Figuring out what laptop to buy is a daunting task, to say the least. There are so many companies vying for your attention, so many models available can sometimes be configured, naming conventions that make it hard to tell if you're even looking at the latest version of the laptop... the list goes on and on.
You also have to have a clear idea of what you need from your new laptop, as not all of them (or even most of them) are created for every use case. Will you be gaming on your laptop, or do you need to run a bunch of resource-heavy applications at once? Maybe you just need something to check your email and use Word or Google Docs on? Once you've honed in on what exactly you're going to use your laptop for, only then can you begin the task of researching.
But we can help with that part! Below are a list of the best laptops for most use cases. These laptops span a range of prices as well, so there is something within everyone's budget. Take a look and pick up your next laptop now.
Our favorite laptops in 2025
Lenovo Slim 9i (2025)
- CPU
- Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 258V Processor (LPE-core Max 3.70 GHz, P-core Max 4.80 GHz with Turbo Boost, 8 Cores, 8 Threads, 12 MB Cache / 32 GB MOP)
- GPU
- Integrated Intel® Arc Graphics 140V
- Display type
- 120Hz, 16:10, PureSight Pro, OLED, 750 nits peak brightness, Delta E<1, 100% sRGB, 100% P3, Adobe RGB, Dolby Vision®, VESA Certified DisplayHDR True Black 600, TÜV Low Blue Light Certification, Eyesafe® Certification, glass touchscreen
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 14″ 4K (3840 x 2400)
- RAM
- Up to 32GB LPDDR5X 8533MHz dual channel
- Storage
- 1TB PCIe M.2 Gen 4
- Battery
- 75Whr
- Ports
- 2 x USB-C® Thunderbolt 4 (40Gbps)
- Operating System
- Windows 11 Home
- Webcam
- 32M camera, Camera-under-display design
- Cellular connectivity
- No
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- WiFi 7 802.11BE (2 x 2)
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.4
- Dimensions
- 12.32″ x 8.01″ x as thin as 0.57″
- Weight
- 2.76lbs
- Speakers
- 2 x 2W tweeters, 2 x 3W woofers
- Colors
- Tidal Teal
- Lunar Lake CPUs
- Striking design
- 120Hz OLED display
- Great keyboard
- No headphone jack
- Webcam quality isn't the best
- No dynamic refresh rate
If you're looking for a balanced laptop that can do nearly anything you need and don't want to think too hard about your exact needs, you'll want to buy the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i. This is a fantastic all-rounder laptop with all the power you need to get it all done (except if you need a crystal-clear webcam image).
With the base model of the Yoga Slim 9i, you get 16GB of DDR5 RAM, a 1TB M.2 PCIe Gen4 SSD, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity, and a keyboard that's a joy to type on. You can also choose to add more RAM or upgrade theIntel Lunar Lake processor if you need an even more powerful laptop. Even with all of this, though, the Slim 9i weighs in at under 3 pounds, making it very easy to carry around—something, of course, that's ideal for a laptop.
But there is much more to get into beyond just raw power. Simply put, Lenovo's laptop is beautiful. On the outside, you have a striking chassis in the company's 'Tidal Teal' color, with a glass cover that really makes it shine. Inside, there's a 14-inch OLED screen that looks stunning. We go into detail about the design (as well as everything else) inour review of the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i.
Lenovo's Yoga Slim 9i (2025) is the most beautiful tech product I've ever seen
On both the inside and the outside
Of course, not everything is perfect with the Yoga Slim 9i. For one, the battery life isextremely dependent on the settings you choose, and the lack of dynamic refresh rates can kill the battery life if you're running at 120Hz. There's also no headphone jack, which isn't great for what is a portable device. But, if these aren't dealbreakers, you shouldn't sleep on this laptop.
