Article Summary
Choosing the best laptop is a subjective decision based on your primary use cases, preferred operating system, and budget. There is no universally best laptop, but there are standout options that have been vetted and approved by the Mashable team. These may include the new 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4) and the 13.8-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7.
What This Means for You
- Consider your primary use cases and budget to choose the best laptop for you.
- The Mashable team has tested and approved a number of standout laptops, including the new 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4) and the 13.8-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7.
- Keep in mind that tariffs may affect the price of some laptops, so it is important to stay up-to-date on these changes.
- Look out for upcoming reviews of the Framework Laptop 13, Asus ZenBook A14, Asus Vivobook S 15, Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 9), Acer Predator Helios 16, and MSI Stealth A16 AI+.
Original Post
Choosing the best laptop is a largely subjective decision that comes down to your primary use cases, your preferred operating system, and your budget. In other words, there’s no such thing as a universally best laptop.
This is an annoying fact of life for both laptop shoppers and those of us doling out “best laptop” recommendations, since we can’t make custom judgment calls for everyone in need of a new machine. (I would love to, but I’ve got a thing after this.) However, I can confidently point you in the right direction of some standouts that I and other members of the Mashable team have vetted and approved.
Best laptops to buy 2025
As of May 2025, we think the new 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4) is the best MacBook for most people. It’s a sleek-as-ever notebook featuring impressive performance, open-lid support for two external displays, a great 12MP Center Stage camera, and an extremely reasonable starting price of $1,199 (making it $100 cheaper than its M3 predecessor).
The best Windows laptop we’ve tested is the 13.8-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, a sophisticated and snappy Copilot+ PC boasting an unrivaled battery life of nearly 23 hours. Note that Microsoft makes an Intel version that may appeal to users wary of Windows on ARM for app compatibility reasons, but it’s a business-oriented model with a significant markup.
Read on for Mashable’s in-depth guide to the best laptops of 2025. FYI: We’ve listed the pricing and specs of our testing units, which may not apply to each laptop’s base model
A note about tariffs
Now is an especially weird time to be shopping for a new laptop: President Donald Trump’s tariffs on almost all imports have upended the tech market, causing some computer manufacturers to increase their prices and others to temporarily pause U.S. sales. We’re monitoring this situation closely and will update this story if any of our top picks are affected. (None have been impacted so far, but the Asus ZenBook A14, a new contender we have in hand for testing, is now $100 pricier because of tariffs.)
What’s on deck
We’ll soon test the following laptops:
The Framework Laptop 13, a popular modular and repairable laptop with a Mashable Choice Award-winning predecessor.
The Asus ZenBook A14, a featherlight Copilot+ PC with a durable “Ceraluminum” chassis, an OLED display, and a ridiculous rated battery life of up to 32 hours per charge. I briefly checked it out at CES 2025, and it took home our Best of CES laptop category award.
The Asus Vivobook S 15, a sub-$1,000 Copilot+ PC with a 3K OLED display, an RGB backlit keyboard, and a rated battery life of up to 19 hours.
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 9), a handsome mid-ranger with an OLED touchscreen and a rated battery life of up to 23.5 hours.
The Acer Predator Helios 16, a 16-inch RTX 4080 gaming laptop priced at $2,299.99.
The MSI Stealth A16 AI+, a 16-inch RTX 4070 gaming laptop that costs just under two grand.
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