Top 10 Laptops for 2024

Explore the top laptops of 2024 with our comprehensive buying guide, perfect for those considering a new device in the new year. Anticipate a year filled with cutting-edge laptops tailored to meet your diverse computing requirements. Whether you seek a dependable, lightweight Chromebook or a high-performance workstation for editing and productivity, our selection is based on thorough reviews and testing conducted by Laptop Mag.

My laptop recommendations consider factors like rating, pricing, and use case. We subject each laptop to rigorous synthetic tests and real-world scenarios, evaluating overall performance, display brightness, keyboard comfort, and more. Additionally, our in-house battery test provides insights into the battery life of these laptops. Any laptop featured on this page is deemed the best of the best and a worthwhile investment of your hard-earned money. Read on to discover more about our top-rated laptops and find the perfect match for your needs.

1. MacBook Air M2 – THE BEST OVERALL

Sleek Design: A mere 0.4 inches thick, making it one of the thinnest laptops available.

M2 Chip Performance: Delivers a powerful performance, surpassing its predecessor and outshining Windows counterparts.

Display Quality: Bright and colorful 13.6-inch display enhances the overall user experience.

Battery Life: Impressive battery life exceeding 14 hours based on extensive testing.

The MacBook Air M2, Apple’s smallest laptop weighing a mere 2.7 pounds, emerges as the best choice for many users. Its sleek design at 0.4 inches thick hides the power of the M2 chip, outperforming Windows laptops in various benchmarks. Boasting a vibrant 13.6-inch display, a comfortable keyboard, and an impressive 14+ hours of battery life, it offers a compelling package.

Benchmark Dominance: Outperforms in Geekbench 5.4, Handbrake video transcoding, and BlackMagic Read/Write tests.

Affordability: Offers remarkable performance at a relatively affordable price, especially for a MacBook.

1080p Webcam: Includes a high-quality webcam for enhanced video communication.

Limited Ports: Only two Thunderbolt/USB-C ports, which might be a limitation for users with multiple peripherals.

SSD Speed: The SSD operates at a slightly slower speed than optimal.

In conclusion, the MacBook Air M2 stands out as a compelling choice for those seeking an ultra-lightweight laptop with significant power, combining style and performance.

2. Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (Q409ZA) – BEST UNDER $1,000 LAPTOP

Pros:

Great battery life.

Striking 90Hz display at an affordable price.

Beautifully vibrant display with crisp detail.

Cons:

Relatively expensive.

Presence of an off-putting notch.

Lack of Face ID feature.

The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (Q409ZA) stands out with Asus’ proprietary Number Pad 2.0, transforming the touchpad into a num pad at the touch of a button. The laptop boasts a stunning 2.8K resolution display, ideal for watching movies or videos, and offers ample ports for connectivity.

While the Intel Core i5-1240P CPU and Intel Iris Xe graphics provide decent performance, it falls slightly short of a Core i7 CPU. Despite benchmark results not standing out, real-world multitasking proves smooth, lasting 10 hours and 52 minutes on the battery test. The only notable drawback is the mushy keyboard.

3. The Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED

Top Features:

Striking design, considered one of the best-looking ultrabooks.

Excellent keyboard and touchpad for enhanced usability.

Stunning 13.3-inch OLED display that adds to the device’s visual appeal.

Drawbacks:

Middling overall performance compared to some competitors.

Battery life is only decent, not excelling in this aspect.

Thermal throttling may affect prolonged usage.

The Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED (2023) is hailed as the best ultraportable laptop, boasting a sleek design and impressive features. Powered by an Intel Core i7-1355U processor and equipped with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, this ultrabook stands out for its stunning 13.3-inch OLED display. Despite its thin profile at 2.2 pounds and 0.43 inches, it packs a punch in terms of performance, suitable for most productivity tasks and even some creative endeavors like photo editing. However, it falls short of being a MacBook Air killer due to its U-series processor designed for efficiency rather than top-tier performance. The review highlights the Zenbook S 13’s aesthetic appeal, excellent keyboard and touchpad, but notes its middling performance, decent battery life, and thermal throttling as drawbacks.

