The Best Laptops

Smartphones may dominate our screen time these days, but when it comes to getting real work done, nothing beats a laptop. Whether you’re putting together spreadsheets, editing videos, writing papers, or just need a proper keyboard and a screen you can actually see, a phone just won’t cut it. A good laptop is still one of the most important tools you can own.

The tricky part is figuring out which one to buy. The laptop market is all over the place, from ultra-lightweight machines you’ll barely notice in your bag to budget-friendly options that get the job done without emptying your wallet to powerful workstations that can handle demanding creative work. What makes sense for a college student hauling their computer between classes is completely different from what a video editor or software developer needs.

In this guide, I’ve rounded up the best laptops across different categories and price points. Whether you’re after raw performance, all-day battery life, or just the best value for your money, there’s something here for you.

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1

Best Windows Option

A sleek 2-in-1 laptop with a bright touchscreen, solid performance, and flexible 360-degree design for work, study, and streaming.

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The Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 is the best overall Windows option in this guide because it strikes a rare balance between performance, versatility, and everyday usability. Powered by Intel processors, it delivers fast, responsive performance for everything from multitasking with dozens of browser tabs to creative work and light productivity tasks. At the same time, it remains quiet, efficient, and approachable for students, professionals, and anyone who wants a dependable all around laptop that does not feel overbuilt or overly technical.

Portability is one of the Yoga 7i’s strongest assets. The laptop is thin and compact enough to slide into a backpack or tote without much thought, making it easy to carry to a coffee shop, classroom, or flight. Battery life is excellent for a Windows machine, lasting well beyond a typical workday on a single charge, whether you are browsing the web, streaming video, or working in documents. This combination of lightweight design and long lasting power makes it feel genuinely practical for people who move around throughout the day.

The typing and trackpad experience is polished and comfortable. The backlit keyboard has snappy, well spaced keys that feel satisfying without being loud or distracting in quiet environments. The trackpad is smooth and reliable for swipes, taps, and multi finger gestures, which makes everyday navigation feel effortless rather than finicky. A built in fingerprint reader on the palm rest adds a layer of convenience, allowing for quick and secure logins without needing to type a password every time.

The 14 inch OLED display is one of the highlights of this laptop. With a 1920 by 1200 resolution, it produces rich, vivid colors and deep contrast that make movies, photos, and creative work look especially engaging. The glossy touchscreen can reflect light in bright environments, but the overall visual quality is impressive, particularly given the laptop’s reasonable price. In a market where many Windows laptops cut corners on display quality, the Yoga 7i’s OLED panel feels like a premium feature that actually enhances daily use.

Flexibility is built into the design thanks to the 360 degree hinge. You can use the Yoga 7i as a traditional clamshell laptop, flip it into tent mode for watching videos, or rotate the screen completely to use it as a tablet. Some configurations include a stylus that feels similar to an Apple Pencil in size and comfort for note taking or sketching, though there is no built in storage slot for it inside the chassis. The sturdy gray aluminum body with rounded edges feels solid in both laptop and tablet modes, with minimal flex in the lid or keyboard deck.

Rounding out the experience are thoughtful extras that make this laptop feel complete rather than just adequate. The 5MP webcam delivers sharper and more flattering video quality than the typical 1080p cameras found on many competitors, which is a meaningful upgrade for remote work and video calls. The upward firing speakers are better than average for a laptop, offering a wider soundstage and decent bass compared with the tinny audio common in this category. Connectivity is modern and versatile, with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI, USB A, microSD, and an audio jack, along with support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. The main drawback is weight, as the Yoga 7i comes in at just over three pounds, making it slightly heavier than some thin and light rivals and a bit cumbersome in tablet mode, but this is a minor trade off for everything it gets right.

Apple MacBook Air M4

Best Mac Option

Features Apple's M4 chip for blazing performance, all-day battery life, a vivid display, and a sleek, lightweight build.

