Our experts used the PerfectRec decision engine to comb through our laptop database and find the best pc laptops available in 2024. Here are our top picks.
Our criteria for the best pc laptops:
Operating System: We limited the search to the best Windows laptops.
To consider others factors, try the PerfectRec decision engine to get your personalized laptop recommendation
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is a premium, lightweight laptop, making it highly portable and suitable for on-the-go use, especially with its long battery life. With a midrange price, you're getting solid build quality, a vivid OLED touchscreen, and excellent heat management. It has an Intel i7-1355U processor paired with 32GB RAM, which will handle general use very efficiently. Its Intel Iris Xe graphics are fine for casual gaming and moderate creative tasks, but might fall short for intensive 3D rendering or engineering software. The laptop offers a good selection of ports, including Thunderbolt 4, and a comfortable backlit keyboard, although it lacks an Ethernet port and an option for hardware upgrades due to having no available RAM or storage slots.
The LG Gram 17 is a midrange-priced laptop that is highly portable, weighing only 2.98 pounds despite its large 17-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 2560 x 1600. It has generous amounts of storage and RAM, ensuring smooth performance for general use. Equipped with an Intel i7-1260P processor and integrated Iris Xe graphics, it's capable of basic 3D tasks and engineering software but is not designed for intensive gaming or high-end machine learning tasks. It offers a long battery life, a full backlit keyboard with a number pad, and multiple USB-C ports, including two that support Thunderbolt 4. The build quality, heat management, and fan noise are rated good. Suitable for users seeking a large-screen laptop that is easy to carry and capable of handling everyday tasks efficiently.
The Acer Swift Go 14 offers robust performance with its Intel Core Ultra 7 processor and Intel Arc graphics, suited for general use and capable of handling some engineering and creative tasks. The OLED display is of high quality, boasting a high resolution and color accuracy, which is great for visual work but not touch-enabled. This laptop is lightweight and thin, enhancing its portability, but the tradeoff comes in battery life, which is moderate. There are ample ports, including Thunderbolt, for connectivity, and features such as a backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader are present for convenience. It's described as having a lower midrange price, indicating a balance between affordability and features. Overall, it's a versatile choice for everyday use, with some capacity for more demanding applications.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is a midrange-priced laptop, equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 processor and an AMD RX 6500M graphics card, suitable for moderate to intensive tasks and light gaming. It sports a high-quality OLED screen with a sharp 3840 x 2400 resolution, perfect for professional creative work. However, it is not the lightest at over 4 pounds, which might affect its portability for users who travel frequently. For connectivity, it includes a variety of ports but lacks an SD card reader. The laptop offers robust security features and is expected to have fair battery life, making it ideal for professionals who need a durable, secure, and reasonably powerful machine. It comes with Windows 11 Pro and its build quality is rated as excellent.
The Dell XPS 15 is positioned at a midrange price level, offering a substantial balance between performance and cost. For storage, it comes with a decent size, accompanied by a sizeable amount of RAM for multitasking. It is powered by a modern Intel processor, alongside an Intel Arc GPU which makes it suitable for general usage and some more intensive tasks like light engineering work, but it might struggle with very demanding 3D or machine learning tasks. You'll find the battery life suited for a full day's work. Its 15.6-inch display is an IPS type with a good resolution, although it's not a touchscreen. Portability is good, not too heavy nor too bulky, making it a solid choice if you need to move around with your laptop. There are multiple USB-C ports, including Thunderbolt 4, enhancing connectivity and data transfer speed. The laptop has a backlit keyboard and a fingerprint reader for extra convenience and security, an excellent build quality, and manages heat well. Overall, the Dell XPS 15 is versatile and well-rounded, fitting for general use, professional work, and some creative tasks, yet not the ultimate choice for high-end gaming or very demanding computational tasks.
The Acer Swift 14 is a mid-range laptop with good performance for everyday tasks and some more demanding applications, thanks to its Intel i7 processor and 16 GB of RAM. It has a high-resolution display, making it suitable for those who appreciate sharp visuals. The laptop is reasonably light and thin, enhancing portability, but this can mean shorter battery life compared to others, which might be a concern if you need to work for long periods away from a power source. It doesn't have a dedicated graphics card, so while okay for casual gaming, it's not ideal for high-end gaming or intensive 3D work. The Acer Swift 14 runs on Windows 11 Home, offering the latest features and security updates.
The HP Envy x360 15" is a versatile laptop with a convertible 2-in-1 design, which allows it to be used as both a laptop and a tablet. It has a lower midrange price and offers an OLED touchscreen with a standard resolution, suitable for general use and media consumption. The AMD Ryzen 7 processor coupled with ample RAM makes it a good candidate for everyday tasks and can handle some more demanding applications. Its portability is considered good, given its reasonable weight and battery life, which supports typical usage for a decent duration. Additionally, this laptop features a backlit keyboard and a number of USB-C ports, enhancing its functionality and ease of use. However, it may not be the best option for intensive gaming or heavy engineering tasks, as it lacks dedicated high-performance graphics capabilities. Overall, the HP Envy x360 15" could be a good fit for users seeking a combination of performance in everyday tasks with the flexibility of a tablet.
Pros
Convertible design for laptop and tablet use
Touchscreen with good color coverage
Backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader for convenience