Best Notebooks of 2024: Premium, Budget, Gaming, 2-in-1 Laptops & More.
Image: Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
In the dynamic world of technology, choosing the Ideal notebook for 2024 It can be a complex task due to the wide variety of options available. 💻
From models premium that offer a performance From exceptional and elegant design to budget-friendly options that balance functionality and price, the market is full of alternatives for all tastes and needs. 🎯
For those passionate about gaming, laptops with powerful graphics cards and latest generation processors guarantee a immersive and smooth gaming experience. 🎮
Likewise, the versatile laptops 2 in 1, which combine the functionality of a tablet and a laptop, are perfect for those looking for flexibility and mobility. 🚀
In this context, it is essential to consider factors such as duration of the battery, storage and screen quality to ensure you make an investment that is truly worthwhile. 🔋
Here is a selection of the Best Notebooks of 2024 by category. 📚
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is one of the most well-rounded laptops money can buy. It offers strong performance, exceptional battery life, and a vibrant display. The best part is that it costs around $1,000, which is a reasonable price considering the price/performance ratio. In fact, it performed exceptionally well in the PCMark 10 benchmark.
With a score of 7,061 in PCMark 10, it beat the Acer Swift Go 14, which has similar specs to the Dell, and is already the more expensive one. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. The Inspiron 14 Plus also lasted an impressive 17 hours on a single charge, which is definitely more than a full day of work or study. You don't have to worry about finding an outlet to charge it. 🔌
Who should buy the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 🎯
Anyone looking for a laptop really good and well-rounded. In addition to the impressive performance and battery life, it also has a lovely 14-inch 1400p display. “the screen is very good adapted for office work and still images.”
It has a maximum brightness level of an astonishing 418 nits and an anti-glare coating, meaning you can use this laptop in different lighting environments.
It may not have the prettiest design we've seen, but its capabilities hardware and its amazingly long battery life make up for the boring aesthetics. 🎨
The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED wowed us with its fast CPU performance, phenomenal battery life, and attractive OLED touchscreen. “Movies and games look realistic and vibrant”
On the 1200p OLED touchscreen, though it can be difficult to use in bright environments due to the reflective surface. Plus, it lasted 16 hours on a single charge, which is incredible! That result beats out excellent competitors like the Lenovo Slim 7 14 Gen 9 and the HP Pavilion Plus Laptop 14.
Who should buy the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED?
Anyone looking for a powerful and affordable laptop with an OLED display! There's more to it than just its OLED display, though. The build quality is pretty good and everyday performance is fast.
Plus, you won't have to search for a power outlet often thanks to the long battery life. Connectivity options are somewhat limited, but that's not unusual for a laptop in this price range.
Overall it is an excellent machine with Windows that meets all expectations. 🎯
Alternative option:
If you're looking for an even more affordable option, you should check out the HP Pavilion Laptop 16 ($769.99). It has a large 16-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, perfect for scrolling through web pages and long documents.
The keyboard is also spacious and easy to use, and it lasted over 18 hours on a single charge. If you're looking for a laptop that lasts even longer, then we recommend considering the Asus Vivobook S 14 ($1,199).
Not only does it come with the latest Lunar Lake CPU, but it also hit the 21-hour mark on a single charge, which is absolutely impressive. 🔥
Acer Aspire Go 15 – Best Budget Laptop
Acer Aspire Go 15 – Best Budget Laptop
Pros ✨
Accessible 💰
Good battery life 🔋
Decent screen visibility 👀
Cons ❌
Big and bulky 📏
Economic construction 🔨
Limited performance 🐢
Why we like the Acer Aspire Go 15 💻
The Acer Aspire Go 15 offers decent performance and good battery life for its price ($299). The Intel Core i3-N305 processor is power efficient and more than capable of handling everyday tasks like browsing the internet, checking emails, and more than enough storage space to keep up with the daily grind. emails, and more.
