’s best to buy any refurbished machine directly from the manufacturer’s online store as opposed to from a reseller, especially a reseller that may be hawking refurbs from “marketplace" sellers or third parties on its platform. Some resellers or third parties will rate their refurbished stock with a grade. (It pays to ask who has done the refurbishing—the manufacturer itself, or the reseller.) Refurbished laptops are sold and rated with grades of A, B+, B, C, and so on, to reflect the relative amount of wear and tear on the machine. No universal grading system for refurbished PCs exists, however. It’s generally up to the reseller what the grade means, and thus it can vary from seller to seller. We’re wary of machines graded this way and strongly recommend insisting on an ironclad return policy in the case of purchases like these if you decide to roll the dice. You could end up pleasantly surprised, but usually, a refurbished-laptop deal that looks too good to be true...is. What is almost universally true is that with a bit of tech know-how, you can use your pre-owned laptops to your advantage. If you’re in the market for new laptops for both yourself and your kids, you might consider tuning up your current PC to give to your children and buying a new one for yourself.

Should You Get a Longer Laptop Warranty?

Most laptop makers offer one-year warranties on parts and labor. These standard plans are limited, so they won't cover accidents that stem from spilling a drink on the keyboard or dropping the system on the sidewalk. Fortunately, your credit card issuer likely covers such mishaps for a short period after you buy a new product, and it also may extend the manufacturer's warranty. (Many Mastercard accounts include a doubling of the standard warranty period up to one year, for example.) Check your account benefits guide for details. If your credit card issuer doesn’t cover you, some laptop makers will happily sell you extended warranties. Apple, Dell, HP, and Lenovo all offer wide ranges of extended warranties and coverage for accidental damage. Expect to spend $100 to $300 for these options. Our rule of thumb is that if a warranty costs more than 15% of the laptop's purchase price, you're better off spending the money on backup drives or services that minimize downtime. Of course, you can't put a price tag on peace of mind. You'll encounter instances when the logic board or the display—the most expensive parts of a laptop—fail, and while rare, such a catastrophe can cost you half of what the laptop is worth in repair costs.

So, What Is the Best Laptop to Buy...for You?

Shopping for a laptop is an exercise in patience. An ultra-competitive market means that even if you’ve got specific requirements, you can almost certainly find a handful of excellent models that will meet them, and another handful of perfectly serviceable but ho-hum models that will, too. Now that you know which specifications to look for, we hope that parsing the good from the bad will be much easier. We update our top picks frequently, and you can find our current favorite laptops below.

The Best Laptops for 2024

The Best Laptop Deals This Week*

Dell XPS 13 9315 Intel i7 512GB SSD 8GB RAM 13.4" Laptop — $699.00 (List Price $999)
Dell Inspiron 16 5635 Ryzen 7 1TB SSD 16GB RAM Laptop — $539.99 With Code 10AMD
Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Intel i7 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 16" Laptop — $912.45 (List Price $1,599)
Acer Nitro V Intel i7 RTX 4060 512GB SSD 15.6" Laptop — $899.99 (List Price $1,099.99)
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Intel i7 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 15.6" Laptop — $649.99 (List Price $899.99)

*Deals are selected by our commerce team

A laptop won’t revolutionize the minutiae of your life the way a smartphone can. You can’t easily whip one out to kill time in the elevator, capture a breathtaking sunset, or pay for a cup of coffee.

But in the years since smartphones took on all these jobs, laptops have honed their own talents. Amazing battery life and breathtaking screens are now common if you look in the right place for them. The graphics muscle to play games at full HD is affordable. And those basic old-guard features that you won’t find on any mobile device, such as touchpads and full-size keyboards, tend to get better with almost every generation.

With great features, though, has come great fragmentation. Amazon, Newegg, and even your local electronics mega mart have a dizzying array of cheap laptops, gaming laptops, 2-in-1 laptops, Chromebooks, and ultraportables. (Laptops for college students have even evolved as a subcategory all its own.) Here at PC Labs, we review as many laptops as we can—hundreds each year—so we’ve seen pretty much every remix of laptop you can buy. Our top picks for the best new laptops in 2024 are below, followed by a detailed buying guide that will tell you everything you need to know about how to buy your next laptop this year.

Our Experts Have Tested 127 Products in the Laptops Category in the Past Year

Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. See how we test.

Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks

Asus Zenbook 14 OLED Touch (UM3406)

Best Laptop for Home Use

4.0 Excellent

Why We Picked It

Before you know it, the need for adept local AI processing will matter, and a relatively affordable laptop capable of meeting the demands of this pervasive new technology will be helpful. Future-proofing aside, Asus' latest Zenbook 14 OLED Touch is also an all-around top performer in its midrange class with a lengthy battery, thanks to its new AI-ready AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS processor. Asus also crammed a decent amount of ports into the Zenbook's ultraportable frame, maintaining capability while emphasizing portability. While the Zenbook could have a higher-resolution OLED display for the price, you're getting so much more for missing a few thousand pixels.

