Finding the perfect laptop makes your computing life both smoother and easier, but it can be a tricky process. Once you know the right areas to focus on, finding the right laptop for you is simple.
What to Look For in a Laptop
The first thing you’ll want to consider when buying a new laptop is the form factor, which also means you’ll need to consider the screen size. The larger the screen, the larger and heavier the laptop, which means less portability. This means different things for a laptop that sits on a desk all day compared to a laptop you’ll take everywhere.
Once you’ve decided on a screen size, you’ll also need to choose the display technology. You may not be very particular about your display if you use a laptop mainly to edit documents or coding. That said, color accuracy is paramount for video and photo editing as well as numerous other creative fields.
You’ll also need to consider how important a touchscreen is to you. Again, for coding and most documents, a touchscreen may be nice to have but isn’t essential. That said, if you plan on using your laptop as a tablet or you want to draw on your screen with a stylus, this could be a dealbreaker.
Once you’ve decided on your laptop’s form factor and overall size, you’ll need to think about how you plan to use it. Battery life is important for any laptop, but it will be more important if you’re frequently on the go. If your laptop spends most of the day on your desk, it’s okay to sacrifice some battery life in favor of other features.
Of course, you’ll also need to consider how powerful you need the hardware to be. For light web browsing and casual document editing, most computers will work. You’ll likely need more power for more demanding workloads like editing photos or video or compiling software. That said, the price-to-performance ratio of many laptops is quite good these days, especially if you’re only considering productivity.
Gaming performance comes at a premium for laptops. You can find plenty of affordable gaming laptops for sale, but if you want to make sure you can play the latest games on the highest settings, it will cost you. While the highest-end PC gaming experiences remain exclusive to desktop PCs, gaming performance on laptops is consistently catching up, so if you want high-end gaming on the go, it may be worth the investment.
After carefully considering all of the above, then it’s time to consider any extra features a laptop might have. Dolby Atmos audio, for example, is a frequent addition to more multimedia-centered laptops, but it’s not something you should ever base a purchasing decision on.
Jerome Thomas / How-To Geek
Pros
Cons
Touchscreen is great for productivity
Only model with higher specs available
13-hour battery life
Lightweight
Overall powerful specs
Do you not want to fuss over the specifics and just want a laptop recommendation that’ll work for most people? If you’re looking for a balance between price, Windows functionality, and what a laptop can handle, then you’ll want the Lenovo Yoga 7i.
This 2-in-1 laptop has a big 16-inch touchscreen, weighs under five pounds, and pretty much everything you need in an all-rounder laptop. You have a slew of ports (minus an Ethernet port) and Wi-Fi 6E to ensure a strong connection, as well as a 1080p webcam to make you crystal clear during meetings. Even the keyboard is nice, according to our tester—something that isn’t always a consideration in a laptop.
We reviewed a version of the Yoga 7i 2-in-1 laptop and loved it, though the original SKU we tested is now out of stock. This version of the 7i has upgraded specs, such as a 1TB SSD, an Intel Core Ultra 7 155U instead of the 125U, and other little upgrades here and there.
Honestly, it’s hard even to say much that’s bad about the Yoga 7i. The biggest shame is that, as of the time of writing, you can only buy the version with better specs, which means a higher price. This laptop is also missing an Ethernet port, which, while unfortunate, isn’t a deal-breaker for a laptop. You’ll likely to be connected mostly via Wi-Fi, and you can pick up a USB-C to Ethernet adapter on the cheap if you need it.
Operating System
Windows 11
RAM
16GB LPDDR5X
Battery
Up to 13 hours
Display (Size, Resolution)
16-inch, 1920 x 1200
Our pick for the best laptop is the upgraded version of a laptop we gave a glowing review of. You’ll be treated to a 16-inch 2K touchsreen, a 1TB SSD, and more.
Acer
Pros
Cons
Large, Full HD screen
Low storage and RAM
Price beats many Chromebooks
Good battery life
When it comes to getting a budget laptop, it’s about drilling down into what you really want, as sacrifices will have to be made. Do you need a lot of storage or a certain amount of RAM? Does it need to be super-lightweight? By figuring out what you don’t need, you can save money. If you’re looking for the best balance when it comes to keeping as much as possible while keeping the price low, you’ll want the Acer Aspire 3.
Acer’s budget laptop has been in our roundup for a while now, and this version is no exception when it comes to a great, cheap device. At only $350, the Aspire 3 comes in at a lower price point than even some Chromebooks while offering Windows 11 Home as its OS. There’s also a decent spread of specs, such as Wi-Fi 6 capabilities, a full HD display, and better thermals (according to Acer).
Of course, a $350 price tag doesn’t come without some downsides. You’ll only have 128 GB of storage—so you’ll likely need to pick up an external drive to save everything you need to. Also, with only 8GB of RAM and an integrated graphics card, you won’t be doing much gaming on the Aspire 3, and some applications might face slowdown. If you need to use resource-heavy apps like Photoshop on your laptop, you’ll need to increase your budget.
