Best laptop for working from home June 2023

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REASONS TO BUY
REASONS TO AVOID
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Best Laptops for Working from Home
(Image credit: Future)

We’ve rounded up the best laptops for working from home (or WFH, as the cool kids put it).

If hybrid working is en vogue in the startup you work at, and if you want to get a laptop that fits your lifestyle, then we’ve got you covered. Whether you want something powerful and big, entrenched in the Mac ecosystem, something very portable, or something in between, there’s a working-from-home laptop to fit the bill right now. 

Remember that your business laptop may need matching accessories (business keyboards and mice, a best business monitor, best standing desk, printers, and office chairs) and matching services, which we’re particularly attuned to in this listicle.


The best laptop for working from home

The best laptop for working from home right now (June 2023)

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MacBook Pro 14-inch (2023) in a studio with lid partially closed showing Apple logo

Apple’s flagship laptop made for creators (Image credit: Future)
Apple’s flagship laptop made for creators

Specifications

CPU: Apple M2 Pro (12-core) – Apple M2 Max (12-core)
Graphics: Up to 38-core integrated GPU
RAM: Up to 96 GB unified memory
Screen: 16-inch, 3456 x 2234 Liquid Retina XDR display (mini-LED, 1,000 nits sustained brightness, wide color P3 gamut, ProMotion technology)
Storage: 512 GB – 8 TB SSD
Ports: 3 x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), HDMI, SDXC card
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3

Reasons to buy

+
Upgraded M2 chips
+
20 hours battery life
+
Incredible screen

Apple continues to push the boundaries of speed and efficiency with its silicon chips, and this machine offers its latest and best M2 chipsets. With an incredible 20 hours of battery life, you could go without needing a charge for a couple of days worth of work.

This machine is a refinement instead of redesign of the MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021) model. You’ll find 3 USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port that now supports 8K at 60 Hz, an SDXC card slot, and an audio jack. The best-in-class Liquid Retina XDR 16.2-inch screen with 120 Hz ProMotion adaptive refresh rates is stunning.

The base model M2 offers plenty of power at a decent price point for what you’re getting. Like many Apple products, there are options to add extra horsepower but expect to pay a pretty penny for those performance increases.

Read our full MacBook Pro 16-inch (2023) review

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A Dell XPS 17 (2022) on a table

Sleek and powerful (Image credit: Future)
Sleek and powerful

Specifications

CPU: 12th Gen Intel Core i5-12500H – 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900HK with vPro, 13th Generation Intel® Core™ i9-13900H
Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics – NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080
RAM: 8GB, 1x8GB, DDR5 – 64 GB, 2 x 32 GB, DDR5
Screen: 17", FHD+ 1920 x 1200, 60Hz, Non-Touch, Anti-Glare, 500 nit, InfinityEdge – 17.0", UHD+ (3840 x 2400) InfinityEdge Touch Anti-Reflecitve 500-Nit Display
Storage: 512 GB, M.2, PCIe NVMe, SSD – 8 TB (2 x 4 TB), M.2, PCIe NVMe, Solid State Drive
Ports: 4 x Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) with DisplayPort and Power Delivery, 1 x Universal audio jack, 1 x SD-card slot
Connectivity: Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6 1675 (AX211) 2x2, Bluetooth 5.2

Reasons to buy

+
Sleek design and build quality
+
Great trackpad
+
Long lasting battery
+
Massive 17-inch screen

Reasons to avoid

-
Limited port options
-
Expensive upgrades

While it may not offer high-end gaming specs, you can plow through a day's work comfortably and in style. The Dell XPS 17 is a beautiful machine offering a massive 17-inch screen. But it’s not just a sleek-looking machine, it packs power under the hood with 12th and 13th Gen Intel processor options and up to 64 GB of DDR5 RAM.

It’s not as portable as some other options in our lists but it isn’t otherwise unwieldy, and with an aluminum chassis and frame, ultra-slim bezels, and carbon fiber palm rest, this machine looks and feels great. The large trackpad is also one of the best on a Windows laptop for those times you’re away from a desk and doesn’t have your mouse with you.

Battery life is quite impressive, coming in at 10+ hours for lighter workloads, especially when you consider what it’s powering. Along the edge, you’ll find 4 USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, a full-sized SD card slot, and an audio jack. We’d love to see ports for USB Type-A, HDMI, and maybe LAN connections, but Dell chose to sacrifice these additional ports to keep this machine as thin and sleek.

Read our full Dell XPS 17 review.

