The Best Laptops for 2025

The best laptop for you depends on what you do every day. Whether you want a simple budget PC, a productivity workhorse, or a screamer of a gaming notebook, our deep-dive guide has all the advice you need, plus our top product picks in every major laptop category.

PC-Mag

Here at PC-Mag, we’ve tested thousands of laptops since our lab’s founding more than 40 years ago. Our analysts and editors have more than a collective century of experience telling the good laptops from the great ones. We test more than 100 models every year to determine the best laptop overall. We also rank winners in various subcategories, such as gaming laptops, work laptops, budget laptops, Chromebooks, and Mac Books.

Test All Models For CPU

We test all models for CPU and graphics performance using rigorous, repeatable benchmark tests, and we evaluate design, usability, connectivity, and—most important!—value. Our current best laptop for most people is the Asus Zen book 14 OLED Touch, a top-value ultraportable that lasts nearly 20 hours on a charge, but we have plenty more tested, vetted recommendations. Read on to see all our picks, compare their specs, and get down-to-earth buying advice for nailing down the best laptop for you.

Bargain-Priced Laptops

It’s well known that bargain-priced laptops are often riddled with compromises, and while this Acer Aspire 3 isn’t exempt from those, we’ve ranked it as the best budget laptop for how it presents relatively few. We especially appreciate this notebook’s lengthy battery life, decent keyboard, and reliable performance for basic tasks. You won’t get a dazzling display or flashy design, but budget-strapped buyers or parents shopping for their young kids will be well served by this Aspire model.

Buying Guide: The Best Laptops for 2025

Details, details, and more details! Buying the best laptop for you can be maddening, given all specifications and features you’ll encounter in your search. Which class of laptops is best for you depends on your budget and how you plan to use it. Take a systematic approach when shopping—here’s how to make a smart pick.

What Are the Types of Laptops You Can Buy?

Let’s start with a rundown of the main types of laptops on today’s market.

• General-use laptops: Most laptops out there fall into this class. They are capable of everyday computing tasks like web browsing, document editing, light content creation, and casual gaming. Expect baseline specs, passable features, and graphics acceleration that relies on the CPU. (More on that later.) They start as low as $300 and top out around $1,000.
• Ultraportables: Thin-and-light designs make these laptops easy to carry while commuting or traveling. Like general-use laptops, most lean on CPU-integrated graphics, but you might get some better features, like extra-sharp screens, touch-input support, and premium build materials. The prototype ultraportable is Apple’s iconic MacBook Air, which starts near $1,000. Most Windows ultraportables cost $700 or more.
• 2-in-1 laptops: Tablets and laptops in one, the 2-in-1 category is split into two subcategories: convertibles and detachables. Most convertibles are a whole “clamshell” laptop with a 360-degree rotating hinge. You can use the laptop in “tablet mode,” with the keys behind the screen, or propped up in an inverted “V.” Detachables are souped-up tablets with keyboard covers that snap off, and kickstands that prop them up. All 2-in-1 laptops have touch screens, and they range from budget to high-end models.
• Gaming laptops: Discrete graphics processors from AMD, Intel, or Nvidia enable gaming laptops to play PC games with varying levels of fidelity and frame-rate speed. You can spend anywhere from $700 to more than $5,000 on a gaming laptop. (Generally speaking, the quality of gameplay and the visual sharpness rise with the price.) Some approach ultraportable status (the smallest have 14-inch screens), while the beefiest feature gigantic 18-inch displays.
• Business laptops: These run the gamut, from general-use models to high-style, premium ultraportables, (Some are 2-in-1s, too.) Because of this, we look at business laptops through the lens of several of the above subcategories, like budget, ultraportable, detachable, and convertible. Most distinguish themselves with special security software, hardware, or firmware features that protect sensitive company information or resources.
• Mobile workstations: These are business laptops, but with dedicated work-grade GPUs with special drivers for rendering professional 3D or special-effects projects, working with machine-learning models, and performing other forms of GPU compute. Few cost less than $1,500, and they can exceed even the most powerful gaming laptops in price.
• Chromebooks: Chromebooks run exclusively on Google’s ChromeOS, based on its Chrome web browser and a suite of browser-based web apps. They rely on cloud storage for storing most files and feature only minimal local storage. Few cost more than $700, making them ideal budget alternatives.
• Mac-Books: Apple’s two laptop lineups serve different audiences. MacBook Air is for everyday, mainstream users; Air models are punchy and reliable enough to serve well in the classroom and the office. Some consumers might want a MacBook Pro for amateur content creation, but these higher-power Mac-Books are for students and professionals in advanced computing fields, with upper Pro models competing with the workstation crowd. Expect prices from $700 for earlier-generation MacBook Air to over $3,000 for the most decked-out Pro.

