Shopping for the best laptop can be daunting, given the plethora of options at your disposal. There are different models designed for general productivity, media consumption, editing, professional workload, and gaming. So, making the best purchase might be challenging, as you might wish to refresh your technology soon. The options have never been more diverse in terms of brands, features, and specifications. Coupled with that, it's impossible to overlook inflated prices.
Hence, we have scouted the best laptops for various scenarios in late 2023 and listed them below.
Best Windows laptop - Dell XPS 15 9520 ($2,099)
The Dell XPS 15 9530 is the best laptop for Windows users. It is a versatile option with a gorgeous display and top-notch specifications. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics chip powering the 15.6-inch 4K OLED display in the XPS 15 is not specifically built for gaming, but it can adeptly run any latest title or fulfill any graphical task.
It is the ideal all-purpose laptop and weighs a little under 2 kg. Additionally, the current model upholds Dell's reputation for providing top specs at a reasonable price. The only notable drawback is that it doesn't have fast refresh rate support. That said, a 60Hz OLED panel guarantees long battery life.
Pros
- Gorgeous 4K OLED display
- Full-day battery life
- Can play most games without stutter
Cons
- Only 60Hz refresh rate support
- A bit heavy for frequent travelers
- No USB-A port
Best MacBook - Apple MacBook Pro 14 ($1999)
With its latest M2 chipset and long battery life, the Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch model is the best offering from the Cupertino-based giant. It also offers a fantastic user experience thanks to a crisp 120Hz Mini LED display, spacious and wide keyboard, and user-friendly touchpad.
Apart from that, users receive several connection options, including an HDMI port, three USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a full-size SD card reader. The laptop can handle almost all daily tasks and comes equipped with loudspeakers and great front camera quality.
Pros
- Superb battery life
- Lightweight
- Best Touchpad experience
- 120Hz refresh rate
Cons
- Not meant for gaming
- Small display
Best Chromebook - Lenovo Chromebook C340 ($529)
Chromebooks are meant for basic day-to-day usage, and the Lenovo Chromebook C340 exactly serves that purpose. Available at a cheap price, it's a much better alternative than other heavy-spaced laptops. The best facet is that it's a convertible laptop and offers long battery life. Hence, it's probably the best offering with Chrome OS.
However, since you only get 4GB of RAM, you might want to be careful about opening too many websites simultaneously. That said, its IPS panel is sufficient for daily use. There is enough screen space for split-screen multitasking, with the machine even offering better picture quality than other competing Chromebooks.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Big 15.6-inch IPS display
- Long battery life
Cons
- Only 4GB RAM
- Low brightness
Best laptop for gaming - Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 ($3899)
For gaming, you would always need the best hardware, and the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 fulfills that criterion. This laptop has a massive 18-inch, 2560 x 1600 display with a frame rate of 240 Hz. All high-end games can be run smoothly thanks to the RTX 4090 and Intel's top-tier 13900HX mobile CPU.
The Asus ROG Strix also has a whopping 2TB SSD storage, which means you can store all heavy games and huge media files without any worries. Its 4.5-hour battery life may seem short, but you can extend that by using power-saving settings or lowering brightness. Hence, it's probably the best laptop for gaming currently.
Pros
- Best-in-class specifications
- Fast 240Hz refresh rate
- Bezel-less display
Cons
- Costly
- Average battery backup
Best laptop for productivity - Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Ultra ($2599)
The Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Ultra is the best laptop for productivity seekers. It has a big 16-inch AMOLED display, which is great for everyday use and media consumption. Additionally, its powerful RTX 4050 mobile GPU and Intel Core i7 13700H CPU can deal with any game or graphical task.
Despite the beefy hardware, it is still fairly lightweight and can be used by professionals for office purposes. The laptop is also equipped with a good quality Full HD webcam, which is great for meetings or occasional video calls. As a bonus, Samsung has promised over eight hours of battery life on this behemoth.
Pros
- Superb battery life
- AMOLED display
- Lightweight
Cons
- Sub-par speakers
Best lightweight laptop - Dell XPS 13 Plus ($1249)
If you are seeking the best laptop for traveling or one that doesn't increase your burden, then the Dell XPS 13 Plus is a perfect choice. The laptop has a beautiful OLED display with incredibly small bezels and only weighs 1.2 kg. Additionally, it features a very ergonomic keyboard.
But due to its compact design, you do miss out on certain features, such as a headphone jack and external GPU. That said, its powerful i7 12th generation CPU and 16GB RAM provide enough power for most productivity tasks. Dell also hasn't skimped out on the battery department, with the machine capable of powering through 13 hours.
Pros
- Infinity Edge display
- Backlit keyboard
- Invisible trackpad
- Great for outdoor usage
Cons
- No headphone jack
- No fast refresh rate support
Laptop with the best display - Asus Zenbook Pro Duo 14 ($1799)
If you want the best laptop for display, there is nothing better than the Asus Zenbook Pro Duo 14. As the name suggests, it has two high-resolution OLED displays, with the secondary display having touchscreen support. The main panel also has 120Hz refresh rate support and is ideal for playing games or watching movies.
High-performance hardware from Intel and Nvidia is also included with this laptop. Coupled with that, its 16:10 primary screen practically has no bezels. If the display is your main priority, this unique machine is your ideal option despite its bulky structure.
Pros
- Gorgeous 120Hz OLED main display
- Secondary display can be used for a variety of purposes
- Flagship processor
Cons
- Bulky
- Compact trackpad
Laptop with the best battery life - HP Envy 16 ($1749)
Next, we present the best laptop for long battery life. The HP Envy 16 is a fairly compact machine but still has top-of-the-line specifications and can be used for over 14 hours without the charging adapter. Although Macbooks offer more battery life, this is an impressive figure for a Windows machine. Additionally, its front-firing speakers are one of the best in its class.
Although the OLED display of the Envy 16 isn't incredibly bright, it is remarkably clear and supports deeper blacks. With two USB-C ports, two full-size USB 3.1 ports, an HDMI output, and a microSD card slot, the Envy 16 offers a ton of connectivity options as well.
Pros
- Front-firing speakers
- Touch screen support
- Flagship processor
Cons
- Weighs more than 2.5 kg
Best overall laptop - MacBook Air M2 ($1099)
The best laptop on this list, considering pricing, features, and battery life, has to be the Apple MacBook Air M2. It is the ultimate productivity machine and offers a stellar battery life of more than 15 hours. With this new Air model comes a bespoke design, which offers an edge-to-edge display and Apple's traditional camera notch.
Another welcome change is the inclusion of a Full HD webcam, which offers sharper video support. It still comes without any USB-A port, but the multifunctional Type C ports and the headphone jack offer enough for most users. The speakers are also fairly loud, ensuring great playback.
Pros
- Lightweight design
- Full HD webcam
- Stellar battery life
Cons
- Not meant for gaming
- No fast refresh rate support
That concludes our list of the best laptops for every user and scenario. Each listed machine is superb in its capabilities and remains a favorite amongst most consumers.
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