The Breaker Times

We’re at a turning point in laptops. Apple’s MacBook train continues to run, all while Windows laptops are undergoing their biggest transition in decades under the banner of Copilot+ PCs.

But which laptop you should actually go out and buy? Well, we’ve reviewed dozens and dozens of new models this year already, and whether it’s the best gaming laptops, the best budget laptops, or the best 2-in-1 laptops, we’ve got you covered.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition

The best Windows laptop

I have always been rooting for the Surface Laptop. I’ve always liked the taller, 3:2 aspect ratio of the screen and its simple design aesthetic. But over the years, the actual laptop itself has always disappointed me. Performance and battery life weren’t up to par, and it often lagged behind in high-end features.

But those days are over. With the 7th Edition, Microsoft has made the Surface Laptop a true competitor to the MacBook Air, offering a better 120Hz display, more ports, removable storage, and overall faster performance. Most of the improvements are due to the Snapdragon X chip inside, which offers MacBook-like efficiency to the Windows platform. I reviewed the X Elite version, which offers significantly better performance (and better battery life as well), so I’d recommend that if you can afford the bump to price. Compared to the MacBook Air M3, the Surface Laptop 7th Edition has a cheaper starting price too, especially since it includes more memory.

In addition to the new chip and super-bright screen, the Surface Laptop 7th Edition also now comes with a haptic feedback trackpad. It really has it all. It’s made transitioning away from the MacBook a lot easier than I would have imagined — and for now, it’s my new favorite laptop.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition

The best Windows laptop

Apple MacBook Air (M3)

The MacBook most people should buy

The MacBook Air remains a remarkable little laptop. Both in its 13-inch and 15-inch variants, the MacBook Air is incredibly thin, yet surprisingly powerful. Toss in that M3 chip, and you even get a surprising boost to the GPU. To make that performance even more impressive, it’s accomplished in a completely fanless design, meaning the machine remains completely silent, regardless of what you’re doing.

That balance of performance and portability is really what makes this laptop so special. For this class of laptop, the screen is high quality, as are the speakers and webcam. The biggest downside is the port selection and multi-monitor support, which are quite limited. It can only handle one external display. If you’re using the M3 model, it can support two external monitors, but only with the laptop lid closed.

The MacBook Air M3 isn’t exactly cheap. A starting price of $1,099 doesn’t sound too bad, but many people will want more than 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Fortunately, you can get the M2 MacBook Air for as low as $899 sometimes, and it still comes highly recommended. The M3 MacBook Air is worth the extra money in terms of performance, but if that’s less of a deciding factor for you, the M2 MacBook Air is the better option.

The M4 model isn’t due out until sometime in the few months of 2025, so you’re still okay to pick up the M3 model.

Apple MacBook Air (M3)

The MacBook most people should buy

Asus ZenBook 14 OLED

Best affordable laptop

Finding a new laptop under $1,000 that doesn’t make some significant compromises isn’t easy. But sometimes, a laptop comes along that walks that balance in just the right way. The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED was one such laptop when it came out in 2023. The combination of the OLED screen, solid performance, and affordable price make it a killer deal.

There’s just not another laptop, outside of perhaps the M1 MacBook Air, that can compete at this price. Even then, the Zenbook 14 has the advantage of its stellar OLED screen. This model, the Zenbook 14 OLED UM3402, is still a fantastic purchase today, selling for as low as $629 at some retailers.

The 2024 model is also really solid after making the switch from AMD to the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H. Everything that made the UM3402 so good is still present. Unfortunately, the configurations are fairly limited at the moment, and restricted to just high-end models that are probably more than what people need from this type of laptop.

Don’t get me wrong — $1,300 for a laptop with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage is still a really good deal. But the starting configurations are the ones most value-oriented buyers are going to be interested in. And while our review unit does appear to include a bit of a price increase, we’ll have to wait until some of the base configurations are available.

Asus ZenBook 14 OLED

Best affordable laptop

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024)

The best gaming laptop

The ROG Zephyrus G14 has been redesigned in 2024, and its transformation has made it quite a compelling laptop. On one hand, it’s a gaming laptop unlike any that’s been made. It’s significantly cheaper than the Razer Blade 14, despite being even thinner and more modern. More than that, though, in its latest iteration, it becomes a serious MacBook Pro competitor. After all, very few laptops of this size are as powerful as this, and that’s thanks to an RTX 4070 GPU.

Pair that kind of performance with an OLED 120Hz screen, and you have a laptop that even surpasses the MacBook Pro in ways. It really does have an incredible display.

Of course, the G14 doesn’t have the kind of battery life that the MacBook Pro has. But as far as a proper Windows alternative goes, it’s hard to find one better than the G14. If you want something even more powerful, you can even opt for the larger G16, which can be configured with up to an RTX 4080.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024)

The best gaming laptop

Surface Pro 11th Edition

The best 2-in-1 laptop

The Surface Pro hasn’t changed much over the years, but it hasn’t needed to. The design is rock solid, and there aren’t many Windows 2-in-1s to choose from left these days. But in its 11th version, it’s reached its true potential.

