So Which Ultraportable Should I Buy
With ultraportables available now that are thinner, lighter, and more powerful than ever, there’s something in this vibrant class of laptops to suit everyone’s usage habits and travel needs. Here are 10 of the top ultraportables we’ve tested. We refresh the list constantly to include the newest products, but because of the large number of laptops we review every year, not every top-rated product makes the cut. Rest assured, though: These are all winners.
Which Laptop Is Good For Working At Home
Working remotely and need to get a laptop for home office use? Let’s get down to business!
Laptop or tablet? Microsofts new Surface Pro 8 is both! The larger 13-inch touchscreen, iconic Kickstand and detachable keyboard let you work the way you want. Plus, it comes pre-loaded with Windows 11.
Powerful, secure and able to last the workday , a business laptop like MSI‘s Workstation or the HP Pavilion x360 can compete with a desktop or allinone.
Best of all, you’re not tied to your desk. If you have a dedicated home office, clever additions like a comfy and supportive office chair, an adjustable standing desk or a more handson keyboard are sure to inspire you to tackle your todo list.
Best Value For Money Laptop Microsoft Surface Book
This is the definitely one of the best value laptops/tablets for travel!
You essentially get the portability and ease of use of a tablet with a detachable keyboard. The Microsoft Surface book is lightweight and portable, but you can still run programs like Lightroom and upload your travel photos and videos. The Stylus Pen is a truly innovative and amazing addition as well.
While this isnt the cheapest laptop in this guide, the Microsoft Surface book is definitely one of the best value laptops on the markets since you are getting a great tablet and computer all-in-one.
When it comes to weight, size, features, battery, I think this is the best travel laptop for your money but if you are going pro and embracing the digital nomad lifestyle, I would recommend getting a Macbook instead.
The Microsoft Surface book is a great laptop for photographers and allows you to run Lightroom, Adobe Premier, and other intensive programs.
This is the best Windows 10 option for creatives and travellers needing versatility, speed, and power. While technically a powerful laptop, this is also one of the best tablets for travel.
It has a battery on the detachable screen and actual computer. When both are charged you can get up to 12 hours battery life.
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The Best Laptop In 2021 For Big
Even if youve used a light laptop before, its difficult to explain how light the LG Gram 17 is. It has a massive 17-inch display, but its somehow only three pounds. Picking it up messes with your mind you feel like youre not holding anything.
But the Gram 17s weight isnt the only standout feature. It also has some of the best battery life you can get, lasting over 12 hours in our testing. Add a great keyboard, a solid port selection, quiet fans, and a fast processor, and theres very little not to like about this device.
Not everyone needs a 17-inch display, and many folks who do are looking for a heavier-duty workstation that probably doesnt get moved very often. But if youd just really like a large screen for your daily office work and Netflixing, youre the target demographic for this machine. Its a niche, but truly impressive device without much real competition in todays market.
Microsoft Surface Pro 8
Although it’s not the Surface Laptop, the Surface Pro continues to hit all the right notes if you’re looking for a do-it-all Windows tablet that doubles as a Windows laptop. Microsoft recently overhauled it for the Surface Pro 8, which has a larger 13-inch display, 11th-gen Intel Core processors and two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports. The Surface Pro 7 is still around for the time being at a discount, and an updated version called the Surface Pro 7 Plus will stay in the lineup, so you’ll still be able to get the classic Pro design but with new processors.
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Different Types Of Laptop
The terms laptop and notebook tend to be used interchangeably as a general description. But you can break these down into smaller sub-categories, though they’re not always mutually exclusive.
For example, an ultraportable can also be a convertible which works as both a laptop and a tablet. Also, many devices that are designed as tablets can also work as laptops if you add a keyboard. Some are specifically designed for this, such as several models in Microsoft’s Surface range.
The general term for a full-sized laptop that strikes a balance between portability and functionality.
These can vary greatly in overall size and specification processor speed, storage capacity, memory and screen size.
They range in price from low-cost budget models to high-performance productivity and gaming models.
Thin, light laptops designed for mobility are often described as ultraportable .
Maintaining a super-slim profile means they have to cut out some features such as larger connection ports and reduce the number of connection ports. The smallest models weigh about a kilogram.
Ultrabook is a term coined by computer chipmaker Intel for a special type of ultraportable notebook . Ultrabooks must meet specific criteria for various things such as size/weight, battery life, type of chipset .
Among their strong points is strong security and anti-theft protection built in at the hardware level.
These combine the features of a laptop and a tablet. They’re also known as 2-in-1 laptops or hybrids.
