Best laptop 2020: The best laptops for every budget
Finding the best laptop is more essential than ever, especially now that many of us are working and learning from home. A great laptop will allow you juggle a myriad of work and school tasks, while remaining portable and long-lasting enough to let you stay productive on the go.Plus, there’s never been more variety when shopping for the best laptops. There are plenty of ultraportable machines that pack huge power into svelte designs, as well as beefy gaming laptops meant to handle the latest games at high settings. Chromebooks are a popular option for students thanks to their affordable prices and easy to use software, and you can even snag a 2-in-1 laptop that doubles as a tablet.
With so many options to choose from, finding the right laptop can be daunting. That’s why we’ve tested the most popular notebooks available to help you pick the very best laptop for your needs — and your wallet.
1. Dell XPS 13 2020
Display: 13.4 inches; 1,920 x 1,080-3,840 x 2,160 | CPU: 10th-Generation Intel Core i3-i7 | GPU: Intel UHD to Intel Iris Plus | RAM: 8GB-16GB | Storage: 256GB-2TBGB SSD | Weight: 2.64 pounds
Gorgeous design
Vibrant, immersive display
Great battery life (on 1080p model)
Slim port selection
Sub-par battery life for 4K model
It’s hard to improve upon near-perfection, but the Dell XPS 13 2020 manages to make the best laptop you can buy even better. Dell’s latest flagship PC comes outfitted with Intel’s latest 10th Gen processors, which make multitasking between apps and even doing some light gaming a breeze. The laptop’s Infinity Edge display now sports a screen-to-body ratio of 91.5%, with virtually no bezel to get in the way of your favorite movies and TV shows.
Read our full Dell XPS 13 review.
2. Acer Aspire 5
Best laptop on a budget
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Display: 15.6 inches; 1,920 x 1,080 | CPU: Intel Core i3 | GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 128GB SSD | Weight: 3.76 pounds
Long battery life
Bright screen
Strong performance
Poor graphics
Build quality could be better
In our series on Best laptops, Acer Aspire 5 proves you don’t have to spend a lot to get a great laptop. This notebook includes a full HD display that’s fairly bright, so it’s great for surfing the web, doing quick photo edits and watching videos on YouTube, Netflix or Disney Plus. And it has all the power you need for everyday tasks and light multitasking, thanks to an 8th generation Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM and 128GB SSD. It’s all wrapped up in a fairly light 3.8-pound package.
The most pleasant surprise with the Aspire 5 is its battery life. This laptop lasted nearly 9 hours on our web surfing battery test, which is very good for a 15-inch system. There are a couple of things we don’t like about this budget laptop; while the lid is a premium aluminum, the rest of the machine is made of plastic. You also shouldn’t expect to play the latest games. But overall the Aspire 5 is the best Windows laptop under $600.
The best MacBook
It’s amazing what a difference the right keyboard makes. Starting at $999, the MacBook Air 2020 packs the improved Magic Keyboard, which replaces the butterfly switch with a scissor-style mechanism that allows for much more comfortable typing.
Apple also upgraded the Air to 10th Gen Intel Core processors (from 8th Gen). It’s a Y-series chip (which isn’t as powerful as U Series CPUs), but it proved enough for everyday use and basic multitasking. In addition to lowering the price by $100, Apple doubled the default MacBook Air storage, from a 128GB SSD to a 256GB drive, which is still offering blazing-fast read speeds.
The MacBook Air also packs plenty of endurance, with all-day battery life. It took 9 hours and 31 minutes (nearly 50 minutes longer than the typical system) for our web surfing test to drain the MacBook Air of its charge. Add in Apple’s fairly bright and colorful Retina display and surprisingly strong speakers, and you have the best laptop for most Apple fans.
Read our full MacBook Air 2020 review.
4. Dell XPS 15 (2020)
Best laptop for college
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Display: 15.6 inches InfinityEdge, 1080p or 4K | CPU: 10th Gen Intel Core i5 / i7 | GPU: Intel UHD / Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti | RAM: 8GB / 16GB / 32GB / 64GB | Storage: 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB SSD | Weight: 4-4.5 pounds
Gorgeous, immersive display
Great overall performance
Comfortable keyboard and touchpad
So-so battery life
Gets loud under pressure
Like the latest Dell XPS 13, the Dell XPS 15 2020 makes one of the best laptops around even better. That’s largely thanks to an even more immersive 15.6-inch InfinityEdge display, which ditches the bottom bezel for a stunning 92.9% screen to body ratio. The new XPS 15 is also made better by some smart design tweaks, such as bigger keycaps and a responsive touchpad that’s more than 60% larger than that of the previous generation.
