If you’ve held on to an aging Windows laptop for too long, it’s now a great time to upgrade. With all the hype around AI PCs, computer makers are rushing to release new designs featuring efficient new chips from Intel and AMD. And thanks to Microsoft’s Copilot+ initiative, which launched last year, we’re finally seeing decent notebooks powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips, which are leading to better battery life and lighter designs.
Whether you need a premium ultraportable, a powerful gaming rig or a versatile mobile workstation, our current list of the best Windows laptops highlights our favorites that have been rigorously tested by our team. You may even find a Windows laptop that suits you better than an Apple MacBook if you’re looking to make the switch. For those on a budget, check out our list of the best cheap Windows laptops to find great options that won't break the bank.
Quick Overview
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What to look for in a Windows laptop
Performance
How much power do you actually need? That’s the main question you need to ask yourself when choosing a Windows laptop (or any computing device, to be honest). It’s easy to overspend and get far more computer than you actually need, or skimp too much and find yourself with an under-powered processor and too little memory. We’ve broken down our recommendations into a variety of product categories below, but generally you’re looking to get a laptop with at least 16GB of RAM and a modern Intel Core Ultra or AMD Ryzen processor. If you’re a gamer, you’ll also want to make sure you get a decent graphics card. (That’s all explained in our guide for best gaming notebooks.)
What are AI PCs, Copilot+ and Arm-based laptops?
Any computer that includes an NPU (neural processing unit) is an “AI PC,” since that chip can offload some tasks from the CPU and GPU. And since every chipmaker has rushed to join the AI bandwagon, most systems released today count as AI PCs. The exceptions are some higher-powered workstation and gaming laptops, which may have NPU-free chips, or extremely cheap notebooks running low-end chips.
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To make it easier to find premium AI PCs, Microsoft unveiled its Copilot+ program last year. It calls for notebooks with NPUs that support at least 40 TOPS of AI processing power, 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The first batch of Copilot+ systems included the new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, as well as the revamped XPS 13.
To make things even more confusing, Copilot+ systems include PCs powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon Arm-based CPUs, which can run modern Windows apps but may have trouble with older software and drivers.
Display and webcams
Regardless of whether a notebook has a touchscreen or a more traditional panel, we look for bright displays (300 nits or more) that are easy to use outdoors or in sunny rooms, with accurate colors and wide viewing angles. Screens with high refresh rates are great for competitive gamers (or anyone who wants smoother document scrolling), while those with wider color gamuts are important for content creation and video editing. And even if you don’t plan on spending a ton of time on video calls, every laptop needs a decent webcam — 1080p or higher is preferred.
Ports and connectivity
Even with advancements in cellular modems and Wi-Fi, dedicated ports for transferring data or connecting peripherals can make or break a laptop. Ideally, all but the thinnest and lightest systems come with three USB-C ports, while things like built-in SD card readers can be extremely handy when trying to import media from a camera. And if a notebook is saddled with a slow or outdated Wi-Fi modem (we’re looking for Wi-Fi 6 or later), that’s basically an immediate disqualification.
Battery life
It doesn’t matter how powerful a laptop is if it conks out when you need it the most. Typically we look for runtimes of at least ten hours on a charge, but when it comes to good battery life, longer is always better. That said, on gaming machines with thirsty graphics cards, you may have to settle for a bit less. And on bigger machines, it’s also important to consider if the system can charge via USB-C or if it needs a larger, proprietary power brick.
Best Windows laptops for 2025
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Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
Screen size: 14-inch | Touchscreen: Yes | Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 258V | Installed memory: Up to 32GB | Storage: Up to 1TB | Weight: 2.6 pounds | Battery life: 16:08
Read our fullASUS Zenbook S14 review
The Zenbook S14 shows how far ASUS has come. It’s a gorgeous premium notebook powered by Intel’s new Lunar Lake chips, giving it a healthy dose of power and battery life. In our battery testing, it lasted 16 hours and eight minutes, putting it among the best Windows PCs we’ve seen. The Zenbook S14 is also lighter than Apple’s MacBook Air, while also offering more ports (two USB-C, one USB-A, HDMI and a headphone jack). Overall, though, we were just won over by everything ASUS did right. Its Ceraluminum case feels incredibly polished, and its OLED screen also makes just about everything look great.
