Best Windows Laptop 2021

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If you’re looking for a Windows laptop, you might be left scratching your head at the number of options, both on the high street and online. Big or small, detachable screens, dedicated graphics cards, Ram, and 4K screens are all up for consideration.

We’ve broken down the laptop market by budget, specification and design to make it easier to find the right Windows laptop.

Which is the Best Windows Laptop?

Windows laptops – there sure are a lot of them. While Apple’s MacBook range consists of four core models, the spectrum of Windows laptops is near endless. From cheap models with just enough processing power to deal with your Twitter updates, to giant gaming rigs that can play the latest releases in stunning 4K, there’s a lot to choose from.

Ultimately though, the best Windows laptop is the best one for your needs. While the bleeding edge models might be appealing, they may not be the best fit for you. In this guide, we’ll look at the types of laptops available, talk you through the specifications, and suggest some models that will suit your needs.

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Asus E203	Acer Aspire E15	Acer Predator Helios 300	Microsoft Surface Book 2	Asus Zenbook Pro 15
Verdict	A great example of a cheap Windows laptop, the Asus E203 is diminutive is both size and price tag, but still offers the full Windows 10 experience.	A fantastic everyday Windows laptop,the Acer Aspire E15 offers plenty of practical ports, and even has a DVD writer, something that is becoming a rarity	A great gaming laptop for those on a budget, with an Intel Core i7 processor and dedicated graphics card	A Windows Ultrabook with a difference, the Surface Book 2 display can be removed from the keyboard entirely, giving you a powerful laptop and tablet at the same time.	Designers may opt for Macbooks, but there are plenty of excellent Windows laptops for designers too. The Asus Zenbook Pro 15 comes with impressive specs and a crisp 4K display
Processor	Intel Celeron Dual-Core N3350	Intel Core i3	Intel Core i7	Intel Core i7	Intel Core i7
Graphics	Integrated Intel HD	Intel UHD Graphics 620	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050
RAM	2GB	6GB	16GB	16GB	8GB
Storage	32GB	1TB	1TB & 256 SSD	1TB	512 SSD
Screen Size	11.6-inches	15.6-inches	15.6-inches	15.6-inches	15.6-inches
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Best Cheap Windows Laptop

Buying a laptop needn’t be an expensive business. Laptop prices have come down considerably in the last decade for entry-level models, thanks to the lowering cost of their core components.

If you’re wondering whether you should buy a cheap Windows laptop, consider how you spend most of your screen time. If you’re mainly browsing, emailing, and binging Netflix, then a cheap laptop is a good choice, as your activities don’t require a huge amount of muscle. This means that you can get away with a cheaper processor, such as an Intel Celeron or Pentium, which brings down the cost considerably.

Another area where manufacturers make savings is storage. Some cheaper laptops use eMMC, a cheap flash memory solution that’s more commonly found in phones. This can be as little as 32GB, which when the Windows operating system is taken into account, doesn’t leave you much room. Look for models that will accept SD or microSD cards as a cheap way to bolster your storage.

One key factor when purchasing a cheap laptop is to stick with known brands. You might spot some bargain offers from manufacturers you’ve never heard of, but we’d recommend avoiding these, as they tend to be overseas companies with little support structure in the US if things go wrong. There’s also no real need to seek then out, with well established companies able to offer you a Windows laptop from around $200.

Asus E203 – It may be small, but this laptop costs just $200 and offers the full Windows experience.
Acer Swift 1 – Slim and stylish as well as easy on the wallet.

• Not powerful
• Potentially too simple for older students

Buy on Amazon

Best Everyday Windows Laptop

If you’re not concerned about gaming or having a cutting edge laptop, and just want something for browsing, streaming, and perhaps the odd bit of office work, then there are plenty of options that needn’t be too expensive.

All brands offer laptops pitched at so called ‘casual users’, and while they tend to lack the stylish designs of the Ultrabooks and sacrifice some of the portability, you can bag yourself a great laptop that will serve you well day to day from around $350.

When looking for the perfect laptop, try and grab one with at least an Intel Core i3 processor, or higher if your budget will stretch. You may also see some AMD models, in which case a Ryzen 5 would be an equivalent. You might be tempted to go for a cheaper Pentium or Celeron, but in the long run, a more powerful processor will be a better investment.