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The MacBook Air M4 is one of the most compelling all around laptops Apple has ever made, blending speed, efficiency, and elegant design into a remarkably portable package. Powered by Apple’s latest M4 chip, it refines what already worked well in previous Air models while delivering noticeably better performance, stronger battery life, and improved multimedia capabilities. The days when the MacBook Air felt underpowered for everyday work are clearly over, and for many people it now offers essentially all the speed they need without stepping up to a heavier MacBook Pro. Available in both 13 inch and 15 inch versions, it gives buyers flexibility depending on how much screen space they prefer while remaining impressively light, as even the larger model is easy to carry around.

Apple has carefully polished nearly every detail of this laptop. The fanless design keeps the system completely silent, even when handling demanding workloads, which makes it pleasant to use in quiet spaces. Battery life remains excellent, typically lasting through a full day of real world use, even if it is slightly shorter than some older Air models. The Liquid Retina display is bright, sharp, and color accurate, reaching around 500 nits of brightness and covering both sRGB and DCI P3 color spaces well enough for serious creative work. True Tone support automatically adjusts the warmth of the screen based on ambient lighting, making long reading or editing sessions more comfortable.

Performance is where the M4 chip really shines. With a 10 core CPU and up to a 10 core GPU, the MacBook Air feels fast and responsive whether you are juggling dozens of browser tabs, running productivity apps, or doing lighter creative work. In everyday use it handles heavy multitasking surprisingly well, easily keeping up with apps like Slack, Discord, Spotify, and large Chrome sessions at the same time. You may notice a slight slowdown only when workloads become extreme, but for most people the included 16GB of memory is more than enough outside of very heavy media editing or professional coding.

Connectivity remains streamlined but practical. Two Thunderbolt 4 USB C ports, MagSafe 3 charging, and a headphone jack cover most everyday needs, and the ability to connect two external displays with the lid open is a welcome upgrade for people who work with multi monitor setups. MagSafe remains especially convenient, since the magnetic cable safely detaches if it gets tugged, and fast charging can bring the battery to about 50 percent in just 30 minutes with a compatible charger. The keyboard is comfortable and consistent for long typing sessions, while the haptic trackpad is smooth, precise, and among the best in the industry.

Media and communication are also strong points for the MacBook Air M4. The 15 inch model includes a six speaker sound system with support for Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos, delivering fuller, more immersive sound than most thin and light laptops. The upgraded 12MP Center Stage webcam is a meaningful improvement over previous Air models, producing sharper, clearer video and keeping you centered in frame during calls. Apple also added useful camera features like Desk View, which can show a top down view of your workspace beneath the trackpad. macOS Sequoia further enhances productivity with features like iPhone mirroring and smarter window management that make everyday workflows feel more fluid.

The design of the MacBook Air has also subtly evolved. The M4 model uses an especially thin, uniform slab like shape rather than the older wedge style, which makes it feel great to carry when closed and easy to slip into a bag. Build quality remains excellent, with a clean aluminum chassis that looks and feels premium. Apple also introduced a new sky blue color option that shifts subtly depending on the lighting, alongside classic silver, starlight, and midnight, giving buyers more aesthetic choice than before.

The main limitation of the MacBook Air remains its lack of upgradeability, as both RAM and storage are soldered to the motherboard. This means it is important to choose the right configuration upfront, but Apple now includes 16GB of memory even in base models, which is generous for most users. Pricing is also more attractive than ever, with frequent discounts bringing the M4 Air well below its official list price, making it one of the better values in Apple’s lineup.

Overall, the MacBook Air M4 stands out as one of the best lightweight laptops you can buy. Its combination of polished design, excellent battery life, smooth performance, and improved webcam and display make it a versatile choice for productivity, creative work, and entertainment alike. For anyone who wants a refined, reliable, and long lasting laptop without the weight or cost of a Pro model, the MacBook Air M4 is an easy recommendation.

Lenovo ThinkPad T480

Best Budget Option

Powerful performance, all-day battery life, durable construction, and comfortable, professional design at a budget price.

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The Lenovo ThinkPad T480 remains one of the best value laptops you can buy in 2025, particularly on the refurbished market where prices often drop to 250 dollars or less. Originally designed as a premium business machine, it brings enterprise level durability, excellent input devices, and a remarkably versatile set of ports to a much wider audience. It does not have the razor thin profile of modern ultraportables, but it compensates with reliability, repairability, and practicality that are rare in this price range.

