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

08/05 04:15 - 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. Want to see even more? Take a peek at PCWorld’s list of the top laptops you can get 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 Dell Our top pick: Dell 15 Laptop, $499.99 ($100 off at Best Buy) Need an affordable laptop for the basic stuff? The Dell 15 Laptop is a good option. The Intel Core 3 100U handles day-to-day activities—browsing, streaming, a ton of tabs—without slowing down too much. 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD are also enough for most workloads, and the 15.6-inch 1080p touchscreen actually makes it feel a bit fancier. View Deal Amazon Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i, Intel Celeron N100 processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/4GB RAM/128GB SSD, $299.99 ($300 off at Amazon) Acer Aspire Go 15 AI, Intel Core 3 N355 processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/8GB RAM/128GB UFS, $309.97 ($40.02 off at Amazon) Acer Aspire 15, Intel Core 3 N355 processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/8GB RAM/128GB UFS storage, $329.99 ($220 off at Amazon) Best Buy Acer Aspire Lite 15, Intel Core 3 Series 1 N350 processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/8GB RAM/128GB SSD, $299.99 ($200 off at Best Buy) Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i, Intel Core i3-N305 processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/8GB RAM/128GB UFS storage, $349.99 ($100 off at Best Buy) Lenovo IdeaPad 1, AMD Ryzen 5 7520U processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/8GB RAM/256GB SSD, $389.99 ($140 off at Best Buy) Dell 15 Laptop, Intel Core 3 100U processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 touchscreen display/8GB RAM/256GB SSD, $499.99 ($100 off at Best Buy) Adorama Asus Vivobook 14, Intel Core 5 120U processor/14-inch 1920×1080 display/8GB RAM/512GB SSD, $499.99 ($150 off at Adorama) Best mid-range laptop deals ($500-$900) HP Our top pick: HP OmniBook 3, $749.99 ($200 off at Best Buy) 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 Snapdragon X 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 $749.99 ($200 off at Best Buy), it’s an excellent value for a capable day-to-day laptop. View Deal Amazon Acer Aspire 14 AI, Intel Core Ultra 5 226V processor/14-inch 1920×1200 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $586 ($113.99 off at Amazon) Best Buy Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x, Snapdragon X X1-26-100 processor/15.3-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/256GB SSD, $549.99 ($200 off at Best Buy) Samsung Galaxy Book4, Intel Core 7 Series 1 150U processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $679 ($110.82 off at Best Buy) HP OmniBook 3, Snapdragon X processor/14-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $749.99 ($200 off at Best Buy) Adorama Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, Intel Core i3-N305 processor/14-inch 1920×1080 display/8GB RAM/256GB SSD, $514.99 ($35 off at Adorama) HP OmniBook 3, AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/256GB SSD, $549.99 ($350 off at Adorama) HP OmniBook X, Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor/17.3-inch 1920×1080 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $775 ($574 off at Adorama) Best gaming laptop deals HP Our top pick: HP Omen 16, $1,549.99 ($670 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 Acer Nitro 5, Intel Core i5-12500H processor/RTX 3050 graphics/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $815 ($84.99 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, $1,099.99 ($200 off at Amazon) Asus ROG Strix G18, AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX processor/RTX 5050 graphics/18-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,599 ($100.99 off at Amazon) Best Buy Lenovo LOQ, AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS processor/RTX 4050 graphics/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $820 ($229.99 off at Best Buy) Lenovo LOQ, Intel Core i5-13450HX processor/RTX 5050 graphics/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $949.99 ($225 off at Best Buy) HP Omen 16, AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX processor/RTX 5060 graphics/16-inch 1920×1200 display/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,549.99 ($670 off at Best Buy) Adorama HP Victus, Intel Core i5-13420H processor/RTX 2050 graphics/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/8GB RAM/512GB SSD, $799.99 ($100 off at Adorama) Lenovo LOQ, Intel Core i5-13450HX processor/RTX 5050 graphics/17.3-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,074.99 ($125 off at Adorama) HP Omen, Intel Core i7-14650HX processor/RTX 4060 graphics/16-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,149.99 ($350 off at Adorama) Newegg Lenovo Legion 5i, Intel Core i7-14700HX processor/RTX 5060 graphics/15.1-inch 2560×1600 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,269.99 ($130 off at Newegg) Asus TUF Gaming A16,  AMD Ryzen 7 260 processor/RTX 5060 graphics/16-inch 1920×1200 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,449.99 ($100 off at Newegg) MSI Crosshair A16, AMD Ryzen 9-8940HX processor/RTX 5060 graphics/16-inch 2560×1600 display/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,579 ($220.99 off at Newegg) Best premium laptop deals ($900+) Dell Our top pick: Dell Pro 16, $1,099.99 ($300 off at Amazon) Need a good laptop that actually keeps up with you and your workflow? The Dell Pro 16 has an Intel Core Ultra 7 265U processor, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD, so juggling spreadsheets, apps, and big files is no problem. The 16-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen also gives plenty of space to work or stream. It’s really the perfect laptop for anyone who wants serious power without overpaying. View Deal Amazon Dell Pro 16, Intel Core Ultra 7 265U processor/16-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen display/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,099.99 ($300 off at Amazon) Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360, Intel Core 7 Ultra 256V processor/16-inch 2880×1800 AMOLED touchscreen display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,299.99 ($400 off at Amazon) HP EliteBook 6 G1i, Intel Ultra 7 255U processor/16-inch 1920×1200 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,349.99 ($499.01 off at Amazon) Best Buy Dell Plus 16, Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor/16-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $930 ($269.99 off at Best Buy) HP OmniBook X Flip 16, Intel Ultra 7 256V processor/16-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,179 ($510 off at Best Buy) Asus Zenbook S 16, AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 processor/16-inch 2880×1800 OLED touchscreen display/24GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,449.99 ($50 off at Best Buy) 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 display/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,499.99 ($199.01 off at Adorama) Newegg Asus Vivobook S 16, Intel Core Ultra 7 255H processor/16-inch 2880×1800 OLED display/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,299.99 ($300 off at Newegg) MSI Summit Pro 16, Intel Ultra 7 255H processor/RTX 4050 graphics/16-inch 2560×1600 touchscreen display/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,399 ($250 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. ...