4. The Dell XPS 15

Design: The XPS 15 boasts a slick and elegant design.

Performance: Equipped with an Intel Core i7-13700H processor and 32GB RAM, it excels in overall and gaming performance.

Display: The vivid 15.6-inch OLED display enhances visual experience.

Competitive Edge: Outperformed competitors with a notable score of 12,171, surpassing the premium laptop average.

Multimedia Machine: The 3.5K OLED touchscreen and impressive speaker setup position it as a serious multimedia machine.

Video Transcoding: Efficiently transcodes a 4K video to 1080p in 5 minutes and 1 second, outperforming rivals.

Battery Life: Lasts 8 hours and 58 minutes on the Laptop Mag Battery Test, slightly below the average but longer than 8 hours.

Versatility: While excelling in creative tasks, it also serves as a powerful productivity machine and a passable gaming rig.

Drawbacks:

Keyboard: The keyboard is criticized for being mushy.

Battery Life: Though exceeding 8 hours, the battery life is below the premium laptop average.

The Dell XPS 15 (9350) stands out as a high-performance laptop with impressive specifications. Featuring an Intel Core i7-13700H CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, 32GB RAM, and a 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD, it offers powerful computing capabilities. The 15.6-inch 2160 OLED display enhances the overall experience. Despite its sleek design and great performance for both creative and gaming tasks, it does have some drawbacks such as a mushy keyboard and a battery life slightly below average.

5. Asus ROG Strix Scar 18

Impressive overall and gaming performance.

Flashy, futuristic design.

Captivating 18-inch, 2560 x 1600 display with a 240Hz refresh rate.

Powerful combination of 13th Gen Intel Core i9-13900HX and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPU.

Dual 1TB SSDs in RAID 0 configuration for exceptional benchmark results.

The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 stands out as the best gaming laptop with impressive overall and gaming performance. It features an 18-inch, 2560 x 1600 display with a 240Hz refresh rate, providing buttery smooth rendering for intense gaming moments. Powered by the 13th Gen Intel Core i9-13900HX and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPU with 16GB of VRAM, this laptop delivers exceptional power and overclocking capabilities. The dual 1TB SSDs in RAID 0 configuration contribute to outstanding benchmark results in both overall and gaming performance.

While the laptop excels in most aspects, it faces challenges in the file transfer test and has a below-average battery life of about 4.5 hours. The 720p webcam is a notable downside, especially considering the high price tag of nearly $4,000. Despite these minor drawbacks, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 remains the gaming laptop to beat, thanks to its flashy design, captivating display, and unparalleled gaming prowess.

6. Lenovo Yoga 9i (Gen 8) – Top 2-in-1 Laptop

Pros:

1. Breathtaking 2.8K OLED display
2. Great productivity performance
3. Blisteringly fast SSD

Cons:

• Display could be brighter

Considered the most improved player on the list, the Lenovo Yoga 9i (Gen 8) outshines its predecessor with a 13th Gen Intel Core i7-1360P CPU, surpassing the Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360 in both performance and battery life. With a remarkable score of 9,954 compared to the Galaxy Book 3 Pro’s 8,250, and a speedy SSD with a transfer rate of 1,669MBps, the Yoga 9i showcases enhanced capabilities. The battery life of 10 hours and 10 minutes, while not the longest, surpasses the Samsung’s 7:46.

Specifications:

• CPU: Intel Core i7-1360P
• GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
• RAM: 16GB
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Display: 14-inch, 2880 x 1880, OLED
• Size: 12.5 x 9.1 x 0.6 inches
• Weight: 3.1 pounds

The 14-inch OLED display steals the spotlight, boasting a wider color gamut (142.1% to 85.2% on the DCI-P3 scale) compared to the Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360. Despite its vivid OLED display, the Yoga 9i falls short in brightness, recording 353 nits compared to the Galaxy Book 3’s 381 nits. Nevertheless, with a 4.5-star rating and the coveted Editor’s Choice award, the Yoga 9i stands as an impressive 2-in-1 laptop.

