Nothing makes a desk look cleaner than a cord-free setup, which is why a great wireless mouse is an essential companion for any laptop or desktop. 

Gone are the days when a wireless mouse was a premium laptop accessory. Now, you can pick up a wireless mouse for well under $100, and there are thousands of options to choose from, ranging from high-performance gaming mice to specially designed ergonomic mice. I've tried out dozens of mice over the years across different niches and price brackets, so I know finding the best wireless mouse is not a one-size-fits-all quest. 

Luckily, this guide is here to help. We've compiled the best wireless mice you can buy. We've tested these mice to ensure they deliver top performance at a fair price so you can be sure you're buying a mouse that's worth your hard-earned money. 

Our top picks include mice for right and left-handed users, as well as mice that use Bluetooth and wireless USB dongles. If your laptop is running short on USB ports, you can expand your port selection with one of the best docking stations or USB Type-C hubs. If you're specifically looking for a gaming mouse, visit our guide to the best gaming mice for even more options. 

Whether you're a gamer, a professional, or a digital nomad, this guide has the perfect wireless mouse to complete your setup. 

The Quick List

Best wireless mouse overall

The Logitech MX Master 3S packs a lot of features into its $100 price tag. It features seven buttons (including a thumb wheel), a unique ergonomic design, quiet buttons, and a rechargeable battery with quick charging capability. 

The MX Master 3S is a productivity champ. The wealth of programmable buttons makes it perfect for working with apps that utilize shortcuts and macros, such as Adobe Creative apps. 

It's also a fantastic ergonomic option for those who may not like the form factor of a vertical mouse. The MX Master 3S has a uniquely angled and curved design with a built-in thumb rest but maintains the horizontal layout of a conventional mouse. So, it can help improve comfort at your desk without forcing you to retrain your muscle memory. The only downside to this design is it's only compatible with right-handed users. 

The MX Master 3S is compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, iPadOS, and Android via Bluetooth. You can also use the Logi Bolt USB dongle to connect it to Windows, macOS, Linux, or ChromeOS devices. 

See our full Logitech MX Master 3S review.

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Best budget wireless mouse

The Logitech G305 LIGHTSPEED is one of the best deals in tech thanks to its streamlined, sturdy design and affordable price. At just $60, it perfectly balances price and functionality, especially since it often goes on sale for $50 or even $40. 

All the buttons have moderate tactile feedback but aren't overly loud. The matte plastic stays cool and comfortable even on hot summer days or during fast-paced gaming sessions. While the G305 might not be the lightest mouse on the market, it is more than capable of delivering excellent gaming performance. There's no RGB, but there are several fun color options to choose from. 

The Logitech G305 LIGHTSPEED has a neutral, ambidextrous design so you can use it with either your right or left hand. It connects to Windows, macOS, and ChromeOS using a USB 2.4GHz dongle. It does not have a rechargeable battery, unfortunately, but a single AA battery lasts up to 250 hours, so you won't need to change the battery often. 

I've personally been using a Logitech G305 LIGHTSPEED for over three years, so I can attest to its durability. The buttons and scroll wheel are just as clicky and comfortable as when I first bought my G305. 

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Best wireless gaming mouse

The Razer Viper V3 Pro is the best wireless mouse for gaming today. If you want the top performance on the market in a wireless mouse, this is the one to get. 

The Razer Viper V3 Pro is the lightest wireless gaming mouse we've reviewed so far, weighing in at a mere 54 grams. It is also one of the first gaming mice to offer true 8K polling in wireless mode. Razer Synapse gives you a wealth of customization options, as well, including a tool that automatically calibrates the Viper V3 Pro to match your old gaming mouse so you don't have to retrain your game reflexes. 

The Viper V3 Pro can go anywhere with you, though; it's not just for gaming. It features a minimalistic matte-black design with a neutral shape so you can use it with either hand. Razer also includes a set of stick-on grip pads you can attach if you struggle with sweaty palms and fingers. 

At $160, the Razer Viper V3 Pro doesn't come cheap, but it's the top choice if you want a wireless gaming mouse that doesn't compromise. Pros are already embracing it, too — esports pro Zekken won the 2024 Valorant Champions Tour using a prototype of the Viper V3 Pro. 

See our full Razer Viper V3 Pro review. 

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Best vertical wireless mouse

If you often find yourself struggling with a sore wrist or cramping hands after long days working on your laptop, you might want to add a vertical mouse to your setup. The Logitech Lift is the perfect way to level up your ergonomics without adding yet another pesky wire to your desk. 

The Logitech Lift takes the conventional mouse design and turns it 90 degrees so your hand sits vertically on the mouse (rather than twisting to sit parallel to your desk). It's affordable, too, priced at just $70. Plus, Logitech offers right and left-handed versions so lefties aren't left out. 

The Logitech Lift only includes 6 buttons, but they're all the basic ones you need for everyday tasks. The sculpted design of the Lift isn't bulky, either. It's designed mainly for people with small and medium-sized hands so it can improve ergonomics without being awkward or cumbersome (if you are someone with larger hands, you might be better off with the HP 925). 

The only real downsides to the Logitech Lift are the lack of a rechargeable battery and the learning curve. The Lift is powered by one AA battery, although according to Logitech it can last up to 2 years. Additionally, a vertical mouse can take some getting used to, so be prepared to retrain your muscle memory for the first few hours you're using the Logitech Lift. 

See our full Logitech Lift review. 

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Best wireless mouse for Mac

Thanks to its compact, minimalistic design and great price, the Logitech MX Anywhere 3 is a stellar companion for any Mac. It's also compatible with iPadOS and features tri-mode connectivity, so you can connect it to your Mac and iPad at the same time. The Mac-specific version of the MX Anywhere 3 is even specially optimized for the Apple ecosystem. 

The MX Anywhere 3 costs $80, but delivers more features than a touchpad or even Apple's Magic Mouse. With six buttons, you have more control and the ability to customize your button layout for shortcuts and macros in apps like FinalCut Pro or Adobe Photoshop. There's also a dedicated button on the bottom of the mouse for easily jumping between up to three connected devices. 

The compact, slightly contoured design of the MX Anywhere 3 is ideal for right-handed users with small hands, but the contouring is the same on each side so you can use it with either hand. You can use it anywhere, too — the Logitech Darkfield sensor works on everything from wood to glass. You can also customize performance and button assignments in the Logi Options app. 

See our full Logitech MX Anywhere 3 review. 

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How to choose the best wireless mouse for you

Choosing the best wireless mouse for you is all about balancing price with one or two must-have features. Most high-quality wireless mice cost $50 to $70 with more premium models priced at $80 to $100. There are mice that cost far more than that, though, particularly in the gaming niche, where a pro-tier wireless mouse can cost upwards of $150. 

The average user should plan to spend around $50 to $65 on a good, all-purpose wireless mouse. The Logitech G305 LIGHTSPEED is a great option in this price range and often goes on sale for as little as $40. It's a gaming mouse, but it's great for just about anything, features good build quality, and comes in a handful of vibrant (and neutral) colors. 

If you're looking for the best wireless mouse for your work setup, focus on productivity features and ergonomics. The Logitech MX Master 3S balances both superbly well, making it a top choice for any workstation. At $100, it's in the premium tier, but you get a lot of value for that price. The Logitech Lift also makes an excellent work companion thanks to its vertical form factor, which can significantly improve desk ergonomics. 

As for gaming mice, it's tough to beat the Razer Viper V3 Pro. A top gaming mouse isn't going to be cheap, but shouldn't compromise on DPI, polling rate, and weight. The Razer Viper V3 Pro does just that. It's one of the lightest wireless gaming mice on the market and delivers pro-level performance. If you want to compare it to some competitors, take a look at our guide to the best gaming mice. 

Beyond basic use cases, it's also important to consider what type of wireless connection you prefer. Some wireless mice use Bluetooth, others use a USB receiver or dongle, and many use a combination of both. 

If your laptop doesn't have many ports (or you use a lot of USB accessories), you may want to opt for a Bluetooth wireless mouse. On the other hand, if you want to easily swap between different laptops or desktops, a wireless mouse with a USB receiver can simplify that by cutting out the Bluetooth pairing process. 

How we test

Laptop Mag tests mice through multiple days of everyday use in different apps and games. We pay close attention to how every mouse performs across the board to determine what it's great at, and where it falls short. If it's a gaming mouse, we play a range of games in different genres with it to test responsiveness, connection stability, skate performance, accuracy, and more. 

We also test customization features and apps in-depth (when available), such as button remapping, DPI customization, and polling rate customization. 

When determining our final rating, we weigh the mouse's specs, price, and performance during our test period to give it a final score. Our goal is always to ensure you have the most information possible about a product so you know if you're spending your money on a mouse that offers great value for your needs. 

