Best laptops of 2022

Whether you work from home, go to an office or just want something to keep yourself entertained, a good laptop is all but a necessity these days. But with so many brands and models to choose from, finding the right notebook for you can be overwhelming.

That’s where we come in. We extensively test the latest laptops on the market from the likes of Apple, Dell and Samsung in order to help you figure out what’s actually worth spending your money on. Whether you’re in search of the perfect MacBook, a tricked-out gaming notebook or just something basic for your daily emails, here are our picks for the best laptops you can buy now.

Cyber Monday Deal MacBook Air M2 Best Apple laptop Apple The MacBook Air M2 is the best Apple laptop for most people, perfect for everyday multitasking and able to handle a good amount of gaming and video editing. It's the fastest laptop you can get for the money, and an especially big upgrade if you're coming from an Intel-powered Mac. $1,199 $1,049 at Amazon From $1,199 at Apple

The best laptop overall: MacBook Air M2

The MacBook Air M2 is the new gold standard for Apple laptops, marrying some of the best performance we’ve ever seen in a notebook with an overhauled and attractive design that has lots of practical benefits.

The biggest refresh to the MacBook Air in over a decade, Apple’s new laptop ditches the iconic wedged look of old in favor of a more uniform chassis that’s in line with the latest 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros. And while it doesn’t appear slimmer than the M1 Air at first glance, it actually is, with pleasingly thin 11.3-millimeter edges and a 2.7-pound body that’s marginally lighter than its predecessor. That all translates to a laptop that we’ve found incredibly easy to pick up, and one that we barely felt in our backpack while on the go.

The M2 Air also adopts all of the modern niceties of the larger MacBook Pros, including the display. You get a noticeable amount of extra screen space compared to the previous MacBook Air (and the new M2 MacBook Pro) at 13.6 versus 13.3 inches, plus the M2 ditches the thick black borders of old for a thin, seamless bezel, while content still pops with plenty of color and detail.. Apple’s Magic Keyboard feels as great as ever on the latest Air, and you get satisfying, full-size function keys for making quick adjustments — no dreaded Touch Bar here.

Perhaps the biggest physical upgrade to the M2 Air is the revamped MagSafe charger, which, like on the bigger MacBook Pros, allows you to easily attach and detach the charging cable with a quick magnetic snap. On top of reducing the chances that your laptop goes flying after someone trips on your wire, the MagSafe port also frees up the two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports for your accessories. We still wish the MacBook Air’s port selection wasn’t so slim (the larger MacBook Pros have HDMI, an SD card reader and an additional USB port), but the addition of MagSafe is a welcome one — as is the nice color-matched braided cable and compact charging brick that includes an extra port for charging your phone.

Other notable upgrades include a 1080p webcam that looks marginally better than the 720p one on previous models, as well as a more robust sound system that pumps out rich (but not speaker-replacing) audio. And then there’s the Air’s new Apple M2 processor, which makes it one of the fastest laptops we’ve ever tested.

The MacBook Air M2 held up to our usual multitasking workload (a mix of email, video calls, Slack, Discord and way too many Chrome tabs) without ever breaking a sweat, and stayed cool and quiet during hours of light music production in Ableton Live. But our benchmark results tell the real story. The MacBook Air posted the highest single-core result we’ve ever gotten on Geekbench 5 (which measures general performance), and came impressively close to the new MacBook Pro M2 when it came to multi-core and graphics capabilities. We also saw roughly a 16% gain in overall performance scores compared to the MacBook Air M1 from 2020. You can certainly do some light gaming on this machine, though we saw low framerates and an excess of heat when running Shadow of the Tomb Raider at its maximum settings. That highlights one of the few advantages of the otherwise dated $1,299 MacBook Pro M2, which sports an internal fan for better sustained performance under pressure.

