Top 10 Best Laptops (2025) March: power packed portables

The top-notch portable computers out there nail their tasks, offer long-term ease of use, and manage power smartly so you can forget about battery concerns. With the range of options expanding, picking the right laptop has become more diverse than ever.

For those with a decent budget, brands like Apple, Dell, HP, and others offer some of the finest laptops. You can snag a 13-inch ultraportable that’s both compact and speedy without breaking the bank. To help you make a savvy choice, we rigorously test and review numerous laptops each year from these popular brands. We’ve curated a roundup featuring only those that earned 4 stars or above, making your decision-making process a whole lot easier.

What is a Laptop?

A laptop is a type of portable personal computer that is small, light, and meant to be carried and used in any location. A display screen, keyboard, touchpad or mouse, and internal components such as the central processing unit, memory, and storage make up its components. Laptops are frequently used for a wide variety of purposes, including but not limited to productivity tasks, internet browsing, the consumption of multimedia, gaming, and many more.

Why You Might Need a Laptop?

Laptop computers are indispensable because of their portability and flexibility. The versatility of laptops makes them ideal for a wide range of uses, whether you’re a professional who has to work on the road, a student who needs to take notes in class, or just someone who wants to keep in touch. Laptops, thanks to their portability and wireless connectivity, allow users to work or play from just about anywhere.

Best Laptops Comparison Table

Portable, adaptable, and highly effective, laptop computers are an absolute necessity in today’s society. They make it easier to do things like work, study, have fun, and talk to others while on the go because of the information and apps they provide.

Here is the List of the Best Laptops

You can obtain a basic low-cost personal computer, a productivity powerhouse, or a gaming notebook that can really scream if you shop with us.

Apple MacBook Air M2

The new MacBook Air with the M2 chip is the only laptop we’ll ever require. Now that a year has passed, those customers who want larger laptops may get exactly what they want from Apple: the exact same device, but in a larger size.

It’s possible that this will be an extremely brief evaluation. It is fully correct to say that this 15-inch MacBook Air is identical to the 13-inch MacBook Air that was released the previous year, with the exception that it has a larger display (and thus a larger chassis) and improved speakers.

Reasons to buy:

• The M2 chip is a big improvement over the M1 chip in terms of speed. This makes the MacBook Air M2 a great choice for students, creative professionals, and anyone else who wants a powerful and portable laptop.
• The beautiful 13.6-inch Liquid Retina screen on the MacBook Air M2 is 25% sharper than the screen on the previous model.
• The new MacBook Air M2 has a longer battery life than the old one. It can play videos for up to 18 hours.
• There are now four colors of the MacBook Air M2: silver, space gray, starlight, and midnight.

Reasons to skip:

• The MacBook Air M2 starts at $1,199, which is more than the previous model.
• The only USB-C/Thunderbolt ports on the MacBook Air M2 are two, which may not be enough for some people.
• The MacBook Air M2 doesn’t have a fan, so when it’s working hard, it can get hot.

MacBook Pro 16-inch

The Apple MacBook Pro (16 inches) is a much-improved version of its predecessor that, equipped with Apple’s latest technology, sets a new benchmark for MacBook performance. Its beautiful new Liquid Retina XDR display makes everything you do on it enjoyable, while the 1080p webcam on top helps you look your best during video calls with friends and colleagues.

The ubiquitous trackpad (still the best on the market) and an excellent scissor-switch keyboard now come in a matte black tray. Unfortunately, there is still no sign of a flat black MacBook Pro. On either side of the keyboard are also powerful speakers.

Reasons to buy:

• The M2 Pro or M2 Max chip in the 16-inch MacBook Pro is powerful and can handle even the most difficult jobs.
• The 16-inch MacBook Pro has a beautiful Liquid Retina XDR display with a high resolution and a wide color range. This display is 16 inches in size.
• The power life of the 16-inch MacBook Pro is long. It can play videos for up to 21 hours.
• The MacBook Pro 16-inch has many ports, such as HDMI, SDXC card reader, and MagSafe 3.

Reasons to skip:

• The starting price for a 16-inch MacBook Pro is $2,499.
• The 16-inch MacBook Pro is big and heavy, which makes it less portable than some other computers.
• Some people may miss the Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro 16-inch.

Asus Rog Zephyrus G14

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2022) is a laptop for gamers with a 14-inch screen. It comes with an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS CPU and an AMD Radeon 6700S or 6800S dedicated GPU. The most you can have for memory and storage is 32GB and 1TB, respectively. There is only one display option: a 16:10 QHD (2560 x 1600) IPS screen with a refresh rate of 120Hz and support for FreeSync’s variable refresh rate.

