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Selecting the ideal laptop for your work-from-home setup is crucial to ensure enhanced productivity and convenience. When it comes to my personal experience in this realm, I’ve had the chance to explore a plethora of options that cater to different professional fields, ranging from data entry to creative industries. I’ve truly gone hands-on with a variety of laptops that are perfect for remote work.
In my pursuit of the perfect work-from-home laptop, I’ve thoroughly tested and benchmarked the performance of processors and GPUs. This allowed me to make informed judgments about their capabilities. I’ve also delved into the intricacies of display panels, considering factors like resolution and color accuracy to ensure that your work looks its best. Moreover, I understand the importance of portability in today’s flexible work environments.
Whether you’re working from home, in the office, or juggling a hybrid schedule, I’ve evaluated the laptops from the perspective of overall portability. With my personal experiences, you can rest assured that you’ll find the laptop that perfectly suits your work needs and helps you excel in any setting. So, let’s dive into the world of work-from-home laptops and explore the options available to help you accomplish your tasks seamlessly.
Best Laptops for Working From Home Comparison Table
For those of you who want to work from home, here are some things you should look for in a laptop. Keep these in mind as you shop for one. If you want to work comfortably, you need a screen that is both big and clear. If you want to connect a lot of different tools or external monitors, you need that many ports.
Feature | CPU | GPU | RAM | Storage | Display | Battery | Check Deal |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apple MacBook Pro 14 | M2 chip | M2 chip | 16GB | 512GB | 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display | Up to 17 hours | Check Deal |
Apple MacBook Air 15 | M3 chip | M3 chip | 32GB | 1TB | 15.5-inch Liquid Retina XDR display | Up to 20 hours | Check Deal |
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 | Intel Core i7-1280P | Intel Iris Xe Graphics | 16GB | 512GB | 14-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) IPS display | Up to 19 hours | Check Deal |
Dell XPS 17 | Intel Core i7-12700H | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti | 32GB | 1TB | 17-inch WQXGA+ (2560 x 1600) IPS display | Up to 19 hours | Check Deal |
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio | Intel Core i7-12700H | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti | 16GB | 512GB | 14.4-inch PixelSense touchscreen display | Up to 19 hours | Check Deal |
Best Laptops for Working From Home
There are a few features you should look for in a laptop if you plan to use it for working from home, so keep that in mind if you’re on the market for one. A screen that is both large and crisp makes it possible for you to work in comfort, and the variety of ports is essential if you wish to connect a number of different peripherals or external monitors.
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023)

Feature | Specification |
---|---|
Display | 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with mini-LED technology |
Processor | M2 Pro or M2 Max chip |
Memory | 16GB or 32GB unified memory |
Storage | 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB SSD |
Battery life | Up to 18 hours of video playback |
Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI port, MagSafe 3 port, headphone jack |
Check Price |
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 is a powerful laptop that is perfect for creative professionals and demanding users. It features a powerful M2 Pro or M2 Max chip, up to 64GB of unified memory, and up to 8TB of SSD storage. It also has a beautiful Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion technology, a long-lasting battery life, and a variety of ports, including Thunderbolt 4 and MagSafe 3.
The Good
- Incredibly fast performance from the M2 Pro or M2 Max chip
- Beautiful Liquid Retina XDR display
- Long battery life
- Plenty of ports
The Bad
- Expensive
- Notch on the display may be distracting to some users
- No SD card slot
Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)

Feature | Specification |
---|---|
Display | 15.2-inch Liquid Retina display |
Processor | M3 chip |
Memory | 16GB or 32GB unified memory |
Storage | 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB SSD |
Battery life | Up to 20 hours of video playback |
Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 4 ports, MagSafe 3 port, headphone jack |
Check Price |
The Apple MacBook Air 15 is a thinner and lighter laptop than the MacBook Pro 14, but it still offers plenty of power and performance. It features the same M2 chip as the MacBook Pro 14, up to 32GB of unified memory, and up to 2TB of SSD storage. It also has a beautiful Liquid Retina display, a long-lasting battery life, and a variety of ports, including Thunderbolt 4 and MagSafe 3.
The Good
- Lightweight and portable design
- Long battery life
- Beautiful Liquid Retina display
- Silent operation
The Bad
- No SD card slot
- No HDMI port
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11

Feature | Specification |
---|---|
Display | 14-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS display |
Processor | Intel Core i5 or i7 13th Gen processor |
Memory | 16GB or 32GB LPDDR5 RAM |
Storage | 512GB or 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD |
Battery life | Up to 19 hours of video playback |
Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI port, USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, headphone jack |
Check Price |
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 is a business laptop that is known for its durability, reliability, and security features. It is powered by up to a 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, up to 64GB of DDR5 memory, and up to 2TB of PCIe Gen 4 SSD storage. It also has a 14-inch WQXGA (2880 x 1800) IPS display with Dolby Vision, a long-lasting battery life, and a variety of ports, including Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, and USB-A.
The Good
- Long battery life
- Durable design
- Good performance
- Plenty of ports
The Bad
- Display could be brighter
- Some users may prefer a larger display
- No dedicated graphics card
Dell XPS 17