Powered by advanced machine learning algorithms, the best AI photo editors turn the tedious tasks of yesteryear into automated processes, allowing both amateur and professional photographers to enhance and modify their digital imagery like never before. The software intelligently analyzes your pics and videos to improve colors, adjust the exposure, and remove unwanted objects with the click of a button. A variety of AI photo editors also let you apply unique filters that are easy to customize and edit — not to mention fun to play with. The end result? A more streamlined editing process, opening up endless possibilities to your artistic muse.

Best AI photo editor overall

1. Adobe Photoshop

If there are two words that have long been synonymous with quality image manipulation, it’s Adobe Photoshop. This already-excellent software got a hefty upgrade with the recent addition of Generative Fill, powered by Adobe’s Firefly AI model. You may already be familiar with Adobe’s snazzy Content-Aware Fill feature, which lets you magically remove objects from your canvas, but Generative Fill takes things to a whole ‘nother level, allowing you to edit images with simple-yet-precise text prompts. For example, I generated the image above by simply typing “underground chicken racing” into the text prompt box. And I was not disappointed.

The recently added Remove Tool does just what you think it does, removing something from an image and then replacing it with AI-generated content to blend in. There are even Neural Filters to adjust a given subject’s facial expression and remove compression artifacts, with plenty of manual control on the backend for those AI-powered features. Together, you can use Generative Fill and Generative Expand to make substantial edits and/or additions – then fine-tune them with Photoshop’s robust set of editing tools. Long-story-short: when it comes to AI photo editors, Photoshop is tough to beat. 

Best features:
Generative Fill allows you to edit content with simple text prompts, powered by Adobe Firefly
Best-in-class lighting adjustments, retouching, and color correction, including on-canvas gradient control
Allows you to add and/or remove objects from pictures with precision and ease

Pricing:
$22.99 per month (Photoshop + Adobe Express Premium + 100GB cloud storage)
$19.99 per month (Photoshop + Lightroom + 1TB cloud storage)
$59.99 per month (Photoshop + Adobe Express Premium + additional apps) 

Best premium AI photo editor

2. Skylum Luminar Neo

It comes with a pretty hefty price tag unless you catch this software on sale, but the Skylum Luminar Neo AI photo editor offers a comprehensive software package that professional photographers are bound to appreciate. Outstanding features like Panorama Stitching, Magic Light, Focus Stacking, and Background Removal turn your outdoor landscape shots into awe-inspiring pieces of art. Accent AI, for example, can intelligently balance hue, saturation, highlights, contrast, and details with one simple slider. Portrait Bokeh makes your subject absolutely pop by softening up the background, modifying depth correction, and subtly retouching skin tones. 

Best features:
Control up to a dozen adjustments to enhance, including tone, contrast, shadows, and color
Sky replacement makes it a cinch to swap out one sky background for another
Remove powerlines from an otherwise picturesque cityscape 

Pricing:
$4.96 per month (billed $119 every two years)
$6.58 per month (billed $79 annually)
$14.95 per month (billed monthly)
$998 (one-time purchase)

Best Photoshop alternative

3. Pixlr

Billed as the “world’s first and most popular advanced online photo editor,” Pixlr has been in the game for a while, and its web-based software is only getting smarter. If you’re already familiar with Photoshop, you’ll feel right at home with Pixlr, which offers an impressive array of photo-editing options even in their free, ad-supported version. There are a variety of dedicated tools at your fingertips, starting with the Photoshop-esqe Pixlr Editor. You can manually adjust brightness, contrast, temperature, hue, saturation, and more; the Auto Adjust, Auto Pop, and Auto B&W features work well, too. The AI-powered Remove BG tool is a big selling point here; you even can remove the background on several images at the same time with Pixlr’s excellent cutout tools. 

Best features:
The free version of this software — Pixlr Express — lets you access a variety of basic AI features, such as AI Generative Fill and AI Generative Expand
Remove Bg lets you remove backgrounds from product photos, eCommerce listings, selfies, and more, fine tuning the results with Pixlr’s detailed cutout tools
The AI Image Generator lets you create unique pictures simply by typing your ideas into the text box

Pricing:
Free (limited AI use)
$0.99 per month (ad-free, unlimited saves, 80 monthly AI credits)
$4.90 per month (ad-free, unlimited saves, 1,000 monthly AI credits)
$9.91 per month (ad-free, unlimited saves, 1,000 monthly AI credits, 5 premium seats)

Best AI photo editor for creative professionals

4. Canva Pro

If you’re looking for a comprehensive photo and video-editing tool that’ll keep you on the bleeding edge of content creation, look no further than Canva. Whether you’re creating social media graphics, marketing posters, or event invitations, this user-friendly graphic design platform doesn’t have the same editing capabilities as other competitors on this list, but if you’re all about churning out marketable media, Canva comes with more than 20 AI-powered tools to help you get the job done (ex, Magic Eraser, Magic Grab, Magic Animate, Instant Presentations). For example, Beat Sync shortcuts the tedious process of prepping the perfect TikTok video by automatically matching up video clips to the rhythm of the music, and lengthening or shortening the audio as necessary.  

Best features:
Background Remover and Video Background Remover let you do exactly those things, lickety-split
Add instant animation and watch your designs spring to life
Fix dark, blurry, and oversaturated photos with the Image Enhancer tool

Pricing:
Free (basic photo editor and AI-powered design tools; 5GB cloud storage)
$14.99 per month / $119 per year (unlimited access to premium templates and 20+ AI-powered tools; 1TB cloud storage) 

Best mobile app for AI-generated images

5. Vivid AI

Compatible with both Android and iOS devices, Vivid AI is a surprisingly robust AI photo editor you can access right from your phone, allowing you to instantly share your new creations on Instagram, X, and Facebook right from the app. While the free version of this app is chock full of fun features like Text to Image, AI Anime, AI Background, AI Scene, and AI Sky, some of the more dynamic tools are going to cost you a few bucks. For example, AI Headshot lets you transform ordinary selfies into high-quality, professionally retouched headshots, but it’ll cost you anywhere from $7.99 (20 unique headshots) to $26.99 (80 headshots) for the privilege. If you pony up for the premium subscription, however, you get watermark removal, unlimited artwork generation, and a 30 percent discount off that AI Headshot, along with a few other perks. Content creators of every ilk will want to give this app a gander. 

Best features:
AI Headshot lets you transform ordinary selfies into high-quality headshots
Text to Image is a generative AI tool that turns your words into art — in a snap
As the name suggests, AI Anime turns you in cartoony anime character 

Pricing:
Free (limited features)
$6.99 per week
$29.99 per year

In the past, buying one of the best 17-inch laptops meant a big, bulky monstrosity, but slimmer bezels, new materials, and more efficient cooling systems helped these once-mammoth laptops slim down. 

Content creators, in particular, will appreciate the expansive canvas provided by a 17-inch display. Whether editing photos and videos or designing graphics, the extra screen real estate can make a big difference. However, a 17-inch display is a significant advantage, even if you multitask, work with spreadsheets, or immerse yourself in streaming entertainment.

No matter your priorities — power, weight, or budget — there's a 17-inch laptop that perfectly suits your needs.

Here are our current picks for the best 17-inch laptops.

The Quick List

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Best overall 17-inch laptop

The LG Gram 17 is a featherweight laptop that punches like a heavyweight. This powerful laptop is geared toward creative professionals like photo editors, graphic designers, and illustrators. The Intel Core i7-1360P processor won't keep up with the latest Intel 14th gen CPUs, but it was ahead of the class last year with its Geekbench 5.5 score of 9,945, handily beating out the then premium laptop average of 7,048. The SSD was a speedster then, and now, its 1,669.29MBps transfer rate is blowing away even the current premium laptop average of 1,181MBps. 

If the battery life and productivity performance didn't have you looking around the outside of the laptop and figuring out how LG fit everything in there, wait until you find out there's also an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card. It's not going to replace your gaming laptop, but for casual gamers or content creators using apps that leverage a dedicated GPU, this is an incredible option for frequent travelers. Be sure to check for that feature if it's important to you; there are numerous configurations with just Intel Iris Xe graphics. This option will be acceptable for productivity and other fundamental computing tasks, but those gaming and content-creation apps will take a hit.

The display will be the other most significant selling point for content creators considering the LG Gram 17. It covers 115 percent of the DCI-P3 color space and delivers an impressive 438 nits of brightness. Both marks exceed the premium averages of 90 percent and 384 nits, respectively. Even a gaming laptop like the Acer Nitro 17 can't match these scores, coming in at 84.3% and 348 nits in the two tests. The LG Gram 17's scores translate to vibrant and realistic colors, crucial factors for creative work. 

Additionally, unlike the MacBook Pro, the LG Gram 17 features a wider variety of ports, eliminating the need for dongles and making it more convenient for connecting to various peripherals. Overall, the LG Gram 17 impresses with good battery life, capable graphics performance, and high-quality audio, making it a serious contender against established players like Apple and Lenovo.