Don’t let its slim and stylish design fool you, either — the Dell XPS 15 2020 is an absolute workhorse. Its 10th Gen Intel Core processors can juggle multiple tasks with ease, and its optional Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti GPU gives it some serious muscle for graphics work and gaming. Factor in a pair of impressively loud speakers and solid battery life for a 4K laptop, and the new XPS 15 is one of the best 15-inch laptops you can buy.
Read our full Dell XPS 15 (2020) review
5. Lenovo Chromebook Duet
The best cheap laptop
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CPU: 2.0GHz octa-core MediaTek Helio P60T | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 64GB eMMC, 128GB eMMC | Display: 10.1 inches, 1920 x 1200 pixels | Dimensions: 9.64 x 6.66 x 0.71 inches (docked) | Weight: 2 pounds (docked)
Colorful Full HD screen
Keyboard is included
That keyboard is also kinda cramped
Hinge is a little weak
In our series on Best laptops, this one doesn’t really make sense — that’s how good of a deal it is. At $279, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet storms into the front of the conversation when it comes to value. Not only is it a tablet Chromebook, but its keyboard comes free — something that we don’t expect to see from the iPad or any Surface, even the more-affordable Go. Oh, and it’s also a solid tablet too, thanks to strong color output and a sharp resolution that you rarely see at this price point.
The Chromebook Duet also sees ChromeOS gain some touchscreen tablet optimizations that it’s needed for a while, making it easier to navigate all of your tabs. Oh, and as if that wasn’t enough, it’s got amazing battery life, lasting 12 hours and 47 minutes, nearly 13 hours, on our web-surfing test. The only knock against it? Its keyboard might take some getting used to for larger handed-folks.
Read our full Lenovo Chromebook Duet review.
Best HP laptop
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Display: 13.3 inches; 1,920 x 1,080-3,840 x 2,160 | CPU: 8th-Generation Intel Core i7 | GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 630 to Nvidia GeForce MX250 | RAM: 8GB-16GB | Storage: 256GB-1TB SSD | Weight: 2.59 pounds
Excellent keyboard
Touch display
Speakers aren’t the best
Battery is just fine
The HP Envy line of laptops has long offered excellent design and high-performance specs, and this model is easily able to go toe to toe with the likes of the Dell XPS 13 and MacBook Pro. Safe to say, if you’re in the market for an Ultrabook, then it’s worth considering the HP Envy 13t. That’s especially true if you need slightly boosted graphics performance and are willing to pay for the upgrade to the GeForce MX250. This is one of the most attractive notebooks we’ve gotten our hands on, with a razor-thin chassis that makes the Mac look dated.
Of course, the laptop is pretty impressive spec-wise, too. The base model comes with an 8th-Gen Intel Core i7 processor, and you can even upgrade it to offer a dedicated graphics card for light gaming and video editing. For those uses, there’s also an option for a 4K display.
The best laptop for students
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Display: 13.3 inches, 1080p or 4K | CPU: Intel Core i3 / i5 / i7 | GPU: Intel UHD 615 GPU | RAM: 8GB / 16GB | Storage: 64GB / 128GB / 256GB | Weight: 2.3 pounds
Bright, colorful panel
Long battery life
No USB-A ports
So-so audio
The Google Pixelbook Go isn’t just more affordable than the original Pixelbook — it’s also better in almost every way. This highly portable Chromebook stands out with a slim, lightweight design that weighs in at just over 2 pounds, as well as a rubberized, easy-to-grip chassis that comes in sleek Just Black and Not Pink variations. The quiet, comfortable keyboard doesn’t hurt either.
Read our full Google Pixelbook Go review.
Best laptop for photo editing
Display: 13 inch Retina Display (2560 x 1600) | CPU: 1.4GHz quad core 8th gen to 2.3GHz 10th gen Core i7 | GPU: Intel Iris Plus 645, Intel Iris Plus | RAM: 8GB to 32GB | Storage: 256GB to 4TB SSD | Weight: 3.1 pounds
Great performance
Fantastic Magic Keyboard
Long battery life
Bezels too thick
Pricey to get 10th gen power
The MacBook Pro 2020 solves the biggest problem of Apple’s otherwise-excellent 13-inch laptop: the keyboard. Ditching the shallow keys of the older Butterfly keyboard in favor of the fantastic Magic Keyboard, the latest 13-inch MacBook Pro delivers the kind of comfortable and responsive typing experience we’ve been yearning for on Apple’s flagship laptop. But a great new keyboard isn’t all the new MacBook Pro 2020 has going for it.
