The best laptops we've tested and reviewed: Look for these 8 models during October Prime Day

Your dream machine is out there — and potentially on sale.
By Haley Henschel  on 
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Overview

Best Windows laptop for most people

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, 13-inch

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Best MacBook for most people

Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch

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Best gaming laptop

Alienware m16 R2

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Best laptop for photo and video editing

Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch

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Best laptop for creative pros

Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2

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Best dual-display laptop

Asus Zenbook Duo (2024)

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See 3 More

Table of Contents

There's no such thing as a universal best laptop. Whether a laptop works well for you — and there could be several that fit the bill — is a largely subjective decision that comes down to your primary use cases, your preferred operating system, and your budget.

This is an annoying fact of life for both laptop shoppers and those of us doling out "best laptop" recommendations, since we can't make custom judgment calls for everyone in need of a new machine. (I would love to, but I've got a thing after this.) However, after spending countless hours reviewing popular laptops, we can confidently point you in the right direction of the best laptops that stand out for meeting important, impartial standards for performance and build quality.

We think these laptops will serve most people well, and at the very least, we think they can be useful archetypes within different categories of computers (from MacBooks to Windows PCs, budget laptops, gaming laptops, and Chromebooks). Don't start from square one if you don't have to, you know?

It's Prime time for laptop shopping

If you're particularly hung up on the "budget" part of laptop shopping, know that October is one of the best times to buy a laptop. Amazon is about to kick off the holiday shopping season with Prime Big Deal Days, a members-only "October Prime Day" sale on Oct. 8 and 9. (You can sign up for a free 30-day trial if you don't want to commit to a paid Prime membership.)

Normally slim on worth-it laptop deals, Amazon tends to pepper its listings with better-than-usual discounts during this 48-hour fall sale, giving extra attention to MacBooks, Chromebooks, and gaming laptops. We expect many models to fall to new or yearly lows that you probably won't see again until Black Friday really gets going.

Prime Big Deal Days has also spurred other tech retailers like Best Buy into running their own sales, which will feature competitive pricing on select items that match or beat Amazon's (giving diligent shoppers more opportunities to save). Cross-checking these offers will be your best line of defense against overpaying, but if you don't want to sift through the sea of sales yourself, Mashable is tracking the top October Prime Day laptop deals for you.

Need help picking the right laptop for your budget? Read on for Mashable's hands-on tested guide to the best laptops of 2024. FYI: We've listed the pricing and specs of our testing units, which may not apply to each laptop's base model.

UPDATE: Oct. 5, 2024, 5:00 a.m. EDT In October 2024, we removed the Framework Laptop 13 (13th Gen Intel Core) from this guide; it was previously our favorite repairable laptop. The pre-built version is no longer in stock now that Framework has replaced it with the Laptop 13 (Intel Core Ultra Series 1), which gets you a newer processor and a better webcam for $50 more. We'll be testing the updated model soon.

Our Pick

Read Mashable's full review of the 13-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7.

Who it's for:

The all-new Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 is an exceptional all-rounder for nearly anyone due for an upgrade — the ideal blend of performance, power efficiency, build quality, innovation, and overall value. The only reason you should pass on it is if your go-to apps aren't compatible with Windows on ARM.

Why we picked this:

Microsoft's new Qualcomm-powered clamshell laptop stunts on almost every other PC we've gotten our hands on this year. Our 13-inch, Snapdragon X Elite test unit went nearly 23 hours per charge, making it the longest-lasting laptop we've ever tried. It also nabbed the second-highest Geekbench 6 performance score in our entire testing database, zooming past every other laptop except for the Lenovo Legion 9i, an opulent gaming machine. (That includes all of current Macbooks; the only Apple device that's on par with it is the strapping new M4 iPad Pro.) If all that feels like overkill or its $1,999.99 price tag gives you sticker shock, know that it starts at just $999.99 with lesser specs.

Design-wise, the Surface Laptop 7 has a modern aluminum chassis that comes in four colorways and doesn't cling to fingerprints. Its bright display can hit a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, and its snappy keyboard is paired with a haptic touchpad. You can take your pick from two sizes, too: 13- or 15-inch, the latter of which includes a microSD card reader.

