The PCWorld Guide to Laptops
From Chromebooks and budget laptops to high-end models for gaming and content creation, the expert editors at PCWorld give you all the advice you need. We bring you the latest laptop news, reviews, buying advice and best buys, deals and tutorials.
Top Laptop Stories
Latest Laptop Reviews
Reviews
Mokin 13-in-1 USB-C dock review: Power and ports for nerds
Mokin's 160W GaN All-in-One Station is a 13-in-1 USB-C docking station for nerds who value charging power and the ability to monitor what's going on via an informative LCD screen.By Mark Hachman1 week ago
Reviews
Acer TravelMate X4 14 AI review: A sensible business laptop at the right price
The Acer TravelMate X4 14 AI is a competent business notebook with good battery life, but it doesn’t offer much to get excited about.By Matthew S. Smith1 week ago
Reviews
Geekom Geekbook X16 Pro review: Can the mini-PC maker build a great laptop?
While many laptops with comparable CPU specifications are either significantly heavier or have plastic cases, the Geekbook offers a balanced combination of performance, mobility, and workmanship.By Christoph Hoffmann1 week ago
Reviews
Acer Aspire 16 AI review: Seriously good value
The Acer Aspire 16 AI is seriously good value, with lots of capable hardware at a good price. But this machine trades some of Lunar Lake's battery life for higher performance.By Chris Hoffman2 weeks ago
Reviews
Asus ExpertBook Ultra review: Panther Lake makes it fly
The Asus ExpertBook Ultra benefits from the performance of Intel’s new Panther Lake architecture, but it’s also a great premium business laptop in its own right.By Matthew S. Smith3 weeks ago
Reviews
Asus Chromebook Plus CX14 review: A bargain laptop that's actually fast
The Asus Chromebook Plus CX14 is a fast, practical 14-inch Chromebook that outperforms typical entry-level models while staying affordable.By Christoph Hoffmann3 weeks ago
Reviews
Acer Swift Edge 14 AI review: A proper mobility champ
It’s not without its faults, but the Acer Swift Edge 14 AI otherwise delivers a great all-around experience with extra points going to the gorgeous matte display. If you’re more often on the move than not, the Acer Swift Edge 14 AI will make a great partner.By Mark Knapp1 month ago
Reviews
Maingear Super 16 review: The right kind of power, but not the complete package
The Maingear Super 16 checks a lot of the right boxes, but not necessarily any better than its competition.By Mark Knapp2 months ago
Latest Laptop News
Deal
Save $400 — Lenovo's RTX 5060 laptop with 32GB RAM is now $1,299
The Lenovo Legion 5i is a power-packed gaming laptop and a great deal now with this discount at B&H.By Gabriela Vatu3 hours ago
Feature
5 secrets to getting a good PC deal in 2026
The current RAM crisis is painful, but many prices on the shelf are still good.By Chris Hoffman5 hours ago
Updated
Today’s best laptop deals: Save big on work, school, home use, and gaming
These are the best deals on home use laptops, gaming laptops, and Chromebooks we can find, updated every weekday.By Ashley Biancuzzo6 hours ago
News
The Steam Deck is out of stock, at the worst time. Blame RAM
The Steam Deck isn't available directly from Valve in the US and Canada, but it's still selling in the UK and Europe.By Michael Crider1 day ago
Deal
Save $450 — Asus' RTX 5070 laptop with 32GB RAM is $1,250 today
Packed with a Ryzen AI 9 CPU, 32GB of DDR5, plus an RTX 5070 GPU, it's quite the workhorse for an incredible price.By Gabriela Vatu1 day ago
Deal
This RTX-powered 17-inch gaming laptop is only $879
The Lenovo LOQ 17 with an Intel Core i5, 12GB DDR5 RAM, and 512GB storage is $251 off at B&H.By Gabriela Vatu2 days ago
News
Lenovo stockpiled enough RAM for 2026. It's still raising PC prices
The company's CEO said that it will have to bring prices up because of the RAM crunch, even though a few months ago another executive said the company has enough for 2026.By Michael Crider5 days ago
Deal
You need this portable monitor for your laptop (now 34% off)
This 15.6-inch 1080p portable monitor comes in handy for so many things. Amazon is now selling it for $66.49 (was $99.99).By Gabriela Vatu5 days ago
Latest Laptop Best Picks