Read our full MacBook Pro 13-inch (2020) review
The best laptop for gaming
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Display: 14-inches, 1920 x 1080 | CPU: AMD Ryzen 9-4900HS | GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 1TB SSD | Weight: 3.5 pounds
Great performance for gaming and everything else
Super portable design paired with 11-hour battery life
Great display and audio
No webcam
Keyboard has backlighting issues
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 isn’t just the best gaming laptop out there — it’s one of the best laptops you can buy, period. With a battery that lasts more than 11 hours, the Zephryus runs circles around its gaming-focused competitors, and even keeps up with more mainstream notebooks for folks who simply want a long-lasting PC for getting work done.
Read our full Asus ROG Zephryus G14 review
The best 2-in-1 laptop
Processor: 10th Gen Intel Core i7 (Ice Lake) | Memory: 12GB of RAM | Storage: 512GB SSD | Display: 15.6″ QLED (1920 x 1080 pixels) | Size: 14 x 8.9 x 0.6 inches | Weight: 3.4 pounds | Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 3, 1x USB-C microSD reader, headphone jack
Amazing battery life
Striking blue design
Built-in S-Pen
Fingerprint reader disrupts typing
QLED display pales to OLED panels
When you’re drawing on the Galaxy Book Flex’s screen, you’ll probably use it in tablet mode, as the panel bounces and wobbles a little when jabbed with the pen in laptop mode. And while typists might get over its slightly shallow keys quickly, the decision to put the fingerprint reader where half of the right Shift key should be is another hurdle to leap over.
11. HP Elite Dragonfly
Best business laptop
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Display: 13.3-inch touch-screen display, 1920 x 1200 or 3840 x 2160 | CPU: 8th-Gen Intel Core i3 / i5 / i7 | GPU: Intel HD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB / 16GB / 32GB | Storage: 128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB SSD | Weight: 2.5 pounds
Beautiful, eye-catching design
Epic battery life (with optional upgrade)
Bright and colorful screen
Comfortable keyboard
Expensive
In our series on Best laptops, HP Elite Dragonfly is the rare laptop that comes along and sets a new standard for the entire category. This 2-in-1 laptop’s design is one of the most stunning we’ve ever seen on a laptop, with an incredibly thin edges that measure just 0.6 inches in thickness and a deep blue coat of paint that looks refreshing, mesmerizing and classy all at once. And while the Dragonfly is wonderfully light at 2.5 pounds, it also feels impressively sturdy, has an oleophobic coating to prevent fingerprints and uses recycled ocean-bound plastics to help the environment.
Read our full HP Elite Dragonfly review.
12. Asus Chromebook Flip C434
Best 2-in-1 chromebook
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Display: 14 inches; 1,920 x 1,080 | CPU: 8th-Generation Intel Core m3 | GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 615 | RAM: 4GB-8GB | Storage: 64GB | Weight: 3.19 pounds
Slick design
Nice display
Good battery life
A bit more expensive than some other Chromebooks
Google’s Chrome OS has been getting better and better over the last few years, and you can even run many Android apps on it now, making it pretty versatile. If you want a laptop to take advantage of all those improvements, then the Asus Chromebook Flip C434 is the best laptop in its category, thanks to its sleek design and relatively powerful specs.
13. Alienware m17 R2
Best gaming laptop
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Display: 17.3 inches; 1,920 x 1,080 | CPU: 9th-Generation Intel Core i5-i9 | GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti to RTX 2080 | RAM: 8GB-16GB | Storage: 256GB-4TB SSD | Weight: 5.8 pounds
Superpowerful
Excellent display
Good battery life
Expensive
The Alienware m17 R2 is an absolute beast of a laptop and should offer more than enough power for the majority of gamers, while looking great in the process. If you want a gaming laptop that’s unassuming enough for a coffee shop while still featuring a distinct design with attractive customizable RGB lighting, the R2 is the way to go.
The base model of the m17 R2 comes with an Intel Core i5 processor and Nvidia GeForce 1660 Ti, but the machine can be upgraded to include a Core i9 chip and an RTX 2080 graphics card. That’s all within a sleek, 0.8-inch thin chassis that packs a comfortable keyboard and solid battery life for a gaming notebook. Safe to say, with a laptop this powerful, you’ll see that frame rate skyrocket.