The MacBook Air M2 frequently got us through long workdays with plenty of battery to spare, largely matching up to Apple’s 18-hour battery rating. However, on our more intensive battery test, which consists of continuous 4K video playback, the MacBook Air’s 5 hours and 21 minutes of runtime fell to the new MacBook Pro by about 45 minutes. Expect great day-to-day endurance, but definitely keep a charger handy for gaming or video-editing sessions.

The new MacBook Air’s biggest caveat is its price — starting at $1,199, it’s $200 more expensive than the still-excellent MacBook Air M1. You’ll get marginally better performance from the M2 chip, but the real question is this: Are you willing to pay an extra $200 for a bigger display, a better webcam, a sleeker design and a useful MagSafe charger? If the answer is yes, and if you’re coming from an Intel-powered Mac or getting your first MacBook, then the MacBook Air M2 is the best laptop you can buy. But if you’re on a budget and can live without those modern conveniences, the $999 (and often discounted) MacBook Air M1 remains an excellent purchase.

Other laptops we recommend

Cyber Monday Deal Dell XPS 13 Best Windows laptop Dell The Dell XPS 13 is the best Windows laptop you can buy, offering a stunning display, a great keyboard and long battery life within an attractive, slim design that's easy to take anywhere. Read our review $999 $749 at Dell

Microsoft Surface Pro 8 Best 2-in-1 laptop Microsoft The Surface Pro 8 delivers fast performance, a vivid display and an excellent keyboard within a versatile, detachable design. It's also a much better value than the newer Surface Pro 9, which doesn't add much beyond slightly faster processors and an optional 5G variant. Read our review From $800 at Microsoft

Asus ROG Strix G15 Best gaming laptop Asus The Asus ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition offers the best combination of performance, battery life, features and value of any gaming laptop we've tested, all packed into an attractive and highly customizable design. Read our review $1,700 at Best Buy

How our recommendations compare

MacBook Air M2 Dell XPS 13 MacBook Pro 14-Inch Microsoft Surface Pro 8 Asus ROG Strix G15 Display 13.6-inch, 2560 x 1664 Liquid Retina display 13.4-inch, 1920 x 1200 display 14.2-inch, 3024 x 1964 Liquid Retina XDR display 13-inch, 2880 x 1920 display 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080 and 300 Hz display Processor Apple M2 12th Gen Intel Core i5 / i7 Apple M1 Pro or M1 Max 11th Gen Intel Core i5 / i7 AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX with AMD Radeon RX 6800M graphics Memory 8GB / 16GB / 24GB 8GB / 16GB / 32GB 16GB / 32GB / 64GB (M1 Max only) 8GB / 16GB / 32GB 16GB Storage 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB SSD 512GB / 1TB SSD 512GB / 1TB / 2TB / 4TB / 8TB 128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB 512GB Camera 1080p FaceTime HD 720p 1080p FaceTime HD 1080p front camera, 1080p rear camera with 4K video N/A Ports Thunderbolt 4 (2), MagSafe charging port, headphone jack Thunderbolt 4 (2), microSD card slot (USB-C to USB-A adapter included) Thunderbolt 4 USB-C (3), SDXC card slot, HDMI port, MagSafe charging port, headphone jack Thunderbolt 4 (2), Surface Connect port, headphone jack USB-C (1), USB-A (3), HDMI, Ethernet port, headphone jack Battery life (rated) Up to 18 hours Up to 12 hours Up to 17 hours Up to 16 hours 8 hours Size and Weight 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches, 2.7 pounds 11.63 x 7.86 x 0.55 inches, 2.59 pounds 12.31 x 8.71 x 0.61 inches, 3.5 pounds 11.3 x 8.2 x 0.37 inches, 1.96 pounds 13.8 x 10.2 x 1.1 inches, 5.5 pounds Price $1,099 $1,598 $1,999 $800 $1,700

How to choose the right laptop for you

While there are a number of factors to consider when choosing the right laptop, we advise that you start by figuring out how much display you need. Most laptops are available in display resolutions ranging from 1080p to 4K (3840 x 2160), and in screen sizes from 13 to 17 inches. Many Windows machines also offer optional touch displays.

