1. The list in brief
2. Best overall laptop
3. Best Chromebook laptop
4. Best value laptop
5. Best Windows 11
6. Best 15-inch laptop
7. Best budget laptop
8. Best for work
8. Best 2-in-1 laptop
9. Best for gaming
10. Best large screen
11. Best OLED laptop
12. Best cheap gaming laptop
13. How to choose
14. How we test
Looking for the best laptops in 2023? Then you've come to the right place. I've been reviewing laptops for over 15 years now, so I know a good laptop when I see one! And I can easily recommend the 13-inch MacBook Air (M2). In both its 13-inch – and 15-inch – versions, Apple’s thin and light laptop leads the pack thanks to a stylish and modern design, fantastic screen, brilliant performance and exceptional battery life. The 13-inch model is particularly good value as well, and it's had a few choice price cuts since the larger version launched.
Don't fancy a MacBook? Don't worry, we‘ve got plenty of other options, and have put every laptop on this page through a rigorous review process that looks at the build quality of each device, while running benchmarks that push them to their limits to see just how powerful the laptop is - and how long their batteries can last.
Of course, these tests only tell a part of the story - so we also spend time (usually a few weeks) using them throughout the day to really get an idea about how good they are - so we can give you laptop buying advice you can really trust.
What to look for
Battery life: Arguably the most important thing to look for when buying a new laptop is battery life, as there’s nothing worse than being stuck with a laptop that dies after only a few hours when unplugged. For pure battery life, Chromebooks are the best laptops you can buy – but Apple’s latest MacBooks with M1, M2 and brand-new M3 chips come close, offering well over 10 hours of battery life.
Performance: When looking to buy the best laptop for your needs, you should consider the performance a potential purchase offers. You don’t want to be stuck with a laptop that starts lagging after a few years. For Windows laptops, look to get one with a modern 13th generation Intel processor, or AMD Ryzen 7000 series. With a MacBook, go for an M1, M2 or new M3 model – which are Apple’s powerful chips made specially for its laptops.
You should also go for a minimum of 8GB of RAM, though 16GB is more future-proof. For Chromebooks, however, 4GB of RAM is fine.
Matt has been reviewing laptops for the best part of 15 years, and has been using them for a lot longer. That means he knows the essential ingredients that make the perfect laptop – long battery lives, dependable performance, solid designs and above all value for money. He’s personally reviewed and used most of the laptops on this page.
The quick list
Want to cut to the chase and find out what the best laptops are? Below, you’ll find a roundup of our choices, and you can jump to a more detailed review of every pick, along with our price comparison tool to help you find the best deals.
The best laptop overall
Apple proves that you can improve on perfection with the 13-inch MacBook Air. With a thinner design, bigger screen and M2 chip, it's the laptop to beat.
The best Chromebook
This 2-in-1 Chromebook offers incredible value for money, with a stunning OLED display and detachable keyboard making it perfect for students.
The best value laptop
The MacBook Air M1 remains a firm favorite, and an obvious choice if you want a top-end portable laptop for less than the MacBook Air M2's price.
The best laptop for Windows 11
The Dell XPS 13 is a brilliant 13-inch laptop that runs Windows 11. It's thin, light and one of the most stylish laptops you can buy in 2023.
The best 15-inch laptop
Apple's recent 15-inch version of the MacBook Air comes with the same M2 chip as the smaller model higher up this list, but with a gorgeous new screen.
The best budget laptop in the world
If you're after a budget Windows 11 laptop then this is the one to get, offering good performance, a stylish design and a low price.
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The best laptop for productivity
Want the best laptop for productivity? The brand new 16-inch MacBook Pro gives you a choice of M3 Pro and M3 Max chips for incredible performance.
The best 2-in-1 laptop
Thanks to its unique dual-screen design, the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i is an innovative take on the 2-in-1 that's especially useful for productivity.
The top laptop for gaming
Modern gaming laptops don't need to be big and bulky, as the Razer Blade 14 proves with aplomb. If you want a portable gaming device, get this.
The best large-screen laptop
Looking for a huge screen to boost your productivity? The Dell XPS 17 combines the slim design of other XPS laptops with a 17-inch screen.
The best OLED laptop
OLED screens looks gorgeous on laptops, and the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra is a top example of the difference it makes. It's slim, light and portable, too.