Plus, it ran for nearly 12 hours on a single charge, which is impressive. The port selection is pretty good, too. You've got USB-A ports on either side, a 3.5mm headphone jack and Kensington lock slot on the right, and a USB-C port and an HDMI port on the left. 🔌
Who should buy the Acer Aspire Go 15? 🤔
Anyone looking for a budget laptop with reliable everyday performance and good battery life. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of more advanced machines, but it's functional and affordable, making it a great value option.
The CPU is power efficient and the battery should last all day. Plus, the 15.6-inch, 1080p display is easy to see “despite its low brightness,” according to our review. It’s a solid machine, especially for those on a budget. 📚🌟
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 – Best Battery Life
Pros
🔋 Impressive battery life
🔌 Wide variety of ports
💪 Strong and lightweight design
🌞 High visibility screen
Cons
⚙️ Variable performance that lags behind the competition
💸 A little more expensive than the competition
Why we like the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 impressed us with its battery life. This machine ran for almost 24 hours on a single charge, which is astonishing considering the smaller 58 watt-hour battery inside. This result is likely due to the lower resolution display (1920x1200) and the processor Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100, which is more power efficient. 💡💻
Plus, this laptop weighs less than 3 pounds, making it a great choice for those who travel frequently. 🧳✈️
Who should buy the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6?
Anyone looking for a long-lasting laptop. It'll last you over 20 hours on a single charge and is relatively light, able to handle light to moderate workloads. While the display isn't the sharpest we've seen, it still has plenty of visibility in most conditions. 🎒💼
The port selection is also decent for a slim laptop. You get two USB-A, two USB 4, a Kensington Nano lock slot, an HDMI 2.1, and a headphone/microphone combo jack. 🔗🔊
Alternative option: If you are looking for a long-lasting 2-in-1, the Samsung Galaxy The Book5 Pro 360 ($1,699) is definitely worth considering. Not only did it last an impressive 23 and a half hours on a single charge, but it also has a beautiful AMOLED display and a solid chassis. 🌟📱
Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus – Best Chromebook
Pros
Agile performance on a day-to-day basis 🚀
Versatile 2 in 1 design 🔄
Good writing experience ✍️
Cons
Stylus is not included ✏️
Heavier than expected ⚖️
Why we like the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus
From the convertible design to the gorgeous touchscreen, the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus has a lot to offer, especially for less than $$500. The 2-in-1 design lets you flip the screen around and use the laptop like a tablet, upping the versatility factor. You can also expect snappy day-to-day performance, as well as boot times ultra-fast. ⚡
Who should buy the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus
If you're looking to pick up a premium Chromebook for work or personal use, then the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is an excellent choice. While the price of $499 is quite high for Chromebooks, we think the fit, finish, and overall power make it worth the extra money. 💸
Alternative option: If you’re looking for a more affordable Chromebook with a larger display, the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE ($699.99) is a great option. The display measures 16 inches and has a 2560x1600 resolution, as well as a 120Hz refresh rate.
“The 120Hz display is excellent and gives the laptop an edge if you plan on playing on a cloud gaming service that supports high refresh rates like Nvidia's GeForce Now.” The only downside is that it's a bit pricey for a Chromebook. 💻
MacBook Air (M3) – The Best MacBook
Pros
🔋 Excellent battery life
💰 Great combination of price, features and performance
💾 The SSD 256GB is now two NAND chips, maintaining performance
Cons
💸 Expensive memory upgrades
🖥️ Dual external display support requires closed cover
Why we love the MacBook Air (M3)
The MacBook Air (M3) has a lot to offer for its $1,299 price tag. In fact, it received high marks thanks to its 8-core CPU (M3) and 10-core GPU. It's capable of handling office tasks as well as casual use. While performance is comparable to the MacBook Pro (M3), there is one difference: the fans, or lack thereof.
The MacBook Air has no fans, resulting in quieter operation, although heavy tasks will likely put more strain on the chipThat said, battery life is the real star here. The MacBook Air (M3) lasted up to 19 hours, which is perfect for those with busy schedules. 📅
Who should buy the MacBook Air (M3)
👩💻 Anyone who prefers MacOS over other operating systems. Battery life is exceptional and the laptop itself is thin and light, weighing just over three pounds.
