- 8.60/10 1. Premium pick: Microsoft Surface Book 3
- 8.20/10 2. Editors choice: Dell XPS 13
- 9.20/10 3. Best value: Acer Swift 3
- 9.00/10 4. Microsoft Surface Laptop Go
- 8.80/10 5. HP Spectre x360
- 8.00/10 6. Huawei Matebook 13
- 7.80/10 7. ASUS ROG Zephyrus S GX701
Laptops have been with us for a few decades now, but they are no longer purely work devices. These days, you can purchase laptops suitable for the most dedicated of gamers, hard-working developers, and even media editors.
There are a lot of options out there though, so we've rounded up the best Windows laptops to get you started.
Premium pick1. Microsoft Surface Book 3
8.60 / 10 Read ReviewsGiven that we're rounding up Windows laptops, it'd be remiss of us not to include Microsoft's own top-of-the-range laptop, the Surface Book 3. Like many of today's laptops, Microsoft allows you to customize the build of your Surface Book 3. However, an off-the-shelf edition might work for you.
This edition of the Surface Book 3 comes with an 8th-generation Intel Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. The display is powered by an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660Ti, which has its own 6GB of GDDR6 RAM. This makes it suitable for a mobile gaming setup, but it can also handle intensive tasks like video editing.
Like other Surface devices, the Surface Book 3 is a hybrid device. You can use it as a regular laptop with the included keyboard, but if you undock it, it can be used as a standalone tablet device too. The onboard battery gives you up to 17.5 hours of usage, while the 15-inch PixelSense touchscreen keeps things looking sharp.
As this is a Microsoft device, it has been designed with tight Windows integration. So, expect all the bells and whistles of Windows 10 to be readily available, like Microsoft's digital assistant Cortana. The Surface Book 3 is undoubtedly one of the best PC laptops around, although the high price point might make it difficult to invest.
Key Features- Powered by an Intel Core i7 CPU and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660Ti
- 256GB of SSD storage
- Windows 10 Home
- Brand: Microsoft
- Storage: 256GB
- CPU: Intel Core i7-1065G7
- Memory: 16GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
- Battery: 17.5 hours
- Ports: 2x USB-A, USB-C, 3.5mm jack, SDXC card reader
- Camera: 8MP, 5MP
- Display (Size, Resolution): 15-inch, 3240 x 2160
- Weight: 7.79lbs
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660Ti
- Hybrid two-in-one device can be used docked as a laptop or as a tablet
- 17.5 hours of battery
- Integration with Cortana, Microsoft's digital assistant
- Access to Microsoft customer support
- Not everyone would use the two-in-one capability
1. Dell XPS 13
8.20 / 10 Read ReviewsEven if you've never owned a Dell computer, you've seen them. Dell is one of the largest computer and laptop manufacturers in the world, with their devices particularly ubiquitous in the workplace. But the Dell XPS 13 isn't just a work laptop---it might even be the best Windows laptop available today.
The XPS 13 comes with Windows 10 Pro 64-bit preinstalled, coupled with 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. It is powered by an Intel Core i7 quad-core CPU and has a fingerprint reader integrated into the keyboard which is compatible with Windows Hello.
The 13.4-inch Full HD+ InfinityEdge display makes all your media look immaculate. However, this is not the most portable laptop out there; it weighs a fairly hefty 4kg. The XPS 13 is not a cheap laptop, but if your budget can accommodate it, the device is probably the best laptop for the money right now.
Key Features- Windows 10 Pro
- Windows Hello-compatible fingerprint reader
- 512GB SSD
- Brand: Dell
- Storage: 512GB
- CPU: Intel Core i7-1065G7
- Memory: 16GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Pro
- Battery: 18 hours
- Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 3, 3.5mm jack, microSD card reader
- Camera: 720p
- Display (Size, Resolution): 13.4-inch, 1900 x 1200
- Weight: 6.12lbs
- GPU: Intel Iris Plus Graphics
- 13.4-inch Full HD+ InfinityEdge display
- Dual-fan setup for efficent cooling
- Corning Gorilla Glass 6 display
- The laptop weighs 6.12lbs
1. Acer Swift 3
9.20 / 10 Read ReviewsThe Acer Swift 3 is an affordable and feature-packed Windows laptop. The device, launched in early 2020, has a premium-feel aluminum body that helps it dissipate heat. The laptop comes with an AMD Ryzen 7 4700U Octa-Core processor and a 512GB SSD. You'll also find 8GB of RAM on board, which is more than enough for most tasks, although intensive actions like video editing and game playing may feel less than stellar.
