Best Recommended Laptops For 2022 You Can Buy

While the year 2021 is coming to an end, the best laptop brands, such as Apple, Dell, and HP, have released some brilliant devices.

There’s a lot of options out there, but choosing the best laptop for your needs doesn’t have to be overwhelming. In this guide, we’ve selected the best laptops for a variety of budgets and use cases, including powerful business laptops and budget notebooks.

However, if you’re looking for the best overall laptop, we recommend the MacBook Air (M1, 2020). This is a powerful and stylish thin and light laptop from Apple that is also reasonably priced. Meanwhile, the Acer Swift 3 is the best budget laptop you can buy right now, with an ideal balance of price and performance.

How to Choose the Best Laptop for Your Needs

So, what makes a laptop worthwhile to purchase? First and foremost, it must provide excellent value for money. That means budget laptops under $400/£400 must still provide good performance and build quality.

Meanwhile, ultra-expensive devices must justify their exorbitant prices through best-in-class performance, premium build quality, and long battery lives.

If you want to work on something, a laptop with a modern processor, at least 8GB of RAM, and a large screen (and comfortable keyboard) is a good option.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4

While Apple wowed us with the new MacBook Air, archrival Microsoft impressed us with its new Surface Laptop 4, which came in at number two. As with previous Surface devices, build quality and design are top-notch, and the gorgeous PixelSense touchscreen sets it apart from the competition (a touchscreen, as Microsoft likes to remind us, is something we have yet to see on an Apple laptop).

It also includes a fantastic keyboard that is a joy to type on, as well as some pretty impressive specs that ensure Windows 10, and all of your favorite apps, run extremely well. The battery life is also very impressive, lasting more than 13 hours at a very competitive price.

Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

The new Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020) is not only the best laptop Apple has ever produced; it is also the best laptop money can buy right now. This is a stunning achievement, thanks to the revolutionary ARM-based Apple M1 chip that powers the new MacBook Air (Apple has ditched Intel for these new laptops): a thin and light laptop that offers great performance, even with 4K video editing, while also offering incredible battery life.

With a battery life of over 11 hours on a single charge, this is a laptop that you can easily carry around with you at work or school, and its price is extremely competitive when compared to Windows 10 rivals like the Dell XPS 13. The new MacBook Air can now run iOS apps for iPhone and iPads, giving it access to hundreds of brilliant mobile applications and games in addition to running both new and old Mac apps.

Even if you’ve only ever used Windows laptops, the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) is well worth purchasing and transitioning to macOS. Yes, it is truly that good.

MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021)

The brand-new MacBook Pro 14-inch is unquestionably the best productivity laptop you can buy in 2021. The MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) is a dream to use for creative professionals like photographers, video editors, and music producers, thanks to a choice between powerful new M1 Pro or M1 Max chips that can handle even the most intensive workloads with ease.

Not only that, but its Liquid Retina XDR display with mini-LED technology is stunning, and the best screen you can get on a laptop right now. Add a 1080p webcam and expanded port selection, and you have a fantastic business and productivity laptop. It won’t be for everyone – the price and power will be too much for most people’s needs – but if you want a killer laptop to do creative work on, this is the laptop to get. Check out the MacBook Air if you’re looking for something a little different.

Dell XPS 13 (Late 2020)

We don’t think the Dell XPS line can go wrong at this point. Its yearly updates have consistently wowed tech professionals, and they’re only getting better. The Dell XPS 13 (2020) is more than just a beautiful piece of hardware. It also has, as expected, excellent performance, a stunning display, and long battery life, among other things.

It’s a costly investment, just like its predecessor, but that’s not enough to put Ultrabook fans off. Dell has once again produced an incredibly accomplished thin and light notebook that’s a joy to use and well worth investing in if you have the money.

HP Spectre x360 (2021)

The HP Spectre x360 (2021) is better than ever, with 11th-generation Intel Core processors that offer a decent performance boost and better integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics.

It still has the impeccable 2-in-1 design and pristine gem-cut chassis that these laptops are known for, which means that the HP Spectre x360 (2021) is one of the best looking 2-in-1 laptops ever made, and it’s only rivaled in terms of build quality by the excellent MacBook Air (M1, 2020).

While it is pricey, it comes with some excellent extras, such as formidable security features and Bang & Olufsen speakers. If you value appearance as much as performance and overall quality, this is the laptop for you.

Acer Swift 3

Beyond the Acer Swift 3’s understated exterior, you’ll find an excellent laptop with plenty of power for work and study. The Swift 3 (not to be confused with the Switch 3, another Acer laptop) is a low-cost laptop with an all-aluminum chassis and beefy components.

In terms of performance, it comes surprisingly close to the far more expensive Microsoft Surface Laptop. It has a lower-resolution display, but other than the price, the two are strikingly similar.

This laptop is also a joy to use, thanks to its spacious trackpad and backlit keyboard, which provides a comfortable typing experience with decent travel. If you’re going to be writing a lot – whether traveling or at the office – this is one of the best budget laptops 2022 has to offer.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6 is the most recent update to Lenovo’s flagship 2-in-1 business laptop, and the addition of Intel’s 11th-generation Tiger Lake processors with Iris Xe graphics, as well as Intel Evo certification, make it one of the best 2-in-1 laptops in the market.

Add in the excellent 16:10 touchscreen display, garaged stylus, and long battery life, and there’s very little to criticize here. It has a great port selection that rivals the MacBook Air, but it lacks an SD card slot, which may disappoint some creatives.