- CPU
- Up to Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite
- GPU
- Qualcomm Adreno
- Display type
- IPS touchscreen LCD, anti-reflective, 1400:1 contrast ratio, up to 120Hz
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 13.8-inch, 2304x1536 or 15-inch, 2496x1664
The Surface Laptop 7 is the first major shakeup the lineup has received since its inception, with a brand-new design with thinner bezels, plus a new haptic touchpad. The laptop now comes in 13.8- or 15-inch models, and it's powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite or Snapdragon X plus chips.
- RAM
- Up to 64GB LPDDR5x
- Storage
- Up to 1TB Gen 4 SSD
- Battery
- 54-66Wh
- Ports
- 2x USB4, 1x USB Type-A, 1x Surface Connect
- Operating System
- Windows 11
- Webcam
- 1080p Surface Studio Camera
- Cellular connectivity
- No
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- Wi-Fi 7
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.4
- Form factor
- Laptop
- Dimensions
- 11.85 x 8.67 x 0.69in; 15-inch: 12.96 x 9.41 x 0.72in
- Weight
- 13-inch: 2.96 pounds; 15-inch: 3.67 pounds
- Speakers
- Omnisonic speakers
- Colors
- Platinum, Graphite, Sapphire, Dune
- Pen compatibility
- Microsoft Pen Protocol
- Price
- Starts at $1,000
- Snapdragon X Elite is fast and efficient
- Excellent display and upgraded webcam
- Game-changing battery life, under the right conditions
- Some games don't run
- Some (few) apps still run emulated, so they're slower
Sometimes, above all else, you just need the best battery life you can find in a laptop, even if it means sacrifices in other areas. Maybe you're a digital nomad who doesn't always have reliable access to power, or you live in an area prone to power outages. Perhaps you travel a lot and need to ensure the laptop lasts most or all of a flight without needing a charger—because who has room to use a big charger or power brick?
If that's you, then you need the Surface Laptop 7.
Surface Laptop 7 15 review: You don't have to wait for Windows on Arm to get good anymore
It does most things right
We learned in ourSurface Laptop 7 review that if you tweak the right settings, the battery life on this laptop is nearly unparalleled. Our tester found that at the 'Recommended' power setting and the refresh rate of 120Hz, the battery lasted about 15 hours when replicating typical productivity use. That's extremely impressive, and you can likely eke out more time if you turn the refresh rate down to 60Hz. The only thing to note is that if you use Google Meet or video conferencing often, the battery won't last nearly as long.
From there, the Surface Laptop 7 is a very good productivity laptop in its own right. You can customize the hardware specs to your needs, including up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM, and the screen looks fantastic. It is worth noting that this Microsoft laptop is runningWindows on Arm instead of the version of Windows 11 you're likely used to. While you may not see a difference most of the time, there are sometimes compatibility issues with applications, so you'll want to research and make sure the ones you use will run alright.
But this is really a small hiccup on what is otherwise a powerful and well-priced laptop. The only other laptop on this list that even compares in terms of battery life is the MacBook Air M4, but MacOS is not always ideal depending on what your workflow is.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12
- CPU
- Up to Intel Core Ultra 7 165U
- GPU
- Intel Arc (integrated)
- Display type
- IPS, anti-glare, 400 nits or OLED, 400 nits
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 14-inch 120Hz 2.8K or 14-inch 60Hz 1920x1200
- RAM
- Up to 64GB LPDDR5x
- Storage
- Up to 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 is the first noticeable redesign of the laptop in years. It comes with Intel Core ultra processors, a new touchpad, a much better webcam, and a new look that helps it feel more modern while staying true to the iconic ThinkPad lineage.
- Battery
- 57Wh
- Ports
- Two Thunderbolt 4, two USB-A 3.2, HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio
- Operating System
- Windows 11
- Dimensions
- 12.31 x 8.45 x 0.59 inches (312.8mm x 214.75mm x 14.96mm)
- Weight
- From 2.42 pounds (1.09kg)
- Speakers
- Dual speakers, Dolby Atmos
- Colors
- Black
- Ultraportable
- A neutral design that doesn't look gaudy in the office
- Enough battery life to last all day
- Extremely expensive
- No 4K display option
If you're in this section, you might be wondering what a laptop for 'business' entails. If you need productivity, wouldn't some of the other options on this list work? Well, sort of, but one specifically for business is going to require some particular features that you won't find in just any productivity laptop.