At 3.6 pounds, the T480 is not the lightest laptop around, but it is still easy enough to carry in a backpack or messenger bag. The chassis feels rock solid, having been built to withstand shocks, vibration, and harsh conditions, which makes it a reassuring option for everyday use. The classic soft touch black finish and minimalist ThinkPad aesthetic give it a professional look, while the sturdy construction keeps flex to a minimum in both the keyboard deck and display. Lenovo also equipped this model with an unusually generous selection of ports, including Thunderbolt 3, USB C, USB A, HDMI, Ethernet, and a full size SD card reader, making it simple to connect monitors, storage devices, and peripherals without a dock.

The keyboard is one of the strongest reasons to consider this laptop. ThinkPads have long been known for their excellent typing experience, and the T480 lives up to that reputation with deep, tactile keys that feel comfortable even during long writing sessions. The TrackPoint nub sits in the middle of the keyboard for those who prefer it, while the large trackpad is smooth and reliable for standard gestures. The 1080p IPS display delivers good brightness, accurate colors, and wide viewing angles, making it well suited for productivity, media consumption, and general multitasking, though lower resolution configurations are best avoided.

Performance holds up surprisingly well for a machine of this age. Many refurbished units ship with 8th generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, paired with 8 to 16GB of RAM and fast SSD storage. This is more than enough for web browsing, office applications, video streaming, and even light creative work or programming. The integrated Intel UHD 620 graphics are not built for gaming or heavy 3D workloads, but they handle everyday tasks smoothly, and some versions include an Nvidia MX150 GPU for a modest boost in visual performance.

One of the T480’s standout features is its dual battery system, which pairs an internal battery with a removable external one. Opting for the larger 72Wh battery can provide a full day of real world use, sometimes more, depending on your workload. The hot swappable design means you can replace the external battery without shutting down the laptop, which is especially useful for long travel days or extended work sessions away from an outlet.

Audio quality is solid for a business oriented laptop, with clear dialogue and adequate volume for videos and calls, though bass is limited as expected from small, bottom firing speakers. The webcam is functional for meetings, and some configurations include an infrared camera for facial recognition, while most models also offer a fingerprint reader for quick and secure logins. It may not have the latest biometric features found on newer laptops, but it still covers the essentials well.

The ThinkPad T480 is a rare example of a former high end business laptop that has aged gracefully into an outstanding budget option. Its combination of durability, excellent keyboard, replaceable battery, and extensive connectivity makes it a practical choice for anyone who values reliability over flashiness. If you are comfortable with a slightly thicker design and a more traditional aesthetic, the T480 remains one of the best laptops you can buy for under 300 dollars.

If you’d like to read more about my experience with the T480, check out the complete review here.

Acer Chromebook Plus 514

Best Chromebook Option

A durable, fast Chromebook with a bright 14-inch display, all-day battery, and Google AI features for school and everyday work.

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The Acer Chromebook Plus 514 ended up being the best Chromebook choice we tested because it delivers an excellent mix of performance, usability, and value without cutting corners in the places that matter most. It feels genuinely capable for everyday work rather than just a basic web machine, with fast performance, a comfortable backlit keyboard, and a smooth, reliable trackpad that makes long sessions of typing and browsing easy. It is also light and portable enough to carry around without hassle, while still offering battery life that comfortably gets most people through a full day of work, classes, or general use.

Performance is a strong point for the Chromebook Plus 514. It meets modern Chromebook performance standards and handles real world multitasking with confidence, whether that means juggling Gmail, Google Docs, spreadsheets, Slack, streaming music, or multiple browser tabs at once. Even with video calls layered on top of everything else, the system remains responsive and stable, which is not always a given at this price. This makes it a practical choice for students, professionals, or anyone who lives primarily in web based apps.

Portability and endurance further strengthen its appeal. Weighing just over three pounds, the Chromebook Plus 514 is easy to slip into a backpack or tote and carry around throughout the day. Battery life is long enough to last from morning through evening without needing to hunt for an outlet, and the laptop is also easy to open with one hand, which adds a small but appreciated touch of convenience in everyday use.

