15 best laptops you can buy in 2016
Updated: the HP Chromebook 14 joins our short list of the best laptops in the world.
Laptops are on the rise again thanks to Windows 10's arrival, Nivida's efficient Maxwell graphics cards, and fresh new Skylake processors from Intel. Notebooks once thought to be replaced by tablets are more plentiful and diverse than ever between gaming laptops that hook up to liquid-coolers, thin and light Ultrabooksto incredibly affordable Chromebooks. Even Microsoft has gotten into the game with the Surface Book, the company's first ever laptop.
With so many options to choose from, picking the best laptop for your needs is more important than ever. Those who crave fast boot up times and a lightweight machine to carry might drool over an Ultrabook. Serious gamers will gravitate towards gaming laptops tailored to their processing and graphical needs, meanwhile those after flexibility might fancy a convertible laptop-tablet hybrid.
It might seem overwhelming at first – what with all of the available choices – but we're here to help you find the best laptop for you. Believe us when we say that there is a perfect laptop out there for you. With this guide, you'll find the absolutely best machines available today.
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1. Dell XPS 13
Dell's latest Ultrabook is a masterpiece ahead of the curve
CPU: 2.3GHz Intel Core i5-6200U | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 520 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800) | Storage: 256GB SSD
Gorgeous bezel-less display
Lightweight, compact frame
Off-center webcam
Small frame limits battery life
The Dell XPS 13 is bar none, the best laptop you can buy today. It features an revolutionary design that's astonishingly thin and light laptop. Fitting a 13.3-inch screen into a 11-inch laptop frame is no small feat, however, Dell has pulled off a miracle creating a nearly borderless Infinity display. It's a powerful and powerful and long lasting machine even by today's Ultrabook standards. The XPS 13 comes outfitted with Intel's latest Skylake processors plus lighting quick storage and memory, all while coming in at a very affordable starting price. For these reasons, it easily takes the top slot as the best Ultrabook, the best Windows laptop and the best overall laptop.
Read the full review: Dell XPS 13
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2. Asus ZenBook UX305
Better than the MacBook and at a fraction of the price
CPU: 900MHz Intel Core M3-6Y30 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 515 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, 1,920 x 1,080 IPS display | Storage: 256GB SSD
Incredibly thin and light
Vibrant, glare-free screen
Weak sauce graphics
Tinny speakers
If you're looking for a bargain the Asus ZenBook UX305 might be more your speed. Though it looks like a MacBook from every angle, but it's a better machine in almost every way. It's thinner and even more attractive in some ways with its purple-tinged aluminum body. With a sharp display and hearty helping of storage space, it's better equipped than Apple's titular thin-and-light. Add in the fanless design and long battery life, and this machine is one hot ticket. Most importantly, though, you can get this great package at a very affordable price.
Read the full review: Asus ZenBook UX305
3. Toshiba Chromebook 2
One of the best looking and most powerful Chromebooks
CPU: 2.1GHz Intel Core i3-5015U | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 5500 | RAM: 4GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, 1,920 x 1,090 | Storage: 16GB eMMC | Connectivity: Intel Dual-Band Wireless-AC 7260; Bluetooth 4.0 | Camera: HD webcam | Weight:2.97 pounds | Dimensions: 12.6 x 8.4 x 0.76 inches (W x D x H)
Gorgeous 1080p screen
Core i3 power
Annoying screen glare
A bit pricey
If a sharp screen and fast machine is what you seek, invest in a Toshiba Chromebook 2. It packs a wonderfully colorful full HD screen and an almost overly capable Intel Core i3 processor. Though this particular model comes at a higher premium than other Chromebooks, there's the option of picking a lower-end Celeron model. Either way, this 13-inch laptop is one of the more attractive Chrome OS machines available today and it can run as fast as the overpoweredGoogle Chromebook Pixel 2.
Read the full review: Toshiba Chromebook 2
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4. 13-inch MacBook Air (early 2015)
Light and faster than ever
CPU: 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 6000 | RAM:8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, LED-backlit glossy display (1440 x 900) | Storage:256GB SSD
Excellent battery life
Nippy storage
Dated design
Low-res display
When you're looking for something with rock solid reliability, there's always theMacBook Air. Although the latest iteration sticks to its guns with a dated design and low-resolution screen, the Air isn't showing any signs of slowing down on the performance front. Thanks to a capable CPU, this thin and light machine can handle everything from simple web browsing to serious number crunching and even some light gaming. Sure the New MacBook is lighter and thinner, but it does not come with the Air's spread of full-sized ports nor a 13 hour battery life to last you though an entire day.
