I get the question all the time, “Hey CyberGuy, what laptop should I get?”
Finding the right laptop is easy if you know the questions to ask. See my quick laptop checklist and learn how to choose the perfect laptop here and find the one below that’s right for you. After you choose your laptop, be sure to check out my list of best laptop accessories here.
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Best Ultrabook
The category Ultrabook defines the laptop that is great for most everyone.
It’s got a good keyboard, high-resolution display, long battery life and easy to bring with you thanks to its thin, light, and portable design. Pick this for everyday use, but not for demanding tasks like video editing, 3D rendering or gaming.
Dell XPS 13 9310
Solid inside and out, this Dell XPS 13 (9310) has a 13.3 inch display with 11th gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB memory, 256 GB storage, and just 2.7 pounds
Mac Macbook Air M1
Mac Macbook Air M1 chip inside the latest thin portable laptop from Apple with fast M1 processor, 13” retina display, 8 GB memory, 256GB SSD storage, just 2.8 pounds
- All-Day Battery Life – Go longer than ever with up to 18 hours of battery life.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Best Chromebook
Google Pixelbook Go
Chromebook Google Pixelbook Go with Intel Core m3 processor, 8GB memory, 64GB storage, up to 12 hours battery life
- Good to Go: Pixelbook Go lets you stay unplugged for up to 12 hours so you dont need to carry a charger. And when you do need a charge get up to 2 hours of use in just 20 minutes so you can keep going.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Best Pro Performance Laptop
Apple MacBook Pro M1 Pro chip 2021
MacBook Pro M1 Pro chip inside the 2021 Apple MacBook Pro 16 inch. Amp it up for extreme power with the M1 Max chip for more money. By far, the most highly acclaimed MacBook Pro to ever hit the market. It runs cool despite the power and speed and has up to 17 hours of battery life. Configure it in a way that meets your needs for the next 4 or 5 years. For storage needs, look at your existing storage to get an idea of how much you are using today so you can predict for tomorrow.
- Apple M1 Pro or M1 Max chip for a massive leap in CPU, GPU, and machine learning performance
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Dell XPS 17 inch 9710
Dell XPS 17 with 11th gen Intel Core i9 processor, 17-inch FHD+ 1920×1200 InfinityEdge display, 16GB memory, 1TB SSD storage, up 9 hours 51 minutes battery life, and around 5.34 pounds. Dell Mobile Connect app lets you connect to your Android or iPhone smartphone easier. Great muscle for power users such as video editors, business workstations, and 3D rendering.
Best Budget Laptops
Acer Aspire 5
Windows Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K slim laptop, 15.6 inch full HD display, AMD Ryzen 3 processor, 128GB SSD storage, and backlit keyboard. Great budget pick if you are doing basic things like web browsing and email
- Powerful Productivity: AMD Ryzen 3 3350U delivers desktop-class performance and amazing battery life in a slim notebook. With Precision Boost, get up to 3.5GHz for your high-demand applications
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5
Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 has a 13 inch touch display, Intel Core i3, 4GB memory, 64GB storage, good for students, kids, and others on a thin budget who only want to browse the web and do basic email
- Work from home, school, or anywhere with the outstanding combination of performance, connectivity, and entertainment enabled by 10th generation InteI Core processors. The Lenovo Flex 5 offers intelligent performance features that adapt to you for a personalized, intuitive, and responsive experience
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Best 2-in-1 laptop
Part tablet, part notebook, and often called a convertible, these let you get the best of both in one device.
HP Pavilion x360 14 2-in-1 laptop
HP Pavilion x360 14 2-in-1 laptop, 10th gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB memory 512GB SSD storage, 14 inch full HD Touch Screen
- FREE UPGRADE TO WINDOWS 11 (12) (when available, see below)
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Recycle or resell your old laptop
It may be worth a little or not worth the hassle of selling your outdated laptop. Consider offering it for sale online after you have wiped all of your personal data off it first. If not, you can find a recycle spot here.
