Best laptops 2022: Top picks by the PC experts

Are you in the market for a brand spanking new laptop? If so, you’ve come to the right place. We curated a list of the best laptops available today. From traditional clamshells to swanky 2-in1’s, we’ve got something for everyone. If you’re working with an inflexible budget, don’t sweat it, we’ve included Chromebooks and a few other affordable options. Every single one of these laptops has been tested and personally vetted by the crew at PCWorld as well.

Read on for our picks for the best laptops around. Now that Intel’s new 12th-gen Core laptops are here and kicking butt, and AMD’s fresh Ryzen 6000 laptop CPUs are delivering game-changing performance for tiny notebooks, expect to see refreshes of the most popular models coming fast and furious over the next few months! If you’re looking to save some cash on your purchase, we’ve also got a roundup of the best laptop deals, updated every weekday. The top-tier stunners you’ll find below don’t grace it very often, but we relentlessly focus on good laptops that are actually good deals too.

Without further ado, these are the best laptops we’ve tested.

How we tested

The PCWorld team puts each and every Windows laptop through a series of benchmarks that test GPU and CPU performance, battery life, and so on. The idea is to push the laptop to its limits and then compare it against others we’ve tested. Chromebooks, on the other hand, go through a series of web-based tests. It wouldn’t be fair or possible to run the same kinds of tests on a Chromebook, as they’re Chrome OS-based machines. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of each test and the reasons why we run them.

Windows laptops

PCMark 10 : PCMark 10 is how we determine how well the laptop handles lighter tasks like web browsing, word processing, spreadsheets, and so on.

: PCMark 10 is how we determine how well the laptop handles lighter tasks like web browsing, word processing, spreadsheets, and so on. HandBrake : HandBrake is more intensive than PCMark 10. It basically measures how long a laptop’s CPU takes to encode a beefy 30GB file.

: HandBrake is more intensive than PCMark 10. It basically measures how long a laptop’s CPU takes to encode a beefy 30GB file. Cinebench : Cinebench is a brief stress test of the CPU cores. It does this by rendering a 2D scene over a short period of time.

: Cinebench is a brief stress test of the CPU cores. It does this by rendering a 2D scene over a short period of time. 3DMark : 3DMark checks if 3D performance remains consistent over time by running graphic-intensive clips.

: 3DMark checks if 3D performance remains consistent over time by running graphic-intensive clips. Video rundown test: To gauge battery life, we loop a 4K video using Windows 10’s Movies & TV app until the laptop dies.

Chromebooks

CrXPRT 2 : The CrXPRT 2 benchmark tests a Chromebook’s battery life.

: The CrXPRT 2 benchmark tests a Chromebook’s battery life. Speedometer 2.0 : This test determines a Chromebook’s web browser performance. It simulates this by adding, completing, and removing a to-do list.

: This test determines a Chromebook’s web browser performance. It simulates this by adding, completing, and removing a to-do list. Basemark Web 3.0 : This benchmark gauges how well a Chromebook can handle web-based applications.

: This benchmark gauges how well a Chromebook can handle web-based applications. Kraken 1.1 : Kraken 1.1 is a JavaScript performance benchmark.

: Kraken 1.1 is a JavaScript performance benchmark. Jetstream 2: Jetstream 2 is a combination of WebAssembly and JavaScript benchmarks. This is a way to gauge how well a Chromebook runs advanced workloads.

What kind of laptop should I get?

Ah, here we are at the billion dollar question. Do you spring for a basic Chromebook or go for a Windows laptop with more features? Well, it really depends on your personal lifestyle and what you plan on using your laptop for. For example, Chromebooks are a great low-cost option for those who just want the basics. I use a Chromebook as my primary work laptop, as it has everything I need for both editing and writing. If you travel a bunch for work, it’s probably a good idea to invest in a laptop with solid battery life. If you’re still unsure, don’t sweat it. I’ve put together a list of quick tips below.