Feature | Specification |
---|---|
Display | 17-inch InfinityEdge display with FHD+ (1920 x 1200) or UHD+ (3840 x 2400) resolution |
Processor | Intel Core i5 or i7 13th Gen processor |
Memory | 16GB or 32GB LPDDR5 RAM |
Storage | 512GB or 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD |
Battery life | Up to 15 hours of video playback |
Ports | 4x Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI port, headphone jack |
Check Price |
The Dell XPS 17 is a powerful laptop with a large display. It is powered by up to a 13th Gen Intel Core i9 processor, up to 32GB of DDR5 memory, and up to 4TB of PCIe Gen 4 SSD storage. It also has a 17-inch InfinityEdge display with Dolby Vision, a long-lasting battery life, and a variety of ports, including Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, and USB-A.
The Good
- Large and beautiful display
- Good performance
- Plenty of ports
- Durable design
The Bad
- Expensive
- Heavy and bulky
- No SD card slot
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio

Feature | Specification |
---|---|
Display | 14.4-inch PixelSense Flow touchscreen display with 120Hz refresh rate |
Processor | Intel Core i5 or i7 13th Gen processor |
Memory | 16GB or 32GB LPDDR5 RAM |
Storage | 512GB or 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD |
Battery life | Up to 19 hours of video playback |
Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 4 ports, Surface Connect port, headphone jack |
Check Price |
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is a versatile laptop that can be used as a laptop, tablet, or studio. It is powered by up to a 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, up to 32GB of DDR5 memory, and up to 2TB of PCIe Gen 4 SSD storage. It also has a 14.4-inch PixelSense Flow display with Dolby Vision and a unique hinge that allows you to fold the screen back into tablet mode or studio mode.
The Good
- Unique design with multiple modes (laptop, tablet, and studio)
- High-refresh-rate display
- Good performance
- Long battery life
The Bad
- Expensive
- No SD card slot
Performance Requirements for Remote Work Laptops
When choosing a laptop for remote work, it’s essential to consider the performance requirements to ensure that it can handle your work tasks efficiently. The specific performance needs may vary depending on the nature of your work, but here are some general performance requirements for remote work laptops:
- Processor (CPU): Opt for a laptop with a modern, multi-core processor, such as Intel Core i5, i7, or AMD Ryzen 5, 7, or 9. The processor speed and number of cores should be sufficient for your work tasks.
- Memory (RAM): Aim for at least 8GB of RAM for general office tasks and web browsing. If your work involves multitasking, data analysis, or creative applications, consider 16GB or more.
- Storage Type: Choose a laptop with an SSD (Solid State Drive) for faster boot times and application loading. SSDs offer significant performance improvements compared to traditional HDDs (Hard Disk Drives).
- Storage Capacity: The storage capacity should match your work requirements. For most users, a 256GB or 512GB SSD is sufficient. If you work with large files or require ample storage, consider 1TB or more.
- Graphics: For general office work, integrated graphics are adequate. However, if your work involves graphic-intensive tasks like video editing or 3D modeling, consider a laptop with a dedicated GPU (Graphics Processing Unit).
Security Features in Laptops for Remote Work
Security features are crucial for laptops used in remote work scenarios to protect sensitive data and ensure a secure work environment. Here are some key security features to consider when selecting a laptop for remote work:
- Biometric Authentication: Fingerprint readers and facial recognition (e.g., Windows Hello) provide secure and convenient ways to unlock your laptop, protecting it from unauthorized access.
- Trusted Platform Module (TPM): TPM is a hardware-based security feature that stores encryption keys and helps protect sensitive data. Many modern laptops include TPM modules.
- BitLocker or FileVault (macOS): These built-in encryption tools can encrypt the entire hard drive, ensuring that even if the laptop is stolen, the data remains secure.
- Hardware-Based Security: Laptops with hardware security chips, such as Intel’s vPro platform or AMD’s security features, offer enhanced protection against threats like BIOS attacks.
- Smart Card Reader: Some laptops come with a smart card reader for two-factor authentication, providing an additional layer of security.
Questions and Answers
If the specifications of a desktop computer and a laptop are comparable, most experts would tell you that the desktop will be a more effective choice. However, since the specifications are the same, why is this the case? The explanation for this is because desktop computers typically include full-size components, which tend to be more powerful than their comparable equivalents that are meant for laptops.
For general computer use and internet browsing, we recommend 8 gigabytes of RAM; for spreadsheets and other office programs, we recommend 16 gigabytes; and for gamers and people who create multimedia content, we recommend at least 32 gigabytes. The amount of random access memory (RAM) that your computer requires is directly proportional to how you use it; thus, use this as a reference.