There are a lot of stylish and powerful laptops and Chromebooks out there. Here is a list of the 5 best laptops for 2024 that every user will need.
In 2024, “AI PC” laptops—notebooks with neural processing units (NPUs) for AI tasks—will be all the rage. Even though it’s smart to know about these systems, there are much more important things to think about than how smart you are about AI. Getting a computer in 2024 isn’t that different from getting one in the past few years. You’ll still need to find a system that fits your needs in terms of power, weight, and screen size.
We think Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Air M3 is the best laptop for most people out of the 14 we’ve tested so far in 2024. You can use it for most jobs, even simple video editing. It has a great screen and speakers built in, and the battery might last for 20 hours (it depends on what you’re doing, of course). The MacBook Air M3 is also one of the thinnest and lightest computers we’ve looked at. It’s also very quiet because it doesn’t have any fans.
It’s a bit more complicated and different when it comes to Windows laptops and Chromebooks. For now, the news is mostly about AI features. However, the more traditional decisions, like whether to get an Intel or AMD CPU and a dedicated graphics processing unit (GPU), are still valid. And unlike Macs, you can choose from systems with touchscreens, 2-in-1 tablets that can be used as laptops, and more. To do that, this guide has a lot of recently tested and suggested models from HP, Dell, ASUS, and other brands.
Best laptops for 2024: Apple 13-inch MacBook Air M3
The new MacBook Air doesn’t have many changes from the last one, which is to be expected since the last one was the biggest update in almost a decade. The 13-inch MacBook Air gets a faster M3 chip this year. It can also run two external monitors (but only when the lid is closed) and supports Wi-Fi 6E. The black “midnight” type also has a finish that doesn’t show fingerprints and works!
A new chip is a great way to make a laptop that we thought was almost perfect even better. For both single-core and multi-core jobs, the M3 processor is about 20% faster than the M2. It also has a much better GPU and can do real-time ray tracing. The battery life is still the best in its class, with enough power to last through several work days without having to plug it in.
2. Dell XPS 13
The XPS 13 (which used to be called the XPS 13 Plus) has a good mix of speed and a nice, simple style. It is an “AI PC” this year because it has a new Core Ultra 7 engine. A neural processing unit (NPU) is built in, so it can handle some AI jobs, like Windows Studio Effects for video chats, without putting too much strain on your CPU or battery life. But it also has all the things we liked about the XPS 13 Plus before A full-width keyboard with oh-so-large keys and a huge mouse that’s “invisible” inside the glass wristrest. It also has the “Infinity Edge” screen, which has been a standard of the XPS line for almost a decade and has almost no edges.
Read More: 5 Best Tablets of 2024: For Both Work and Leisure
When it first came out, the XPS 13 Plus was a more powerful option than Dell’s XPS 13, which was thinner and not as powerful. We’ll miss the old XPS, but you can still find used ones, so it makes sense for Dell to focus on its beautiful new look. Like the Infinity Edge display, the 2024 XPS 13 Plus looks better put together than most Windows ultraportables. It sets a higher standard for what other PC makers should try to reach.
3. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is great because it has a brand-new unibody aluminum chassis, a bright 120Hz OLED display, good speed, and a ton of ports—and it costs hundreds less than a Razer Blade 14. It even has a microSD card reader and color gamut settings, so it can easily be used for both editing photos and videos. It also has a sound that is way above normal, thanks to stereo speakers that fire up and kick out sound. The Zephyrus also has a good battery life. On our rundown test, it lasted just under eight hours. On top of that, the G14 weighs almost half a pound less than other computers that look the same. The main problems with it are that its RAM is plugged in and its GPU can only handle an RTX 4070, not a 4080 like the old model could. But this system should be at the top of your list if you want a great all-arounder that packs a lot of power into a small space.
4. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5
Nathan Ingraham, who writes about technology for Engadget and loves Chrome OS, said it was a great deal. The 14-inch Full HD touchscreen, backlit keyboard, and 13th-generation Core i3 chip in this laptop make it great for the basics.
When paired with the Core i3 CPU, the latest model’s 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage make it a fast and powerful machine. The Flex 5 has a 360-degree tilt that makes it easy to use as a tablet, as well as one USB-A port and two USB-C ports. The battery’s life is six hours. Fans of Chrome OS might love this laptop, and a lot of other people will also be happy with it because it has a level of quality and speed that’s hard to find at this price.
5. HP Pavilion Aero
The HP Pavilion Aero 13 is the best laptop for the money if you want to spend around $800. For about $799 (or sometimes even less when it’s on sale), you can get a Full HD screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio and surprisingly thin bezels. The keyboard and mouse are also very comfortable. The Aero 13 is important because it has good speed and fairly powerful parts compared to others in this price range. It has an AMD Ryzen 5000 series processor and Radeon graphics. This choice for the best cheap laptop also has a lot of ports and a battery life that lasts all day.
Conclusion
The top 5 laptops for 2024 offer a diverse range of options to suit various needs, whether for professional, personal, or gaming use. Each laptop on this list has been carefully selected based on performance, design, battery life, and overall value. Each of these laptops excels in its respective category, ensuring that there is a perfect match for everyone. Whether you need a powerhouse for creative tasks, a reliable business companion, or a gaming beast, 2024’s top laptop picks have got you covered