The 15-inch Liquid Retina (LED) display might be considered a step down from the MacBook Pro's Liquid Retina XDR (mini-LED), but that doesn't mean it's a bad display. It still looks fantastic for everyday use.
The price of $1,299 is also reasonable for the performance and features you get. 🤑
Alienware m16 R2 – Best gaming laptop
Pros
Solid performance for gaming 🎮
Heavy duty build quality 💪
Good battery life 🔋
Cons
The screen is dimmer than we would like 🌥️
Why we like the Alienware m16 R2
The Alienware m16 R2 offers a strong graphics performance and good battery life. This specific model comes with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor and a GPU Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, which is impressive.
It lasted a respectable 11 hours and fifteen minutes on a single charge, and averaged 144 frames per second when running the benchmark. Shadow of the Tomb RaiderAccording to our review, it's only "four frames per second slower than the Razer Blade 16," which has an RTX 4090 GPU and a price tag of over $1,400.
Who should buy the Alienware m16 R2?
Anyone looking for a great gaming laptop. You’ll get strong graphics performance as well as long battery life, which is unusual for a gaming laptop as most tend to die around the six-hour mark. The 16-inch IPS display also has a 2560x1600 resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate, so gaming should be nice and smooth.
The picture quality is good, but it's not an OLED panel. While it may not be the brightest or most color-rich display we've seen, it's perfectly adequate for gaming. Plus, you can always connect an external monitor if needed.
Alternative option
If you are looking for a lighter option, you should definitely check out the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 from $1,599It weighs just 3.31 pounds, which means you can easily take it anywhere with you. That being said, it didn't make the cut due to its mediocre battery life.
Additionally, the Alienware m16 R2's RTX 4070 GPU is more powerful than the RTX 4060 GPU in the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14. Alternatively, if you are looking for even more power, the ROG Zephyrus G16 It's a killer OLED-equipped laptop with RTX 4070, 4080, and 4090 options available.
The Acer Nitro V 16 combines a fast IPS display and RTX 4060 graphics in a package that costs less than a thousand dollars, making it the perfect choice for the gamer on a budget. According to our review, the GPU is “capable of running any modern game.” In fact, when running Shadow of the Tomb Raider’s built-in benchmark, the Nitro managed a respectable average of 136 frames per second.
This result almost matches some gaming laptops with RTX 4070 graphics, impressive! The 16-inch 1920x1200 display isn't the sharpest, but it's a step up from traditional 1080p displays, and the 165Hz refresh rate ensures smooth gameplay. 🎮
Who should buy the Acer Nitro V 16
Anyone looking to save money on a reliable gaming laptop. The display is a great choice for action-packed games because it's large and fast, and the RTX 4060 GPU is capable of running most games on Medium or High graphics settings.
Battery life, as you might have guessed, is poor (around four hours on a single charge) and the gaming aesthetics are a bit garish, but if you can live with those compromises then the Acer Nitro V 16 is a fantastic value option. 🔥
Alternative option:
The Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition ($1,099.99), which was our previous pick for Best Budget Gaming Laptop until it was surpassed by the Acer Nitro V 16, is still a solid option to consider.
For around a grand, you get reliable graphics performance, a spacious keyboard, and long battery life. If you're looking for a gaming laptop with a more understated design, the HP Victus 15 ($1,099.99) might interest you.
It offers a high refresh rate 144Hz display, a design that doesn't scream "gaming PC", and a 144Hz refresh rate display. 🖥️
Asus ProArt P16 – The best laptop for content creation
Pros
Large touchpad with virtual scroll wheel 🖱️
Stunning 4K OLED display 📺
More connectivity options than the competition 🔌
Good battery life 🔋
Cons
The chassis is light, but it doesn't look impressive 🖤
CPU performance lags behind the best 🖥️
It can get hot under load 🔥
Why we like the Asus ProArt P16
The Asus ProArt P16 is a fantastic choice for creative professionals and prosumers. It offers a wide selection of connectivity options, a stunning 4K OLED display, and great battery life. 🌟 The 3840x2400 (4K!) resolution display measures 16 inches and features a taller 16:10 aspect ratio.
