However, whether you’re a DJ, a professional audio producer, or an amateur, you will need to find the best laptop for music production that supports your needs. Since the world of computers and IT components can be confusing for a beginner, we created a detailed guide that walks you through the features that matter for a laptop destined for music production.

Also, we reviewed some of the best products on the market, so you can make an informed decision.

Top Picks

Preview	Product
	Apple 2019 MacBook Pro (16-inch, 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage, 2.6GHz Intel Core i7) - Space Gray	Check at Amazon
	Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-54-760S Gaming Laptop | Intel i7-11800H | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU...	Check at Amazon
	Dell XPS 13 9310 Touchscreen 13.4 inch FHD Thin and Light Laptop - Intel Core i7-1185G7, 16GB...	Check at Amazon
	SAMSUNG Galaxy Book Pro Intel Evo Platform Laptop Computer 15.6" AMOLED Screen 11th Gen Intel Core...	Check at Amazon
	ASUS ZenBook 15 Ultra-Slim Laptop 15.6” FHD NanoEdge Bezel, Intel Core i7-10510U, 16GB RAM, 512GB...	Check at Amazon
	ASUS ROG Strix G15 Gaming Laptop, 240Hz 15.6" FHD 3ms IPS, Intel Core i7-10750H CPU, NVIDIA GeForce...	Check at Amazon
	Lenovo Legion 5 Gaming Laptop, 15.6" FHD Display, AMD Ryzen 7 5800H, 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage, NVIDIA...	Check at Amazon

Last update on 2023-09-17 // The links above are affiliate // Images from Amazon

How to Choose the Best Laptop for Music Production?

First, it’s important to understand that there are not that many devices created for music production, per se. However, you don’t need highly specific features, just the ones that work best for your needs.

OS & Software

Which operating system do you like to work on?

The most popular ones are Windows and Mac OS, and most people have a strong preference for one or the other.

You should also consider the software you’ll use to produce music since some are not always compatible with both systems mentioned above.

So, before you decide on anything else, make sure you know your preferences for both the OS and software.

Configuration & Audio Quality

Audio software is quite demanding which is why you’ll find several gaming laptops in the products we reviewed.

The configuration of a laptop refers to the components that provide processing power such as the processor, RAM memory, and storage space. If these components work well together, your device will not choke when you try to open two different programs at once.

Moreover, since you are producing music, you will need a device that features good audio quality. Otherwise, you won’t be able to listen to your own creations.

Portability & Battery Life

Some music producers only work in a studio, but if you’re in a band or you’re a DJ, portability is going to be an important factor. Not to mention that you’ll want a laptop with good battery life that doesn’t drain too fast when the workload increases.

So, make the decision according to your needs. As you’ll see, some devices are ultra-portable while others are a bit more difficult to carry along.

Connectivity

Finally, as a music producer, you may need to transfer your creations online or to other devices. This is why you should select a laptop with good port configuration (at least one Thunderbolt3 port and plenty of USBs) and good connectivity (both Bluetooth and WiFi).

Best Laptops for Music Production

Summary

As you can see, the offer is rather varied. However, the prices can be a bit steep for a beginner. Still, if you’re looking to get a good start, any one of the laptops mentioned above will help with both performance and durability.

So, instead of worrying about the price, consider this a first investment in your career as a musician!

To this end, we have compiled a list of the best laptops for graphic design. Our selection is based on a few key qualities of good laptops for graphic design; features like performance (RAM and processor), screen size and resolution, input features (keyboard, touchscreen, etc.) and battery life and portability. The best laptops for graphic design have a solid mix of all these qualities. We also have lists of laptops for video editing and laptops for programming.

That being said, the sheer number of products on the market can make narrowing down the choice that much more difficult. So sit back as we go over a list of the best laptops for graphic design.

Top Picks

Preview	Product
	Apple MacBook Pro 13.3" with Retina Display, M1 Chip with 8-Core CPU and 8-Core GPU, 16GB Memory,...	Check at Amazon
	Acer Nitro 5 AN517-54-77KG Gaming Laptop | Intel Core i7-11800H | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Laptop...	Check at Amazon
	Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15” Touch-Screen – Intel Core i7 – 16GB - 512GB Solid State...	Check at Amazon
	ASUS ZenBook 15 Ultra-Slim Laptop 15.6” FHD NanoEdge Bezel, Intel Core i7-10510U, 16GB RAM, 512GB...	Check at Amazon
	Razer Blade 15 Gaming Laptop: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060-11th Gen Intel 8-Core i7 CPU - 15.6” QHD...	Check at Amazon
	MSI P65 Creator-1084 15.6" 4K UHD Display, Ultra-Thin and Light, RTX Studio Laptop, Intel Core...	Check at Amazon
	Dell XPS 17 9710 Touchscreen Laptop, 17 inch UHD+ Display - Intel Core i9-11900H, 32GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB...	Check at Amazon
	ConceptD 7 Ezel CC715-71-7196 Convertible Creator Laptop, Intel i7-10750H, GeForce RTX 2060, RTX...	Check at Amazon

Last update on 2023-10-09 // The links above are affiliate // Images from Amazon

How to Choose the Best Laptop for Graphic Design

Performance

In general, laptop performance can be boiled down to RAM, processor, GPU and storage.

The CPU (central processing unit) is the central unit that performs the most basic computations. Essentially, the processor is the thing that allows your computer to have multiple applications working at the same time. A better processor means faster computations which result in faster performance on all open applications.

GPU is also important but comes into play when you work with animation and 3d modeling.

RAM (random access memory) is part of the hardware that temporarily stores information for processing. Basically, the more RAM you have, the more tasks your processor can handle. Some graphic design applications are heavy and a large amount of RAM makes these applications run smoother.

The storage can be an HDD or SSD. Unlike RAM, data in the storage device is stored permanently (unless manually deleted). An SSD is faster than HDD and can make processing quicker and reduce boot and load times.

Screen

Another important feature for graphic design laptops is the screen. A better resolution screen means higher graphical details and a wider range of colors. The size of the screen also determines how easy it is to work on the laptop. In general, a 15-inch screen is considered standard among the graphic design industry. Many laptops for graphic design and multimedia are 2-in-1 laptops that double as a computer or a tablet.

Input Features

A good graphic design laptop should have enough ports to connect a mouse, keyboard, drawing pad, or even an integrated touch screen.

Touch screens are an increasingly popular addition to graphic design laptops as you can work on your stuff by directly touching the screen, almost like drawing on a piece of paper. Whether or not you should want a touchscreen depends on your personal preferences; some designers love them because of the integrated features and ease of use, others may prefer a more traditional approach to graphic design.

Battery Life and Portability

As much as working in an office is the standard locale, many graphic designers like a change of scenery and take their work with them to different places. That’s why it is important to have a laptop that has a good battery life, so you can work wherever without worrying about a drained battery. Portability ties into this too, as the more compact and transportable your laptop the easier it is to work while enjoying your freedom.

Best Laptops for Graphic Design

Apple MacBook Pro 13.3″

A Perfect Fit for Graphic Designers

Apple MacBook Pro 13.3″ is a practical, all-mighty laptop that offers excellent performance and amazing versatility that makes it an exceptional option for a variety of activities, including graphic design. This machine is fitted with the powerful Apple M1, 8-core chip, as well as a very good Retina display, with True Tone technology and 500 nits brightness. Moreover, there is also the 2560 x 1600 resolution and wide P3 color gamut that is another reason this laptop is a great choice for designers.

Apple MacBook Pro 13.3″ also features 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD for storage, and an 8-core GPU that should give more than enough resources for trouble-free image rendering. In addition, there is also the Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, Magic Keyboard, as well as Touch Bar and Touch ID functions.

This laptop’s battery life is amazing, and it delivers some 13 hours of work, while the limited number of available ports (there are only two Thunderbolt 3 ports and one 3.5mm jack) is the only major downside of this otherwise exquisite device. However, it is somewhat expected from the more affordable Apple devices.

All in all, if you are after the best laptop for graphic designers, you can be more than sure that the Apple MacBook Pro 13.3″ will fulfill your every need.

Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop

An Affordable Multifunctional Beast

Acer Nitro 5 is a reasonably priced, full-featured laptop that offers a clean look, and more importantly, delivers an excellent performance. Its combination of Intel Core i7-11800H CPU, with 4.6GHz boosting speed and 24MB Intel Smart Cache, and AI and Ray-Tracing ready NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050Ti GPU, is doing miracles. In other words, this laptop will perform every task you confront it with.

Equally importantly, this laptop also comes with a 17.3″ FHD IPS screen, with 144Hz refresh rate, 16GB of RAM, as well as 1TB of NVMe SSD storage that are other welcomed features, and an additional reason for its amazing performance.

Also, this laptop offers exceptional networking capabilities and is fitted with Intel Killer E2600 Ethernet, and Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650i, which allows fast throughput, and easy network optimization.

In other words, there is the whole package needed for trouble-free work. Therefore, if you are seeking an affordable, yet efficient machine for graphics design, Acer Nitro 5 should be more than an acceptable choice.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4

Everything You Need for a Good-Quality Design

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 is a practical and reasonably priced laptop that offers a great 11-hour autonomy and brings high-end performance, ideal for businesspeople, including designers. This is a stylish-looking device, with a comfortable keyboard, yet more importantly, a great 2496 by 1664 pixels 15” IPS screen, perfect for split-screen tasks. On top of that, there is also the Intel Core i7-1185G7 processor, as well as integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD storage. All of this combined delivers more than satisfying results.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 comes along with the Windows 10 Home Operating System and features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. Unfortunately, the number of ports is limited to only two USB ports, which is a bit disappointing for this class of device.

On the other hand, there are Omnisonic Speakers, with Dolby Atmos 6 support, 720p HD camera, and dual far-field Studio Mics that are delivering a very good sound and perfect conference call setup.

In other words, Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 brings not only great performance, but also great versatility and usability, offering a whole set of functions, as should be the case with one of the best laptops for design available on the market.

ASUS ZenBook 15 Laptop X534FTC-AS77

Powerful GPU And Large Screen For Stunning Visuals

The ZenBook 15 is a very interesting choice for graphic designers looking for an affordable yet performant machine with an UHD screen. This baby comes with a 15.6” UHD 4K NanoEdge display, which is relatively rare in this price bracket, plus a solid Intel Core i7-10510U CPU and a GeForce GTX 1650 GPU under the hood.

As far as graphic design goes, this setup is more than enough to meet and exceed the strictest demands. On top of that, you’ll get 16 GB of RAM (upgradable), a beefy 512 GB SSD and Amazon Alexa compatibility, though it’s not clear why you would need that for.

Anyway, the ZenBook 15 is a great all-rounder and it manages to tick off all the important boxes in our preamble. This is the master of productivity, and it can handle anything you throw at it, even some light gaming due to its dedicated GPU. Also, from a productivity point, the UHD display is one of the best screens available on a 15 incher.

We must also mention its gorgeous design and the cool metallic lid, which looks and feels great to touch, though it’s a literal fingerprint magnet. The ErgoLift hinge is another interesting feature that will delight avid typists, as it allows you to raise the keyboard deck for a more ergonomic typing experience. Finally, the laptop weighs 3.6 pounds and measures 13.9 x 8.7 x 0.7 inches, which makes it a great choice for people on the go.

Razer Blade 15

One of the Best out There

Razer Blade 15 is a premium-quality, high-end machine, ideal for gaming, as well as numerous other activities, such as video rendering, design, and other image-oriented activities. The main reason for that is its 15.6” QHD screen, with 100% sRGB gamut coverage, and 240Hz refresh rate, which is more than respectable.