As a Copilot+ PC, the Surface Laptop 7 has a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to support a suite of AI features, including "Cocreator," a generative art tool in Microsoft Paint, "Live Captions," and "Windows Studio Effects" that can blur backgrounds and improve lighting on video calls. (There's also the somewhat sketchy history-saving "Recall" feature, which you'll have to personally enable.) You shouldn't buy this laptop for these tools alone, but Mashable tech editor Kim Gedeon found them to be "attention-stealing" fun when she tried them.

The Surface Laptop 7's Snapdragon CPU is both a blessing and a curse: As an ARM chip (as opposed to an x86 chip from Intel), it's not going to be compatible with certain apps and programs. This may be a big problem for students, as some Reddit users have pointed out. But if that's a non-issue for you, personally, move this machine to the top of your list. It easily earned our Mashable Choice Award, and it's not just our new favorite Windows laptop — it's our new favorite laptop, period. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but the Surface Laptop 7 is the better choice over M3 MacBooks" if you aren't loyal to any particular operating system, Gedeon wrote.

The Good

The Bad

Details

Read Mashable's full review of the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air.

Who it's for:

Apple's older M2 MacBook Air remains an excellent laptop despite losing its "best Macbook" title, especially now that its base configuration is only $999. (The arrival of the M3 version prompted a permanent $100 price drop.) But if you're not on a strict budget, the brand-new M3 model is the MacBook most people should buy in 2024. That includes "creatives, professionals, and students who need robust performance that can handle their multifaceted workflows," Gedeon said.

Plus, MacBooks like this often get Prime Day discounts, so look for markdowns at Amazon and other retailers.

Why we picked this:

The new 15-inch MacBook Air deserves way more fanfare than Apple gave it at launch. (Seriously? Just a blog post?) Its M3 chip was about 20 percent faster than the previous-generation M2 chip in our testing, and it brings new support for WiFi 6E as well as two external displays — though its lid has to stay closed when you use it that way. Plus, the midnight finish now comes with an anodization seal to avoid picking up fingerprints.

The M3 MacBook Air is otherwise a carbon copy of its predecessor, but that's actually a plus: Apple didn't need to change anything about its vibrant display, 1080p webcam, rich speakers, or snappy Magic Keyboard. (It could still use more ports and start with a bit more RAM, though.) Its price has also carried over from the M2 era. As a complete package, it's a decidedly "worthy refresh" that continues the MacBook Air line's Mashable Choice Award-winning streak, Gedeon said.

Note that the M3 MacBook Air also comes in a 13-inch size that starts at $1,099; it has two fewer speakers (four instead of six).

The Good

The Bad

Details

Read Mashable's full review of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3.

Who it's for:

Microsoft's Surface Laptop Go 3 is "ideal for students and busy-bee travelers in need of a portable notebook" with major style points, wrote Gedeon. It also goes on sale quite often, which makes it easier to rationalize its outdated internals.

Why we picked this:

Can you fall in love with a laptop based on its keyboard alone? It happened to Gedeon, who called the Surface Laptop Go 3's keyboard "one of the best" she's ever tested. It's the cherry on top of its excellent and ultra-portable design, which has the sort of lightweight, premium feel you'd expect from a higher-end machine. "[It] should be called 'Windows Air,'" said Gedeon.

The specs under the Surface Laptop Go 3's hood are decidedly more underwhelming, mostly because they're largely unchanged from those in 2022's Surface Laptop Go 2, our previous top budget pick (including the same dim touchscreen display and 720p camera). It is powered by a newer 12th-generation Intel Core CPU, but that's now two generations removed in 2024. And while its base model does have double the storage space and memory of the previous model, it's also more expensive. If you can, try to find it on sale for at least $100 off. (Fortunately, that happens frequently at Amazon and Best Buy.)

The Good

The Bad

Details

Read Mashable's full review of the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch.

Who it's for:

HP's Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch is a low-cost, large-screened laptop for those who work in the Google productivity ecosystem and watch a lot of YouTube in their free time. If you like numpads, all the better.

Why we picked this:

This HP Chromebook Plus is helmed by a huge, vibrant display that blew me away when I reviewed it: "The colors are intense, with good contrast and rich blacks, and an anti-reflective panel preserves that quality at most viewing angles," to quote my write-up. I loved using it for movie-watching and light gaming (via Xbox Game Pass). On the clock, it was fast enough to handle my daily workflow, which involves a lot of Gmailing and Google Meeting, though its battery life disappointingly drained before the end of my eight-hour shift. I also found it hard to listen to anything playing on it while naked-eared: Its speakers stink.