We think a 13- to 15-inch laptop at 1080p is the sweet spot for most people, as you’ll get very good clarity and a decent amount of real estate within a machine that’s still fairly portable and reasonably priced.

Recommended specs

• Display: 13 inches to 15 inches at 1920 x 1080

• Processor: 12th Gen Intel Core i5 or i7, AMD Ryzen 5 5000 or Apple M1/M2

• RAM: 8GB or more

• Storage: 512GB or larger solid state drive

• Ports: At least two USB-C connections

A higher screen resolution means you can see more detail when using apps and watching movies, or get more screen real estate for apps (assuming you are willing to look at very small text), but it can also drive the price of a laptop up considerably. So a 4K display (or alternative display technology options like OLED, also available in very high screen resolutions) makes the most sense if you do a lot of graphics work or use your laptop as your main entertainment screen for movies and TV (though you’ll get the most benefit if you choose a 15-inch or larger display). Also think about how you’ll be using your laptop — a slim 13-inch notebook is ideal for working on the road, while a 17-inch machine isn’t quite as portable, but will get you more screen space (and possibly more power) for working at your desk.

Many Windows-based machines also offer optional touch displays, but we generally feel that you can skip this to save some cash. Unless you’re looking to carry only one device and are specifically looking for a 2-in-1 laptop that doubles as a tablet, we think a dedicated tablet does a better job at touch, and touch doesn’t add that much functionality to a laptop.

Many modern laptops are slim on connectivity options, usually packing a handful of USB-C ports in addition to a microSD card reader and a headphone jack. If you want a laptop that can connect to USB-A gadgets (and chances are you have a lot of those) as well as traditional HDMI cables for external displays, you’ll want to check out some of the thicker, business-class Windows notebooks out there from manufacturers like Acer and Lenovo. Alternatively, you can pick up a USB-C hub to augment your Mac or Windows laptop’s connectivity options.

Windows laptops come with a swath of processor options, but we consider the latest 11th Gen Intel Core i5 or the AMD Ryzen 5 5000 series to offer a good amount of performance for everyday multitasking for the price. And to back that processing power up, we recommend opting for at least 8GB of RAM to keep all of your apps running smoothly. If you’re someone who does heavy creative work such as video and photo editing, it’s worth considering Core i7/Ryzen 7 as well as 16GB to 32GB of RAM. And if you’re a gamer, you’ll need a laptop with discrete graphics, starting with at least an Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti or AMD RX 5600 XT.

Of course, you’ll also have to decide between Windows and Mac, which largely comes down to personal preference. Windows can be found on the largest range of laptops, including budget notebooks and powerful 2-in-1 workstations, and offers a better selection of gaming software. Meanwhile, macOS is limited to a handful of Apple’s own laptops, and is ideal for folks who already own lots of Apple products thanks to its ability to sync up with your iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Windows laptops can be found for as cheap as a few hundred dollars, whereas MacBooks occupy a premium middle ground that starts at $999 for the MacBook Air or $1,999 for the higher-end MacBook Pros.

How we tested

As with every CNN Underscored review, we rigorously test devices both quantitatively and qualitatively. For laptops, we made the decision to benchmark first to get a standard for quantitative performance. If you’ve read our standalone laptop, tablet or mobile phone reviews, these tests will be familiar.

On Windows laptops, we performed GeekBench 5 and PCMark 10 tests. These run the laptops through a series of workflows and application processes, many of which you’d find yourselves (and we found ourselves) completing on a daily basis. For Mac laptops, PCMark 10 is not available, so Geekbench 5 was performed. If a laptop is gaming-capable, we run it through the Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark to see how it’ll hold up against many of the best PC games.

Regardless of operating system, we put each laptop through our standard battery test, which involves charging the laptop to 100%, setting brightness to 50% and engaging airplane mode to ensure connectivity is off. We then loop a 4K video file with the sound set to 15% until the battery dies and the machine turns off.

