Best Laptop 2023: The 12 Laptops We Recommend
From Mac to HP, we've reviewed the best laptops on the market. Through our rigorous testing process, we've identified a list of the best laptops for any need.
In this article:
What is the best laptop overall?
The Apple MacBook Air M2 currently tops our list of the best laptops 2023 has to offer because it is a solid choice for most people. It offers a great combination of everything we look for when we're testing: reliable everyday performance, long battery life and a design that works for a broad range of users. The latest MacBook Air starts at $1,199, which is why we still recommend the 2020 MacBook Air M1 as a lower-cost alternative to the newest Air model, as it's still an all-around excellent laptop. For those looking for a more value-oriented option, HP's Pavilion Aero 13 is an excellent small and light laptop starting at $550, but even fully loaded it's a reasonable $900.
At CNET, our laptop experts have collective decades of experience testing and reviewing laptops, covering everything from performance to price to battery life. This hand-curated list covers the best laptops across various sizes, styles and costs, including laptop computers running on Windows, MacOS and Chrome.
If you want more laptop brands and options for a particular category, we also have specialized lists you can look at, including the best gaming laptops, best 15-inch laptops, best two-in-ones and best Chromebooks, as well as the best laptops for college students, designers and the best MacBook Pro alternatives. If you need to stay as low as possible on the price of a new laptop computer, check out our best budget laptop and best budget gaming laptop picks.
This best laptop list is updated periodically with new models we've tested and reviewed. If you need advice on whether a particular type of laptop or two-in-one is right for you, jump to our laptop FAQ at the bottom of the list, and if you're looking to save some money on your purchase, be sure to check out our best laptop deals page.
Best laptops 2023
Thanks to a new design, a larger display (13.6 inches versus the previous 13.3 inches), a faster M2 chip and a long-awaited upgrade to a higher-res webcam, the 2022 version of the MacBook Air remains our top choice for the most universally useful laptop in Apple's lineup, with one caveat. At $1,199, the $200 increase over the traditional $999 MacBook Air starting price is a disappointment. That's why you'll still find the M1 version of the Air retains a spot on our best laptop list. Still, we like everything else about it and it's our first choice if you're considering an Air and don't mind spending more.
Pros:
- Bigger, brighter screen
- A high-res webcam
- Excellent performance and battery life
Cons:
- More expensive than the model it replaces
- New power adapter is a paid upgrade on some configs
- New webcam adds a screen notch
The Dell XPS 13 is a perennial favorite for its size, weight and performance as well as overall good looks. For 2022, Dell made the XPS 13 even smaller and lighter, kept its sub-$999 starting price the same, and dropped in the latest 12th-gen Intel processors. The design is still great (though there's no headphone jack; a USB-C adapter is included instead) and the battery life is long.
Pros:
- All-aluminum design gives it a polished, modern look
- Excellent battery life
- Good configurations are reasonably priced
Cons:
- No audio jack
- Lower-power chips hold back performance
- Clicky touchpad
Despite the availability of the new bigger and better M2 MacBook Air, the M1 MacBook Air (one of the first to switch from Intel to Apple silicon) is staying around and that's a good thing. As Apple's entry-level laptop it is still our go-to recommendation for a MacOS laptop for basic everyday use. It has great performance and long battery life -- up to 18 hours -- and is a solid choice for school or work.
Pros:
- Great battery life and performance
- Fanless design runs cool and quiet
Cons:
- No external design or feature changes
- Still more expensive than equally capable Windows laptops
Lenovo's thin, 3-pound convertible is a solid choice for anyone who needs a laptop for office or schoolwork. The all-metal chassis gives it a premium look and feel, and it has a comfortable keyboard and a responsive, smooth touchpad. Though it's light on extra features compared to its premium linemate, the Yoga 9i, it has a more affordable price. It does have one of Lenovo's sliding shutters for its webcam that gives you privacy when you want it. And it has a long battery life to boot, at 12 hours, 45 minutes in our tests.
Pros:
- Great battery life with strong performance
- Premium look and feel
- 1080p webcam
- Fingerprint reader and facial recognition for fast sign-ins
Cons:
- Memory soldered on
- USB-C ports all on left side
- Prices can vary wildly depending on sales
HP packed a lot of value into the Aero 13: Eye-pleasing magnesium-aluminum chassis, strong processing performance, long battery life, a bright, colorful display and a weight of just 2 pounds (0.94 kilogram). Amazingly, with all that it offers though, it doesn't break the bank in terms of price: It starts at just over $500 and is about $1,300 fully loaded. If you want something a bit larger with more to offer when it comes to components, consider the HP Pavilion 14 instead or any of our other picks for the best laptops on a budget.