Who It's For

This is an ideal laptop for, well, most people. In that sense, this Zenbook is the best laptop for home use right now, filling that role with premium flair. If your midrange machine shows telltale signs of aging, this is a fine laptop to prepare you for the next few years. Its dedicated AI processing hardware will be ready for the point when we expect to see local AI demands pop off in earnest.

PROS

Peppy performance
High value
Long battery life
Lots of ports for its size

CONS

Just a 1200p display
No WWAN option or SD card slot
Face login only—no fingerprint reader

SPECS

Name	Value
Laptop Class	Ultraportable
Processor	AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS
Processor Speed	3.3 GHz
RAM (as Tested)	16 GB
Boot Drive Type	SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)	512 GB
Screen Size	14 inches
Native Display Resolution	1920 by 1200
Touch Screen
Panel Technology	OLED
Variable Refresh Support	None
Screen Refresh Rate	60 Hz
Graphics Processor	AMD Radeon 780M Graphics
Graphics Memory
Wireless Networking	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Dimensions (HWD)	0.59 by 12.3 by 8.7 inches
Weight	2.82 lbs
Operating System	Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)	19:56

All Specs

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$1,199.00 Amazon

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Asus Zenbook 14 OLED Touch (UM3406) Review

Apple MacBook Air (2024, M3)

Best MacBook for Most Buyers

4.0 Excellent

Why We Picked It

Surprising no one, the latest MacBook Air model is better than the last, taking Apple's existing (and winning) design to new performance heights with its new M3 processor. With everything else unchanged, including the price, the 13-inch MacBook Air remains the most recommendable Apple laptop for most people interested in Macs. Gaming-ready power and the same battery life as before in the same gorgeous and capable frame? We'll take it!

Who It's For

While the new M3 MacBook Air is the best Apple laptop for most people, if you own an M2 model, don't fret. Sure, this is the most powerful MacBook Air to date, but it hasn't eclipsed its predecessor either. Yes, we know the M3 chip can power two connected displays instead of one (with the Air's lid closed), but unless that feature is essential to you, hold your cash for the next release. If you have an Intel or M1 model, however, this is the best one to catch up with.

PROS

Impressive blend of portability and power
Capable graphics performance
Slim, lightweight all-metal design
Expanded support for external displays
Speedy and versatile Thunderbolt 4 ports
All-day battery goes and goes

CONS

Distracting camera notch
Lower peak display brightness than expected
Limited monitor support when laptop is open

SPECS

Name	Value
Laptop Class	Ultraportable
Processor	Apple M3
Processor Speed
RAM (as Tested)	16 GB
Boot Drive Type	SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)	512 GB
Screen Size	13.6 inches
Native Display Resolution	2560 by 1664
Touch Screen
Panel Technology	IPS
Variable Refresh Support	None
Screen Refresh Rate	60 Hz
Graphics Processor	Apple M3 (10-core)
Graphics Memory
Wireless Networking	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Dimensions (HWD)	0.44 by 11.97 by 8.46 inches
Weight	2.7 lbs
Operating System	Apple macOS Sonoma
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)	21:38

All Specs

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$999.00 Best Buy

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Apple MacBook Air (2024, M3) Review

Acer Aspire 3 (A315-24P)

Best Budget Laptop

3.5 Good

Why We Picked It

The reigning king of laptops under $500 is this lower-power machine from Acer. This 15.6-inch laptop works through basic web browsing and light work tasks with relative ease. While it has a plain design true to its price, this laptop's battery runs for hours with its power-sipping processor. When strapped by a budget, focus on finding a laptop that nails the basics for as little cash as possible. Right now, this Acer Aspire will do just that.

Who It’s For

For those particularly hard-up to spend more than $500 on a laptop, Acer has an option for you in the latest 15.6-inch Aspire 3. It's a smooth daily operator with lengthy battery life to get you through a whole day of work or classes. Of course, expect limited performance doing anything beyond basic web browsing and office suite tasks, but that's all you're here for anyway.