When it comes to RAM, which helps the laptop juggle several processes smoothly, aim for 8GB. Anything less, and you could find that your laptop is a stuttering staller – especially if you’re the sort of person who likes to have multiple tabs open when browsing.

Lastly, make sure you opt for a decent screen size. Smaller will be cheaper, but we’d recommend 13 inches and upwards for comfort. Also, keep in mind where you’ll be using the laptop – if it’s going to be a constant travel companion, don’t opt for a 17-inch behemoth. For home use though, you could be happy to have the screen real estate.

Acer Aspire E15 – Plenty of ports and a DVD writer make this laptop a refreshing change of pace from premium models that have ditched these features
Dell Inspiron 17 – Want an everyday laptop, but need a large screen? This Dell’s 17-inch display should fit the bill

The best windows laptop

For almost thirty years, business users have looked to the ThinkPad brand name to help them be productive. The Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon is the pinnacle of ThinkPad, showcasing the best the company has to offer, and it does indeed impress. The X1 Carbon sports the company’s comfortable, backlit keyboard — you’ll have trouble feeling at home to any other keyboard once you try a ThinkPad for the first time.

The built-in anti-glare display with LED backlighting helps to keep the sun, office lights, and other bright sources from creating unmanageable glare. Additionally, the unit passed 12 military-grade requirements and over 200 quality checks, thanks to its durable carbon-fiber exterior and integrated magnesium alloy roll-cage. Sure, the speakers leave a bit to be desired, but otherwise, ThinkPad continues to stand strong. If you’re looking for another option, try checking out the best 2-1 ultrabook.

Other laptops worth noting that we haven’t fully reviewed yet and may end up on our Best Laptop list include the Lenovo Yoga C940, HP Elite Dragonfly, and the thin and light Macbook Pro.

The Lenovo Yoga C940 is also a thin and light 2-in-1 laptop with CPU Intel Core i7, upgraded from the Flex’s Intel core i5. The Hp Elite Dragonfly Core i5 uses Intel UHD Graphics, boasts a long battery life, but its performance doesn’t quite match our top listed HP Spectre x360 that uses Intel Iris Plus graphics.

Note: Some other laptops that people may want to consider too that are not Windows operated include the Apple MacBook Pro, the Acer Chromebook 311 and Chromebook 711, the Apple MacBook Air, and HP’s Envy 15 and 17-inch laptop.

Apple’s MacBook Pro specs include a 10th generation quad-core processor, retina display with True Tone tech, and a backlit magic keyboard. This Apple MacBook Pro also features Intel Iris Plus for graphics and video editing support, an ultra fast SSD, and four Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports.

Similar to the MacBook Pro, Apple’s Macbook Air has a 13-inch retina display, but the processor is Intel Core i3 unlike the MacBook Pro’s Core i5. The MacBook Air also has a backlit magic keyboard with touch ID, Intel Iris Plus graphics, and four thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports. The main difference in specs here with the Macbook Pro is that the Apple MacBook Air has 8GB of memory, and stereo speakers with wider stereo sound. With all these options and components, there’s no reason people would need a full PC.

The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is a convertible laptop that uses the Google Chrome OS and comes with all the Google apps, and more than 2 million Android apps. Like all Chromebooks, it comes with built-in storage for offline access to your files, and 100 GB of Google Drive space for automatic file backup. This Chromebook is also convertible , has 11.6-inch touch display, 4GB memory, and up to 10 hours of battery life.

How We Decided

When we set out on a search for the best windows laptop, we began with extensive research and hands-on time with our potential candidates. Next, we established essential factors to consider when purchasing a windows laptop, including each machine’s processing power, battery life, display, and size & weight. These factors lead to an establishment of minimum criteria so that we could deliver only the best laptop options.

Starting with processing power, we ensured that every laptop in our list offers an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor. We eliminated any low-power Intel Pentium, or even Core i3 processors that we didn’t think would get the job done. We also selected laptops that offered at least 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage — we don’t want you waiting for files to load or running out of space at the most inopportune times.