Pros
Attractive modern design
Incredible battery life
Excellent OLED screen
Useful port selection
Responsive and large trackpad
Cons
Keyboard could use more feedback
Performance isn't much better than Intel's last gen
We’re still waiting for more AI ready apps to appear
$1,400 at Best Buy
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acer
Screen size: 15-inch | Touchscreen: No | Processor: 11th-gen Intel Core i3 | Installed memory: 8GB | Storage: 128GB | Weight: 3.64 pounds | Battery life: Up to 10 hours
There’s a reason we selected the Acer Aspire 5 as our top choice in our best budget Windows laptop guide: It’s sturdy, fast enough and offers good battery life. It also comes with a Windows 11 Home (S Mode) operating system with advanced security features. We typically don’t expect much with laptops under $500, but the Aspire 5 has consistently been a solid performer. It’s an ideal laptop for students or kids, or for anyone who isn’t particularly demanding. We’re also surprised by the port selection it offers, including HDMI and Ethernet. While we normally don’t recommend laptops with just 8GB of RAM and tiny 128GB SSDs, those specs are more excusable in the Aspire 5 since it’s so darn cheap. Just think of it as a slightly more capable Chromebook, but one that can launch multiple apps and do a bit more than just web browsing.
Pros
Includes HDMI and Ethernet ports
Sturdy design
Decent performance for the price
Cons
Lackluster display
$338 at Amazon
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Will Lipman Photography for Engadget
Screen size: 14-inch | Touchscreen: No | Processor: AMD Ryzen 7/9 | Installed memory: Up to 16GB | Storage: Up to 1TB | Weight: 3.53 pounds | Battery life: Up to 10 hours
Read our fullASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 review
One of our favorite gaming PCs for years, the ROG Zephyrus G14 remains our choice as the best gaming laptop for most users. It weighs just 3.5 pounds, it sports AMD’s powerful new Ryzen chips and it also has the company’s fastest Radeon RX 6000-series mobile graphics. The ROG Zephyrus G14 has a sleek retro-future aesthetic, a comfortable keyboard and a smooth 144Hz, 14-inch screen. While you’d be more immersed in a 15-inch notebook, those typically cost more and are far heavier than the Zephyrus G14. If you’re looking for a balance between good performance, style and value, the G14 is an excellent option.
Pros
Powerful performance
Sleek design
Great 14-inch, 144Hz screen
Cons
A little on the heavy side
$1,299 at ASUS
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Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget
Screen size: 13-inch | Touchscreen: Yes | Processor: Snapdragon X Plus/X Elite | Installed memory: Up to 32GB | Storage: Up to 1TB | Weight: 1.97 pounds | Battery life: Up to 14 hours
Read our fullMicrosoft Surface Pro Copilot+ review
The Surface Pro is everything we’ve wanted the Surface tablet line to be for years. It’s incredibly fast and efficient, thanks to Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X Elite and Plus chips. Its neural processing unit (NPU) also enables potentially powerful AI features, though the current crop won’t be useful to everyone. We’re also still waiting to see Microsoft’s controversial Recall feature in action, which has been delayed to address its many security concerns.
The new OLED screen option looks wonderful: It makes colors pop off the screen and also ensures inky dark black levels. Coupled together with surprisingly powerful speakers, the Surface Pro is a solid option for watching video on the go.
When it’s paired together with the new Surface Pro Flex keyboard ($350), you can type and mouse around the Surface completely wirelessly, which opens up entirely new ways of using it. As long as there’s a small table nearby, or somewhere to prop up the tablet, you can work with just a thin and light keyboard on your lap. It’s also nice to see Microsoft pack in 16GB of RAM with the base Surface Pro model.
While we’d still like to see the company bundle in a keyboard and refine its kickstand, the Surface Pro remains one of the most innovative PCs available today.
Pros
Snapdragon X Elite and Plus chips are wonderfully fast
Solid battery life
Excellent OLED screen option
NPU allows for powerful AI features
Flex keyboard makes it more versatile
Solid AI features
Cons
All keyboards sold separately
Still hard to use in your lap
Gets expensive quickly
$999 at Microsoft
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Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget
Screen size: 14-inch | Touchscreen: Yes | Processor: 13th-gen Intel Core i7 | Installed memory: 16GB | Storage: Up to 1TB | Weight: 3.09 pounds | Battery life: Up to 14 hours
Read our fullLenovo Yoga 9i review
Adaptability is the biggest strength of a 2-in-1, with devices like the Yoga 9i capable of transforming into a number of different modes at a moment’s notice. And even though it’s got a relatively portable 14-inch OLED display, Lenovo still found room on the Yoga 9i for three USB-C ports, a fingerprint scanner and a clever rotating soundbar to ensure audio sounds good in any position. Lenovo also includes a free stylus in the box though, sadly, unlike previous models there isn’t a dedicated storage slot for it on the machine anymore. And while its general design hasn’t changed much, Lenovo has improved the Yoga 9i’s performance with updated 13th-gen Intel processors. There are also various configurations to choose from, including the choice between a Windows 11 Home or Pro operating system.