PROS

Smooth everyday operation
Extensive battery life
Current Wi-Fi connectivity
Competitive starting price

CONS

Limited performance headroom
Dated, somewhat flimsy design
Lackluster display
Top configuration is outclassed

SPECS

Name	Value
Laptop Class	Budget
Processor	AMD Ryzen 3 7320U
Processor Speed	2.4 GHz
RAM (as Tested)	8 GB
Boot Drive Type	SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)	128 GB
Screen Size	15.6 inches
Native Display Resolution	1920 by 1080
Touch Screen
Panel Technology	IPS
Variable Refresh Support	None
Screen Refresh Rate	60 Hz
Graphics Processor	AMD Radeon Graphics
Graphics Memory
Wireless Networking	802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.2
Dimensions (HWD)	0.75 by 14.3 by 9.4 inches
Weight	3.77 lbs
Operating System	Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)	16:46

All Specs

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$299.99 Amazon

$379.99 Best Buy

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Acer Aspire 3 (A315-24P) Review

Asus Zenbook 14X OLED (Q420)

Best Ultraportable Laptop

4.0 Excellent

Why We Picked It

Since ultraportable laptops can cover a spectrum of budgets, the Asus Zenbook 14X OLED (Q420) is the best ultraportable for most people, thanks to its just-below $1,000 price for snappy performance and a vibrant, 120Hz OLED touch screen. While you don't get the discrete GPU found in the pricier UX3404 model, you get just about everything else along with the long battery life found even in that higher-end model. All told it's a generally fantastic everyday laptop for anyone with about a grand to spend.

Who It's For

If you have a decent budget for a premium laptop of around $1,000 but don't want to go too far beyond that, then the Asus Zenbook 14X OLED (Q420) is the ideal Windows 11 option. Compared with the discrete GPU-equipped UX3404 option, this one has a slightly lesser CPU and half as much storage, but they're enough for tasks of basic to medium intensity, like word processing, high-resolution video streaming, and photo editing.

PROS

Snappy 13th Gen Core i7 CPU
Attractive price
Super-slim, premium design
Vibrant 120Hz OLED touch screen
Long battery life
Decent port selection for its size

CONS

Lacks discrete GPU found in alternative 14X model
Only a 512GB SSD

SPECS

Name	Value
Laptop Class	Ultraportable
Processor	Intel Core i7-13700H
Processor Speed
RAM (as Tested)	16 GB
Boot Drive Type	SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)	512 GB
Screen Size	14.5 inches
Native Display Resolution	2880 by 1800
Touch Screen
Panel Technology	OLED
Variable Refresh Support	None
Screen Refresh Rate	120 Hz
Graphics Processor	Intel Iris Xe
Graphics Memory
Wireless Networking	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)	0.67 by 12.7 by 8.9 inches
Weight	3.44 lbs
Operating System	Windows 11
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)	11:45

All Specs

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$1,259.99 Amazon

$999.99 Best Buy

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Asus Zenbook 14X OLED (Q420) Review

Asus Chromebook Plus CX34

Best Chromebook

4.0 Excellent

Why We Picked It

The Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 shows that budget-friendly Chromebooks can be an incredible value through Google's new Chromebook Plus initiative, with even faster performance and even better features for excellent sub-$500 prices. Equipped with a crisp 1080p display, a decent array of ports, and current Wi-Fi capabilities—all within a MIL-SPEC-certified frame—this the first Chromebook we'd currently recommend to almost anyone interested.

Who It's For

Budget sensibility is in the spirit of the Chromebook category already, and this Asus model has revived that essence with a compelling collection of features and performance capabilities inside an affordable and reliably built package. If you're looking to a Chromebook to save as much money and compromise as little as possible, start your search with the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34.

PROS

Affordable price even with improved specs
Leading performance in every test
High-quality FHD display
Decent port array, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.2
Durable MIL-SPEC-certified design and antimicrobial coating

CONS

Average battery life
No touch capability (at this price)
Limited UFS storage is just adequate

SPECS

Name	Value
Laptop Class	Chromebook, Budget
Processor	Intel Core i3-1215U
Processor Speed
RAM (as Tested)	8 GB
Boot Drive Type	UFS (Universal Flash Storage)
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)	128 GB
Screen Size	14 inches
Native Display Resolution	1920 by 1080
Touch Screen
Panel Technology	IPS
Variable Refresh Support	None
Screen Refresh Rate	60 Hz
Graphics Processor	Intel UHD Graphics
Graphics Memory
Wireless Networking	802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6), Bluetooth 5.2
Dimensions (HWD)	0.73 by 12.9 by 8.4 inches
Weight	3.17 lbs
Operating System	Chrome OS
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)	12:46

All Specs

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$399.99 Target

$369.00 Amazon

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Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 Review

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12

Best Business Laptop

4.5 Outstanding

Why We Picked It

While not quite the stellar winner that its past two predecessors were, the latest ThinkPad X1 Carbon from Lenovo picks up the torch well enough to pick up an Editors' Choice award. Since the 2023 model won't be available to purchase for much longer, you'll have to pay a newly steepened price to keep up with the leading ThinkPad line. At least that means a crisp and vibrant OLED screen and Intel's latest Core Ultra processor with AI hardware built-in to future-proof your workhorse.