See our full LG Gram 17 2023 review

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Best budget 17-inch laptop

You won't find a cheaper 17-inch laptop than the Acer Chromebook 317. Available for under $500, this is a large screen living on a small budget. Now beyond its size, the 17.3-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) display won't blow you away, but it is a massive viewport into Chrome or whatever Google Workspace-powered productivity task you may have slotted in for today.

You need to set your expectations properly for this laptop; it is not a secret performance beast; it has an Intel Pentium Silver processor, which will allow you to browse the web and watch streaming videos. If possible look for the model with 8GB of RAM, but it scored below the Chromebook averages for Geekbench and JetStream 2.0, which test overall performance and web browsing performance, so again stick to this laptop for single tasks. The 64GB of eMMC storage means that you'll need to stick mostly to cloud storage, but it's a Chromebook, so you were hopefully already planning on that.

That seemed like a lot of negatives. What else is there to love about the Chromebook 317? The build quality is outstanding, the keyboard is massive with a full number pad, and the chiclet keys are surprisingly comfortable and responsive. You won't find these features on another laptop in this price range.

The 9 hours and 30 minutes of battery life it achieved in our battery test won't win awards, but it's more than enough for a typical day's usage and just shy of the average Chromebook battery life of 9 hours and 50 minutes. 

The Acer Chromebook 317 is intriguing as the world's first, and only, 17-inch Chromebook. While it isn't the best 17-inch laptop for everyone, it is a fine choice for users with minimal needs outside of a big screen.

See our full Acer Chromebook 317 review

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Best 17-inch laptop for gaming

"Affordable" and "17-inch gaming laptop" aren't terms that typically go together, but the Asus Strix G17 is available for under $1,500. This laptop won't disappoint productivity hounds and gamers looking for a powerful 17-inch laptop at a reasonable price. 

Asus opts for AMD's Ryzen 9 7845HX CPU paired with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU. This blend of AMD and Nvidia repeatedly hit it out of the park regarding affordable gaming laptops, so it's no shock to see it doing well here again. On our Geekbench 6.0 test it crushed the category average of 7,185 with a score of 13,430. That was also enough to beat the MSI Katana 15 (Intel Core i7-13620H, 12,562) and Lenovo Legion 5 Pro (AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX, 13,063).

Considering it's an RTX 4060 it fared reasonably well against RTX 4070 competitors. In the Assasin's Creed Valhalla test at 1080p with maximum graphics settings it gave a steady 103 frames per second. That was just behind the MSI Katana 15 (RTX 4070, 106 fps), Origin EON16-S (RTX 4070, 106 fps), and the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro (RTX 4070, 113 fps).

Our review configuration featured 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. It maxes out at 32GB of RAM, but don't buy the 8GB model, which is woefully insufficient for a gaming laptop. Adding up all these specs equates to smooth gameplay and the ability to handle demanding tasks, all on a gorgeous 17.3-inch QHD (2560 x 1440) display with a buttery-smooth 240Hz refresh rate.

Are you looking for a large screen without breaking the bank? The Asus Strix G17 is a great choice. This budget-friendly option delivers more than enough performance for everyday tasks. Its AMD processor and Nvidia graphics card make it a capable gaming or content-creation laptop. It offers a well-rounded package with good productivity power, high frame rates in games, and impressive speakers.

See our full Asus ROG Strix G17 review

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How to choose a 17-inch laptop

Step 1 is to make sure it has a 17-inch display, beyond that the features we look for to choose the best 17-inch laptop are the same qualifications we would look for in any laptop. It's also worth noting that 17-inch laptops are a bit of an endangered species, which is why you'll only find three entries on this list currently. We are seeing more laptop makers turn to 18-inch or 16-inch displays for their larger screen offerings.

• Screen Resolution: Don't settle for anything less than a 1920 x 1080 (aka 1080p or full HD) resolution, particularly on a 17-inch laptop. You may want a QHD (2560 x 1440), 2K (2048 x 1080) resolution panel, or even a 4k laptop if you're a content creator. Gamers should pay attention to the refresh and response rate. We recommend at least 144Hz and 3-millisecond, respectively. 
• CPU: An Intel Core i5 or Core Ultra 5 provides good mainstream performance. Some budget systems will come with Core i3, which is good enough for basic tasks, but avoid it for a . Get a Core i7 or a quad-core processor (serial number ends in HQ or HK) for gaming or high-end productivity tasks such as video editing and 3D modeling. AMD is enjoying a renaissance with its Ryzen line of processors. Ryzen 7 is the middle-of-the-road chip that will bring mainstream performance, while Ryzen 5 and 9 cover your entry-level and power user needs. 
• RAM: 8GB is the minimum we want to see in a laptop in 2024, but if it's within your budget, spring for 16GB, as it will ensure better performance over your laptop's life. Professional power users, content creators, and gamers will look for 32GB and beyond, but that is overkill for most people. While we would not recommend 4GB systems in general, if it is a secondary laptop that will see use predominantly for light web browsing and steaming, it will suffice.
• Storage: 256 GB of internal storage is probably enough unless you're a gamer, content creator, or power user. On budget laptops, look out for eMMC memory; while still flash memory, it is much slower than an SSD.
• Graphics Chip: Gamers and creative professionals should get either one of the latest Nvidia GeForce RTX 30 or 40 series GPUs or an AMD Radeon 7000 series GPU. Everyone else will be happy with the CPU's built-in integrated graphics, which have improved considerably in recent years.

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How We Test 17-inch Laptops

Over the course of a year, we review over 100 laptops, covering every price point and use case. Whether you’re looking for a productivity workhorse, a badass gaming system, or a multimedia machine to kick back and watch a movie or two, we can help you find your ideal match. 

To make our best 17-inch laptops list, the system needs to score at least 4 out of 5 stars on our reviews and deliver on the things shoppers care about most. Our evaluations focus on design, comfort, display quality, keyboard and touchpad, performance, battery life, and value.

Our expert reviewers also test each product to see how it looks, feels, and performs in everyday situations. Because we see so many different notebooks, we can compare each to its direct competitors and give you an idea of how it compares to the average laptop in its price band.

When we bring a laptop into our laboratory, we aim to see how it would work if you brought it into your home or office. While we use industry-standard benchmarks such as Geekbench and 3DMark, we focus heavily on real-world tests that we have developed in-house.

To test endurance, the Laptop Mag Battery test surfs the web at 150 nits of brightness until the system runs out of juice. We use a giant spreadsheet macro that matches 65,000 names with their addresses to judge pure processing power, a video transcoder that converts a 4K video to 1080p, and the Geekbench 5 synthetic test. We measure graphics prowess with both 3DMark Ice Storm / Fire Strike and a series of games, including Assassin's Creed: Mirage, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and Red Dead Redemption 2, just to name a few. 

We use a colorimeter to measure screen brightness and color gamut, while other instruments help us determine a laptop's key travel and ambient heat. For more details on our benchmarking procedures, see this page on how we test laptops.

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Why Trust Laptop Mag

Laptop Mag reviews over one hundred different laptops yearly, from paperweight ultralights to everyday workhorses to lumbering gaming notebooks that scorch the frame rates of even the hottest AAA games. We're not just experts in the laptop field, as we go one step further by meticulously testing smartphones, tablets, headphones, PC accessories, software, and even the latest in gaming. 

We are 100 percent independent and have decades of experience to help you buy with confidence. In fact, Laptop Mag has been testing and reviewing products for three decades and continues to deliver trustworthy reviews you can rely on. 

Our experienced team of writers and editors scour the available information about the laptop and put it through its paces to determine which is best for you. But before they start, the testing team subjects each system to a rigorous regimen of synthetic and real-world tests to see how a system handles the type of work and games you’re most likely to throw at it. 

One of the world's largest technology publishers, Future Publishing, enforces our editorial trustworthiness. As a company, we have unrivaled experience across every tech sector — and we're the group's specialist for all things mobile tech.

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Editor's note (4/1): We are currently in the process of reviewing the latest Dell XPS 14 and Dell XPS 16 models, so if you are in the market for a brand new Dell laptop you may want to hold off a week as both models have some impressive new updates that will likely land them on this page soon.

The best Dell laptops are a testament to the brand's diverse catalog. One that touches upon everything from MacBook rivaling, premium XPS notebooks to budget-friendly gaming laptops designed to strike a balance between price and performance.

Far from being a one-trick pony, Dell has a laptop to suit just about every need and budget imaginable — all of which adhering to the fantastic standards the manufacturer is known and admired for.

So whether you're in the market for a business-focused Latitude, a productivity powerhouse in the Precision, or something to cover all bases through Dell's mighty Inspiron, this is the brand you want to turn to.

From Ultrabooks to 2-in-1s and for education, creation, work, and play, these are the best Dell laptops in 2024.

The Quick List

Best for most people

Are you ready for the future? Dell certainly is, and for them, the future is the XPS 13 Plus. Although the laptop sports an incredibly minimalistic and polarizing design, it doesn’t skimp in the power department — thanks to its Core i7 processor. The 4K OLED display is a vision of loveliness and the keyboard is comfortable, which just serves to sweeten the pot. 

