Best laptop 2022: What laptop should I buy?

Laptops have thwarted the attempts of tablets to take over and remain a staple of the tech world, especially in the new hybrid working era brought about by the pandemic. There are almost endless amounts to choose from with a complicated range of models and specs so we've reviewed and ranked the best right here.

We've tested and ranked 15 top laptops you can get right now and we're adding more (and getting rid of old models) on a regular basis - 2022 models will arrive as soon as we can get them. You'll find a summary along with our expert rating and where you can buy each laptop, but make sure you click through to each review for more details.

If none of the laptops we've listed here is quite right for you, let us arm you with the knowledge you need to help you chose what laptop to buy. Following the chart, you'll find extensive buying advice that covers everything from what processor is suitable to how much storage you'll need and whether or not you should be looking for a more portable option.

If value is your primary concern, we've also scoured the web for laptop deals and the best budget laptops.

Top laptop reviews

1 Huawei MateBook 14s (2021) - Best Overall Pros Plenty of power & ports Killer keyboard 90Hz display Fixed webcam

Cons Plain design Thunderbolt 4 only on top SKU Webcam only 720p

The MateBook 14s, a tweaked version of the also-excellent MateBook 14, is another desirable all-rounder in the laptop market, especially now the webcam is back above the screen rather than hidden in the keyboard. It's only 720p but supports Windows Hello login and the 14s is impressive almost everywhere else starting with components going up to an H-series i7 processor and 16GB RAM. Furthermore, the 2.5K display offers a smooth 90Hz refresh rate and there are plenty of ports, too. It's just a shame that Thunderbolt 4 is limited to the top-spec model and there are thinner and lighter rivals around if portability is a priority. Read our full Huawei MateBook 14s (2021) review

2 Apple MacBook Air (M1) - Best MacBook Pros Powerful components Long battery life iOS apps

Cons Very limited ports Throttled performance

The MacBook Air may not look any different to its predecessor, but it's what's on this inside that counts. Offering a significant boost compared to the 10nm Intel chipset of the earlier MacBook Air range, the 5nm M1 chipset is blisteringly fast in operation, handling light video editing and gaming via Apple Arcade without breaking a sweat. It's faster than many Intel-based Windows alternatives, offering great bang for your buck from Apple's entry-level ultralight laptop. There's also a big jump in battery life and the display is top-notch, as are the keyboard and trackpad. It's fanless, which brings the benefit of silent running, but it also means that the laptop will throttle performance to keep things cool. Those that want to edit video for hours on end may be better off with the fan-equipped MacBook Pro M1, even though it doesn't add any more ports. Read our full Apple MacBook Air (2020) M1 review

3 LG gram 17 (2021) – Best 17in Pros Insanely light Stunning battery life Excellent screen

Cons Spongy keyboard McAfee pop-ups

We didn't think LG could make the gram 17 much better, but the latest model has really nailed it. It's still an incredibly lightweight marvel of engineering and now improves on the niggles we had before, all inside a more attractive design. Our main complaints were the speakers and trackpad which are both better. The laptop also has incredible battery life, gets an upgrade to Thunderbolt 4 and has an excellent screen. It's just not touch-sensitive and some users may prefer a crisper keyboard action. Still, this remains the 17in laptop to beat and LG now has the gram 16 if you want something slightly smaller and cheaper. Read our full LG gram 17 (2021) review

4 Dell XPS 15 – Best 15in Pros Stunning display Plenty of power Good battery life

Cons Shallow keyboard Cooling system needs space Expensive

It might have a bog-standard webcam and a poor implementation of HDR, but those are minor niggles for what is a stunning piece of work from Dell. Those looking for a 15in Windows laptop, perhaps as a MacBook Pro alternative, will be hard-pressed to find something better than the XPS 15 for 2020. This laptop is well made, compact and has plenty of performance to offer as well as impressive specs elsewhere. It is expensive at the upper end, but you don't need to splash out almost £3k to get an amazing laptop. In fact, simply avoid the lowest spec option with integrated graphics and you'll have enough for most users. Unless you know you need a 4K screen, the Full HD option will suffice and also increase battery life. Read our full Dell XPS 15 9500 (2020) review