Read the full review: 13-inch MacBook Air (early 2015)
5. Surface Pro 4
The best iteration in Windows 10 tablets
CPU: 2.4GHz Intel Core i5-6300U | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 520 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 12.3-inch, 2,736 x 1,824 PixelSense display | Storage: 256GB
Larger, sharper screen
Vastly improved Type Cover
Type Cover still sold separately
Battery life hasn't improved much
Microsoft has struck gold with its Surface line and the company's latest Surface Pro 4 is there best device yet. Building on everything previous iterations, this new slate introduces a larger and more sensitive touchscreen perfected for everything from penning documents to painting images. Tapping away on the redesigned Type Cover's island-style keys feels almost as good as a real notebook keyboard and the glass trackpad feels simply superb. Internally, the new model also features a faster processor and storage, all in a shell that's actually lighter and thinner than the Surface Pro 3. Overall, these improvements make the Surface Pro 4 an affordable Windows tablet that really can replace your laptop.
Read the full review: Surface Pro 4
6. Surface Book
The ultimate Windows 10 hybrid laptop
CPU: 2.4GHz Intel Core i5-6300U | Graphics: Intel HD graphics 520; Nvidia GeForce graphics | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.5-inch, 3,000 x 2,000 PixelSense Display | Storage: 256GB PCIe3.0 SSD
Futuristic design
Seamless tablet separation
Battery life falls well below promises
Major updates are still in tow
If you're looking for a more traditional notebook, Microsoft knocked it out of the park with its first ever laptop, the Surface Book. Though it has a peculiar 3:2 aspect ratio and 13.5-inch screen that's outside of the norm for most Ultrabooks, it's one of the best designed convertible laptops ever created. As a standalone tablet, otherwise known as the Clipboard, it's the most powerful and thinnest Windows 10 computers in the world. Then docking the screen into the keyboard base affords it even more performance by way of a discrete GPU.
Read the full review: Surface Book
3. Asus Chromebook Flip
A premium Chromebook that backflips on command
CPU: 1.8GHz Rockchip 3288-C | Graphics: ARM Mali T624 | RAM: 2GB LPDDR3 SDRAM | Screen: 10.1-inch, WXGA (1,280 x 800) IPS multi-touch display |Storage: 16GB eMMC
Fully metal construction
Excessive battery life
Large screen bezels
When most people think of Chromebooks they might expect some cheap, plastic device that's only just good enough to get them by through a day of surfing the web. Asus on the other hand offers the fully metal Chromebook Flip that doubles as a tablet just for the heck of it. The 10.1-inch, 2-in-1 Chromebook is an exceedingly light laptop that feels premium to the touch. Thanks its little known Rockchip processor, the Flip can out run and out last most other Chrome OS machines.
Read the full review: Asus Chromebook Flip
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8. New MacBook 2015
Gorgeous, thin and light
CPU: 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core M | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 5300 | RAM:8GB | Screen: 12-inch, 2,304 x 1,440 LED-backlit IPS display | Storage: 256GB SSD
Terrific design
Surprisingly good speakers
Runs sluggish at times
Expensive
If you want a real bombshell of a laptop, look no further than the extremely slender MacBook. It's come a long way from the days of being the MacBook Pro's rounded, plastic underling. Apple reintroduced the MacBook as one of the world's thinnest and lightest laptops featuring a razor sharp aluminum unibody design and high-resolution Retina display, which still hasn't made its way into the MacBook Air. The nigh travel-less keyboard takes a little getting used and you can forget about using ports without an adapter. But if you can get over these humps, it's a machine that turns heads and makes your friends jealous.
Read the full review: New MacBook
9. Lenovo Yoga 900
A thoughtfully refined 2-in-1 convertible
CPU: 2.5GHz Intel Core i7-6500U | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 520 | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch QHD+ 3,200 x 1,800 IPS display | Storage: 512GB SSD
Gorgeous display
Slim design
Shallow keyboard
Display drivers issues
Whereas the Lenovo Yoga Pro 3 had a winning design and underwhelming performance, the Yoga 900 is the full package. By integrating more powerful Intel Core I-series processors and a larger battery, Lenovo's latest flagship convertible can stand toe-to-toe with most Ultrabooks and even Microsoft's latest Surface Book. All this extra power has only made the Yoga 900 slightly thicker and heavier, however, it still largely retains a very thin and flexible frame that folds back into tablet mode. For those looking for the thinnest and lightest convertible machine, Lenovo has made an even more compact Yoga 900S.
Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga 900
10. HP Spectre x360
Striking the perfect balance between a laptop and tablet
CPU: 2.2GHz Intel Core i5-5200 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 5500 | RAM: 8GB |Screen: 13.3-inch, 1,920 x 1,080 FHD Radiance LED-backlit touchscreen |Storage: 256GB SSD
Superbly thin Excellent performance and battery life
Too heavy for tablet usage
Weirdly wide trackpad
The HP Spectre x360 comes easily as one of our most recommended 2-in-1 hybrid laptops. It's one of the best looking and most powerful hybrid notebooks out today, and the vibrantly bright display doesn't hurt either. Although it weighs nearly as much as a 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina, its dimensions put it more in line with a MacBook Air and the fully metal body is a nice touch too, even if it ends up making it a tad bit too heavy for prolonged tablet use. Users who want even more power and the best screen possible should look to the new Skylake model with an OLED screen.