Aside from that, and a bit of a stiff design (as a ThinkPad device, this is primarily a business laptop), the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6 is easily one of the best laptops to come out in 2021, especially if you’re looking for something that can be used as both a traditional laptop and a tablet-like device.

Asus ZenBook 13 (2021)

The Asus ZenBook 13 is an excellent laptop, and the 2021 model includes some of the most advanced mobile technology available in a modern notebook. As a result, it comes with the option of an AMD Ryzen 5000 series processor or an Intel 11th generation CPU. It also has a stunning 13.3-inch OLED screen and one of the best battery lives available.

There’s also up to 32GB of RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage, making this a fantastic laptop for working on.

It’s also incredibly thin and light, as well as stylishly designed, making it a joy to carry and use. In comparison to competitors such as the Dell XPS 13, it’s also reasonably priced. The only drawbacks are that there is no headphone jack, which is a shame but is likely due to the Asus ZenBook 13’s ultra-thin design, and that the integrated AMD Ryzen graphics weren’t quite as good as Intel’s offering. Despite this, this is a fantastic ultra-thin laptop that deserves to be considered.

HP Envy x360 13 (2020)

The top-notch HP Envy x360 13 (2020) demonstrates that you can have a premium-feeling and-looking 2-in-1 laptop without spending a fortune. The HP Envy x360 13 (2020) is beautifully designed, as are all of HP’s modern laptops, and features a stunning screen and some of the best speakers we’ve heard in a laptop.

If you’re looking for a laptop that can also function as a tablet, the HP Envy x360 13 (2020) is a great option, as it comes with modern AMD components and an excellent battery.

How much RAM should a laptop have?

RAM (Random Access Memory) is an important laptop specification to look for. For a Windows laptop, you’ll need at least 4GB of RAM, though many people will benefit from 8GB. This will ensure that the laptop continues to function properly for many years to come. Less RAM, such as 1GB or 2GB, can be used in low-cost Chromebooks.

Considerations for battery life

Finally, there’s battery life to consider. This is likely to be one of the most important factors to consider when deciding on a laptop. The best laptops must be able to work – and play – for extended periods without the need for a power adapter. Modern laptops are becoming more power-efficient, resulting in longer battery life.

Keep in mind that the battery life claimed by laptop manufacturers may differ significantly from what you experience. This is because many laptop manufacturers test their batteries in highly controlled environments, with the laptop being used in ways that you may not necessarily use it. So, while a laptop’s battery life may be claimed to be 10 hours, you may find that when performing certain tasks, such as streaming high-definition content, your battery life may run out sooner.

What should you look for when purchasing a new laptop computer?

Before purchasing a laptop, make sure to read the specs. As long as you know what you’re looking for, this is a good way to quickly see how powerful a laptop is and what it’s capable of.

The processor comes first. This is essentially the laptop’s brain, and most laptops will have a processor (also known as a CPU) made by either Intel or AMD. Although Intel is by far the most popular CPU manufacturer for laptops, we are seeing an increasing number of AMD-powered laptops.

In general, Intel processors outperform AMD processors, but AMD processors are less expensive.

To make things easier, Intel and AMD have assigned numbers to their processors to give you an idea of what kind of tasks a laptop with that processor can perform.

If you’re looking for a low-cost laptop for simple tasks like browsing the web or watching Netflix, a laptop with an Intel Pentium, Intel Core i3, or AMD Ryzen 3 processor will suffice.

If you want something with a little more oomph – perhaps to do more complex tasks like editing home videos or playing games – look for a laptop with at least an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 processor.

The best laptops for media creation and more complex tasks have an Intel Core i7 or i9 processor, or an AMD Ryzen 7 processor. Laptops with these processors are top-of-the-line machines that will provide excellent performance no matter what you want to do – but be aware that they are frequently found in the most expensive laptops.

Finally, keep an eye on the processor’s age. Intel conveniently assigns generations to its processors, so the higher the generation, the newer it is. The most recent generation is the tenth generation, though Intel Core processors from the ninth generation are also quite recent.

A newer processor performs better and consumes less power, resulting in longer battery life. They are, however, more expensive.

You don’t need to be concerned about graphics because laptop processors include built-in (integrated) graphics. If you want to play PC games on your laptop, you’ll need a gaming laptop with a discrete GPU, such as one from Nvidia or AMD.

What are the best laptop manufacturers?

Apple, Dell, Lenovo, and HP are among the best laptop brands, and each has its own set of advantages. Apple, for example, creates brilliantly designed slim and light laptops, whereas Dell offers a wide range of high-end ultrabooks, as well as affordable devices and Chromebooks. Lenovo is well-known for producing sturdy business laptops (as well as some excellent 2-in-1 laptops), and HP has recently produced some stunning laptops that are among the best in the world.

Which laptop is right for you?

General laptops: These are the best cheap laptops, with a focus on functionality rather than style, portability, or power. That’s not to say they can’t be fast, but a non-Ultrabook clamshell laptop with an HD screen and spinning drive-based storage will typically cost less than $600 or £400.

Ultrabooks: These are thin-and-light notebook computers with SSD storage and display resolutions that exceed 1080p. The best Ultrabooks will cost a pretty penny – $700 or £500 to $2,000 or £1,800 – when equipped with powerful, albeit mobile-centric components and especially long battery life.

2-in-1 laptops: These are notebooks that also function as tablets. The Surface Book 2 may be a while away, but many of the best 2-in-1 laptops are already available. These hybrids, which feature detachable and 360-degree rotating hinges, are the most versatile way to experience Windows 10 (or Chrome OS) on a touchscreen.