Whether you’re looking for portability, performance, or a low price, one of these computers should fit the bill
By Nicholas De Leon
Choosing a new laptop is like buying a car. It requires myriad decisions—on the brand, size, features, and specs.
Only you don’t get to look under the hood or take the thing out for a test drive.
No matter what you’re after, though, Consumer Reports is here to guide you. We test dozens of laptops each year in our dedicated labs just outside New York City. We purchase every model at retail—just like you would—so manufacturers can’t sway our results. Each option is rigorously tested for performance, display quality, battery life, and more, with scores that make it easy to compare one model to another.
We even use brand reliability and owner satisfaction data pulled from surveys of thousands of CR members.
From budget-friendly Chromebooks to powerhouse Windows laptops and sleek ultraportables for life on the go, we’ve pulled together top-rated picks for every type of user. Whether you’re a student, creator, frequent traveler, or just need a dependable everyday machine, there’s something here for you.
Best Windows Laptops
Of the more than 130 laptops in our ratings, these Windows PCs are among the best of the best, combining powerful performance, high-quality displays, and impressive battery life.
LG’s Gram line has been a standout in our tests since it first hit the market nearly a decade ago. Available in a range of sizes and configurations, the 16-inch Gram Pro remains a top performer, offering speedy processing, battery life of over 17 hours, and an impressively lightweight design that lives up to its name.
Two other well-rounded Windows options worth a look are the 16-inch Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 and the 15.3-inch Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition.
The Galaxy Book5 Pro 360, which is a 2-in-1 convertible, replaces the Book4 we previously highlighted and sports even faster internals, including an Intel Ultra 7 processor and Intel Arc graphics card. It also features a bright, colorful AMOLED touchscreen that makes navigating apps, editing photos, and watching videos feel especially immersive. The Yoga, meanwhile, is built for marathon use with nearly 20 hours of battery life and a vivid HDR-capable display that’s great for streaming your favorite shows.
LG Gram Pro 16 (Nvidia RTX)
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition – Copilot+ PC
Best Laptops for Travel
What good is a laptop if it’s too heavy to carry around or constantly begging to be plugged in? If you travel often—or just like to move from room to room without lugging a power adapter—these lightweight, long-lasting laptops are worth a look.
Start with Apple’s MacBook Air, specifically the 13-inch model with the M3 chip. (There’s a 15-inch version, too, if you want a bit more screen real estate.) The M3 Air delivers excellent performance and strong energy efficiency, lasting 14 hours in our battery tests while weighing just 2.7 pounds. Apple recently released a newer M4 version, and while our early impressions are strong, we haven’t completed our full lab tests on it yet.
Lenovo and MSI also offer great travel companions. The 14-inch Lenovo T14s runs on Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon processor, designed for serious battery savings. The result? An almost hard-to-believe 32 hours of battery life in our tests. Meanwhile, the MSI Prestige 13 keeps things featherlight at just 2.1 pounds while still managing a solid 15 hours of battery life. It’s also got Intel Arc graphics, making it a reasonable gaming machine as well.
Apple Macbook Air 13-inch (2024, M3 10-Core GPU, 16GB)
Lenovo T14s Gen 6 Snapdragon Laptop 21N10000US
MSI Prestige 13
Best Laptops for Content Creation
If your workflow includes editing 4K videos, processing massive photo libraries, or designing digital art, you’ll want a laptop with serious power. That means a fast processor, plenty of memory and storage, and a large, high-resolution display to give your creative projects the crisp color and space they need.
So which laptops in our ratings deliver?
There’s plenty to choose from but we’d recommend the Apple MacBook Pro, the Asus ProArt, and the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip.
The MacBook Pro remains the go-to for creatives in the Apple ecosystem. The latest model we tested—released in late October—offers a range of configurations and includes the option for a nano-texture glass display, which reduces glare from overhead lighting or sunlight. That makes it easier to work without constantly adjusting your screen angle, especially if you’re editing on location or in a brightly lit studio.
The Asus ProArt line is purpose-built for creators. The 16-inch model we tested features powerful internals, including a discrete Nvidia graphics card and an OLED display that can even display HDR. It’s an ideal machine for video editors, 3D artists, or anyone who needs both visual precision and raw power.
And the 14-inch HP OmniBook Ultra Flip remains a smart pick, especially for digital artists who like the idea of a convertible that effectively doubles as a tablet. It includes a responsive touchscreen and stylus, making it a strong option for drawing, sketching, and note-taking on the go. At only 2.9 pounds, it’s also one of the more portable picks in this category without sacrificing creative performance.
Apple MacBook Pro – Nano-texture display
Asus ProArt P16
HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 2-in-1 Laptop Next Gen AI PC – 14t-fh000
Best Budget Laptops
The phrase “budget laptop” might conjure up memories of clunky plastic builds and painfully slow load times—but the affordable models of today can offer surprisingly solid performance for routine tasks, often for well under $1,000. In fact, some top picks land closer to $500. They may not have all the bells and whistles, but if you just need a dependable machine for web browsing, email, and productivity apps, these laptops are well worth considering.
Take the Asus VivoBook, currently selling for around $550. It offers a respectable mix of performance, portability, and build quality, making it a standout in the budget category.
The Acer Aspire 5, at $500, continues to be one of the best values in our ratings, delivering reliable performance and a spacious display for the price.
Another option would be to go with an older MacBook Air. The M2 Air, released in 2022, is still widely available at national retailers like Best Buy and B&H, and can be had for less than $800. There’s also the 2020 M1 Air, which is available at Walmart for $650. Both offer fast performance, excellent battery life and display quality.
Asus Vivobook 17 (F1704, 12th Gen Intel)
Acer Aspire 5
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (2022, M2, 8 Core)
Best Chromebooks
Chromebooks don’t try to do everything—and that’s exactly what makes them appealing. These lightweight, easy-to-use laptops run on Google’s ChromeOS and are built for simple, everyday tasks like browsing the web, checking email, streaming videos, and working in Google Docs. They’re not designed for heavy-duty work like video editing or gaming, but for casual users and students, they’re often more than enough.
It’s also worth noting that Acer and Asus make a lot of Chromebooks, and most of them are fairly similar. So if the exact model you’re eyeing isn’t available, don’t sweat it—chances are there’s another one with nearly identical specs and performance.
That said, here are a few standout options to consider.
The Acer Chromebook Spin is a convertible model with a 360-degree hinge, allowing it to function as both a laptop and a tablet. It’s great for watching videos, taking notes, or working in tight spaces like an airplane tray table.
The Asus ExpertBook Chromebook has a clean, “professional” design and a sturdy build, making it a good pick for school or light office use.
And the Acer Chromebook Vero stands out for its eco-friendly construction, using recycled materials without sacrificing quality or usability. It’s a nice option if you’re trying to be a little greener in your tech choices.
Acer Chromebook Spin 714 CP714-2W-56B2
Asus Expertbook CX54 Chromebook Plus
Acer Chromebook Vero 514 CBV514-1H-34X9
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