Rob Schultz/IDG
Are you in the market for a brand spanking new laptop? If so, you’ve come to the right place. We curated a list of the best laptops available today. From traditional clamshells to swanky 2-in1’s, we’ve got something for everyone. If you’re working with an inflexible budget, don’t sweat it, we’ve included Chromebooks and a few other affordable options. Every single one of these laptops has been tested and personally vetted by the crew at PCWorld as well.
Read on for our picks for the best laptops around. Now that Intel’s new 12th-gen Core laptops are here and kicking butt, and AMD’s fresh Ryzen 6000 laptop CPUs are delivering game-changing performance for tiny notebooks, expect to see refreshes of the most popular models coming fast and furious over the next few months! If you’re looking to save some cash on your purchase, we’ve also got a roundup of the best laptop deals, updated every weekday. The top-tier stunners you’ll find below don’t grace it very often, but we relentlessly focus on good laptops that are actually good deals too.
Without further ado, these are the best laptops we’ve tested.
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 – Best gaming laptop
Pros
Excellent CPU and GPU performance
Robust and innovative design
Comfortable and customizable keyboard
Cons
Trackpad requires some pressure
Very high price
MSRP:
$2,200 (base unit) up to $3,700 (review unit)
The Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 is a gamer’s ultimate dream. This laptop features strong GPU and CPU performance plus a stunning 17.3-inch 4K display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The rugged all-metal chassis, the six speaker sound system, and the customizable keyboard really adds to the premium experience. That said, you’re going to pay out the nose for it. If you’ve got a flexible budget and you’re looking for the best of the best, the Zephyrus S17 is truly the bee’s knees.
Read our full
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 review
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 – Best productivity laptop
Pros
Roomy 16:10 display
Thin and light yet rugged
Stellar keyboard
Quiet operation
Booming audio
Two Thunderbolt 4 ports
Cons
Webcam limited to 720p
Display color is a bit cool
ThinkPads are generally hailed as being awesome business laptops because of their comfortable keyboards and silent operation. With its quiet keyboard, security features, and booming audio, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 is one such laptop. It’s packing a quad-core Core i7-1185G7, 16GB of RAM, and integrated Iris Xe graphics. That means it’s well-equipped to handle “Office and other productivity apps” and “a variety of multitasking scenarios.” The real star of the show is the 16:10 display, though, as it gives you plenty of room to work with. If you consider yourself a business professional, you’ll definitely want to pick this one up.
Read our full
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 review
Acer Aspire 5 – Best budget laptop
Pros
Affordable price
Rugged build
Great keyboard
Good selection of ports
Cons
Subpar webcam
Annoying bloatware comes pre-installed
Touchpad is a little hard to use
MSRP:
$369 (base model) $499 (as reviewed)
With its affordable price point, decent performance, and robust build, the Acer Aspire 5 is a good budget option for most people. While the color scheme is a little boring to look at, the build is surprisingly rugged. Our tester was surprised by its “solid, durable feel.” The keyboard is nice, too. It has a spacious layout, which is perfect for longer typing sessions. Performance is fast enough for general use tasks like writing emails and browsing the web, but that’s about it. If you’re shopping around for a solid everyday laptop that won’t break the bank, the Aspire 5 is definitely worth a look.
Read our full
Acer Aspire 5 review
Dell XPS 17 9710 – Best content creation laptop
Pros
Huge 17-inch screen in a relatively compact laptop
Intel’s newest 11th gen CPU and Nvidia RTX graphics
Cons
No USB-A port and no Gigabit Ethernet
Hybrid charging likely sacrifices a little performance
Dell’s updated XPS 17 boasts a huge 17-inch screen, 11th-gen Intel CPU, and GeForce RTGX 3060 GPU. By packing as much screen real estate into such a compact laptop, the XPS 17 is the poster child for what a content creation workhorse laptop is.
Read our full
Dell XPS 17 9710 review
Microsoft Surface Pro 8 – Best tablet
Pros
Superior screen: larger, higher-res, higher refresh rate
Inking is a pleasure
Good audio, with louder speakers
New optional Type Cover integrates pen well
Cons
Webcam might need some tweaking
Pen and keyboard still cost extra
Still pricey
Microsoft’s Surface tablets were already atop our list of best 2-in-1 laptops, but Microsoft reworked the Surface Pro 8 in numerous ways by adding a larger, higher-resolution, faster screen, a pair of Thunderbolt ports that replace the legacy Surface Connector, and a new inking experience, among other features.
