The best laptop brands for everyone

When it comes to PC gaming, the right name does make a difference. Sure, companies like Asus might offer their own gaming laptops, but in this space, there might be no better name than Razer(opens in a new tab).

Started in 2005, Razer broke into PC gaming with the Boomslang mouse and it was off to the races. Today, Razer peripherals are among the best products you can get to fill out a gaming setup. Whether it's a mouse with high DPI for movement, a mechanical keyboard with mechanical switches for faster input, or a THX-infused surround sound headset, you can find some of the best accessories on the market from this company.

In the last few years, Razer also expanded into gaming laptops with the Razer Blade(opens in a new tab) line. As opposed to other gaming laptops that lean on the bulkier side, Razer has been able to pack plenty of power into extremely slim bodies. 

The model that captures this best is the 4K version of Razer Blade Pro 17(opens in a new tab). Packing a GeForce GTX 3070 and Intel Core i7 processor, it isn't lacking for spec. And since it's VR ready, you'll finally be able to get yourself an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. There's also the Razer Blade Stealth(opens in a new tab) for anyone who doesn't have the dime to drop on the Blade Pro 17. Just keep in mind, affordable pricing for Razer is still around £1500(opens in a new tab).

One final bit worth mentioning that makes Razer special is that it's still an independent company. Most name brands serve as an arm to a parent company — Alienware is owned by Dell, for instance. This means that any Alienware laptop you get, while still excellent, is still a Dell laptop at its core. Since Razer is its own company, any product you get is distinctly Razer and allows them to stand out from the pack. 

A laptop could look like the best thing ever on paper, but if it's poorly reviewed it doesn't matter. A bad review could be the kiss of death. Positive reviews, especially when it comes to laptops, are still the barometer to go by when looking for a new device. And Lenovo(opens in a new tab) consistently receives great feedback(opens in a new tab).

At first glance, you may find it surprising that Lenovo is the best-reviewed laptop brand, especially when put up against other names like Apple or HP. It's not like those are poorly reviewed, but laptop-to-laptop, Lenovo keeps a level of consistency across its products that keeps those positive reviews coming in.

The ThinkPad line is Lenovo's go-to line of laptops for anyone looking for an excellent, well-rounded laptop like the X1. The biggest reasons for this are a sturdy design and build quality, fast performance under the hood, and an excellent battery life. The Yoga(opens in a new tab) has reviewed extremely well across the board, too, from the likes of PCMag(opens in a new tab) and Wired(opens in a new tab). It's been praised for its battery life and touchscreen, and overall value for money.

Those are just two examples of positive reviews for Lenovo laptop. On the whole, if reviews matter to you when finding your perfect laptop, Lenovo is a go-to choice. 

We live in an increasingly connected world. Laptops, phones, tablets, headphones, speakers, and more. And no company syncs everything together better like Apple(opens in a new tab). That's the brilliance of Apple and why people who buy Apple tend to stick with it — a user experience across the operating system that's seamless and fluid.

Of course, the devices themselves are pretty slick. The best in the business, in fact. You would have had to live under a rock for the last 15 years to not hear about the MacBook Pro(opens in a new tab) — the very best laptop there is, bar none. Particularly for creatives and designers. The power and tech these laptops wield never fails to impress us.

The user experience extends beyond the tech too. The online customer support is top notch. And if you need to get your MacBook serviced, just take it to the closest Apple store and get it checked out. That kind of boots on the ground support is unrivalled.

And if you have AppleCare+, accidental damage is covered for those drops and cracks. There will be repair fees, but it's still better than dropping another £2000-plus on a new MacBook Pro. Because, yes — and let’s beat it about the bush here — this kind of quality doesn’t come cheap. If you want something a touch lighter and not as heavily equipped, try the MacBook Air(opens in a new tab).

Compared to years ago, most laptops today are extremely well designed. Whether it's a slim, slick MacBook or the durable body of an Acer Chromebook, it's a far cry from the hard-plastic body of the old IBM laptops from the early 2000s. Asus(opens in a new tab) stands above all when it comes to design.

On one end, you have the more affordable Chromebooks and laptops that share some design points with other laptops at that scale, like hard plastic. The difference is that while other brands, like Dell or HP, are trying to save on cost, Asus finds a purpose for it. Case in point: the VivoBook(opens in a new tab). Asus designed the laptop with a combination of plastic and rubber to provide a more rugged and durable notebook that won't succumb to drops. Therefore, it's serving a purpose in keeping the laptop working and in one piece rather than just offering a cheaper laptop.

