Having a working laptop that lasts a long time has become an essential part of people’s everyday lives. With so many great laptops on the market, trying to pick the right one for you might get overwhelming. That’s why we’ve narrowed down some of the best laptops that you can purchase right now.
And if you’re planning on turning your laptop into a workstation, here’s how to connect it to external devices including a monitor keyboard and more.
M4 MacBook Pro
The Apple 2024 MacBook Pro, featuring the powerful M4 chip with a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, is designed for peak performance and seamless Apple integration. It boasts a stunning 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display, 16GB of unified memory, and 512GB SSD storage, all encased in a sleek Space Black design. Ideal for professionals and creatives alike, this laptop redefines efficiency and visual excellence.
M4 MacBook Max
The Apple 2024 MacBook Pro with M4 Max chip boasts a robust 14-core CPU and 32-core GPU, ensuring top-notch performance and efficiency. It features a brilliant 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display, 36GB of unified memory, and a spacious 1TB SSD storage. Encased in a stylish Space Black design, this laptop is built for unparalleled power and creativity, perfect for demanding professional tasks.
Apple 2024 MacBook Air 15-inch Laptop with M3 chip
The new MacBook Air 15-inch laptop features the powerful M3 chip, which provides a significant performance boost. It is up to 60% faster than the previous model with the M1 chip and an impressive 13x faster than the fastest Intel-based MacBook Air. Despite its performance gains, the 15-inch MacBook Air retains its strikingly thin and light design. It boasts up to 18 hours of battery life, which is six hours longer than an Intel-based MacBook Air. The laptop also features a stunning Liquid Retina display. Additionally, it is available in four colors: midnight (with a breakthrough anodization seal to reduce fingerprints), starlight, space gray, and silver.
Get Apple 2024 MacBook Air 15-inch
Apple 2024 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop with M3 chip
The Apple 2024 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop with the M3 chip offers a winning combination of power, portability, and industry-leading battery life, making it an ideal choice for a wide range of users. It features a thin and light design, a stunning Liquid Retina display, and up to 18 hours of battery life. The M3 chip provides impressive performance, and the laptop supports up to two external displays and faster Wi-Fi. Available in multiple colors, it’s a top pick for everyday productivity and creative tasks .
Get Apple 2024 MacBook Air 13-inch
Apple 2023 MacBook Pro
Credit: Apple
The Apple MacBook Pro is 14.2 inches wide and gives you an excellent display with Liquid Retina XDR. It can give you up to 18 hours of battery life on a single charge and gives you an advanced camera and audio if you need to use it for Zoom meetings. It can also accommodate your demanding workflow by operating on the Apple M3 Pro chip, with an up to 12-core CPU and up to 18-core GPU. At the time of publishing, this product had over 90 global reviews, with 86% giving it 5 stars.
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Apple 2023 MacBook Air
Credit: Apple
The 2023 Apple MacBook Air is another excellent recent release from the tech giant. It has some fantastic features including a 15-inch screen, 24 GB of memory, and a fanless design that keeps your laptop silent at all times as you’re working. It’s also compatible with multiple software programs, including Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Creative Cloud, and Google Workspace. At the time of publishing, this product had over 1,500 global reviews, with 89% giving it 5 stars.
MORE: TOP PORTABLE MONITORS TO EXTEND YOUR LAPTOP SCREEN
Apple MacBook Air 2020
Credit: Apple
If you want to get a MacBook but don’t want to spend an enormous amount of money, you can get the MacBook Air from 2020 which is currently on sale on Amazon for just $749.99. This laptop will give you up to 18 hours of battery life and has a stunning 13.3-inch display. It also is easy to set up and will give you more than enough storage and memory. At the time of publishing, this product had over 19,000 global reviews with 88% giving it 5 stars.
MORE: TOP 5 ULTRA-WIDE MONITORS FOR ADDED SCREEN REAL ESTATE
Dell XPS 15
Credit: Dell
This Dell XPS 15 laptop is another great choice because it works on the Intel 13th Gen Core processor, which is designed to last for multitasking. It has 16 GB of memory, which is great for advanced gaming and demanding applications, and it also has 1,000 GB of storage capacity. It also has a 15.6-inch screen size for crystal-clear images. At the time of publishing, this product had over 100 global reviews, with 79% giving it 5 stars.