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Lenovo ThinkPad T16 Gen 1

Best laptop for data entry (Image credit: Future)
Best laptop for data entry

Specifications

CPU: Up to Core i7
Graphics: Up to NVIDIA GeForce MX550 2GB GDDR6
RAM: Up to 48GB (16GB soldered + 32GB SO-DIMM) DDR4-3200
Screen: 16-inch, 16:10, (1920x1200)
Storage: Up to 2TB M.2 2280 SSD (one drive)
Ports: Optional Smart card reader, 2 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, RJ45, 2 x Intel Thunderbolt 4, 1 x HDMI 2.0, Headphone / mic combo, SIM card slot
Connectivity: Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 2x2 AX, Bluetooth 5.1 or above, Fibocom L860-GL-16 4G CAT16, 4G/LTE (CAT4)

Reasons to buy

+
16-inch 16:10 screen
+
Long battery life
+
Durable MIL-STD 810G rating
+
Great keyboard

Reasons to avoid

-
Trackpad can be a clunky experience
-
Limited Thunderbolt 4 ports

The newest addition to Lenovo’s ThinkPad T series of laptops, the T16 offers an enjoyable work experience with a beautiful display, long-lasting battery, great keyboard, and durable design.

The ThinkPad T16 will be a favorite for those who need to view and work with large amounts of data. Its large 16-inch 16:10 display provides an extra bit of screen real estate that provides a few extra rows of viewing space in spreadsheets and documents. Pair that with a full keyboard and numpad, and you have a machine built for data entry, accountants, and those needing to interact with large quantities of data simultaneously.

Made for durability, the T16 passed MIL-STD 810G durability testing and is ready for expeditions beyond your desk or couch. Lenovo has also built great security features such as ThinkShield, camera shutter, fingerprint scanner, and Windows Hello for facial recognition and Self-Healing BIOS.

Well-balanced in size and weight and offering a rich feature set, the Lenovo ThinkPad T16 will meet the needs of many looking for a great Work from Home laptop.

Read the full Lenovo ThinkPad T16 Gen1 Laptop review.

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An HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook on a wooden desk

Best Enterprise Chromebook (Image credit: Future)
Best Enterprise Chromebook

Specifications

CPU: 12th Gen Intel Core i3-1215U – 12th Gen Core i7-1265U vPro
Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
RAM: 8GB - 32GB
Screen: 13.5" Anti-Glare WLED+LBL UWVA WUXGA+ (1920x1280) Touchscreen, 400 nits
Storage: 128GB – 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
Ports: 2 x Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, PD, DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x SuperSpeed USB Type-A, 1 x Stereo headphone/microphone combo jack, 1 x HDMI 2.0
Connectivity: Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (2x2), Bluetooth 5.3

Reasons to buy

+
Great performance
+
Beautiful display
+
Optional 5G/LTE connectivity

Reasons to avoid

-
Expensive for a Chromebook
-
Enterprise security costs extra

Not everyone needs Windows, and if you’re in the market for an enterprise-grade machine, the HP Elite Dragonfly has plenty to offer that makes it worth considering. By offering 12th Gen Intel vPro processing options, HP provides IS/IT departments the ability to provide multi-layered security for employees’ hardware.

With up to i7-1265U processing power, 32 GB of RAM, and Iris Xe graphics, the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook offers plenty of computing power for all-day work. HP includes a year-long subscription to Parallels for Chrome OS for those still needing to run legacy Windows apps. 

While this laptop gets pricey at the top end of the SKUs compared to its Windows counterparts, it has plenty of reasons to consider it a viable work-from-home laptop.

Read our full HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook review.

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Asus ROG Strix SCAR 17 G733

Work hard, play hard. (Image credit: Future)

5. Asus ROG Strix SCAR G834JY

Work hard, play hard.

Specifications

CPU: 13th Gen Intel Core i9-13980HX
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
RAM: 32 GB DDR5
Screen: 18-inch ROG Nebula Display QHD+ 16:10 (2560 x 1600, WQXGA), 240Hz, Dolby Vision HDR, Pantone Validation
Storage: 1TB + 1TB PCIe® 4.0 NVMe™ M.2 Performace SSD (RAID 0)
Ports: 1 x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C support DisplayPort, PD, G-SYNC, 1 x 2.5G LAN port, 1 x Thunderbolt 4 support DisplayPort, G-SYNC
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E(802.11ax), 2*2 + Bluetooth 5.2

Reasons to buy

+
Premium specs
+
Impressive screen
+
Build for high end graphics

Reasons to avoid

-
Short battery life
-
Heavy when including power supply
-
Fan can get loud

Newly released for 2023, the Asus ROG Strix SCAR G834JY boasts an incredible array of specs that promise to make this machine rocket to the top of wishlists. While built with gamers in mind, we can see this machine used by 3D designers, video editors, and other graphics-intensive workloads to rip through a day’s worth of work and not break a sweat. 

The G834JY has a 13th Gen Intel Core i9-13980HX processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU. RAM tops at 64 GB of DDR5-4800 MHz memory and comes equipped with 2 TB of PCIe 4x4 configured in RAID 0.

