10 Best Business Laptops

Wally Nowinski
editor

Our experts used the PerfectRec decision engine to comb through our laptop database and find the best business laptops available in 2024. Here are our top picks.

Our criteria for the best business laptops:

  • Usage: We focused on laptops for general use.
  • Portability: We placed some emphasis on portability because business people tend to move often with their laptops.
  • Battery: We placed some emphasis on battery because business people are often on the go with their laptops.
  • Budget: We set a budget of upto $2,000
To consider others factors, try the PerfectRec decision engine to get your personalized laptop recommendation
Get your personalized recommendations

10 Best Business Laptops

1
BEST RATING
Build Quality:
5.0
General: A-
Size: 14.2"
Overall Performance: Excellent
Portability: Thin, light
Battery: Excellent




Pros
  • Top-notch build quality
  • Excellent battery life
  • Powerful Apple M2 Pro processor
  • Vibrant, high-resolution display
  • Superior speaker and webcam quality
Cons
  • Heavier than many competitors
  • Limited port variety
  • No touchscreen capability
  • No hardware ray tracing
2
ASUS 13.3”

Zenbook S 13

BEST RATING
Portability:
4.9
General: A-
Size: 13.3"
Overall Performance: Excellent
Portability: Very thin, very light
Battery: Very Good




Expert Summary
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.
Pros
  • Thin and lightweight design
  • High-resolution OLED display
  • Large color gamut coverage
  • Excellent portability score
  • Backlit keyboard with fingerprint reader
Cons
  • No dedicated number pad
  • Not suitable for hardware ray tracing
  • Limited engineering performance
  • No touchscreen option
3
LG 17”

Gram 17

BEST RATING
General Use:
4.6
General: A-
Size: 17"
Overall Performance: Excellent
Portability: Med. thick, very light
Battery: Very Good




Expert Summary
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.
Pros
  • Lightweight and highly portable
  • Large, high-resolution screen
  • Long battery life
  • Good build quality and heat management
  • Has backlit keyboard and number pad
Cons
  • Integrated graphics limit performance
  • Not ideal for gaming or intensive engineering
  • Limited upgradeability for RAM and storage
  • No facial recognition or hardware ray tracing
4
BEST RATING
Battery Life:
4.7
General: A-
Size: 16"
Overall Performance: Excellent
Portability: Med. thick, light
Battery: Very Good




Pros
  • High-resolution 16-inch screen
  • 32 GB RAM for multitasking
  • Powerful Intel Core Ultra processor
  • Ample 1024 GB storage
  • Thunderbolt and USB-C support
Cons
  • No touchscreen or high refresh rate
  • Limited battery life
  • On the heavier side for portability
  • No room for additional RAM, storage
5
BEST RATING
Battery Life:
5.0
General: A-
Size: 13.3"
Overall Performance: Very Good
Portability: Thin, very light
Battery: Best in Class




Expert Summary
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is positioned at an upper midrange price and excels in general use with its high-quality keyboard, silent operation, and solid build quality. It offers ample storage and is equipped with the Apple M2 chip for efficient performance. Its fanless design ensures silent operation, while the 20-hour battery life makes it suitable for extended use without needing to recharge. However, it may not be ideal for intensive gaming or high-end 3D tasks and machine learning applications due to its less powerful GPU compared to gaming-focused laptops. The lack of a touchscreen and the average performance in 3D/rendering tasks may also be considered if these features are important for your workload. It's very portable, making it a good choice for those who need to work on the go.
Pros
  • Outstanding battery life
  • Excellent build quality
  • High screen color accuracy
  • Silent, fanless operation
  • MacOS optimizes performance
Cons
  • Limited port variety
  • Not suitable for high-end gaming
  • No touchscreen or HDMI port
  • No hardware ray tracing
6
Framework 13.5”

Laptop 13 (2023)

BEST RATING
Portability:
4.7
General: A-
Size: 13.5"
Overall Performance: Excellent
Portability: Thin, very light
Battery: Good




Pros
  • Repairable and customizable
  • Lightweight and portable
  • Excellent general performance
  • Very good build quality
  • High screen pixel density
Cons
  • Limited GPU for 3D tasks
  • No hardware ray tracing support
  • No touchscreen
  • Moderate fast motion screen performance
7
BEST RATING
Build Quality:
5.0
General: A-
Size: 15.3"
Overall Performance: Very Good
Portability: Very thin, light
Battery: Excellent




