11 months ago
74 ARTICLE AD
UPDATE: Jan. 12, 2024, 5:00 a.m. EST Mashable staff members are currently in the process of testing a slew of new PCs in our quest to find the best laptops, including the Dell Latitude 9440 2-in-1, the HP Chromebook 14 Plus x360, the HP Chromebook Plus 15, the Acer Chromebook 516GE, and the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i. We're also waiting to get our hands on some new models that debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2024. Check back soon for these laptop reviews and see if any of them are worthy of spots on this list.
Let's get this out of the way up top: There is no such thing as a universally best laptop. Whether a laptop works well for you — and there could be several that fit the bill — is a largely subjective decision that comes down to your primary use case, your preferred operating system, and your budget.
Our job is to help you narrow down the pool of options based on those three points. We've spent countless hours reviewing popular laptops and identifying the specs that matter, so we know all too well that the sheer number of models out there is enough to make anyone's head spin. (To put things in perspective, Apple's lineup now includes three MacBook Airs and two MacBook Pros across three generations of M-something chips.) Picking the Goldilocks of laptops can be tough, but unless you're a masochist, you don't have to start from square one.
Keep reading for Mashable's guide to the best laptops for 2024, including two Apple MacBooks and several Windows models by Dell, Microsoft, and Lenovo.
Note: All listed specs and prices apply to each model's base configuration.
Our Pick
Read Mashable's full review of the 13-inch Apple MacBook Air (M2).
The latest (and thinnest) 13-inch MacBook Air is often plugged as one of the best laptops for students because of its lightweight, ultra-portable design and reasonable price; the base configuration now sits right above $1,000. (It got a price adjustment following the release of its 15-inch counterpart.) But we'd go broader and recommend it as the best Apple laptop for pretty much anyone in need of a new computer.
Powered by Apple's zippy M2 chip with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage to start, the M2 MacBook Air "delivers everything you need any job centered around using a computer," writes tech and games reporter Alex Perry. That includes a "solid battery life, a larger 13.6-inch display than previous models, a keyboard that’s to die for, and enough horsepower to handle everyday tasks with ease." Other highlights include a 1080p FaceTime HD camera that produces a clear picture in low light and a four-speaker setup with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos support. It could use more ports and a better refresh rate, but as a complete package, it's a winner of our Mashable's Choice Award and a worthy upgrade from any older MacBook you're still holding onto.
As of mid-2023, the M2 MacBook Air also comes in a 15-inch model with two extra speakers starting at $1,299.
Note: The Dell XPS 15 is being phased out and replaced with the new Dell XPS 16, which debuted at CES 2024 alongside the new XPS 13 and 14. We'll be reviewing one of them in the very near future, but the XPS 15 retains its spot as our top pick in the meantime — it's hardly outdated. (If anything, it'll probably be easier than usual to find on sale in the coming weeks.)
Last year's Dell XPS 15 is a 15.6-inch machine from the brand's premium laptop line with solid build quality, a beautiful edge-to-edge display, and specs that can crush everyday tasks right out of the gate. (Its base configuration easily justifies its $1,499 price tag with a 13th-generation Intel Core i7 H-series processor, 16GB of RAM, and an Intel Arc A370M GPU.) For those in need of even more oomph, optional upgrades like NVIDIA GeForce graphics for gaming, up to 4TB of storage, up to 64GB of RAM, and a vivid OLED touchscreen will turn the XPS 15 into a bona fide desktop replacement.
The experts over at PCMag (owned by Mashable's publisher, Ziff Davis) gave the XPS 15 a 4.5/5 rating and an Editor's Choice distinction, calling it "one of the best and most flexible luxe laptops for a range of audiences" despite their disappointment with its 720p webcam and limited selection of ports. It does come with a free USB-C to USB-A and HDMI adapter, at least.
Note that the base XPS 15 has a lackluster listed battery life of up to nine hours, but the PCMag team was able to squeeze over 14 hours of use out of its upgraded testing unit.
Read Mashable's full review of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3.