This is a phenomenal display for photo or video editing, as it “boasts an incredible color gamut and deep contrast,” according to our review. Plus, the ProArt 16 lasted over nine hours on a single charge, and one of the USB-C ports supports USB 4.0, with data rates up to 100Mbps. data transfer up to 40Gbps. 🔄
Who should buy the Asus ProArt P16
Anyone who loves to create content. 🎨 The Asus Pro Art P16 is the kind of laptop that really pays attention to the small details. It exhibits the perfect balance between weight, connectivity, and battery life.
While it can get hot under heavier loads and its aesthetics aren't anything to write home about (it's just a black slab), it's still a great option for creative types.
The 4K display is to die for, and despite the machine's powerful internals, it somehow manages to weigh just 1.85kg. 💪
Asus Zenbook S 14 – The best ultraportable
Pros
🕰️ Transcendental battery life
🗃️ Purposeful use of space
📺 Lovely and surprisingly large OLED display
🔊 Excellent audio
Cons
⌨️ The keyboard needs more key travel
⚙️ Performance needs improvement, especially on battery
Why we like the Asus Zenbook S 14
The Asus Zenbook S 14 stands out with its ultralight design, incredible battery life, and beautiful OLED display. ⚖️ It weighs just 1.2kg, making it lighter than the 13-inch MacBook Air, and its build is sturdy. According to our review, there is a “minimal amount of flex when pressing hard on the center of the keyboard and the display exhibits no significant wobble.” 🖥️
It has a somewhat ceramic feel to it and the silver lines etched into the lid give it a unique look. 💻 The 73 watt-hour battery lasted for 21 hours on a single charge, which is impressive considering how light and compact this laptop is. You won't have to constantly search for a power outlet. 🔋
The 14-inch 1800p OLED touchscreen is also lovely, as it can produce deeper blacks. The 120Hz refresh rate allows for a smoother experience when typing and using the mouse. 🎨🖱️
Who should buy the Asus Zenbook S 14?
Ideal for those looking for a lightweight laptop that keeps going non-stop. 🚀 In addition to the spectacular battery life and stunning OLED display, the audio is surprisingly good.
This is surprising, as laptop speakers are typically downward-facing, which muffles sound. 🎶 The Zenbook S 14's audio is boosted by four built-in Harmon Kardon speakers and is further enhanced by Dolby Atmos. 🎧 It's a good laptop for watching movies, no doubt about it. 🎬🍿
HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 – The best 2 in 1
Pros
The OLED screen looks amazing 😍
Solid and quality construction 💪
Long battery life 🔋
Cons
Few ports in impractical places ⚠️
Expensive 💸
Why we like the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14
In the world of 2-in-1 laptops, the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 is a complete package. Not only is it well-built, but it also offers epic battery life and a comfortable typing experience.
While it’s not a metal unibody machine, it feels nice to the touch and the 360-degree hinge has “just the right amount of stiffness,” according to our review. As for durability, this laptop lasted 17 and a half hours on a single charge — something to write home about! That’s more than a full day of classes 🏫.
Who should buy the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14?
Anyone looking for a durable, well-built 2-in-1 laptop. In addition to its convertible form factor and long battery life, the keyboard offers a comfortable typing experience.
The key travel is quite good and the reviewer appreciated the boldness of the letters on each key. The 14-inch OLED touchscreen with 2880x1800 resolution is another big plus for this laptop.
It's bright enough for indoor use (500 nits!) and the black levels are "extremely deep," making watching movies a real pleasure 🎬.
Alternative option: If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 ($849.99) is worth a look. It offers good both wired and wireless connectivity, as well as a beautiful OLED display and sturdy construction.
