The best laptops for your every need
Regardless of your field of work or study, everyone has the need for a laptop. Although Apple has been keen to sell us on the iPad Pro, ostensibly the tablet to replace our MacBooks, and Microsoft the Surface Pro 4, the laptop space still thrives.
While the PC space in general is experiencing a decline in market share in spite of the thriving Mac, the best laptops of today continue to bridge the gap between portability and performance using a handful of more versatile operating systems and constant hardware advances.
Whether you want to use the full-fledged desktop versions of Adobe’s Creative Suite software or simply use a trackpad and keyboard to draft up documents in Microsoft Office, a laptop is the way to go. Even the games are better on a laptop as opposed to a smartphone or tablet.
Even in the face of being banned on flights to the US, laptops stand strong. That’s largely due, of course, to the wide variety of form factors to choose from. 2-in-1s, Ultrabooks, gaming laptops and traditional clamshells considered, these are our picks of the top laptops around.
1. Dell XPS 13
The Dell XPS 13 is the best laptop money can buy
CPU: Intel Core i3 – i7 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620 | Screen: 13.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800) | Storage: 128GB – 512GB SSDWith the 2016 model, the Dell XPS 13 reigns supreme as the best laptop you can buy today. Thin and light with a battery life that exceeds 7 hours, according to our movie test, Dell’s flagship laptop is the posterchild for Ultrabooks. Once again, too, Dell has managed to squeeze a 13.3-inch screen into an 11-inch frame, proving the nigh-borderless InfinityEdge display to be a design marvel. Outfitted with Intel’s latest Kaby Lake processors and lightning-fast storage and memory, the Dell XPS 13 is dressed to impress with welcome addition of a Rose Gold color option as well. It should comes as no surprise, then, that we still rank it as the best Ultrabook and best laptop overall.
- Faster than ever
- Same long-lasting battery
- Still poor webcam position
- No Windows Hello
2. Asus ZenBook UX305
Better than the MacBook and at a fraction of the price
CPU: Intel Core Intel Core M3-6Y30 – M7-6Y75 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 515 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – QHD+ (3200 x 1800) IPS display | Storage: 256GB – 512GB SSD
- Incredibly thin and light
- Vibrant, glare-free screen
- Weak sauce graphics
- Tinny speakers
If you're looking for a Windows alternative to Apple's latest rose-tinted MacBook, the Asus ZenBook UX305 might be more your speed. Though it looks like a Cupertino design from every angle, it's actually superior to Apple's creations in almost every way. From its purple-tinged aluminum design to its sharp display and hearty helping of built-in storage space, the UX305 puts Windows back in style, fanless design, long battery life and all. And, while the low-cost is enticing, if you're shopping for something with a bit more horsepower (not to mention an even more compact design), look no further than the Asus ZenBook 3
3. Razer Blade Stealth
The gaming Ultrabook you’ve been waiting for
CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 12.5-inch, QHD+ (2,560 x 1,440) – 4K (3,840 x 2,160) IGZO LED-backlit multi-touch | Storage: 128GB – 1TB SSDThe Razer Blade Stealth is an exceptional Ultrabook hindered only by its efforts in trying to be a gaming laptop. Price-wise, it has the upperhand against key competitors, but don’t be fooled – with an Intel Kaby Lake Core i7 processor, the latest Blade Stealth is more powerful and power-efficient than ever. Better yet, this laptop can change the lighting of each key on its keyboard, with more than 16.8 million colors to choose from. Plus, if you mind the integrated graphics from Intel, you can attach a (albeit rather pricey) Razer Core external GPU enclosure for boosted performance when stationary.
- Captivating, colorful display
- Greatly improved battery life
- Cumbersome charger
- Keyboard needs more travel
4. Asus Chromebook Flip
The winning premium Chromebook formula
CPU: Intel Pentium – Core m3 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 515 | RAM: 4GB | Screen: 12.5-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) LED backlit anti-glare | Storage: 32GB – 64GB eMMC
- Elegant tablet mode
- Gorgeous, vivid screen
- No out of box Android app support
- Middling speakers
5. HP Spectre x360
A well-rounded 2-in-1 that exceeds expectations
CPU: Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch FHD 1,920 x 1,080 – UHD 3,840 x 2,160 IPS multi-touch | Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD
- Ultra-thin and light styling
- Long-lasting and quick-charging battery
- Lacks SD card reader
- Especially thick bottom bezel
The 13.3-inch version of the HP Spectre x360 may not boast the SD card slot of its 15.6-inch sibling, but what it does pack is virtually identical performance in a more compact shell. In fact, it’s 13% thinner and 11% lighter than the previous convertible laptop of the same name. For the price, it’s tough to beat, what with a 4K screen and a transformative design for the price of the entry-level MacBook Pro.