Can you fall in love with a laptop based on its keyboard alone? It happened to Mashable tech editor Kim Gedeon, who called the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3's keyboard the best she's ever tested. (The only keyboard that rivals it in her book is the one on the new HP Spectre x360 14, which debuted at CES 2024.) It's the cherry on top of its excellent and ultra-portable design, which has the sort of lightweight, premium feel you'd expect from a much more expensive machine. "[It] should be called 'Windows Air,'" said Gedeon.
The specs under the Surface Laptop Go 3's hood are decidedly more underwhelming, mostly because they're largely unchanged from those in 2022's Surface Laptop Go 2, our previous top budget pick (including the same dim touchscreen display and 720p camera). It is powered by a newer 12th-generation Intel Core CPU, but that's now two generations removed in 2024. And while its base model does have double the storage and RAM of the previous model, it's also more expensive. All of that being said, the Surface Laptop Go 3 is still a really nice option for casual users and students looking for the complete package. If you can find it on sale for at least $100 off, which happens often on Amazon, even better.
Read Mashable's guide to the best 2-in-1 laptops.
For those who can't decide between a laptop or a tablet, the refined Yoga 9i from Lenovo's popular line of convertibles is everything you could want in both devices. Its star attraction is a vibrant 14-inch OLED touchscreen with an above-average 90Hz refresh rate (plus the option to upgrade to 4K), which flips on a 360-degree hinge around its attached keyboard to switch between the two different modes. It can also be propped up like a tent for movie-watching. Notably, it comes with a rechargeable stylus for drawing and sketching — the $59.99 Lenovo Precision Pen 2 — so there's no need to buy one separately.
The base configuration of the Yoga 9i includes a 13th-gen Intel Core i7 processor with 16GB of RAM to breeze through multitasking. The rest of the features on its spec sheet are equally impressive, from its 1080p webcam to the Bowers & Wilkins speaker bar with Dolby Atmos support. It should come as no surprise that it's an Editor's Choice pick over at PCMag, which deemed it "the premium 2-in-1 laptop to buy." It could use a battery bump the next time Lenovo revisits it, but that's a minor gripe somewhat nullified by its fast-charging feature.
Read Mashable's guide to the best gaming laptops.
The latest iteration of the best gaming laptop we've tested packs more punch but retains the same thin, polished design as its predecessor. The 2023 Lenovo Legion Slim 7i's 13th-gen Intel Core i9 processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series graphics can plow through AAA titles, and its vibrant 16-inch, 16:10 PureSight display has a 240Hz refresh rate for silky-smooth gameplay. (There's also an HDMI output if you want to connect it to a separate monitor.) It comes with a full-sized RGB-backlit keyboard with a full numpad and interchangeable WASD keycaps, plus built-in Harman speakers for immersive sound.
Four-and-a-half pounds is a little hefty for a traditional laptop, but for a gaming machine, the Legion Slim 7i sits comfortably in a featherweight class. If you're in the market for a gaming laptop that's basically a portable rig, look no further — but be prepared to pay up, as it retails for $2,099.99. (On the plus side, it does include a three-month Xbox Game Pass subscription.) "It’s an investment for sure, but a more sensible one than most," writes Mashable contributor Bains, who tested the previous model. Keep an eye out for discounts on it at Best Buy.
The 2023 Acer Chromebook Spin 714 is doing its best to shed this category's dinky and cheap associations, marrying competent mid-range specs like a 13th-gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a QHD webcam with ChromeOS security features (including automatic updates and cloud data storage). It's also managed to translate that signature Chromebook ruggedness into a sleek 2-in-1 design: Its build is rated for military-grade shock resistance, and its 14-inch touchscreen and touchpad are made with Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass that may protect them from lingering stains and odors. It should make your shortlist if you're hunting for a basic, user-friendly laptop the whole family can use.
While this particular model hasn't been hands-on tested by Mashable or PCMag yet, the latter gave last year's Chromebook Spin 714 a 4.5/5 and an Editor's Choice Award for its 16:10 display ("a great balance between work and play"), 1080p shuttered webcam, durable metal chassis, and garaged stylus. This version has unfortunately ditched the stylus, but its upgraded processor, improved webcam, and slightly lower price maintains its overall excellence in our book.