Who It's For

It's not quite as fast and long-lasting as it should be for the price it demands, but you still won't find a higher-quality laptop for work than the ThinkPad Carbon X1 Gen 12 this year. If your current model is older than, say, 2022, then this is an excellent time to catch up with what Lenovo's been cooking up for the Carbon these past few years and set you up for the next few.

PROS

Elegant and light design
Fabulous keyboard
Sharp, vivid OLED screen
USB-A, HDMI, and USB-C ports

CONS

Sky-high price
Decent but not class-leading performance and battery life
No SD or microSD card slot

SPECS

Name	Value
Laptop Class	Business, Ultraportable
Processor	Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
Processor Speed
RAM (as Tested)	32 GB
Boot Drive Type	SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)	1 TB
Screen Size	14 inches
Native Display Resolution	2880 by 1800
Touch Screen
Panel Technology	OLED
Variable Refresh Support	Manual
Screen Refresh Rate	120 Hz
Graphics Processor	Intel Arc Graphics
Graphics Memory
Wireless Networking	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)	0.59 by 12.3 by 8.5 inches
Weight	2.47 lbs
Operating System	Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)	13:51

All Specs

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$1,697.40 Lenovo

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Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 Review

MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo

Best Desktop-Replacement Laptop

4.0 Excellent

Why We Picked It

With this AI-focused Prestige laptop, MSI has crafted a punchy and eminently affordable midrange desktop-replacement system. The Prestige 16 AI Evo brings a stunning 4K OLED screen together with a fresh Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor, making for a powerful big-screen laptop that's prepared for the local-AI-processing wave that will be incoming over the next few years. Considering this laptop's size and screen resolution, the battery life is impressive, and MSI took further advantage of that size with a built-in Ethernet jack and an SD card slot. The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is the best deal in desktop-replacement laptops right now.

Who It's For

MSI's latest mainstream big-screen laptop is tops for anyone looking for an everyday productivity system with a big screen, and it could be an affordable fit for photo editors and digital designers. However, without a dedicated graphics chip, this laptop will struggle to serve gamers and demanding content creators. With the Prestige 16 AI Evo, MSI presents a viable affordable alternative to high-end desktop replacements like the Dell XPS 16 and 16-inch Apple MacBook Pro if you need a focus on mid-level tasks.

PROS

Surprisingly affordable and surprisingly light
Handsome 4K OLED display
Epic battery life
Ethernet port and SD card slot

CONS

Only one USB-A port
Stiff keyboard
Perfectly fine rather than professional workstation or gaming performance

SPECS

Name	Value
Laptop Class	Desktop Replacement, Business
Processor	Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
Processor Speed
RAM (as Tested)	32 GB
Boot Drive Type	SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)	1 TB
Screen Size	16 inches
Native Display Resolution	3840 by 2400
Touch Screen
Panel Technology	OLED
Variable Refresh Support	None
Screen Refresh Rate	60 Hz
Graphics Processor	Intel Arc Graphics
Graphics Memory
Wireless Networking	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)	0.75 by 14.1 by 10 inches
Weight	3.31 lbs

Our Top 16 Picks

Asus Zenbook 14 OLED Touch (UM3406)

Apple MacBook Air (2024, M3)

Acer Aspire 3 (A315-24P)

Asus Zenbook 14X OLED (Q420)

Asus Chromebook Plus CX34

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12

MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo

Apple MacBook Pro 16-Inch (2023, M3 Max)

Apple MacBook Pro 14-Inch (2023, M3 Pro)

HP Spectre x360 14 (2024)

Microsoft Surface Pro 9 (Intel)

MSI Cyborg 15 (2023)

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 8

HP ZBook Fury 16 G10

Panasonic Toughbook 40

Framework Laptop 13 (2023)

The Best Laptop Deals This Week*

Table of Contents

Asus Zenbook 14 OLED Touch (UM3406)

Best Laptop for Home Use

Why We Picked It

Who It's For

PROS

CONS

SPECS

Apple MacBook Air (2024, M3)

Best MacBook for Most Buyers

Why We Picked It

Who It's For

PROS

CONS

SPECS

Acer Aspire 3 (A315-24P)

Best Budget Laptop

Why We Picked It

Who It’s For

PROS

CONS

SPECS

Asus Zenbook 14X OLED (Q420)

Best Ultraportable Laptop

Why We Picked It

Who It's For

PROS

CONS

SPECS

Asus Chromebook Plus CX34

Best Chromebook

Why We Picked It

Who It's For

PROS

CONS

SPECS

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12

Best Business Laptop

Why We Picked It

Who It's For

PROS

CONS

SPECS

MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo

Best Desktop-Replacement Laptop

Why We Picked It

Who It's For

PROS

CONS

SPECS