As one of eight new Chromebook Plus devices, this puppy comes with some interesting new software extras like File Sync, AI-powered webcam settings, and support for some multimedia tools (including Google Magic Eraser and Adobe Express). None of them felt revolutionary in my testing, but they're decent value-adds for such a cheap machine.

The Good

The Bad

Details

Read Mashable's full review of the Alienware M16 R2.

Who it's for:

Dell's latest Alienware m16 R2 is a competent, fairly priced Triple-A machine for those who usually wear headphones while gaming and rarely play on the go. Maybe you need a new everyday (non-gaming) laptop, too — know that it's also easily tone-down-able.

Why we picked this:

The m16 R2 might best be described as the Clark Kent of gaming laptops. Its 2024 redesign brings a smaller footprint (sans thermal shelf) and a "Stealth Mode" hotkey that ditches its RGB lighting, so it can be as subtle or showy as you'd like. It also includes an MUX switch that lets users switch between its integrated and dedicated GPUs for different tasks. (Nvidia's Advanced Optimus feature can do this automatically, too.) It's basically designed to lead a double life as an everyday workhorse and gaming champ.

Going deeper into the gaming front, our review unit "[output] impressive performance numbers on demanding games" for its mid-range specs, said Gedeon. (It packed an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU and an RTX 4070 GPU.) While its 240Hz display felt a tad bit dim to her, it was otherwise smooth and punchy: "I was impressed with the contrast and vivid colors" while playing CyberPunk 2077 on it, she wrote. Its springy keyboard and responsive touchpad also got her seal of approval.

Some of the bigger bummers about the m16 R2 are its tinny speakers, shoddy webcam, and lousy battery life; it only lasted 51 minutes in our video rundown test. It also weighs in at a hefty 5.75 pounds, so forget about taking it on the go — whether you use it for work or play, it'll shackle you to an outlet. Yet none of these were dealbreakers in the eyes of Gedeon, who ultimately deemed the m16 R2 "the ultimate RTX 4070 beast of a gaming laptop you can get." It's a Mashable Choice Award winner.

The Good

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Details

the 14-inch, m3 pro apple macbook pro on a wooden table next to a houseplant

Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch

Best laptop for photo and video editing

Read Mashable's full review of the 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro. You can also read our deep dive into the differences between the M3 MacBook Pro and M3 MacBook Air while you're at it, too.

Who it's for:

The M3 Apple MacBook Pro is probably overkill for casual users, and it can get expensive fast once you start adding more memory. That said, it's a great investment for creative professionals who run intense apps and software on a regular basis. And if you're on the fence, this device recently dropped to a record-low price ahead of Amazon's October Prime Day.

Why we picked this:

The M3 chipset in the current MacBook Pro "translates to an uptick in performance" over the previous M2 generation, wrote Gedeon, "whether you're diving into photo retouching, video editing, [or] other tasks." Its 10-core GPU features hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing so that games can render more realistic-looking lighting effects. And it's incredibly power-efficient: We got over 16 hours of battery life out of it.

On the outside, you're looking at a pretty standard MacBook Pro — albeit one with a bright and gorgeous 14-inch Liquid Retina XDR display; that's Apple-speak for a mini-LED screen with ProMotion technology, aka a 120Hz refresh rate. Gedeon called the accompanying speakers "immaculate," adding: "I see why the MacBook Pro is highly recommended for music producers, podcast hosts, and other audio-focused professionals." There's also a good array of ports built into its base, including an HDMI port and an SDXC card slot.

We do think Apple should add more RAM and a USB-A port the next time it revisits the MacBook Pro, but this was another Mashable Choice Award shoo-in.

The Good

The Bad

Details

Read Mashable's full review of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2.

Who it's for:

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is an unconventional and versatile machine for deep-pocketed professional artists. Gedeon also "[recommended] this laptop for differently abled users who could take full advantage of [its] adaptive touch trackpad feature."