Equally importantly, this laptop features the RTX 3060 graphics card and comes with an Intel i7-11800H, 8-Core CPU, with Intel Turbo Boost Technology capable of providing up to 5.1GHz speed, and special Vapor Chamber Cooling. Moreover, there are also 16GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD storage, as well as both Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth connectivity. Also, there are three USB ports, one HDMI 2.1 port, two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, and a 3.5 mm Combo Audio jack.

Razer Blade 15 is also fitted with an additional M.2 slot for extra storage capacity, it provides THX Spatial Audio and offers excellent battery life. In addition, there is also the per-key RGB Razer Chroma lighting – in other words, an excellent overall package is there.
Therefore, if you want a powerful and efficient laptop for your designing tasks, Razer Blade 15 is more than a great choice.

HP ZBook Create G7

Excellent for Work and Play

Just like the, the HP Zbook Create is specially designed for gaming, but also for creators, which makes it ideal for graphic design, obviously. According to HP, the Zbook Create is the world’s smallest 15’’ machine for gaming and creation, and considering its metrics, i.e. it weighs 1.9 kg and it’s 17.5 mm thin, this statement is hard to contradict.

If you’re on an unlimited budget, you can configure your ZBook Create G7 to take you to the Moon and back, i.e. this stylish and incredibly thin laptop can house an RTX 2080 Super GPU, as well as the latest Intel Core i9 and Intel Xeon CPUs. The sky is the limit, customization wise, and if that’s not enough for you, there’s even a ZBook Studio alternative that comes with an Nvidia Quadro RTX 5000 GPU.

The display is another strong selling point for the ZBook Create G7, and it’s obvious that this is a machine designed for professional creators. To give you a hint, you can get high res and incredibly accurate 4K OLED panel, with 100% DCI-P3 color coverage and 600 nits brightness in the highest-end version.

The unibody chassis is built from machined aluminum, and that confers it exceptional cooling capabilities, due to HP’s gaming-class VaporForce Thermal platform. Even the sound system is tuned by Bang & Olufsen, hence if you can afford it, just go for it.

Dell XPS 15 9500

The Best Laptop for Graphic Design

The Dell XPS 15 9500 is arguably one of the best (if not the best) 15’’ laptops on the market, and that makes it a prime contender for the title of the best laptop for graphic design. If you’re ready to pay the price for a beefed-up version of the XPS 15 9500, we can say that the ultimate laptop has arrived for you.

Depending on the configuration, the XPS 15 9500 can be extremely powerful (and expensive), but in the same time, light enough to carry around town hassle-free, and, most importantly, stylish and discrete. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this laptop, as it ticks absolutely all of the boxes in the preamble of the article.

First, you’ll get a stunning display, which is highly important for graphic design work, then the keyboard is terrific for typing, comfortable and ergonomically designed, the speakers are pretty good, the trackpad is also big enough and comfy enough to use for extended periods of time, the configuration options are endless, and so on and so forth.

For the starting price of $1,299, you’ll get a 10th gen Intel Core i5 Comet Lake CPU, 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD. If you’re not married with Apple’s MacOS, the Dell XPS 15 is the best laptop money can buy in 2020: it’s thin, light, well designed, the speakers are on top, the display has small bezels, you get 3 T3 ports, an SD card reader, and even a headphone jack.

The chassis is made from CNC milled aluminum, and features clean edges, while the keyboard deck is carbon fiber, reminding us of sports cars. Finally, we must mention the stellar 3,840 x 2,400 resolution display, with 500 nits of brightness and capable of hitting of 100 percent the Adobe RGB color gamut, and you’ve got yourself a winner for the best laptop for graphic design, especially if you take into consideration the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti GPU.

MSI P65 Creator-1084

Almost Overkill for Graphic Design

This is the MSI alternative to the HP ZBook Create, and as the name suggests, this hardcore machine is focused on content creators, and by that we mean graphic designers, photo editors and so on. The laptop comes loaded with the best components, including a 15.6″ 4K UHD Display, the latest-gen Intel Core i7-9750H CPU, a GeForce RTX 2060 GPU, 32 GB of RAM and a 1TB Teton Glacier SSD.

Everything’s on the up and up with this machine, including the retail price. However, if you’re looking for sheer power, this speedy, powerful and stylish laptop can do anything: 2D/3D design, 4K video editing, gaming, you name it, it got it. MSI is well known for high-end gaming computers, like its Trident desktops or GT series laptops, but this one is will definitely make creative professionals happy.

Even if this is far from cheap, it’s definitely worth your money if you’re looking for high-end performance and top-notch components at a reasonable price. Even the design is pretty sleek and discreet, connectivity is well taken care of, performance is on level with the best in class, and the only compromise we can think of is the built-in speakers which are not great.

Dell XPS 17 9710

A Designer’s High-End Dream

Dell XPS 17 9710 is a powerful and highly capable laptop that offers nothing but the best. This laptop comes with all the latest hardware and features the Intel Core i9-11900H CPU, with 4.6GHz boost speed and 24MB of cache, as well as the 6GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card. It’s a killer combination that is perfect for a variety of activities, including gaming, video rendering, graphic design, and others.

Dell XPS 17 9710 is also fitted with an excellent 17” UHD Touchscreen, with an Anti-Reflective display, 500 nits brightness, and HDR support. Also, it features 32GB of DDR4 RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD storage, and offers and exceptional connectivity that includes Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650 and Bluetooth 5.1.

When talking about available ports, you will be more than pleased, since there are four Thunderbolt 3 ports, accompanied by a full-size SD card reader and 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack that should provide more than enough versatility and functionality.

Dell XPS 17 9710 also offers full support for Alexa voice controls, it comes fitted with Windows 10 Pro Operating System, and presents an excellent multifunctional tool for any sort of business or personal use. For that reason, if you want a powerful and highly capable device for a variety of tasks, Dell XPS 17 9710 is a wish coming true for you.

ConceptD 7 Ezel

A Unique and Efficient Designer’s Machine

ConceptD 7 Ezel is a sleek and attractive-looking laptop, with an innovative screen design, which involves two hinges, and allows the screen to rotate outward, letting you position the screen in almost any position, making a unique product on the market.

In addition, this laptop is also packed with good quality hardware that includes Intel i7-10750H CPU, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and 1TB of NVMe SSD storage. There is also the GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card, with 6GB of GDDR6 VRAM, as well as the 15.6″ 4K UHD IPS, with 60 Hz refresh rate, 350 nits brightness, and 100% Adobe RGB Color Gamut coverage, which is an excellent characteristic for any design work.

ConceptD 7 Ezel comes with four-hour battery life, a flat, yet comfortable keyboard, and also includes a built-in stylus pen (Wacom EMR Pen) that is another huge bonus for its creative nature. In other words, this laptop is designed to be practical and efficient in performing graphics-oriented tasks; therefore, if you are after the best laptop for graphic design, ConceptD 7 Ezel is certainly an exceptional choice.

Conclusion

So what is the best laptop for graphic design? As always, the answer will depend on your specific wants and needs. More powerful laptops tend to be bigger and have less of battery life while those that excel in portability and user-friendliness tend to be less powerful. A touch screen can be a great option for a graphic designer who wants an intuitive interface. Regardless of your needs, hopefully, this guide will give you some pointers and put you on the right path to find a suitable laptop for your graphic design needs.

Top Picks

Preview	Product
	Apple MacBook Pro 13.3" with Retina Display, M1 Chip with 8-Core CPU and 8-Core GPU, 16GB Memory,...	Check at Amazon
	Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15” Touch-Screen – AMD Ryzen 7 Surface Edition - 8GB - 512GB Solid...	Check at Amazon
	Razer Blade 15 Gaming Laptop: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070-11th Gen Intel 8-Core i7 CPU - 15.6” FHD...	Check at Amazon
	HP 2021 Flagship Spectre X360 15 2-in-1 Laptop 15.6” 4K UHD IPS Touchscreen 11th Gen Intel 4-Core...	Check at Amazon
	ASUS VivoBook 15 M515 Thin and Light Laptop, 15.6” IPS FHD Display, Windows 10 Home with Free...	Check at Amazon
	Microsoft Surface Pro 7 – 12.3" Touch-Screen - 10th Gen Intel Core i5 - 8GB Memory - 128GB SSD –...	Check at Amazon
	MSI P65 Creator-1084 15.6" 4K UHD Display, Ultra-Thin and Light, RTX Studio Laptop, Intel Core...	Check at Amazon
	Dell Inspiron 5000 14" FHD 2-in-1 Touchscreen Backlit Display Laptop | 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7...	Check at Amazon
	LENOVO ThinkPad X1 Carbon 9th Gen 9 Intel Core i7-1165G7, FHD Non-Touch Screen,16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe...	Check at Amazon

Last update on 2023-10-05 // The links above are affiliate // Images from Amazon

Choosing a Laptop for Programming

Any time people are looking to buy a new piece of technology, they have to know what specs and features they want in it. This includes a processor, RAM, storage, cache, and many other things.

“Programming” is a simple word but refers to a vast variety of things. There are now many different programming languages that techies use to code, so it is important to buy a laptop that is able to run needed IDEs, virtual machines, etc. whatever you may need for seamless programming.

Below are some important things to consider when someone is in search of the best laptop for programming.

Basics

Programmers spend the majority of their time on their computers. The invention of laptops was excellent for this group of people because they can work from anywhere and they are able to travel and still work. Comfort and convenience are key.

Before purchasing a laptop, it’s important to make sure the keyboard is comfortable. Many people don’t even consider how “touchy” and “responsive” a keyboard is, but developers have to. People who work at night also find a backlit keyboard useful.

Obviously, decent battery life and portability are also required in a laptop, especially for freelancers and those who work remotely. Consumers should look for a laptop that will give a minimum of six hours of battery life.

Smaller screens (more in the 13-inch range) are easier to carry around and usually more lightweight. Users who stay home or in an office most of the time, on the contrary, can get by with larger displays (around 17-inches).

Displays

Displays are also important, as eyestrain is real and programmers spend an enormous amount of time looking at them. Eye doctors recommend looking away from the screen every 20 minutes, but many people forget or are too engrossed in their work to do so. Also, the general consensus is that a touchscreen is not necessary unless someone is looking for a 2-in-1 laptop.

Many companies try to sell expensive 4k displays, but these are usually not necessary. As long as buyers get a laptop with at least a 1080p display, it should be just fine.

Operating System

Of course, one of the biggest considerations that needs to be made when buying any type of laptop is the operating system (OS) consumers want to use. Microsoft Windows and macOS are the most prominent, but Linux is extremely close.

Microsoft Windows is typically the choice of programmers because Windows offers cheap laptops that are still able to provide the processing power a programmer needs. Most programming languages are supported by Windows and therefore are more attractive to general programmers.

Macs, on the other hand, are typically much more pricey; however, Apple developers need to work on them. Xcode isn’t available on Windows (well, you can try to emulate it though) so if you write software for iOS or macOS, Apple laptop is preferred. Apple laptops are also very popular among front-end developers.

As mentioned, Linux systems can also be used for programming and are mainly useful for developers who work with Ruby on Rails, Python, and PHP.

Processor

As one would expect, the processors in the programming laptops are crucial. Regardless what users are doing with their programming laptops, they will need a processor powerful enough to support their work.

Intel, of course, has been a powerhouse for processors for many years. Despite being on the more expensive side, the Intel i7 processor is excellent for programming. If you are using developing resource-heavy apps and games, the Intel i7 processor is probably the best choice. Most programmers can usually get by with an Intel i5 processor.