Best For A Little Bit Of Everything
- A few reviewers reported keyboard issues
The Bottom Line
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BEST SAMSUNG DEAL:Samsung Galaxy Book Pro $559.99 $999.99
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BEST GAMING DEAL:Razer Blade 15 $1,785.32 $2,599.99
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BEST 2-IN-1 DEAL:Asus Chromebook Flip C434 $475 $569.99
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BEST MICROSOFT DEAL:Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 $1,369 $1,599
Its really hard to make it in todays world without a computer of some kind. Nobody wants to do school or work projects on a phone. Youve gotta get yourself a real laptop.
Unfortunately, laptops cost money. If youre not careful, you can end up spending well over $1,000 for a machine with impressive specs. But were not here to talk about those. Theres a whole world of laptops that cost $600 or less many of them are perfect companions for students returning to school or folks who just need something thats a little more capable than an iPhone.
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The Best Budget Laptop Deals This Week*
*Deals are selected by our partner, TechBargains
All of these CPUs also host the silicon that runs the laptop’s graphics. The newest integrated graphics solutions can hold their own in browser-based games and even some online games like World of Warcraft. The higher demands of AAA titles, though, still require a discrete GPU, which you won’t find in this price range.
In years past, many of the barest-budget Windows laptops would come with just 2GB or 4GB of main system memory, but nowadays, at least in the Windows sphere, most come with 8GB. In terms of batteries, an ideal budget laptop has one with six cells or more. The battery life for a cheap laptop should come in at a minimum of seven or eight hours, and these days, many will last quite a bit longer.
When it comes to storage, some inexpensive systems still use spinning hard drives, with capacities often at 500GB, but increasingly, inexpensive Windows machines opt for small-capacity solid-state drives of 128GB or 256GB capacity. If you can get by with the capacity of a small SSD, we strongly favor opting for one, even over a roomier platter-based hard drive, for their durability.
In terms of features, budget laptops will come with at least one USB 3.0 port, and possibly a USB 2.0 port or two. You also may get an SD card slot. A Wi-Fi radio that uses the speedy 802.11ac protocol is also the norm now.
Best Budget Laptops For Business
Top-of-the-line, supremely powerful, and meticulously designed laptops have their place. But not every office or work function demands a Cadillac.
You can do email checking, web browsing, and basic word processing on bare-bones machines that give you just the essentials in computing power. Consider one of these budget laptops for quick and dirty business tasks.
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Where To Go From Here
Shopping for a laptop is an exercise in patience. An ultra-competitive market means that even if youve 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 2022
Looking at specs is just the start: Whether you want a simple budget PC, a productivity workhorse, or a screamer of a gaming notebook, our deep-dive guide has the advice you need to find the best laptop for you.
Pros
- Upgraded performance from Intel “Tiger Lake” CPU
- Sleek styling
Pros
- Users can upgrade RAM
Cons
Pros
- Appealing 3:2 aspect ratio display
- HDMI port
- SSD instead of eMMC storage
Cons
Pros
- Powerful graphics and computing performance
- Compact chassis with easy access for upgrades
- Expansive 3K display
Pros
- Dazzling OLED touch screen with 3:2 aspect ratio
- Handy shortcut keys and utility software
- Rechargeable pen and carrying sleeve in box
- Lively performance
Cons
- No LTE mobile broadband option
- No sign of the 007 SPECTRE octopus logo
Pros
- Modern design with thin bezels and larger display
- Superior 1080p webcam
- Two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support
- Well-implemented kickstand
- Perky performance in tested Core i7 configuration
Cons
- Higher starting price diminishes entry-level appeal
- Accessories and configuration upgrades are pricey
- Keyboard base still sold separately
- USB-C ports only
Pros
- Good value, especially for a MacBook
- Much-improved performance, thanks to Apples new M1 processor
- Exceptional battery life
- High-quality keyboard, touchpad, and display
- Multiple color options
- Port selection limited to two USB Type-C connections
- Still no touch-screen option
Pros
Pros
- Pricey as configured, in line with field-leading speed
- Poor battery life
Pros
Pros
Cons
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Which Laptop Is Best For Gaming Or Creating
You can play games and create content on any laptop. That said, what games you play and what content you create — and the speed at which you do them — is going vary greatly depending on the components inside the laptop.
For casual browser-based games or using streaming-game services like and Xbox Cloud Gaming, you don’t need a powerful gaming laptop. And similarly, if you’re just trimming video clips, cropping photos or live-streaming video from your webcam, you can get by with a modestly priced laptop or Chromebook with integrated graphics.
For anything more demanding, you’ll need to invest more money for discrete graphics like Nvidia’s RTX 30-series GPUs. Increased system memory of 16GB or more, having a speedy SSD for storage and a faster processor such as an Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 will all help you get things moving faster, too.
The other piece you’ll want to consider is the display. For gaming, look for screens with a high refresh rate of 120Hz or faster so games look smoother while playing. For content creation, look for displays that cover 100% sRGB color space.