Sporting the new Snapdragon X chip under the hood and a fantastic OLED screen, the Surface Pro finally competes with the iPad Pro in a way it just couldn’t before. And, of course, you get all the benefits of the Windows ecosystem — this is a real PC through and through, not just a tablet.

The only thing I don’t like about it is its lack of a headphone jack. Microsoft still doesn’t sell it in a bundle with the excellent new Type Cover, which it really needs. The new keyboard can function while disconnected and has a killer haptic trackpad that’s among the best I’ve ever tried. If you like the idea of a highly-portable 2-in-1 device to travel with, this one is the best choice there’s ever been.

Surface Pro 11th Edition

The best 2-in-1 laptop

Apple MacBook Pro (M3 Max)

The best content creation laptop

The M3 Max is a big deal. I already loved the MacBook Pro, don’t get me wrong. The mini-LED screen was already the best you could find on a laptop. But with the M3 Max, the MacBook Pro is an unstoppable force. There’s a huge upgrade in the graphics of the M3 Max, rivaling the discrete GPU options on comparable laptops. It’s even a half-decent gaming laptop — if only there were some more games available.

But really, this is the complete package. It’s top of the line in every thinkable way, and you’ll pay for it. Can a $3,000-plus laptop really be worth it? I’d say so. Especially if you’re a creative professional who wants the best possible portable workstation that money can buy. If that’s you, look no further. I won’t vouch for the M3 or M3 Pro MacBook Pro with that same kind of enthusiastic recommendation, but the M3 Max is something special.

There’s just not a Windows laptop that can compete with the M3 Max MacBook Pro for creatives right now, especially considering just how much performance and battery life you can get out of it.

Apple MacBook Pro (M3 Max)

The best content creation laptop

Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3

The best Chromebook

Laptops that cost $300 shouldn’t be this good. Seriously. Most laptops you can buy at that price have serious deficiencies, like pitiful performance or awful 720p screens. That’s often true, even on Chromebooks.

But the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 manages to deliver a great laptop experience, albeit on a very small device. But this little 10.9-inch is perfect for students or anyone who just needs a compact device to take on the go. The screen resolution is even better than 1080p, reaching up to 2000 x 1200. That’s very sharp for a screen of this size, making it excellent for writing and reading text. It even gets up to 400 nits of brightness, meaning working near windows isn’t an issue. Again, this is unheard of for a laptop of this price.

Surprisingly, the Lenovo Chromebook Duel 3 also comes with a 5-megapixel camera for solid videoconferencing. It has just about everything it needs to compete with the iPad (especially with the recent price jump). The iPad is undoubtedly a better tablet. It’s lighter and has a wide range of gestures and apps to support touch-only controls. The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 will disappoint you in that regard, even with support for Android apps. But that’s nothing new for ChromeOS tablets.

The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 excels, though, as a work or school device and is one of the best laptops for college. As good as iPads have become at doing work, if you’re needing to do actual work or school work, having a normal desktop browser and a full keyboard goes a long way toward being more efficient. The magnetic back cover also gives the tablet a kickstand for lots of angles, and you can even bundle in the Lenovo Digital Pen for stylus use.

Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3

The best Chromebook

Razer Blade 14

The best alternative to the ROG Zephyrus G14

Gaming laptops are their own class of laptop that demand their own list, but we wanted to include some here that could easily double as your standard laptop – of course, with the added benefit that these can do some serious gaming after work.

The Razer Blade 14 might be the best example of such a premise. In many ways, it doesn’t feel like it shouldn’t be possible. Up to an RTX 4070 in a thin, 14-inch laptop? Yep, that’s right. And it does it with some pretty impressive performance, too. It comes with a 1600p screen with a 240Hz refresh rate, ensuring that you’re never bottlenecked by the display. Then again, the previous model, that’s still available to purchase, has an optional 1080p 144Hz panel that can be configured with up to an RTX 3060 and a Ryzen 9 6900HX CPU and manages to land well under $2,000, which is a rare feat for a Razer laptop.

Yes, this bad boy’s expensive. But what you’re paying for is the ability to switch between work and play without batting an eye. The Razer logo on the lid and the per-key RGB backlighting might catch some attention at the office, but other than that, it’s modern and premium a laptop as you’ll find.

If you want more performance, there will always be room for larger gaming laptops like the Razer Blade 15 or Lenovo Legion 5 Pro, but the Razer Blade 14 works better as hybrid machine for work and play.

A minor update to the Razer Blade 14 is in the works for 2024 with the latest AMD processors, but it hasn’t yet been launched.