Read our full Alienware m17 R2 review.
14. Microsoft Surface Pro 6
The best tablet with keyboard
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Display: 12.3 inches; 2,736 x 1,824 | CPU: 8th-Generation Intel Core i5-i7 | GPU: Intel UHD 620 | RAM: 8GB-16GB | Storage: 256GB-1TB | Weight: 1.70-1.73 pounds
Detachable design
Good performance
Good battery life
No Thunderbolt 3 ports
Type Cover keyboard sold separately
If you like the idea of a 2-in-1 but want a detachable display instead of a foldable one, then the Microsoft Surface Pro 6 is easily the way to go. The device offers powerful specs for the money, plus you can use the display in tablet mode, leaving behind the bulk of a keyboard and touchpad. That also makes the Surface Pro 6 one of the most portable Windows 10 devices out there, though you’ll have to pay an extra $160 for Microsoft’s Type Cover keyboard if you want the full laptop experience.
While the Surface Pro 6 is ultraportable, it doesn’t sacrifice too much on performance. In the base model, you’ll get an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. There are some great upgrade options, too, including the ability to get up to a huge 1TB of storage. Microsoft’s newer Surface Pro 7 offers better performance and packs a USB-C port, but its battery life isn’t as good as its predecessor.
15. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
Best laptop for graphic design
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Display: 14 inches; 1,920 x 1,080-3,840 x 2,160 | CPU: 8th-Generation Intel Core i5-i7 | GPU: Intel UHD 620 Graphics | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 256GB-1TB SSD | Weight: 2.40 pounds
Slim and portable
Powerful specs
Good battery life on 1,080p version
Touchpad isn’t great
Expensive
Around the laptop, you’ll get plenty of ports, including two Thunderbolt 3 ports, two USB 3.1 ports and an HDMI port. While there’s no Ethernet port, you can get an adapter from Lenovo. You’ll also get Lenovo’s best-in-class keyboard and a stunning HDR-ready display.
Best laptop for editing video
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Display: 16 inches, 3072 x 1920 | CPU: Intel Core i7 or i9 | GPU: AMD Radeon 5300M or 5500M | RAM: 8GB – 32GB | Storage: 512GB – 2TB SSD | Weight: 4.3 pounds
Magic Keyboard feels great
Best sound ever in a laptop
Epic battery life of nearly 11 hours
Display not 4K
Heavier than 15-inch MacBook Pro
The MacBook Pro finally has a good keyboard again, and it’s glorious. Apple’s new 16-inch MacBook Pro ditches the company’s shallow Butterfly switches for its new Magic Keyboard, which offers a softer feel and delightfully deep travel. This is the change we’ve been waiting for on MacBooks for years, and Apple finally delivered on it in a big way.
Read our full MacBook Pro (16-inch) review.
- Our picks for the best affordable laptops
Best laptops: How to choose the best laptop for you
Performance: If you only need something basic for surfing the web, consider a Chromebook or a cheap Windows laptop with an Intel Core i3 processor and 4GB of RAM. If you plan on getting more intensive work done, consider starting specs such as a Core i5 CPU, 8 to 16GB of RAM and a 256GB to 512GB SSD.
Graphics and gaming: Most mainstream laptops feature integrated graphics, which can handle lightweight titles such as Minecraft and Overwatch but aren’t ideal for intensive AAA games or heavy visual work. For that, you’ll want a laptop with a discrete graphics card, such as an Nvidia GTX 1660 or 2080 on the higher end.
Size: Consider how mobile you want your laptop to be. Machines such as the Dell XPS 13 and HP Elite Dragonfly are feather light with slim designs, while gaming notebooks such as the Razer Blade Pro and Alienware 17 have more heft to them (but offer big power in exchange).
Operating system: Laptops typically come in three flavors: Windows 10 (most mainstream PCs), macOS (MacBooks) and Chrome OS (Chromebooks). Windows 10 is the most common operating system, while macOS is more ideal for folks already tied into Apple’s ecosystem. Chrome OS is a lightweight operating system built to allow for cheap, fast systems, though it has gotten a bit more robust over the years with support for full Android apps.
Best laptops: How we test the best laptops
To find the best laptop, we run every machine through a rigorous suite of benchmarks and real-world tests to gauge how it will perform during everyday use.
When testing dedicated gaming laptops, we run benchmarks for popular games such as Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Hitman 2 and Far Cry: New Dawn.Round up of today’s best deals.
