Best For Travel: Dell Latitude 9410
Courtesy of Amazon
Though pricey, this is a smart pick for business travelers because of its optional LTE modem and impressive up to 27 hours of battery life. Of course, the sleek, brushed silver 2-in-1 laptop is loaded with lots of other great features, including Windows Hello face recognition via the webcam to sign in, and tons of ports for when you have to connect to AV systems on the go. With 16 GB of RAM, youll also have ample power to power through your work trips.
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.
See our picks for best laptops below.
Chromebooks For Business: Simple And Affordable
With the cloud becoming omnipresent in our computing lives at both work and home, Chromebooks are more viable options than ever for laptops devoted to work activity. These laptops are restricted to using Google’s Chrome OS, which began as a souped-up version of the popular web browser. Android apps from the Google Play Store extend Chromebooks’ abilities, but they often lack features found on the Windows-based versions of the same programs. Businesses that run their core applications on the Google suite may find Chromebooks useful under certain circumstances, though, as emailing and communications stations.
If web-based collaboration is key to your workflow, a Chromebook could be enough, and because Chromebooks don’t need powerful hardware to run most web apps, they generally cost a lot less than other business laptops. Some Chromebooks designed for work do have beefier processors and more memory. Our general takeaway, though, is that under most circumstances, they tend to work better as adjunct than primary machines in most businesses.
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How To Choose The Right Laptop For You
While there are a number of factors to consider when choosing the right laptop, we advise that you start by figuring out how much display you need. Most laptops are available in display resolutions ranging from 1080p to 4K , and in screen sizes from 13 to 17 inches. Many Windows machines also offer optional touch displays.
We think a 13 to 15 inch laptop at 1080p is the sweet spot for most people, as youll get very good clarity and a decent amount of real estate within a machine thats still fairly portable and reasonably priced. This class of machine makes relatively few compromises and works well for most users.
Recommended specs
- Storage: 512GB or larger solid state drive
- Ports: At least two USB-C connections
A higher screen resolution means you can see more detail when using apps and watching movies, or get more screen real estate for apps , but it can also drive the price of a laptop up considerably. So a 4K display makes the most sense if you do a lot of graphics work or use your laptop as your main entertainment screen for movies and TV, . Also think about how youll be using your laptop a slim 13-inch notebook is ideal for working on the road, while a 17-inch machine isnt quite as portable, but will get you more screen space for working at your desk.
Apple Best Specs & Ecosystem
Apple Inc, is a technology company founded by Steve Jobs, Ronald Wayne, and Steve Wozniak in 1976. The company develops and sells computer hardware, electronics and devices. They are best known as the company that innovates and creates the next level of gadgets and devices. You probably know Apple from its products like the iPhone, the iPod, and its Macs.
Being a unique brand, Apple laptops have their own pre-installed OS called the Mac OS. Unlike other operating systems. the Mac OS is error-free and more secure than other operating systems currently on the market.
The renowned company is known for its user-friendly and simplistic designs, amazing cameras, high specs hardware, friendly and competent customer support, aesthetic designs and the feeling of exclusivity when you buy their products.
Apple products are simply a cut of the rest! They last longer and they perform better than other laptops. Unfortunately this means they are premium products and that they are more expensive.
Thankfully their laptops provide you with an option to buy a standard or an upgraded version of the laptop. So you dont have to spend a fortune to buy a super-specced laptop which you might not need.
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The Best Gaming Laptop In 2021
At just over four pounds, the Zephyrus G15 is one of the lightest 15-inch gaming laptops you can buy. But youre not compromising performance for that portability. The G15 is powered by the top mobile chips AMD and Nvidia have to offer, and pairs thim with a fast 165Hz QHD display. In our testing, the system was able to handle even the toughest AAA titles at QHD resolution.
Almost everything else about the G15 is great too: the audio sounds good, the keyboard and touchpad are some of the best on the market, the port selection has just about everything youd need, and the battery can last over eight and a half hours to a charge. If youre looking for a high-powered gaming machine that also works great as a daily driver, the Zephyrus G15 should be at the top of your list.
The Best Laptop Of 2021
The late-2020 MacBook Air, powered by Apples M1 processor, is the best laptop you can buy. The base model, which includes 8GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage, starts at $999.