7. Acer Chromebook Spin

Battery Life: Remarkable nearly 13 hours of usage on a single charge.

Performance: Driven by an Intel Core i5-1335U CPU for reliable functionality.

Storage: Generous 256GB SSD storage capacity.

Display: Crisp 14-inch, 1600p display for an enhanced visual experience.

Design: Stylish dark-gray finish with gold accents for a premium look.

Webcam: Boasts a high-quality 1440p webcam.

Portability: Compact dimensions (12.3 x 8.8 x 0.7 inches) and lightweight at 3.2 pounds.

• Attractive Aesthetics: The dark-gray finish with gold accents sets it apart from typical Chromebooks.
• Versatile Performance: While not designed for heavy data crunching, it handles light-to-mid level tasks with ease.
• Benchmark Victory: Outperformed the pricier HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook in the Geekbench 6 test (6,335 vs. 4,263).
• Web Browsing Efficiency: Achieved a competitive score of 250.2 in the JetStream 2.0 benchmark.
• Battery Dominance: Impressive 12 hours and 43 minutes in our battery test, surpassing competitors like the HP Dragonfly (9:17).

Considerations:

• Audio Quality: Speakers are on the quieter side.

In my op-ed, I argued against the viability of $1,000 Chromebooks, and the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 strongly supports this stance. Priced below $500, it combines affordability with stellar features, challenging the notion that a higher price tag equates to better quality. With its sleek design, robust performance, and exceptional battery life, the Spin 714 stands out as a compelling choice in the Chromebook market.

8. Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch

Specifications:

• CPU: Apple M3
• GPU: Apple M3 GPU
• RAM: 8GB
• Storage: 512GB
• Display: 14.2-inches, 1964
• Size: 12.3 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches
• Weight: 3.4 pounds

Apple’s M3 series of chips introduces a new era of performance, surpassing its predecessors and outpacing most Windows PCs on the market. Priced $400 cheaper than its M2 predecessor, the MacBook Pro 14 is a winning choice for students, mobile professionals, creatives, and anyone identifying as a MacBook fan.

With a 20% faster CPU performance than the M1 chip, the MacBook Pro 14 achieved an impressive Geekbench 6 score of 11,870, outperforming competitors like the XPS 13. The laptop excelled in the Handbrake video transcoding test, completing a 4K to 1080p transcoding in just 5 minutes and 38 seconds, leaving the Swift X 14 and XPS 13 behind.

The M3 series GPUs steal the spotlight, featuring larger chips with Dynamic Caching, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and mesh shading. Achieving 51 frames per second at 1200p on the Sid Meier’s Civilization VI benchmark, the MacBook Pro 14 outperformed the XPS 13 Plus but fell slightly short of the Swift X 14’s discrete Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU.

Despite mixed performance in some areas, the MacBook Pro 14 delivers a stunning display, excellent audio performance, and an ultra-comfortable Magic Keyboard. With over 17 hours of battery life, this MacBook is ready for work or play, lasting almost the entire day.

9. Lenovo ThinkPad X1

Shockingly Lightweight: Weighing a mere 2.5 pounds, the X1 Carbon is remarkably light, making it perfect for professionals on the move.

Fast SSD: With a speedy 512GB SSD, this laptop ensures quick data access and efficient performance.

Great Battery Life: The X1 Carbon boasts an impressive battery life, lasting a whopping 13 hours and 45 minutes in our tests.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 emerges as a formidable contender in the realm of business laptops. Boasting a lightweight design at 2.5 pounds, it caters to professionals on the go. With a speedy 512GB SSD and a remarkable battery life of 13 hours and 45 minutes, it ensures efficient performance and enduring productivity. The laptop’s MIL-SPEC testing guarantees durability against drops and spills, complemented by security features like a fingerprint reader and TPM 2.0 chip. While offering a full workstation experience with ample ports, it does face minor drawbacks such as middling performance, a modest 720p webcam in the era of remote work, and a slightly smaller touchpad. Despite these considerations, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 solidifies its position as a business powerhouse with its impressive features and reliability.

