So, what’s the best laptop? Well, that’s a pretty big question. It really comes down to what you’re actually going to use it for. If you’re just surfing the web and watching cat videos on YouTube, you won’t need the power and oomph of a good gaming laptop (and vice versa).
With that in mind, we’re here to do a bit of laptop matchmaking. We’ve looked at everything from the best budget laptop to the best gaming laptop and more. So, have a read of our mini laptop reviews. Hopefully you’ll be able to find your type…
Best gaming laptop
When you want to take your PC games on the go, nothing beats a good gaming laptop. It’s great for getting a few turns of Civilisation in when you’re on the train to visit your folks. Or maybe you’re a bit more old-school and want to sit round one table with all your mates to play the ultimate Call of Duty tournament. If that’s the case, you’re going to want to go for a real game changer…
Our pick
Level up your gaming with the Acer Nitro 5. Just like the name suggests, this beast gives all the latest games a boost. It’s powered by an 11th gen Intel ® Core™ i5 processor and RTX 3050 Ti graphics card. Which is possibly one of the greatest gaming double acts since Mario and Luigi.
They’ll help you to easily run epic open world titles – and make them look way more realistic too. Oh, and you know how lag is public enemy number one of gamers literally everywhere? The 144 Hz refresh rate makes even the fastest FPS gameplay completely stutter free. Which is ideal for when you’re trying to nail headshots online. Every millisecond counts after all!
Best Chromebook laptop
Chromebooks are made to be super portable and are perfect for heading online and connecting with your friends, family, and colleagues. They run on ChromeOS (which is a web-based operating system) where you use Google Apps to get stuff done. And then when it’s time to save, you can store all your important docs, photos and more in the cloud. That’ll save some hard drive space then!
They come in three main types too:
Chromebooks – ideal for browsing the web and messaging.
Plus Chromebooks – take work and play to the next level.
Premium Chromebooks – with loads of power to whizz through creative tasks.
Our pick
The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet gives you the best of both worlds. It’s got the security and speed that Chromebooks are known for, combined with the flexibility and fun of a tablet. So, when works done, you can quickly transform it from a laptop to a tablet. Going from work mode to chill mode in a few flips. Alongside the clever detachable keyboard, you can even get hands on with your tasks (or the fun stuff) with the OLED touchscreen too. Tappy days!
Best video editing laptop
Fancy yourself as the next big vlogging superstar? You’re going to need somewhere to chop up and edit all those holiday vlogs of yours. And that’ll require a bunch of RAM, lots of storage for your projects and maybe a handy touchscreen. So, lets hit pause on your search – because we’ve got just the right one for you. Cut!
Our pick
We think that the best laptop for video editing is the HP Spectre x360. With 16 GB of RAM, you can edit your new YouTube video, write a script, add the finishing touches to an image on Photoshop and video call your co-star all at the same time. Entirely without slowdown! Having loads of apps open at once (or hundreds of tabs – come on, we’ve all been there) really won’t be a problem. And when you’re done, you’ve got plenty of space to save your masterpiece. 512 GB of storage means there’s plenty of room for short skits or feature length docs. Nice.
Best work laptop
When you’re working, you need a laptop with good battery life, enough storage for those chunky presentations and something that isn’t going to slow you down. That spreadsheet won’t fill in itself! And if you can plug in a couple of extra screens for even better multitasking, then we reckon that’d be a job well done. Luckily, we’ve got one that’s an absolute boss.
Our pick
Samsung’s Galaxy Book2 Pro is a real task master. Under the hood, it’s packing an Intel® 12th gen i7 processor. This uses special performance cores to tackle any demanding jobs – whizzing through your to do list in a flash. While a seriously mega 21 hours of battery life (on just the one charge) means you won’t constantly be reaching for the charger. You could probably just leave that at home to be honest! All in all, this is a laptop that’ll work its socks off.
Best large screen laptop
If the Mrs is watching the big telly, and you can’t handle another rerun of Grand Designs, it’s time to crack out a laptop with a large screen. After an OLED or QLED TV, it’s the next best thing for watching your favourite shows on Netflix. Or catching the latest Oscar winning flick that your colleague can’t stop talking about. And we know just the one to get too…
Our pick
Lenovo’s Yoga 7i is *the* blockbuster option. With its 16” screen, films, YouTube videos and box sets are larger than life. Plus, with 100 sRGB coverage, colours are even more accurate. So, Spidey’s suit is looking even more super than usual…And if you want to get comfy on the sofa, just flip the laptop into tablet mode, kick back and relax. You could say this one is a bit of a movie star!
Best budget laptop
The cost-of-living crisis has hit us all in the wallet. So, you might not have as much to spend on your new laptop. You don’t have to worry though. Because pretty much all the laptop big hitters still offer great entry-level models that won’t break the bank. What’s the best cheap laptop out there though?
Our pick
We’d go for the Asus E210MA. It’s an ultra-portable everyday laptop that can easily handle a bit of social media scrolling or an online shopping spree. Plus, if you need something light for work, it’s only 1.05kg. So, when you walk, cycle, or train it to the office, you’ll barely even know it’s there.
FAQ
Which laptop brand is best?
Again, that just comes down to what you want to use it for. A lot of laptop brands are amazing for specific things. Like Alienware. Their laptops are gaming powerhouses, that make the latest and greatest games run smoothly and look epic. But you probably wouldn’t be using it for video editing or crunching the numbers while you’re at the office. So, make sure you go for something that suits your hobbies or your job.
What is the most reliable laptop?
If you want your laptop to be reliable – and can’t handle another slow laptop – make sure whatever you buy ticks all of these boxes:
Build quality – if it’s well made from sturdy materials, it’ll be able to handle any accidental knocks and scrapes.
A brand with a good reputation – we only stock brands we believe in. So, make sure you’re not buying from some dodgy back-alley laptop dealer! After all, the best laptop brands won’t let you down – while a cheap knock off definitely will.
Cooling system – effective cooling will stop overheating. Meaning it won’t feel like the surface of the sun is sat on your lap while you’re using it.
Components – a top-notch CPU, a good amount of RAM and enough storage will get you through most tasks without a hitch.
How to find the best laptop for me?
If you still need a bit more help after you’ve read this article, go and have a look at our laptop buying guide. You can explore Windows, Chromebook and MacBook laptops and find the best one for studying, work, gaming and more. Or, if you prefer more of an interactive experience – and want to find the best Windows laptop - there’s always our tech matchmaker too.