Expert Summary
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) comes with an appealing combination of features for those who prioritize a blend of performance and portability. It has a larger 15-inch display and a powerful Apple M2 chip with ample memory for smooth multitasking and everyday tasks. However, note that it's priced in the upper midrange spectrum. While it has a very slim design and light weight, enhancing its portability, it may not be the first choice for those seeking the utmost in gaming or intensive engineering due to its display limited to a standard refresh rate and integrated GPU. It offers fanless operation for a silent experience and a backlit keyboard. Although excellent for general use, performance may be fair for more demanding 3D and machine learning applications, and good for engineering tasks. Battery life is solid, allowing for extended use between charges. The MacBook Air has a top-tier build quality, excellent keyboard, and great speakers, making it a strong all-around laptop, but the premium price reflects its status as a high-end Apple product.
Pros
  • Large, high-resolution screen
  • Lightweight and thin design
  • Long battery life
  • Silent, fanless operation
  • Excellent build and keyboard quality
Cons
  • No touchscreen
  • Limited ports availability
  • Average 3D performance
  • No Ethernet port
8
Apple 13.6”

MacBook Air (2022)

BEST RATING
Build Quality:
5.0
General: A-
Size: 13.6"
Overall Performance: Very Good
Portability: Very thin, very light
Battery: Excellent




Expert Summary
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is priced in the upper midrange category and features a 13.6-inch IPS display, 512GB of storage, and 24GB of RAM, powered by the Apple M2 chip with a 10-core GPU. Its battery life is robust, allowing up to 15 hours of typical usage. The sleek design at just 0.44 inches thick and a weight of 2.7 pounds makes it highly portable. It runs MacOS and has a fanless design which ensures silent operation. The laptop does not cater to intensive gaming, but its high-quality build and strong performance are well-suited for general use and some creative tasks. The backlit keyboard adds comfort and the inclusion of a fingerprint reader ensures security. It does not feature a touchscreen, hardware ray tracing, or DLSS technology, but it supports USB-C charging and Thunderbolt connectivity.
Pros
  • Lightweight and portable
  • Silent, fanless operation
  • High screen color accuracy
  • Long battery life
  • Backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader
Cons
  • No touchscreen available
  • Limited port variety
  • No facial recognition
  • Moderate 3D performance
9
BEST RATING
Battery Life:
5.0
General: A-
Size: 13.3"
Overall Performance: Very Good
Portability: Thin, very light
Battery: Best in Class




Expert Summary
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is in the upper midrange price category and features a powerful Apple M2 main processor, suitable for general use and lighter engineering tasks, but its integrated M2 GPU is not ideal for intensive 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming. It has a large 512 GB of storage and a substantial 24 GB of RAM. With a 13.3-inch IPS display, it offers high resolution and excellent color accuracy, without touchscreen capabilities. Its 58.2 Wh battery provides long battery life, and the laptop is quite portable considering its capabilities. The build quality, keyboard, and speakers are rated highly, and its silent, fanless operation is a plus for quiet environments. It supports fast USB-C charging and has two Thunderbolt 4 ports, but lacks an HDMI port and dedicated graphics card. This MacBook doesn't have options for expandable RAM or storage and isn't suited for hardware-intensive gaming. It's pre-installed with MacOS and is considered best for general use, offering a balance of portability and performance, especially for users integrated into the Apple ecosystem.
Pros
  • Powerful Apple M2 processor
  • Long battery life for typical use
  • Highly portable, easy to carry
  • Exceptional build and speaker quality
  • Silent, fanless operation
Cons
  • No touchscreen capability
  • Limited to only two Thunderbolt ports
  • Moderate performance for 3D tasks
  • Lacks hardware for ray tracing, gaming
10
BEST RATING
Build Quality:
5.0
General: A-
Size: 16.2"
Overall Performance: Very Good
Portability: Thin, med. heavy
Battery: Best in Class




Expert Summary
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is positioned at a premium price point with powerful performance thanks to its Apple M2 Pro processor. It boasts a large 16.2-inch Mini LED display with high resolution, making it an excellent choice for professionals who need accurate colors and clear visuals for tasks such as video editing or graphic design. Its battery is robust, providing long hours of typical usage, which is ideal for those who need to work on the go. Weighing 4.7 pounds, it is heavier than some laptops, which may affect its portability. This MacBook Pro also comes with a large touchpad, a high-quality backlit keyboard, a fingerprint reader for added security, and multiple USB-C/Thunderbolt ports for connectivity, but it lacks an HDMI port and an Ethernet connection. It doesn't come with a number pad on the keyboard, so for tasks that require numerical data entry, this could be a limitation. It’s not primarily designed for gaming, but it can handle general and engineering tasks very well. Overall, if you value top-notch build quality, excellent screen performance, and are not constrained by budget, the MacBook Pro 16 (2023) would be a strong choice, albeit with some trade-offs in portability and gaming capabilities.
Pros
  • High-resolution 120Hz display
  • Exceptional build quality
  • Long battery life
  • Excellent speaker and webcam
  • Powerful Apple M2 Pro chip
Cons
  • Significantly heavy
  • No touchscreen option
  • No available RAM upgrade
  • Only USB-C/Thunderbolt ports