The combination of battery and benchmark testing gives us a quantitative feel for the devices and a hard number for each that can be used for comparisons. We then used each laptop as our daily driver for work, play and entertainment tasks, testing the battery to see if it could last through a full day of tasks, watching a movie to get a feel for the display and, of course, running a bunch of different applications.

Others we tested

From $999 at Apple

The MacBook Air M1 was our best Apple laptop pick for nearly two years running and is still one of the best laptops you can buy. Its zippy M1 performance and long battery life continue to hold up against newer competitors, and its keyboard and display remain some of the best you can get at this price. We think the MacBook Air M2’s updated design, MagSafe charger and faster performance are worth the extra $200, but for those on a budget, the MacBook Air M1 is a fantastic value — especially since it’s often on sale.

From $1,299 at Apple

In terms of sheer performance, the MacBook Pro M2 is one of the best laptops we’ve tested. Its M2 processor runs circles around anything in its price range, and makes this machine ideal for intensive video editing and graphics work. It can also survive a full day of work on a charge, and endured close to an hour longer than the MacBook Air on our tests.

However, all of this awesome power is stuck in a dated design that looks and feels exactly like the last few iterations of the 13-inch MacBook Pro. That means you’re getting a Touch Bar you probably don’t want, a meh 720p webcam and the same old 13.3-inch Retina display with thick black borders around the edges. Those considering the 13-inch MacBook Pro should either opt for the MacBook Air M2 — which has similar performance and a much better design for $100 less — or splurge for the far more expansive 14-inch MacBook Pro.

From $1,000 at Microsoft

The Surface Laptop 5 is an extremely close runner-up for the title of best Windows laptop, offering a big, beautiful and uniquely tall screen; a great keyboard; and strong overall performance and battery life. But its design, while attractive, is a bit dated and bulky compared to the competition, and you’ll get better specs for the money on the XPS 13.

From $1,000 at Microsoft

The Surface Pro 9 retains everything great about the Surface Pro 8, but doesn’t add much. It’s virtually the same as the 2021 model, just with faster 12th Gen processors, a nixed headphone jack and an optional 5G configuration that makes serious performance sacrifices for always-on connectivity. Unless you need 5G or like the Pro 9’s color options, you’re better off saving your cash on the still-great Pro 8.

From $800 at Samsung

The Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 is an excellent 2-in-1 laptop, offering fast performance and more than 11 hours of battery life. If you’re deep into the Samsung ecosystem, you may find its plethora of preloaded first-party apps useful — but if you’re not, you’re looking at lots of bloatware. On top of the Book 2 Pro 360’s excess software and relatively low display resolution, we still prefer the Surface Pro 8’s more versatile, detachable design.

From $600 at Microsoft

The $600 Surface Laptop Go 2 is a very good pick for students or folks on a tight budget, offering dependable performance and just about the best build quality you can find for the price. However, you’ll realistically want to get the $699 model that comes with a more usable 8GB of storage and fingerprint reader. When you factor that in, we still think the $549 Dell Inspiron 14 is the best overall value for Windows users.

From $1,400 at Microsoft

In terms of sheer performance and versatility, the Surface Laptop Studio is arguably Microsoft’s best notebook yet. Thanks to its durable, flexible hinge, this 2-in-1 works well as a laptop for everyday multitasking, a sturdy drawing tablet and a stand-up display for giving presentations or watching movies.

It’s also the only Surface with optional discrete Nvidia graphics, making it ideal for demanding visual tasks and even some light PC gaming. However, with an expensive starting price that only gets higher if you opt for a dedicated GPU and more processing power, we’d only recommend this machine to artists, video editors and general power users.

From $400 at Microsoft

The Surface Go 3 packs a full Windows 11 experience and a surprisingly good webcam into a tiny 10-inch tablet, which turns into a comfortable mini laptop once you attach a Type Cover keyboard. However, its performance can be frustratingly slow at times, and its alluring $400 starting price quickly balloons closer to $800 once you configure it with a keyboard and halfway decent processor.