The 14 inch 1920 by 1200 touchscreen is another highlight. Its taller 16:10 aspect ratio provides extra vertical space, which makes scrolling through web pages and working in long documents feel more comfortable and efficient. The matte coating helps reduce distracting reflections in bright rooms or near windows, and while colors are not as punchy as more expensive displays, the overall image quality is far better than the poor TN panels often found in budget laptops. For a laptop in this price range, the screen is genuinely impressive.

Connectivity and longevity round out the package nicely. The Chromebook Plus 514 includes a practical mix of modern ports that should work with most accessories people already own, and it comes with guaranteed software updates through June 2035, which is a significant benefit for long term usability. There are some trade offs, as it lacks a 360 degree hinge for tablet mode, its 1080p webcam is only mediocre despite having a privacy shutter, and the upward firing speakers sound harsh and light on bass. Still, when you balance these flaws against everything it gets right, the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 remains the most well rounded and compelling Chromebook for most people.

Apple MacBook Pro M4

Fastest Mac Option

Powerful M4 chip, industry-leading battery life, and vivid OLED screen make this the ultimate productivity tool.

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The MacBook Pro M4 is Apple’s most powerful and refined laptop to date, designed for people who need serious performance without sacrificing polish or reliability. It is built for demanding workloads like video editing, software development, engineering simulations, and AI driven creative tools, yet it remains approachable enough for everyday productivity. With exceptional speed, outstanding battery life, and one of the best laptop displays available, this 14 inch model feels like a true high performance workhorse rather than just a premium consumer device.

At the heart of the MacBook Pro M4 is Apple’s latest silicon, which delivers a major leap forward in processing power. Higher end configurations feature a 12 core CPU and 16 core GPU, making the laptop capable of handling heavy multitasking, professional creative applications, and complex technical workflows with ease. Real world performance improvements over previous generations are noticeable, particularly in CPU intensive tasks, and the M4 holds its own against many top tier Windows competitors. Apple has also integrated advanced neural processing capabilities that support Apple Intelligence features in macOS Sequoia, enabling smarter on device tools for writing, editing, and productivity.

The design remains instantly recognizable and impeccably built. The aluminum chassis feels solid and premium, with clean lines and a minimalist aesthetic that has become a signature of Apple laptops. It is available in both Silver and Space Black without requiring an upgrade to higher tier configurations, which makes the lineup feel more accessible. Weighing 3.4 pounds, it is impressively portable for a professional grade machine, and the improved port selection makes it more versatile than earlier models. With three Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI, an SDXC card slot, and MagSafe 3 charging, the MacBook Pro M4 is well equipped for external displays, cameras, and other accessories.

The 14.2 inch Liquid Retina XDR display continues to be one of the standout features of this laptop. The screen delivers deep contrast, vibrant colors, and excellent clarity, making it ideal for photo and video work, design, and media consumption. An optional nano texture coating reduces reflections in bright environments, which is particularly useful for working near windows or outdoors. With support for HDR and a 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate, animations and scrolling feel smooth and responsive while still looking incredibly sharp.

Video calls and remote work benefit from the upgraded 12MP Center Stage webcam, which produces clearer and more natural looking footage than many competing laptops. The camera automatically keeps you centered in the frame, which is helpful for presentations and meetings. Apple’s six speaker audio system and high quality microphones further enhance the experience, making the MacBook Pro M4 feel well suited for professional communication and content creation.

Battery life is another major strength of this model. Apple advertises up to 24 hours of video playback, and in practical use the laptop can easily last through a full day of work or creative projects without needing a charge. This kind of endurance is rare in a high performance laptop and makes the MacBook Pro M4 a strong option for people who travel frequently or work away from a desk.

macOS Sequoia also brings a range of intelligent features that take advantage of the M4 chip. Tools like Writing Tools, Smart Siri, Clean Up in Photos, and iPhone Mirroring are deeply integrated into the system, helping streamline everyday tasks and creative workflows. These additions make the laptop feel not just faster, but genuinely smarter and more capable over time.