As you move up to mid-tier and high-end models, these truly exemplify the design mastery of Asus. Generally, Asus laptops sport a slick, almost circular design with a brush metal look on most of the general laptops available. Possibly the most visually striking and uniquely designed laptop available is the ROG Zephyrus(opens in a new tab). While it's a little more of a normal, angular build, the Zephyrus sports a surprisingly thin profile for the power it's packing. On top of that, the bottom of the laptop flexes open, allowing the laptop to run cooler and quieter than other high-powered laptops.

These are the kinds of little ideas that highlight the superb laptop design of Asus compared to other brands. That's not to say that other brands have poor designs, but considering how distinct Asus manages to make their laptops feel, the design team deserves all the praise in the world. 

Innovation is a big driver for success in the tech world. We are constantly looking for the next thing to make life that much easier. And when it comes to laptops, no company has been better at pushing the envelope than Dell(opens in a new tab). 

Considering how many arms it has, from supplying Intel Core processors to seemingly every other computer company to the variety of computers Dell(opens in a new tab) produces, it makes sense that they would want to be one of the companies to set the standard in computing.

Dell laptops have been one of the biggest sources of that innovation, evident in the newest XPS 13 laptop(opens in a new tab). The newest model is the thinnest and lightest Dell has ever released and manages to address a common issue with laptops — temperature. In fact, Dell even adapted the materials used in building the Mars Rover(opens in a new tab) to create this laptop, so it can definitely take the heat. On top of that, new software allows you to text and make calls directly from the laptop, which is a nice streamline feature for the professionals out there.

They even show gamers some love through their Alienware(opens in a new tab) brand with the addition of a new control centre. It's available on newer models like the 15 or 17 and offers an easy means of going game-by-game to adjust settings and overclocking. These are saved as game profiles in the control centre so, when jumping between games, your laptop won't push itself as hard if it doesn't need to. After all, not all games have Battlefield 2042 level demands.

Those are just two of the ways Dell has continued pushing their products to improve.

Variety, as they say, is the spice of life. Giving someone choice means they're more likely to find what they need, meaning another happy and loyal customer. And if you can offer that kind of choice with laptops, that's even better. It's this philosophy that has made Acer(opens in a new tab) a go-to brand.

For anyone who needs something for work or school, Acer has plenty of Chromebooks to choose from. For example, there's the Chromebook Spin 513(opens in a new tab), which is perfect for students. It switches easily between laptop, tablet, display, and tent modes — making it perfect for all manner of situations, from taking notes in class to messaging friends and winding down after a hard day’s studying with some Netflix.

If you're looking for something on the other end of the spectrum, there's plenty to choose from that provide power and versatility. The best example of this is Acer Predator Triton, a strong gaming laptop. It includes an Intel Core i7 CPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU — if you need a reliable gaming hardware without breaking the bank. It’s also slim, and boasts a nice-looking display.

Those are just two examples of the laptops available from Acer. There are plenty of others available all across the spectrum, from laptops that sport a mid-tier design to the Nitro gaming line(opens in a new tab) that offers good power in a portable package. Whatever you may be looking for, Acer probably has it. 

Football has United and City, DC has Batman and The Joker, and computing has Microsoft(opens in a new tab) and Apple. While the two have traded blows over everything from desktops to processors, Apple was the only one of the pair producing laptops. That's changed over the last few years, and now Microsoft finds itself on par with its competitor, or in some cases even outpacing Apple, with a variety of 2-in-1 models and laptops on the market.

Microsoft finally jumped into the space with the first Surface tablet back in 2012 and never looked back. The tablet was originally released to serve as direct competition to the iPad, which had long been the best premium tablet line on the market. The Surface proved to be a success, offering a true alternative to Apple's iPads and MacBooks.

What has worked in Microsoft's favour has been a more fluid design philosophy and features across all its Surface products compared to Apple. While Apple has maintained a type of hardline separation between iPads and MacBooks, with each one distinctly a tablet or laptop, Microsoft has tried to blur that line with 2-in-1 options and flexible laptops. The best example of this is the Surface Pro 9(opens in a new tab), the powerhouse 2-in-1 of Microsoft's offerings. At first glance, you get a laptop that fits along the lines of the MacBook Pro, but if you need a power tablet, snap the screen off and now you have, in a sense, an iPad Pro. If you prefer a more traditional design, the Surface Laptop(opens in a new tab) provides that while keeping some features, like the responsive touchscreen.

If there's one downside to Microsoft's approach it's that there's still a limited choice, but the sheer flexibility makes up for the lack of choice in spades. And if you can offer a legitimate alternative to Apple, especially with fewer options, then you're doing something right.