It has a 76Wh battery and a 720p camera. It can connect to Wi-Fi 6E wirelessly. There are two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, an HDMI port, a MicroSD card reader, and a 3.5mm jack for headphones. The USB-C port can charge devices and send video, but it doesn’t work with Thunderbolt 4 or USB4. USB4 support is scheduled to be added through a firmware update, which is still being worked on as of this writing. In the part below called “Differences Between Variants,” you can see the details of our unit and the different ways it can be set up.

Reasons to buy:

• The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 has a powerful performance because it has an AMD Ryzen 9 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card. This means that it can handle even the most demanding games and creative jobs.
• Asus Rog Zephyrus G14 laptopStarts a new window.
• www.bestbuy.com
• Asus Rog Zephyrus G14 laptop
• The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 has a 14-inch Full HD display with a refresh rate of 120Hz, so you can play games smoothly and see clear images.

Reasons to skip:

• The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 starts at $1,449, which is a lot of money.
• Not as good for work: The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 isn’t as good for work as some other computers because it doesn’t have as many ports or a touchscreen display.
• Some people have said that the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 can get too hot when working hard.

MacBook Pro 14-inch

Apple’s new M2 series chips are here, and people who laughed at the first M2 chip are now eating crow. The MacBook Pro 14 I looked at had an Apple M2 Pro processor, 32GB of unified memory, a 2TB SSD, and an Apple M2 GPU. It did not fail. In terms of general performance, the laptop always beat its competitors. On Geekbench 5.4, the laptop got a score of 14,965, which was faster than the average luxury laptop.

On the BlackMagic Read/Write test, the fast SSD got 5,293.3/6,168.4MBps, which was much faster than the average for the group and the slowest notebooks. During our gaming test, the results were close, but the good news is that you can actually play games on this bad boy, as I found out when I played improved versions of Resident Evil Village and No Man’s Sky.

Reasons to buy:

• The M2 Pro or M2 Max chip in the 14-inch MacBook Pro is powerful enough to handle even the most difficult jobs.
• The 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display on the 14-inch MacBook Pro has a high quality and a wide range of colors.
• The MacBook Pro 14-inch has a battery that can play videos for up to 17 hours.
• The MacBook Pro 14-inch has a number of ports, including HDMI, SDXC card reader, and MagSafe 3.
• The 14-inch MacBook Pro has a new look that includes a smaller notch, thinner bezels, and a stronger body.

Reasons to skip:

• The 14-inch MacBook Pro is pricey, starting at $1,999.
• Some computers are easier to carry than the 14-inch MacBook Pro.
• Some users might miss the Touch Bar on the 14-inch MacBook Pro.

Dell XPS 15

The most recent OLED-equipped edition of the Dell XPS 15, version 9520, is the newest in a long line of the company’s premium laptops. It has a starting price of $1,449 and a tested price of $2,299, and it exemplifies the most recent advancements in desktop-replacement technology.

This is one notebook that combines unrivaled productivity with visuals to match, as it is equipped with the most recent 12th Generation processors from Intel, Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics, and a gorgeous OLED touch screen. It’s not just one of the greatest personal computers for the office on the market, but it’s also a fantastic choice for doing media and video editing work.

Reasons to buy:

• The Dell XPS 15 has a gorgeous 15.6-inch InfinityEdge screen with a high definition and a wide range of colors. It’s a great way to watch movies, work on slideshows, or just surf the web.
• Long battery life: The Dell XPS 15 can stay powered for up to 12 hours on a single charge, so you can work all day without worrying about running out of juice.
• The Dell XPS 15 has a powerful performance because it is powered by an Intel Core i7 processor. This means that it can handle even the most difficult jobs.
• The Dell XPS 15 has a sleek and stylish appearance that will get people’s attention.

Reasons to skip:

• Pricey: The Dell XPS 15 starts at $1,299, which makes it pricey.
• Not as good for gaming: Because it doesn’t have a separate graphics card, the Dell XPS 15 isn’t as good for gaming as some other laptops.
• Some users have said that the screen on the Dell XPS 15 is not as good as they would like.

MacBook Pro 13-inch

The latest MacBook Air with Apple’s M2 processor is the best notebook for most people. The base model with 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB of storage, an 8-core CPU, and an 8-core GPU starts at $1,199. A model with 512 GB of storage, which we recommend for most users and allows you to use the notebook longer, costs $1,399.

The Air has lost its wedge-shaped design that was its flagship for years, but retains many of the other great features of years past, including MagSafe charging, Touch ID, and the scissor keyboard, and adds a latest 1080p webcam and two new color options.

The M2 processor inside is not as fast or heavy as the M1 Pro or M1 Max in the larger (and more expensive) MacBook Pro models, but it’s still very fast. In our tests, it handled intensive office work with little to no heat generation or slowdown. Given that this device is so thin and light, it offers a combination of performance and portability that you’ll be hard pressed to find in many other devices on the market.