Reasonable Core Ultra performance with solid build quality
Physical switch to disable the microphone 🔇
Cons⚠️
A bit expensive for the specs
Battery life isn't the best, especially compared to Snapdragon laptops
Why we like the Framework Laptop 13 💻
He Framework Laptop 13 It's unique because you can repair, upgrade, or customize any part of it. The hardware has QR codes that take you to the Framework website for the individual piece.
You can also mix and match the ports – they are small rectangular blocks (similar to Lego pieces) that snap into the laptop. The idea behind this laptop is fun, but practical. You can extend the life of your laptop with something like this.
Who should buy the Framework Laptop 13? 🤔
Anyone who enjoys get into and experiment. Aside from the upgradeability aspect, it's also fairly lightweight at 2.87 pounds and offers a performance respectable CPU.
It's not the fastest laptop we've tested, but office tasks and everyday work shouldn't be a problem. That said, it is a bit pricey for the price. hardware that it offers, so it may not be the best option for those with a budget.
Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 – Better Audio
Pros
Amazing speakers 🔊
Included accessories 🎁
Spectacular screen 🖥️
Cons
Few ports 🔌
Keyboard is a bit tight ⌨️
Why we like the Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9
He Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 It is a notebook Fantastic 2-in-1 with impressive audio. Laptop speakers are generally not very good. They tend to be poorly placed, losing a lot of bass and treble, but this is not the case with the Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9.
The soundbar is on the hinge, so it doesn't blast sound downward onto the surface where the laptop is sitting. According to our review, the sound is "impressively loud," and you can hear the bass and treble even at high volumes.
That's why this laptop is perfect for listening to music 🎵 or watching movies 🎬.
Who should buy the Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9?
Music and film lovers! 🎧🎥 The Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 is great for consuming multimedia content. The sound is excellent, but so is the OLED touchscreen, which features a 2880x1800 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Blacks are “deep and dark, making movies look even better,” according to our review.
Alternative option:
He Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 ($949.99) is another good option to consider. In addition to powerful speakers, the Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 also has a good selection of ports and a satisfactory keyboard.
How we test laptops
The team submits each laptop with Windows to a series of benchmarks that evaluate the performance of the GPU and CPU, battery life, among other aspects. 🖥️🔋 The idea is to take the laptop to its maximum capabilities and then compare it with others that we have tested.
On the other hand, the Chromebooks go through a series of web-based tests. 🌐 It would not be fair or possible to perform the same types of tests on a Chromebook, since they are machines based on Chrome OS.
Below you'll find a breakdown of each test and the reasons why we run them. 🔍
💻 Windows laptops
PCMark 10: PCMark 10 is our tool for determining how your laptop handles lighter tasks like web browsing, word processing, spreadsheets, and more. 🌐📄
HandBrake: HandBrake is more intensive than PCMark 10. It measures how long a laptop's CPU takes to encode a large 30GB file. 🏋️♂️💾
Cinebench: Cinebench is a short stress test for the CPU cores. It does this by rendering a 2D scene in a short period. 🎨⏱️
3DMark: 3DMark checks whether 3D performance remains consistent over time by running graphics-intensive clips. 🎮📈
Video length test: To measure battery life, we looped a 4K video using the Movies & TV app. Windows 10 until the laptop turns off. 🔋🎥
Chromebooks
CrXPRT 2: The benchmark CrXPRT 2 Test the battery life of a Chromebook. 🔋
Speedometer 2.0: This test determines the performance of a Chromebook's web browser. It simulates adding, completing, and deleting a to-do list. 📋
Web 3.0 Basemark: This benchmark evaluates how well a Chromebook can handle applications web-based. 🌐
Kraken 1.1: Kraken 1.1 is a JavaScript performance benchmark. 🖥️
Jetstream 2: Jetstream 2 is a combination of WebAssembly and JavaScript benchmarks. It measures how well a Chromebook runs advanced workloads. 🚀
FAQ
1. What format is best for a laptop? 💻
The first question you should ask yourself is what kind of laptop you're looking for. There are traditional clamshell laptops, 2-in-1s, Chromebooks, and more. The screens on convertible laptops (also known as 2-in-1s), for example, can rotate 360 degrees.