Why we picked this:

The Surface Laptop Studio 2 is, as its name suggests, a laptop. But the unique pull-forward design of its 120Hz, 14.4-inch touchscreen display means it can also "transform into a digital easel and a tablet," said Gedeon, "[making] it an artist's playground." Just like its predecessor from 2021, it's fine-tuned for drawing, sketching, and other creative work — though it still doesn't come bundled with a stylus, which feels like a silly omission on Microsoft's part. (It does have built-in storage and charging for the Surface Slim Pen 2, at least.) Notably, though, its silky-smooth haptic touchpad has an adaptive touch mode for users with limited mobility; it's the same one on the Surface Laptop 7.

Things start looking more familiar once you move inside the Surface Laptop Studio 2, as far as higher-end laptops go. There's a desktop-grade Intel Core H-Series processor and an Intel Iris Xe graphics card in the base model, which you can opt to upgrade to a dedicated Nvidia GeForce RTX GPU for more oomph. It's not technically a Copilot+ PC, but it does have an NPU that equips its 1080p webcam with Windows Studio Effects. It also counts a microSD card reader among its ample array of ports. All that machinery means it's quite a bit heavy and doesn't last very long away from a power supply, so it'll probably pass on plein air doodling sessions in favor of staying parked on a desk.

The Good

The Bad

Details

Read Mashable's full review of the Asus Zenbook Duo (2024).

Who it's for:

Asus' latest Zenbook Duo is the tops for zealous multitaskers who need more screen real estate than a standard laptop can provide, but don't want to haul around a separate monitor. It'll also appeal to those who simply appreciate a good, fair value: It looks (and performs) like a machine that costs more than $1,500, a number that includes useful accessories to boot.

Why we picked this:

The Mashable Choice Award-winning Zenbook Duo features two bright OLED displays stacked on top of one another, a detachable Bluetooth keyboard that works with both of them, and a built-in kickstand that allows it to shift into different positions. This design could feel suuuper gimmicky if it wasn't executed smartly, but Asus nailed it — and for well under $2,000. "[Single]-display laptops are now cancelled," said Gedeon, who confessed to feeling "spoiled" after testing this one in her everyday workflow. "How can I work on my MacBook Air, my daily driver, without missing the masterful app-juggling capabilities of the Zenbook Duo?"

Speaking of MacBook Airs: The Zenbook Duo comes with a new Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor, which was as swift as Apple's M2 chipset in testing. (That's the one powering our current favorite "budget" MacBook.) Its quiet speakers and dull webcam won't wow anyone who's defecting from Team Apple to Team Windows, but those are minor gripes in the grand scheme of things. For productivity pros, the Zenbook Duo shines where it matters most: screens, speed, and selling price.

The Good

The Bad

Details

How we tested

Mashable staff subjected all of the laptops on this list to rigorous hands-on testing, which involved inspecting their build quality and using them as part of an everyday workflow for several weeks at a time. This included working in different kinds of documents, checking emails, watching videos, taking photos on their webcams, participating in video calls, listening to music (via Spotify), playing games (if possible), and experimenting with any unique features or use cases they claimed to support.

Additionally, all of the laptops featured here were made to run industry-standard benchmark software. We run these benchmarks because they replicate real-world tasks to produce scores we can use to easily compare different laptops' performance. We recently started implementing these benchmarks in our testing, and you can expect to see them in all of our new laptop reviews going forward.

Performance benchmarks

We evaluate a laptop's overall performance by running the appropriate version of Primate Labs' Geekbench 6. (That would be macOS for MacBooks; Windows for Windows laptops, including gaming laptops; and Android for Chromebooks.) This test measures CPU performance in a handful of common tasks, and we record the resulting multi-core score. The higher the score, the better.

To get a sense of gaming laptops' graphical prowess, we also play Cyberpunk 2077 on them. We picked this game because it's a graphically intense Triple-A title that pushes many systems to their performance limits. If the laptop has a discrete/dedicated Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics card (as opposed to an integrated GPU that's built into the CPU), we play Cyberpunk once with its DLSS tech off and again with DLSS on using the High preset without ray tracing. This tests the machine's raw GPU power and its performance with AI upscaling, respectively.

We follow this up with 3DMark's Time Spy benchmark for gaming PCs and record their scores. Again, higher is better.