How to Choose the Best Laptop in 2024: Every Factor to Consider

Now that we’ve covered the major types of laptops available to buy, let’s explore the laptop specifics you’ll need to decide on before pressing the Buy button. In the main part of the guide below, we’ll get into each consideration in detail, but here’s a TLDR summary of what we’ll cover:

• Brands. Acer, Apple, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and MSI are all worthy leading laptop brands, with strengths in their own areas, but buying on brand alone can mean you miss some great alternatives and values. We break that down in more detail below. 
• Battery life. In general, expect mainstream and thin-and-light machines to last the longest off the plug, and gaming laptops and workstation models to be shorter-lived. But battery life depends heavily on how you use your machine, along with its very specific component makeup. Consulting our individual reviews and their benchmark tests is essential as a yardstick for relative longevity. 
• Price. This is the squishiest factor of all. We define budget Windows laptops as models below $500, but very good Chromebooks are available in the $400 to $600 range. A good mainstream ultraportable should set you back between $700 and $1,200. Gaming laptops range from $700 (very basic) to as much as $4,000 or $5,000 fully kitted out. (Mobile workstations can be similarly sky’s-the-limit.) Apple’s MacBooks start at $999 new.
• Size and weight. Assess these based on how often you’ll carry your machine. Most gaming machines weigh between 4 and 6 pounds, mainstream machines from 3 to 5 pounds, and the better class of ultraportables between 2 and 3 pounds. Overall size is largely proportional to the screen size, and bigger-screen models tend to weigh more. Also: Factor in the weight and bulk of the AC adapter. (Some gaming laptops have whoppers.)
• Displays. IPS panels are the middle-ground standard to look for these days, with brilliant OLEDs or mini LEDs as the premium choice. Seek out a minimum screen resolution of 1080p (1,920 by 1,080). A 60Hz refresh rate is fine for an everyday laptop; look for a 120Hz or 144Hz rate in a gaming model. Avoid TFT screens except in the very cheapest laptops. Most mainstream ultraportables have 13- or 14-inch screens; desktop replacements are in the 15-to-17-inch range; and most gaming models and workstations have panels from 15 to 18 inches, with a handful smaller. 
• Processing power. This is a complex area. Short version: With Intel and AMD chips, generally look for “3”-class processors (Core i3, Core 3, Ryzen 3) in budget machines, “5”-class ones in mainstream laptops, and “7” or “9” in high-end power models. But this is not comprehensive or absolute. Chips with numbers ending with “H” (or “HS” or “HX”) are a higher power class than ones ending in “U” or “P.” Snapdragon X chips are a class of their own related to Windows on Arm PCs, and Apple’s MacBook chips rise from M1 to M3 (the generation number) and offer upper-tier Pro and Max variants in each. Benchmark tests in our reviews will tell you much more in a relative sense.
• Graphics power. The big differentiator here is getting “integrated graphics” from AMD or Intel, which feature in most mainstream laptops, versus a discrete graphics chip or GPU (Nvidia’s RTX or GeForce RTX, or less commonly, AMD’s Radeon RX) in a gaming laptop or workstation. In the simplest terms, higher GPU series numbers (GeForce RTX 4060 versus RTX 4080, say) should be faster in a given graphics family and generation, but it’s nuanced; reviews matter here, too. 
• Memory and storage capacities. Look for at least 8GB of main system memory in any Windows or Mac laptop, with 16GB preferred. More than 16GB is mostly relevant for content creation pros, workstation users, and heavy multitaskers; 4GB might suffice in a budget Chromebook, but nothing else. As for storage, a 512GB SSD is a good balance in a mainstream laptop; don’t opt for less than 256GB except in a Chromebook, and look for at least 1TB in a gaming machine. (Games eat a lot of space.) 
• Ports. Look for a mix that matches the peripherals or displays you might attach. Having both USB Type-A and Type-C is ideal, plus a full-size HDMI output for a second monitor. (Note: Many machines piggyback display output on USB-C ports these days.) Headphone/mic jacks are common; Ethernet ones, less so. 
• Wireless connectivity. Wi-Fi 6 support should suffice for most users, with Wi-Fi 6E a premium feature and Wi-Fi 7 the cutting edge. All modern laptops will also support Bluetooth.
• Operating systems. This is very much a personal preference. Windows 11 is today’s default for most buyers, but Apple users may prefer macOS for its familiarity and deep bench of handy built-in applications. ChromeOS features in low-cost Chromebooks that emphasize in-browser web work and cloud storage. A last option, Windows on Arm, is emerging in the very latest Copilot+ laptops with Qualcomm Snapdragon X processors; it’s mostly indistinguishable from Windows 11 apart from some limitations around program compatibility. 
• Refurbished models. A refurbished laptop can net you a great deal, but refurbishes’ standards and condition-grading scales aren’t consistent. Insist on a good return policy if you roll the dice on one; it’s often safer to get a refurb from a laptop manufacturer than a third party.