Laptops for programming students who are on a tight budget might have an Intel i3 processor, which is good for basics but not sufficient for heavy programming. These are probably not the best laptops for video editing and graphic design; however, they work fine for the basics.

RAM

Another important factor in a programming laptop is RAM. Running a lot of applications and programs at once can really slow a laptop down, but laptops with a large amount of RAM can handle them and allow users to switch between them seamlessly.

Entry level and most intermediate programmers can get by with about 8GB of RAM. This can handle code editors, a browser, local servers, and so on relatively quickly without problems.

On the other hand, hardcore game developers and graphic designers should have more RAM, more in the range of 12GB to 16GB.

Storage

Basic laptop buyers don’t even consider the debate between hard drives (HDDs) or solid state drives (SSDs), but programmers do. These both have their pros and cons, so users should make sure to weigh their options when deciding.

Hard drives are typically much slower than solid-state drives, but they usually also come with much, much more storage. Solid state drives are much faster but these laptops are usually more pricey and don’t have as much storage.

Ideally, the best laptop for programming would arguably have a solid state drive and 1TB of storage, but this is expensive and not everyone has that kind of budget.

Overall, if a user is looking for a lot of storage and average speed, hard drives are better, but if the user in search of an extremely fast laptop and can sacrifice storage space, solid-state drives might be the better option.

Graphics

Though experts would know the answer to this, many beginners question whether to get a discrete graphics card or integrated graphics cards. Luckily, the integrated graphics card is likely the better option here, and it is cheaper than a discrete graphics card. This will allow users to use the saved money on other upgrades and options.

Best Laptops for Programming

Apple MacBook Pro 13.3″

Its Highness MacBook Pro

Apple MacBook Pro 13.3″ is a compact, practical, and before anything else, powerful laptop that brings top-class performance in every department. There is the brand new, almighty Apple M1, an 8-core chip that brought a significant increase in performance, compared to the previous MacBook Pro models, as well as its excellent Retina display, with True Tone technology, a wide P3 color gamut, 500 nits brightness, and 2560 x 1600 resolution.

On top of that, there are also the 8-core integrated graphics, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD, which should give enough storage and performance boost for most users. Moreover, there is also the Magic Keyboard, with its subtle backlight, as well as Touch Bar and Touch ID functions.

Unfortunately, the number of connections is limited only to two Thunderbolt 3 ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack. In other words, you are required to purchase the additional, high-quality HUB, to gain additional connectivity; however, that is somewhat expected from Apple.

On the other hand, battery life of Apple MacBook Pro 13.3″ is impressive and offers some 13 hours of work, allowing for a great level of autonomy. When talking about networking, there are Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 connections, meaning every resource needed for productive work is there.

Therefore, if you are after one of the best laptops for programming in the world, and you are also a fan of the Apple brand, there is no better solution than the Apple MacBook Pro.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4

Great Elegance and Performance in One

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 is a sleek and highly practical laptop that allows for trouble-free multitasking and offers great autonomy, due to its impressive battery that gives more than 11 hours of autonomy. This is a device that offers everything essential for good programming, there is a good 15”, IPS screen, with a resolution of 2496 by 1664 pixels, and ideal for split-screen tasks. Also, there is the Ryzen 7 4980U, with eight cores and 16 threads, as well as the 512GB of SSD storage and 8GB of RAM.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 comes fitted with Windows 10 Home Operating System and features AMD Microsoft Surface Edition (AMD Radeon) graphics. Also, it is equipped with Omnisonic Speakers, with Dolby Atmos 6 support, a very good 720p HD camera, and dual far-field Studio Mics that provide exceptional conference call capabilities.

This laptop also comes fitted with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, a comfortable keyboard, and unfortunately, only two USB ports, which, as in the case with the MacBook Pro, definitely requires the purchase of the additional HUB, which certainly isn’t something to be happy about.

All in all, Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 is an almost-perfect device that brings a ton of features, great performance, and ultimately, everything needed for a good-quality programming.

Razer Blade 15 Advanced Gaming Laptop

Another Excellent Laptop for Programming

Razer Blade 15 is a sleek and practical, feature-rich laptop, fitted with a powerful RTX 3070 GPU and perfect for a wide variety of activities, including high-end gaming and programming. This device comes with an Intel i7-11800H, 8-Core CPU, with an Intel Turbo Boost Technology that can boost the processor speed up to an impressive 5.1GHz and a 15.6” OLED screen, with 100% sRGB, capable of delivering 360Hz in an FHD resolution, and 2ms response time.

Moreover, there is also special Vapor Chamber Cooling, as well as Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth connectivity, and a whole bunch of connectivity options. These options include three USB ports, one HDMI 2.1 port, two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, and a 3.5 mm Combo Audio jack, which pretty decent.

Razer Blade 15 features 16 GB of RAM; it has 1TB of storage space and an additional M.2 slot for future upgrades. Also, there is per-key RGB Razer Chroma lighting, THX Spatial Audio, good battery life – literally everything you need for an excellent user experience.
For that reason, if you are after the best laptop for gaming, you may be sure that the Razer Blade 15 is pretty much it.

HP Spectre X360

The Beauty and the Beast

HP Spectre X360 is a lightweight and beautiful multifunctional laptop that offers great performance and very good connectivity all in one. With this laptop, you are getting all the latest technologies, such as the 11th generation Intel Quad-Core i7-1165G7 processor, 16GB of RAM, as well as a super-fast 512GB NVMe SSD. There is also Windows 10, as well as a 15.6” 4K UHD, IPS Touchscreen for screening purposes.

HP Spectre X360 can easily be transformed into a tablet, due to the 360-degree hinges integrated into its build, while the handful of connectivity features, such as one USB-A 3.1 port, two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, microSD card reader, along with combo audio jack, and one HDMI 2.0b, offer more than enough options for the most.

Moreover, this laptop comes fitted with the Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX 201 and Bluetooth 5 networking, Bang & Olufsen quad speakers, as well as HP True Vision 720p HD camera that makes it very practical for conference meetings. On top of that, HP Spectre X360 comes with a very good battery that gives more than 11 hours of work, a comfortable keyboard, and ultimately a pretty good overall package, as it should be the case with one of the best laptops for programming out there.

ASUS VivoBook 15 M515

A Budget-Friendly Laptop for Programming

If you have a limited budget, or simply don’t want to spend too much of your money on a laptop for your programming duties, ASUS VivoBook 15 M515 is the device to seriously consider.

This laptop offers a good combination of performance and price and delivers a pretty good value to the customer. There is the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U Processor, with eight cores and a maximum speed of 4.3GHz, 8GB of RAM, and a fast 512GB NVMe SSD that should deliver enough storage space for most users.

Also, there is a Windows 10 Home Operating System, a 15.6” IPS FHD screen, with 83% screen-to-body ratio, as well as a whole bunch of connectivity options. To be exact, there are two USB2.0 ports, one USB3.2 port, one USB3.2 Type-C port, as well as an HDMI port and a 3.5mm jack.

Moreover, there is also Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth connectivity, as well as Windows Hello security – in other words, every essential for solid work is there. Sure, the overall performance isn’t at the same level as the best laptops for programming, yet it is good enough to deliver fluid and trouble-free work.

All in all, if you are after a budget-friendly option for your programming, ASUS VivoBook 15 M515 is certainly more than a solid choice.

Microsoft Surface Pro 7

The Best Portable Laptop For Programming

It’s time for a flagship, henceforth we present you the Surface Pro 7 from Microsoft. This laptop of sorts is an interesting choice for programmers on the go, due to its ultra-lightweight and compact design, which is best in class according to the company.

This particular model comes with a 10th gen Intel Core i5 CPU, 8 GB of RAM and a fast 128 GB SSD. It doesn’t sound like much, but the price is also affordable considering the flagship-build quality, not to mention the excellent 12.3’’ touchscreen display.

Compared to the 2019 model, the 2020 version comes with USB Type C, yet the rest remains basically the same. The laptop weighs 1.7 pounds or 770 grams, which is amazing, and measures 11.5 x 7.9 x 0.33 inches (292 x 201 x 8.5mm). The bright screen boasts a resolution of 2,736 x 1,824 pixels, with a 267 ppi density, featuring an outstanding saturation-color balance, plus an ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts brightness.

Build quality is as solid as it gets, the kickstand is an engineering masterpiece and quite steady in any imaginable scenario, the sound quality is decent, and charging is quite fast, taking 45 minutes from 0 to 50 percent. However, battery life is nothing to write home about at 8 hours, i.e. we expected more to be honest. Finally, keep in mind that you’ll have to spend extra money for a keyboard and a pen eventually, but other than that, this is a very good choice for productivity-focused people who travel a lot.

Dell XPS 15 9500

Excellent Laptop for Programming

The Dell XPS 15 is arguably the best 15’’ laptop on the market today, and that makes it a fine contender for the “best laptop for programming” extravaganza. To describe it in a few words, the XPS 15 9500 is a premium desktop replacement that’s as close to perfection as humanly possible.

If you’re looking for slick design, top-notch components and robust build quality, the Dell XPS 15 9500 ticks all the important boxes in our book. Depending on your budget, you can configure a 4K touchscreen dream-machine, an Infinity Edge display with 100% Adobe RGB color, up to 10th gen i9 i9-10885H CPU, up to 32 GB of RAM, up to 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD and even a GTX 1650 Ti 4GB GDDR6 GPU.

Build quality is amazing, though a little on the heavy side, the 4K UHD+ (3840 x 2400) display is one of the best in the industry, and that counts for programmers, and the keyboard is fantastic for avid typists, being quiet and responsive, i.e. perfect for touch-typing.

The sound system is excellent, you get both USB Type-C and USB Type-A ports, and even battery life is outstanding at 12 hours autonomy. As we already told you, this is one of the best desktop replacements money can buy, highly configurable, built to last and very pretty; if you can afford it, just go for it and thank us later.

MSI P65 Creator-1084

Dressed to Kill

The MSI P65 Creator is an amazing gaming laptop, filled to the brim with the latest technological bells and whistles, everything packed in a slick and sober design. With a retail price of less than $2k, the Creator is an excellent laptop for programming, gaming, video-editing, what have you, i.e. a jack of all trades if you like, provided you can live with the price tag.

Under the hood, you’ll find an Intel Core i7-9750H CPU, 32 GB of RAM, a beefy 1 TB SSD, a GeForce RTX 2060 GPU, everything VR Ready and running on Windows 10 PRO. We almost forgot the fabulous wide-view angle 4K UHD screen, anti-glare treated, since you’ll be staring at it all day long.

Design-wise, the laptop is ultra-thin, amazingly light and business-looking, or, to put it another way, it’s basically a gaming laptop in sheep’s clothing. The aluminum-built chassis oozes class, build quality is as solid as it gets in an expensive laptop, the keyboard is pretty good and performance is superb, as per tech-specs.

All in all, if you can live with 4-5 hours battery life, which is not impressive to say the least, and the fact that the laptop can get hot and loud when pushed (read gaming hard), the MSI P65 Creator is an interesting choice if you want an all-rounder capable of handling anything you throw at it.

Dell Inspiron 5000 14″ FHD

An Affordable High-Performing Option

Dell Inspiron 5000 14″ is a compact, practical, and pretty efficient laptop, which makes it a very good option for multiple activities, including computer programming. There is the powerful Intel Core i7-1165G7 Processor with four cores, eight threads, and a boost speed of up to 4.7GHz. It’s paired with integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, 32 GB of RAM, and a very good 1TB SSD for storage. In other words, pretty good hardware.