Pros:
- Weighs under 2.2 pounds
- Long battery life
- Excellent performance for everyday tasks
Cons:
- Backlit keyboard not standard
- No touchscreen option
- Memory is soldered on
Acer makes a lot of Chromebook options and, while the Spin 714 is pricier than many Chromebooks, if you want one that's built to last for years, this is it. Keep an eye out for discounts on this one: Its normal price is $729, but it can be regularly found for $599 or less. If you're looking for a bargain, though, check out our full list of the best Chromebook picks we've tested and reviewed.
Pros:
- Great performance, long battery life
- Dockable USI stylus
- 1080p webcam
- Durable build
Cons:
- Small touchpad
- No microSD slot
Although this Microsoft Surface laptop is not the Surface Laptop, the Surface Pro continues to hit all the right notes if you're looking for a do-it-all Windows tablet that doubles as a Windows laptop. Microsoft updated it for the Surface Pro 9, but little has changed beyond a processor upgrade from 11th-gen Intel Core processors to 12th-gen chips, as well as an option for a Microsoft SQ 3 processor with 5G wireless. If you were contemplating a Pro 8, it's still around but now with a lower price, and is our go-to choice. However, here's our review of the Surface Pro 9 so you can see how they measure up.
Pros:
- Bigger, better display from previous generation
- Nice haptic slim stylus
- Can charge via USB-C
Cons:
- All-important keyboard still isn't included in the box
- No 5G options, 4G only for business customers
- Fan can get loud
Lenovo launched the Yoga line 10 years ago with Windows 8 and now, with Windows 11, the flexibility of the design has only gotten better. The company's flagship 14-inch Yoga 9i Gen 7 has an updated look with comfortable, rounded edges and 12th-gen Intel processors that give it a big multicore performance jump. A beautiful OLED display and improved audio make it excellent for work, video conferences and entertainment. Lenovo includes an active pen and a laptop sleeve to complete the premium package.
The powerful speakers do add some vibration to the palm rests when turned up, and Lenovo has cluttered the laptop with pitches for optional services and software. But, overall, the Yoga 9i is the two-in-one convertible laptop to beat. The 2023 version of the Yoga 9i is now available, too, but it's mainly a specs update to the latest 13th-gen Intel processors.
Pros:
- Big multicore performance jump
- Great visual and audio experience
- Laptop sleeve and active pen included
Cons:
- Cluttered with pitches for optional services, software
- Speakers add vibration to palm rests
One of the first of the new generation of 18-inch laptops, the m18 can get expensive if you push it up to a high configuration -- an RTX 4090 and Core i9-13900HX will get you to $3,300, without even a lot of memory or storage. But if the big screen is most important to you, it starts at $2,000 with a respectable i7-13650HX and RTX 4050. And don't expect great battery life, plus the fans can get loud when you're pushing it.
Pros:
- Massive screen for gaming
- Amazing performance from the Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU
- Tactile CherryMX keyboard
- Lots of ports and connections
- Less expensive than the other 18-inch gaming laptop we've reviewed
Cons:
- Bland color options than the previous gen
- Better components drive up the price
- Fans can get loud while gaming
Dell's G15 has been a favorite budget gaming laptop for the past few years, along with the HP Victus line. It was joined this year by a 16-inch version, the G16. We tested both and were impressed with what each offers.
If you're looking for a gaming laptop bargain, the G15 is the way to go. But if you can afford to spend a couple hundred dollars more, the G16 is a better bet for longevity. Either way, you'll get a good gaming laptop for the money, but we strongly recommend waiting for a sale.
Pros:
- Very inexpensive way to get into PC gaming
- Many screen options
- Can double as an everyday work PC
Cons:
- Least-expensive config has scant storage
- Mediocre keyboard and touchpad
- Limited ports
Apple's 2023 update to its flagship MacBook Pro 16-inch line is a modest refresh from the more significantly redesigned 2021 model; notably, it upgrades to the latest generation of M2-class processors, Wi-Fi 6E and HDMI 2.1. With those updates, it gains support for displays up to 8K/60Hz and 4K/240Hz as well as variable refresh rates. The combination of the old and new enhances the veteran laptop's chops as a powerhouse computer for creation and development work.
You pay for it, though: The base price for the 16-inch model of this premium laptop is $2,499.
Pros:
- Fast with solid battery life
- Good, bright screen
- Wi-Fi 6E and HDMI 2.1 support
Cons:
- Heavy
- iPhone-like camera notch
The XPS 17 combines the same slim, premium design of its 13-inch linemate but with increased performance possibilities. It can be configured with up to a 13th-gen Intel Core i9 processor, up to 64GB of memory, up to 8TB of storage and a 12GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 graphics chip. The best part: The body is so trim that you get a 17-inch display in what's about the size of an older 15.6-inch laptop. You're getting a lot of power and a big screen in the smallest possible package.
Pros:
- Big, high-res screen
- Enough graphics power for creative work and mainstream gaming
- Slim design for such a large laptop
Cons:
- Low-res webcam
- Minimal ports