However, as beautiful as the display is, it’s also a drain on the battery life. And then there’s that polarizing design. Some will be drawn to the ultra-minimalistic aesthetic while others will take issue with the invisible touchpad and absent headset jack. If you’re looking for a piece of the future right now, then the $1,910 ($1,273 starting) Dell XPS 13 Plus is for you.

See our full Dell XPS 13 Plus review.

Best 2-in-1

If you’re looking for a premium 2-in-1 laptop that can handle all of your multimedia multitasking (whether you’re on or off the clock) and much more, the Dell Latitude 9430 might well be worth the investment. From an aesthetic standpoint, it shares several similarities with the similarly priced Dell Precision 9430, and similar specs as the HP Spectre x360 14 and Dell XPS 13 (OLED). When it comes to battery life, however, the Latitude 9430 puts most 14-inch convertibles to shame.

There are plenty of cheaper 2-in-1 laptops and less-powerful Chromebooks on the market that’ll give you all-day endurance, but you get what you pay for, and Dell sweetens the deal with enterprise-level security features and a surprisingly capable sound system to boot. At the end of the day, the Dell Latitude 9430 is ideal for work and play, all the way.

See our full Dell Latitude 9430 review.

Best gaming

The Dell G16 surprised us in how well it handled productivity tasks, making it a great pick for someone who needs to run demanding software at an affordable price. It’s also pretty darn good at playing video games, which shouldn’t be surprising since it’s a gaming laptop, but we didn’t expect its performance to get so close to some of its competitors when they’re backed by stronger graphics cards.

It’s not without flaws though, as a lackluster display, hot underside, mediocre speakers, and subpar battery life hold it back. If you’re looking for a display with deeper colors and longer lasting battery life, this won't satisfy you. Otherwise, the Dell G16 is a great affordable gaming laptop.

See our full Dell G16 review.

Best display

Meet the workaholic’s dream. The Dell Precision 5760 is priced at $2,059 to start, with our review unit costing $3,941, is a sleek, sexy workstation that offers power and endurance in a thin, portable package. But the Precision’s just getting started. 

It has a massive 17-inch bright, colorful WLED 4K touch display that renders smooth eye-catching images and video. And you’ve got some solidly potent specs, including an11th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU, an Nvidia RTX A3000 GPU, and a 2TB SSD. Plus, you get a heaping helping of security features. 

Its 17-inch display is captivating, endlessly immersive, and just a joy to work on. The 5760 is sleek and doesn’t feel at all like it weighs 5.5 pounds. From its 0.34 inches thick, tactile deck to its massive clicky keyboard and touchpad and 8-plus hours of battery life, it doesn't disappoint.

It's also within its test group the most affordable workstation, starting at just $2,059, and should you be in the market for a workstation, the Dell Precision 5760 is an excellent option.

See our full Dell Precision 5760 review.

Best workstation

There’s a new productivity powerhouse in town, and it’s much more mobile than the average workstation. The Dell Precision 5470 doesn’t exactly reinvent the wheel, of course, but it represents the gradual evolution of business-centric workstation laptops. It’s a premium machine for sure — especially if you splurge for a Core i7 or Core i9 configuration — but a fairly futureproof one at that thanks to Intel’s ever-evolving vPro tech.

Climbing over $3,000, the Dell Precision 5470’s price tag is nothing to sneeze at. The Nvidia RTX A1000 graphics inside may not be as powerful as the Nvidia RTX 30-series GPUs inside the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 and MSI Creator Z16 laptops (both cost between $2,500 and $3,000), but keep in mind that the Precision targets business-oriented power users – not gamers nor professionals who need a laptop that pushes performance envelope for graphic-intensive tasks.

On top of that, if you purchase the ROG Strix Scar 17 and MSI Creator Z16 laptops, you’ll take quite a hit when it comes to battery life. Meanwhile, the Dell Precision 5470 delivers a decent discrete GPU and a relatively long battery runtime.

Pound for pixelated pound, the Dell Precision 5470 may be the most portable, powerful workstation you’ll find on the market, and it’s the ultimate tool for on-the-go creatives, workaholics, and multimedia junkies alike.

See our full Dell Precision 5470 review.

Best 16-inch

The Dell Inspiron 16 Plus is a very likable mainstream laptop that reminds you that stability is a good thing – basically, it's Paul Rudd. Although it lacks a wow factor, its solid, consistent performance will cover the needs of most users. The Inspiron does enough of everything well and adds all-day battery life. It’s not the Hulk, but Ant-Man is a superhero and gets the job done.

At the end of the day, the HP Inspiron 16 Plus ($1,599.99) compares favorably with its competitors in every way and allows you to not only create and edit content, but get a little gaming in. The Dell Inspiron 16 is an excellent and relatively affordable performer.

See our full Dell Inspiron 16 Plus review.

Best battery life

You don’t typically get good battery life on a laptop with a large display — more screen space means more battery drain — but the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (7620) says “bump that.” While we felt that it couldn't look more boring, it also feels premium thanks to its hard, metal chassis. If you don’t want to be bogged down by the monotonous silver paint, the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (7620) also comes in a gorgeous Dark Green.

For $1,249, you’re buying a premium chassis packed with a bright 16-inch touchscreen display, strong performance, and a long-lasting battery. It’s not perfect — we didn’t like the keyboard and touchpad experience, and the audio wasn’t up to par. But it’s also not exorbitantly expensive.

See our full Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (7620) review.

How to Find the Right Laptop

When shopping for the best Dell laptop, there's a lot to consider. To help you choose a top-tier system, here are five key points to keep in mind.

Budget: What you get for the money

You can find plenty of Dell laptops for under $1,000. However, more powerful workstations and gaming laptops are often priced between $1,500 and $2,000. Premium systems typically cost more than $2,000 and come stacked with a host of high-powered specs and tricked-out software.

Screen Size: 13 to 17 inches

17-inch desktop replacements are becoming more svelte with every passing year; these big behemoths don't skimp on the specs. However, often weighing upwards of 8 pounds, they're better suited for at-home gaming. If mobility is a prime concern, you'll want to consider Dell's 13- and 15-inch offerings instead. 

Screen Resolution: 1080p for high refresh rates, 4K for detail

Laptop displays should strike a balance between capable frame rates and sleek aesthetics. Panel makers are now serving up screens with higher refresh rates, topping out at 360Hz with a 3-millisecond response rate, but we're also starting to see 4K laptop displays with 120Hz refresh rate. Keep in mind that Dell laptops with lower resolutions tend to have longer battery life overall.

CPU: Intel or AMD?

A few years ago, the answer to this question would have been undoubtedly Intel. But AMD has made a furious comeback with its Ryzen CPUs, which are delivering great overall performance. Thanks to the architecture in the new Ryzen chips, they're super power-efficient without sacrificing productivity. The Ryzen 5000 series CPUs have consistently impressed with its performance versus battery life.

Still, Intel's 12th and 13th Gen chips are nothing to sneeze at. Dell has started rolling out more systems with Intel's 12th and 13th Gen chips and the performance is astounding.

Battery Life: 4 to 10+ hours

Laptop battery life has gotten increasing longer over the years, often topping off at 8 hours or more. There a handful of gaming laptops that'll last longer than 10 hours, but most Dell laptops can handle at least 6 hours of battery life or more.

Why Trust Laptop Mag

Laptop Mag reviews over a hundred different laptops every year, from paperweight ultralights to everyday workhorses to lumbering gaming notebooks that scorch the frame rates of even the hottest AAA games. We're not just experts in the laptop field, as we go one step further by meticulously testing smartphones, tablets, headphones, PC accessories, software, and even the latest in gaming. 

We are 100% independent and have decades of experience to help you buy with confidence. In fact, Laptop Mag has been testing and reviewing products for three decades, and we continue to deliver trustworthy reviews you can rely on. 

Our experienced team of writers and editors scour the available information about the laptop and put it through its paces to determine which is best for you. But before they start, the testing team subjects each system to a rigorous regimen of synthetic and real-world tests to see how a system handles the type of work and games you’re most likely to throw at it. 

Our editorial trustworthiness is enforced by one of the world's largest technology publishers, Future Publishing. As a company, we have unrivaled experience across every tech sector — and we're the group's specialist for all things mobile tech.

How We Test Laptops

In order to make our best Dell laptop of 2023 list, a system needs to score at least 4 out of 5 stars on our reviews and deliver on the things shoppers care about most. In our evaluations, we focus on design and comfort, display quality, the keyboard and touchpad, performance, battery life, and especially value.

Our expert reviewers also use each product to see how it looks, feels, and performs in everyday situations. Because we see so many different notebooks, we can compare each to its direct competitors and give you an idea of how it stacks up to the average laptop in its price band.

When we bring a laptop into our laboratory, our goal is to see how it would work if you brought it into your home or office. While we use a number of industry standard benchmarks such as Geekbench and 3DMark, we focus heavily on real-world tests that we have developed in-house.