You'll generally need a laptop that's lightweight and portable, but also packs the specs you need for multitasking. It's also a bonus if it's easy to share your laptop's screen with coworkers without the need to plug into an external monitor—so you want your display to be somewhat big, bright, and with a higher resolution. You'll likely also need Windows as your operating system, as opposed to macOS or a Linux distro. This is entirely dependent on your industry and how often you need to collaborate with others, but Windows is the norm in many corporate settings, and using a different OS can lead to compatibility issues no one wants to deal with.
So, which laptop checks all the boxes for a powerful workstation? Lenovo's latest model of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon. A ThinkPad likely isn't a surprising recommendation for those who have used them before, as they're built around being the best for business productivity, hands down. But it's important to note that the 12th generation of the X1 Carbon does more than continue to be the shining star of business laptops; Lenovo has made several crucial upgrades that make the ThinkPad even better than before.
You get an upgraded, yet still understated design that's a perfect fit for the office and an upgraded camera so you'll look good in virtual meetings (though still a bit behind the competition). That's in addition to the already great battery life, a keyboard that's great to type on, and the fantastic OLED screen. The X1 Carbon is also ultraportable, making it an even better pick for nearly anyone looking for a business laptop.
Honestly, it can all sound too good to be true, but the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon does indeed exist—you just have to pay for it. This laptop is easily over $2 for most configurations, a price that only our gaming laptop pick beats. But with a gaming laptop, you're paying for beefy specs that can run video games perfectly. The X1 Carbon is still a very productivity-focused laptop, so you're not going to be able to boot up games on it.
But its single-minded focus on being the best business laptop out there is why it is, in fact, the best. If you can swing the price, you won't be disappointed.
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10
- CPU
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- GPU
- Nvidia RTX 5080 mobile
- Display type
- OLED
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 16-inch, 2560x1600, 240Hz
Lenovo's Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 is a 16-inch gaming laptop that comes packed with an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX and an Nvidia RTX 50-series GPU, including support for up to a mobile RTX 5090.
- RAM
- 32GB DDR5-6400
- Storage
- 2TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD
- Battery
- 99.99WHr
- Ports
- 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, RJ45, USB-C, Thunderbolt 4, USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, HDMI 2.1
- Operating System
- Windows 11 Home
- Webcam
- 5MP
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- Wi-Fi 7
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.4
- Dimensions
- 1.04 x 14.33 x 10.86 inches
- Weight
- 6 pounds / 2.72kg
- Speakers
- 4x speakers with Nahimic Audio
- Cellular connectivity
- None
- Form factor
- Clamshell
- Powerful specs that can nearly replace a desktop PC
- Beautiful display
- Very expensive
- On the heavy side
Those who want to game on the go will have different priorities than most other laptop users. Getting modern games to run smoothly is a very different beast than trying to multitask with resource-heavy applications, and any multiplayer title will need better internet connectivity than the average user. Then there are other niceties, like a good keyboard, proper peripheral support, and so on.
It is, quite frankly, a lot. But if you're willing to shell out, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 will meet all of your needs and more.
Let's address the elephant in the room first: The Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 isvery expensive. While gaming laptops will generally be more expensive than normal ones because of the hardware needed, the $3,200 asking price is well beyond what you'd see even in this end of the laptop market. But if you can swing the investment, this is a laptop that will not disappoint and will last you years.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i reminded me why I love gaming laptops, and why I don't own one
The Legion Pro 7i is unapologetic, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
The raw specs on Lenovo's flagship gaming laptop are really bar none. The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor, Nvidia's RTX 5080 laptop GPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM and 2TB of PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD storage—this is, unsurprisingly, a laptop made for hardcore gamers in mind. That's not even getting into the 120Hz screen, as well as Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 capabilities. However, the Pro 7i lacks an Ethernet port, which is a little unfortunate if you want to ensure a stable connection with a cable, but given the wireless connectivity available, there shouldn't be any hiccups in your gaming.