5 Huawei MateBook D 14 – Best Value Pros Great value Impressive components Fast charging

Cons Awkward webcam Only one USB-C Limited brightness

Despite the mid-range nature of the laptop, Huawei has done a great job at making the MateBook D 14 look like a premium option. It sports AMD internals that can give similarly priced laptops a run for their money, and despite not being billed as a gaming laptop, the Radeon Vega 8 graphics are enough to power casual games like Fortnite and Rocket League with no issue. There's also all-day battery life on offer, at just over 10 hours in our benchmark, and 65W fast charging means it can replenish 43 percent of battery power in only half an hour. It's lightweight, portable and powerful, making the MateBook D 14 a tough one to beat in the mid-range arena. Read our full Huawei MateBook D 14 review

6 HP Envy 13 (2021) - Great Value Core i5 Pros Great display Solid speed & battery Sleek design Quiet keyboard

Cons No HDMI or Thunderbolt Expensive i7 model Disappointing trackpad

The HP Envy 13 looks decent, it's got a superb screen, and it has rock-solid everyday computing power in its Core i5 guise. It's also got a solid keyboard and good battery life. In many respects, it's an impressive everyday ultraportable. HP's core laptop has been a favourite of ours for years but the 2021 model has taken a dip and the 2020 model is now hard to find. It's still a good laptop and comes at an affordable price unless you're looking at the i7 SKU, and you might not enjoy the lack of HDMI and Thunderbolt either. You can find sturdier designs elsewhere and better trackpads, too. Read our full HP Envy 13 (2021) review

7 Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 - Best for Streaming Pros Versatile design Solid specs Great connectivity

Cons No fingerprint scanner

It might not have a fingerprint scanner or an Ethernet port but the Yoga Slim 7 is otherwise hard to fault and the latter is rare anyway. Lenovo provides the vast majority of things that most people will be looking for in a laptop at an affordable price. It's lightweight and portable as the name suggests, although doesn't have a 360-degree hinge like many Yoga models. There's a choice of Intel or AMD processors, decent screen, solid battery life, Dolby Atmos speakers, Wi-Fi 6 and more. Overall, a very good value for money package. Read our full Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 review

8 Acer Swift 5 (late 2020) – Best Portability Pros Extremely light All-round performance Thunderbolt 4

Cons Medicore speakers Fans can be noisy

Acer continues to impress with the Swift 5, an excellent laptop that's a great all-rounder. It's not quite as affordable as the last version but it's incredibly compact and lightweight, yet remains premium and offers a good selection of ports including Thunderbolt 4. It doesn't have the best keyboard or speakers but the display is improved and performance is solid and battery life is very impressive, too. Overall, there's very little to dislike here as Acer continues to refine its best laptop. Read our full Acer Swift 5 (SF514-55T) review

9 Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 - Best Convertible Pros Solid performance S-Pen support Great battery life Optional 5G

Cons Expensive No dedicated GPU Screen could be brighter

Samsung continues to make excellent convertible 2-in-1 laptops since its return to the laptop market and this is our new favourite, even though the Galaxy Book Flex 2 is still a great option. The screen could be a bit brighter and there's no dedicated graphics card here but the excellent design and stylus support make the Book Pro 360 a versatile machine that will cope with a wide range of regular and creative tasks. Performance is still solid, battery life is formidable and you can even opt for 5G mobile data if you need it. Read our full Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 (2021) review

10 Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 – Best Build Quality Pros Excellent display Solid performance Great battery life

Cons Noisy fans Limited ports Top-specs overpriced

It’s more of the same from Microsoft here and while the design could maybe do with a refresh, the Surface Laptop 4 is another great all-rounder notebook that will suit many different users. The fans can be a bit loud, but performance is solid from either AMD or Intel chips and battery life is strong, too. A high-end display and a nice keyboard make for a comfortable experience. However, top-end models are overly expensive, and we’d like to see some options like an OLED panel and optional LTE connectivity. Read our full Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 review