The 14-inch Full HD backlit display makes the Swift 3 an ideal choice for media consumption, and it is coupled with an HD webcam as well. The keyboard is backlit for typing in low-light conditions, and there's also a fingerprint reader for biometric login. The laptop has a USB-C port for charging, a USB 3.2 port, a single USB 2.0 port, and an HDMI connection.
Budget-friendly laptops are often made of cheaper materials and are therefore heavier than their premium counterparts. However, the Swift 3 is a lightweight laptop, weighing just 2.65 pounds. It's also portable at 0.63 inches thick. The 11.5-hour battery life should be plenty to see you through the day without a top-up.
Key Features- Alexa built-in
- 11.5 hours of battery life
- HD webcam
- Brand: Acer
- Storage: 512GB
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
- Memory: 8GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
- Battery: 11.5 hours
- Ports: USB-C, USB 3.2, USB 2.0, HDMI
- Camera: 720p
- Display (Size, Resolution): 14-inch, 1920 x 1080
- Weight: 2.65lbs
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce MX350
- Portable, weighing just 2.65lbs and only 0.63 inches thick
- Fingerprint reader for use with Windows Hello
- Backlit keyboard
- Display not suited for bright outdoor settings
- Heat management could be better
1. Microsoft Surface Laptop Go
9.00 / 10 Read ReviewsThe Microsoft Surface computers are premium devices with price tags to match. In late 2020, the company unveiled the Surface Laptop Go, a more affordable edition of its flagship hardware. In essence, it was designed as a Chromebook alternative, competing with Google's budget-friendly devices. The Surface Laptop Go runs Windows 10 S, a feature-limited edition of Windows 10. In this mode, you can only install apps from the Microsoft Store.
However, you can opt for a one-way upgrade to Windows 10 Home, although you should expect a performance hit compared to the default S mode. That said, the Laptop Surface Go comes with solid mid-range hardware. The laptop is equipped with an Intel Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage. It is reasonably portable, weighing just 2.42lbs. You can expect to get up to 13 hours of usage from the battery, as well.
The 12.4-inch touchscreen means you can easily interact with Microsoft Store apps and even use a stylus for note-taking. If you prefer biometric login, there's a fingerprint reader that integrates with Windows Hello. There are three colors to choose from; Platinum, Ice Blue, and Sandstone.
Key Features- Windows 10 S
- 13-hour battery life
- Three color options: Platinum, Ice Blue, and Sandstone
- Brand: Microsoft
- Storage: 256GB
- CPU: Intel Core i5
- Memory: 8GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 S
- Battery: 13 hours
- Ports: USB-C, USB-A, 3.5mm jack
- Camera: 720p
- Display (Size, Resolution): 12.4-inch, 1536x1024
- Weight: 2.42lbs
- GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
- Portable at 2.42lbs
- Fingerprint reader for biometric login with Windows Hello
- Mid-range hardware isn't as effective if you upgrade to Windows 10 Home
- Windows S Mode is limited
1. HP Spectre x360
8.80 / 10 Read ReviewsIn many ways, the HP Spectre x360 is a great Microsoft Surface Book alternative. Aside from the internals, the biggest difference here though is the lack of a detachable tablet. Instead, the Spectre x360's Full HD 13.3-inch touchscreen display can rotate 360-degrees. In this setup, the keyboard is hidden away behind the display. If you only need to convert your laptop into tablet-mode every now and then, this probably won't affect your experience too much.
The Spectre x360 comes with Windows 10 Home 64-bit installed, an 8th-generation Intel Core i7 CPU, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 512GB SSD. The device weighs 2.88lbs, which is roughly in-line with the other devices in this list. It can also offer up to 14 hours of battery life from a single charge. The Spectre x360 comes with Bang & Olufsen speakers in-built for high-quality audio playback.
There are some welcome small touches too. The company includes a microSD slot and two USB-C ports. The integrated webcam works with Windows Hello for facial recognition. If you aren't keen on scanning your face, you can keep things secure with the built-in fingerprint reader instead. For the privacy-conscious, there is even a hardware-based camera killswitch. All of this helps make the HP Spectre x360 one of the best laptop computers.
Key Features- Windows 10 Home
- Intel Core i7 CPU
- Rotatable display enables a tablet mode
- Brand: HP
- Storage: 512GB
- CPU: Intel Core i7 CPU
- Memory: 16GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
- Battery: 14 hours
- Ports: USB 3.1, 2x USB-C, microSD card reader
- Camera: 720p
- Display (Size, Resolution): 13.3-inch, 1920 x 1080
- Weight: 2.88lbs
- GPU: Intel Iris Plus Graphics
- Comes with an HP Stylus
- 14-hour battery life
- Bang & Olufsen speakers
- Poor heat management
1. Huawei Matebook 13
8.00 / 10 Read ReviewsIn recent years, the US government has been embroiled in a trade dispute with China, with Huawei as one of its main targets. However, that doesn't stop the Huawei Matebook 13 from being one of the best Windows laptops available today.
