The best laptops from the biggest brands

The laptop market is a pain — this guide isn't.

by Leah Stodart, Joseph Green, Dylan Haas

April 27, 2023

The best laptops from the biggest brands

HP Spectre x360 14

Best For Windows Stans

One of HP’s most premium offerings, the convertible Spectre reigns supreme as — dare we say — HP’s best laptop ever.

Pros & Cons

Apple MacBook Pro

Best Design

A stylish and sleek laptop that’s considered the gold standard for professionals and creatives alike.

Pros & Cons

Dell XPS 15

Best Design

One of the best looking — and top-performing — ultraportable laptops out there.

Pros & Cons

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4

Best For Windows

This next-gen Microsoft Surface puts Windows up against Apple's very best competing laptops.

Pros & Cons

Asus ROG Zephyrus G15

Best For Gaming

A powerful, expert-made machine for the serious-minded gamers out there.

Pros & Cons

Samsung Galaxy Book3

Best For Ultrabook

The latest, greatest laptop from the premium Samsung Galaxy Book range.

Pros & Cons

Lenovo IdeaPad Duet

Best For Tight Budgets

A very affordable 2-in-1 laptop that gives users the best of both worlds.

Pros & Cons

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

Choosing a new laptop isn't just about picking a gadget that looks halfway decent. It's a lifestyle choice. Your job and other life essentials (like Netflix) are vastly improved by the purchase of a slick, reliable laptop.

It’s not a decision that should be made based on simply price or looks. It's what's on the inside that counts.

Beginners need something user-friendly and straightforward. Frequent travellers need something light with a long battery life. Designers and gamers need top-notch 4K graphics and quick central processors. And everybody needs something that's not just going to break after a year. If you're stuck on a decision, we can help.

What are the best laptop brands?

Apple reigns supreme as the most popular laptop manufacturer and its flagship models — such as the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air — regularly top lists of the very best laptops that money can buy. But it’s far from the only option out there.

The Microsoft Surface has been seriously impressing since its launch in 2012, peaking, in our opinion, with the Microsoft Surface 4 (though newer versions are available). HP offers a range of laptops that span price options and capabilities. Dell is another trusty and versatile manufacturer, with a laptop range including 2-in-1 models and dedicated gaming options. Lenovo is also worth your attention.

What are the best gaming laptops?

If you’re a hardcore gamer, you need a laptop that’s built for gaming. Manufacturers such as Asus, Gigabyte, Razer, and Acer produce laptops that are dedicated to gaming and handling the latest software, combining powerful CPU, GPU, and RAM specs for smooth, uninterrupted gameplay. Household name brands such as HP and Dell also have machines built for top-flight gaming.

What are the most important laptop features?

Not every laptop will suit everyone’s needs. But there are important inner components that every laptop has and it’s important to know what they are:

CPU — Also known as the the processor, this is the brain of the laptop. It controls and communicates with everything else. For general web-surfing, emails, and essay-writing, you won’t need an all-singing, all-dancing CPU. But if you’re a serious gamer, video editor, or graphic designer — or do anything that requires you running big-time software — look for a machine with a solid, up-to-the-minute CPU processor.

GPU — The graphics processing unit, otherwise known as the graphics card. This is responsible for your laptop’s visuals. Once again, the GPU will depend on your laptop activity. You might not need eye-popping graphics for answering emails or writing coursework, but for design work or — perhaps most importantly — rendering visuals in the latest games, choose a machine with the latest, supremely powerful GPU.

RAM — This stands for random-access memory. It's for running various applications at the same time and using them as and when you need to access. (How many apps are open in your dock right now? That’s all thanks to RAM.) This basically controls the speed and dexterity of your laptop. 8GB of RAM is a good starting point if you’re a multitasker or do heavy-duty gaming and creative work.

Storage — You’ll notice that laptops usually come with one of two types of storage space — hard-disc drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD) storage. HDD is essentially a hunk of metal inside the machine that holds onto all your info. SSD stores the info on little flash-memory chips. A HDD typically holds more but it's slower than SSD. Premium and higher-ticket laptops usually come with SSD as standard. There are also cloud and external storage options, depending on your storage needs.

Display — If you’re a gamer or designer, a stunning, high-resolution display is absolutely essential. We recommend a HD 1080p resolution as a base level. Some laptops also have touchscreen capabilities, doubling up as laptop-tablet combos. This is one area where size does matter. Laptops built for gaming and creative work tend to have 15-inch displays but more portable laptops may be 13 or even 11 inches.

How much should a laptop cost?

As with anything in life, you get what you pay for. Just as there's a laptop specification to suit everyone, there's a price point too. The laptops included in this list range from around £280 to £3,060. Remember that a laptop is an investment in not just your work but your life too. It's sometimes worth spending a little extra to get a laptop that will perform harder, faster, and better.

What is the best laptop for you?

It's overwhelming but this is the kind of stuff we enjoy researching. We've put together a definitive guide of the best laptops on the market right now. We compare top brands that you probably have in mind like Apple and Dell, as well as other players you may not have considered otherwise. You're in good hands.