On top of that, there is also a solid 3-cell, lithium-ion battery, which delivers some eight hours of work, as well as the decent 14″ FHD LED-backlit touchscreen. When talking about connectivity, there is one USB3.2 Type-C port, two USB3.2 ports, and a Combo Headphone/Microphone Jack, which should be more than enough for most people.

Moreover, Dell Inspiron 5000 14″ is fitted with the Windows 10 Home Operating System; it is equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi6 networking and offers a 360-degree flip-and-fold design that brings additional versatility to the equation.

Dell Inspiron 5000 14″ also features Windows Hello security; it has Stereo Speakers with MaxxAudio Pro and overall offers a very good combination of the performance, features, and price. In short, it offers exactly what the best laptops for programming should.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9

The Perfect Business Laptop

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 is a beautifully designed, yet more importantly, highly efficient laptop, which shows its best sides in the business sphere, where it has almost no rivals. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon continues the long, praised tradition of the ThinkPad series, and follows their path delivering a top-class build, combined with high-end performance, as should be the case with one of the best business laptops on the market.

To be exact, this laptop offers the amazing 19 and a half hours of battery life, as well as 4G and 5G mobile support, and features the Windows 10 Pro Operating System, offering more customization and features. Moreover, Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 is fitted with a fast Intel Core i7-1165G7 CPU, with four cores, eight threads, and a boost speed of 4.7GHz, which should be enough for most users.

On top of that, there are also Intel Iris Xe Graphics, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity, as well as the 14″ FHD IPS screen, with 400 nit’s brightness, an anti-glare function, and a 60Hz refresh rate.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 is fitted with a three-year warranty and equipped with 16GB of RAM, as well as a 512GB NVMe Opal2 SSD that brings more than enough capabilities for high-end performance. In the connectivity department, there are two USB3.2 ports, two USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports, as well as a Headphone/mic combo jack, HDMI 1.4 port, and Ethernet/side mechanical docking.

All in all, a long list of features and qualities is there, and only thing left is to purchase it.

Conclusion

With so many laptops available on the market today, shoppers must be aware of what they want in their laptops and what they want to do with them. Price points of laptops can vary greatly and so can the specs of each one available. Some of the best laptops for programming have been outlined, but as usual it is an excellent idea to research all options yourself.

Top Picks

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	Apple 2019 MacBook Pro (16-inch, 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage, 2.6GHz Intel Core i7) - Space Gray	Check at Amazon
	Microsoft Surface Book 3 - 13.5" Touch-Screen - 10th Gen Intel Core i7 - 16GB Memory - 256GB SSD...	Check at Amazon
	Razer Blade 15 Base Gaming Laptop 2021: Intel Core i7-10750H 6 Core, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, 15.6"...	Check at Amazon
	Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-54-760S Gaming Laptop | Intel i7-11800H | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU...	Check at Amazon
	Lenovo Legion 5 Gaming Laptop, 15.6" FHD Display, AMD Ryzen 7 5800H, 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage, NVIDIA...	Check at Amazon

Last update on 2023-09-17 // The links above are affiliate // Images from Amazon

How to Choose the Best Laptop for Video Editing

The choice of the best laptop for video editing can be tricky. No one wants to experience pixilated images or get annoyed by the crashing program. We’ll try to help you select a top-notch laptop that will make your video editing a sheer pleasure.

Screen

Obviously, screen quality is important. When possible, go for a 4k. Good laptop for video editing should have a screen that is sharp enough for tasks like color correction and shading.

Memory

Another important feature to take into consideration is memory. Editing or work with motion graphics always requires space to save plenty of temporary files. Thus, if your laptop has enough RAM you won’t have problems with storage or speed.

As 4K footage becomes more and more common, you should focus on it when choosing a laptop for video editing. So, the best option is to pick up a laptop with no less than 8GB of memory. Anyway, you can always upgrade it as most of the laptops allow this. Still, if your budget isn’t restricted and you can afford something more powerful then choose a laptop with 16GB of RAM.

Storage

Storage is the next thing to consider after RAM. The principle of choice is the same here – the more storage you have the better. Start with not less than 256GB but try to get as much as you can afford. If you have 500GB storage, for example, or higher you will be able to edit small projects even without an external hard drive.

Graphics card

When it comes to a graphics card there are two brands to choose from: NVIDIA and AMD Graphics. Both of them have made quite a name and offer products of great quality. Thus, it’s impossible to say which one is better. The choice here depends on the laptop model and your own preferences.

Nevertheless, there are some basic points you should know about GPU of your future laptop. It’s always important to pay attention at the recommendations from the chosen NLE software concerning a graphics card.

Generally, you’d want to go for GTX 1050 and higher.

Processor

In most cases, the more cores your CPU has the better. Nowadays, even those processors which are designed to use less power, such as Intel’s mobile Core U-series, have four cores.

By the way, you can always test your processor using Cinebench benchmark, a test which shows how fast your laptop is when rendering a 3D image. Note that all results above 700 mean that a laptop will cope with video-editing tasks.

Battery life

It’s not a secret that video editing consumes lots of power. Thus, it’s good to have a laptop with a long battery life. Still, it isn’t the most crucial feature you should be looking for. There’s a high chance that you will keep your laptop plugged-in almost all the time during the video-editing process.

Weight

One of the reasons we buy a laptop instead of a desktop computer is portability. But not every portable thing is easy to carry. Sure, an ideal laptop is lightweight and it can be a reality. The only thing you should remember is that laptops which weigh less than 3 pounds won’t have a discrete GPU and their displays won’t be larger than 14 inches.

Another thing which should be taken into account is size. Of course, a thin laptop looks very stylish. But don’t forget to check whether it has all the necessary ports.

Comfort

Finally, just check whether the best laptop for video editing you have found is comfortable in use namely for you. Does its keyboard is convenient in use? Is its display big enough for your editing tasks? Though this may sound not as serious as processor or GPU characteristics but it does affect the whole process of editing.

7 Best Laptops for Video Editing

Summary

The rule of successful laptop purchase is simple – write the list of options and features you need first and foremost taking into account our pieces of advice. Your next step isn’t difficult too, – find the best laptop for your video editing among the items given on the list above.

Finding the best laptop cooling pad for your setup will make a world of difference in your computing experience. Using the best laptop cooler for your preferences will ensure that you are comfortable and experiencing the best that your laptop has to offer in performance. That’s why we’ve put together this buyer’s guide to help you navigate the endless choices available.

We’ve selected the best laptop coolers and we’re excited for you to see the great options that we found. So let’s dive in!

Why Buy a Laptop Cooler?

As mentioned above, the purpose of a laptop cooler is to keep your computer performing optimally while also providing you with greater comfort during use. Whether you like to use your laptop at a desk, on your lap, or curled up on the couch or bed; there is a perfect laptop cooler out there for you.

Overheating issues are quite common in laptops. The average laptop is not designed to run high-intensity programs or applications for long periods of time.

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	Thermaltake Massive TM Aluminum Panel Dual 120mm Fans Adjustable Temperature Sensor 10"-17" Laptop...	Check at Amazon
	AICHESON Laptop Cooling Pad, Chill Pad for 15.6-17.3 Inch Notebook with 7 Height Slots, 2 USB Ports,...	Check at Amazon
	Otimo Laptop Cooling Pad for 12 - 17 inch Laptop -- 5 Ultra Quiet Fans -- USB Powered w/2 Ports --...	Check at Amazon
	ICE COOREL Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad 15-17.3 Inch, Laptop Fan with 6 Cooling Fans, Laptop Cooling...	Check at Amazon
	Thermaltake Massive 20 RGB Steel Mesh Panel Single 200mm Fan 10"‐19" Laptop Notebook Cooling Pad...	Check at Amazon
	Kootek Laptop Cooling Pad 12"-17" Cooler Pad Chill Mat 5 Quiet Fans LED Lights and 2 USB 2.0 Ports...	Check at Amazon
	TECKNET Laptop Cooling Pad, Portable Ultra-Slim Laptop Cooler, Gaming Cooling Pad Stand with 2 USB...	Check at Amazon

Last update on 2023-09-21 // The links above are affiliate // Images from Amazon

Even with the help of a thermal paste, you’re bound to find yourself in need of some extra cooling power from time to time. That’s where a laptop cooling pad steps in to save the day.

Using a quality laptop cooler will also keep you from incurring any heat rash or other heat-related issues such as burns. A laptop may not seem hot enough to burn you, but as heat builds up in your tissue you become less sensitive to it; making it more difficult to gauge whether or not you are being burnt. Check out the article “Laptop Heat and Radiation Injuries…” for more info.

How to Choose The Best Laptop Cooler

There are few key things that you should consider before you start looking for a laptop cooler, like:

• How important is portability?
• How important is adjustability?
• How big is your laptop and how much cooling power will you need?
• How much noise are you willing to deal with in exchange for air flow?

These may not seem like terribly important questions now, but they quickly begin to matter when you’re packing for a trip or trying to get comfortable using your laptop in bed, or at a desk.

Best Laptop Cooling Pads and Coolers

Havit RGB Laptop Cooling Pad

Another Great Gaming Laptop Cooler

We live in the age of unstoppable technology, and this laptop cooling pad is proof of concept: the Havit RGB is a cool pad cooler for laptops up to 17’’, and arguably the best thing about it is the shiny lights, also known as RGB lighting. All jokes aside, this affordable laptop pad comes with 3 high-speed fans, yet it’s whisper quiet. The cooling effect is boosted by a cleverly designed large metal mesh surface, which increases airflow, thus improving heat transfer.

Moreover, you’ll get adjustable feet for a comfortable gaming/writing experience, as well as a dual USB hub.

KLIM Ultimate

The Ultimate RGB Laptop Cooling Pad

If you’re looking to keep your gaming machine cool as ice, the KLIM Ultimate is what you’re looking for. This 2 pound cooling pad is built to obliterate overheating, and it’s powered by an industrial strength 200 mm fan, which is, amazingly enough, both stylish, efficient and silent.

And my God, is it pretty. You know how they often doctor up photos to make them brighter than they actually are? This doesn’t, it’s beautiful. Whether daytime or night, the colors are bold, vibrant, and make any laptop far more amazing.

Not only does it look great, but your laptop’s average temp will go down drastically, and it will never reach the insane peaks it did before. In addition to a great fan, this cooling pad also has multiple elevation settings so you can maximize airflow(say goodbye to using a precarious stack of books).

Of course, the fan does make some noise, but it doesn’t really matter since your laptop fan drowns it out once you start gaming(plus you can turn it off whenever you don’t need the additional cooling).

Bottom line, the KLIM Ultimate is an impressive cooling pad for the money and we cannot recommended it enough.

Thermaltake MASSIVE TM CL-N002-PL12BL-A

The Best Laptop Cooling Pad for Your Home Office

The Thermaltake MASSIVE TM has 2 internal 120MM fans with dBA noise ratings of just 31; which isn’t too loud. The max RPM for these 2 fans is 1300, which is excellent for larger laptops that require a great deal of air inflow. This cooler provides up to 61.27 CFM.

An ergonomic design which includes multiple height and angle settings makes this cooling pad incredibly convenient and comfortable to use. The display panel is really what draws a crowd, however. From the smart display, you can adjust your fan settings, turn the cooler on/off, lock, etc…

AICHESON AA3 Laptop Cooler

Affordable Cooler for Gaming

When it comes to cooling solutions, AICHESON is not the first name to roll off the tip of your tongue. However, even if this is a relatively new company, the AA3 laptop cooler is relatively interesting. First, it looks great. Yes, that’s important in our view, especially if we’re talking gaming.