Then there’s the keyboard, which went from 1.5mm to 1.3mm of travel this time and still feels significantly better when compared to previous HP Spectre x360 models. What’s more, despite having a lengthy battery life of 8 hours and 45 minutes, according to our own movie test, the HP Spectre x360 still manages to weigh no more than a mere 2.85 pounds. Just when we thought there wasn’t a laptop that’s cutting-edge in every category, the HP Spectre x360 proves us wrong.
6. Razer Blade
When you were partying, Razer studied the Blade
CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 12.5-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) matte – UHD (3,840 x 2,160) IGZO | Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSDThe latest iteration of the flagship Razer Blade may not have a lot of features to personalize, but it does succeed in just about every other regard. Its slim form factor is joined by not only a powerful, discrete graphics chip capable of running the latest games at the highest settings, but the Razer Blade puts most gaming laptops to shame when it comes to battery life. Sure, the svelte exterior makes it tempting without any knowledge of specs, but the fact that the Razer Blade lasted 7 hours and 29 minutes in our in-home movie test makes this deal all the more sweeter. Plus, the option of a 4K display is a welcome, added touch.
- Stronger game performance
- Longer battery life
- Still pricey
- Trackpad buttons need to go
7. Samsung Notebook 7 Spin
Premium build, affordable price point
CPU: 2.5GHz Intel Core i7-6500U | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce 940MX (2GB DDR3L); Intel HD Graphics 520 | RAM: 12GB – 16GB | Screen: 15.6-inch Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) LED with touch panel | Storage: 1 TB HDD – 1TB HDD; 128GB SSD
- Excellent value
- HDR display
- Hefty weight
- Graphics narrowly miss the mark
Samsung even went as far as to include an HDR display despite offering only a 1080p resolution. Though not many services actually support the technology (yet), some argue that it's more essential than a higher resolution anyway. Deeper blacks, more vibrant color – the works.
8. Acer Aspire S 13
Proof that the MacBook Air is getting old
CPU: Intel Core i3 – i7 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 520 – 620 | RAM: 4GB – 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) anti-glare touchscreen IPS | Storage: 128GB – 512GB SSD
- High performance and decent battery life
- Low price
- Exterior feels a little cheap
Even though arguably the MacBook Air itself has expired, the clones seem to never cease production. Among them is the Acer Aspire S 13, an affordable alternative to Apple’s entry-level laptop that even outdoes it in some ways. It’s not quite as thin and light as many prominently featured Ultrabooks, nor is it particularly expensive looking. However, the Acer Aspire S 13 does pack quite a punch when it comes to performance. USB Type-C and a full HD display put it just over the edge in beating out the 13-inch MacBook Air, and for a much lower cost at that. Despite the efficacy of the CPU, the Acer Aspire S 13 even manages a battery life of 7 hours and 49 minutes, according to our movie test results.
9. Samsung Notebook 9
Greatness doesn't need to break the bank
CPU: 2.3GHz Intel Core i5-6200U | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 520 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) LED anti-reflective display | Storage: 256GBThe Samsung Notebook 9 may not be the flashiest title on the list, but at $949 it does offer more bang for the buck than you'll see in most laptops. That's because unlike much of the competition now, it's an Ultrabook with a full-fledged Core i5 Skylake processor. That alone makes it effectively more powerful than a MacBook Air with a better screen resolution and price point to boot. On the downside, it's the battery life that takes a hit as a result.
- Competitively priced
- Nearly perfect display
- Micro-sized video ports
- Short battery life
10. Surface Book
The ultimate Windows 10 hybrid laptop
CPU: Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel HD graphics 520 – Nvidia GeForce graphics | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.5-inch, 3,000 x 2,000 PixelSense Display | Storage: 128GB – 256GB PCIe3.0 SSD
- Futuristic design
- Seamless tablet separation
- Battery life falls well below promises
- Major updates are still in tow
If you're looking for a more traditional notebook, Microsoft knocked it out of the park with its first laptop ever, the Surface Book. Though it has a peculiar 3:2 aspect ratio and 13.5-inch screen that's outside of the norm for most Ultrabooks, it's one of the best designed convertible laptops ever created. As a standalone tablet, otherwise known as the Clipboard, it's the most powerful and thinnest Windows 10 computers in the world. Then docking the screen into the keyboard base affords it even more performance by way of a discrete GPU.
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