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 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 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 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.
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is priced in the upper midrange segment and offers a premium combination of storage and RAM. It is equipped with an Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU, making it a strong performer for engineering, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks. The laptop has a high-resolution Mini LED touch display, which should offer vibrant colors and high brightness, favoring professionals who need accurate color reproduction. It is relatively lightweight and compact but has a comparatively short battery life. The Slim Pro 9i comes with Windows 11 Home, has a good selection of ports including Thunderbolt, and features like a backlit keyboard, fingerprint reader, and facial recognition, aligning it well for business and premium personal use.