The Best Laptops of 2026

Reviewed's PC experts are always on the lookout for the best laptops for everyone, from gamers and students to frequent flyers and homebodies. PCs are the center of business and recreation for nearly everyone, so we work hard to make sure you find a laptop you'll love on this list.

Most people need to look no further than the Apple MacBook Air (M4) (available at Amazon) . Sure, it's not the best laptop for gamers, but its huge battery life, slim and premium build, and the fact that Apple is known for supporting its laptops for many years, make it a go-to for both work and play.

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Other Laptops We Tested and Evaluated

What To Consider When Buying A Laptop

Who would use this?

The first thing you want to consider when buying a laptop is who is going to use it. Is it a college student who might want something thin and light more than they want power? Or is it a hardcore gamer who wants to be able to play their AAA games on the go?

All of the laptops on this list can easily handle web apps, emails, and productivity use cases, but if you need a laptop for more demanding things like gaming or graphic design, then you'll need something with some graphics prowess.

Key features

• Performance: The CPU, graphics chip, RAM, and storage inside your PC determine how well your computer can multitask, handle intensive tasks like gaming, and store all your files. The better the specs, the snappier the laptop will feel as you work. Most people will be more than happy with a current-generation Intel Core 5, Apple M3, or AMD Ryzen 5, which are mid-range processors. 8GB of RAM will give you enough room to lightly multitask, but we recommend 16GB or more of RAM for power users and 32GB for content creation. Graphics chip and storage size needs will vary the most depending on what you plan to run on the laptop. While Chromebooks can get away with 64GB of storage with additional cloud storage, Windows laptops need 256GB or more of storage to run optimally. 512GB hits the sweet spot for many users. For most people, there is no need for a dedicated graphics card. Modern integrated graphics are more than capable of running things like esports games or small 3D modeling files. However, if you plan to play the latest AAA games or need to run a lot of vector calculations, you should consider a discrete graphics card.

• Build quality: Not only do you want a laptop that can take a beating (since you’ll probably be lugging it around with you), but you want one with a well-built keyboard and trackpad since they’re your primary form of interaction with the machine. A poor trackpad or finicky keyboard can ruin the experience. Generally, durable laptops are stiff and hard to deform, so metal is usually more rugged than plastic. A good keyboard should be quick to type on, and your fingers should easily reach all the keys without any missed hits. Check that the Shift, Control, and Fn keys aren’t awkward to reach with your thumb and pinky fingers. Whether you prefer stiff or soft keys is up to you: stiff keys are harder to accidentally press but will tire you out faster, while soft keys are easier to type on for long periods but can be prone to poor feedback and typos. See what’s most comfortable for you. Trackpads are a little easier to judge. A good trackpad reads all your finger movements accurately, so the mouse won’t feel jumpy or unresponsive. A larger trackpad gives you better control of your cursor, and the trackpad should have little friction so you don’t “skip” with your cursor.

• Operating systems: Consider which operating system you need. Windows is still the dominant OS these days, and if you’re going to play games, edit photos and videos, or need certain software for work, you’ll probably stick with Microsoft’s offering in a business laptop. MacOS has exclusive software and great integration with the Apple ecosystem, so it’s the preferred option for those with iPhones, iPads, or other Apple products. If you spend all your time on the web and want to save some money, though, a Chromebook may serve you well. Between Netflix, Gmail, and Google Docs, you can do almost anything in a browser. Many of those web apps even work offline for those rare occasions when you don’t have Wi-Fi. Chromebooks have the advantage of being cheaper (since they don’t need as much processing power) and virtually bloatware-free (since they run Linux under the hood).

• Display size: You’ll usually find laptops in one of three main sizes, measured by the diagonal length of the display. 14 inches and under: These smaller laptops are great for carrying around, and more than suitable for light work like writing papers and browsing the web. 15 to 16 inches: Mid-sized laptops are a bit less portable, and won’t necessarily work in space-constrained spaces like airplane seats. However, this display size is useful for photo editing and watching videos, and its larger chassis can house more powerful hardware. 17+ inches: This is very large, and only recommended if you are doing video editing or other intensive work that requires a lot of laptop screen real estate—and you don’t mind lugging it around. You’ll also want to consider the number of USB ports, whether you need HDMI and Ethernet, and how comfortable the keyboard and trackpad are to use—this can vary quite a bit from model to model, and it’s important to get something responsive and durable.

• Portability: 2-in-1s have gained in popularity, but touch screens and pens cost money to include. Similarly, cramming all those powerful components into a small, easy-to-carry package can often cost more than a larger laptop with fewer design constraints. They’re not as comfortable to use as dedicated tablets like iPads, but 2-in-1s can provide extra options for those who need something versatile. Display pens are great for those who take a lot of notes or draw, such as students or artists.

Care, maintenance, and warranty

There are several ways that laptops can degrade over time or simply fail if they're not taken care of. Laptops have moving parts like a hinge, switches, and a keyboard, and when they're not cared for these components can start to break down. That's not to mention the fact that laptops and water simply don't mix, and you'll want to keep all kinds of liquids away from your laptop.

It's worth keeping warranty in mind, too; however, laptop warranties usually only cover manufacturer defects rather than any accidental damage. Some companies offer an additional warranty that you can pay for, and those will allow you to get repairs if you happen to do something to your laptop by accident.