Read Mashable's review of the Framework Laptop (2021).
Note: We'll soon review the next-gen Framework Laptop 16. Preorders for it are now live.
Repairability doesn't seem like a big deal until your MacBook's battery conks out and you have to haul it into the Genius Bar to replace the entire bottom half of the machine. The Framework Laptop 13 is the current version of a previous Mashable's Choice Award-winning device that's specifically designed to be fixable at home, even if you have zero prior experience with DIY repairs, with replaceable CPUs, memory, storage, keyboards, displays, and even expansion cards for ports. What's more, these components can all be individually upgraded whenever Framework introduces new ones — it doesn't get more future-proof than that.
The pre-built, ready-to-use Framework Laptop 13 features a 13.5-inch matte display, improved hinges, and a better battery life than the previous iterations, and it starts with a 13th-gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of SSD storage, and Windows 11 Home. You can also opt for the DIY Edition, which can be customized with the specs (even operating system) of your choosing.
Read Mashable's full review of the 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro (M3).
If the M3 Pro-equipped MacBook Pro from late 2023 was an actual workhorse, it would be one of those jacked Budweiser Clydesdales. That formidable in-house silicon chip "translates to an uptick in performance" over the previous M2 Pro generation, writes Gedeon, "whether you're diving into photo retouching, video editing, and other tasks." It also adds support for hardware-accelerated ray tracing so that games can render more realistic-looking shadows and reflections.
This 14-inch recycled aluminum laptop also boasts impeccable speakers, an impressive battery life, and a gorgeous Liquid Retina XDR display; that's Apple-speak for a mini-LED screen with ProMotion technology, aka a 120Hz refresh rate. Notably, it also comes in a sexy new Space Black finish. It prices out most casual users, especially as you start upgrading it with more RAM and storage, but it's worth the investment for creatives who run intense software on a regular basis.
The M3 Pro MacBook Air is also available in a 16-inch variant starting at $2,499.
Read Mashable's full review of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is, as its name suggests, a laptop. But the unique pull-forward design of its 120Hz, 14.4-inch touchscreen display means it can also "transform into a digital easel and a tablet," says Gedeon, "[making] it an artist's playground." Just like its predecessor from 2021, it's an especially versatile device for content creation — though it still doesn't come bundled with a stylus, which feels like a silly omission on Microsoft's part. (It does have built-in storage and charging for the Surface Slim Pen 2, at least.)
Speaking of: While the original Surface Laptop Studio was a great laptop, it was pretty outdated by the time its successor arrived in October 2023. This second iteration fortunately features a slew of upgrades like 13th-gen Intel Core H-Series CPUs, optional NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050, 4060, or RTX 2000 GPUs, and the first Intel Neural Processing Unit in a Windows computer. (The latter adds "Windows Studio Effects" to its 1080p webcam, including blur and eye contact features). Microsoft also equipped it with a much-needed wider variety of ports and a silky-smooth haptic touchpad that has an adaptive touch mode for users with limited mobility. It is quite a bit heavier than its predecessor, so it'll probably pass on plein air doodling sessions in favor of staying parked on your desk.
Mashable staff or contributors have personally hands-on tested the M2 Apple MacBook Air, the M3 Pro MacBook Pro, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, and the Surface Laptop Studio 2, as well as previous versions of the Lenovo Legion Slim 7i and the Framework Laptop 13. Meanwhile, the experts at our sister site, PCMag (which is owned by Mashable's publisher, Ziff Davis), have thoroughly reviewed the Dell XPS 15, the Lenovo Yoga 9i, and last year's Acer Chromebook Spin 714.
Each model snagged a spot on this best laptop guide for different reasons related to their superlatives, but all of them hail from reputable brands and provide solid value for their features, with specs that should last you for years to come. They also have reliable availability and are easily found in stock on their brand/manufacturer's website or at major retailers as of early 2024.