11 Dell XPS 13 – Best Keyboard Pros Premium build All-round performance Brilliant keyboard

Cons Limited ports Expensive Can run hot

The XPS 13 was once the undisputed king of the ultrabook world, but the competition has stepped up its game and Dell isn’t quite doing enough to keep pace. A beautiful 16:10 display and the best keyboard you’ll find anywhere are enough to mean the XPS 13 is well worth a look for anyone considering a Windows ultrabook, but the caveats feel more pointed than ever - namely poor port selection and a steep price. This late 2020 edition with 11th-gen Intel is improved on thermal side with better performance but it's still not perfect with loud fans. It might mean you can find the older 9300 cheaper if you're ok with the downsides. Read our full Dell XPS 13 9310 (late 2020) review

12 Huawei MateBook X Pro (2021) – Best Luxury Design Pros 11th-gen Intel chips Slick design Excellent trackpad

Cons Below-average battery life No discrete GPU option Awkward keyboard webcam

The design is getting a little tired after four years, especially the webcam placement when video calling is more important than ever, but the X Pro still looks slick and has premium build quality. Better battery life can be found elsewhere and there's no longer an option for a dedicated graphics card which is a shame. It's not as Pro as before but remains an excellent choice in various other ways. The latest Intel chips are fast, the 3:2 screen is decent and the X Pro is among the best for keyboard and trackpad. Read our full Huawei MateBook X Pro (2021) review

13 Asus ZenBook Duo - Best for Multi-Tasking Pros Dual-screens All-round performance Lightweight

Cons Cramped keyboard Tiny trackpad Expensive

The innovative ZenBook Duo hinges, quite literally, around its second screen and makes for an interesting setup if you like the idea of having two screens without having to plug one in. It makes for impressive multi-tasking for certain situations once you get used to it and performance is good for a wide range of tasks as well as decent battery life. It’s also surprisingly light and portable for a machine with two displays. That second screen does have downsides though, mainly the knock-on effect to the keyboard and trackpad, making them small and awkward. Read our full Asus ZenBook Duo UX482 (2021) review

14 Samsung Galaxy Book S – Best Battery Life Pros Insane battery life Incredibly thin Touchscreen

Cons Processor issues Limited ports Lackluster keyboard

The Galaxy Book S is a stylish laptop that's well-made and extremely compact, albeit with a lacklustre keyboard. Combine this with the longest battery life we've seen to date and you may have just found your perfect travel companion if the price isn't too high. However, despite the good work done by Qualcomm to improve Windows on Snapdragon, there are performance and compatibility issues that will put more demanding users off. Read our full Samsung Galaxy Book S review

15 Asus ZenBook Flip S UX371 – Best 4K Convertible Pros Stunning display Hybrid design High-end specs

Cons Throttled performance No fingerprint scanner No headphone jack

There are cheaper 2-in-1 laptops around but the ZenBook Flip S is a stunner if you can afford it. It's one of the most striking laptops around with a beautifully thin profile and, as the name suggests, the ability to flip into various modes. You'll also benefit from the gorgeous 4K OLED screen, 1TB of storage and inclusion of Thunderbolt 4. There are 11th-gen Intel processors here, although the thin design does limit performance and there's no headphone jack here despite there being full-size HDMI. Read our full Asus ZenBook Flip S UX371 review

How to choose a laptop

Sometimes you just can't beat a bigger screen, a keyboard and Windows for getting stuff done, and then your only choice is a laptop. There are many different kinds, including hybrids that can be either laptop or tablet, high-end gaming laptops, cheap and cheerful budget models, and even those running macOS rather than Windows 10.

How much should you spend on a laptop?

Sometimes the best does come at a steep price, but equally you can get a lot of laptop for under £500 or even £300 – provided you need only complete basic tasks such as web browsing, writing emails and creating the odd document.

Around £500 or above can get you a solid laptop, but it's likely to have an entry-level set of specs. We're talking a relatively basic processor, minimal SSD storage and a relatively low-quality screen. It might also be on the heavy side.

Pay £700 or more and you should get a blazing fast processor, plenty of RAM, loads of storage and a gorgeous display. You should also expect excellent build quality and premium materials. Many laptops these days are above £1,000, which is when you start getting the likes of 4K touchscreens and ultra-lightweight builds.

Students, this selection of laptops is just for you.

We've shown you our favourite laptops available right now and offered some advice on how much to spend, but if you're still undecided we might be able to help break down your options further. Here we talk about screen size, storage, processors and more to help you make your decision.