The AA3 has a cool design, with a metal panel and rainbow lighting on the top and bottom, which, very important, can be turned off or on separately. So, if you’re not into sunshine and rainbows, you can “dim” it down. Another good thing about the AA3 is that can accommodate big machines, 17.3 inchers respectively, and it’s ergonomically designed and fully adjustable due to its stand/bracket combo, more precisely 7 different stands from 10 degrees to 30 degrees raising whole height from 2.64″ to 6.1″.

The stand comes with an anti-slip baffle and an anti-slip pad with 2 insertions, to accommodate various laptop models, and there’s also a light off button, 1 switch for adjusting fan speed and 2 extra USB ports. All in all, the AICHESON AA3 is an interesting and affordable laptop pad, and according to its fans, the customer service is absolutely great, hence if you’re ever going to encounter issues with the product, rest assured, as they’ll take care of you with no questions asked.

Otimo Laptop Cooling Pad

Decent Quality for the Money

The Otimo Laptop Cooling Pad is one of the very best laptop coolers for those on a budget. This 5-fan cooler boasts air volume of 74.35; which is considerably higher than similar models. This increase in air inflow definitely makes a big difference in its cooling capacity.

If you’re looking for ‘extra’ features, the Otimo won’t let you down. It has extra USB ports, a brilliantly blue LED light display, and an extra-long connector cord for your convenience.

ICE COOREL RGB

Cool as ICE

The ICE COOREL RGB laptop cooling pad is one of the most intriguing laptop cooler stands we’ve ever reviewed. Basically, this thing looks like an alien spaceship, and that’s kind of normal, since it’s specifically designed for gamers.

The COOREL has no less than six asymmetric cooling fans (different dimensions), which are amazingly quiet, for 360°all-round dynamic cooling at the same time.

The heights are easily adjustable and the front has two little tabs that pop out to hold the laptop on the stand. The sides of the stand light up several RGB colors making it look cool like all other gaming pieces. It’s high quality and it looks cool, not to mention it does a good job with all the fans cooling the laptop. It even has a phone stand on the side, so go figure…

The stand itself is ergonomic and adjustable on six levels, with non-slip baffles; moreover, you’ll get a LCD screen, a visual interface so to speak, so you can clearly see the fan speed gear and the RGB light mode. The built-in control panel allows you to set lights and fan speeds effortlessly, via a light mode button, and wind speed adjustment button.

Bottom line, if you’re shopping for a cutting edge laptop cooling pad aimed at gamers, this is it, cut and dried.

Thermaltake Massive 20 RGB 200mm Fan

The Best Cooling Pad for Large Laptops

Thermaltake is a popular brand among PC builders, and they make some outstanding cooling accessories as well. Our top option from the company is the Thermaltake Massive 20 RGB, a cooling pad that lives up to its namesake in more ways than one.

This cooler is a beastly at 18.54”L x 13.95”W x 1.83”D and tips the scales at a little over 3 pounds. It’s well built with steel mesh covering the entire front which allows the air to flow freely and helps keep your laptop cool. The massive 200mm fan has something to do with that as well with speeds between 600 – 800 RPM.

Cooling isn’t the only noteworthy feature on the Massive 20 either as it’s adjustable and puts on quite the show. You’ll have a choice of three angles with 3, 9 or 13 degrees and a vivid 256-color RGB system. There are five modes to choose from with their system including Pulse, Blink, Wave, RGB Spectrum and Full.

Obviously, if you have a smaller laptop, there are more affordable (and portable) options out there, but for larger machines, it’s tough to beat the Massive 20 RGB. The lighting is top notch as well, and the pad is surprisingly quiet for its size. This cooler comes with a 3-year warranty, and smaller sizes are available if you prefer LED to RGB lighting.

Kootek Laptop Cooling Pad

One Of The Best Laptop Cooling Pads For Gaming

Measuring 15 x 1.4 x 11.8 inches and weighing 2.5 pounds, this Kootek cooling pad is designed for laptops between 12’’ and 17’’, i.e. it’s pretty standard in this regard. What’s special about this little beast is the number of (quiet) fans, 5 of them respectively: one big 5.9’’ fan and 4 2.76’’ minions, designed to deliver a noise free/ice cool environment for your laptop. There are also 2 on/off switches added into the mix which control both the fans and the LEDs (yes, the fans come with LED lighting for dramatic effect) and a dual USB hub, which is a nice touch from Kootek.

We must also mention the 2 stoppers located in the front of the cooling pad, which are designed to prevent your machine from slipping.

TeckNet Laptop Cooling Pad N5

The Best Cooling Pad for Ultrabooks

With only two fans, the TechNet N5 cooling pad may seem like it’s not as productive as our other options. Well, that would be a mistake as those fans are powerful and the pad is engineered for efficiency thanks to the wavy design on this one.

TechNet’s N5 cooling pad is rather simple from a design standpoint. There are two 120mm fans beneath steel mesh which cool your laptop and a non-slip strip to keep your machine in one stop. The fans are quiet, and there’s an extra USB port on the back along with a power switch and button to operate the fans and lighting separately.

At a little over 1.5 inches thick, this is one of the easier cooling pads to take on the road, and the price is right given the performance. Unfortunately, there are no speed controls or adjustments on the N5 although it holds most laptops between 12 to 16 inches.

When looking for the best budget laptop on the market, there are lots of things to consider. So much, in fact, that it can get very confusing.

There are many laptops out there that are well below the $600 price range but before you decide on the right one for you, you need to know what to look for and how to make your choice.

Knowing these things will enable you to find the best cheap laptop on the market that will suit your needs.

How to Choose the Best Budget Laptop

First, you need to decide what operating system you prefer: Windows, Mac or Chrome? Windows generally has the largest range of laptops on the market, selling from as low as $150. The size of the laptop will determine the functionality and price of the laptop. If you want something that is portable and fairly cheap, you’d be better off choosing a laptop between 11 and 14 inches.

Top Picks:

Preview	Product
	Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-36UT, 15.6" Full HD Display, 11th Gen Intel Core i3-1115G4 Processor, 4GB...	Check at Amazon
	ASUS Chromebook C423 14.0" 180 Degree HD NanoEdge Display, Intel Dual Core Celeron Processor, 4GB...	Check at Amazon
	Acer Swift 3 Thin & Light Laptop, 14" Full HD IPS, AMD Ryzen 7 4700U Octa-Core with Radeon Graphics,...	Check at Amazon
	ASUS VivoBook 15 Thin and Light Laptop, 15.6” FHD Display, Intel i3-1005G1 CPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB...	Check at Amazon
	New Microsoft Surface Go 2 - 10.5" Touch-Screen - Intel Pentium - 4GB Memory - 64GB - Wifi -...	Check at Amazon
	2020 HP 14-inch HD Touchscreen Premium Laptop PC, AMD Ryzen 3 3200U Processor, 8GB DDR4 Memory,...	Check at Amazon
	Dell Inspiron 3000 15” Laptop Intel Celeron – 128GB SSD+500GB HDD – 8GB DDR4 – 1.8GHz -...	Check at Amazon
	ASUS L410 MA-DB02 Ultra Thin Laptop, 14” FHD Display, Intel Celeron N4020 Processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB...	Check at Amazon
	HP Chromebook x360 14a 2-in-1 Laptop, Intel Pentium Silver N5000 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB eMMC,...	Check at Amazon

Last update on 2023-09-29 // The links above are affiliate // Images from Amazon

What is your price range? You can get Chromebooks and low-end window systems between $150-250 but if you have more money to spare, a $350-600 budget will get you a laptop with recommended specs such as Intel Core i5, 4 to 8GB of RAM, and a 500GB hard drive.

It is important to look at the specs of a laptop. Try to go for at least an Intel Core i3 processor or it’s equivalent (i3 may suffice but we’ll still recommend going for at least i5). At least 4GB RAM is recommended for casual use and smooth multitasking. SSD is preferable as it is faster but it greatly influences the price.

A display of full HD/1080p is optimal. Also, don’t ignore the battery life. Look for a laptop that provides at least 8 hours of battery. These specs may change with the type of laptop you decide to get.

The types of laptops available all have slightly different functions and specs. The classic notebook can come in either very budget-friendly prices or high-performance for gaming. Ultrabooks are designed to be light and thin for portability.

Chromebooks run under Google’s operating software, but only run Chrome web-based apps that don’t work too well offline. 2-in-1 laptops can be detached or rotated to become a tablet as well as a laptop.

Current trends in technology include: USB C and Thunderbolt 3 are one of the latest emerging technologies that manufacturers are starting to integrate into their laptops. The design has become of major importance and there is a large focus on producing thin and attractive laptops. 2-in-1 laptops are currently very popular and most brands are coming out with their own versions. Wireless charging is also a rising trend that Dell has introduced.

So, what are the current, best value laptops on the market right now? Let’s find out.

Best Budget Laptops

Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-36UT

Solid Budget Laptop

The Acer Aspire 5 is a solid contender for the best budget laptop on the market in 2021, as it retails for way less than $500 yet it offers a lot of bang for the proverbial buck asked. Basically, this slick-looking machine ticks all the boxes you’d want in a “daily” work-horse, things like an 11th gen I3 CPU, 4 GB of RAM, an 128 GB SSD, Amazon Alexa, and Wi-Fi6.

As long as you’re not into gaming and heavy-duty tasks such as 4K video editing, the Acer Aspire 5 will not disappoint. To begin with, this entry-level Windows laptop is designed as a business machine, with plain lines and an aluminum lid. Needless to say, the Acer Aspire 5 looks at home on any desk, measures .7″ at its thickest point, and weighs less than 4 pounds, i.e. it’s compact and highly portable.

In terms of connectivity, you’ll get a single USB type C port and 3 USB A ports, an Ethernet port for your hard wire internet connection, an HDMI port to connect an external display, a standard headphone jack, and a Kensington lock connector.

The 15,6″ full HD display is pretty standard on 2021 laptops and features a matte coating, which means it will produce glare in daylight conditions, but it will do just fine for night work. The keyboard is very comfortable, and has monochrome backlighting, while the touchpad has the same aluminum finish as the chassis.

The I3 processor is powerful enough for daily jobs, like streaming media, web browsing, light photo/video editing, and so on, but the integrated GPU is not suited for playing modern games. Battery life is rated at 8 hours, and bottom line, if you’re shopping for an affordable no-nonsense laptop that is well built and powerful enough for business purposes, the Aspire 5 comes highly recommended.

ASUS Chromebook C423NA-DH02

An Excellent Chromebook from ASUS

Looking for a sleek machine running Chrome that boots up instantly and gives you access to Android apps? Well, look no further than the Chromebook C423NA-DH02, a 14-inch laptop from ASUS with plenty of style.

This slim laptop weighs 3.1 pounds and sports a 14-inch matte panel with a resolution of 1,366 x 768. It utilizes ASUS’s NanoEdge tech so the bezels are thin and the 180-degree hinge opens the door to a few new angles as well. As for the specs, this one has a dual-core Celeron N3350, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of eMMC storage.

While this Chromebook may not seem all that different from others, the ports set it apart. It has dual USB 3.0 and USB Type-C ports along with an SDXC card reader. We love the size of this model, but there is a 15.6-inch variant available as well if you prefer a little more screen and a bit less battery life.

