Are you in the market for a new laptop? Then you are in the right place. With so many options, it’s hard to know which one to choose. That’s why I did the homework for you, and below is a breakdown of my top picks by type of use.
Best for kids
While desktop computers don’t need to be replaced very often, laptops are generally quite affordable to replace or upgrade. Plus, having a separate device that you can set up with specific security settings for your kids is great.
Check out the list below for our top picks for kids:
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Google Pixelbook Go
Google Pixelbook Go.
(The Google)
Positives:
Great Battery Life: Up to 12 hours of unplugged play, so you don’t need to carry a charger and just 20 minutes of charging gives you 2 hours of use
Made of magnesium (a rarity in laptop computers), which makes it lightweight yet durable at barely 2 lbs
EASY TO HOLD: 13mm wavy design on the bottom provides more grip
A “Hush” keyboard for the new typist learning their way around a laptop
Dual 1080p webcam is very rare, which is usually only found in high end and expensive laptops
Affordable: Less than $1,000 depending on spec
The fanless design remains great to allow you to use it comfortably on your lap
13.3-inch touchscreen LCD display offering either Full HD 1920×1080 (166ppi) or 4K Ultra HD Molecular Display 3840×2160 (331ppi) looks excellent and makes the navigation experience easier for new and old users alike
More built-in security: The Titan C security chip and built-in antivirus help keep your data and passwords safe.
cons:
No biometric login (many newer laptops allow users to log into their device with just a fingerprint, making it easier to keep the device more secure)
High-end models are more expensive
Very low storage and RAM offerings for its base model
There is no SD card slot, so any external storage must be via a USB-C connection.
At the time of publication, this product has 1,549 global reviews, with 76% giving the product 5 stars.
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Get the Google Pixelbook Go
Acer Spin 311-2H
Acer Spin 311-2H laptop model.
(easier)
Positives:
Affordable – under $400
11.6″ HD 1366 x 768 16:9 aspect ratio IPS touchscreen LED-backlit display
2-in-1 touch screen for a full touch experience
Comes with a pen
Comes with a variety of ports: USB-C, DisplayPort, USB 2.0, 3.5mm headphone/speaker combo and a Kensington lock slot.
cons:
On the low spectrum of storage and RAM
At the time of publication, this product has 398 global reviews with 68% giving the product 5 stars.
Get the Acer Spin 311-2H
Best for gaming
Games are a popular pastime for people of all ages. However, it requires a certain amount of processing speed and storage space to handle the graphics intensity and software complexities. Here are our top gaming picks:
Acer Predator Helios 300
Acer Predator Helios 300 laptop model.
(easier)
Positives:
Large 16GB DDR4 3200MHz RAM (2 DDR4 slots total, max 32GB)
A good refresh rate for a laptop is 144Hz 3ms
Good screen “estate” 15.6″ Full HD 1920 x 1080 IPS LED-backlit Display
Good performance, fast Core i7 processor
Comes with Windows 11, the latest Windows operating system
5th Gen 3D AeroBlade fan technology has 89 ultra-thin blades with an electronic wing tip design to increase the amount of air that helps keep your laptop cool
Alexa is built for compatibility.
cons:
Expensive – comparable to some of its desktop counterpart
Low profile gaming laptop storage offer 512GB PCIe Gen 4 SSD
At the time of publication, this product has 3,586 global reviews, with 80% giving the product 5 stars.
Get the Acer Predator Helios 300
Acer Nitro 5 AN515-58-7583
Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop AN515-58-7583.
(easier)
Positives:
Good RAM 16GB DDR4 3200MHz
Maximize your internet connection: Killer DoubleShot Pro with Ethernet E2600 and Killer Wi-Fi 6 1650 – Wi-Fi 6 enabled for the fastest Wi-Fi connections; The ability to use Ethernet and Wi-Fi at the same time
More “real estate” 15.6-inch Full HD 1920 x 1080 IPS LED-backlit display
Good performance, fast Core i7 processor
Comes with Windows 11, the latest Windows operating system
Excellent cooling: two-fan cooling shape, upper and lower double inlets, four-exhaust outlet design
cons:
decent 144Hz refresh rate; The latest models feature 165 Hz 3 ms
Modest 512GB SSD storage
Maximum RAM is 32GB – other laptops can be upgraded to 64GB
At the time of publication, this product has 5238 global reviews, with 81% giving the product 5 stars.