If you don’t mind AI features, you may also want to look into the Acer Aspire 15 Go. It’s the same price of $350, but it is technically a ‘newer’ model that includes Copilot. Other than that, though, the two models look to be essentially the same in terms of specs.
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
RAM
8GB LPDDR5
Battery
11 Hours
Display (Size, Resolution)
15.6-inch Full HD
Brand
Acer
CPU
AMD Ryzen 3 7320U Quad-Core
This budget laptop covers all the basics, including a speedy processor, a large 1080p screen, and support for Windows 11. This new model also has Wi-Fi 6 and support for AMD Radeon graphics.
Dell
Pros
Cons
Great specs for productivity
Expensive
Good battery life
No Linux version
Upgradable—for a price
The Dell Premium line is essentially the successor to the well-loved XPS series, so this new version is an easy recommendation for those looking for a productivity machine. These Dell Premium laptops come in 14 and 16-inch varieties, but the extra screen real estate will be helpful for those looking to get a lot of work done quickly.
Dell’s Premium laptops have excellent battery life (up to 27 hours), are quiet, and have a bunch of features and technology to keep it cool—all very important for a laptop you’re going to be using for extended periods.
From there, the base version will give you 16GB DDR5 RAM, a 512GB SSD, and an integrated GPU—respectable specs for most people. If you need more power, however, you can upgrade to more RAM, more storage, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 GPU. These upgrades don’t come cheap, though, and it might be overkill for a productivity laptop. If you want to be able to both game and work on your laptop, it’s generally better to buy a gaming laptop than to try to customize a productivity laptop for gaming.
Of course, this laptop doesn’t come cheap. The base model of the Dell 16 Premium is $1,549.99, which is nothing to sneeze at. Upgrading the specs, of course, will upgrade the price.
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
CPU
Intel® Core Ultra 7 255H, 16 cores
GPU
Intel Arc Graphics 140T
RAM
16GB DDR5
Storage
512GB SSD
Display (Size, Resolution)
16.3-inch 2K
Unleash the power to create without limits. Whether tackling intricate video edits or designing in 3D, the cutting-edge NVIDIA RTX 50-series graphics ensure every task runs smoother and faster. The Dell 16 Premium combines iconic design with unmatched functionality, delivering a stunning creative powerhouse.
Lenovo
Pros
Cons
Beautiful OLED display
Very expensive
NVIDIA RTX 5070 Laptop GPU
Missing an Ethernet port
Plenty of ports
Gaming laptops are a whole different beast from a typical laptop. They need to be powerful to run all the games you want to play, and you want them to look good, too. If you’re playing multiplayer titles, you want to have good internet connectivity. Of course, you’ll also need a lot of internal storage so you can download your favorite games and not have to rely on read speeds from external SSDs.
It’s a long, long checklist, but the Legion 7i Gen 10 manages to tick almost all of those boxes. With Lenovo’s gaming laptop, you get a 16-inch OLED screen, an RTX 50 series GPU made for laptops, 36GB of DDR5 RAM, and the list of specs goes on.
So much power in a laptop generally leads to overheating. Lenovo’s Legion Coldfront: Hyper technology will keep things cool, and you can swap between cooling modes to match what you’re doing at the time. There are simply very few stones unturned with this laptop’s design.
The Legion 7i isn’t perfect, however. The most obvious downside to Lenovo’s gaming laptop is the price—starting at $1900 for the base model, it’s more of an investment than a purchase, and perhaps more of an investment than some would want. Also, the 7i Gen 10 is missing an Ethernet port. While in most circumstances this wouldn’t be a big deal, having the best connectivity possible is important for gaming, so the lack of a port to make your internet more stable is unfortunate. The Wi-Fi 7 capacities do make up for it a bit, though.
If you need even more power, there’s also the Lenovo Legion 7i Pro Gen 10. This monster of a laptop has specs that can rival all but high-end desktops, and it’s truly impressive. However, it’s overkill for most gamers, and even the starting price is eye-wateringly expensive.
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
CPU
Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU
RAM
32 GB DDR5
Storage
1 TB SSD
Battery
4 Cell Rechargeable Li-ion 84Wh
The Glacier White Legion 7i blends striking style with precision engineering. Crafted from aerospace-grade aluminum, it’s feather-light, ultra-durable, and thinner than a dime—perfect for on-the-go STEM students. Features like a 5MP IR camera with eShutter, RGB Performance Mode indicators, and laser-engraved branding take innovation to the next level.
Zarif Ali / How-To Geek
Pros
Cons
Price is right
Upgrades will cost a lot
All-day battery life
Can’t dual-boot Windows
macOS is very user-friendly
Lightweight and easy to carry
For those in high school or going off to college, an easy-to-use, yet powerful laptop is going to be the best for most. In that case, there’s no need to look further than the latest MacBook Air.