These are the best laptops in 2023.

HP Spectre x360 14

Best For Windows Stans

The good

Looks great on your desk Long-lasting battery life Excellent performance

The Bad

Can get warm to the touch Pricey

The Bottomline

If you want a Windows laptop that's built to last, the latest model Spectre retains its title as one of HP’s best laptops ever.

Specs

Battery Life: About 11.5 hours
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
Features: 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, 3K2K OLED display, Intel Iris Xe graphics, touchscreen, headphone/mic jack, 2 USB-C ports, 1 USB-A port, microSD slot
GPU: Intel Arc graphics
RAM: 16GB
Screen size: 13.5 inches
Storage: 2TB SSD

The premium sibling (at a premium price) to our favorite HP Envy x360, HP's Spectre is the laptop to strive for if you're a self-proclaimed PC loyalist. Its specs are solid, the build quality is outstanding and it looks — and feels — sleek and powerful. (Did we mention it’s trimmer and lighter than the past generation, too?) It even has glam metallic edges that hint at what a jewel of a machine it is: It’s built to speed through all the gaming and multitasking you want to do, with 1 TB of storage, a radiant 3000 x 2000 AMOLED touchscreen display and an impressive 12+ hours of battery life.

Apple MacBook Pro

Best Design

The good

Ease of use Stylish and powerfully fast New M1 chip boosts performance Way better battery life than previous models

The Bad

Expensive Give or take TouchBar Not a lot of added benefit over the Air for not-media-heavy work Only two USB-C ports Weird trackpad design

The Bottomline

If you’re an iPhone user, then the Apple MacBook Pro is the laptop for you. The machine perfectly integrates with MacOS and iOS, which makes for a seamless experience. With its 10-hour battery life, you’ll have juice and power for most of the day before you need to recharge. Make no mistake about it, the Apple MacBook Pro is still a workhorse and the gold standard.

Specs

Battery: Up to 18 hours
Battery Life: Up to 20 hours
Features: Two USB-C (Thunderbolt 3), 13.3-inch 2,560 x 1,600 Retina display, M1 chip
Memory: 8GB
RAM: 16GB
Screen size: 14 inches
Size: 14.2-inch
Storage: 512GB SSD
Weight: 1.63 kg

You had to know we'd throw a MacBook Pro in here. And not just because MacBooks give you great street cred, but because the MacBook is a badass powerhouse. It's the most expensive option in this list, but with a fast AF i9 chip, 2.9GHz, and Turbo Boost up to 4.8GHz, the price makes sense. While Apple hasn't gotten around to a totally touchscreen laptop yet, the OLED touch bar is such an Apple thing to do. Here, you can control brightness, sound, use touch ID, and do what you would with FN keys. The 2,880 x 1,800 display has True Tone technology, which automatically adjusts the yellow and blue tones in your screen to match your environment, making things easier on the eyes.

Dell XPS 15

Best Design

The good

Sleek aesthetics Long battery life Vivid 16:10 bluelight-reducing display with Adobe RGB color

The Bad

Not that many port options

The Bottomline

If Hercules was a laptop, he'd be this one.

Specs

Battery Life: About 14 hours
CPU: Intel Core i9-13900H
Features: 4K UHD touchscreen display, Intel Core i7 processor, NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1650 graphics card, backlit keyboard, fingerprint reader, 3 USB ports, 1 HDMI port, headphone/mic jack
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070
RAM: 32GB
Screen size: 15.6 inches
Storage: 1TB SSD

Graphic design? Product development? Photography? This is your new indispensable device. Dell's traditional powerhouse laptop, the Dell XPS 15 Touch is decked out with Dell's revamped InfinityEdge technology, which is a fancy term for extra-thin bezels and a wide-as-possible, gorgeous, anti-reflective screen. The 15.6-inch ultra HD display is vivid and incredibly sharp, and the NVIDIA GeForce 1650 Ti with 4GB GDDR6 offers graphics clear enough for even the pickiest gamers or designers. It's also equipped with Dell Cinema — featuring the best color, sound and up-to-the-second streaming that a video enthusiast could ask for — and a top-mounted webcam. Inside sits an 9th-gen Intel Core i7 processor (an amazing CPU that keeps you up to speed), but like any other high-end laptop, constant 4K+ use drains the battery fairly quickly.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4

Best For Windows

The good

Excellent keyboard Impressive screen Super long battery life

The Bad

Fewer ports than we'd like Could be lighter

The Bottomline

For Windows users this is comfortably the best Microsoft Surface so far. Also for Apple users looking to defect.

Specs

Battery Life: Up to 17 hours
RAM: 8 GB
Screen size: 15 inches
Storage: 256 GB

Tech users are often divided by their allegiance to a specific system, but there’s always a Windows machine out there to turn the heads of the most ardent Apple users.

That could be Microsoft Surface Laptop 4, a 15-inch model (13.5 inch is also available) with the brand’s PixelSense touchscreen display and plenty more top-of-the-line tech to entice you. Even at 15 inches it’s a sleek design — though other, lighter options are available if easy-to-carry portability is a deal-breaking feature for you.