To test endurance, the Laptop Mag Battery test surfs the web at 150 nits of brightness until the system runs out of juice. To judge pure processing power, we use a giant spreadsheet macro that matches 65,000 names with their addresses, a video transcoder that converts a 4K video to 1080p, and the Geekbench 5 synthetic test. We measure graphics prowess with both 3DMark Ice Storm / Fire Strike and a series of games including Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, Metro: Exodus, Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption just to name a few. 

We use a colorimeter to measure screen brightness and color gamut while other instruments help us determine a laptop's key travel and ambient heat. See this page on how we test laptops for more details on our benchmarking procedures.

Laptop Mag kicked off its best PC games race nearly three years ago now with our gaming reviews program, in which we test how games perform on PC. You can read about my romantic journey in Stray Gods.

Don't count out our Xbox Series X and PS5 coverage either, as we were able to review both consoles and the accompanying games when they launched. If you're looking to get into streaming, check out the best and worst of Elgato's streaming tech.

See our recent Diablo 4 piece. And if you're interested in hearing me rant about how random encounters in RPGs are actually good — click away.

If you're into pen and paper games, check out our best virtual tabletop software page. (And our DND tips if you need help). In our System of the Stars piece, we meet the therapist using videos games to teach mental health. 

We know that the best PC games out there rank in the thousands, including games like Divinity: Original Sin 2, Doom and Minecraft, but we can't list all of them. So, these are the best PC games we're loving right now (this list isn't ranked from best to worst).

The best PC games you can play today

1. Baldur's Gate 3

I did complain about Baldur's Gate 3 quite a bit in my opinion piece about it, but that was purely out of love. I cannot describe how wild Baldur's Gate 3 is when it comes to player agency. It'll never be like a D&D session, but hot damn does it come close.

The number of paths you can tread down in Baldur's Gate 3 is so diverse that I'm still learning new things about the game every single day when I hop on Twitter or TikTok.

Besides the excellent roleplay mechanics, we also have the intense combat. Even on the easiest difficulty, Baldur's Gate 3 forces you to think about each decision you make, because sometimes it's life or death in there (and not just for your character). NPC deaths can heavily impact the narrative going forward. Baldur's Gate 3 is a monumental feat in video game storytelling and easily one of the best PC games of all time.

See our full piece on Baldur's Gate 3.

2. Hi-Fi RUSH

It’s commonplace to experience periods where we feel detached from something we love for one reason or another. I haven’t been in a gaming mood since October, 2022. Even after starting beloved titles like God of War: Ragnarok, Ghost of Tsushima, and Dead Space 2, nothing was sticking and I hadn’t beaten a single game since. Then Hi-Fi RUSH dropped.

Hi-Fi RUSH had me fall in love with the medium all over again, but its ability to reinvigorate my perception of gaming doesn’t just boil down to it being great; it’s because I have never played anything quite like it. From its phenomenally expressive cel-shaded aesthetic and adorable animations to an exhilarating sense of rhythm complimented by awesome hack-n-slash combat, this is an experience few will never forget. Best of all, it’s wrapped up in a shell that brings me back to cartoons of the early 2000s while fundamentally reminding us of the best 3D games from the earliest iterations of the medium.

Hi-Fi RUSH is one of those rare gems that ignites a thought, making us realize that video games can be so much more than what they are now. Tango Gameworks knocked it out of the park, and I cannot recommend it enough. It easily sits among the best PC games and best Xbox Series X games.

- Momo Tabari

See our full Hi-Fi RUSH review.

3. Elden Ring

Elden Ring isn't as groundbreaking as Demon’s Souls was, nor is its world as imaginative as Bloodborne's Yharnam. Instead, this is an amalgamation of the many things we love and expect out of FromSoftware, tossed into an open world packed with breathtaking sights and exciting encounters. It’s also the team’s most intricate RPG yet, offering immense build diversity and a slew of captivating quest lines.

If you were hypnotized by the wondrous curiosity Breath of the Wild evoked in 2017, The Lands Between will similarly bind you. It’s a shame the experience is weighed down by bland mini-dungeons, rehashed boss fights and passable enemy diversity, but these faults are redeemed by the grandest moments this series has to offer.

Elden Ring is FromSoftware’s latest flawed masterpiece. While far from perfection, it’s the best open world game I’ve played and a substantial contender for game of the year.

- Momo Tabari

See our full Elden Ring review.

4. Marvel’s Midnight Suns

After the Metallica-laden announcement trailer, I was insanely hyped for Marvel’s Midnight Suns, and in my first 15 hours of playing this game, developer Firaxis has mostly matched my level of excitement.

The XCOM and Civilization developers jumped into the Marvel ring with a strategy game that adds an interesting RPG twist into the recipe for extra flavor. Now, hype aside, I was curious how superhero battles would translate into a card-based tactical world — turns out it does so really well.

Marvel’s big blockbuster characters enter a unique game that busts the usual action adventure formula, to scratch a particularly niche itch that will make many strategy gamers happy.

— Jason England

See our full Marvel’s Midnight Suns review.

5. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands feels like the work of a think tank specifically tasked with getting Rami Tabari to fall in love with this Borderlands spin-off. I’ve played Borderlands before and I’ve never been a fan — it just didn’t click with me, but Wonderlands absolutely works for this D&D addict.

From the detailed character customization and creative classes to the mish-mash of Dungeons & Dragons inside jokes and the addition of spellcasting, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is practically everything I wanted from Gearbox. It’s not perfect; there are some glaring issues with the inventory and item systems. I also would have preferred a true open world, but when I’m not playing Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, I’m thinking about Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands.

— Rami Tabari

See our full Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands review.

6. Kena: Bridge of Spirits

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is Ember Lab’s first video game release, recently launching on PS5 as a console exclusive. Its excellent Pixar-esque animation took the PlayStation community by surprise when it was revealed at Sony’s Future of Gaming conference. But with any studio’s first big title, skepticism was brewing regarding the state of the gameplay itself.

While the experience is admittedly rough around the edges, Kena: Bridge of Spirit’s greatest asset is its heart. The warm smile that washes over Kena’s face as she gently greets the adorable creatures of the forest carries the weight of a mountain. Corruption robs the world of its tender hue, and as the player watches its color slowly return, a powerful fulfillment washes over them. The world’s dwindling state tells a story; the history of the people who lived here, how their lives were taken from them, and the ways in which there’s still beauty to be found in the destruction.

Amidst Kena’s palpable spirit is a phenomenal, authentic Balinese soundtrack, a tight combat system, incentive to explore its lurid forests, and a warm, gorgeous world. Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a familiar experience, but its soul is far stronger than many of the titles it takes inspiration from. It’s easily one of the best PC games of the year.

— Momo Tabari

See our full Kena: Bridge of Spirits review.

7. Deathloop

Deathloop is like a chaotic, violent melange of Groundhog Day, a dash of My Super Ex-Girlfriend, and favorite game of all time, Dishonored. In fact, Arkane Studios is the talented team that brought us the latter and they’re the same folks who worked on Deathloop — and the similarities are striking. Deathloop delivers all the beloved aspects of Dishonored: supernatural abilities, dual-wielding fighting styles, gritty, explorable worlds, and merciless, annoying enemies who call the whole damn town for backup. 

However, Deathloop offers a more modern twist, ditching stuffy ol’ 19th century royal protector Corvo for au courant Colt who’s got a colorful, snide personality à la Samuel L. Jackson and hilarious quips that make you chuckle. With Colt’s on-edge temperament and affinity for cursing, he’s one step away from yelling, “Enough is enough! I’ve had it with these [expletive] time loops on this [expletive] island!”

As you step into Colt’s shoes for the first time, you’re just as clueless as he is. You, too, are trying to collect all pieces of the puzzle to create the big picture of what the hell is going on here and how you’re going to put a stop to this maddening time loop.

— Kimberly Gedeon

See our full Deathloop review.

8. Life is Strange: True Colors

I never played a Life is Strange game, so my interest wasn’t piqued when True Colors was announced, that is, until I saw the trailer. I did a double take when I saw that the protagonist, Alex Chen, had the singing voice of mxmtoon, a pop artist who I happen to be a fan of. Then I was introduced to Haven Springs, an adorable small town in Colorado, and boy, am I a sucker for small towns. But I took the plunge only after meeting Alex.

I can say now that Alex is a beautifully written character. I connected with her on a level I couldn’t come close to with most real people. What initially drew me in was her power as an empath. Recently, I have begun regarding myself as an “empath,” someone who strongly feels the emotions of those around them. In other words, I consider myself emotionally intuitive. I’ve spent a long time walking on the eggshells of those around me, so I can tell when they crack -- I know when people are hurt inside. When I first saw Alex’s power visualized on screen, and how another person’s emotions affected her, a thread was immediately formed between her and me.