While this generation of the Surface Pro tablet forgoes an always-connected LTE option as well as the choice of a cheap Core i3, performance still soared to the top of the heap. Benefits like how the increased display refresh rate improves inking are subtle improvements that matter, too. It’s the most dramatic revamp of a Surface in years and it’s all for the better.
Read our full
Surface Pro 8 review
Asus ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition – Best gaming laptop on a budget
Pros
Outclasses every CPU in competing laptops
Radeon RX GPU outclasses similarly-priced GeForce GPUs in conventional gaming.
Surprisingly good audio quality
Cons
No webcam
Very bulky 280-watt power brick
Nvidia GPUs outclass Radeon in ray tracing and content creation.
The Asus ROG Strix G15 Advanced Edition is an all-AMD laptop that delivers fast CPU and GPU performance at a reasonable price point. It’s packing an AMD Ryzen 5900HX processor, an AMD Radeon RX 6800M GPU (with 12GB of GDDR6), 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. According to our review, the GPU “doesn’t outpace higher-wattage RTX 3080 laptop GPUs, but it’s a worthy competitor for conventional gaming tasks.” Unsurprisingly, the Strix G15 is one chunky machine, measuring 28mm at its thickest part. Although the additional thickness allows more space for cooling components, it’s not very portable. That said, so long as you don’t plan on taking this laptop everywhere with you, it’s a powerful gaming rig that’s well worth the money.
We understand that the $1,650 price tag isn’t “cheap” in the traditional sense, but this all-AMD laptop costs significantly less than comparable laptops in power. If you look on Best Buy or Nvidia’s website for 3080 machines, they cost upwards of $2,200 to $3,000.
Read our full
Asus ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition review
Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 5G – Best coffee shop laptop
Pros
Fantastic 16-hour battery life
Ultra thin, light and svelte
Excellent 1080p OLED display and Dolby audio
Solid value, though a premium price
Cons
Shallow keyboard
A ton of preloaded apps, many from Samsung
No 4K display option
The Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 5G offers a gorgeous OLED screen, superb battery life, and an excellent inking experience. It also has a 360-degree hinge, which means you can fold it up like a tent or swing the display around and use it like a tablet. It’s very versatile, which may appeal to students or business professionals. In our review, our tester described it as “an excellent coffee shop PC.” The only drawback is the slow SSD.
Read our full
Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 5G review
Acer Swift X (SFX14-41G-R1S6) – Best affordable ultraportable
Pros
Stellar ultraportable performance.
Sneaky gaming laptop with RTX 3050 Ti graphics.
Impressive battery life considering high-end parts.
Cons
Display feels cramped for creative work.
Fan gets loud during heavy workloads.
Poorly placed Pg-Up and -Down buttons.
Don’t judge a laptop by its chassis. The Swift X may not look all that threatening at first glance, but under the hood you’ll find some seriously powerful components. This ultraportable is packing an AMD Ryzen 7 5800U processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU, and 512GB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage. In our review, the Swift managed “48 frames per second at the Highest preset” when running Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1080p. There are a few downsides, though. The fans get loud under heavy loads and the keyboard runs a little warm. But if you can live with those shortcomings and you’re looking for strong CPU and GPU performance, the Swift X will definitely deliver.
Read our full
Swift X (SFX14-41G-R1S6) review
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2022) – Most portable gaming laptop
Pros
Powerful CPU and GPU performance in a very compact design
AniMe Matrix screams unique
It has a webcam
Cons
Half permanent RAM
Keyboard backlighting is subpar
MSRP:
$1650 (base price) | $2500 (Radeon RX 6800S, 1TB SSD, 32GB RAM)
The ROG Zephyrus G14 is both lightweight and powerful—a very rare combination. It weighs just a little over three pounds, which makes it a capable traveling laptop. Between the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS processor and AMD Radeon RX6800S GPU, you can expect strong performance as well. The only weakness is the keyboard. It feels a little mushy and the backlighting is rather unimpressive. That said, if you’re in the market for a portable laptop that delivers zippy performance, the Zephyrus G14 is a great pick.