The Surface 4 continues a trend we've seen in previous models, with a spacious, comfortable keyboard. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 is an absolute breeze to type on, whether you’re banging out a quick email or composing a 15,000-word thesis. This is further helped by a broad 4.5-inch wide touchpad and 1.3mm of key travel.

The HD display with PixelSense touchscreen tech is excellent. It has a resolution of 2496 x 1664 pixels and crisp, jerk-free visuals courtesy of FreeSync technology. Yes, this is a powerful piece of kit — especially for its price. An AMD Ryzen 7 chip puts this on the level of MacBook Pro performance — fast, smooth, and responsive.

It comes equipped with a headphone jack and USB Type-A and Type-C ports. There’s also a Surface Connect port which can be used for charging up other Microsoft devices. An Intel Core i7 Processor version is also available.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G15

Best For Gaming

The good

Packed with tech Unusually portable Sharp visuals Strong audio

The Bad

Could use more ports No webcam Pricey for casual gamers

The Bottomline

A top-of-the-line gaming laptop that matches power with performance. Worth the money for its gaming capabilities.

Specs

Battery Life: Up to 4 hours
CPU: AMD Ryzen 9
Display: 15.6 inches, 1080p
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
RAM: 16GB
Screen size: 15.6 inches
Storage: 1TB SSD

Part of Asus's ROG gaming range, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 is one of the most powerful gaming laptops out there. With a fantastic processor, 16GB of RAM, and one of the latest graphics cards, it won't let you down no matter what game you plan on playing. A 15.6-inch screen means it's not the most portable of devices but if you want a gaming setup at home that takes up less room than a desktop system, this will delight you. A substantial hard drive and RGB backlit keyboard cover all the bases for anything else you could want, with the laptop also boasting 4 USB ports and 1 HDMI port for hooking it up to your TV. You'll be consistently impressed by its performance.

Samsung Galaxy Book3

Best For Ultrabook

The good

Get for creatives 3K AMOLED display Handles gaming Beautiful design Processing workhorse

The Bad

Battery could be better

The Bottomline

When it comes to ultrabooks, the Samsung Galaxy Book3 is pretty hard to beat. A great machine.

Specs

Battery Life: Up to 6 hours
RAM: 16 GB
Screen size: 16 inches
Storage: 512 GB

When it comes to ultrabooks, the Samsung Galaxy Book3 is hard to beat. “But what is an ultrabook?” we hear to ask. It’s essentially a high-end, Intel-powered laptop. In other words, a top-of-the-range laptop not made by Apple. Which means if you want processing power for hefty workloads and media editing — not to mention a stunning display — this is an excellent MacBook alternative.

It looks excellent — both the design and 3K AMOLED screen. That makes this another great option for editors, designers, and other visual creatives. The keyboard is also a dream to use, with nice fat keys and even a number pad nestled to the side.

Of course, all the good looks in the world would mean nothing without processing power, but fear not: the Samsung Galaxy Book3 has plenty of heft under the hood, combining a 13th Gen Intel Core processor with a Nvidia RTX 4000 graphic card. In fact, it’s capable of handling gaming too with all that muscle.

There is a drawback: the battery. At this price — which let’s be honest, is far from cheap — you’d expect something with more juice. But with creative tasks and streaming on the go, the battery will give you just a few hours. That’s one sacrifice to make for all the other benefits. Just decide whether it’s a deal breaker for you.

Lenovo IdeaPad Duet

Best For Tight Budgets

The good

Great price Impressive display 13 hour battery Lightweight

The Bad

No audio jack Small screen

The Bottomline

It's quite simply one of the very best budget laptops around. A reasonable price and lots of versatility.

Specs

Battery Life: Up to 10 hours
RAM: 4 GB
Screen size: 10.1 inches
Storage: 64 GB

Don’t believe the marketing hype: Not every laptop has to cost a small fortune. In fact, you can find some very respectable options for a comparative steal.

Take the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet, which puts the already competitive IdeaPad into a very versatile 2-in-1 design with a magnetic keyboard. Indeed, this device easily converts between a laptop and tablet. It’s not only affordable, it’s highly portable too — the kind of laptop you can take everywhere with you.

The screen is small, surrounded by overly chunky bezels, but the display — a 10-inch, 10-point touchscreen — is impressive. It’s bright and punchy and a pleasure to watch your favourite streaming platforms on. If you are streaming, it’s worth mentioning that this laptop doesn’t have a headphone jack — an increasingly common omission — but you can easily connect Bluetooth headphones, so it’s not a complete loss.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet is actually a Chromebook, in case that’s a deciding factor for you. It’s actually a bonus if you like to keep things simple. Just use your Google login and you’re immediately synced and set up — you also have access to all the apps on the Google Play Store.

If you want something even more versatile, we also like the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga. It costs a little extra, but it also has a nimble hinge that allows it to be watched from a range of positions.