Life is Strange: True Colors feels as if it was made for me. I love the characters, the story, the choices and everything in between. I fully immersed myself in this world, and became Alex Chen when I made each of those choices. I was ruthless when I had to be, kind when I could be, and badass 100% of the time. Life is Strange: True Colors is hands down one of the best PC games.

— Rami Tabari

See our full Life is Strange: True Colors review.

9. Resident Evil Village

When a new Resident Evil game rolls around, there are certain expectations the critically-acclaimed action-horror series meets, and while Resident Evil Village hits some of them, it breaks others.

From a gameplay perspective, Resident Evil Village is essentially the love child of Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 7. Narratively, however, Capcom managed to flip the isolated plot of Resident Evil 7 and spin it into the fairy tale-esque story that we get from Resident Evil Village. It’s like watching a fantastical gothic horror film unfold.

The deeper the story goes, the more invested I became in the journey, and that’s sort of rare for a Resident Evil game, as most are cheesy and revolve around a convoluted plot, but Resident Evil Village is rather simple in its objective. And thus, it’s easy to connect with, and while the protagonist, Ethan Winters, can be as bland as a bag of bricks, he’s arguably one of the most relatable characters in the Resident Evil universe.

As a result, Resident Evil Village is easily one of the best PC games available right now.

— Rami Tabari

See our full Resident Evil Village review.

10. It Takes Two

It Takes Two is the essential co-op experience, presenting an amalgamation of mechanics and designs originating from the most revered multiplayer genres. It refuses to let the player rest, barraging them with plenty of excellent ideas. Although not every one of these ideas stick, they always feel different enough to justify their existence.

Both narratively and mechanically, the game expects the player to travel a mile a minute as they explore new worlds, gain new abilities and decipher clever puzzles. As a cherry on top, all of this is set to an adorable backdrop featuring a bickering couple pushed along on their journey by an irksome book of love.

— Momo Tabari

See our full It Takes Two review.

11. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is Kazuma Kiryu's swan song, so it was hard not to scrutinize it more than previous entries in the series. It also had the honor of being the first title in the series designed solely around the PS4 hardware when it first debuted. With so many new fans meeting Kiryu for the first time at the beginning of his adventure with the smash hit release of Yakuza 0, it seemed almost too soon for Yakuza 6 to arrive when it did. After all, we were just getting to know him.

Yakuza has been a cult hit for years now, but it wasn't until Yakuza 0 that the series started to resonate in the west. Because of its blossoming popularity, much of the Western audience has a vastly different perspective on the franchise. New fans love Kiryu and Yakuza because, well, they're excellent games. However, many don't have the years of history with the franchise as longtime fans do. 

As a result, Yakuza 6 ran the risk of alienating one of the two crowds especially since those who started the series with Yakuza 0 likely haven't had the time to play through each game yet. Thankfully, Yakuza 6 manages to strike a fantastic balance. It fills new players with the information they need from past titles without being so referential as to alienate those who have already played through previous Yakuza games. And now that the game is on PC, it opens the floor to more fans around the globe.

— Brittany Vincent

See our full Yakuza 6: The Song of Life PC review.

12. Little Nightmares 2

Not only does Little Nightmares 2 elicit explosive emotions with its challenging levels (nothing is more frustrating than failing to escape a monster by a razor-thin margin), but it will knock you off your seat with scream-inducing jump scares and exhilarating chases that require parkour expertise.

From heart-tugging “oh, no!” moments to repeating levels a zillion times, the Bandai Namco-published IP had me on the verge of tears more than I’d like to admit. Little Nightmares 2 is an infuriating game, but once you finally escape that relentless enemy without dying for the umpteenth time, a euphoric rush of fulfillment takes over and neutralizes the frustration-filled fury that made you want to flip a table. Little Nightmares 2 is like a toxic relationship; it drags you through a turbulent rollercoaster of emotions, but you’re not ready to hop off because it’s far too thrilling.

— Kimberly Gedeon

See our full Little Nightmares 2 review.

13. MultiVersus

MultiVersus is a free-to-play brawler mashing together Warner Bros’ cartoons, movies, TV shows, and comic books. Whether you’re a fan of Looney Tunes, Game of Thrones, DC Comics, Steven Universe, Adventure Time, Scooby Doo, Tom & Jerry, The Iron Giant, and mostly recently, LeBron James, there’s so much to love in this ridiculous cluster of beloved characters.

There’s no denying that MultiVersus has opened with an awesome roster, but the most important question is whether or not the game is fun. And although it’s far from perfect, the greatest compliment I can give MultiVersus is that it is more than capable of filling in the shoes of Super Smash Bros. This is the most excited I’ve been for the future of a brawler in a long time, and it is easily the best Smash-inspired game I’ve played.

- Momo Tabari

See our full MultiVersus review.

14. Bugsnax

Bugsnax is the game we need going into 2021; a reminder that creativity can cure. While the concept borrows from other materials, the execution is wildly original. But that's no surprise; Bugsnax is the latest creation from Young Horses, the studio behind the hilarious and bizarre adventure game Octodad. 

This latest release is larger in scale than the studio's previous games, and I'd argue it's more successful, if not quite as memorable. Bugsnax is an easy game to enjoy, but difficult to describe. It takes you on a whimsical adventure in which your goal is to capture Bugsnax, half-snack, half-bug creatures, using various tools and techniques. Doing so helps you uncover the mysteries of Snaktooth Island where the game takes place. Along the way, you'll encounter a cast of characters brilliantly brought to life by excellent voice acting. 

Bugsnax is an easy game to recommend for players of all ages. It blends a Pixar-worthy narrative with challenging puzzles, a compelling mystery and interesting characters — but it is the unconditionally innocent whimsy that will put a helpless smile on your face.

— Phillip Tracy

See our full Bugsnax review.

15. Doom Eternal

Exploring Doom Eternal's wicked hellscape is far more delightful than one would expect in a game that boasts brutality and violence. Players travel through futuristic alien worlds, metropolitan cities torn asunder by demonic corruption, and gigantic buildings taking inspiration from Renaissance-era architecture. Further heightened by its extensive color palette, Doom Eternal's environments are so staggeringly beautiful that every moment requires time to reflect and appreciate the sights.

Doom Eternal understands the franchise too well, getting so wrapped up in its own memes that it's often difficult to engage with its more serious moments. As muddled as the story is, it quickly takes a backseat, wasting no time throwing the player into the demon-slaying action. Thankfully, the narrative builds toward the latter half and wraps things up in an epic fashion.

— Momo Tabari

See our full Doom Eternal review.

16. Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator — a visually striking, breathtaking virtual experience that launches you into Earth’s vast skies — will have you singing Nelly Furtado’s “I’m Like a Bird.” You’ll be captivated by Bora Bora’s stunning paradise of aquamarine lagoons. You’ll be enthralled to spot the vegetation-covered, limestone cliffs of Thailand. You’ll be wowed by the colorful and bulbous cathedrals of Moscow.

“I don’t know where my soul is! I don’t know where my home is!”

As skydiver Felix Baumgartner once said, “Sometimes you have to go up really high to understand how small you really are.” Planet Earth seems boundless in Microsoft Flight Simulator, from the deep coastal fjords of Norway to the majestic baobab trees of Madagascar. Despite Earth’s vast expanses, Microsoft has managed to stuff Bing’s massive satellite data of Earth — all two petabytes of it — inside this hypnotizing game, leaving simmers feeling awestruck by the sheer number of cities (over two million) that one can visit. 

With what seems like an infinite number of locales to explore, you’ll never get tired of Microsoft Flight Simulator.

— Kimberly Gedeon

See our full Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 review.

17. Assassin's Creed Valhalla

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is my first AC game since Unity, so I didn't get to experience the RPG transformation that took place in Origins. I've only dabbled in Odyssey, so I really didn't know what to expect with Valhalla. The pessimist in me thought I would find a bloated, aimless open-world action RPG, but what I actually found was something more carefully crafted.

Don’t get me wrong, Valhalla has its fair share of issues, and it doesn’t really keep up with other big action-adventure RPGs currently out there now or launching soon. However, the moment that Assassin's Creed Valhalla clicked with me was when I roamed the lively snowy peaks tops of Norway and randomly encountered the Elk of Bloody Peaks only to go axe-to-antler with it at the edge of a glowing pool of water on a mountaintop. It was immersive and magical.

Between its fun combat and stealth mechanics, immersive exploration and gorgeous world design, Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a great game if you find it on sale. At a lower price, I could see Valhalla being one of the best PC games to play.

See our full Assassin’s Creed Valhalla review.

18. Gears Tactics

Gears Tactics looked kind of silly when the trailer first dropped at E3, but it should have been apparent then that a Gears of War-meets-XCOM game is a match made in blood, guts and glory. The turn-based strategy combat works well for Gears because it’s a cover-based shooter, so technically the format is the same, except you can plan out your moves more tactically.