From $2,499 at Apple

The 16-inch MacBook Pro has everything we love about our upgrade pick in the 14-inch model, just with a larger screen and a few more configuration options for really maxing out the processor. It’s a great choice if those two things matter to you (and if you have the cash to spare), but we think the 14-inch MacBook Pro’s lower starting price and more portable design make it the better pick for most power users.

Read more from CNN Underscored’s hands-on testing:

The best laptops for 2022

We've tested and reviewed well over 500 laptops over the years, searching for the best of the best. But to earn the crown as best laptop in 2022, it needs to have it all: gorgeous design, killer performance, a productive keyboard, long-lasting battery life, and much more.

Each of the laptops below has been vetted thoroughly, whether it's an affordable Chromebook or a decked-out gaming laptop. Our pick for the best overall laptop, the Dell XPS 13, is the option we recommend to most people, but something from the list below should suit your needs.

Dell XPS 13 (9315)

The best laptop

The Dell XPS 13 is a gorgeous little laptop priced like no other. The base configuration tends to fluctuate in price, ranging between $749 and $999 so it works out as one of the cheapest ever XPS laptops. It has all the premium features like a comfortable keyboard, great touchpad, killer IPS screen and 512GB of storage. It's compact too with remarkably thin bezels although that does mean no more headphone jack. Its performance may be a little lackluster compared to other 12th-generation Intel-powered laptops but it's worth it given its price, great battery life, and great style.

Read our Dell XPXS 13 (9315) review.

Dell XPS 13 (9315) The best laptop

Apple MacBook Air M1

The best MacBook

The M1 MacBook Air might be two years old and since overtaken by the M2 MacBook Air, but it's fantastic value, especially for anyone seeking out the best MacBook. The game-changing M1 chip continues to transform the landscape, making this impressively powerful, yet offering insane amounts of battery life, all while being completely fanless. Two years on, there's still no Windows laptop that can compete. The only downside is that you can only connect to a single external monitor, but you do at least get two USB-C ports and a MagSafe 3 charging port. Simply put, there's a lot here for the price, and it's hands-down one of the best laptops for college students and anyone who does a lot of work on the move. It's also frequently on sale.

Read our Apple MacBook Air M1 review.

Apple MacBook Air M1 The best MacBook

Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3

The best Chromebook

Packing a lot in for an impressively low price, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 easily wins over all the best Chromebooks. Its 10.9-inch screen is even better than 1080p thanks to a 2000 x 1200 resolution. Super sharp, it's excellent for writing and reading text. It even achieves up to 400 nits of brightness so working near windows isn't an issue. There's also a 5-megapixel camera for reliable videoconferencing so this is ideal for working on the move. Excelling as a work or school device, you can delve into the best Android apps for ChromeOS without a hitch. Even better, at this price it rivals something like an iPad and beats it thanks to being a better system to work from.

Read our Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 review.

Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 The best Chromebook More

MacBook Pro 16-inch

The best laptop for photo and video editing

The latest MacBook Pro 16-inch makes up for its failings in the past such as by offering better cooling, a more extensive port selection, and no more Touch Bar. It goes further though thanks to its 120Hz mini-LED screen which is the best laptop screen we've ever seen, especially when viewing HDR content. There's also the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips adding discrete-level graphics to the already exceptional professor. Even HDR gaming on this screen in Resident Evil Village looks great -- an impressive feat for a Mac. Battery life is unrivaled thanks to lasting over 18 hours and easily beating competitors like the Dell XPS 15 or the Razer Blade 15. It's expensive but you get a powerful laptop for content creation, right down to its improved 1080p webcam and bassier speakers.

Read our MacBook Pro 16-inch review.

