Best Laptops Guide for 2022

Whether you’re a businessperson, an artist, or a student, a laptop is a must-have device. The best laptop for you will depend on your budget, the features you need, and your favorite operating system.

The following laptops are top-rated in 2021. This list includes Windows business laptops, MacBooks, gaming laptops, laptops for school or college, 2-in-1 laptops, and Chromebooks.

Best Laptop for 2022: Dell XPS 13

If you prefer to get the best all-around laptop, the Dell XPS 13 is the laptop for you. It offers all of the latest features and software, promising durability, and excellent performance.

Specifications

Price$$$$
Screen Size13.4 in
Screen TypeUltra-Sharp QHD + Infinity Display (with touch screen)
Weight2.8lbs
Resolution1920 x 1200 pixels, 60 Hz
OSWindows 10 Pro
CPUIntel Core i7 -1185G7 11th Gen, 3 GHz
Camera/Webcam Specs0.92 MP
BluetoothYes
Battery Type1 Lithium-Ion Battery (included)
Hard Disk512GB SSD

Pros

  • The Dell XPS 13 is packed with features, such as a touchscreen, an anti-reflective screen surface, advanced thermal engineering, built-in Alexa software, and much more.

Cons

  • While this is a great laptop, it has the price tag to match! The Dell XPS 13 may be a little over budget for some buyers.

The Dell XPS 13 is our top pick for the all-around best laptop. With a slim, stylish build, the Dell XPS 13 is light and portable and boasts an impressive selection of features. Ideal for busy professionals, the built-in Alexa allows you to quickly and easily make appointments, set reminders, create to-do lists, and more.

The new thermal engineering keeps your laptop at optimum temperature at all times. The laptop also comes with a 17% larger touchpad and 9% larger keycaps compared to earlier models. This means that typing and navigating on your laptop is more comfortable and easier than ever before.

Best Budget Laptop: Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14

For flexibility on a budget, the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex is the perfect buy. Not everyone can afford to spend a lot of money on a device, but nobody wants to sacrifice quality. Simple and versatile, the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex is a good choice for senior or first-time users.

Specifications

Price$$
Screen Size14 in
Screen TypeAnti-Glare LED
Weight3.63lbs
Resolution1920 x 1080 pixels, 60 Hz
OSWindows 10 Home
CPUIntel Core i5-1035G1, 1 GHz Core
Camera/Webcam SpecsPrivacy shutter on webcam, plus a fingerprint reader for additional security
BluetoothYes
Battery Type1 Lithium Polymer
Hard DiskFlash Memory Solid State

Pros

  • The Lenovo IdeaPad is slim and high-tech, offering top-quality performance. It includes features such as a touchscreen and is suitable for most situations.

Cons

  • For a high-powered professional or a serious gamer, the Lenovo IdeaPad isn’t suitable. Additionally, the slim plastic design is fragile and not particularly durable.

If you’re looking for a slim and stylish laptop, the Lenovo IdeaPad will suit you. It works quickly and well, with good speakers and Bluetooth features. Light and portable, it’s great for busy professionals on the go. It can be used for photo and picture editing, although this laptop isn’t our top pick for creative workers.

The Lenovo IdeaPad can handle gaming, but it’s not an ideal laptop for professional gamers.

Best 2-in-1 Laptop: Dell Latitude 7400 2-in-1

Combining practicality with style, the Dell Latitude 7400 2-in-1 is a top pick for anyone who’s always on the go. It’s also a great choice for students, or anyone who would prefer just one device instead of using both a laptop and a tablet.

Specifications

Price$$$$
Screen Size14 in
Screen TypeAnti-reflective, anti-glare
Weight4.8lbs
Resolution1920 x 1080 pixels, 60 Hz
OSWindows 10 Pro
CPUIntel Core i7-8665U, 1.9 GHz
Camera/Webcam Specs780p HD (user-facing)
BluetoothNo
Battery Type1 Lithium Polymer
Hard DiskFlash Memory Solid State 512GB

Pros

  • Using the latest performance technology, the Dell Latitude 7400 boasts flexibility, smart automatic login features, and adaptive thermal performance.

Cons

  • The ExpressSign-in feature, designed to make your laptop more secure, has a few bugs. The webcam is also not as high-quality as you’d expect for a laptop at this price.

For users who need flexibility, the Dell Latitude 7400 2-in-1 is an ideal choice. However, it isn’t quite as light as its design would suggest.

Its ExpressSign-in feature is designed to help you get in and out of your laptop without having to type in a password. When you move away from your device, the laptop automatically locks. However, it registers when you return, and unlocks your laptop, ready for use.

If you often work on the go, this is the best device for you. Its 2-in-1 style allows for easier notetaking and great editing features.

Best Laptop for College Students: Acer Swift 3 AMD

The Acer Swift 3 is light, portable, and flexible. This makes it an ideal choice for students, or any professional whose work involves photo and video editing.

Specifications

Price$$
Screen Size14 in
Screen TypeLCD ComfyView Matte
Weight2.65lbs
Resolution1920 x 1080 pixels, 60 Hz
OSWindows 10
CPUAMD Ryzen 5 4500U, 2.3 GHz
Camera/Webcam Specs1080p HD
BluetoothYes
Battery TypeLithium-Ion
Hard Disk512GB SSD

Pros

  • The long battery life (of just over 11 hours) makes this laptop a good choice for college students. It’s also designed for casual gaming and promises high-powered performance at impressive speeds.

Cons

  • While the Acer Swift 3 has an impressive battery life, it doesn’t last as long as some other laptops on the market.

The Acer Swift 3 is a well-designed, stylish laptop. It offers high performance and all the newest features, such as fingerprint reading, high-powered graphics, and long battery life.

If you’re looking for a laptop to last all day without needing to be charged, the Acer Swift 3 should suit you well. It easily lends itself to any number of college or work-related tasks, such as photo and video editing. It can also work as a great laptop for your downtime, with gaming, streaming content, and more.

Best MacBook: Apple MacBook Air M1

If speed and efficiency are your primary concerns, consider an Apple MacBook. While these laptops can be more expensive than others, MacBooks can often be a worthwhile investment in the future. Durable, fast, and innovative, the Apple MacBook Air M1 isn’t the latest model, but still manages to make the list of best laptops in 2021.

Specifications

Price$$
Screen Size13.3 in
Screen TypeRetina Display, LED Backlit Widescreen Display
Weight2.8lbs
Resolution2650 x 1600 pixels, 60 Hz
OSMac OS
CPUApple M1 Chip, 8-core CPU, 1.1GHz
Camera/Webcam SpecsFaceTime HD Camera
BluetoothYes
Battery TypeLithium Polymer
Hard Disk512GB SSD

Pros

  • With built-in Siri, high-powered graphics, and the latest innovative software, the Apple MacBook Air M1 also includes newer tech such as fingerprint readers, automatically adjusting display, and fantastic battery life.

Cons

  • This isn’t the very latest MacBook Air, and if you’re not already familiar with Apple products, you might find it difficult to adjust to a MacBook.

The M1 chip found in MacBooks is known to be faster and more durable than its Intel counterpart. Apple products are fast, innovative, and have plenty of storage.

However, there are downsides. Expanding or modifying an Apple device is virtually impossible. Because the 2020 Air M1 isn’t the most recent version, Apple updates may eventually stop supporting the older MacBooks. This could leave you with a perfectly good laptop that’s rapidly going out of date.

Best Mid-Range Inexpensive Laptop: Asus Vivobook 14″

Especially if you’re using a laptop for work or school, you need a device that’s affordable but isn’t cheap quality. The Asus Vivobook offers quality on a balanced budget.

Specifications

Price$$
Screen Size14 in
Screen TypeAnti-Glare IPS LCD Display
Weight3.75lbs
Resolution1920 x 1080 pixels, 90 Hz
OSWindows 10
CPUAMD Ryzen 5 3500U, 2.1 GHz
Camera/Webcam SpecsHD Webcam with Microphone
BluetoothYes
Battery TypeLithium Polymer
Hard Disk512GB SSD

Pros

  • The Asus Vivobook is an inexpensive, mid-range laptop that still manages to deliver a good quality performance. It has impressive storage, a crystal clear display, and an anti-glare reflective screen.

Cons

  • The battery life on this laptop is lacking, with an upper limit of nine hours. So, if you need a laptop to go all day without a charge, the Asus Vivobook may cause you some problems.

The Asus Vivobook 2021 has a beautiful lightweight, ergonomic design. It’s ideal for an upcoming professional on the go, due to its ability to juggle applications and browser tabs. It’s also a good choice for somebody working from home, as well as students.

The handy fingerprint reader makes signing in and out of your laptop much easier, and the keyboard is backlit for better visibility and practicality.

Best New Gaming Laptop: Acer Nitro 5 17.3 (2020)

Buying a good gaming laptop can be tricky, as regular laptops often don’t have the speed and graphics capabilities to run popular games. Gaming laptops can be expensive, but the Acer Nitro 5 17.3 offers the gaming experience you need without clearing out your wallet.

Specifications

Price$$$$
Screen Size17.3 in
Screen TypeFull HD IPS LED Backlit Display
Weight4.85lbs
Resolution1920 x 1080 pixels, 60 Hz
OSWindows 10
CPUCore i5 Intel, 2.5 GHz
GPUGTX 1650Ti
Camera/Webcam SpecsHD
BluetoothYes
Battery TypeLithium-Ion
Hard Disk2 TB Hybrid

Pros

  • The Acer Nitro is a fantastic gaming laptop, designed with top-quality graphics, plenty of storage, and a fast operating system.

Cons

  • This laptop does lack some features, such as a fingerprint reader. While this is fine if you’re intending to use it as a gaming laptop, the device isn’t best suited for some secular work.

The Acer Nitro 5 is ideal for gaming. Designed to handle modern PC games, it’s also perfect for streaming content and other entertainment.

There are customizable options when you buy this laptop. For example, you might prefer the bigger 64GB laptop instead of the 32GB.

Best Laptop for Photo/Video Editing: HP Spectre X360-13t

While most laptops come with some form of media editing, not every laptop is equipped for serious editing. The HP Spectre X360 is specially designed to suit creative workers and professional artists.

Specifications

Price$$$$
Screen Size13.3 in
Screen Type4K UWVA BrightView micro-edge AMOLED Multitouch
Weight2.93lbs
Resolution3840 x 2160 pixels, 60 Hz
OSWindows 10
CPUIntel i7-1065G7, 1.3 GHz
Camera/Webcam SpecsHP Truevision HD IR Camera
BluetoothYes
Battery TypeLithium-Ion
Hard Disk1TB SSD

Pros

  • Perfect for anyone who needs editing features, this laptop offers high-quality performance. Fast, flexible, and with impressive battery life, the HP Spectre 360 is ideal for anyone who needs to work on the go.

Cons

  • The 2-in-1 tablet and laptop function makes the device feel less functional than a tablet. This is an expensive laptop and can be noisy due to loud fans.

One of the key selling points of the HP Specter 360 is its flexible build and 360-degree hinge. For creative workers, such as artists, architects, and professional photographers, this is a great device to slip in your work bag and take with you.
It’s clearly aimed towards professionals, with media editing in mind. Discounts may be available, allowing you to buy this impressive laptop even when you’re working on a budget.

Best Touch Screen Laptop: Dell XPS 13 2-in-1

Touch screen laptops can streamline workflow, making them ideal for many professionals. This allows you to combine a laptop’s power and durability with the convenience of a tablet. The Dell XPS 13 successfully combines a touch screen with the flexibility of a 2-in-1.

Specifications

Price$$$
Screen Size13.4 in
Screen TypeFHD+WLED Touch Display
Weight3.7lbs
Resolution1920 x 1200 pixels, 60 Hz
OSWindows 10 Home
CPUIntel Core i7-1065G7, 3.9GHz
Camera/Webcam SpecsHD
BluetoothYes
Battery TypeLithium-Ion
Hard Disk256 GB SSD

Pros

  • Sturdy, slim, and flexible, the Dell XPS 13 offers comfort and versatility. It comes with plenty of modern features, such as a fingerprint scanner, and a power manager with adaptive performance.

Cons

  • While this laptop is flexible and a good buy, it’s not quite as powerful as some other laptops. Its battery life is subpar, so you’ll probably need to carry your charger around with you.

The Dell XPS 13 allows you to work how you want, and where you want. A touchscreen can offer top-quality detailing and work performance for artists and creative workers, although it’s recommended to use a stylus.

While this laptop doesn’t offer the best in innovation and power, it’s more flexible than most laptops on the market. Lightweight and portable, this is the perfect laptop for an artist on the go.

Best Business Laptop: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 (2020)

While mid-range laptops work fine for streaming and entertainment, business laptops are the highest range available, offering power and reliability. While the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 is certainly at the top end of the price range, it offers enough to make the price tag worthwhile.

Specifications

Price$$$$$
Screen Size14 in
Screen TypeIPS 400nits Anti-Glare
Weight4.05lbs
Resolution1920 x 1200 pixels, 60 Hz
OSWindows 10 Pro 64
CPUIntel CORE I7-10610U, 10th Gen
Camera/Webcam SpecsHD
BluetoothYes
Battery TypeLithium
Hard Disk1TB M.2 2280 SSD

Pros

  • The Lenovo ThinkPad offers luxury and efficiency, and that’s exactly what you get. There are plenty of usable ports, a solid and comfortable design, high power, and excellent battery life.

Cons

  • This laptop tends to run hot. It’s an expensive model and may be above budget for many buyers.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 8) is a top-rated model, offering powerful performance. Depending on where you buy this laptop, it also comes with an impressive three-year warranty.

Battery life is another factor to consider here, as the Lenovo ThinkPad offers approximately sixteen hours of charger-free time.

Best 17-inch Laptop: Asus VivoBook Pro 17 (W700)

Lightweight but with a substantial screen size, the Asus VivoBook Pro 17 is ideal for artists or creative workers of any kind. While it’s not best for traveling or workers on the go, this is a powerful laptop that can be useful for anyone working from home.

Specifications

Price$$
Screen Size17.3 in
Screen TypeIPS LCD with anti-glare
Weight5.07lbs
Resolution1600 x 900 pixels, 90 Hz
OSWindows 10
CPUAMD Ryzen 7-3700U, 2.3 GHz
Camera/Webcam SpecsHD
BluetoothYes
Battery TypeLithium
Hard Disk512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD

Pros

  • The Asus VivoBook offers premium build quality. In a 17-inch laptop, good build quality is a necessity. The VivoBook is also surprisingly portable for a laptop of this size. It boasts crisp image quality and good input devices (such as a trackpad and keyboard).

Cons

  • While the VivoBook can be upgraded, doing the upgrades yourself is virtually impossible. The most obvious con to this kind of laptop, however, is its bulky size.

For busy professionals on the go, the VivoBook isn’t the best choice. It’s large and heavy, although not as heavy as other laptops of its size.

The VivoBook is ideal for creative workers such as artists, architects, and other professionals who can work from home. It can also work for day-to-day usage, streaming entertainment, and editing media.

Best 15-inch Laptop: HP Envy X 360 15 (2021)

The best pick for creative workers is the HP Envy X 360. It’s a new model, boasting the latest technologies. It’s also a 2-in-1 laptop, allowing for versatility. Light, portable, and with a stylus pen included, this is a device you should consider if you use your laptop or tablet for creativity or art.

Specifications

Price$$$
Screen Size15.6 in
Screen TypeFull HD IPS anti-glare Micro-Edge WLED Backlit Touchscreen
Weight4.41lbs
Resolution920 x 1080 pixels, 60 Hz
OSWindows 10
CPUAMD Ryzen 7 4700U, 2GHz
Camera/Webcam SpecsHD
BluetoothYes
Battery TypeLithium-Ion
Hard Disk256GB SSD

Pros

  • With excellent battery life and the kind of flexibility you’d expect from a 2-in-1 laptop, the HP Envy provides a great choice for most professionals. Slim, light, and portable, this is the kind of laptop you can slip into your bag and take to work.

Cons

  • The speakers on this device aren’t the best, with the top speaker grilles only for show. The port selection could also be better.

The HP Envy x360 is a mid-range alternative to the HP Specter, mentioned earlier in this review as the best laptop for photo and video editing. If you’re working to a budget, but still a laptop capable of photo and video editing, the HP Envy will work better for you.

Thin, light, and easily portable, the HP Envy is ideal for working into your schedule. It also boasts the famous 360-degree hinge, allowing for maximum flexibility.

Best Chromebook: Asus Chromebook Flip C434

The Asus Chromebook Flip makes an excellent budget buy, without sacrificing any practicality. This is a great device to use while traveling, and it’s even suitable for older children.

Specifications

Price$
Screen Size14 in
Screen TypeTouchscreen FHD, 4-way NanoEdge display
Weight2.9lbs
Resolution1920 x 1080 pixels, 60 Hz
OSChrome OS
CPUIntel Core m3-8100Y, 3.4GHz
Camera/Webcam SpecsHD
BluetoothYes
Battery TypeLithium
Hard Disk64GB SSD

Pros

  • With a sleek, beautiful design, the Asus Chromebook Flip offers all the versatility you’d expect from a 2-in-1 device. The touchscreen is sharp and responsive, and the battery life is impressive.

Cons

  • The Asus Chromebook Flip offers a mixed performance. Like some other 2-in-1 devices, it focuses more on its remarkable flexibility than on providing a high-powered service.

Like many other hinge laptops, the Asus Chromebook is excellent for creative work. While this means it can appeal to artists, architects, or even upcoming amateurs, the Chromebook Flip can also be handy for students and children at school.

The impressive 360-degree hinge means that this laptop is durable – but not indestructible. If you’re going to let your children use an Asus Chromebook for schoolwork, make sure they’re old enough not to damage the device.

Best Laptop for Kids: Goldengulf Windows 10 Mini

Most schoolwork now requires children to use a laptop or some other mobile device. The Goldengulf Windows 10 Mini is designed for simple home use and is ideal for children.

Specifications

Price$
Screen Size10.1 in
Screen TypeHD
Weight2.43lbs
Resolution1200 x 800 pixels, 60 Hz
OSWindows 10
CPUIntel Z8350, 1.96GHz
Camera/Webcam SpecsFront camera built-in, 1.3m pixels
BluetoothYes
Battery TypeLithium-Ion
Hard Disk32GB SSD

Pros

  • Lightweight and simple, this laptop works well for the most basic uses. It can be used for streaming and schoolwork, and even includes a mini HDMI port.

Cons

  • This laptop is somewhat limited since it’s marketed mostly towards children. While it’s suitable for basic use, it won’t support high-powered activities or games.

The Goldengulf Windows 10 Mini provides the perfect starter laptop for a school-age child. The laptop allows media streaming, casual gaming, and internet use. While it’s not a competitor to larger, more powerful laptops, this device is good for children, or even as a simple laptop to use at home.

It’s a small model, but this means that your child will feel more comfortable using the input devices.

What Should You Consider When Buying a New Laptop?

Since a new laptop is a considerable expense, it’s important that you know exactly what you need before you begin shopping. Always look at the specs before buying a new laptop. For example, 8 or 16GB of storage often comes as standard. If you’re using your laptop for basic, at-home use, 8GB will be fine. However, if you’re a working professional, 16, 32, or even 64GB would be a better choice.