What screen size laptop do you need?

Laptop screens range from around 11in to 17in. A smaller screen might be harder to work on and offer fewer ports, but it will be more portable.

A 17in laptop, on the other hand, is a desktop replacement laptop and not designed to be moved around often. Generally, 13- or 14in is the sweet spot for portability and usability.

While some cheap laptops have a resolution of 1366x768, there are Full HD, Quad HD and even 4K laptops available. A touchscreen will add to the cost and generally isn't needed on a laptop, but it is an extra convenience. Also lookout for a matt, non-reflective screen.

What you won't find here is a laptop with a high refresh rate display, with that technology primarily used in gaming hardware. However, there are signs that more consumer laptops with screens of 90Hz and above could arrive soon.

Laptops with Mini-LED displays are on the way soon.

How much laptop storage do you need?

How much storage you need depends on what you want to use a laptop for. As a general rule of thumb get as much as possible without wasting money on the upgrade.

An SSD will help your laptop run faster, but offers less space for your files (consider supplementing it with a portable USB drive). You can also use cloud storage - but only when you have an internet connection.

Memory (RAM) is where programs and files are stored only while you're using them, and more is always better - up to a point. Consider 4GB a minimum, unless it's a Chromebook, with 8- to 16GB the ideal.

These Google-powered laptops might struggle to make it into this chart, but we have rounded up the best Chromebooks if they are more suited to you. They're great for basic tasks and online work, but not much more.

Which laptop processor is best?

Unless you're going to run complex and demanding software or gaming, you don't need a top-spec processor. If you are looking for something for games, we have a separate round-up of best gaming laptops.

If you're happy to splash out you're probably looking at the latest generation (10th or 11th) Intel Core i7 chip. Entry-level spec models are likely to offer a Core i3 or even a Celeron or Pentium processor instead. A Core i5 is a good mid-range choice so check how much extra it is to upgrade before making a final decision.

The letters after the model name are important: Y and U mean they are ultra-low-power chips, which won't be great for demanding tasks but should translate to longer battery life. H means high-performance graphics; Q means quad-core.

Note that many laptop manufactures will refresh laptops with Intel 11th-gen Tiger Lake processors, but typically the device is no different. It's likely you'll be able to choose the latest model as well as the last one, which may well be cheaper. Our reviews still stand, but the new chip may improve performance.

AMD has come a long way in recent years and the Ryzen chips are excellent, often outperforming their Intel counterparts so they come highly recommended.

Read our comparison of Intel vs AMD.

You can also find laptops with Qualcomm processors, the firm normally known for smartphone and tablet chips. While these are getting better with each new generation it's still early days. They offer incredible battery life but performance is behind Intel and AMD, plus there are compatibility issues with some software.

Buying an Ultrabook or ultraportable laptop

Buying an ultraportable laptop is really no different than any laptop, except that your priorities are likely to be different. You might want an ultraportable laptop that's light and will last a long time away from the mains.

However, other people want an ultrabook that's powerful and can handle demanding applications without breaking your back when you carry it around. Both types are available.

Some compromises are inevitable if you want a thin and light laptop, though. There's less space for a battery, so it's typical to find shorter runtimes.

Thin laptops tend to have shallow key travel, so if you need to do a lot of typing read our reviews to find out whether a keyboard is a joy or a pain to use.

You'll also likely miss out on ports and connectivity - some ultrabooks include USB-C and nothing more, which makes it more difficult to connect to ethernet, HDMI, or even a standard USB-A accessory like a mouse. You might need a USB-C dock.

Warranty and other considerations

We recommend all the laptops here: there isn't a duff one among them. However, we urge you again to read through the full review before spending your hard-earned cash. None is perfect and what will best suit your needs might not be the device ranked at number one.

Battery life and warranty vary between laptops. The latter may differ depending on where you buy the laptop from, too. John Lewis, for example, tends to offer longer warranty than rivals.

After-sales service is something you should consider for everything you buy. Check whether the company has a UK-based support line, and forums (including our own) are an ideal place to ascertain whether a manufacturer is generally good or bad at carrying out work under warranty.