Also, Pro 7i Gen 10 is very heavy on the gamer aesthetic. There are bright LEDs everywhere on the laptop, a large 'Legion' logo is emblazoned on the top, and the general design stands out compared to slim productivity laptops. This may not necessarily be a problem, depending on your priorities—while I don't personally like the aesthetic, I still have a gaming laptop because I want to play games while traveling, and that's a trade-off I'm willing to take. Whether it's a dealbreaker or not will be up to you.
There are a few other downsides that may be more off-putting, though they're both issues with most gaming laptops. The battery life on the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 is pretty poor, which, for a machine with so much bleeding-edge hardware in it, isn't all that surprising. It does, however, make it more difficult to use the laptop in more 'productivity' oriented settings. The Legion Pro 7i also weighs 6 pounds, making it a lot heavier than most non-gaming laptops, and the very big and heavy charger brick doesn't make things any lighter.
But if you're willing to deal with the downsides of the typical gaming laptop and can afford it, you won't be disappointed with Lenovo's high-end offering.
MacBook Air (M4, 2025)
- CPU
- 10-core M4, 4 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores
- GPU
- 10-core
- Display type
- IPS LCD
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 15.3 inches, 2880x1864
The MacBook Air with the M4 chip comes in both 13-inch and 15-inch sizes.
- RAM
- 16GB/24GB/32GB
- Storage
- 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB
- Battery
- 66.5Whr
- Ports
- Two Thunderbolt 4, 3.5mm audio jack
- Operating System
- macOS Sequoia
- Webcam
- 12MP
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.3
- Dimensions
- 0.45 x 13.40 x 9.35 inches
- Weight
- 3.3 pounds (1.51 kg)
- Speakers
- Six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers
- Colors
- Sky Blue, Silver, Midnight, Starlight
- Price
- $999/$1,199
- Very lightweight
- Apple Silicon chip is powerful for multitasking
- Great integration if you have an iPhone and/or iPad
- Not everyone likes Apple or MacOS
- MacOS may not have specialty programs available
A student's laptop needs to be as frictionless to use as possible. This is a device that will be dragged around campus all day long, so it needs to be lightweight and have the battery power to last all day—no one wants to lug around more chargers or a power brick, after all. On top of that, it needs to be easy to use, so nothing breaks in the middle of class. This isn't much of a problem for the tech-savvy, but for those with less tech experience, an intuitive UI is important. Finally, the laptop needs to work with whatever the student's workload is and handle multitasking as needed
The latest MacBook Air checks all of these boxes and is priced around $1,000, to boot. MacOS is an easy operating system to use—it's harder to accidentally download viruses, and integration with other Apple devices is a big plus. The Apple Silicon M4 chip is also very powerful, which will make it easy for users to open resource-heavy programs or multitask, even if the overall spec sheet seems weaker than a Windows laptop.
MacBook Air (M4, 2025) review: More power for less money
The M4 MacBook Air does not make much sense for those who already own the M3 version, but if you're on an M1 or older MacBook this is an easy upgrade
All of that in a laptop that only weighs about 3 pounds and has a battery life that will last all day. There is sustainability beyond just the battery, too—MacBooks last a long time in terms of usability, and it's likely this MacBook Air would last you most, if not all, of a college career. If you want to be sure, you can even pick up a MacBook Pro or a model with a more advanced Silicon chip, but these tend to be overkill for most people.