Acer Swift 3

Solid Bet for The Money

If you’re looking for a thin and light laptop that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, the Acer Swift 3 can be the answer. The Swift 3 comes with a pretty good 14’’ full HD IPS display, but what’s really important is hidden from view: under the hood you’ll find the latest AMD Ryzen 7 4700U Octa-Core CPU, which is a true-beast, with the now famous Radeon Graphics, as well as 8 GB of RAM (LPDDR4, mind you) and a lightning fast 512 GB SSD.

We know, it already sounds VERY impressive for a way-less than $1000 laptop, but it gets even better: the Acer Swift 3 also offers a backlit keyboard (ok, that’s pretty standard), plus a fingerprint reader for improved security, WiFi 6, and, the cherry on top, Alexa built-in.

Acer Swift 3 is really amazing for what it is: a thin (0. 63″), light, strong and affordable little machine, with a full HD display (82.73% screen-to-body ratio) that weighs a mere 2.65 lbs and boasts more than 11 hours of battery life. For that kind of money, it doesn’t get any better, at least that’s what we think.

ASUS VivoBook 15 F512JA-AS34

The Best Laptop Under $500

Here comes another great choice for a budget laptop, this time from Asus. The VivoBook 15 is powered by a 10th gen Intel i3 CPU, has a 15’’ FHD display, 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage via SSD. So far, so good, so what? Okay, here’s the deal: the whole shebang can be yours for less than $500. Are you impressed just yet?

The thing about the Asus VivoBook 15 is that it delivers a lot of bang for the proverbial buck asked, and that’s especially true for the 4-way NanoEdge bezel display which boasts an impressive 88% screen-to-body ratio, as well as for the 10 Gen Intel Core i3-1005G1 CPU.

Basically, you’ll get a versatile machine that’s excellent for day to day tasks for something like peanuts money. Connectivity-wise, the VivoBook 15 features USB 3.2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Type-A, USB 2.0, HDMI and Gigabit Wi-Fi 5, not to mention the ergonomic backlit keyboard, which is great for avid typists due to its Exclusive Ergolift design, or the fingerprint sensor-activated via windows hello for improved security on the go.

This incredibly affordable laptop runs on Windows 10 in S mode, and can run apps from the Microsoft Store; bottom line, the VivoBook 15 is perfect for college students, both for school and personal use, as it’s dirt cheap, well designed and powerful enough for office/multimedia tasks.

Microsoft Surface Go 2

A Portable Media Machine

The Surface Go 2 is the second generation of Microsoft’s tablet, which is actually a worthy competitor to the Apple iPad and conventional laptops alike. The new iteration of the Surface Go is excellent for people who travel a lot looking for a versatile 10,5’’ touchscreen device.

This particular model is powered by an 8th gen Intel Pentium Gold Processor 4425 m3 and has 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. To make it really easy for our readers, if you’re looking for a premium yet affordable laptop replacement, the Surface Go 2 is the answer, as it can do basically anything a laptop does in a light and compact form factor.

Build quality is excellent, you also get a touchscreen, the cameras are awesome (there’s 2 of them, 1080p), battery life is pretty good at 7-8 hours, the device is dead silent (fanless operation), but it’s worth mentioning something really important: the Surface Go 2 doesn’t come with the type cover, which means you’ll have to pay extra to use it as a proper laptop.

For writing, web browsing, email and streaming, it doesn’t get any better than this, so if you’re shopping for a cool machine for casual use, this baby really has it where it counts.

HP 14-inch HD Touchscreen

The Best Budget Laptop with Touchscreen

Who said that budget laptops don’t have high-tech bells and whistles? Enter the HP 14-inch HD Touchscreen, a so-called premium $500-ish 14-inch laptop with a touchscreen, as per its name. We love the HP brand, but forget about premium gear in this price bracket, alright? As long as you’re ok with ditching the premium thing, this HP machine is absolutely awesome for what it is.

Here’s the deal: for a little bit more than $500 you’ll get the latest AMD Ryzen 3 3200U CPU, a strong and versatile entry-level from AMD’s golden generation of mobile processors, AMD Radeon Vega 3 Graphics, 8 GB of RAM and a beefy 256 GB SSD. The laptop comes with Windows 10 preinstalled, and as long as you’re not expecting miracles from this tiny machine, you won’t be disappointed.

HP’s main selling point is arguably its touchscreen display, which is pretty good to tell you the truth considering the price asked. Also, Ryzen 3 is pretty fast in office/multimedia tasks, and the keyboard is surprisingly good. After all’s said and done, this is a no-nonsense, easy to type, lightweight, compact and affordable machine, with lots of storage, very fast and even if you don’t have the best quality display in the world, it’s still a touchscreen, which is rare in this price bracket.

Dell Inspiron 3000

Big Screen Budget Machine

If you want to buy a “brand” laptop, the Inspiron 3000 would make for an interesting choice, especially due to its very low price tag. So, for something like 400 bucks give or take, you’ll end up with Dell branded pedestrian specs and an unassuming design.

To be more precise, the Inspiron 3000 is powered by a Celeron Intel CPU, has 8 GB of RAM (soldered), and a 15.6″ ‎1366×768 display. As far as tech specs go, the Inspiron 3000 is very uninspiring (pun intended), but if you’re shopping for a basic laptop to do “menial” tasks, and you want it to be a Dell machine, this baby would fit the bill.

Measuring 0.78 by 14.3 by 9.8 inches (HWD) and weighing 3.91 pounds, the Inspiron 3000 is an average-sized 15.6″ laptop, and the chassis is made entirely of plastic, which is to be expected at this price point.

Build quality is pretty good, and there are no squeaks or creaks, while the display hinge is very sturdy, which is kind of rare for laptops in this price range. The display is nothing to write home about and delivers washed out colors and fuzzy text due to its low-quality panel and low resolution. The keyboard is simple and comfy, and port selection is excellent, with 3 USB Type-A ports, of which 2 are USB 3.1 gen 1, a dedicated HDMI video output, Bluetooth, and Ethernet.

Bottom line, if you’re looking for a cheap everyday laptop for office work and you have a small budget, the Inspiron 3000 is a solid option.

ASUS Laptop L410

Wallet Friendly Budget Laptop

The ASUS L410 is a budget friendly laptop, an ultra-thin machine with a 14’’ full HD screen powered by an Intel Celeron N4020 Processor, 4GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. Tech specs are frugal, but so is the price, so if you’re looking for a dirt-cheap laptop with decent specs for daily office/school tasks, read no more, you’ve just found it.

Moreover, the laptop comes pre-loaded with Windows 10 in S mode with One Year Microsoft 365 Personal included, which means functionality is limited due to hardware constraints. However, for the price, the L410 is a steal, and it is quite fast in web browsing, office tasks and so on. Even Windows is snappy, and the cool thing is that you get an empty slot for adding our own SSD NVME M.2. I.

The keyboard is not backlit, and the screen is a TN (not IPS) variety, which means color reproduction and viewing angles are mediocre to say the least. However, for two hundred bucks give or take, it doesn’t get any better than the L410, as you’ll end up with a perfectly functional laptop which is way better than a Chromebook in terms of functionality/productivity.

Build quality is ok, as the laptop is made entirely of plastic, and the advantage of using all-plastic is that the L410 weighs just 2.8 pounds, i.e. it’s very portable. Both the keyboard deck and the lid are surprisingly sturdy, with almost no flex, and everything feels solid and well built.

The typing experience is ok-ish, but the touchpad definitely sucks, which is to be expected given the price asked. Battery life is 8 hours, and bottom line, if you’re on an ultra-low budget and you want a brand new laptop, this is the best you can get for a couple hundred bucks.

HP Chromebook x360 14a

Chrome OS Budget Laptop

The HP Chromebook x360 14a retails for less than $500 yet it delivers quite a punch: first, this is a 2 in 1 laptop, also known as a convertible, and one of the nicest Chromebooks we’ve seen so far. Basically, this HP is a first-class Chromebook, a premium laptop of its kind if you will, boasting an aluminum chassis, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of eMMC storage, everything powered by an Intel Pentium Silver N5000 Processor.

Tech specs are not impressive, but remember that the machine runs on Chrome OS, which is very efficient in terms of hardware resource allocation, i.e. the laptop is quite fast and 4 GB of RAM is sufficient for Chrome OS.

Streaming, music, and even gaming are possible due to the Intel UHD Graphics 605, while battery life is impressive, as the laptop is rated at 12 hours. The 14’’ display is quite good, and you can run Android apps from the Google PlayStore, as well as side-load Android apps from the web with a little know-how.

You can also setup a Linux VM and install native Linux apps like Libre Office. Of course, most of the OS is intended for web-based stuff within the Chrome web browser, but if you’re looking for something elegant, lightweight, well-built and very handsome, this HP Chromebook would definitely fit the bill.

The keyboard is good on this laptop, with decent enough key travel that doesn’t feel mushy, and the trackpad is excellent. The speakers are also impressive for the price, and the 1366×768 touch screen is detailed enough for browsing the web or navigating Chrome OS.

Bottom line, if you can live with Chrome OS, this will be a great choice for you; just make sure you understand its limitations and everything will be fine.

There is an array of choices when it comes to budget laptops. These can range from classic notebooks for about $500-$600 price range that provide great performance and displays or Chromebooks at prices below $300 for personal and office use. Which one you choose from this list will depend on your preferences and your needs, but you can rest assured that no matter what you choose, it won’t hurt your wallet or your budget.

Buying a new laptop can be a confusing experience, especially if you choose the Windows OS. Things are a little simpler with Macs although finding the best Macbook can still give you headaches if you’re new to the scene. That’s because of yearly upgrades and variants although there are a few more things you’ll need to keep in mind as well.

Top Picks

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	Apple 2019 MacBook Pro (16-inch, 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage, 2.6GHz Intel Core i7) - Space Gray	Check at Amazon
	Apple 2020 MacBook Air Laptop M1 Chip, 13" Retina Display, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage, Backlit...	Check at Amazon
	Apple 2020 MacBook Pro with Intel Processor (13-inch, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD Storage) - Space Gray	Check at Amazon
	Apple 2020 MacBook Pro M1 Chip (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD Storage) - Silver	Check at Amazon

Last update on 2023-09-13 // The links above are affiliate // Images from Amazon

How to Choose the Best MacBook for Your Needs

While you may think choosing a new MacBook is as simple as looking at the latest Pro or Air, it’s not quite that easy. You won’t have to wade through dozens of 2-in-1 laptops or dig into the pixel density of 4K displays, but you will need to think about why you’re buying one, so you can find the right fit.

To keep it simple, the MacBook Pro is the company’s flagship laptop and their answer to all those high-spec’d Windows machines. While it can certainly deliver on most fronts and is ideal for professionals, it’s also not cheap if you want the top model with the Touch Bar and a big solid-state drive.

The newest versions of the MacBook Air are not far behind the Pro now, but are lighter and built for portability and speed. They come with many of the same bells & whistles found on flagship models while the regular MacBook falls somewhere between those two styles.

In a nutshell, the Pro is geared towards professionals and power-hungry consumers while the Air is ideal for students. There are also older models to consider along with a half-dozen configurations for each device.

Specs

There’s not a lot to say when it comes to specs as Apple does things a bit differently. That means there are no exotic GPU to choose from and only a handful of components across the board. Every year those parts get refreshed, but the entire lineup primarily consists of the Intel Core-i5 and i7 processors for the most part which is backed by 8GB of RAM in the mid-range. On the high-end, you’ll get 16GB and most models allow you to “boost” the machine in key areas from Apple but it comes at a premium.