Updated
Best laptops 2026: Premium, budget, gaming, 2-in-1, and more
To find the best laptops, we employ thorough hands-on, testing-based evaluations of laptop PCs from all the top brands. Our recommendations pinpoint the best budget, premium, gaming laptop, 2-in-1's, and even Chromebook.By Ashley Biancuzzo2 hours ago
Updated
The best gaming laptops: 5 top options for portable performance
Discover the best gaming laptops of 2025! Our expert reviews cover top picks for every budget, key features to look for, and all the specs that matter for serious gaming.By Ashley Biancuzzo5 days ago
Updated
Best laptops for engineering students: Top 5 picks for power and portability
Looking for a solid laptop for engineering? We’ve got you covered.By Ashley Biancuzzo6 days ago
Updated
Tested! The best gaming laptops under $1,000
Discover the best budget-friendly gaming laptops of 2026, tested and ranked for performance, portability, and value. From powerful GPUs to portable designs, we'll help you find the perfect affordable gaming laptop that suits your needs and budget.By Ashley Biancuzzo and Sam Singleton2 weeks ago
Updated
Best laptops for college students: 7 picks for every budget
Finding the best laptop for college can be tricky. Our 2026 guide breaks down top laptops for students, from affordable Chromebooks to premium 2-in-1s and gaming rigs.By Ashley Biancuzzo2 weeks ago
Best Picks
Best laptops under $500: Affordable picks that will satisfy
Need a laptop that won’t break the bank but still gets stuff done? We picked the best laptops under $500 that can easily handle your day-to-day workloads.By Ashley Biancuzzo and Sam Singleton2 weeks ago
Updated
Best Chromebooks 2026: Top picks for work, school, and more
Looking for the best Chromebook in 2025? Our expert reviews cover top models for work, school, and entertainment — they've been tested for battery life, performance, and value.By Ashley Biancuzzo3 weeks ago
Updated
Best Thunderbolt docks: Extend your laptop’s capabilities
The best docking station for a laptop is a Thunderbolt dock. We frequently test Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 laptop docking stations, and we've collected the best desktop docks to use your laptop's Thunderbolt port. Now included: Thunderbolt 5!By Mark Hachman1 month ago
Latest Laptop How Tos
How-To
10 steps every new laptop owner should take ASAP for the best setup
New laptop with Windows 11? These 10 steps ensure top performance, data protection, and convenience — for a perfect setup right from the start.By Steffen Zellfelder3 months ago
How-To
Master your BIOS: 8 tweaks that unlock hidden PC performance
Whether it's a self-built gaming machine or a fresh-from-the-store office PC, the right BIOS/UEFI settings can make a world of difference.By Steffen Zellfelder4 months ago
How-To
How to clean a USB-C port
If you have USB-C ports with built up dust and grime, here's how to clean them in just a few minutes.By Dominic Bayley4 months ago
Deal
The best Prime Day Chromebook deal has the lousiest discount. Don't be fooled!
Don't be fooled by eye-popping discounts: The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is the best deal on a Chromebook for Amazon's October Prime Day event, simply because it offers everything you want at an already fantastic price.By Mark Hachman4 months ago
Tip
6 warning signs that you need a new laptop
Slow, hot, and always running out of battery? These 6 signs reveal when your old laptop has reached the end of its life—and which models are worth buying today.By Steffen Zellfelder5 months ago
Try This
When my tech gear needs repairing, I always check this website first
If you've got a tricky repair you need to do, this website can show make it a lot easier!By Dominic Bayley6 months ago
Tip
SSDs are fast, but not always the answer. Here's why
SSDs are fast, quiet, energy-efficient, and vibration-resistant—making them the top choice in many systems. Still, in some cases, a classic HDD is better.By Friedrich Stiemer6 months ago
How-To
I hate loud laptops. These 5 tweaks drastically reduce fan noise
It is possible to make a loud laptop fan quieter? Here's what to do.By Dominic Bayley7 months ago