Best laptops 2025: Premium, budget, gaming, 2-in-1, and more

23/10 01:15 - Best laptops 2025: Premium, budget, gaming, 2-in-1, and more
Let’s be honest–whether you’re grinding through schoolwork, getting lost in your favorite games, or just streaming random stuff late into the night, you need a laptop that can keep up. And yeah, picking the right one? It’s really confusing. Do you spring for a bigger screen? Is a dedicated graphics card actually worth it? That’s where we come in. We’ve actually tried out every laptop on this list ourselves, so they’re real recommendations based on hands-on experience. 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 70 laptops every year. All of the picks below have been personally tested and vetted by our experts, who’ve applied not only performance benchmarks but rigorous usability standards. We’re also committed to reviewing PC laptops at every price point to help you find a machine that matches your budget. We’ve cut through the clutter to bring you the top picks across every category–from budget Chromebooks to powerhouse gaming machines. Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 (Aura Edition) – Best laptop overall Pros Long battery life (almost 24 hours in our test) Beautiful OLED screen Great webcam Cons Lunar Lake’s multithreaded performance isn’t ideal for some workloads Glossy screen can be difficult to read in harsh lighting conditions Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket 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 tasks, watching movies, and so on. 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 is smooth under your fingertips, and the Yoga Pen sticks to the top of the laptop via magnets. Ports are decent: You’re getting two Thunderbolt 4, one USB-C, one USB-A, plus a combo audio jack–no HDMI or microSD. Speakers are fine, the rotating soundbar is sort of fun, and battery life is insane. Read our full Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 review Acer Aspire Go 15 – Best budget laptop Pros Affordable Decent battery life Good display visibility Cons Big and bulky Cheap build Limited performance Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Acer Aspire Go 15? The Acer Aspire Go 15 is a cheap and easy laptop that does the basics. It’s good for browsing, emails, and streaming shows. Plus, with about 12 hours of battery, you won’t need to go searching for an outlet. The appeal mostly lies in its value, though. While more expensive laptops nail the polish and the speed, the budget variety is strictly about what’s functional and that’s exactly what you’re getting here. It’s a good option for students or anyone seeking a reliable, no-frills machine under $500. You’ll also find a surprisingly generous port selection on the Acer Aspire Go 15–USB-A on both sides, a USB-C, an HDMI, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a Kensington lock. That’s more than what some laptops get twice the price. Acer Aspire Go 15: Further considerations Like many laptops in the budget category, the Aspire Go 15’s got a few trade-offs to be aware of. The chassis is made of plastic, though that’s part of what keeps the cost down–cheaper materials. It also weighs a little over four pounds, so it’s not the lightest laptop in town, but it’s not so heavy that it’s prohibitive. Read our full Acer Aspire Go 15 (2024) review Alienware 16X Aurora – Best gaming laptop Pros High-end CPU performance Bright and beautiful display Great gaming experience Very competitive price Cons You can get better gaming performance with a faster GPU (of course) Some hot air blows out the sides Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket 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 nice selection of ports. The full-size keyboard has a number pad and customizable backlighting, which is a nice touch. And you get nearly seven hours of battery life, which a nice bonus, since long runtimes aren’t common in gaming laptops. Lenovo LOQ 15 – Best budget gaming laptop Pros Simple design with good build quality Lots of physical connectivity Great GPU and game performance for the price Cons Moderate CPU performance Lacks latest connectivity such as Wi-Fi 7, USB4, etc Disappointing motion clarity from 144Hz display Short battery life Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Lenovo LOQ 15? If you’d like to get into PC gaming without blowing your whole paycheck, the Lenovo LOQ 15 is worth a look. It normally sells for around $800, which isn’t bad at all for something running an RTX 5060 GPU and a Ryzen 7 250 CPU. You get 16GB of memory and a 512GB SSD too, so 1080p gaming is no problem. The port selection is solid as well. You’re getting HDMI 2.1, USB-C with power delivery, Ethernet (which is nice to have), and a couple of USB-A ports. Lenovo LOQ 15: Further considerations The only downside here is the screen. It’s a 15.6-inch 1080p panel with a 144Hz refresh rate, which is probably fine for most games, but motion can look a little blurry if you’re into fast shooters. That said, if you’re really desperate, you can always hook up to an external monitor with a higher resolution and refresh rate. Read our full Lenovo LOQ 15 review Asus ProArt P16 – Best laptop for photo and video editing Pros Big touchpad with virtual scroll wheel Gorgeous 4K OLED display More connectivity than the competition Good battery life Cons Chassis is light, but doesn’t look remarkable CPU performance falls behind the best Can get hot under load Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Asus ProArt P16? If you want sharp, gorgeous visuals and a laptop that can handle some serious work, the Asus ProArt P16 is a strong pick. The 16-inch 3840×2400 screen makes everything look awesome — whether you’re editing photos or just watching movies. Inside, it’s got an Intel Core i9 CPU and an RTX 4070 GPU, so it can easily handle heavy stuff like video editing. Battery life is pretty good too, around nine hours, so you’re not stuck hunting for an outlet all day. And with USB 4.0, moving big files is quick and painless. All in all, it’s a great machine if you want power without the hullabaloo. Asus ProArt P16: Further considerations Performance and display quality are the standout features here, of course, but understated design deserves a mention too. Some may find the all-black chassis too plain while others find it elegant. Also, under heavy workloads, the chassis can run a little warm. Read our full Asus ProArt P16 review Acer Swift 16 AI – Best college laptop Pros Sleek, sturdy design Sharp OLED screen Pleasantly tactile keyboard Good battery life Cons AI features still lacking Some keyboard keys too cramped Too many pre-loaded apps Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket 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 nice—movies, papers, whatever. 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 complaining. 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–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, great, and won’t die on you halfway through the day, the Acer Swift 16 AI is the one to go for. Read our full Acer Swift 16 AI review Microsoft Surface Pro (2025) – Best lightweight laptop Pros Compact and well-built Good office performance All Copilot Plus features available Good battery life Cons Narrow screen to work on No HDR support No charger included Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Microsoft Surface Pro (2025)? If you’re always on the go — whether it’s the train, a coffee shop, or just hopping around the house — the Surface Pro 2025 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 (2025): 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. Read our full Microsoft Surface Pro 2025 review HP OmniBook 5 14 – Best for battery life Pros Enjoyable keyboard Attractive 1200p OLED display Incredible battery life Ships with small GaN charger Cons Though attractive, build quality doesn’t stand out Connectivity is limited So-so performance Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the HP OmniBook 5 14? Looking for a Windows laptop that can actually survive your day on campus? The HP OmniBook 5 14 is solid. It’s got a Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 chip, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage–so essays, Zoom calls, and a bunch of tabs won’t slow it down. The 14-inch 1920×1200 OLED touchscreen also looks really good, and the battery is insane. We’re talking, like, 25 hours in our testing (jeez!). HP OmniBook 5 14: Further considerations This isn’t a gaming rig or a 3D workstation, but for school stuff, 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, a nice OLED screen, and super easy portability–all under $900. Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 – Best Chromebook Pros Zippy processor performance Nice keyboard A wide array of connectivity options Chic design Cons Battery life isn’t competitive The display’s 16:9 aspect ratio feels a little cramped Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket 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. Read our full Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 review MacBook Air (M4) – Best MacBook Pros Can drive two external displays at 6K/60Hz M4 provides a performance boost New 12MP Center Stage camera Cons No more Space Gray option Best Prices Today: Retailer Price ...