Read our full
ROG Zephyrus G14 (2022) review
HP Chromebook x2 11 da0023dx – Best folio-style Chromebook
Pros
Gorgeous 2K touchscreen
Solid performance
Excellent battery life
Robust design
Cons
Trackpad is too sensitive at times
Light on ports
Ah, folio-style laptops. While some may find them cumbersome to deal with, our reviewer really liked this one. The HP Chromebook x2 11 is one of the best 2-in-1 laptops you can buy. The tablet’s aluminum chassis feels rugged and like it’ll last quite a while. The detachable keyboard took some getting used to, but ended up being fine for long typing sessions. The rear plate, which transforms into a kickstand that holds up the tablet, connects to the back of the tablet via magnets. The reviewer found the connection to be both clean and strong. As for the performance, it’s about what you’d expect out of a Chromebook. It’s zippy enough for everyday tasks like browsing the web and so on.
Read our full
HP Chromebook x2 11 da0023dx review
Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 – Best Chromebook
Pros
Attractive design
Affordable
Punchy audio
Excellent keyboard
Cons
Mediocre performance
Subpar battery life
The Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 is a good mid-range laptop. It’s fast enough for web browsing, editing documents, and so on. That said, it can “feel taxed by demanding tasks.” When our tester opened up multiple tabs, he noticed a sag in performance. The port selection, however, is nice combination of old and new. It has two USB-C ports, a single USB-A port, a 3.5mm combo audio jack, and a microSD card reader. As for the keyboard, our tester liked the “crisp and taut” feel of the keys. Although this laptop is a 2-in-1, it weighs about 3 pounds, which is kind of heavy for a convertible laptop. It may not be the most portable laptop in the world, but at least it has the flexibility to function as a tablet for applications that favor that form factor.
Read our full
Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 review
Acer Swift 3 – Best for students
Pros
Solid chassis and build quality
Large, attractive 16-inch 1080p screen
Enjoyable keyboard and touchpad
USB-C with charging and DisplayPort
Cons
Webcam, microphone, and speakers don’t impress
Intel processor falls behind AMD alternatives
Disappointing battery life
Lots of bloatware
If you’re looking for a big screen on a modest budget, the Acer Swift 3 is a fantastic option. It features an attractive 16-inch 1080p display, a solid chassis, and an enjoyable keyboard and touchpad. However, battery life is subpar, so you’ll want to keep the charger on hand. This is unfortunate, as the Swift 3’s slim profile makes it a good laptop for travel. If you don’t mind the battery life, this is a great laptop for watching movies and streaming shows.
Read our full
Acer Swift 3 review
Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 (2022) – Best convertible
Pros
Sturdy and sleek all-metal chassis
Long battery life
Impressive audio output
Comfortable keyboard
Cons
16:9 screen feels cramped
Included stylus is too skinny
Undersized touchpad
Limited ports all on left side
MSRP:
$1,230 (entry level) | $1,449 (as reviewed)
The Lenovo Yoga 9i is a fantastic convertible. It has an attractive design, a dazzling OLED display, and great sound quality. Plus, the 12th-gen Intel processor really boosts performance. According to our tester, the processor “packs four performance cores and eight efficiency cores.” That’s quite a bit of power. The 74 watt-hour battery is quite large for a compact 2-in-1 as well. When we put the laptop through our battery test, it died in about 12 hours. You can expect this laptop to last through the work day. There’s a couple of minor nitpicks to be aware of, though. The 19:9 aspect ratio makes the screen feel a bit squished and the touchpad is smaller than we like. If you can live with those small drawbacks, the Yoga 9i is well worth considering.
Read our full
Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 (2022) review
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon – Best affordable OLED display
Pros
2.8K OLED display is gorgeous
Booming audio
Quiet operation
Strong application and multimedia performance
Cons
So-so keyboard
Lid is so thin it flexes a bit too much
Below-average battery life
From zippy multimedia performance to punchy audio, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon has a lot to offer. The real star of the show is the 14-inch 2880-by-1800 OLED display. According to the reviewer, “the contrast is outstanding, with the deepest blacks and brightest whites.” As for colors, they’re “accurate and noticeably vibrant.” The screen is a perfect fit for creative professionals who do a lot of photo editing. In addition to the stunning panel, it also weighs just a little over two pounds, making it a capable travel laptop. There are a few minor shortcomings, though. The keyboard isn’t the best and battery life is less-than-stellar. However, we feel the pros really outweigh the cons here.
Read our full
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon review
How we tested
The PCWorld team puts each and every Windows laptop through a series of benchmarks that test GPU and CPU performance, battery life, and so on. The idea is to push the laptop to its limits and then compare it against others we’ve tested. Chromebooks, on the other hand, go through a series of web-based tests. It wouldn’t be fair or possible to run the same kinds of tests on a Chromebook, as they’re Chrome OS-based machines. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of each test and the reasons why we run them.