Pros
Gorgeous OLED display
Powerful speakers
Strong battery life
Four USB-C ports
Physical webcam shutter
Included stylus and travel sleeve
Cons
Whiny fans
Shallow keyboard
No built-in stylus storage
$1,400 at Lenovo
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Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget
Screen size: 14-inch | Touchscreen: No | Processor: 12th-gen Intel Core i5/i7 | Installed memory: Up to 16GB | Storage: Up to 1TB | Weight: 3.75 pounds | Battery life: Up to 5.5 hours
Read our fullMSI Stealth 14 Studio review
Regardless of if you’re editing videos or playing games, MSI’s Stealth 14 Studio packs a lot of processing power in a very portable package. The base model comes with a 1080p screen, but if you have the money, you’ll want to consider the optional 2,560 x 1,600 display, which boasts a faster 240Hz refresh rate and wider color gamut (100% of DCI-P3). At just 3.75 pounds, the Stealth 14 Studio weighs half a pound less than similarly sized rivals while still supporting up to an NVIDIA RTX 4070 GPU. And the redesigned model has a stunning magnesium and aluminum chassis that’s also available in a larger 16-inch model.
Pros
Striking design
Lightweight and portable
Solid performance
Bright 240Hz display
Up-firing stereo speakers
Cons
Runs hot
No SD card slot
Lower-res 720p webcam
$1,900 at Microcenter
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Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget
Screen size: 18-inch | Touchscreen: No | Processor: 13th-gen Intel Core i9 | Installed memory: Up to 64GB | Storage: Up to 1TB | Weight: 6.75 pounds | Battery life: Up to 3 hours
Read our fullRazer Blade 18 review
Razer’s revamped Blade 18 is a monster. It packs full-fat versions of the most powerful components you can put in a laptop including up to an Intel Core i9 13-980HX CPU and an NVIDIA RTX 4090 GPU that runs at up to 175 watts. You also get a massive 18-inch QHD+ display with a 240Hz refresh, tons of ports (including an SD card reader) and gorgeous per key RGB lighting. Holding everything together is Razer’s unibody aluminum chassis, which offers some of the best build quality on any Windows laptop. The one big downside is price: Starting at $2,900 (or closer to $5,000 for a fully loaded model), the Blade 18 is not for people with limited budgets.
Pros
240Hz display
Premium aluminum chassis
Supports top-notch components
Great port selection
Cons
Extremely expensive
Very short battery life
Big
No additional display options
$3,010 at Amazon
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Engadget
Screen size: 13.8- or 15-inch | Touchscreen: No | Processor: Snapdragon X Plus or Elite | Installed memory: Up to 32GB | Storage: Up to 1TB | Weight: 2.96 pounds | Battery life: Up to 17.5 hours
Read our fullMicrosoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition review
After more than a decade of tests and trials for Arm-based Windows PCs, Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 7 feels like a breakthrough. It’s fast, it’s quiet and thanks to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chip, it delivers well above average performance and battery life. Meanwhile, on the inside, Microsoft’s Prism emulator has almost completely smashed the barrier between Arm and x86, so aside from gaming, almost all of your favorite apps just work. Tack on a bright 120Hz display and excellent build quality and you get something really close to an ideal ultraportable PC.
Pros
Slick design
Excellent battery life
Good performance
Bright display
Powerful Prism emulator
Responsive haptic touchpad
Cons
Some apps and games still don’t play nicely with Arm-based chips
No OLED display option
$1,300 at Microsoft
Windows laptop FAQs
What's the difference between a Windows laptop and a Chromebook?
The main difference between a Windows laptop and a Chromebook lies in their operating systems. Windows laptops run on Microsoft’s Windows OS, whereas Chromebooks use Google’s Chrome OS.
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Aside from using different operating systems, performance is one of the major differences between a Windows laptop and a Chromebook. Windows laptops can be equipped with powerful processors and discrete graphics, making them suitable for demanding tasks like gaming or video editing. Chromebooks, on the other hand, are generally optimized for speed and simplicity, focusing on lighter tasks like word processing and web browsing.
In terms of software, Windows laptops support a range of desktop programs, whereas Chromebooks primarily use web apps or Android apps from the Google Play Store. Because of their differences, Chromebooks tend to be more affordable since they are primarily designed for basic, everyday tasks. Windows laptops can range in price from budget to premium, with the latter suitable for gaming, professionals or creatives.
What's the difference between macOS and Windows?
When it comes to macOS and Windows, they’re basically two different worlds in the realm of computers, each with its own personality. MacOS is sleek, minimal and feels pretty intuitive, especially if you like things that just “work” out of the box. Apple designs macOS to work in tandem with its hardware, so if you have an iOS device like an iPhone or an iPad, the whole ecosystem syncs up seamlessly.
Windows is more like the jack-of-all-trades. It's known for being super flexible and customizable. Whether you want to tweak how things look or run a wide variety of software, Windows gives you that freedom. It's also more widely used in business settings, mainly because it's been around longer and is compatible with tons of different programs and hardware.
Recent updates
March 2025: Updated one of our top picks and added new information about AI PCs.
September 2024: Added an FAQ section.
July 2024: We updated our top picks to include the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition.