Top Laptop for 2024
The following are 15 laptops we recommend
We have so many laptops to choose from, let our site help you find the right one.
Laptops are essential in a post-pandemic world. Everybody has experienced firsthand the importance of laptops in our daily lives, from students to remote workers. If you're in the market for a new laptop, choosing suitable food laptop can be very fast - the options are always growing. Here is a list of our picks for the best laptops in 2024. No matter your need, we've found something for everyone.
We're just a few months into 2024, so you're still looking at last year's models when looking for your first laptop. Our laptop and PC experts at CNET have tested and reviewed laptops for decades, covering everything from performance to pricing to battery life.
This hand-curated list includes laptops that operate on Windows, macOS, and Chrome in a variety of sizes, designs, and price ranges. (Now that Microsoft has published the complete version of Windows 11, all of the Windows laptops on this list should be able to run the updatedated OS.)
If you're looking for additional laptop brands and possibilities in a certain category, we have specialist lists for you to look at, such as the best gaming laptops, best 15-inch laptops, best two-in-ones, and best Chromebooks, as well as other categories. The greatest laptops for college students and creatives, as well as alternatives to the MacBook Pro. Check out our best budget laptop and best gaming laptop recommendations if you need to keep the cost of a new laptop as low as possible.
The best laptops list is updated on a regular basis with new models that we have tried and reviewed.
It's a good place to start to get a sense of what's available.
Go here if you need help deciding whether a certain laptop or two-in-one is best for you.
Best small laptop under $1,000
Best 17-inch lightweight laptop
Best 14- and 15.6-inch 2-in-1
Best MacBook Air alternative
Best MacBook Pro 14-inch alternative
Best gaming laptop for impressing at work
What is the price of a nice laptop?
When looking for the finest laptop for yourself, starting with a budget is a fantastic place to start. The good news is that for less than $500, you can acquire a lightweight, attractive laptop with amazing battery life. Check out our best recommendations, as well as additional specific buying advice for this price range, if you're looking for a laptop for $500 or less.
High-end components such as Intel Core i-series CPUs and AMD Ryzen, as well as premium design elements like as small screen bezels and aluminum or magnesium casings, have found their way into laptops priced between $500 and $1,000. Touch displays and two-in-one designs that may be used as a tablet or laptop are also available, as well as a few more options.
Is it preferable to use MacOS or Windows?
For many people, the choice between a MacOS and a Windows laptop will come down to personal preference and price. The M1 MacBook Air, Apple's entry-level laptop, costs $999. Apple and other stores occasionally offer it at a discount, or you may receive educational pricing from them. However, a new MacBook will cost at least $1,000, and costs will only rise from there.
However, for the money, you're getting excellent hardware from top to bottom, inside and out. Apple recently switched to its own CPUs, which resulted in performance gains across the board when compared to earlier Intel-based models. However, the company's most powerful laptop, the 16-inch MacBook Pro, has yet to be upgraded to Apple hardware.
But, once again, superior hardware comes at a cost. You're also confined to Apple computers. You can acquire an astonishing selection of devices at a broad range of costs with Windows and Chromebooks (more on this below).
There is plenty of software accessible for both platforms, so unless you need to run anything that is only available on one, you should be OK with either. However, a Windows laptop has a distinct edge when it comes to gaming.
MacOS is also seen to be more user-friendly and secure than Windows, especially for those who want their computers to get out of the way so they can get work done. Microsoft, on the other hand, has done its best to follow suit throughout the years, and with Windows 11, it's attempting to erase any restrictions. Furthermore, while Macs have a reputation for being safer, the popularity of the iPhone and iPad has helped propel Mac sales, making them more vulnerable to viruses.
Is it worthwhile to invest in Chromebooks?
They are, but they aren't suitable for everyone.
Chrome OS has gone a long way in the last ten years, and Chromebooks — Chrome OS laptops — are ideal for those who perform the majority of their work in a web browser or with mobile apps. They're safe, straightforward, and, more often than not, a good deal. What they can't do is run Windows or Mac apps natively.
Which laptop is ideal for home, travel, or both?
Many people's working habits and locations altered as a result of the epidemic. Small, ultraportable computers, which were once popular among frequent travelers, may now be tragically unsuitable for working from home. Perhaps you'd like a larger display with better graphics power for gaming instead of a lengthy battery life.
Consider a 15.6-inch laptop or bigger if you'll be working on a laptop and won't require more mobility than carrying it from room to room. In general, a larger screen makes work simpler and entertainment more pleasant, and it's also better when used as an expanded display with an external monitor. It usually means you'll receive additional ports, making it easy to connect an external display or storage device, as well as a keyboard and mouse, without the need for a hub or dock.
Stay with 13- or 14-inch laptops or two-in-ones for travel. They'll be the lightest and tiniest, yet they'll still have a long battery life. What's wonderful is that PC manufacturers are moving away from 16:9 widescreens and toward 16:10 or 3:2 ratio displays, which provides you more vertical screen area for work without expanding the footprint considerably. Typically, these machines lack discrete graphics and fast CPUs, however this isn't always the case.
Which laptop is the most suitable for gaming or creative work?
Any laptop may be used to play games and generate stuff. However, depending on the components within the laptop, the games you play and the material you generate — as well as the pace at which you do them — may vary dramatically.
You don't need a powerful gaming laptop to play casual browser-based games or use streaming-game services like Google Stadia, Nvidia GeForce Now, or Xbox Cloud Gaming. Similarly, if all you're doing is cutting video clips, cropping images, or live-streaming video from your camera, a low-cost laptop or Chromebook with integrated graphics would suffice.
Discrete graphics, such as Nvidia's RTX 30-series GPUs, will be required for anything more demanding. Increased system memory of 16GB or more, a fast SSD for storage, and a quicker CPU like an Intel Core i7 or
AMD Ryzen 7 will all help you move things along more quickly.
The display is the second aspect to think about. In order to make games seem smoother while playing, search for screens with a high refresh rate of 120Hz or faster. Look for monitors that cover the whole sRGB color space while creating content.