Read the full review: HP Spectre x360
11. MacBook Pro 13-inch with Retina display (early 2015)
Robust and stunning, the MacBook Pro is as good as old reliable
CPU: 2.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 | Graphics: Intel Iris Graphics 6100 | RAM:8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch IPS, 2,560 x 1,600 pixels| Storage: 128GB SSD
Faster Processor
Superb battery life
Underdeveloped Force Touch
Unchanged design
The MacBook Pro is a tried and true road warrior. Whether you're a student, graphic designer, desk jockey, photographer, DJ or a simple everyday user, this is one of the most versatile and best laptops ever made. Along with delivering great performance and amazing battery life, this latest MacBook Pro comes with Apple's new fangled Force Touch trackpad giving you access to more gesture commands. It's an even more enticing option when you add up all the bundled freebies including office programs and software upgrades.
Read the full review: MacBook Pro 13-inch with Retina display (early 2015)
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12. HP Spectre x2
A budget Windows tablet filled to the gills with tech
CPU: 1.2GHz Intel Core m7-6Y75 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 515 | RAM: 8GB |Screen: 12-inch, 1,920 x 1,280 WUXGA+ IPS WLED-backlit touchscreen | Storage:256GB SSD
Ultrathin design
Exceptional Core M performance
Massive bezels
Recessed kickstand
While the Surface Pro 4 has established itself as one of the very best Windows 10 tablets in the market, the HP Spectre x2 is another standout device that comes at a very attractive price. This Intel Core M-powered 12-inch tablet is a smidge thinner while offering long battery life. Aesthetically, the Spectre x2 feels like an even more premium device with a solid metal body and stylish bar-shaped kickstand. It also comes jam packed with tech including a quadruple speakers and a total of three cameras – that said, if you're looking for the best stylus experience, the Surface Pro 4 still takes the cake.
Read the full review: HP Spectre x2
13. Dell Inspiron 13 7000
A great all-around laptop-tablet hybrid for discerning students
CPU: 2.4GHz Intel Core i7-5500 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 5500 | RAM: 8GB |Screen: 13.3-inch, 1,920 x 1,080 FHD IPS touchscreen | Storage: 256GB SSD
Attractive and sturdy design
Speedy powerful performance
Lackluster battery life
A little hefty
Then again for those who don't need the latest tablet on the block and rather stick to their guns with something more traditional, the Dell Inspiron 13 7000 is a lovely fit. With a metal chassis coated in soft-touch rubber, this Special Edition 13-inch laptop hardly feels like a budget machine. Aside from the more than serviceable computing experience you'll get out of this notebook, the screen also flips back giving you a 1080p tablet experience.
Read the full review: Dell Inspiron 13 7000
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14. HP Chromebook 14
A fun, bright and affordable Chromebook
CPU: 1.83GHz Intel Celeron N2940 processor | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics |RAM: 4GB DDR3 | Screen: 14-inch 1,920 x 1,080 display | Storage: 16GB eMMC | Connectivity: value Intel 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0 | Camera: HP TrueVision HD webcam | Weight: 3.74 pounds | Dimensions: 13.54 x 9.45 x 0.7 inches
Excellent keyboard and trackpad
Crisp, vivid screen
Not as powerful as some higher-end Chromebooks
Average battery life
With a 14-inch screen, this HP Chromebook isn't the smallest or lightest Chrome OS device out there. However, it strikes a good balance between ample screen space and portability. A top-notch keyboard and trackpad, coupled with a great screen, makes the Chromebook 14 a joy to write and browse the web on for very little money at all.
Read the full review: HP Chromebook 14
15. Lenovo LaVie Z
This skinny kid can fight
CPU: 2.40GHz Intel Core i7-5500U | Graphics: Intel HD Graphic 5500 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch WQHD (2560 x 1440) LED anti-glare | Storage: 256GB
Core i7 processor
Excellent high-res display
Mediocre battery life
Astronomical battery life
A laptop as light as a tablet? It's not as crazy as you think with the Lenovo LaVie Z weighing less than two pounds. Aside from its lightweight chassis, the Lavie Z offers better performance and a higher resolution screen than most of its 13-inch Ultrabook competitors. Still, this machine has a few unfavorable characteristics including a squishy build quality, inferior battery life and inflated price tag; major turn offs for what is an otherwise splendid device
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