MacBook Pro 16-inch The best laptop for photo and video editing More

Razer Blade 14

The best gaming laptop

Somehow, Razer has squeezed a lot into a very thin 14-inch laptop. Capable of packing a RTX 3080 GPU, Ryzen 9 5900HX and 1440p screen with a 165Hz refresh rate, this is a stylish yet powerful gaming laptop. Even the 1080p model comes with an RTX 3060 GPU. This is also the only AMD Ryzen-powered Razer Blade 14 so you get the best battery life of any gaming laptop we've tested. It's expensive but eye-catching right down to its Razer logo and per-key RGB backlighting. You may prefer a larger gaming laptop like the Razer Blade 15 or Lenovo Legion 5 Pro but for something sleek yet powerful, the Razer Blade 14 feels like a miracle of design. Not the cheapest or the most powerful, it's a well-rounded system worthy of being the best overall gaming laptop.

Read our Razer Blade 14 review.

Razer Blade 14 The best gaming laptop More

Dell XPS 15 (9520)

The best Windows alternative to the MacBook Pro

While it's hard for the Dell XPS 15 to compete with the MacBook Pro 16-inch, this is the best Windows alternative. Its battery life may not be better but this is a gorgeous looking laptop. It uses a carbon-fiber weave texture across the keyboard deck and palm rests, creating a truly iconic look. Despite having a 15-inch screen, the overall size of the XPS 15 is far smaller than bulkier 15-inch laptops of the past. Four Thunderbolts and a full-sized SD card slot means you won't miss out here either. The standout feature is the choice of going up to a 12th-generation Intel Core i9 processor making this one of the best laptops for video-editing.

Read our Dell XPS 15 (9520) review.

Dell XPS 15 (9520) The best Windows alternative to the MacBook Pro

Microsoft Surface Pro 9

The best 2-in-1 laptop

The Surface Pro 9 is the latest model in Microsoft's 2-in-1 line. Even with the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 trying its best, it can't beat the might of Microsoft. There's the buttery smooth 120Hz display with the thin bezels we first saw in the previous model, ensuring a more polished product than before. It's also the first to offer both an Intel model and ARM configuration with the latter using the Microsoft SQ3 for better battery life and 5G connectivity. The latest 12th generation Intel model is there for those that want the best performance, so you've got plenty of options here depending on your needs.

Read our Microsoft Surface Pro 9 review.

Microsoft Surface Pro 9 The best 2-in-1 laptop

Lenovo ThinkPad Z13

The best business laptop

Business laptops don't need to look boring as demonstrated by the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 demonstrates. Its faux-leather lid looks classy and distinctive with just enough touches across the chassis to feel modern. it's also one of the best laptops to run on the new AMD Ryzen 6000 chips which means excellent performance and long-lasting battery life. Security features come baked-in but it's the battery life that really sells this for business needs. It lasts almost as long as anything Apple flavored at the moment. There's also a 1080p webcam for all your video call needs while you can even upgrade to an OLED model for an extra clear screen while you work. Excellent performance and great battery life with some neat features ensure the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is a reliable option for all your business needs.

Read our Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 review.

Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 The best business laptop

HP Spectre x360 13.5

The best HP laptop

The thin and light laptop world is a competitive market but the HP Spectre x360 13.5 shines through. It offers a unique yet elegant sense of style in conjunction with high-end components like a stunning OLED display, great battery life, and plenty of ports (including a headphone jack). Plenty fast and with support for multiple external monitors, it's a bit more expensive than other options but worth it. There's always the HP Envy x360 13 line if you want cheaper but with the same form factor, but it's worth investing in the premium nature of the Spectre x360. It has the looks of a M1 MacBook Air with the benefits of Windows.

Read our HP Spectre x365 13.5 review.

