Today’s best laptop Save big on work, school, home use, and gaming

26/07 08:15 - Today’s best laptop Save big on work, school, home use, and gaming
If you’re looking for an affordable Windows machine under $500, a blazing fast gaming beast for those intense matches, or a portable 2-in-1 for school or work, you’ve got plenty of great choices right now. Why you should trust us: It’s in our name! PCWorld prides itself on laptop experience and expertise. We’ve been covering PCs since 1983, and we now review more than 80 laptops every year. We’re also committed to reviewing PC laptops at every price point to help you find a machine that matches your budget. Best budget laptop deals under $500 Lenovo Our top pick: Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i, $389.99 ($270 off at Amazon) Need an affordable laptop for the basic stuff? The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i is the best value of the bunch and I’ll tell you why. Its Intel N150 processor is capable of handling everyday tasks like web browsing, streaming, email, and light productivity with ease. The 15.6-inch 1080p display is also sharp enough for work and entertainment, while the hefty $270 discount makes this one of the strongest budget laptop deals available. View Deal Amazon Acer Chromebook Plus 515, Intel Core i3-1305U processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 IPS touch display/8GB LPDDR5X RAM/256GB SSD storage/Chrome OS, $379.99 ($70 off at Amazon) Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i, Intel N150 processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 FHD display/8GB RAM/128GB SSD storage/Windows 11 Home with Microsoft Office 365, $389.99 ($270 off at Amazon) Best Buy Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i, Intel Core i3-N305 processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/8GB RAM/128GB UFS storage, $369.98 ($130.01 off at Best Buy) HP OmniBook 3, AMD Ryzen 5 processor/16-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen display/8GB RAM/256GB SSD, $474 ($305.99 off at Best Buy) LG Gram Book 15, Intel Core i5-1334U processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/8GB RAM/512GB SSD, $499 ($150.99 off at Best Buy) Adorama HP 17, Intel Core i3-N305 processor/17.3-inch 1920×1080 display/8GB RAM/512GB SSD, $379.99 ($219.01 off at Adorama) Best mid-range laptop deals HP Our top pick: HP OmniBook 3, $799.99 ($200 off at Microcenter) Need a little more oomph in the performance department? The HP OmniBook 3 fits the bill. With 16GB of RAM, it’s well-equipped for seamless multitasking, while the AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 chip can chew through more demanding workloads. You’re also getting a 14-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen that’s sharp enough for streaming or productivity. At $699.99 ($300 off at Microcenter), it’s an excellent value for a capable day-to-day laptop. View Deal Amazon Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, Intel Core i5-13420H processor/15.3-inch WUXGA display/8GB DDR5 RAM/512GB PCIe SSD, $549.98 ($369.02 off at Amazon) Acer Aspire 16 AI, Snapdragon X processor/16-inch 1920×1200 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $739.99 ($60 off at Amazon) Best Buy Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i, Intel Core i5-1335U processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/256GB SSD, $614 ($285.99 off at Best Buy) HP OmniBook 3, Snapdragon X processor/14-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $649 ($280.99 off at Best Buy) Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x, Snapdragon X X1-26-100 processor/15.3-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/256GB SSD, $665.99 ($234 off at Best Buy) Dell Touchscreen Laptop, Intel Core i7-1355U processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $749.99 ($350 off at Best Buy) Adorama Asus Vivobook 14, Intel Core 5 120U processor/14-inch 1920×1080 display/8GB RAM/512GB SSD, $549.99 ($100 off at Adorama) HP OmniBook X, Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor/17.3-inch 1920×1080 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $799.99 ($549.01 off at Adorama) Microcenter HP OmniBook 3, AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 processor/14-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $799.99 ($400 off at Microcenter) Best gaming laptop deals HP Our top pick: HP Omen 16, $1,989 ($230.99 off at Best Buy) Want a gaming laptop that’s not crazy expensive but still beastly as far as performance goes? The HP Omen 16 is the one to spring for. With a Ryzen 9 processor and RTX 5060 graphics, it should deliver smooth, high-performance gaming. The 16-inch 1920×1200 144Hz screen also keeps visuals looking nice and crisp, while 32GB of RAM and a1TB SSD ensure fast load times and plenty of room for your ginormous library of games. View Deal Amazon Lenovo LOQ Essential, Intel Core i5-12450HX processor/RTX 2050 graphics/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/8GB RAM/256GB SSD, $649.99 ($150 off at Amazon) Asus TUF Gaming F16 (2025), Intel Core i5 13450HX processor/RTX 5050 graphics/16-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $987.05 ($312.94 off at Amazon) Best Buy HP Victus, AMD Ryzen 7 7445HS