The Matebook 13 is light and portable, weighing just 2.86lbs and with a closed-lid height of 0.59 inches. It comes equipped with the company's Fullview 2160 x 1140 touchscreen display, which they say makes the screen appear larger than its 13 inches.
The laptop is powered by an 8th generation Intel Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a quick-charge battery that provides 2.5 hours of use on a 15-minute charge. If you opt for the i7 edition of the laptop, the Nvidia GeForce MX150 makes it perfect for gamers and editors alike. Their new Shark Fin internal fans keep your laptop cool while speeding up your device by up to 25 percent.
Then there's biometric login capabilities and one-tap NFC file sharing. Huawei even includes an external, pocket-sized charger to keep you topped up when away from a power source. Overall, the Matebook 13 is the most feature-packed PC laptop you're likely to find.
Key Features- Huawei's Shark Fin cooling system
- Windows 10 Home
- Intel Core i5 processor
- Brand: Huawei
- Storage: 256GB
- CPU: Intel Core i5 8265U
- Memory: 8GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
- Battery: 10 hours
- Ports: 2x USB-C, 3.5mm jack
- Camera: 720p
- Display (Size, Resolution): 13-inch, 2160 x 1140
- Weight: 2.86lbs
- GPU: Intel HD Graphics 620
- External, pocket-sized power bank for quick top ups
- NFC-based file sharing
- Biometric login with Windows Hello
- US/China trade dispute makes support and security updates uncertain
1. ASUS ROG Zephyrus S GX701
7.80 / 10 Read ReviewsIf it's a portable gaming setup you're after, then you'll want to check out the Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701 gaming laptop. There's no getting around this though; the ROG Zephyrus S is an expensive device. That said, this is a high-performance device, suitable for even the most dedicated of gamers.
Gaming is a visual medium, so you need to have an immersive display. The 17.3-inch Full HD display has super-narrow bezels---just 6.9mm thick---and a screen-to-body ratio of 81 percent. It comes with a 1TB SSD in tow and 16GB of DDR4 RAM. The graphics are powered by a Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 with 8GB of GDDR6 RAM.
Cooling is a priority in high-end gaming laptops, and Asus has you covered here. As the laptop is ultra-thin, the cooling system needs to be as efficient as possible. The company developed the ROG Active Aerodynamic System (AAS) to deal with this challenge. Just lifting the lid opens a large air intake that increases airflow by up to 32 percent compared to other cooling systems. You don't need to worry about dust buildup either, as the anti-dust heatsinks keep things clean and efficient over time.
Key Features- Detachable HD webcam
- Windows 10 Pro
- 1TB of storage
- Brand: ASUS
- Storage: 1TB
- CPU: Intel Core i7 8750H
- Memory: 16GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Pro
- Battery: 5 hours
- Ports: 2x USB-C, 3x USB 3.1, HDMI, 3.5mm jack
- Camera: 1080p
- Display (Size, Resolution): 17.3-inch, 1920 x 1080
- Weight: 5.95lbs
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q
- Battery can be topped up with a power bank via USB-C
- Backlit keyboard with RGB lighting
- ROG Active Aerodynamic System for high-performance cooling
- Very expensive
- Incredibly heavy
FAQ
Q: Which Brand of Laptop Is Most Reliable?
Most laptops now use the same supply chain and manufacturing facilities. As a result, it's hard to pinpoint the most reliable brand, as they all have a similar performance. So, the best metric is customer service and ease of repair. By that measure, Microsoft Surface devices are your best choice. Like Apple, Microsoft offers dedicated support for its hardware, with multiple convenient options if something goes wrong. Similarly, there are many Microsoft Stores that you can return the laptop to for repair.
Q: How Do I Choose a Good Laptop?
To choose the best laptop, you first need to consider what you want to use the computer for and how much you're able to spend. Determining your budget is one of the most critical steps as it'll make it easy for you to rule out certain devices. If you want to use the laptop for business, home, streaming, or college work, that'll also play a large part in which laptop is best for you. From there, you can start to shortlist laptops based on specifications like display resolution, CPU, RAM, and storage.
Q: Is Dell or HP Better?
Dell and HP are two well-established computer brands. Each has multiple decades of experience making laptops, and so should be easy to compare, in theory. However, HP laptops are notoriously variable. Some releases go on to become a must-have laptop, while others are riddled with technical issues. On the other hand, Dell has consistently been rated as one of the world's best computer companies. Although its devices might not be as cutting-edge and are generally more business-focused, they are often the better choice.