While that’s not exciting, every modern machine will have a fast solid-state hard drive and a colorful display. Their Retina display is your best bet although it can’t hold a candle to the best 4K panels on the market. As for the ports, we’re not going to spend much time there as you won’t get many. It’s a common complaint with Mac users along with the keyboard so be prepared to buy an adapter or two.

Warranty

Most laptops don’t have great warranties, and even the best Apple laptops are no different. The standard warranty is 1-year, but you might luck up and pick up a model being sold with Apple Care. If not, an extended warranty is always an option and highly recommended if available. Macs are built to run forever and be crash-free machines, but they aren’t something casual consumers can work on. That means it pays to buy right the first time as they are not upgrade-friendly either.

Best Macbooks

Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch with Touch Bar

The Best MacBook Pro

With some products, the most expensive isn’t necessarily the best, but that isn’t the case this time around. The Apple MacBook Pro is our choice for the best MacBook overall, and while it’s expensive, it’s worth every penny if you’re a power user or pro.

The MacBook Pro is Apple’s flagship laptop, so you’re getting their top model with all the bells & whistles. That includes a Touch Bar along with Touch ID and four Thunderbolt 3 ports. While not in the Air class, it’s still light at 4.3 pounds and has a “good” battery life with around 11 hours depending on your usage. If you’re using high-end editing programs or other intensive apps on the go, you can definitely expect that number to drop.

When a laptop carries a “Pro” moniker, it needs to have some pop, and this one doesn’t disappoint. We went for the Core i7 variant with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB solid-state drive as it provides a good value for the price. There are other options available however including the Intel Core i9 with 1TB if you need more power. Other tech specs of interest include a DisplayPort, Bluetooth 5.0, and Dual-band Wi-Fi.

Graphics come courtesy of the Radeon Pro 5300M with automatic graphics switching to Intel UHD Graphics 630, but the display is arguably the star of the show. It’s a 16.0-inch retina display with True Tone tech and a resolution of 3072 x 1920.

There are no big surprises here as the best MacBook is usually the Pro model each year. It’s quicker than other machines with better specifications, and the operating system ensures you won’t hit nearly as many snags. That makes an excellent laptop for video editing or almost any professional need. On the downside, it’s expensive, and we still don’t have 4K or a touchscreen display. The MacBook Pro is available in Space Gray or Silver with a 1-year warranty.

Apple MacBook Air with Apple M1 Chip

Same, But Different

The Apple MacBook Air is one of the best Apple laptops out there, and the most important thing about this model is arguably the M1 chip, which is a game changer. The M1 chip is really impressive, as it allows you to run both legacy apps, new M1-optimized apps and iOS apps.
Moreover, battery life is stellar, and overall performance does not disappoint. So, if you can afford it, stop reading this short review and go for it.

Here’s the deal: the MacBook Air M1 is Apple’s slimmest laptop to date, and makes for a huge leap forward for the company, as the new M1 ARM based processor is replacing older Intel-centric models. Also, there’s a new macOS 11 available, which is kind of cool.

The new chip and the latest OS deliver like never before in terms of battery life, power efficiency and performance, and amazingly enough, the price tag remained more or less the same as its predecessor. Basically, the new MacBook Air M1 offers upgraded hardware/software for no extra costs, and that’s strange from Apple.

Speaking of strange things, the new MacBook Air M1 is also competitive compared to other premium Windows 10 based laptops, of which some are actually more expensive than the MacBook Air M1, like the Dell XPS 13 or the HP Spectre x360, i.e. Apple really nailed it this time price-wise, which is kind of rare.

So, to sum it up, this laptop offers everything: fabulous (fanless) design, a gorgeous display, premium build quality, fantastic battery life, solid hardware/software combo, and top-notch performance.
What else do you want?

Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch with Retina Display

An Excellent Mid-Range Mac

We’ll admit, the newest version of the MacBook Pro is a sweet machine. That said, it’s not the only Pro around as the prices on previous generations drop when new laptops arrive. That makes this 13-inch PC a bargain if you want to get your hands on their flagship model but don’t require as much horsepower.

This laptop gets its power from an 8th gen 1.4 or 2.0GHz quad-core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM. An Intel Iris Plus 645 lends a hand when it comes to graphics and gaming while a solid-state drive takes care of the storage. We chose the 515GB edition considering Apple and upgrades aren’t two things that go together, but 256GB and 1TB variants are available as well.

Regardless of the hard drive, you’ll get the company’s famous Retina display with a resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 which clocks in at 13-inches. All the usual boxes are ticked in the connectivity department along with two Thunderbolt 3 ports and Bluetooth 5.0. There are Touch ID and a Touch Bar, and the battery life is excellent at around 10 hours per charge.

There’s not much to stay from a design standpoint. It looks like a MacBook, is well-built and likely to outlast other PCs by a decade. It weighs a little over 3 pounds and measures 0.61”H x 11.97”W x 8.36”D.

It has the same standard Apple warranty as the rest of our options and is available in Silver or Space Gray.

Apple MacBook Pro with Apple M1 Chip

Big Refresh for the Little MacBook Pro

Even if we’re not fanboys of any brand, we must confess that the MacBook Pro 13-inch M1 is one of the most exciting machines released by Apple in years. The new ARM-based M1 processor replaces old Intel hardware and offers incredible battery life, as well as exceptional performance and versatility in the Apple ecosystem, i.e. it allows you to run both legacy apps, new M1-optimized apps and iOS apps.

The new MacBook Pro M1 is not just a facelift/refresh of the smallest laptop in Apple’s Pro line, but a huge leap forward in terms of hardware and overall performance. If you’re shopping for something nothing short of revolutionary, the MacBook Pro M1 will meet all your expectations, and then some, as it’s 2.8 times faster compared to its Intel-powered predecessor, and battery life is better.

Compared to equivalent Windows based laptops, the MacBook Pro M1 is 3 times faster, due to the new M1 SoC’s 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU. To make a long story short, this machine is absolutely incredible in terms of speed, looks, weight/size, display, and battery life, and it doesn’t have any real competitor for the asking price in the Windows-Linux world, both in terms of overall performance and autonomy at a similar price.

Build quality is flawless, as usual, and if you’re looking for a work-horse, you must learn that the laptop doesn’t get hot even when pushed hard with intensive tasks/gaming.

The display is great as usual, more precisely a Retina variant with 2560 x 1600, and speaking of performance, the new M1 SoC can beat powerful Intel 11th gen chips (7, 768 points in Cinebench R23 benchmark).

Battery life is rated at 17 hours, but in real life you’ll get maybe 12-13, which is impressive, and bottom line, if you’re shopping for a small yet powerful MacBook for heavy duty tasks like editing UHD videos,, this one is the best yet.

To begin with, a 2 in 1 laptop is a hybrid of sorts, also known as the love child of a tablet and a laptop. These hybrids are making a big comeback in 2020, hence if you’re looking for the best of both worlds, keep reading, because you’re in for a real treat.

The thing is, convertible laptops are getting less expensive by the day, and by that we mean they’re almost as affordable as their clamshell counterparts. And while we’re at it, check out our article about the best budget laptops.

To make it really simple for our readers, if you’re looking for the ideal balance between usability and portability, it’s hard to beat a 2 in 1 laptop; keep in mind that convertibles are especially great for kids and college students, as they’re optimized for drawing and media viewing.

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	Lenovo Flex 5 14 2-in-1 Laptop, 14.0" FHD Touch Display, AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, 16GB RAM, 256GB Storage,...	Check at Amazon
	Microsoft Surface Pro 7 – 12.3" Touch-Screen - 10th Gen Intel Core i5 - 8GB Memory - 128GB SSD –...	Check at Amazon
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	Acer Chromebook Spin 311 Convertible Laptop, Intel Celeron N4020, 11.6" HD Touch, 4GB LPDDR4, 32GB...	Check at Amazon

Last update on 2023-09-21 // The links above are affiliate // Images from Amazon

How to choose the best 2 in 1 laptop

First things first: if you’re an Apple fanboy, the bad news is that the Cupertino based company has not jumped into the hybrid arena just yet, which is a little bit strange and disappointing. Okay, you can connect an iPad to a keyboard and play convertible, but that’s not the point. The good news is that there’s no shortage of convertibles from other manufacturers, ranging from Dell to Microsoft and beyond.

The development of hybrids or convertibles has been dictated by Microsoft since the development of Windows 8; Windows 10 is literally a multi-input OS and that’s the main reason for having a wide range of convertible and 2-in-1 devices today, which can be used for productivity tasks, running apps, and even gaming. However, if you’re looking for niche jobs like music production, you should choose something else.

Tablet first or laptop first

The first thing to consider in the best 2 in 1 laptop comes down to your personal choice: tablet first or laptop first? Think along the lines of Microsoft Surface Pro, a tablet-first device that can be described as a glorified high-end tablet featuring an attachable keyboard. A tablet-first gizmo is more compact, lighter and it’s great for traveling, being easier to carry around.

A laptop-first device like the Lenovo Flex is basically a convertible and works primarily as a regular laptop with tablet functionality (read touch screen). As a side note, if you want to prolong the life of your machine and benefit from peak performance at all times, especially while gaming or engaging in heavy-duty tasks, spend a few bucks on a high-quality cooling pad.

Connectivity

Another thing to look after is the ports and I/O department. There’s an unfortunate trend nowadays in big tech where we’re seeing a drastic reduction of ports in 2 in 1 laptop and portables generally speaking.

As in, hardware manufacturers are intentionally reducing connectivity options for users in order to keep things lighter, thinner, and cheaper. The point being, you’ll have to find a way to navigate around this problem via dongles for example, that provided your device of choice cannot accommodate the bare minimum in terms of connectivity, so check this out before you buy.

Keyboard

Keyboard quality comes into play if you’re going to use your 2 in 1 laptop for coding or writing, and poor keyboard quality is one of the main reasons many people have ditched platforms and devices. A high-quality keyboard is critical if you need to feel right and work well on a convertible/hybrid device.

Tech Specifications

Tech specs (CPU, GPU, RAM amount, storage space, screen size) and value for money are always important, but rest assured, as we’ll cover these issues closely, just pay attention to the Pros/Cons section in the detailed reviews below and you’ll do just fine.

8 Best 2-in-1 Laptops

Microsoft Surface Book 3

The Best 2 in 1 Laptop for Gaming

Our first pick for today is the famous Microsoft Surface Book 3, a high-end tablet-first convertible, designed by Bill Gates’ dream-team of tech nerds. For almost $2k you’ll get a quad-core Intel Core I7 CPU, 10th gen respectively, 16 GB of RAM, and a fast 256 GB SSD. The display is a 13,5’’ touchscreen variety, and the next question is: why would you pay 2 grand on these specs?

Well, eternal life is one of the first reasons that come to mind, as the Surface Book 3 boasts 15 hours of autonomy on a single charge. Yes, that’s as impressive as it sounds, and the same goes for connectivity options: you’ll get both USB A and Type C ports, plus a full-size SD card slot.

Moreover, the display is detachable, which means you can always grab it and run away with it to a conference or wherever. For live streaming and social media activities, you’ll be glad to hear that the Surface Book 3features dual 1080p cameras, dual far-field Studio Mics, and immersive Dolby Atmos sound, while the full-size keyboard is excellent for both prolific typists and coders.