Windows laptops
PCMark 10: PCMark 10 is how we determine how well the laptop handles lighter tasks like web browsing, word processing, spreadsheets, and so on.HandBrake: HandBrake is more intensive than PCMark 10. It basically measures how long a laptop’s CPU takes to encode a beefy 30GB file. Cinebench: Cinebench is a brief stress test of the CPU cores. It does this by rendering a 2D scene over a short period of time.3DMark: 3DMark checks if 3D performance remains consistent over time by running graphic-intensive clips. Video rundown test: To gauge battery life, we loop a 4K video using Windows 10’s Movies & TV app until the laptop dies.Chromebooks
CrXPRT 2: The CrXPRT 2 benchmark tests a Chromebook’s battery life. Speedometer 2.0: This test determines a Chromebook’s web browser performance. It simulates this by adding, completing, and removing a to-do list.Basemark Web 3.0: This benchmark gauges how well a Chromebook can handle web-based applications. Kraken 1.1: Kraken 1.1 is a JavaScript performance benchmark. Jetstream 2: Jetstream 2 is a combination of WebAssembly and JavaScript benchmarks. This is a way to gauge how well a Chromebook runs advanced workloads.What kind of laptop should you get?
Ah, here we are at the billion dollar question. Do you spring for a basic Chromebook or go for a Windows laptop with more features? Well, it really depends on your personal lifestyle and what you plan on using your laptop for. For example, Chromebooks are a great low cost option for those who just want the basics. I use a Chromebook as my primary work laptop, as it has everything I need for both editing and writing. If you travel a bunch for work, it’s probably a good idea to invest in a laptop with solid battery life. If you’re still unsure, don’t sweat it. I’ve put together a list of quick tips below.
Laptop type: The first question you should ask yourself is what kind of laptop you’re looking for. There’s traditional clamshells, 2-in-1’s, Chromebooks, and much more. The displays on convertible laptops (aka 2-in-1’s), for example, can swing around 360 degrees. This allows you to use the laptop like a tablet. They can also be propped up like a tent for viewing movies or participating in video calls. Chromebooks, on the other hand, exclusively run Google’s web-focused Chrome OS and are generally used for everyday tasks. All you need is a Gmail account and boom, you’re in. There are pros and cons to each of them. Chromebooks are affordable and generally have good battery life whereas convertibles are normally lightweight and portable.CPU: If it’s CPU power you’re looking for, look for processors with higher numerical names. A Core i7 is more suited to gaming and more intense work than everyday tasks. Intel processors are available in Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, and Core i9. The higher the number, the more powerful the CPU. If you don’t need a ton of power, Intel Core i5 processors are your best bet, as they offer good performance at a decent price. Basic office and web work gets along just fine on a Core i3. As for AMD options, the Ryzen 3 is good for basic productivity and web browsing, while Ryzen 5 chips rival Intel’s Core i5 as solid all-arounders. If you need more power, the Ryzen 7 chip is well suited for content creation like video editing. Finally, if you’re dealing with 4K video, spring for a Ryzen 9. Graphics: You’ll want a discrete graphics card for hardcore gaming or editing videos. It’s separate from the processor, so you can expect higher performance out of it. Integrated graphics, on the other hand, are attached to the CPU and uses less power as a result. This is perfectly fine for everyday tasks, especially if you’re not doing anything that’s graphics-intensive.RAM: 8GB of RAM is zippy enough for general use. If you’ve got a gaming laptop, 16GB of RAM is the way to go, and content creators will want even more.Display size: If you’re a video editor or someone who does a lot of multimedia work, you’ll want a display that’s anywhere from 15- to 17-inches. The sweet spot is really anywhere from 13- to 14-inches, though. The bigger the display, the heavier your laptop is going to be. A 13- or 14-inch display is the best in terms of portability and value.Battery life: If you plan on taking your laptop anywhere with you, aim for something that can last 10 to 12 hours on a single charge. That’s more than a full work day, so it should theoretically get you through long flights or a day of classes. Obviously, more is always better. Just know that the bigger the battery, the heavier the laptop.Price: The price really depends on your budget. If you’re strapped for cash (been there, trust me), go for a Chromebook or an entry-level business laptop. These laptops are good choices for students or young professionals. If you can afford to spend more, the versatility of a 2-in-1 laptop is really worth it. Ports: A wide array of ports is always a plus in my book, as it eliminates the need for an adapter. I’d recommend a laptop that has both USB-C and USB-A. An HDMI port is good, too. This is especially useful for when you want to hook up to an external monitor.
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Laptops
