10 Best Laptops for Working From Home

Wally Nowinski
editor

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

Our criteria for the best laptops for working from home:

  • Usage: We focused on laptops for general use, suitable for web browsing and simple applications. * Size: We focused on 15-16" laptops since that is a good tradeoff between screen size and portability.
  • Budget: We set a budget of upto $2,000.
To consider others factors, try the PerfectRec decision engine to get your personalized laptop recommendation
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10 Best Laptops for Working From Home

1
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
2
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
3
BEST RATING
Build Quality:
5.0
General: A-
Size: 16.2"
Overall Performance: Very Good
Portability: Thin, med. heavy
Battery: Best in Class




Pros
  • High-resolution display
  • Long battery life
  • Excellent build quality
  • Superb speaker quality
  • Premium business laptop
Cons
  • Higher price point
  • Limited portability
  • No touchscreen
  • Heavy at 4.7 pounds
4
HP 15.6”

Envy x360 15"

BEST RATING
Operating Noise:
4.6
General: A-
Size: 15.6"
Overall Performance: Very Good
Portability: Med. thick, med. heavy
Battery: Very Good




Expert Summary
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
  • Solid build and heat management
  • Good general performance for everyday tasks
Cons
  • Mediocre performance for 3D tasks and engineering
  • Limited port selection with no Thunderbolt
  • Average battery life
  • Heavier than some comparable models
5
Lenovo 16”

ThinkPad Z16

BEST RATING
General Use Screen Quality:
4.7
General: A-
Size: 16"
Overall Performance: Excellent
Portability: Thin, med. heavy
Battery: Good




Expert Summary
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.
Pros
  • High-resolution touchscreen
  • Robust build quality
  • Excellent keyboard
  • Ample storage and memory
  • Solid general performance
Cons
  • Moderate battery life
  • Less portable (weight)
  • Limited heat management
  • Fair 3D performance
6
Dell 15.6”

XPS 15

BEST RATING
Operating Noise:
4.8
General: A-
Size: 15.6"
Overall Performance: Very Good
Portability: Med. thick, med. heavy
Battery: Very Good




Expert Summary
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.
Pros
  • Premium build quality
  • Excellent keyboard
  • Good general performance
  • Reliable heat management
  • High-resolution display
Cons
  • Average battery life
  • Limited gaming performance
  • No touchscreen option
  • Moderate portability
7
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
8
HP 16”

Spectre x360

BEST RATING
Battery Life:
4.6
General: A-
Size: 16"
Overall Performance: Very Good
Portability: Med. thick, med. heavy
Battery: Very Good




Expert Summary
The HP Spectre x360, a 2-in-1 convertible, can serve as both a laptop and tablet and sits at an upper midrange price. It has a solid combination of a large screen, significant storage, and ample RAM, paired with an Intel i7 processor and integrated graphics, making it capable for general use and multitasking. Its higher battery capacity should offer long hours of typical usage, but the weight is a consideration for portability. Its assortment of ports, including USB-C and Thunderbolt, adds versatility for connecting peripherals. The build quality and display are noted for being high-quality, with a bright screen that supports touchscreen interaction. Its performance is sufficient for general work and some engineering applications, though dedicated gaming or intensive 3D rendering may be limited due to the absence of a discrete GPU. The keyboard and speakers are highly regarded, ensuring a comfortable typing experience and good sound quality.
Pros
  • Convertible laptop-tablet design
  • High-resolution touchscreen
  • Good battery life
  • Backlit keyboard with fingerprint reader
  • Multiple Thunderbolt ports
Cons
  • No dedicated number pad
  • Limited engineering performance
  • No hardware ray tracing support
  • Heavier than ultra-portables
9
Acer 16”

Swift X 16

BEST RATING
General Use:
4.5
General: A-
Size: 16"
Overall Performance: Very Good
Portability: Med. thick, med. heavy
Battery: Good




Expert Summary
The Acer Swift X 16 is a midrange laptop with a good balance of power and features. It has plenty of storage and a solid amount of RAM for multitasking. It's powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 processor and includes an Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card, making it a solid choice for both general use and more demanding tasks such as 3D rendering or engineering software. The battery life is not particularly long, so it may not be the best for all-day use without access to power. The laptop has a high-resolution 16-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, which is beneficial for productivity but the absence of a touchscreen may matter to some. It's relatively lightweight for its size, enhancing its portability despite being a larger laptop. Additionally, it comes with a backlit keyboard and an array of ports, including USB-C and HDMI, but lacks Thunderbolt support. It's suited for gaming, thanks to its hardware capabilities, and it has an aesthetically pleasing design that doesn't scream "gaming laptop." Overall, it's a versatile laptop that offers a good mix of features for users looking for the flexibility to work and play.
Pros
  • High-resolution screen
  • Robust CPU and GPU
  • Good port selection
  • Backlit keyboard, fingerprint reader
  • Decent portability
Cons
  • Limited battery life
  • Heavier than ultraportables
  • No touchscreen
  • No facial recognition
10
Samsung 15.6”

Galaxy Book3 360

BEST RATING
Operating Noise:
4.9
General: B+
Size: 15.6"
Overall Performance: Very Good
Portability: Very thin, very light
Battery: Very Good




Expert Summary
The Samsung Galaxy Book3 360, priced in the midrange, comes with a generous amount of storage and RAM. It has an Intel i7 CPU and integrated graphics, which should provide good performance for general use and light engineering tasks but may struggle with intensive 3D or machine learning workflows. The 61.1Wh battery paired with a 15.6-inch OLED touchscreen provides a balance between battery life and display quality. It's portable at a little over 3 pounds, and being a 2-in-1 convertible, it can double as a tablet, adding flexibility to its use. It lacks a discrete GPU, so it's not ideal for heavy gaming, although it can handle less demanding games.
Pros
  • Convertible 2-in-1 laptop and tablet
  • Touchscreen with 1080p resolution
  • Backlit keyboard with fingerprint reader
  • USB-C charging with Thunderbolt ports
  • Lightweight at 3.22 pounds
Cons
  • Only 60Hz refresh rate
  • No dedicated graphics card
  • Limited storage expansion options
  • Highest brightness at 350 nits