The MacBook Pro M4 is not the cheapest option in this category, with prices starting at 1,599 dollars and climbing significantly with storage and display upgrades. There are minor trade offs, such as slower SSD speeds compared with some competitors and limited gaming performance, but these do little to diminish its overall appeal. For anyone looking for a premium, powerful, and long lasting laptop that excels across productivity, creativity, and portability, the MacBook Pro M4 remains one of the strongest choices available.

Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i

Best Performance Windows Option

A powerful, premium Windows laptop with a stunning display, strong graphics, and excellent build quality for demanding creative work.

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The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i is one of the most compelling Windows laptops available for people who need serious creative performance without switching to a Mac. It is aimed squarely at designers, video editors, developers, and other professionals who rely on demanding applications and want a machine that can keep up with heavy workloads. While Windows laptops have often lagged behind MacBook Pro models in recent years, this machine represents a clear turning point by delivering top tier speed that competes with and even surpasses Apple’s offerings in certain creative tasks.

Performance is the defining strength of the Yoga Pro 9i. It is exceptionally fast for media editing, especially when working with large 4K video projects that push both the CPU and GPU. In real world export tasks, it finishes complex renders noticeably quicker than many premium competitors, which makes a meaningful difference for professionals on tight deadlines. At the same time, Windows laptops like this one tend to offer more flexible connectivity than MacBooks, which can be an advantage for people who depend on specialized peripherals or older accessories in their workflow.

The display is another standout feature. The bright OLED touchscreen delivers deep contrast, rich colors, and sharp detail, making it excellent for photo and video work, as well as everyday media consumption. A 120Hz refresh rate adds smoothness to scrolling and animations, which makes the overall experience feel more fluid and responsive. Combined with a full size keyboard that includes a dedicated number pad and a large, precise trackpad, the Yoga Pro 9i is clearly designed for productivity and long working sessions.

Comfort and build quality are also well considered. The laptop’s rounded edges make it more pleasant to rest your palms and wrists along the front of the chassis compared with sharper edged designs. The overall construction feels solid and premium, with a sturdy keyboard deck and minimal flex, which inspires confidence that it can handle regular travel and heavy use. Despite its power, the Yoga Pro 9i remains polished and professional rather than bulky or overly aggressive in its styling.

Battery life is respectable given the level of performance on tap. In typical web browsing use, it can last around 11 hours, which is solid for a high powered creative laptop, even if it does not quite match the endurance of the most efficient MacBooks. This makes it practical for a full day of lighter work away from an outlet, while still being capable of handling intensive tasks when plugged in.

There are some trade offs to consider, particularly around charging. The Yoga Pro 9i can charge through one of its USB C ports, but you will not get the full power delivery needed for long, demanding editing sessions unless you use Lenovo’s proprietary charging cable. That cable includes a fairly large power brick, which adds bulk to your bag compared with more compact USB C chargers. Still, when you weigh this inconvenience against the laptop’s exceptional speed, excellent display, strong build quality, and versatile ports, the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i remains one of the best Windows laptops for creative professionals who want maximum performance without leaving the Windows ecosystem.

Choosing the right laptop ultimately comes down to how you actually work, study, and spend your time in front of a screen. Some people prioritize raw performance for creative or technical work, while others care more about portability, battery life, or a simple, distraction free experience. The best laptop for you is not necessarily the most expensive or the most powerful on paper, but the one that fits your daily habits and makes your workflow feel smoother rather than more complicated.

It is also worth thinking about longevity, not just immediate needs. A good laptop should feel capable for several years, whether that means handling heavier software updates, juggling more demanding multitasking, or simply staying reliable as your usage evolves. Paying a little more for better build quality, a stronger display, or extra performance can often be worth it if it means avoiding frustration or an early replacement.

No matter what you value most, the current laptop landscape offers strong choices across every category, from lightweight ultraportables to high performance workhorses. With a clear sense of your priorities and a bit of thoughtful comparison, you can find a machine that feels less like a compromise and more like a natural fit for how you use technology every day.