What Is A Good Price For A Laptop
For general tasksediting documents and spreadsheets, browsing the internet, doing homework, and communicating using apps such as Slack or Zooma cheap but usable laptop should cost between $400 and $600, a good laptop $700 or $800, and a great laptop at least $1,000. More powerful, specialized laptops, such as gaming notebooks or laptops for professional photo and video editing, start in the range of $1,000 to $1,500. If you have $500 or less to spend, Chromebooks tend to look, feel, and run better than equivalently priced Windows laptops. If youre looking for a Mac, expect to pay at least $1,100 for our recommended MacBook Air configuration. Keep an eye on our Deals page if youre able to wait for a better price on a specific laptop.
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Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2
ON SALE NOW
Released on March 1st, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 promises to offer big performance at a price that is anything but. Running on an Intel Celeron CPU may not sound impressive, but since Chrome OS requires less horsepower to run smoothly, an Intel Core i5 CPU is not as necessary. Combined with a form factor that comes in at 2.7 pounds and 0.55 inches, 4 GB of RAM and a highly desirable 13-inch 4K display, youre likely to find that this laptop will suit all your needs, and its currently on sale at Best Buy for $100 off.
The Latest Laptops For Working And Playing Onthego
Whether you’re taking care of business, hitting the books, scrolling through social media or doing some actionpacked gaming, the best laptop computer should be able to handle everyday tasks with ease.
From Microsoft Surface and Mac models to convertible 2in1 devices and gaming laptops, there are loads of laptops for sale at Harvey Norman.
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What Are The Best Laptops Right Now
The Dell XPS 13 is currently our top overall pick for best laptop of 2021. Powered by a 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, the 1080p version of the laptop is ideal for work, play and light content creation. And with its bright, vivid display, the laptop is also great for watching videos. Plus, its also incredibly slim and light making it an ideal laptop for mobile professionals.
Those in the market for a convertible should give the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 a look. If 13-inches is too small, we suggest the Dell XPS 17, which also earned a spot on this list thanks to its powerful performance that makes it ideal for students, mobile and creative professionals.
For our Apple aficionados, the new must-haves are the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air m1 laptops. Apple’s new silicone marks a new chapter in Apple computing, and computers as a whole. The ARM-based chips bring an unprecedented amount of power and endurance, the likes of which that places the typically underpowered Air on a par with major ultraportables.
And if you’re in the market for an extra-large Chromebook, check our review of the Acer Chromebook 317, the world’s first 17-inch Chrome OS laptop.
See our picks for best laptops below.
Windows Mac Linux Android Or Chrome Os
Operating systems tend to polarise opinion. Ask a room of techies whether you should go with a Windows, Mac, Linux, Android or Chrome OS laptop or tablet and you’ll start a heated debate that will go for a long time but nobody will win .
All systems have their good and bad points, but it’s important for you to choose a side, because it affects your software choices and possibly your hardware decisions too. This is definitely the case with Apple products and Chrome OS in particular.
Apple’s macOS only runs on Apple’s family of computers, while iPadOS only runs on iPads, but they’re designed to work seamlessly with Apple’s other operating systems: iOS , tvOS and watchOS .
Chrome OS runs on laptops, mini PC desktops and PC sticks that are specifically designed for it, usually of a relatively lightweight configuration that is meant to be internet-connected most of the time.
Even outside enterprise users, Microsoft’s Windows has several versions, with Home being the consumer version, Pro for more serious users and Windows in S mode for lightweight laptops aimed at being an alternative to Chromebooks.
These days Windows and Chrome OS have a much greater degree of interoperability with Android, though not to the same degree as Apple’s tightly integrated hardware-software ecosystems.
Android is also outgrowing its phone-centric roots to also be seen as a stand-alone OS for tablets, most notably by Samsung and Lenovo.
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How Much Ram Does A Laptop Need
RAM is an important specification to look for in a laptop. Youll want 4GB at the very least for a Windows laptop though wed actually recommend for many people to go for 8GB. That will ensure that the laptop runs well for years to come. Budget Chromebooks can get away with less RAM, such as 1GB or 2GB.
Lenovo Ideapad Flex 14
With solid performance specs and a starting price of $700, Lenovos IdeaPad Flex 14 is a prime choice for lawyers on a budget. It comes with a 2.6 GHz AMD Ryzen chip, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD storage, a 14 1920×1080 touchscreen display, Bluetooth 5, two USB-3 ports, one USB-C port, one HDMI port, and a 4-in-1 card reader. Weighing 3.3 lbs., the IdeaPad will get you up to 12 hours of battery life.
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Do You Need To Get Work Done On Your Laptop
If you arent planning on using your travel laptop for online work, you dont necessarily need to splash out on a top of the range laptop.
While it might be tempting to spend $2,000 on the new best laptop, the truth is that only digital nomads and other professionals really need that sort of tech. If you dont have any work deadlines to meet, it might be better to keep it simple.