As if that’s not enough, Asus has added an enormous 18-inch QHD+ 16:10 (2560 x 1600, WQXGA)  Dolby Vision HDR screen with a 240 Hz refresh rate, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, and Pantone Validation. Paired with a screen you’re likelier to find on a desktop model. This machine also boasts a 4 speaker Dolby Atmos sound system.

Users might find the Asus ROG Strix SCAR G834JY lacking in its connectivity. There’s only 1 x Thunderbolt 4 port and 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port. It offers 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, HDMI 2.1 FRL, 2.5G LAN, and a 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack. 

What you gain in speed and an incredible viewing experience, you lose in portability. Weighing in at 6.83 lbs for the laptop and close to 2.5 lbs for the 330W power brick, this machine beast totals over 9 lbs. If you’re leaving it at a desk, no problem, but some might find it unwieldy to port around town.

For those looking at the latest and greatest to power their next creative project, the Asus G834JY makes a pretty compelling case to climb to the top of the best Work from Home laptops to consider. 

At the time of this writing, Asus shows this to be out of stock on their site, and you can sign up for a waiting list.

We’ll post a full review of the Asus ROG G834JY when we’re able.


Frequently Asked Questions

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What makes a great Working from Home laptop?

The flexibility to work from literally anywhere makes Working from Home an incredibly attractive proposition. Your home workspace may be a dining room table, a standing desk, or a lounge chair by the pool, and the machine you choose could be the difference in your productivity.

While the best Working from Home laptops aren’t any different than the best business laptops, there are a few things you’ll want to consider to help you make the right decision. First and foremost, the type of work will dictate the machine's specs. Are you replying to emails, writing articles, and doing data entry, or does your work require graphics and processing intensive power such as compiling code, 3D modeling, 4K video editing, and graphic design? 

Your usage needs will dictate CPU, graphics card, RAM, screen size, and storage space requirements, along with considering your connectivity options based on what peripherals you’ll need to connect such as monitors, keyboards, external storage drives, and networking. Additionally, IT departments may require certain security features only specific laptops offer. 

The best Working from Home laptop will provide the right balance of processing power, battery life, viewing experience, operability (think typing and port location), and connectivity.

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How we test business laptops

We know that choosing the best Working from Home laptop for your company and employees can be a daunting task. That’s why we do the hard work for you and report back on what makes smart, cost-effective, and productive choices for you.

Our team of experienced reviewers uses a thorough and objective approach when testing to ensure that our reviews are comprehensive and accurate. We aim to give our readers the information they need to decide which business laptop is right for them.

For more on how we test business laptops, check out our in-depth how we test page.

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Are there other operating system options besides Windows?

Of course! Besides Windows, other options exist, such as Mac OS, Chrome OS, and Linux. There are others available as well that run modified mobile OS systems. Be mindful that while many business applications offer various builds to run on different operating systems, some are limited to only running on certain systems. We recommend compiling a list of required software and checking the developers’ websites to ensure each application is supported on the laptop(s) you’re looking at.

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Can business laptops be used for working from home?

In short, absolutely. Business laptops these days have been used for working from home in many cases or a wide range of different jobs. Everything from accounting to journalism, graphic design, or project management. Fundamentally, nothing is challenging about using a business laptop to work from home, especially if it is to work for the business that gave you the laptop. The one issue could potentially be accessing a secure network, but even that is not a limitation of the laptop but rather a limitation put in place by the business. Part of the beauty of a laptop is the ability to bring it with you anywhere.

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What makes a great Work From Home Setup?

There's a lot to consider when setting up your home office space. You’ll want to first choose the setting for you to do your best work. Is that your dining room table, a standing desk in a room with a door you can close, or do you need to move from location to location? You’ll also want to consider lighting, both natural lighting from windows and room lighting, to create an optimal workspace and viewing experience. Also, consider how you’re connecting to the internet. Do you have a powerful enough Wi-Fi router or need to hardwire via ethernet? What about adding a second or third, monitor? Is your setup ergonomic and functional for a full day’s work? Taking time to consider all your requirements upfront will help you create the optimal work-from-home space that offers all the benefits of working remotely and keeps you productive.


Collin Probst
B2B Hardware Editor, TechRadar Pro

Collin is the B2B Hardware Editor for TechRadar Pro. He has been in journalism for years, with experience in small and large markets, including Gearadical, DailyBeast, FutureNet, and more.


Collin is an experienced individual who has an abundance of knowledge when it comes to all things professional hardware. He is the go-to subject matter expert for TechRadar Pro and focuses on standing desks, office chairs, business laptops, "pro" monitors, and other similar topics. With his in-depth understanding of these areas, Collin can provide invaluable insights and advice to readers looking to make informed decisions about their hardware investments.

With contributions from