Which Brand of Laptop Is the Best?

Choosing a laptop based on what might be the “best” laptop brand isn’t the best initial approach—assess laptops model by model instead. Some brands have reputations for what they’re best suited for. But going by those alone can mean you miss a winner from a different brand.

For instance, Apple has long been known for its Mac-Books’ 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 its ThinkPad business machines and mobile workstations. As a last example, brands like Acer and Asus, while they have high-end models, tend to dominate the midrange and budget sectors with value-minded systems. Other major makers of first-rate laptops include HP and MSI. But there’s tons of crossover in all of these assessments that them almost meaningless.

If knowing the top laptop brands still drives you, 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 specific use cases and scenarios.

What Is the Longest-Lasting Laptop?

Many of the best laptops can last the better part of a workday away from an outlet. You’ll find exceptions. A leading laptop with a 4K display and a powerful CPU may last less time, and gaming laptops deplete far sooner than most other machines. And when playing demanding, GPU-taxing games? Gaming laptops run out of juice faster than most. A lot depends on how you compute; even powerful laptops have become adept at sensing when maximum power isn’t required and reduce various components’ consumption.

This is where PC Labs’ battery testing comes in. We evaluate battery life by playing a locally stored video file nonstop at middle brightness. An excellent result suggests that the laptop can adapt its power use to the task at hand; our testing lets you compare the potential of the machines you are considering. We evaluate all laptops using this test. At the preceding link is an extended summary of the best battery performers.

Measuring battery life is never an absolute, though, since it depends 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, not absolute, sense.

If you’re keeping score, HP’s Omni-Book X AI (based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite CPU) and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (the M3 model) are today’s longest-lasting laptops we’ve reviewed, enduring 30 hours on our battery rundown test.

How Much Will the Right Laptop Cost?

Don’t care about cutting-edge design and robust components? A cheap laptop could suffice. Today’s market is flooded with basic but full-featured models 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 handle word processing and email checking just fine, but they’ll struggle with heavier tasks, such as keeping many web browser tabs or memory- and CPU-demanding programs open simultaneously. Look at our reviews to compare performance. PC Labs has tested many late-model budget laptops; some are classic clamshells, and others are convertible or detachable 2-in-1s. (See a few of our top cheap laptops in our lineup of favorites above.)

Spending closer to $1,000 unlocks many of the cutting-edge features modern laptops offer: slim, sturdy aluminum chassis, brilliant touch-enabled 4K displays, powerful processors and graphics chips, and all-day batteries. Some leading laptops bring these features closer to $800; check brands like Acer, Asus, and HP.

A major caveat: In this price range, you’ll have to choose the most important features. You might land a beautiful 4K display or a cavernous terabyte of solid-state storage at this price, but probably not both.

If your piggy bank has $2,000 or more, you can choose almost any combination. 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 required take up space. Hard-core gamers who want a large display and a screaming-fast graphics processor that requires bulky cooling pipes and fans won’t 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 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.

What Is an Ideal Weight and Size for a Laptop?