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Acer Aspire 3
Credit: Acer
This laptop from Acer allows you to travel with ease thanks to its slim and lightweight design. It uses the Intel Core i3-N305 Processor for great performance, even if multiple people need to use it for different things. It comes with an HD front-facing camera as well as PurifiedVoice technology with AI Noise Reduction. At the time of publishing, this product had over 3,100 global reviews, with 67% giving it 5 stars.
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Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra
Credit: Samsung
This Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra laptop has an incredible 2880×1800 screen resolution so that your images will be clearer than ever before. It has a large 16-inch wide screen and up to 1,000 GB of storage capacity so that you can watch and store all the videos and pictures you want. Plus, it has an SSD storage type which leaves capacity for HD files. At the time of publishing, this product had over 100 global reviews, with 71% giving it 5 stars.
Get Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra
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Lenovo Yoga 9i
Credit: Lenovo
The Lenovo Yoga 9i laptop is made with an Intel 13th Gen Core processor meaning that it’s designed for power users and can withstand multimedia creation. It’s made with Intel Iris Xe Graphics which makes it budget-friendly and ideal for basic gamers. It also has an incredible 3840×2400 screen resolution for clear and beautiful images.
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ASUS Zenbook 14
Credit: ASUS
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a 14-inch wide screen and a 15-hour battery life, so you can get clear images and work all day long if you need to. It’s made with the Intel Core i5 processor for fast performance and has up to 512 GB of storage as well, so you won’t have to worry about running out of space. At the time of publishing, this product had over 2,700 global reviews, with 85% giving it 5 stars.
Microsoft Surface Pro 9
Credit: Microsoft
The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 uses Copilot on Windows 11, which is your everyday AI companion to help you complete your tasks. It helps you to create faster and complete tasks in a timely fashion. This laptop will also offer you a 13-inch touchscreen, a Surface Slim Pen 2 to take notes, and an incredible camera to put you squarely in the frame. At the time of publishing, this product had over 600 global reviews, with 79% giving it 5 stars.
Dell XPS 13 Plus
Credit: Dell
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is great because you can get 16 GB of memory which allows you to run multiple different programs at one time. You’ll also get 512 GB of storage capacity which is great if you have a large amount of pictures and videos you want to keep. Plus, the battery will run for up to 7 hours, so you’ll be able to get plenty of work done in one day before needing it to charge it.
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ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15
Credit: ASUS
This ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 will give you a complimentary 3-month Adobe Creative Cloud subscription when you purchase it. It has a massive 15.6-inch display for gorgeous pictures and runs on a 12th-generation Intel Core i9 processor for fast and reliable performance. It also has a 14-inch touchscreen available to use that lets you multitask by extending the screen or splitting windows and apps on both displays. At the time of publishing, this product had over 40 global reviews with 61% giving it 5 stars.
Connecting a monitor to your laptop for a Desktop Experience
Connecting a monitor to your laptop can transform your setup into a desktop-like experience, enhancing productivity and comfort. Start by identifying the appropriate cable (HDMI, USB-C, or VGA) compatible with both your laptop and monitor. Connect the cable securely to both devices. Power on the monitor first, then your laptop.
- On Windows, right-click the desktop, select “Display settings,” and choose “Extend” or “Duplicate” displays based on your preference.
- On macOS, go to “System Preferences” > “Displays” and arrange the monitors. Adjust the resolution and orientation to match your needs.
This setup allows you to enjoy a larger screen, making multitasking easier and reducing eye strain.
Consider these ultra-wide monitors
Portable Dual Monitors
For those who need a more flexible and mobile setup, portable dual monitors are an excellent solution. These lightweight, compact screens can be easily connected to your laptop via USB-C or HDMI, providing additional screen real estate on the go. Brands like ASUS, Lenovo, and AOC offer various models with features such as full HD resolution, adjustable stands, and even touch capabilities. Portable dual monitors are perfect for enhancing productivity during travel, remote work, or even at home, allowing you to extend your workspace without the bulk of traditional monitors.
Consider these portable dual monitors
Kurt’s key takeaways
All of these laptops are excellent picks, and now you just have to choose which one you think will be the right fit for you. We’d love to hear about which one you end up buying and how it helps you to complete your tasks. Let us know by commenting below.
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2 comments
What is the best browser to download? I have Bing but have been considering DuckDuckGo.
Hi Elizabeth, please refer to our articles here about best browsers:
https://cyberguy.com/more-picks/how-to-add-safe-browsers-to-your-mobile-device/
https://cyberguy.com/top-stories/best-web-browsers/