Appearance-wise, this laptop has a lot in common with the Intel-powered MacBook Air that Apple released earlier this year, including the same 2560 x 1600 screen, Touch ID, 720p webcam, fingerprint sensor, and scissor-switch keyboard.
But the new processor is the star of the show here its fast. In our testing, it handled intense photo- and video-editing workloads better than almost any Intel-powered laptop weve tried this year. It was also able to run Shadow of the Tomb Raider at close-to-playable frame rates, which is quite a feat for integrated graphics. At launch, these apps hadnt yet been optimized for the M1 processor and were running through Apples Rosetta 2 translation layer but they still worked fine.
And the processing power didnt even weigh down the battery life: we got between eight and 10 hours of sustained work.
Another benefit of the M1 processor is that it enables the MacBook Air to run iPhone and iPad apps natively on macOS. As of this writing, there still isnt a huge selection of mobile apps available, and some that have been released arent quite optimized for the laptop screen. Still, its a benefit we can look forward to as time goes on.
The HP Spectre x360 14 is one of the best convertible laptops you can buy.
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We’ll Help You Find The Best Laptop With Reviews And Expert Buying Advice On How To Choose A Model That Will Suit All Your Needs
ByChris Martin, Reviews Editor| 10 Aug 2021
Laptops have thwarted the attempts of tablets to take over and remain a staple of the tech world. There are almost endless amounts to choose from with a complicated range of models and specs so we’ve reviewed and ranked the best right here.
We’ve tested and ranked 15 top laptops you can get right now and we’re adding more on a regular basis. You’ll find a summary along with our expert rating and where you can buy each laptop, but make sure you click through to each review for more details.
If none of the laptops we’ve listed here is quite right for you, let us arm you with the knowledge you need to help you chose what laptop to buy. Following the chart, you’ll find extensive buying advice that covers everything from what processor is suitable to how much storage you’ll need and whether or not you should be looking for a more portable option.
If value is your primary concern, we’ve also scoured the web for laptop deals and the best budget laptops.
How Much Battery Life Is Enough
Many laptops can last an entire day away from the power outlet, even when youre using them for demanding but common activities like streaming internet video. There are exceptions a laptop with a 4K display and a powerful CPU probably will not last for more than 8 hours or so before its battery dies, and most gaming laptops die far sooner. When youre 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. Youll find more than a few exceptions, though, and even powerful laptops have become adept at sensing when their maximum power isnt 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 percent screen brightness. An excellent result on our test suggests that the laptop is good at adapting its power use to the task at hand, and you can use the results to compare the potential of machines you are considering.
Measuring battery life is notoriously tricky, though, since its entirely dependent on how you use your laptop. Your usage profile probably doesnt match our testor anyone elsesto a T. So youll want to look at tested battery life in a relative, rather than absolute, sense.
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Hp Elite Dragonfly G2
One of the best laptops weve tested
Specifications
Reasons to avoid
HPs impressive business laptop is back with its smart design, great battery life, and 2-in-1 prowess. The HP Elite Dragonfly was among the best HP laptops, and its successor is following in its footsteps. Of course, being a follow-up, its more powerful now than its predecessor. Now, the line is touting 11th-gen Intel Core chips, Intel Iris Xe graphics, and now a 4K display, upgrading from its previous Full HD models.
Of course, theres a whole lot more to love here. It might just be as close to being the perfect business laptop as any manufacturer can get, but its also stylish enough to appeal to the more casual users. That is, if they can afford it as this laptop is as expensive as its always been. However, as it is meant for professionals, its definitely worth the investment. Plus, that 2-in-1 form factor, touchscreen functionality and included stylus makes it a better value than its rivals.
Read the full review: HP Elite Dragonfly G2
Which Brand Is Best For Laptops
While we’ve ranked Apple as the best in the biz, there’s a good amount of great laptop brands out there. Each tends to deliver quality machines all-around, but their purpose may be better suited to specific niches’ depending on what you’re after.
Are you a creative type that likes to draw, edit photos or even create them in Photoshop? Apple MacBooks may be a good choice for you. Are you a gamer looking to get a solid mobile machine? Options from brands like Alienware, Razer and ASUS may be what you’re looking for.