What Gears Tactics brings to the table apart from thoughtful turn-based mechanics is how well the developers Splash Damage and The Coalition approached cosmetics and character creation -- everything is free from both currency and gender. Even diving into the settings proved to be fruitful, as I discovered a wealth of performance and accessibility settings.

While I enjoyed the gameplay, the story failed to immerse me into its pre-Gears universe. I played 8 hours before reaching an interesting plot point. Despite that, for the gameplay alone, Gears Tactics is one of the best PC games you can play right now.

— Rami Tabari

See our full Gears Tactics review.

19. Horizon Zero Dawn

Horizon Zero Dawn is a phenomenal game. If you missed Guerilla’s critically acclaimed RPG back in 2017 and have strong enough hardware to handle the poorly optimized mess that is this PC port, I would recommend picking it up on a very deep sale.

Horizon Zero Dawn drops the player in a large open world to scavenge materials, hunt beasts both robotic and organic, and craft an arsenal of elemental weapons and armor. The game’s already dangerous lands became even more threatening as I played on Ultra Hard, which often forced me to sneak through environments to avoid its lengthy catalog of fierce machines. Because many enemies had the potential to devastate me in a single hit and set me back by up to 10 minutes of progress, I found most encounters to be deeply horrifying. 

This design philosophy emphasizes how unexpectedly gorgeous the end of the world can be. Stories revolving around a planet void of life are plenty compelling for sure, but Horizon Zero Dawn perfectly understands how to best illustrate what will actually happen once nature reclaims the Earth.

— Momo Tabari

See our full Horizon Zero Dawn review.

20. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Coasting off the popularity of the Netflix show "The Witcher," CD Projekt Red's trilogy of Witcher games is enjoying a resurgence. And The Witcher III: Wild Hunt is not only by far the best in the series but it's also one of the best PC games to date. The final chapter in Geralt of Rivia's video game adventure offers all the sword wielding and spell casting you'd expect, with plenty of dialogue and morality trees, along with a massive bestiary of mythical creatures to fight. 

In the final entry, you're on the trail of a grown up Cirilla, on the run from the titular Wild Hunt. Along the way, you'll meet series favorites, including Triss, Dandelion (Jaskier) and, of course, Yennefer of Vengerberg. So, toss your coin (and several hundred hours of your life) to your Witcher and play through a fun, engaging story. 

— Sherri L. Smith

See our full The Witcher 3 retrospective.

How to choose the best PC games for you 

Choosing the best PC games you’ll enjoy most comes down to what you’re looking to get out of the game. Are you looking for a well-written story? The Witcher III: Wild Hunt is a safe bet. Or maybe just a fun multiplayer experience? Try Fortnite. If you want something that focuses on gameplay, you could always try out the VR rhythm game Beat Saber.

There’s also genres and gameplay styles to consider. Do you like first-person shooters? Apex Legends might be for you. Or are you into third-person action games? If you can take challenging difficulty, then Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a good choice. For a third-person cover-based shooter, none master the form more than Gears 5. If you’re looking for a hyper-realistic third-person western to play, then Red Dead Redemption 2 has your name written all over it. A fighting game fan? Look no further than Mortal Kombat 11. There are thousands upon thousands of games out there, you’re bound to find something for you.

We also have a list of game hubs that are keeping track of the most anticipated games coming down the road, including: 

• Grand Theft Auto VI
• Senua's Saga: Hellblade II
• The Elder Scrolls 6
• Fable

How we test the best PC games 

While we haven’t reviewed or tested every single game on this list, we have played them and recognize which ones belong here. However, for the ones we have reviewed, we test how they perform on a PC. 

First, we benchmark the game on a laptop to see how it runs, and then we dive into any bugs or glitches we experienced during gameplay. We also rate what kind of graphical settings the game has. For example, some games give you one option for overall graphical quality, while others will go all out and offer twenty different settings for each graphical component that makes up the game. For each game we also dive into the minimum and recommended requirements, so you know exactly what kind of laptop you need to run it. As an added bonus, we also detail what launcher the game is on, since that is a contributing factor for someone buying a game (although, it really shouldn’t be).

Thanks to the best laptop CPUs and GPUs you'll find in many of today's premium notebooks, the best gaming laptops and best workstation laptops already have the capability of running modest VR tech; all you need is the extra peripheral. There are myriad VR headsets to choose from these days, and they’re paired with increasingly impressive games (and social-centric apps). Luckily for you, we’ve gotten the chance to test out some of the best ones. From standalone goggles to full-room immersion, the limits of your imagination have never been more limitless.

The Meta Quest 3 was just recently announced. It is following up the best all-in-one VR headset that genuinely knocked our socks off. Paired with a growing game library (not to mention the social community that comes along with it), this is the best VR headset you’ll find for the price — with no wires required. 

Of course, if you're not going with the Quest, you'll need something to connect to, like the best VR-ready laptops! Apple just announced its AR/VR headset, otherwise known as Apple Vision Pro, which lets you interact with digital content except through a AR space. You'll be able to watch movies and play games through Apple Vision Pro.

The best VR headsets you can buy today

When it comes to the reality of ubiquitous VR, the Meta Quest 2 is leaps and bounds ahead of its competitors. Why? Because Meta's popular headset answers one of our major beefs with consumer-friendly VR: affordability. For the price, you get an adaptable VR platform that supports more than 1,300 games and apps. The newest version of this standalone VR headset refines or expands the things we loved about the original. It’s not only lighter, but has a higher resolution display, more powerful processor, more ergonomic controls and expanded social and sharing features, just to name a few. (Pro tip: for maximum comfort, be sure to splurge on that Elite Strap.)

Color us impressed. The Meta Quest 2 uses a powerful processor, generous on-board RAM, and top-notch optics to power plenty of cutting-edge games. And the headset offers a surprising amount of customization — from the head straps to the actual configuration. (Hell, you can use your hands instead of the controllers, depending on the app.) There are still some tweaks Oculus needs to work on, like the battery life and room-scale requirements. But for the money, the Oculus Quest 2 is the ambassador VR has been waiting for.

See our full Oculus Quest 2 review.

Bridging the gap, whether it's between reality and the virtual world or high quality specs and performance and price, Meta has become a master at bridging the gap. Meta's latest headset eclipses its predecessor by leaps and bounds. The first headset to sport Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 platform it's more powerful than its predecessor. The Quest 3 also brings better haptics and lenses to the table, in addition to the new color Passthrough mode and high resolution display that helps bring the mixed-reality magic to life.

Am I happy about the $200 price hike? No, especially knowing the Quest 2 only costs $299. However, considering everything that you’re getting with the Quest 3, I can excuse the more expensive price tag. Almost. 

For the money, you’re getting a slimmed down Quest Pro, with a more powerful chipset, better lenses and improved haptics. That translates into seamless VR and MR experiences with crisp graphics with little to no lag, no screen door effect and full-color passthrough. However, I really wish Meta found a way to extend the battery life. 

Still, the Meta Quest 3 is a great follow up device. It brings sharper graphics, excellent sound and a stacked catalog. It's much cheaper than the Quest Pro and the upcoming Apple Vision Pro. In fact, you can buy seven Quest 3s for the price of one Vision Pro and a pair for one Quest Pro. Overall, the Meta Quest 3 is a worthy, albeit more expensive successor to the Quest 2.

The Meta Quest Pro is lighter, sleeker, and more powerful than anything the company has launched thus far. And it’s packing a host of tricks up its sleeve, including dedicated sensors and a processor in the controllers for improved eye and facial tracking. But where the Quest Pro truly shines is mixed reality (MR) where it allows the wearer to jump through a portal in the real world, entering a high-res technicolor dreamland that's delightfully uncanny.

The Meta Quest Pro looks totally different from anything we've seen from the company. The portion that sits over your face is smaller than previous models. And instead of a matte white surface with a sensor in each corner, there's a glossy black faceplate with three visible sensors around the eyes with another on either side. 

At 25.4 ounces and 10.4 x 5 x 7.7 inches, this is the slimmest headset Meta has made to date. That’s in no small part thanks to the new pancake lenses and the curved battery that resides in the device’s rear instead of the front. Like every other VR headset on the market, the Quest Pro supports sedentary experiences. But where’s the fun in that? In order to walk around your new mixed reality kingdom, you’re going to need some room, 6.5 x 6.5 feet to be exact.

Not sure which Quest headset is best for you? Our Meta Quest Pro vs Quest 2 matchup compares each device, feature-by-feature and spec-by-spec.  

See our full Meta Quest Pro review.

If you have pockets deep enough to invest in a total VR experience, consider the Valve Index VR Kit. In addition to the two base stations, two controllers and the headset, you get all the appropriate power cables for tethering to your PC. (Valve also includes a pair of wall mounts for the base stations.)

With buttery-smooth frame rates of up to 144Hz, you can enjoy all sorts of PC-powered VR titles, like Elite Dangerous, Beat Saber, Fallout VR, and Project Cars 2. The speakers produce surprisingly clear audio, too, with plenty of volume. Because they hover away from your head, you can still hear surrounding noises (like someone calling your name) without pesky ambient sounds impeding your immersion.