Battery life benchmarks

We look to see about 11 to 12 hours of battery life in the MacBooks we test, with 15-plus hours being exceptional, and nine to ten hours in the Windows laptops we review, with 12-plus hours being ideal. Gaming laptops are a different story: They only need to last at least two hours per charge to get our approval, earning extra brownie points for reaching the four-hour mark. Meanwhile, eight hours is our baseline for Chromebooks, but nine to ten hours is best.

We've assessed laptops' stamina a couple different ways in the past. (More on that shortly.) On the Alienware M16 R2, Apple MacBook Pro, Asus Zenbook Duo, Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, and the Surface Laptop Studio 2, we ran UL Solutions' PCMark 10 battery life test. (The MacBook Pro ran it via Parallels Desktop, since there's not a native macOS version of PCMark 10.) This benchmark has the laptop complete a series of apps and functions until it conks out.

To test the battery life of the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch, we used the respective portion of Principled Technologies' CrXPRT 2 benchmark.

Lastly, we conducted a video rundown test on the MacBook Air and the Surface Laptop 7 that involved playing a looped 1080p version of Tears of Steel, a short open-source Blender movie, at 50 percent brightness.

In order to standardize our battery life testing methodology, we will only be using the Tears of Steel rundown on all MacBooks and Windows laptops from here on out. We'll stick with PCMark 10's battery life test for all gaming laptops and CrXPRT 2's test for Chromebooks.

Final thoughts

After evaluating a laptop's hands-on performance and benchmark testing results, we make our final recommendations based on whether we think they offer a good overall value for the money. A too-expensive laptop will sometimes get a pass if we think it looks and works so great that it's worth the trouble of finding it on sale.

It bears mentioning that these aren't the only laptops we've tried — we're constantly testing and assessing new models across different categories, and many don't make the final cut. With that in mind, you can expect this guide to evolve on a pretty continuous basis. We're always on the lookout for new top pick contenders.

Frequently Asked Questions


Ultimately, your budget should reflect your laptop's primary use case(s) and your preferred operating system. Here's what you can expect at different price ranges:

  • Laptops that cost $300 to $600 are budget Windows notebooks and Chromebooks reserved for word processing, web browsing, and email sending. Models on the lower end of this price range tend to be clunkers with pokey Intel Celeron N Series CPUs and eMMC storage; spending a little extra can get you a sleeker machine with a better entry-level processor, more battery life, SSD storage, and a backlit keyboard.

  • Laptops that cost $600 to $1,000 are mostly Windows models and high-end Chromebooks with crisper displays and mid-range CPUs that are good for schoolwork, streaming, and casual gaming.

  • Laptops priced at $1,000 to $1,500 are peppy Windows ultrabooks, MacBooks, and gaming laptops with plenty of storage space, bright, pretty displays, enough power for light photo and video editing, and great graphics.

  • Laptops that cost more than $1,500 are beautiful, beefy, and blazing-fast MacBooks Pros and Windows desktop replacements that can handle professional content creation and intense gaming.

If you want to stretch your budget beyond these usual constraints, bookmark our guide to the best laptop deals across major retailers and tech manufacturers: We update it biweekly with fresh discounts.


If you commute daily or travel often, a lightweight, slim, and compact laptop in the 11- to 13-inch range will serve you best. If you're a huge movie buff, a gamer, or a creator who doesn't normally take their laptop on the road with them, you can bulk up to a 15- to 17-inch model with heft that affords it more power.


You get what you pay for, but some brands' budget laptops can take you pretty far these days, and certain use cases don't necessitate the latest or most powerful specs. For more intel, check out our guides to the best cheap laptops and the best budget laptops under $500.

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Haley Henschel
Senior Shopping Reporter

Haley Henschel is a Chicago-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable who reviews and finds deals on popular tech, from laptops to gaming consoles and VPNs. She has years of experience covering shopping holidays and can tell you what’s actually worth buying on Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. Her work has also explored the driving forces behind digital trends within the shopping sphere, from dupes to 12-foot skeletons.

Haley received a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and honed her sifting and winnowing skills at The Daily Cardinal. She previously covered politics for The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, investigated exotic pet ownership for Wisconsin Watch, and blogged for some of your favorite reality stars.

In her free time, Haley enjoys playing video games, drawing, taking walks on Lake Michigan, and spending time with her parrot (Melon) and dog (Pierogi). She really, really wants to get back into horseback riding. You can follow her on X at @haleyhenschel or reach her via email at [email protected].

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