Reasons to buy:

• The MacBook Pro 13-inch is a powerful laptop with the M2 chip.
• It has a beautiful Retina display with True Tone technology.
• It has a long battery life, up to 20 hours of video playback.
• It is very portable and lightweight.

Reasons to skip:

• It does not have as many ports as some other laptops.
• It is not as powerful as the MacBook Pro 14-inch or 16-inch.

HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook

So, what is so great about the Dragonfly Pro Chromebook? Let’s start with speed. The Dragonfly Pro Chromebook scored 5,246 thanks to its Intel Core i5 processor, which put it far ahead of the competition. When we ran the Jetstream 2.0 test, the laptop got a score of 252.68, which beat the scores of other laptops. But that’s not the only thing the Dragonfly Pro Chromebook does well.

But there are still a few bugs in the works. One thing that could be better is the battery life. At 9:49, it’s 30 minutes less than the usual Chromebook. And even though the 14-inch, 2560 x 1600 screen is very bright, its 77.8% color saturation is less than we would like. The price is also a problem, as $999 is a lot for a Chromebook. But HP is hoping that consumers will like the HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook because of how nice it looks and what it can do.

Reasons to buy:

• The HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook is made of high-quality materials and has a sleek, modern style. It also meets MIL-STD 810G standards, so it can handle being bumped around.
• The HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook can last up to 18 hours on a single charge, so you can work all day.
• Powerful performance: The HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook is powered by an Intel Core i7 processor, so it can handle even the most difficult jobs.
• The keyboard and trackpad on the HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook are both easy to use, so you can type and move around with ease.

Reasons to skip:

• Pricey: The HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook starts at $1,499, which is a lot of money.
• Fewer apps: There aren’t as many apps for Chrome OS as there are for Windows or macOS.
• The HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook doesn’t have a dedicated graphics card, so it’s not a good choice for gaming or other jobs that require a lot of graphics.

Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1

The Lenovo Yoga 9i is powered by Intel’s 12th generation processors, specifically the new P-series. These processors have a higher TDP of 28W and thus more power. Right now it’s available with a Core i7-1260P with 12 cores and 16 threads, but there will also be a configuration with a Core i7-1280P that offers 14 cores and 20 threads, as well as boost speeds of up to 4.8GHz. In both cases, you will not lack performance for all kinds of daily tasks.

The base configuration is a Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) IPS panel, but there are two OLED upgrade options. One is a 2.8K (2880 x 1800) panel with a refresh rate of 90 Hz for smoother animations, and the other is an Ultra HD+ (3840 x 2400) display with a conventional refresh rate of 60 Hz. Furthermore, you can configure the notebook with up to 16 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and a 1 TB PCIe-4 SSD for storage, so the notebook can handle just about anything.

Reasons to buy:

• The Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 is made of high-quality materials and has a sleek, modern style. It also meets MIL-STD 810G standards, so it can handle being bumped around.
• The Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 has a 14-inch OLED monitor that looks great. It has a high resolution and a wide range of colors.
• Long energy life: The Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 can last up to 15 hours on a single charge, so you can work all day.
• The Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 has a powerful performance because it is powered by an Intel Core i7 processor. This means that it can handle even the most difficult jobs.

Reasons to skip:

• Expensive: The Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 starts at $1,499, which is a lot of money.
• Fewer apps: There aren’t as many apps for Windows as there are for macOS or Chrome OS.
• The Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 doesn’t have a dedicated graphics card, so it’s not a good choice for gaming or other chores that require a lot of graphics.

Acer Swift 5

Acer always makes laptops that are great in terms of both speed and price. The Acer Swift 5 is a good example. The Mist Green aerospace-grade aluminum system is easy on the eyes. Our tester called it “the most attractive notebook I’ve seen this year.” But the Swift 5 is more than just a pretty face.

With a 12th-generation Intel Core i7 processor and Intel graphics built in, the Swift 5 did well in our tests of general performance and file transfer. And it beat our group average by a lot. On the Geekbench 5.4 test, where the Swift 5 got a very good 9,859, it did best. We were also surprised by how well the notebook’s built-in Intel Iris Xe graphics worked. On the Sid Meier’s Civilization VI test, it got 26 frames per second.

Reasons to buy:

• The Acer Swift 5 weighs just 2.65 pounds, which makes it one of the lightest computers on the market. This makes it easy to take with you wherever you go all day.
• Long battery life: The Acer Swift 5 can stay powered for up to 16 hours on a single charge, so you can work all day without worrying about running out of juice.
• The Acer Swift 5 has a beautiful 14-inch Full HD screen that can be seen from a wide range of angles. It’s a great way to watch movies, work on slideshows, or just surf the web.

