As a result, this “best laptop” roundup covers a range of different use cases and computing platforms to provide a 2023 overview of the cream of the laptop market. As always, individual requirements and preferences will vary, so when choosing a laptop, check out other similar models, examine the specifications and price points, visit the manufacturers’ online forums to see how customer relations are working out in practice, and get hands-on if you can to get a feel for the ergonomics. And of course, read the reviews. Also: The best laptops under $1,000 Apple’s M2 MacBook Air offers a larger (13.6-inch), brighter (500 nits) screen than its M1-based predecessor in a sleek redesign that’s actually 20% smaller by volume. Despite its thin-and-light chassis, the M2 MacBook Air is sturdily built and fanless, making it silent in operation. It is equipped with a quad-speaker system, two Thunderbolt 3/USB4 ports, and a MagSafe power connector. Additionally, there’s a welcome upgrade to a 1080p webcam. Review: M2 MacBook Air The M2 MacBook Air delivers excellent performance with its 52.6Wh battery, powering the system for nearly 16 hours – equivalent to two full working days – in ZDNET’s rundown test. Rated as “Outstanding” and “one of the lightest and most elegant ultraportable laptops we’ve seen,” the M2 MacBook Air is not only ZDNET’s choice for the best overall laptop but also ZDNET’s Product of the Year. Knowledge workers spend a significant amount of time staring at their screens and typing on their keyboards while running a combination of productivity and collaboration apps. Along with a decent screen and keyboard, knowledge workers require a well-rounded performance, a spare connection for an external monitor (if necessary), and a high-quality webcam/microphone/speaker combination for handling video calls, which is especially crucial for those working remotely. Although numerous devices could fulfill these requirements, the Dell XPS 13, in my opinion, leads the field. Review: Dell XPS 13 The 2022 model (9315) is lightweight, durable, and compact, and it is powered by 12th-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors with integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics. The minimal-bezel InfinityEdge display is available in a 16:10 FHD+ resolution with 500 nits of brightness, with or without touch capability, while the keyboard is both responsive and well designed. This model does not have a 3.5mm audio jack, but it comes with a USB-C adapter in the box. Performance is suitable for mainstream productivity workloads, and the 51Wh battery should provide all-day battery life, depending on the workload mix and screen brightness setting. Dell offers a variant of the previous-generation XPS 13 (9310) with a 3.5K (3456 x 2160 pixels) OLED touch display with 400 nits of brightness. At the time of writing, an OLED version of the 9315 model is not available. Laptops designed for creators typically come with premium price tags because they require high-end features, such as powerful processing capabilities, robust graphics, abundant memory and storage, a large high-quality screen, and a sturdy industrial design with plenty of ports. Apple has long been a leading supplier of such devices and addresses the market with its 16-inch MacBook Pro, which is based on the company’s M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. The M2 Pro/Max-based MacBook Pro is slightly larger and heavier than its Intel-based predecessor, but it has a larger 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display with higher resolution (3456 x 2234 pixels, 254ppi), higher brightness (1000 nits), and dynamic refresh rate adjustment (47.95Hz-120Hz) via Apple’s Promotion technology. As a result, the upgraded 1080p webcam is now located in a phone-style in-screen notch. Review: Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro (M2 Max) Other design changes include a Magic Keyboard without a Touch Bar, a MagSafe 3 power connector, an HDMI port, three USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports, and an SDXC card reader. The 2023 MacBook sees Wi-Fi 6E and HDMI 2.1 support, too, enabling it to tap into faster internet speeds and extend onto an 8K display. From real-world tests, ZDNET found the M2 Max-powered MacBook Pro more than capable of live rendering of 4K (and even some 8K) video recordings, exporting at noticeably faster speeds than M1 models, and hitting the standard of roughly 15 hours of total battery life per charge. The 14-inch ThinkPad X1 Carbon from Lenovo sets the standard for business laptops, and the latest 10th-generation model features 12th-generation Intel Core processors, an OLED screen option, Wi-Fi 6E (with 6GHz support), and a 1080p webcam. In addition to these features, you get a compact, lightweight, and durable design, a good selection of ports including Thunderbolt 4 and HDMI, and optional LTE or 5G mobile broadband. Review: ThinkPad X1 Carbon As expected from a ThinkPad, the keyboard is top-notch, and the Dolby Atmos quad-speaker system provides excellent audio quality for a laptop of its size. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 performs adequately when running mainstream productivity apps and undemanding games, but its integrated GPU precludes more serious graphics-intensive workloads. Battery life is arguably the main drawback of this superb laptop, and it may be challenging to get a full day’s work out of it away from a power source. Additionally, it does not have an SD or MicroSD card slot. Convertible 2-in-1 devices that can function as both a traditional laptop and a tablet, with a 360-degree-hinged screen that can be positioned at various angles in between, can satisfy a variety of use cases depending on their specifications. In my opinion, the Lenovo 14-inch Yoga 9i is the leader in this category as a premium 2-in-1 device, with a starting price of $1,453. The base model includes an FHD+ (16:10) IPS touchscreen, but the Yoga 9i’s most outstanding feature is its vibrant OLED screen, which is available in 2.8K or 4K resolution. This is enclosed in a solid Comfort Edge chassis with rounded edges, weighing 3.26 pounds. Underneath the hood, the device houses 12th-generation P-series Intel Core processors, 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of SSD storage, which can provide good performance for a wide range of apps. However, the integrated Iris Xe Graphics are not sufficient for more demanding graphics applications and games. Review: Lenovo’s 14-inch Yoga 9i The edge-to-edge keyboard is quiet, although somewhat “mushy” in feel, and the touchpad is large. The device includes a 1080p IR-equipped webcam, a fingerprint reader, and a decent set of connections, including two Thunderbolt 4 ports. The Yoga 9i also comes with a stylus pen, although there is no on-device housing for it. Another highlight of the Yoga 9i is its speaker system, which includes a pair of tweeters in a “rotating soundbar hinge” and a pair of subwoofers on the underside of the chassis. Perhaps the only disappointment with the Yoga 9i is its battery life. In ZDNET’s test, the 75Wh battery averaged eight hours under an everyday mix of workloads, which is good but not class-leading. Shopping for a laptop on a budget doesn’t mean you have to settle for a substandard device. And coming from top-tier vendor, Acer’s Intel- or AMD-powered Swift 3 is anything but – featuring a sub-$1,000 price and solid performance without compromising extensive features, build quality or support options. Review: Acer Swift 3X Most Swift 3 models come with 14-inch FHD (16:9) screens and either Intel or AMD processors, with current prices ranging from $600 to $1,100 (Intel) and $800 to $880 (AMD). There is one current Intel-based Swift 3 variant with a 13.5-inch 3:2 aspect ratio screen at 2256x1504 resolution, and one with a 14-inch 16:9 QHD (2560x1440) screen. Not only are CPU, RAM, and storage options well up to scratch, but wireless connectivity – up to Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6E on certain models – is up-to-date, which is impressive in this price band. The Swift 3’s build quality is good, there’s a good selection of ports (including Thunderbolt 4 on some models), the keyboard is backlit, and you can expect to get a full day’s work done (not too demanding) on battery power. It’s not too heavy either, starting at 2.65 pounds. As noted earlier, there are any number of affordable laptops out there, and you can easily find usable Windows 11 devices for under $500 if your budget is more constrained. Chromebooks remain a top choice for users who prefer a reliable work machine for browsing, entertainment, and light content creation. The Google-powered laptops have also proven to be great investments thanks to the extensive software support provided by Chrome OS, with most models lasting seven years and more. With the HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook, the company has co-engineered with Google what is arguably the best Chromebook that money can buy. The laptop only comes in one configuration, 16GB of RAM with 256GB of storage, and costs $999. That’s a pretty penny for a Chromebook, but based on ZDNET’s testing, is well worth the cost. Review: HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook See, the HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook features a tactile RGB keyboard, the brightest touchscreen display of its kind, some of the best-sounding speakers tested, and an 8MP front-facing camera that’s been tuned by the folks who work on the Google Pixel’s camera. Altogether, the Dragonfly Pro takes a minor hit when it comes to battery life. But even then, we’re talking roughly five hours of endurance with heavy usage. Any lighter and you’ll easily see seven to eight hours of battery per charge. Samsung is best known for its smartphones and mobile accessories, but with the Galaxy Book 3 line, it’s forged a category of laptops so fitting for its users that a dedicated mention was deserved. The Galaxy Book 3 Ultra is the company’s new flagship ultrabook, with a discrete Nvidia RTX GeForce 4050 or 4070 graphics card powering the helm. That feature, on its own, already puts the Galaxy Book 3 Ultra a step above its competition. Review: Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Ultra Despite offering enhanced graphics performance for video editing, gaming, and more power-intensive applications, the Galaxy Book 3 Ultra is notably thin, measuring at 0.65 inches and weighing just shy of four pounds. But perhaps its biggest draw, especially to Samsung users, is its ecosystem-based features. For example, Galaxy phone and tablet users can effortlessly sync their devices with the laptop thanks to Multi Control and Quick Share. The latter is Samsung’s alternative to Apple’s AirDrop, a file-transferring service