FAQ: What To Know About Laptops

What is a good price for a laptop?

Laptops can vary dramatically in price depending on things like performance and display quality. The best laptops out there usually cost at least $1,000, and most people looking for a laptop that will last for years to come should be willing to spend around this much.

That said, there are plenty of decent models under $1,000 with mid-range performance and decent designs. Just keep in mind that it's likely the laptop will start to feel sluggish sooner than it would on a more powerful machine.

If you're looking for top performance or a machine that's able to handle high-end video games, then you'll probably need to spend a little more cash. Great gaming laptops range up to multiple thousands of dollars, though you could get a solid gaming machine that can handle most modern games for around $1,200 or so.

How long do laptops last?

Modern laptops should last at least five or six years before needing to be replaced, and in the case of more expensive machines, they should last even longer.

Apple is known for building laptops that last for many years, but high-end Windows laptops still perform great for years, too. While cheap laptops might start to feel sluggish relatively quickly, mid-range and high-end laptops should last at least four or five years before you notice any slowdown.

Do laptops have lithium batteries?

Yes, most modern laptops use a lithium-ion battery. These batteries are lightweight and rechargeable, plus they're relatively energy-dense, so they're great for laptops.

Eventually, newer laptops will start to get newer battery technologies, but for now, your laptop probably has a lithium-ion or lithium-polymer battery in it.

Are refurbished laptops good?

They can be. It all depends on who is refurbishing the laptop and how old the components inside the laptop are in the first place.

Some companies refurbish their own laptops. For example, Apple is known to sell refurbished MacBooks that look and feel as good as new.

That said, you can also get refurbished models from third parties. At times, these can be a little hit and miss, so it's worth looking at customer reviews before buying a refurbished laptop from an unknown source.

What do I do with my old laptop?

There are plenty of things that you can do with an old laptop, but before you do anything, make sure to properly wipe its hard drive of any data.

On a Windows computer, this involves heading to the "Reset this PC" settings option, then hitting the "Remove everything" button and toggling on "Clean Data." On macOS, you'll follow a factory reset process that will involve wiping the laptop's drive.

You must do this before your laptop goes anywhere else, as your laptop likely stores sensitive information like passwords and banking information.

After the laptop is properly wiped, you could donate it or recycle it, or list it on a website like Craigslist or eBay to get back some of the money that you spent on it. If your laptop is in good condition and not an incredibly old model, you might get decent value from a resale site, too. However, it's worth comparing what resale sites are offering for it with what people have been able to get for it on sites like eBay.

Why You Should Trust Our Expertise

We conduct extensive research and in-depth testing on laptops in order to recommend only the best models that are currently available. We test laptops for their processing capability, graphics, battery life, and screen brightness. We use popular benchmarks like Geekbench and 3DMark to gauge how well the laptop multitasks, runs games, and more. We also test multiple platforms, from Windows laptops to Macs and Chromebooks alike.

To test battery life, we set up our laptops to continuously cycle through various websites at a brightness of 200 nits—which is around 60% for many of the mid-range models—until they run out of power, estimating how much work you can get done on a single charge. We also use each laptop for an extended period, rating each on factors like build quality, price, portability, and design.

What Other Reviewers Are Saying About the Best Laptops

There are dozens of laptop models on the market at any given time. However, many experts agree that for most people, the newest MacBook Air (2024) is the best laptop. The MacBook Air is powerful and well-designed, and previous models have been able to last for many years without needing to be replaced.

• Wirecutter: Wirecutter doesn't award a single laptop as "the best"—it splits into best Windows laptop and best MacBook. In Wirecutter's guide, the MacBook Air is labelled as the best MacBook (though it's the previous-generation model, 2023).
• Tom's Guide: Tom's Guide also notes the M4 MacBook Air as being the best laptop overall, thanks to its excellent performance and long battery life.
• CNET: CNET agrees with us too—noting the MacBook Air M4 as being the top laptop. CNET specifically recommends the 15-inch model, which is excellent, and in deciding between it and the 13-inch variant, you're deciding between more portability or more screen real estate.

What Owners Are Saying About Our Best Laptops

The MacBook Air M4 isn't just loved by reviewers—users love it too.

• Amazon: On Amazon, the M4 MacBook Air has a 4.6-star average, though considering it's new, it has a low number of reviews at the time of this writing. One user, Leigh Martin, wrote that "there is a significant difference between the M4 chip and earlier models," praising its performance.
• Best Buy: The laptop's average score on Best Buy is even better, with a 4.8-star average. Reviewers praised the excellent performance offered by the laptop. One reviewer, Twms, noted that the laptop "is the first Mac I have ever owned, and I much prefer it over Windows, which I just switched from. The screen is great in bright light, and I love the operating system. It’s a great machine and very snappy. Glad I made the switch."

There are very few complaints when it comes to the MacBook Air, but one common one is that some of the colors pick up fingerprints more than others. That's a pretty minor issue and certainly won't impact the performance or usability of the machine.

Read More About Laptops on Reviewed

• The Best Laptops Under $500
• The Best Chromebooks
• The Best Gaming Laptops
• The Best Tablets
• All the different laptop types, explained
• What laptop do you get your kid when a Chromebook won’t cut it?