Reasons to skip:

• Expensive: The Acer Swift 5 starts at $1,099, which is a lot of money.
• No dedicated graphics card: The Acer Swift 5 doesn’t have a dedicated graphics card, so it’s not great for gaming or other graphics-intensive chores.
• Not as durable as some other laptops: The Acer Swift 5 is not as durable as some other laptops, so it’s not the best choice for people who need a laptop that can handle a lot of wear and tear.

Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook

If you are interested in purchasing a Chromebook, the Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook is the best option available to you at this time. According to the results of our tests, you get a battery life of over 13 hours, an eye-catching OLED display, and Qualcomm’s quicker Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 engine, which is a significant upgrade over its predecessor.

Does it seem to you that the pricing is a little bit steep for a Chromebook? Yes, but for less than $500, this is a fairly good deal for the money. In addition, in contrast to other brands of detachable laptops, Lenovo ships the machine with the keyboard cover already attached. The company, however, did not include the stylus, which is a disappointing omission on their part.

Reasons to buy:

• The Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook has a 13.3-inch OLED monitor that looks great. It has a high resolution and a wide range of colors. It’s a great way to watch movies, work on slideshows, or just surf the web.
• Long battery life: The Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook can run for up to 15 hours on a single charge, so you can work all day without worrying about running out of power.
• The Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook is small and light, making it easy to take with you wherever you go.
• The Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook has a 2-in-1 design, so you can use it as either a laptop or a tablet, whichever is easiest for you.

Reasons to skip:

• Expensive: The Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook starts at $629, which is a lot of money.
• The Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook doesn’t have a dedicated graphics card, so it’s not a good choice for gaming or other chores that require a lot of graphics.
• Not as durable as some other laptops: The Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook is not as durable as some other laptops, so it’s not the best choice for people who need a laptop that can handle a lot of wear and tear.

LG gram 17Z90Q

A screen that brings your vision to life and adds a realistic touch to graphics with a DCI-P3 color gamut of 99%. With the 80 Wh battery, you can work non-stop for up to 12.5 hours and play videos for up to 19.5 hours. Stay connected Full HD video quality and built-in AI sound technology that filters out background noise so you always look and sound your best.

With 1TB of storage capacity, you’ll have the power and speed you need to run multiple large applications while easily storing your important documents. Two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support, two USB-A 3.2 ports, a full-size HDMI port, a microSD card reader, and a 3.5 mm audio jack.

Reasons to buy:

• With a weight of just 2.92 pounds, the LG gram 17Z90Q is one of the lightest 17-inch computers on the market. This makes it easy to take with you wherever you go all day.
• Long battery life: The LG gram 17Z90Q can run for up to 19.5 hours on a single charge, so you can work all day without worrying about running out of juice.
• The LG gram 17Z90Q has a beautiful IPS display that is 17 inches wide and has a high quality and a wide viewing angle. It’s a great way to watch movies, work on slideshows, or just surf the web.

Reasons to skip:

• Pricey: The LG gram 17Z90Q starts at $1,999, which is a lot of money.
• The LG gram 17Z90Q doesn’t have a dedicated graphics card, so it’s not great for gaming or other jobs that require a lot of graphics.

Dell XPS 13 Plus

The super-thin case design is high-quality, the nearly bezel-less display is beautiful, and the battery life is long. It’s not a super-strong professional notebook, but the performance is snappy and the feature set is good enough to be productive at home or on the go. The combination of style and substance makes it an easy winner in this field.

The latest XPS 13 model features a beautiful OLED panel that delivers rich image quality while streaming movies at home or editing video at work. Using Alexa on your PC is as simple as asking a question. Just ask, and Alexa can query your calendar, create lists, play music, answer questions, read the news, and more.

Reasons to buy:

• The Dell XPS 13 Plus has a 13.4-inch InfinityEdge display that looks great. It has a high definition and a wide range of colors. It’s a great way to watch movies, work on slideshows, or just surf the web.
• The Dell XPS 13 Plus can last up to 12 hours on a single charge, so you can work all day without worrying about running out of juice.
• The Dell XPS 13 Plus has a powerful performance because it is powered by an Intel Core i7 processor. This means that it can handle even the most difficult jobs.
• The Dell XPS 13 Plus has a sleek and stylish appearance that will make people take notice.

Reasons to skip:

• Pricey: The Dell XPS 13 Plus starts at $1,299, which is a lot of money.
• The Dell XPS 13 Plus doesn’t have a dedicated graphics card, so it’s not great for gaming or other jobs that require a lot of graphics.
• Some users have said that the haptic touchpad on the Dell XPS 13 Plus is not as fast as they would like.

Conclusion

We measure each laptop’s display’s brightness and color quality using our in-house light meter and colorimeter. Laptops are indispensable in every home, and several types are best suited to certain use cases. These are what we consider the best laptops you can purchase right now, and some of the best options gifts for someone looking for an upgrade.

Questions and Answers