You shouldn’t choose anything below a 1080p screen resolution. For a gaming laptop, you’ll want an even higher screen resolution.

If you’re not sure what to choose, 16GB storage, 1080p screen resolution, and anything 256 SSD or over should be fine.

Budget

Always set your budget before you begin shopping. Laptops vary wildly in price, and cheaper laptops sometimes turn out to be a bad investment.

Do some research, then decide how much you can afford. Setting a range rather than a specific price is best.

Screen Size

For gaming, business, or media editing, a larger screen size is best. This allows you to see the big picture of your work, instead of having your projects crammed into a smaller screen.

However, make sure that the screen resolution matches the size. Low resolution with a larger screen will turn out bad picture quality.

2-in-1 vs Clamshell

A “clamshell” refers to a traditional open-and-shut laptop, whereas the 2-in-1 acts like a laptop and tablet built into one. If your work or hobbies require you to use a tablet as well as a laptop, 2-in-1 is the best choice.
Since 2-in-1 laptops are often lighter and more durable, they’re the better choice if you’re often traveling. However, 2-in-1 devices often sacrifice high performance for their famous flexibility. So, if you’re working from home or mostly from one place, or need a powerful device, clamshell laptops are your best choice.

Battery Life

If you work near a plug point for most of your day, battery life won’t be a huge concern for you. But if you don’t often have charging options during your work or study, you’ll need a laptop with long battery life.
Be aware that while a laptop may advertise up to 8 hours of battery life, it’s unlikely you’ll get the whole 8 hours, especially if you’re using your laptop constantly. When your laptop ages, battery life suffers. That promised 8-hour battery life may end up being no more than 5 or 6 hours, and it won’t last you all day.

Storage

If you’re not sure how much storage to choose from, the standard 8GB is usually fine. However, 16GB tends to be the safer option. Most laptops have several options for you to choose from, each with different features and storage. While more storage will make the laptop more expensive, it reduces the chances of clutter and your laptop slowing down.

CPU and RAM

If you’re not sure what kind of RAM to choose, make sure the specs in your laptop use the fourth-gen DDR4. Most modern devices use this. The higher the GB attached to your RAM, the better.
When choosing a CPU, AMD has become more popular in recent years. However, Intel is still a well-known CPU name. An Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 is suitable for most average laptop users.

Graphics

If you’re looking for a gaming or media editing laptop, you’ll need a high-quality graphics card. Otherwise, a standard graphics card will do just fine.

Replacing or upgrading the existing graphics card in your laptop can be very expensive, so it’s wise to take some time and check out the graphics card before you buy.

Key Takeaways

Shopping for a laptop is straightforward if you know what you’re doing. Don’t assume that a high price or a new feature makes one laptop the best choice for you. Here’s what you need to consider before buying a laptop:

What will I use my laptop for?

Graphics designers, gamers, professional artists, and other professionals should consider wider screens, better quality graphics cards, and higher screen resolution. They’ll also need more powerful devices.

How much am I willing to spend?

Set a budget before you begin shopping. The higher quality laptop you need (for example, high specs for a gaming laptop) the more you’ll need to spend. If you set a very low budget, you will need to compromise on some of the features you want.

Will I take my laptop around with me?

If you’re going to travel with your laptop, it’s best to choose a smaller, lighter device. It should also have longer battery life. 2-in-1 devices offer the portable versatility you need.

Should I buy an old or new laptop?

New laptops are generally more expensive, while old laptops can work just as well. However, older laptops may be incompatible with modern technology, or can quickly go out of date.

Regardless of your needs, there’s a laptop out there for you. Follow the guidance in this best laptops list to make a smart investment that you can appreciate for years to come.

About the Author Marcus

Marcus has a graduate degree in computer engineering and has many years of experience in cutting-edge technology research and development in both startups and Fortune 500 corporations. In his free time, he enjoys RTS gaming.

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