HP Spectre x360 13.5 The best HP laptop

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best laptop brand? Picking just one laptop brand as the best is a bit of a challenge lately. There are so many great laptops available today, and they come from several manufacturers. Hold our feet to the fire, though, and it's hard not to look at what Apple is doing with its MacBooks these past couple of years and stand in awe. The transition to Apple Silicon has been pretty effortless, and the flagship resulting laptops have been game-changers. But apart from Apple, we'll look at Dell, HP, and Lenovo leading the game in premium designs, refreshing new technology, and a wide-ranging span of laptops to choose from. Lenovo's ThinkPads are a powerhouse in the business world, while Dell's XPS brand has become iconic for its innovative approach to design. Asus isn't far behind with its Zenbook and ROG Zephyrus lines, though, often producing some of the most cutting-edge and inventive laptops on the market. What's a 2-in-1 laptop? A 2-in-1 laptop is one that isn't limited to the traditional clamshell configuration. Instead, a 2-in-1 can convert from a clamshell into some form of tablet PC that allows for natural inking and media consumption. The concept isn't brand-new — Microsoft sold a "Tablet PC" version of Windows as far back as 2001 that supported pen input, but it never caught on. As electronics have gotten more powerful and fit into smaller chassis, and capacitive touch and active pen technology have improved, the modern 2-in-1 has emerged. Microsoft kicked off the form factor with its Surface line in 2012, and most manufacturers followed with their versions. Today, you can pick from among a variety of different kinds of 2-in-1s. The most popular types are the tablet with a detachable keyboard, epitomized by the Microsoft Surface Pro 9, and the 360-degree convertible where the display flips around to turn into a (usually larger) slate, such as the HP Spectre x360 13.5. The main advantage of the tablet 2-in-1 is portability — tablets are extremely thin, light, and easy to carry around — while they also work best for drawing and taking notes on the pen-enabled display. The 360-degree convertible 2-in-1, on the other hand, isn't quite as handy as a tablet, but it tends to work better in clamshell laptop mode — especially when using it on the lap, where it's more stable than most detachable tablets. Should I buy a laptop or a tablet? As we mentioned above, you can get a tablet that can morph into a laptop just by attaching a keyboard. And so, if you really want the power of Windows in a form factor that's easier to carry around, then you can select a tablet 2-in-1. With the advent of Windows 11, it's finally starting to become a better software platform for tablets. If you want the utmost in simplicity and an even smaller device, then a pure tablet like the iPad can be great for web browsing, triaging email, consuming media, and other tasks that don't require the full power of a "real" PC. So, where doesn't a tablet work? If you're a hardcore gamer, need a laptop that can churn through video and huge photos, or do a lot of multitasking. Tablets are very thin and tend to use slower CPUs and integrated graphics that won't accelerate creative applications or power modern games. Meanwhile, the software on these devices isn't as full-featured as a desktop operating system like Windows 10 or macOS.

Editors' Recommendations

The 7 Best Laptops - Fall 2022 Reviews

If you only perform light productivity tasks like text processing, web browsing, and video playback, an ultraportable laptop might be a better fit. We recommend the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022), Apple's entry-level MacBook and the successor to the very popular M1 MacBook Air from 2020. This model has a new design, a better 1080p webcam, and a more powerful M2 SoC. The display looks sharp and gets bright enough for use outdoors, the keyboard is spacious and tactile, and the touchpad is just as responsive and even larger than its predecessor's. It still has two USB-C ports, but there's now a MagSafe charging port, which frees up the USB-C port you would otherwise use for charging.

Alternatively, you can go with the cheaper Apple MacBook Air 13 (M1, 2020), which is still available alongside the newer model. Although you're getting an older design with thicker bezels, it's still among the sleekest-looking laptops on the market. Plus, because it's an older model, it's often on sale. Its M1 SoC can still go toe-to-toe against newer CPUs and is more than powerful enough to handle general productivity tasks. The display is slightly dimmer than the M2 MacBook Air's, but it isn't a problem unless you're outside in the sun.

If you prefer a Windows machine, go with the Dell XPS 13 (2021), a 13-inch ultraportable laptop that provides a premium user experience. The base model comes with a 1080p display, which you can upgrade to a 4k IPS or OLED at the cost of shorter battery life. You can configure it with an Intel 11th Gen Core i3, i5, or i7, and up to 32GB of memory and 2TB of storage. The battery life isn't as good as the MacBook Air's, but still enough to get you through a typical school or workday. You get two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports with support for two 4k external displays at 60Hz.