processor/RTX 4050 graphics/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $799.99 ($675 off at Best Buy) MSI Thin A15, AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS processor/RTX 4050 graphics/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/8GB RAM/512GB SSD, $921.50 ($78.49 off at Best Buy) HP Omen 16, AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX processor/RTX 5060 graphics/16-inch 1920×1200 display/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,989 ($230.99 off at Best Buy) Adorama HP Omen 16, Intel Core 7 240H processor/RTX 5060 graphics/16-inch 1920×1200 165Hz display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD (refurbished), $1,249.99 ($1,449.01 off at Adorama) HP Omen Max 16, AMD Ryzen AI 7 H 350 processor/RTX 5070 graphics/16-inch 2560×1600 display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,349.99 ($1,349.01 off at Adorama) Newegg MSI Crosshair A16, AMD Ryzen 9-8940HX processor/RTX 5060 graphics/16-inch 2560×1600 display/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,599 ($200.99 off at Newegg) Best premium laptop deals Asus Our top pick: Asus Vivobook S16, $1,005 ($194.99 off at Amazon) Need a laptop that can keep up with work, streaming, creative projects, and everyday multitasking without slowing you down? The Asus Vivobook S16 is the one to buy. It pairs an AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 processor with 16GB of RAM and a roomy 1TB SSD, making it well-equipped for more demanding workloads. The gorgeous 16-inch 2880×1800 OLED display also offers vibrant colors and crisp detail, so everything from Excel spreadsheets to Netflix shows should look fantastic. View Deal Amazon HP OmniBook 5, Snapdragon X processor/16-inch 1920×1200 OLED display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $960.33 ($139.66 off at Amazon) Asus Vivobook S16, AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 processor/16-inch 2880×1800 OLED display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,005 ($194.99 off at Amazon) Microsoft Surface Pro 2-in-1, Snapdragon X Plus processor/13-inch 2880×1920 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,199.99 ($300 off at Amazon) Best Buy HP OmniBook X Flip 2-in-1, Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor/16-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $749.99 ($450 off at Best Buy) Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1, Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor/Intel Arc 140V graphics/16-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,014.99 ($185 off at Best Buy) Adorama Dell Pro 16, Intel Core 5 120U processor/Intel Graphics/16-inch 1920×1200 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,024.99 ($474.01 off at Adorama) LG Gram 14, Intel Core i5-1350P processor/14-inch 1920×1200 display/16GB RAM/256GB SSD, $1,149.99 ($199.01 off at Adorama) Asus Vivobook V16, Intel Core 7 240H processor/RTX 5060 graphics/16-inch 1920×1200 144Hz display/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,489.99 ($209.01 at Adorama) LG gram 17, Intel Core Ultra 7 255H processor/Intel Arc graphics/17-inch 2560×1600 120Hz display/32GB RAM/2TB SSD, $1,999 ($300 off at Adorama) Newegg MSI Venture 16 AI, Intel Core Ultra 9 285H processor/16-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen display/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,029 ($170.99 off at Newegg) FAQ 1. How much RAM will I need in my laptop? You’ll want at least 8GB, though 16GB is preferable, especially if you play games. Don’t buy laptops with under 4GB of RAM or 128GB of SSD storage—though on a Chromebook or a budget Windows machine, this configuration is acceptable. Check out our article on how much RAM does a laptop need for more in-depth info. 2. What’s the difference between a Chromebook and a Windows laptop? The one big difference between a Chromebook and a Windows laptop is the operating system. Chromebooks run ChromeOS and Windows run, well, Microsoft Windows. Chromebooks make good everyday machines because they’re designed for browsing the web, checking e-mail, and so on. They use less resources and are generally more affordable than the Windows variety. They also don’t need antivirus protection. A Windows laptop is a lot more versatile in what it can do, and not just in terms of running local programs. You can really pump a Windows laptop up with a ton of RAM, storage, and so on. 3. When should I look for a laptop deal? You’ll likely find the best laptop deals during Prime Day (mid-July), Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), and back-to-school season (June-August). Sure, you’ll find good laptop deals throughout the year, but if you really want to save big, we’d recommend scoping out your favorite online retailers during those times. 4. Which retailers offer the best deals? You can find all kinds of deals across a wide range of online retailers such as Newegg, Walmart, Best Buy, Amazon, and so on. However, we’d recommend checking out deals from laptop manufacturers like Lenovo, HP, and Dell. You’ll usually find many different configurations on sale and the discounts can be pretty darn steep. For more options, check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best laptops available right now. ...