10. Acer Swift 14: A Winning Combination of Style and Performance

• CPU: Intel Core i7-13700H
• GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
• RAM: 16GB
• Storage: 1TB SSD
• Display: 14-inch, 2560 x 1600
• Size: 12.2 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Weight: 2.9 pounds

Acer has once again hit the mark with its Swift 14, a laptop that effortlessly blends style and performance, making it a top choice for Windows 11 enthusiasts. Let’s delve into what makes the Acer Swift 14 stand out.

Design Elegance: The laptop’s Mist Green aerospace-grade aluminum body adorned with bronze accents is not just visually appealing but also adds a touch of sophistication. Despite weighing 2.9 pounds and measuring 12.2 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches, it strikes a balance between portability and functionality.

Performance Prowess: Fueled by a 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics, the Swift 14 excels in both overall performance and file transfer tests. Impressive scores on benchmarks, including an 11,375 on Geekbench 5.5 and swift completion of the Handbrake test, showcase its processing power.

Graphics Brilliance: Surprisingly, the notebook’s integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics deliver a noteworthy performance of 28 frames per second on Sid Meier’s Civilization VI benchmark, elevating the gaming experience.

Battery Life and Display: While not claiming the top spot for the longest-lasting laptop, the Swift 5 impresses with nearly 12 hours of battery life. Coupled with a bright, vivid 14-inch display, described by our reviewer as “gorgeous,” it ensures an immersive visual experience.

Minor Drawbacks: However, the laptop is not without its quirks. The presence of an excessive amount of bloatware might be a downside for some users. The speakers, while functional, could have been improved, and the touchpad occasionally exhibited finicky behavior. Despite these minor flaws, the Acer Swift 14 remains a standout choice for those seeking an outstanding Windows 11 laptop.

Guide to Choosing the Perfect Laptop

When in the market for a new laptop, the options can be overwhelming. To aid you in making an informed decision, we present our updated list of preferred notebooks and offer five essential considerations for selecting the right system.

Budget: What You Get for the Money

• Affordable options: Quality Windows laptops and premium Chromebooks are available for under $500.
• Mainstream laptops: Typically priced above $700, these offer better performance.
• Premium Ultrabooks: High-end models can exceed $1,000.
• Gaming laptops: Prices range from $1,000 to $2,000 and beyond, with good options below $1,500 and $1,000.

Screen Size: Balancing Portability

• 12 to 14 inches: Ideal for on-the-go use and portability.
• 15 inches: Suitable for those who use the laptop primarily on tables or desks.
• Larger screens (17 or 18 inches): Best suited for gaming rigs, media machines, or workstations but less portable.

2-in-1 or Clamshell?

• 2-in-1s: Increasingly popular with versatile designs for tablet use.
• Clamshell-style laptops: Traditional form factors often offer better features or affordability.

Battery Life: Prioritize Portability

• Opt for laptops with over 8 hours of battery life for on-the-go usage.
• Extended battery life provides flexibility to work away from power outlets.

Specs: Key Components for Performance

• CPU: Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, and a 1080p screen for mainstream performance.
• Screen Resolution: Aim for 1920 x 1080 (1080p) or higher; higher resolutions for content creators and gamers.
• CPU Options: Intel Core i5 for mainstream, Core i7 or quad-core for gaming or intensive tasks; AMD Ryzen for alternative performance.
• RAM: 8GB ideal for most users, 4GB acceptable for budget systems.
• Storage: 256GB SSD is recommended for speed unless extensive storage is needed.
• Graphics Chip: Consider discrete GPUs for gaming and creative work; integrated Intel HD Graphics for general use.

When contemplating a laptop purchase, weighing these factors against your needs and preferences will guide you toward finding the perfect device.