Most people searching for the best laptop should choose one that measures about half an inch thick and weighs 3 pounds or less. These are the maximum dimensions and heft a laptop can have to be considered ultraportable, and for most users, portability is the key to maximizing use and enjoyment.

Aiming for that weight and thickness usually means a laptop with a 13- or 14-inch screen, although a few models with 15-inch or larger screens qualify. You can find models in either conventional “clamshell” laptops or 2-in-1 designs at most of these screen sizes. 

Some Windows laptops and Chrome OS laptops do have smaller 11- or 12-inch displays, often not technically laptops in the classic sense but rather tablets with detachable keyboards. Avoid these designs unless you’re looking for a part-time tablet or the lightest possible laptop. They’re lighter than most 13-inch ultra portables, often less than 2 pounds, but they’re not as effective at being tablets as the Apple iPad is, and their detachable keyboards mean typing on most of them tends to be subpar.

At the other end of the size spectrum are 17-inch and 18-inch laptops. They mostly appeal to hard-core gamers, but you can find the occasional 17-inch productivity machine or workstation if you like a larger screen for other reasons. A 17-inch or 18-inch laptop can closely mimic a desktop experience at the expense of size and weight. Most 18-inchers are meant for gaming; 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 tackle the hardest graphics tasks to date to varying effects.

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 or 18-incher is a possibility. Otherwise, most gamers should stick with 15- or 16-inch designs.

What Kind of Laptop Screen Should You Get?

The best laptop screens have grown more pixel-dense over the past decade, making for crisper text and sharper images, often with better-looking colors. Displays are sometimes measured in pixels per inch (ppi), but native resolution, expressed in horizontal by vertical pixels, is the most popular method.

Most laptops have screens with at least “full HD” resolutions. Also known as “1080p” displays, they comprise 1,920 by 1,080 pixels (or sometimes 1,920 by 1,200) and most commonly employ LCD panels built on in-plane switching (IPS) technology. IPS screen quality varies, but these screens maintain image color when viewed off-center. Thin-film transistor, or TFT, technology predates IPS and has faded out due to its inferior viewing angles.

Only the very cheapest laptops still use TFT (resolutions of 1,280 by 720 and 1,366 by 768 pixels are common here), which cannot touch the crisp text and vivid colors found on smartphones or TVs. If you’re not picky about image quality, though, a lower-resolution display might be an acceptable sacrifice.

For the crispest text and details, common resolutions beyond 1080p include 1440p (2,560 by 1,440), 1600p (2,560 by 1,600), and 4K or 2160p (3,840 by 2,160). Some high-end screens still use IPS panels, while others use OLED technology. OLED screens command a premium for their inky blacks and luxurious colors. A few premium laptops have moved to mini LED backlighting technology for finer control over color depth and image brightness, especially boosting HDR content.

Regardless of the specific screen tech, 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.

Finally, gamers and video content creators must pay attention to the refresh rate, or how often per second the screen redraws content, measured in hertz. A 60Hz rate is standard, with 120Hz and 144Hz common in gaming laptops and reaching as high as 360Hz. Unless you’re an esports gamer seeking extreme frame rates, don’t worry about going past 144Hz. And before you pay a major premium for a high-refresh screen, be sure the graphics chip, or GPU, is muscular enough to push your games at a high enough frame rate to make a difference. If you are playing games at 60 frames per second or lower, a high-refresh screen won’t confer many benefits.

If you want to take advantage of the touch-screen support present throughout Windows and ChromeOS, seek out a touch-enabled laptop and perhaps even a digital stylus to write or draw on it. Some Windows laptops come in touch- and non-touch versions, so check specs carefully. Touch panels tend to be glossy screens; most matte screens designed to filter out glare from ambient lighting aren’t. Most gaming laptops lack touch panels, and Apple MacBooks don’t do touch screens at all.

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 remember that higher CPU model numbers in a given family of chips 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 Ryzen 3 processors, or Core i3 or Pentium/N-series chips in Intel’s case. These typically have just a few 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. In the latest mainstream, lightweight laptops, Intel laptop CPUs typically consume 15 watts (W) of power (or less) up to as much as 45W for the highest-end mobile tasks.

Ready to Buy the Right Laptop for You?

Shopping for a leading 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, parsing the good from the bad will be much easier.