When we reviewed the MacBook Air earlier this year, we were impressed by how consistent Apple continues to be with its Air line. The ease of use of macOS and the power of the M4 chip makes this laptop a no-brainer for students of a variety of studies. Creatives can make use of the processing power, and others can use the ease of use to stay productive and get homework done.
This is all coupled with incredible battery life that lasts all day, and the ability to hook up to two external monitors if you need to see better. Also, macOS is very user-friendly, and MacBooks will generally last a long time. Pick up the MacBook Air for someone heading off to college, and it should last their whole time at school.
Even the price is right—at $999 for the base model, it’s cheaper than a fair number of other laptops on this list. However, if you want to upgrade anything, the price quickly adds up, so you’ll want to make sure you need those upgrades before investing.
The other downside to a MacBook is that, well, it’s a MacBook. If you want Windows, you’ll likely need to go elsewhere. That said, while you can’t dual-boot Windows with Apple Silicon chips, you can use Windows 11 ARM via Parallels.
Operating System
macOS
CPU
Apple M4
GPU
8 or 10-core GPU
RAM
16, 24, 32GB
The M4 MacBook Air retains its sleek design while upgrading to the M4 chip, enhancing performance for media and AI tasks. It also adds a 12MP Center Stage camera, support for two external displays, and Wi-Fi 6E, making it an even better consumer laptop.
Lenovo
Pros
Cons
Very affordable starting price
Performance isn’t the best
Modern connectivity
A bit much for younger kids
Webcam features a privacy shutter
Up to nine hours of battery life
Our pick may seem like a bit more of a proper computer than the Chromebooks you typically see recommended for kids, but that is on purpose. Kids are growing up with more access to computers than ever before, and giving them something they can grow with over time, like the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 Gen 7 (15-inch, AMD) could be a better option than a more limited computer.
While you can certainly spend more for a higher-spec’d model, the base version of the IdeaPad 1 sells for less than $400. That gets you a Ryzen 5 7520U processor with integrated Radeon 610M graphics, 8GB RAM, and 256GB storage. That includes Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity as well.
Turning to the display, the IdeaPad 1 boasts a 15.6-inch display with a 1080p IPS panel. It maxes out at 300 nits, so it isn’t the brightest display, but it’s a touch panel, which is great for slightly older kids. Sitting above the display is a 720p webcam with a privacy shutter built-in.
While there are new versions of this laptop available, we think the price and decent specs still make this the best pick for younger children.
Lenovo doesn’t give concrete numbers on the capacity of the battery supplying the IdeaPad 1. That said, the company claims up to nine hours of battery life on a single charge. The laptop uses USB-C to connect to the charger, and comes with a 65-watt charger in the box.
On the other hand, you may already have a computer you’re planning to hand off to your child in the coming year or two. In that case, a Chromebook like the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i Chromebook is a solid alternative that costs significantly less than our main pick. Either way, you can’t go wrong.
Operating System
Windows 11
CPU
AMD Ryzen 3 7230U
RAM
8GB DDR5
Storage
256GB SSD
Display (Size, Resolution)
15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080)
Weight
3.47 lb
If you’re looking for a laptop that your kids can grow into, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 is a perfect companion. It’s affordable, but not underpowered, and features good battery life and a webcam with a built-in privacy shutter.
FAQ
How do I clean my laptop’s screen and keyboard?
You can either use a microfiber cloth and screen cleaner spray or pre-packaged screen wipes to clean your screen. For your keyboard, you can use the same technique, but a paper towel lightly dampened with rubbing alcohol will work well for your keyboard too.
Can I use a monitor with my laptop?
Yes, at least in most cases. Many laptops feature HDMI or mini-HDMI ports that let you easily connect to a monitor. Those that don’t feature bespoke HDMI ports often feature a USB-C port that let you connect a monitor, though you may need an adapter or a special cable to make the connection.
Can I upgrade the internals of my laptop?
Sometimes, but this is becoming less common. In some laptops, you may be able to upgrade the SSD storage, or maybe the RAM, but even this is less likely lately. As laptops get thinner and lighter, more and more pieces are soldered in place, and aren’t easily upgradable. Check your laptop’s manual for more details.
How do I take a screenshot on my laptop?
On Windows 10 or Windows 11, you can press and hold the PrtSc key to take a screenshot and save it to the clipboard. Then you can paste it into another app with Ctrl+V. You can also use the built-in Snipping Tool, available in both Windows 10 and 11.
What should I do if my laptop is overheating?
First, shut down your laptop and wait until it has cooled down. Then, try blowing out any vent areas with canned air, being careful not to get too close. Once you’re sure your laptop has cooled down, try turning it on again. If the problem persists, you may need to have it serviced.