The touchscreen display with 402 nits of brightness and 3000 x 2000 resolution is stunning, making the Surface Book 3 look and feel like an extremely premium 2 in 1 laptop, yet the hefty price tag which is comparable to a MacBook Pro can be discouraging for some people. However, if the design and build quality rank high on your shopping list, the good news is that it doesn’t get much better than the Surface Book 3.

The keyboard is one of the best we ever tested, connectivity features are solid (2x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A ports, 1x USB 3.1 Gen 2 USB-C port 3,5mm jack, full-sized SDXC card reader), and, most importantly, the Surface Book 3 is gaming-ready due to the GTX 1660 Ti GPU on-board.

Bottom line, if you’re looking for Microsoft’s best, it’s hard to argue with the Surface Book 3; also, if you want to create media and/or you consume a ton of it, and especially if you want to impress your friends, the Surface Book 3 comes highly recommended.

Lenovo Flex 5

The Best All-Round 2 in 1 Laptop

If you take a look at the price tag and then check out the tech specs, you instantly understand why the Lenovo Flex 5 is on our list of the best 2 in 1 laptops. For a few hundred bucks, you’ll get 14’’ of screen real estate (FHD/1080p, mind you), a brand new AMD Ryzen 5 4500U CPU, Radeon Vega 6 graphics, 16 GB of RAM and a lightning-fast 256 GB SSD.

On top of that, the Lenovo Flex 5 comes with Windows 10 preinstalled and a digital pen included in the retail package. To make a long and boring story short and interesting, the Lenovo Flex 5 packs a lot of power under its belt, weighs just 3.64 lbs while being merely 0.82’’ thick, retails for peanuts money, boasts 10 hours of autonomy on a single charge, and can be used in Tablet mode or Laptop mode due to its 360⁰ hinge.

What more can you ask? Considering the “full plastic” chassis, build quality is incredibly good, while the keyboard deck is rubberized for better grip; the laptop can be opened with one hand, yet the hinge is as strong as it gets. Moreover, you’ll notice zero creakings, and performance-wise, the new Vega 6 GPU is approximately 10 percent faster than the 3500U’s Vega 8.

It’s worth mentioning that the AMD’s Ryzen 5 is one of the best mid-range CPUs around, some say better than the latest Core i5 from Intel, which makes the Lenovo Flex 5 great for heavy productivity multitasking, including photo and video editing.

The soft-touch chassis offers plenty of connectivity options, including 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, a power port, a USB Type C, HDMI, a full-size S.D, and an audio combo jack, plus 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2. The keyboard is backlit and it’s pretty good in terms of typing experience, and bottom line, if you’re looking for powerful performance and excellent value, the Lenovo Flex 5 will not disappoint.

Microsoft Surface Pro 7

The Best Tablet-First 2 in 1 Laptop

The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is the successor of the Surface Pro 6, an update of an already excellent Windows 10 tablet. The Pro 7 has the same design, which has been virtually identical since the 2017 Surface Pro 5 but comes with the latest Intel processors and a USB Type C port.

Design-wise, the Pro 7 is a high-end machine, featuring premium materials and build quality, including a textured magnesium body, rounded corners, and Microsoft’s excellent kickstand on the back. The 12,3’’ responsive touchscreen is beautiful and crisp, with a resolution of 2736 x 1824 pixels and 395 nits of brightness; also, the Surface Pen is very precise and has low latency, being perfect for drawing or taking notes, as the same goes for the smooth and responsive trackpad.

Hardware-wise, the Pro 7 runs on Intel’s 10th gen i5 CPU, backed by 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage via SSD. Besides USB Type C, you’ll get a USB-A, a Micro SD card slot, a headphone jack, and a Surface Connect port. The Pro 7 measures 0.33’’ x 11.5’’ x 7.9 ‘’ (292 x 201 x 8.5mm HWD) and weighs 1.7 lbs, which means it’s a highly portable machine that looks and feels premium.

The redesigned kickstand has a fully adjustable hinge which is basically “free-range”, i.e. you have an almost unlimited number of adjustment points, while the detachable backlit keyboard is incredibly thin, yet excellent for typing and productivity-related tasks.

The bottom line, Surface Pro 7 is one of the best Windows tablet-first convertibles on the market today, and if money is no objective, it doesn’t get much better than this! However, if battery life ranks high on your shopping list, you may end up better with the older Surface Pro 6 model.

HP Pavilion x360 Convertible

Powerful Home-Office Companion

The HP Pavilion x360 is an affordable 2-in-1 14’’ touchscreen laptop, featuring an 11th generation Intel I5 CPU, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of SSD storage. If you add the full HD 1080p IPS display, long battery life and the price which is well below the $1000 barrier, you’ll understand that the x360 is designed to be a work horse for people on limited budgets looking for a powerful home-office companion.

Even if the touchscreen may be unnecessary for some people (most people actually), it’s a cool feature to have, and if you consider all the perks, this HP Pavilion makes for a solid all-rounder laptop, and also good looking, which another nice touch from HP.
Another important thing to consider when buying a laptop for work is portability, and here the x360 really shines, being very light at 3.5 lbs give or take, and, on top of that, wonderfully compact.

Since the x360 is a convertible, this means you can fold it into tent/tablet mode, and the bottom of the laptop is magnetic, which means it will hold into position nicely. We must tell you from the beginning that you can’t play recent games at high settings on this Intel Iris Xe GPU powered machine; however, the display is fairly bright and has a glossy texture, while the IPS panel is rated at 261 nits of brightness, which is kind of dull (the average is like 300 nits for laptops).

There’s also a 5.5’’ stylus included in the package, which can be used when you fold the screen into tablet mode; both the keyboard and the touchpad are comfortable and satisfying even for avid typists. The I5 CPU and the 8 GB of RAM allow for solid multitasking, and you can even engage in serious video editing if you can live with the hardware limitations.

Battery life is solid at 8 hours, and bottom line, if you’re shopping for a reasonably priced convertible, the x360 ticks all the boxes in our book.

Dell Inspiron 17 7000

Productivity King

If you’re looking for a beautifully designed 2-in-1, the Inspiron 7000 comes to mind. This 17’’ beast of a foldable laptop is one of the best in terms of productivity, which relies heavily on screen real estate, and it’s one of the few of its kind that manages to combine a full keyboard (programmers and writers will love it), which includes a numeric keypad, with a foldable design that allows the laptop to fold back into a big-ass tablet, if/when necessary.

This means that you’ll end up with a desktop replacement that is highly versatile, and a productivity machine that will provide you an immersive typing experience, not to mention multimedia capability. The touchscreen is very responsive in tablet mode, and you’ll definitely enjoy the 17.3″ panel of QHD resolution.

The whole show is powered by a solid 11th generation Core I7 CPU, 16 GB of RAM, and 1 TB Nvme SSD. On top of that, you’ll end up with a GeForce MX350 GPU, which means this work horse is also gaming capable, which is neat.

The downside of having a huge 17.3″ touchscreen display is that it’s not that easy to carry it around, but if you require a big landscape for work and play, this laptop will keep your eyes healthy long term and that cannot be quantified in money. Speaking of which, the Inspiron 7000 retails for less than $2k, which is not bad considering the specs.

To make a long story short, buy this laptop if you are a spatial visionary artist or engineer of any type, or just like to view wide open spaces when watching Netflix, Hulu, Youtube, etc., not to mention a little gaming on the side.

Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360

Thin and Stylish 2-in-1

If you already own a Samsung high-end smartphone, the Galaxy Book Pro 360 will sell itself, as it makes for a light, compact and premium 2-in-1, which is nothing short of impressive at first sight. As in, the design, workmanship, build quality and the choice of materials is second to none.

It’s true that the Galaxy Book Pro 360 doesn’t quite match its direct competitors in terms of performance, but this long-awaited laptop from Samsung does not disappoint if you’re not expecting miracles. It’s important to learn that this is the first product developed by Samsung with Intel, and it’s designed to create a relationship between smartphones and laptops akin to Apple’s ecosystem.

Basically, to get the most out of this laptop, you’ll require a Samsung smartphone and the Your Phone app for a great user experience. The laptop itself is light, compact, and premium looking and feeling; when folded, the machine turns into an impressive tablet-like device, and amazingly, the screen can be folded all the way around, which is great for productivity in tablet-mode.

There’s also a pair of USB-C connectors plus a Thunderbolt 4 port, a micro SD slot, and a headphone socket for music aficionados, not to mention the traditional S-Pen stylus.

The full HD AMOLED display, Samsung’s specialty, is gorgeous, with superb contrast and color reproduction, battery life is sufficient for everyday use, and the keyboard is absolutely fantastic. Speakers are impressive also, and before we forget, the hardware platform consists of an Intel Core i5/i7 CPU, 8GB (LPDDR4x) RAM, an Intel Iris Xe Graphics GPU, and 512 GB of PCIe 3.0 SSD storage, which means performance is more than enough for most people.

Microsoft Surface Go 2

The Best 2 in 1 Laptop Under $500

Back to Microsoft with the revamped/upgraded Surface Go 2; the new generation offers a larger display, better computing performance, as expected, and longer battery life. Basically, the Surface Go 2 is bigger, better, faster, more. All jokes aside, if you’re looking for a tablet-centric 2 in 1 laptop of sorts, the Microsoft Surface Go 2 is the way to go (see what we did here?).

This glorified tablet with an attachable keyboard is excellent for idle time and/or work from home (same thing basically); despite being a Microsoft product, this baby is not overpriced, shockingly enough, and it boasts a light and thin design, as well as excellent build quality.

The Surface Go 2 features a built-in kickstand and has a full HD camera with face recognition for prolonged Skype/Tik Tok/YouTube/whatever streaming sessions. The hardware department is taken care of by an Intel Core M3 processor, just like the Chromebook reviewed above, helped by 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage space. Again, this is basically the Asus Chromebook Flip running on Microsoft OS, can do almost anything a budget laptop does, and can even run full Windows 10.

Now, it’s up to you to decide what you want: Windows 10 familiarity or Chrome OS and tons of Android apps. Regardless of your choice, you’ll get an excellently designed 2 in 1 tablet-centric laptop, perfect for browsing, emails, homework, etc. with almost-laptop versatility and performance and tablet portability.

Acer Chromebook Spin 311

The Best Budget 2 in 1 Laptop

Last but not least, we present you with the cheapest Chromebook on the planet. Enter the Acer Chromebook Spin 311, a 2 in 1 laptop that retails for peanuts money. For significantly less than $300, you’ll get a convertible laptop powered by an Intel Celeron N4020 CPU, with an 11.6’’ HD touchscreen display, 4 gigs of RAM, and a 32 GB eMMc.

A quick look at the hardware specs will tell you half the story: we know, it’s not impressive, as in this is not a computing powerhouse, yet consider this: the whole show runs on Chrome OS, which is the lightest OS on resources on the market today.

Now you’re starting to get it: for the price of a mediocre smartphone, you’ll actually get a real-life laptop that can be used for productivity tasks (in the money-making process, right?), has built-in virus protection, boots up in seconds and boasts 10 hours of battery life. On top of that, the crisp HD display is protected by Gorilla Glass, which means it’s virtually indestructible; connectivity is taken care of by Intel Gigabit Wi-Fi 5 with 2×2 MU-MIMO. MU-MIMO, the shell is robust, and considering the price asked, build quality is on par with the big boys out there.

Are you impressed yet? This tiny laptop/tablet can run all Google apps in the Play Store and can store important documents/pictures/videos in Google Drive (up to 100 GB). The 360° Hinge will transform the Chromebook into a tablet, stand up display, tent, or whatever, and there’s even a wide-angle view webcam included that supports HDR imaging.