Get the Acer Nitro 5 AN515-58-7583
The best printers of 2023
Best for heavy handling
For individuals who find themselves working on processor-intensive programs such as photo editing, video editing, or design software, laptops will not only need excellent screens with rich colors and high resolutions — but also enough storage, RAM, and processor speed to handle the intensity of these Media and heavy workload software. Here are our top picks for laptops that can handle the work:
2023 Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch) Laptop
2023 Apple MacBook Pro Laptop (14-inch) model.
(an Apple)
Positives:
M2 Pro has up to 12 CPU cores, up to 19 GPUs, and up to 32GB of unified memory
Long battery life: up to 18 hours
Liquid Retina XDR display boasts superior dynamic range of 1,000 nits full screen compared to last year’s model with 500 nits brightness
Finally, an upgrade to the MacBook Pro camera: 1080p (last year’s model was still at 720p)
Biometric access for added security with Touch ID
Wi-Fi 6E enabled for the fastest Wi-Fi technology available (802.11ax)
Very light for the amount of strength it packs in addition to being made entirely of aluminum at 3.5 lbs.
Finally, ports are back on the Macbook Pro with an SDXC card slot, 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports, a headphone audio jack, and an HDMI port so you can ditch the docks.
cons:
Expensive (at time of publication, it cost $1,999 for the base model)
512GB SSD medium base storage
Limited color selection: only two colors are shades of grey
If you’re looking for more portability in a smaller size like 13-inches, the upgrades for 2023 (so far) are only for the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros.
The product was released on January 24, 2023 so it has not been rated yet.
Get the Apple MacBook Pro 2023 (14-inch) Laptop
Dell XPS 13 9310 touchscreen laptop
Dell XPS 13 9310 Touch Screen Laptop.
(del)
Positives:
11th Generation Intel Core i7-1195G7 Processor
Energy Star certified
Windows 11 Pro
Advanced thermal engineering distributes heat better for better performance
Biometric lock – fingerprint reader
Carbon fiber makes it strong yet light at 2.8 lbs
Built-in eye sore display technology reduces glare from blue light
Includes a microSD reader
• 100% sRGB color gamut, 90% DCI P3, 500 nits brightness, 0.65% anti-reflective coating reduces glare from glossy screen.
Full HD with ultra-narrow bezels, which means the screen has “real estate” relative to the size – the touch screen
DELL Warranty Support: Including 2 years Onsite/In Home and 6 months Dell Migrate. Easily transfer your files and settings from your old PC to your new Dell PC.
cons:
720p camera at 30 fps HD RGB, 400p camera at 30 fps IR, dual array microphones
Very small base storage for a high-end laptop – 512GB SSD (1TB should start).
At the time of publication, this product has 210 global reviews with 71% giving the product 5 stars.
Get Dell XPS 13 9310 Touch Screen Laptop
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Best for working from home
While you may or may not already have a desktop at home, you might consider using a laptop to complement or replace your old desktop. Or maybe you work from home and need the ability to move around your living space to get work done.
Perhaps you need a device that has more computing power than a tablet but is less massive than your desktop? Here are some of the best balanced laptop picks for work and play:
2022 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10
2022 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 Laptop.
(lenovo)
Positives:
Fast Intel Core i7 processor
Good RAM 16 GB installed
Good storage 1 TB SSD
Low blue light viewing may relieve eye strain
Narrow bezel means enlarged screen “real estate”
Plenty of ports to connect with peripherals as well as external displays
Excellent HD 1080P webcam specification with 90° wide angle option
Windows 11 Pro installed
Fingerprint reader to log into the laptop
Wi-Fi 6 is the fastest Wi-Fi technology.
cons:
Intel works well with 11th and 12th generation processors, and this laptop comes with a 10th generation i7 processor.
At the time of publication, this product has 22 global reviews with 74% giving the product 5 stars.
Get the 2022 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10
HP laptop 17 inch
HP 17-inch laptop.
(HP)
Positives:
The large 17.3-inch screen is great if it’s a desktop replacement or a primary laptop for work
The latest Windows 11 Home operating system
Good outlet options:
USB Type-A is convenient for connecting to legacy technologies without an adapter
USC Type-C
HDMI
Wi-Fi 6 is the fastest Wi-Fi technology
Fast charging: from 0% to 50% charged in 45 minutes
Very reasonable price for a laptop of this size under $700.
cons:
The 11th Gen Intel Core i5 processor isn’t the latest or fastest available but it’s plenty capable for general office work
Not a lot of RAM for a computer of this size (8GB RAM)
There is not much storage space with the 512 GB SSD
Not the longest battery life at only 8 hours 45 minutes on a full charge, some other laptops have up to 20 hours of battery life on a single full charge.
At the time of publication, this product had 372 global reviews, with 75% giving the product 5 stars.
Get a 17-inch HP laptop
If you’re still not sure what to look for in a new laptop, you can use our laptop buying guide. If you’re creating a New Year’s setup, you might also want to check out our article on the best portable screens.
Thinking of replacing an old laptop or desktop? Is there a model you like that we didn’t cover above? Comment below.
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