For each machine’s battery life, we made sure that it was possible to get around 8-hours of use; of course, as is with battery life, the mileage may vary based on your workload. The displays we selected were all at least Full HD (aka full 1080p HD), with many stretching significantly beyond that — even with touch screen options. Lastly, we gave preference to laptops with lightweight designs, coming in at less than 3-pounds; although, some gaming options were a bit heavier, all under 5-pounds.

Best Windows Laptop Buyer’s Guide

Features

1. Processing Power: When selecting a windows laptop, the safe selection for a processor is an Intel Core i5, which delivers optimal power for most individuals — Core i7 is great for gamers and those with heavier workloads. For memory, select a minimum of 8GB of RAM to keep your PC running smooth — 16 GB is recommended for better future-proofing.
2. Battery Life: How long do you need to stay unplugged? Check reviews to see how long a laptop’s battery will actually last versus what the manufacturer recommends. Generally, we are finding that laptops with 5-8 hour battery life ranges are most common, and thus an acceptable choice.
3. Display: Full 1080p HD should be the lowest resolution you pick for a display, with many manufacturers offering higher resolution options, perfect for those who love binge-watching movies. If you want to interact with the screen directly, ensure that the manufacturer provides a touch-screen variation — all 2-in-1 laptops that you can buy will include a touch screen by default.
4. Size & Weight: When it comes to portability, besides battery life, you should keep an eye on the overall weight. We see most ultraportable laptops at under 3-pounds, and we believe that’s a great range to aim for during purchase. For gaming laptops, we recommend sticking under 5-pounds if portability is a desire.

Windows Laptop FAQs

What is the best Windows laptop 2020?

The best Windows laptop is the Dell XPS 13; Dell delivers top-level quality with this ultra-thin and light-weight machine, but it’s no slouch either, with up to an Intel Core I& processor and 16GB of RAM. It’s also difficult to resist the machine’s jaw-droppingly beautiful Infinity-edge display.

What is the most reliable laptop?

The most reliable laptop on our list is the Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon; it passed 12 military-grade requirements and over 200 quality checks, thanks to its durable carbon-fiber exterior and integrated magnesium alloy roll-cage. If you need reliability, ThinkPad is a great option.

What are the best laptop brands?

Our selections for the best Windows laptops include products from Dell, Microsoft, Acer, ASUS, HP, and Lenovo. Dell and Microsoft topped our guide as the best options, but Lenovo made two separate appearances.

ChromeOS vs. Windows?

ChromeOS is an operating system designed by Google; it is an alternative to running Microsoft Windows. When starting a ChromeOS machine, you are presented with a desktop that allows you to run the Chrome web browser and Android apps. ChromeOS does not allow you to run traditional Windows applications.

Latest Windows Laptop Reviews & Buyer Guides

The 10 Best Windows Laptops of 2021

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Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here . We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links.

A modern Windows laptop has to do a lot more than a laptop had to do even a few years ago. Whether you want a powerful, reliable, professional machine meant for business, or you want an entertainment machine that folds fully over giving you the best of a laptop and a tablet, there are a lot of specs to consider. But you first need to decide if a Windows laptop is even the right OS for you—if you’d prefer lighter browsing and are part of the Google ecosystem, a more affordable Chromebook might work. The same goes for iPhone users and fans of Apple who might prefer a Mac.

If you’re in the market for a Windows laptop, it’s best to start with budget. Are you okay with less power featuring dual-core CPUs that run at speeds as low as 1–1.5GHz? If that’s the case, you can get a lot of value on the budget end of the market. If you need more power, you’ll tend to find much more premium form factors, featuring pixel-dense displays, touchscreen options, dedicated graphics cards, and more. As some of the most feature-rich gadgets on the market, laptops can be a little daunting, so our recommendation is to start by determining your primary use. If you want to use your machine for gaming, you’ll want a great display and tons of power, but you’ll also spend more. If a business machine is your focus, power is important, but a flashy display might not be needed. On the other hand, All-in-one machines with touchscreens can actually replace your need for a tablet. Once you pick your end-use, the research and the required price range becomes much clearer.

Read on for a few of our favorites in these different categories, and be sure to check out our guide to choosing the right laptop for you. Also, be sure to check out our constantly updated guide to the best laptop deals happening right now, for great machines at steep discounts.