The specific specs we took into consideration when choosing these laptops include the following:
Processor: The central processing unit (or CPU) is a chip inside a laptop's motherboard that's responsible for executing all tasks and commands — it's often referred to as the machine's brain or control center. The newer and more powerful it is, the faster your laptop will be.
Graphics processor: The graphics processing unit (or GPU) is a specialized chip that's responsible for rendering visuals. It's especially important for gaming and photo/video editing.
RAM: A laptop's random-access memory is where it temporarily stashes the data its CPU needs for any active applications. The more RAM a machine has, the more tasks it can handle simultaneously.
Storage: A laptop's storage is where it keeps long-term data. SSD (solid-state drive) storage is faster than is eMMC (embedded MultiMediaCard) flash storage, and 256GB is going to be a good starting point for most people.
Resolution: The higher your screen's resolution, the sharper its picture is going to be. Full HD (or 1920 x 1080 pixels) should be your baseline if you're going to be using your laptop for streaming or gaming.
Refresh rate: A laptop screen's refresh rate (measured in hertz) refers to the number of times it updates its picture per second; the higher the refresh rate, the smoother motion looks. 60Hz is pretty average for an everyday laptop, while nice gaming laptops range from 120Hz to 480Hz.
Webcam: While still pretty common in newer laptops, 720p cameras are just passable. We recommend aiming for 1080p (Full HD) if you plan on using your computer for regular video calls.
Ports: Different types of ports let you connect different accessories and peripherals to your laptop (like headphones and monitors).
Battery life: Eight to ten hours should get you through a day's work or play, but generally speaking, more is more.
Weight: Laptops that weigh three pounds or less will be easiest to take on the go, but usually less powerful than their heftier peers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ultimately, your budget should reflect your laptop's primary use case(s) and your preferred operating system. Here's what you can expect at different price ranges:
Laptops that cost $300 to $600 are budget Windows notebooks and Chromebooks reserved for word processing, web browsing, and email sending. Models on the lower end of this price range tend to be clunkers with pokey Intel Celeron N Series CPUs and eMMC storage; spending a little extra can get you a sleeker machine with a better entry-level processor, more battery life, SSD storage, and a backlit keyboard.
Laptops that cost $600 to $1,000 are mostly Windows models and high-end Chromebooks with crisper displays and mid-range CPUs that are good for schoolwork, streaming, and casual gaming.
Laptops priced at $1,000 to $1,500 are peppy Windows ultrabooks, MacBooks, and gaming laptops with plenty of storage, bright, pretty displays, enough power for light photo and video editing, and great graphics.
Laptops that cost more than $1,500 are beautiful, beefy, and blazing-fast MacBooks Pros and Windows desktop replacements geared toward professional content creation and intense gaming. (They're probably overkill for the average person.)
If you want to stretch your budget beyond these usual constraints, bookmark our roundup of the best laptop deals across major retailers and tech manufacturers: We're updating it constantly with new deals as we find them.
If you commute daily or travel often, a lightweight, slim, and compact laptop in the 11- to 13-inch range will serve you best. If you're a huge movie buff, a gamer, or a creator who doesn't normally take their laptop on the road with them, you can bulk up to a 15- to 17-inch model with heft that affords it more power.
You get what you pay for, but some brands' cheap laptops can take you pretty far these days, and certain use cases don't necessitate the latest or most powerful specs. For more intel, check out our guides to the best cheap laptops and the best budget laptops under $500.
Haley Henschel is a Chicago-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable who reviews and finds deals on popular tech, from laptops to gaming consoles and VPNs. She has years of experience covering shopping holidays and can tell you what’s actually worth buying on Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. Her work has also explored the driving forces behind digital trends within the shopping sphere, from dupes to 12-foot skeletons.
Haley received a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and honed her sifting and winnowing skills at The Daily Cardinal. She previously covered politics for The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, investigated exotic pet ownership for Wisconsin Watch, and blogged for some of your favorite reality stars.
In her free time, Haley enjoys playing video games, drawing, taking walks on Lake Michigan, and spending time with her parrot (Melon) and dog (Pierogi). She really, really wants to get back into horseback riding. You can follow her on X at @haleyhenschel or reach her via email at [email protected].