Check out our reviews for more details into just what each laptop is best at!
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Research And Buying Tips
Whats the best laptop brand?
Picking just one laptop brand as the best is a bit of a challenge lately. There are so many great laptops available today, and they come from several manufacturers. Hold our feet to the fire, though, and well have to pick Dell as the overall best. Dell seems invested in applying the latest materials to improve the performance of its laptops, and its constantly coming up with new innovative designs.
HP is no slouch either. It, too, utilizes some unique materials and makes some customer-friendly design decisions, such as resisting the thin-and-light trend to pack in more battery capacity.
In terms of customer service and reliability, Apple carries the torch for its convenience. Its issues with its recent keyboards have been fixed, making MacBooks highly durable. Its customer service is top-notch. Though if youre looking for 5G laptops specifically, only a few models already exist.
Whats a 2-in-1 laptop?
A 2-in-1 laptop is one that isnt limited to the traditional clamshell configuration. Instead, a 2-in-1 can convert from a clamshell into some form of tablet PC that allows for natural inking and media consumption.
Today, you can pick from among a variety of different kinds of 2-in-1s. The most popular types are the tablet with a detachable keyboard, epitomized by the Microsoft Surface Pro 7, and the 360-degree convertible where the display flips around to turn into a slate.
What processor should I buy?
So Which Cheap Gaming Laptop To Buy
At the top of this article and below, we’ve mapped out our top-rated models to investigate. Note that a few of the configurations sent to us for testing were a bit above $1,000 some remain so, while others have fallen below the one-grand line since. Also, note that most of these models are a single version of a machine in a varied line. So use the linked reviews as guidelines, not absolutes, when assessing each laptop family. You may not get quite the level of performance we did, if key components were downgraded to get the price below $1,000. But you should get a solid idea of the various laptops’ screen, build, and input quality from our reviews.
In addition to poring over our reviews and checking out the vendors’ sites, using the price filters at a reseller like Newegg.com can help you see different configurations at different price points. Some manufacturers offer lots of differently weighted versions of the same laptop . Playing with the filters on these sites can be an illuminating exercise in give-and-take.
Want to round out your PC gaming experience? Also check out our picks for the best gaming mice and top gaming headsets, as well as our picks for the best gaming laptops overall, price aside.
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The Lenovo Ideapad Flex 5 Offers Solid Specifications And A Flexible Design That Allows It To Double As A Laptop And A Tablet At A Price That’s Hundreds Of Dollars Below The $1000 Mark
- Screen: 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 touchscreen
- Processor: Starts with 10th-gen Intel Core i3
- Operating system: Windows 10 S
- Memory and storage: Starts with 4G RAM, 128GB storage
Pros: Great price, excellent keyboard and trackpad, decent performance, long battery life
Cons: Fans can get noisy, display is a little dim and lackluster
The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex is tough to beat for those seeking an affordable yet reliable laptop. For hundreds of dollars below the $1,000 threshold, you’re getting a recent processor that has plenty of power, a spacious touchscreen, and 128GB of storage.
The 15.6-inch version of Lenovo’s IdeaPad Flex 5 is currently available for $479.99, and it comes with a 10th-generation Intel Core i3 processor which is just one generation behind Intel’s current chips a 1080p touchscreen, and 4GB of RAM.
Those aren’t top-of-the-line specifications, but they’re more than enough for anyone that spends most of their time on laptops browsing the web, writing emails, streaming Netflix, taking notes, and managing spreadsheets. There’s also a physical webcam shutter to block your camera when it’s not in use and a fingerprint reader.
The configuration I’ve been testing runs on an AMD Ryzen 5 processor, has a 14-inch screen, and comes with 16GB of RAM as well as a fingerprint reader and digital stylus. However, that configuration costs a bit more at $630.
Should I Consider A Refurbished Laptop
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 youve never heard could be chancy. Its best to buy any refurbished machine directly from the manufacturers 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 of these resellers or their third parties will rate their refurbished stock with a grade. Weve seen refurbished laptops being 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. There is no universal grading system for refurbished PCs, however. Its generally up to the reseller what the grade means, and thus it can vary from seller to seller. Were 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.
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