There is something to keep in mind before making the purchase, however. MacOS doesn't have the app variety and flexibility Windows has—so if you have particular specialty programs you need for class, make sure there's a Mac version first. You can boot Windows via Parallels, but that does take some of the advantage of 'easy to use' out of the equation, when purchasing a Windows laptop would become the option with less friction.
HP OmniBook 5
- CPU
- Snapdragon® X Plus X1P-42-100 (up to 3.4 GHz, 8 cores), Snapdragon® X X1-26-100 (up to 2.97 GHz, 8 cores)
- GPU
- Qualcomm Adreno
- Display type
- 16:10 35.6 cm (14") diagonal, 2K (1920 x 1200), OLED, multitouch-enabled, 0.2 ms response time, UWVA, edge-to-edge glass, micro-edge, Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3, Low Blue Light, 300 nits, 95% DCI-P3; TUV+Eyesafe Display for Low Blue Light 35.6 cm (14") diagonal, 2K (1920 x 1200), OLED, 0.2 ms response time, UWVA, microedge, BrightView, Low Blue Light, 300 nits, 95% DCI-P3 ; TUV+Eyesafe Display for Low Blue Light
- RAM
- 32 GB LPDDR5x-8448 MT/s (onboard) 16 GB LPDDR5x-8448 MT/s (onboard)
- Storage
- 1 TB PCIe® Gen4 NVMe™ M.2 SSD 512 GB PCIe® Gen4 NVMe™ M.2 SSD 256 GB PCIe® Gen4 NVMe™ M.2 SSD
- Battery
- 3-cell, 59 Wh Li-ion polymer
The HP OmniBook 5 includes the optional HP AI Companion for effortless, local AI, and a 2-in-1 flip design.
- Ports
- 2 USB Type-C 10Gbps signaling rate (USB Power Delivery, DisplayPort 1.4a, HP Sleep and Charge) 1 USB Type-A 10Gbps signaling rate 1 headphone/microphone combo
- Webcam
- HP True Vision 1080p FHD IR camera with temporal noise reduction and integrated dual array digital microphones
- Cellular connectivity
- No
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- Qualcomm® FastConnect™ 6900 Wi-Fi 6E (2x2) Dual Band Simultaneous (DBS)
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth® 5.3 wireless card
- Dimensions
- 12.29 x 8.56 x 0.50 in
- Weight
- 2.98 pounds
- Speakers
- Dual speakers HP Audio Boost
- Colors
- Glacier silver
- Price
- Starts at $799
- A Windows 11 laptop at Chromebook prices
- 2-in-1 design and included stylus for multiple uses
- Can only be used for light productivity
All of the laptops we've gone over above are fantastic, and for many, the price is worth the laptop's lifespan and the power it gives you. However, for the budget-constrained, they can still be out of an affordable price range. The OmniBook 5 is a 2-in-1 Windows 11 laptop that's only $500, making it a much more affordable option for those who can't drop $1,000+ on a laptop right now.
Of course, when it comes to budget laptops, sacrifices need to be made to reach their price points. These downsides can look bad on paper—like only 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage—but the truth is that specs are about in line with an average Chromebook, which at this price point, is the OmniBook 5's main competition. But Windows 11 can do a lot more than Chrome OS can, and that can be especially important if you find that a critical application isn't available on the latter OS.
But even if the specs are alright for the price, they can still be limiting. The Omnibook 5 can only really be used for light productivity or for occasionally watching videos. You're not going to be able to run Photoshop or other resource-heavy applications on this laptop. That's something you'll need to decide on if it's a dealbreaker or not. If, for example, you're only looking for something to write emails or browse the web on, the OmniBook will work for you. If you need to multitask between applications, this isn't the right laptop.
Personally, I would recommend choosing one of the $1,000 options above and see if you can find a 0% interest payment plan, so you can split the price into more reasonable payments. Honestly, I recommend that regardless of if those laptops are within your budget or not. But if you just want to drop $500 now and only need the basics, the HP Omnibook 5 is your best choice.