Razer Blade 14

The best alternative to the ROG Zephyrus G14

Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 9

Best Lenovo laptop

The Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 9 inherits the gorgeous, rounded design of some other recent Lenovo laptops, giving it both an elegant look and a comfortable feel. The latter is particularly nice when you’re using this 360-degree convertible 2-in-1 in tablet mode, where the lack of sharp edges are welcome.

The laptop is thin and light enough to be useful in this mode as well, thanks to minimal bezels and the increasingly iconic Lenovo reverse notch at the top of the display that houses a 1080p webcam. Even given its relatively svelte frame, it provides solid performance thanks to the Core Ultra 7 155H, plenty of RAM, and fast storage. Toss in excellent active pen support, and you have a laptop that can tackle a wide variety of work tasks.

And you’ll particularly enjoy the 2.8K or 4K OLED display, either of which will provide incredibly wide and accurate colors, plenty of brightness, and the kind of inky blacks that only OLED can provide. If you’re a creator, either makes for the perfect display, and if you consume a lot of high dynamic range (HDR) video, then you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the image quality. The 120Hz refresh rate on the 2.8K model makes it particularly enticing.

Battery life isn’t the best, but that’s a small price to pay for such a flexible and powerful machine that’s one of the best 14-inch laptops. This is Lenovo’s best all-around machine, making its place on this list a natural one.

Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 9

Best Lenovo laptop

Why you should trust us

Our expert laptop reviewers have tested and reviewed more than 500 laptops over the years, searching for the best of the best. We’ve reviewed every kind of laptop available, from traditional clamshell laptops to a variety of 2-in-1s to gaming laptops to unusual and innovative machines. We’ve applied a consistent and reliable formula to each of our reviews, pulling from a massive database of performance testing to make it possible for you to compare laptops with confidence.

Key considerations when selecting the best laptop

Laptops are complex machines, so there are a few key considerations we focus on when evaluating them.

Performance

You’ll want a laptop that’s fast enough for your needs, but you don’t want to overspend for performance you don’t need. So don’t buy a gaming laptop with a super-fast CPU and a powerful discrete GPU if you’ll just be surfing the web and answering email. Pay close attention to the processor choice, regardless if it’s Intel, AMD, or Apple. And in the end, it’s key to be honest with yourself and the kind of performance you actually need.

Portability

If you need a large display for tasks like video and photo editing, then by all means, choose a 15-inch or larger laptop. You’ll also be able to get more powerful components. But if you need something you can easily slip inside a backpack without weighing yourself down, then you’ll want to pick a laptop that’s smaller and lighter. It’s also important to consider battery life here to ensure you have what suits your lifestyle.

Build quality

You’ll be handling your laptop and carrying it around into all kinds of environments. Some laptops are built better than others, so make sure you pick a machine that will stand up to your typical abuse. No matter the price, you want something that feels sturdy and robust. It’s not worth saving a couple hundred bucks if the thing is falling apart one year later.

Price

You probably have a budget to work with, which can range from a few hundred dollars up to many thousands. If you’re using your laptop to drive a business, then you’ll probably be more inclined to make a significant investment, whereas if you’re a hungry college student, you might be willing to compromise in a few areas to make it fit your budget.

And more

Beyond those listed above, you should also consider the display quality, the webcam, port selection, design, keyboard, touchpad, and speakers. That’s a lot, but don’t be overwhelmed! These are all factors we consider when reviewing and recommending laptops.

How we test laptops

Hands-on experience

We extensively handle every laptop we review and use them in a variety of real-world conditions. We’re looking for how well a laptop is built, how it feels in hand, and hold it generally holds up to the uses for which it’s designed. We describe our experiences and discuss the materials and concepts used in a laptop’s design to provide an informative hands-on impression.

Interface interaction

On all laptops, we test the keyboard and touchpad to make sure that both are comfortable to use for extended periods of time. For keyboards, we consider the key spacing, keycap size, and switch performance to determine how precise and comfortable it is to use. For touchpads, we test for how smooth the surface is and how responsive it is to taps and clicks. If the buttons are too loud, we’ll tell you. If a laptop has a touch display and supports an active pen, we’ll tell you how those work, as well.

Display and audio impressions

We give the display both an objective test with a professional colorimeter, judging it based on color width and accuracy, brightness, and contrast. We also provide our subjective viewpoint – is the display pleasant to use, is it sharp enough, and does it support advanced capabilities like high dynamic range (HDR) video. We also listen to the audio, giving an impression of its volume and clarity and its suitability for more than just playing system sounds.

Performance

We run every laptop through a suite of benchmarks, both synthetic and real-world, to provide an indication of how it performs relative to other similar machines. We test both the CPU and the GPU, and during testing we provide an idea of how loud and hot a laptop gets while performing typical productivity tasks as well as more demanding uses like video editing and gaming.