Best laptops 2026: Premium, budget, gaming, 2-in-1, and more

Who should buy the Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 (Aura Edition)?

This Yoga is easily one of the best Windows laptops you can get right now and this is why: it looks great, it lasts forever, and it has a gorgeous screen. The display is a 14-inch 2880×1800 OLED with HDR that can hit up to 120Hz. Inside you get an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V CPU, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD storage, and Intel Arc 140V graphics. That’s fast enough for work, streaming, and everyday use. It also weighs under three pounds and the battery can last up to 23 hours.

Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 (Aura Edition): Further considerations

The 2-in-1 form factor really adds something extra here. It flips all the way around so you can use it like a tablet or prop it up like a tent. The keyboard is also comfortable to use for long periods of time, the trackpad feels smooth under your fingertips, and the Yoga Pen conveniently sticks to the top of the laptop via magnets. Ports are also decent: You’re getting two Thunderbolt 4, one USB-C, one USB-A, plus a combo audio jack. No HDMI or microSD, though.

Who should buy the Acer Aspire Go 15?

The Acer Aspire Go 15 is one of those laptops that gives you a lot of bang for your buck. Equipped with 16GB of RAM, 512GB of SSD storage, and a spacious 15.6-inch 1080p display, it’s got enough storage and memory to handle the day-to-day stuff like web browsing and streaming without choking. The port selection is also diverse: USB-C charging, two USB-A ports, HDMI, a headphone jack, and a Kensington lock slot.

That said, where it shines is in its value. You’re getting a big screen, lots of RAM, and a roomy SSD for under $500. You don’t see this combination at this price point very often. If you need a laptop for work or everyday tasks, the Acer Aspire Go 15 will easily cover your needs.

Acer Aspire Go 15: Further considerations

This laptop isn’t a speed demon and that’s perfectly fine. It runs on a budget Intel N-series CPU, so heavy gaming or 3D design is a no-go. Battery life is just okay, too. You can expect around six to seven hours on a single charge, which is most of a workday. Display-wise, it’s a clear 1080p IPS panel, but it’s not an OLED, so don’t expect rich colors.

In short, it’s a dependable machine that’s fast enough for daily use and it’s got a fair amount of room for your files and apps.

Who should buy the Alienware 16X Aurora?

The Alienware 16X Aurora delivers serious speed with its Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU and RTX 5070 GPU. It’s perfect for gamers who want to run modern titles without bleeding their wallets dry. It’s currently $1,649.99 at Dell. The 16-inch 2560×1600 display keeps every frame looking buttery smooth thanks to its 240Hz refresh rate, and its subtle Interstellar Indigo finish makes it look sharp in just about any setting, whether it’s in a dorm or office space.

Alienware 16X Aurora: Further considerations

Alienware packs in plenty of goodies here, like a crisp 1080p webcam (with Windows Hello facial recognition), Wi-Fi 7 for super fast connectivity, and a wide variety of ports. The full-size keyboard has a number pad and customizable backlighting. And you get nearly seven hours of battery life, which is awesome, since long runtimes aren’t common in gaming laptops.

Who should buy the Acer Nitro V 16 AI?

The Acer Nitro V 16 AI, which can occasionally be found as low as $629 at times, delivers great 1080p gaming performance–making it a great choice for gamers who don’t want to spend a ton. Its RTX 5050 outperforms other (older) entry-level graphics like the 4050, hitting an average 72 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077. Surprisingly, for a gaming laptop, the battery life is surprisingly good, lasting eight to 12 hours with light use.

Acer Nitro V 16 AI: Further considerations

The 16-inch 1920×1200 IPS display offers more vertical space than standard 1080p panels, and the 180Hz refresh rate keeps things snappy during fast-paced games. The audio isn’t the best, but you can always hook up to external speakers. Overall, though, the Acer Nitro V 16 AI really hits the sweet spot between performance and affordability.

Who should buy the Acer Swift 16 AI?

If you need a laptop for college that won’t kill your back and doesn’t look boring, the Acer Swift 16 AI is worth checking out. It’s only 3.37 pounds, and the 16-inch OLED screen looks really sharp. Inside you get an Intel Core Ultra 7, Intel Arc graphics, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. Not the fastest thing ever, but it handles schoolwork and big files without complaint.

The 70Wh battery will get you through a full day of classes (we clocked it at 17.5 hours), and you can charge it via either of the USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports. There’s also two USB-A ports, HDMI 2.1, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4.