This allows you to use the laptop as a tablet. They can also be placed in a tent-like position to watch movies or participate in video calls. Chromebooks, on the other hand, run exclusively the Google Chrome OS, web-focused, and are generally used for everyday tasks.
All you need is a Gmail account and boom, you're in. Each has its pros and cons. Chromebooks are affordable and generally have good battery life, while convertibles are typically lightweight and portable.
2. How much processing power do I need in a laptop? ⚙️
If you're looking for CPU power, look for processors with higher numerical names. A Core i7 is better suited for gaming and more intensive work than for everyday tasks. Intel processors They are available in Core i3, Core i5, Core i7 and Core i9. The higher the number, the more powerful the CPU.
If you don't need a lot of power, processors Intel Core i5 are your best bet, offering good performance at a reasonable price. For basic office work and web browsing, a Core i3 is sufficient. As for AMD options, the Ryzen 3 is good for productivity basic and web browsing, while the Ryzen 5 chips rival Intel's Core i5s as all-around options.
If you need more power, the Ryzen 7 chip is ideal for content creation such as video editing. Finally, if you work with 4K video, opt for a Ryzen 9.
Integrated graphics, on the other hand, are connected to the CPU and use less power as a result. This is perfectly fine for everyday tasks, especially if you don't do anything that requires a lot of graphical power.
4. How much memory do I need in a laptop? 💾
8GB of RAM is sufficient for general use. If you have a gaming laptop, 16GB of RAM is ideal, with 32GB being a future-proof configuration. Content creators will want as much as possible.
5. Do I need a large screen on a laptop? 📺
If you're a video editor or someone who works a lot with multimedia, you'll want a screen that measures between 15 and 17 inches. The sweet spot is somewhere between 13 and 14 inches, though.
The larger the screen, the heavier your laptop will be. A 13 or 15.6-inch screen will be the largest. 14 inches It is the best in terms of portability and value.
6. How long should my laptop last on a single charge? 🔋
If you plan on taking your laptop everywhere, look for something that can last between 10 and 12 hours on a single charge. That's more than a full workday, so it should get you through long flights or a day of school.
Obviously, bigger is always better. Just keep in mind that the bigger the battery, the heavier the laptop will be.
7. How much does a good laptop cost? 💰
Many good laptops cost around $1500 to $2000, but the price really depends on your budget. If you're strapped for cash, go for a Chromebook or an entry-level business laptop.
You can find solid options for less than $1,000. Spending between $1,000 and $750 can get you better displays, better performance, more storage, and more attractive designs. If you can splurge on a laptop that costs more than $1,000, you're generally paying for premium build quality, great extras, and top-notch performance.
Gaming laptops are different. You can sometimes find entry-level gaming laptops with discrete graphics on sale for around $1,000, but you'll generally need to spend at least $1,000 for a system with decent 1080p gaming capabilities.
You can pay more, often a lot more, for better graphics power and nicer displays, but costs can add up quickly depending on your hardware favorite.
Some fully-loaded gaming laptops can cost several thousand dollars, but you're getting the equivalent of a desktop replacement in return. Spending between $1,200 and $2,000 usually gets you a very good gaming laptop.
8. Are connectivity options important in a laptop? 🔌
A wide range of ports is always a plus in my opinion, as it eliminates the need for an adapter. I would recommend a laptop that has both USB-C and USB-A.
An HDMI port is also nice. This is especially useful when you want to connect to an external monitor.
Intel and AMD CPU Equivalents Looking for Intel and AMD processor equivalents? Find everything you need to know in our dedicated guide. Learn more now!
Best Notebooks of 2023 Find the ideal laptop for you among our list of the Best Notebooks of 2023.
Image: Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
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