that works in seconds. Laptops often have to endure harsh conditions, so it’s no wonder that rugged laptops come in many forms, such as fully rugged, semi-rugged, business rugged, or extreme rugged. There are two primary classifications used to evaluate a laptop’s ruggedness: the US military’s MIL-STD 810 series (810G or the latest 810H), and the IP or Ingress Protection code. Most laptops only undergo a subset of the numerous MIL-STD 810 tests, so you may want to carefully review the specifications to see which ones were, in fact, performed. The IP code features two numbers; the first indicates resistance to solids – a 5 indicates “dust-protected,” while 6 means a device is “dust-tight.” The second refers to liquids, where a 1 signifies “dripping water,” while a 9K ratint denotes “powerful high-temperature water jets.” Panasonic’s 14-inch Toughbook 40, a fully modular device that can be customized to fit a wide range of challenging applications, has undergone MIL-STD 810H temperature, humidity, and vibration tests, and carries an IP66 rating, meaning it is extensively drop-tested from a height of 1.8 meters (6 feet). Review: Panasonic Toughbook 40 Thanks to its modular design, there are multiple configuration options for the Toughbook 40. Besides the ability to replace the main battery, RAM, and SSD drives, four areas - left and right sides, rear, and palm-rest - can accept a variety of options. These options include a second SSD and a second battery, an optical drive, a smart card reader, various combinations of ports, and a fingerprint reader. If that’s not enough, it’s also equipped with a fully-featured desktop port replicator, along with an ecosystem of accessories, including a four-bay battery charger. Speaking of battery, Panasonic claims the Toughbook 40 lasts for18 hours on one battery and 36 with two installed. Specifically designed for military operations, there’s even a one-touch Concealed Mode function that disables light and electronic transmissions. When it comes to gaming laptops, the Razer Blade 14 stands out. It is a powerful laptop, up to 70% faster than RTX 2070 SUPER laptops, and it can deliver 100 frames per second at 1440p resolution. Equipped with a powerful AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX processor (8-cores/16-threads, 20MB cache, up to 4.9 GHz max boost) with Radeon 680M Graphics, it provides an optimal gaming experience. According to ZDNET’s roundup of the best gaming laptops, the Razer Blade 14 delivers a “perfect balance of power and portability.” In addition to the high refresh rate and high resolution, it features the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti graphics card, which allows for gameplay at maximum settings, along with 1TB of total storage and 16GB of RAM. The 14-inch display has an anti-glare finish and FreeSync Premium. This laptop packs a lot into a 1.78kg chassis. While it comes with a hefty price tag due to its quality specs, Razer is currently offering this product at an 11% discount. Best Buy is offering $300 off and a 1-month Xbox Game Pass. The Asus ZenBook 17 Fold has a folding display that can work in laptop, tablet, or desktop mode. Although the Asus Zenbook 17 Fold isn’t a brand-new laptop form factor because Lenovo released the 1st-generation 13.3-inch ThinkPad X1 Fold in 2020 (now superseded by a 2nd-generation 16-inch model), it’s the first 17-inch transformer-style laptop. Unfolded, the 17.3-inch OLED screen offers 2560x1920 resolution, 500 nits brightness, and 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, and can be used as a large tablet or propped up with its kickstand and used with a Bluetooth keyboard as a desktop PC. Inside there’s a 12th-generation Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 1 TB of storage. There’s no discrete GPU, which benefits battery life but rules out demanding graphical apps and games. Fold the screen down the middle, and you can use an on-screen keyboard or drop the physical one onto the bottom half of the screen, giving you a 12.5-inch clamshell laptop. Also: Asus launches ZenBook 17 Fold This is a new way of making a portable but flexible computer, and there remain issues with the smoothness of hardware and software interaction when flipping between usage modes. It’s also an expensive device right now, although battery life seems to be pretty good considering the size of the screen and internal specification. Watch this space to see how the foldable laptop concept develops. Once you have a long list of potential candidates, your budget will likely trim it down at the top end, while your cautionary instincts should kick in at the bottom end (if something appears too good to be true, it probably is). Armed with a well-researched shortlist, you should have a good chance of ending up with a laptop that will satisfy your requirements. Also:
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All Windows devices listed here meet the requirements for Windows 11. If you purchase a device with Windows 10 installed, you will be able to upgrade to version 11 if you choose to do so. Note that after October 14, 2025, Windows 10 support will end, and there will be no further security patches or feature updates. Also: Windows 11 hands-on: Microsoft’s biggest minor upgrade ever is all about new hardware Also: Best gaming laptops you can buy right now Also: Students, take note: These are the best laptops for college