Acer Swift 16 AI: Further considerations

The OLED screen is such a lovely thing to behold–it’s bright, colorful, and sharp. The keyboard feels good for long typing sessions and, although the trackpad is on the smaller side and may feel cramped to some, it works fine for daily use. If you want a laptop that’s portable and won’t die on you halfway through the day, the Acer Swift 16 AI is the one to spring for.

Who should buy the Microsoft Surface Pro?

If you’re always on the go — whether it’s the train, a coffee shop, or just hopping around the house — the Surface Pro is pretty much made for that. It’s super light (under two pounds!) and still powerful enough to handle all the usual stuff like emails and Zoom calls.

With its Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus CPU, it’s great for anyone who wants something that works like a laptop but feels like a tablet. You can doodle or get work done, all without feeling like you’re lugging around a heavy brick.

Microsoft Surface Pro: Further considerations

The smaller screen might not be great if you’re juggling a bunch of stuff all day, and there’s only two USB-C ports (so you’ll probably need a dock or something). Battery life can last a while, but honestly, it’s kind of all over the place. Expect around two hours at full brightness under heavy use or up to 19 hours with lighter tasks.

Still, if your work mostly lives in the cloud and you value portability above raw power, this is the best ultraportable Windows device you can get right now.

Who should buy the HP OmniBook 5 14?

Looking for a Windows laptop that never dies? The HP OmniBook 5 14 is the one to pick. I mean, the battery life is just insane–we’re talking 25 hours in our video playback test. It’s also got a Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 chip, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage, so it’ll breeze through the day-to-day stuff. The 14-inch 1920×1200 OLED touchscreen delivers rich colors and deep contrast, too.

HP OmniBook 5 14: Further considerations

This isn’t a gaming rig or a 3D workstation, but for streaming and everyday tasks it’s more than fine. The keyboard’s comfy, the OLED display pops, and the ports are basic but usable (two USB-C, one USB-A, headphone jack).

The main draw? Ridiculous battery life and an attractive OLED screen–all for under $900.

Who should buy the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34?

If you need a zippy Chromebook for everyday tasks, the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 won’t let you down–it’s simple, reliable, and ready to handle whatever your day throws at it. This machine will easily crush your daily workflow thanks to its Intel i5 processor and 8GB of RAM. The 14-inch 1080p display also looks sharp, and the 1080p webcam is perfect for Zoom calls.

Asus Chromebook Plus CX34: Further considerations

While the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 offers smooth performance and a pretty design, there are minor trade-offs to be aware of like the non-competitive battery life (13 hours) and the lack of a touchscreen. You’ll also need to be comfortable with ChromeOS. If you prefer Windows or macOS, we’d recommend looking elsewhere.

Who should buy the MacBook Air (M4)?

The new MacBook Air M4 is a fantastic option if you want something light but still strong. It’s running a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine–that’s a lot of muscle for such a slim laptop. Day-to-day stuff feels effortless, and when you need to push it harder, it holds its own way better than you’d expect from a MacBook Air.

Apple also fixed one of the Air’s biggest limitations—you can finally run two external 6K displays with the lid open, which is a game-changer if you love a multi-monitor setup. The 12MP Center Stage webcam makes video calls look sharper, and in our battery tests, it lasted about 18 hours, so you can leave the charger at home most days.

MacBook Air (M4): Further considerations

This thing is crazy light at just over three pounds and thin at under half an inch, so it basically disappears in your bag. The new Sky Blue finish looks slick, and pricing starts at $999 for the 13-inch or $1,199 for the 15-inch. Even better, the base models now ship with 16GB of RAM, so you don’t have to immediately think about upgrading memory.

The only real tradeoff? Battery life is about an hour shorter than the M3 model in video loop tests. But honestly, with nearly 18 hours on tap, it’s still more than enough to power you through a full day (and night).

Read our full

MacBook Air (M4) review

Who should buy the Framework Laptop 13?

Need a laptop that’s super easy to upgrade and tough enough to stick around? The Framework Laptop 13 is where it’s at. You can swap out pretty much anything—RAM, storage, even the motherboard if you want! It runs on an AMD Ryzen AI 300 processor and is slim enough to toss in your bag and go wherever.

Framework Laptop 13: Further considerations

The price might sting a bit upfront, and the built-in graphics are okay for everyday stuff, but don’t expect much gaming performance. Battery life’s decent, but nothing groundbreaking.