As opposed to AMOLED displays, which produce excellent contrast and deep blacks, the Valve Index features ultra-low persistence LCDs, which require backlighting to function. Nevertheless, these LCD panels can take advantage of RGB subpixel arrays to improve image sharpness and eliminate screen door effect.

There’s certainly room for improvement, to be sure, but this is still one of the best consumer-friendly VR headsets on the market today.

See our full Valve Index review.

Consider the HTC Vive Cosmos and Cosmos Elite a work in progress. For more coin than its competitors, you get outstanding features, like a sharp display, better-than-average audio, and a solid app (featuring tons of games). However, the overall design may be uncomfortable for some, and in our hands-on use, the tracking was surprisingly subpar. (Performance can be improved, however, if you’re willing to upgrade to the Elite package, which includes extra base stations and new Vive controllers.)

Vive offers a paid monthly service called Viveport Infinity that'll give you access to hundreds of VR games as well as exclusive offers and discounts. There are already some top-notch games on the service, like Creed: Rise to Glory, which is one of the better boxing VR games around; Arizona Sunshine, an epic adventure zombie shooter; and even Five Nights at Freddy's VR. (If you're unacquainted and have an itch for horror, that's your game.) 

It’s not the best VR headset on this list, but for those with more to spend, it’s still worth your consideration. 

See our full HTC Vive Cosmos review.

The HP Reverb G2, unlike the Quest 2, is a PC-based VR headset. In other words, it's not a wireless, standalone head-mounted display. You'll have to connect it to a capable PC that meets a gaggle of minimum requirements, including an Intel Core i5, i7, Intel Xeon E3-1240 v5 CPU or higher (or an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU or newer). The PC must also have 8GB of RAM, a supported GPU (e.g. an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 graphics card), and more.

Although it's not as convenient as the Quest 2, we appreciate the Reverb G2's impressive combo of snappy visuals and soothing soundscapes. With 2160 x 2160 pixels per eye, details are crisp. Thanks to a four-camera array built into the headset, the Reverb G2's tracking is virtually seamless. Finally, we dig the the Reverb G2's ergonomic, comfortable headset design.

For entry-level gamers who want to try something new, it doesn’t get much simpler than Google Cardboard. As the name implies, this isn’t so much a device as it is a slab of compressed wood that’s folded into the shape of a VR headset. It sounds rudimentary, but nowadays, most smartphones have powerful enough specs to create a surprisingly robust VR experience — depending on the make a model of your phone, of course. All you need is the proper viewfinder to kick things off.

To be fair, Google Cardboard isn’t a true VR system. But not everyone can afford to spend hundreds of dollars on a dedicated headset (plus the accompanying hardware, when applicable), and most of us own a VR-capable smartphone already. Plus, Google has lots of content on YouTube and Google Maps that take advantage of this simple headset, along with a dedicated app in the Google Play store.   

Long story short: these cheap-o glasses bring VR to the masses.

How to choose the best VR headset for you

Before you plunk down hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars on cutting-edge virtual reality equipment, make sure you know what you’re getting into. 

Casual vs. full VR

How serious are you about escaping this reality, exactly? If you’re just dipping your toes into the world of VR, look no further than your friendly neighborhood app store: a simple Google Cardboard headset (some are as cheap as $10) and a decent smartphone is all you need to get started.

Serious gamers, on the other hand, will obviously be interested in a full setup, which usually requires an external PC to hook your VR headset into. But if your current rig doesn’t fit the minimum spec requirements, upgrading your hardware can add up in a hurry. (Some VR apps are more taxing than others on your system, which can result in stuttering frame rates from the wrong CPU/GPU combo.) At the end of the day, a dedicated gaming laptop is ideal for the best VR headsets.

Space requirements

We’re not talking about gigabytes or megabytes, for once; many games require you to stand up and move around. (Which is half the fun!) Having a spare room helps, but plan on roughly 7 x 7 x 7 feet of space for a full VR setup. Jedi training requires a bit of headroom, you see.

How we test VR headsets

In order to discern the best VR headsets, we’ve tested some of the latest models from head to toe. Literally. From the headset hardware to the software that runs it, we factor in the full VR experience that each model has to offer. (Which includes any extra accessories.)   

Price — All VR headsets are not created equal, and their performance can vary drastically as you move from one price point to the next. Finding the middle ground between satisfactory graphics and audio at a reasonable cost is no easy feat, but we’ve seen a few models that toe the line. Oftentimes, you get what you pay for.

Design and comfort — Most of your tech isn’t wearable by design, but if you’re going to strap a pair of goggles to your face for hours on end, they shouldn’t cause a headache. We spend enough time using each headset to get a feel for daily comfort, which includes air ventilation, padded cushions, and general ergonomics.

Setup and gaming experience — The setup process should be intuitive, and we take note of how easy the interface is to use overall. We also test how well head tracking performs, along with the quality of any included controllers; there should be a smooth interaction between the headset and the parameters they’re used in. (For example, some VR headsets let you know when you’re about to bump into a wall.) Home pages should load smoothly, and menu selections should be responsive.

Game library — To some extent, your VR gaming experience is only as good as the accompanying game library. We take into consideration how many titles are available for any given VR headset, and how expansive the overall collection is. We also spend several hours experimenting with different types of games and apps, to get a feel for each headset’s full capabilities.

Once you've got your hardware sorted, you’ll want one of the best standing desks and best gaming chairs for a top-tier VR gaming setup. (Not every game requires you to stand, after all.)

Note: This technology is evolving at a rapid pace every year, and our testing process will adapt accordingly.

The market plays host to numerous models of different styles, which work great for any setup or computing device (e.g. desktop, laptop, smartphone) you have in mind. Key players worth mentioning that have cemented their legacy as top computer speaker manufacturers include Edifier, Creative, and Audioengine just to name a few. You’ll even find gems here from consumer electronics staples like Bose, Harman Kardon, and gaming accessory giant, Razer.

Check out our top picks for the best computer speakers, based on hours of testing and research. Need something for private listening? Then make sure to also look at our roundup of the best noise-cancelling headphones, which includes everything from over-ear luxury cans to truly wireless buds.

What are the best computer speakers?

The Q Acoustics 3020i currently sits at No. 1 on our best computer speakers list. Improvements in design and audio quality (e.g., extended bass response) showcase the overall detailing and effort that was put into these speakers. They’ are tiny but powerful stand-mounted monitors made to satisfy audiophiles who want strong sound in a refined package. 

In second place on our best computer speakers list is the Audioengine HD3. These Bluetooth bookshelf speakers match the precise sound found on most wired computer speakers. Bass is tight and the midrange is emphasized for vocals to shine. Connectivity is spot-on too, so you won’t ever have to worry about dropout when streaming music. It’s also one of the better-looking models out there with a retro-inspired design that’s donned in a wooden veneer and mesh magnetic grille.

For bargain hunters, there is the Creative Pebble V3, which packs loud sound into a compact design that is perfect for small desks and most media formats (music, video games, movies). If money is no object, then the KEF LSX is an amazing sound system that doubles as computer speakers and delivers top-notch audio performance and tons of features. The Edifier R1280DB is another relatively affordable option with numerous connection options that balances smooth-sounding mids and highs superbly. 

The best computer speakers you can buy today

Our top pick for the best computer speakers is the Q Acoustics 3020i for its impeccable sound reproduction and gorgeous design. The frequency spectrum is well represented, with bass leading the sonic brigade; kick snares and drums sound thunderous. You’ll enjoy amazing separation as well, pinpointing instruments, while also picking up on the subtle nuances in orchestral recordings. Build quality is another hallmark of the 3020i, from the curved unibody frame to the multiple sexy finishes (Graphite Grey, English Walnut, Carbon Black or Arctic White) the speakers come in.

These aren’t speakers you’ll want to keep tucked in deep cabinets, as they look more exquisite sitting next to an Apple Mac Pro or Microsoft Surface Studio. You can even place them on stands, should you want to get more creative with speaker placement and enjoy stereo sound at ear level.

Audioengine’s reputation for building premium speakers with accurate sound is flawless. The HD3 is proof of this, producing stellar audio that makes music and movies sound pristine. Wired speakers are known for offering the better audio experience, but these Bluetooth-only speakers exceed expectations. Mids are articulate and highs are compelling, giving vocals plenty of clarity and detail. Wireless range is stable as well with little to no dropout occurring. What’s more surprising is how well sound carries over to the headphone jack, as listening with over-ear cans maintains the HD3’s rich performance. Having a built-in DAC and amp also increases the HD3’s value.

Our only complaint is that Audioengine took it easy on the low end. You’ll still get to some nice oomph out of the drivers when listening to bass-dominating tracks, but don’t expect to blow a hole through your college dorm roof. 

Our favorite tiny computer speakers have been upgraded with louder sound, more input options, and a new mode that doubles the audio intensity. The latter works great for music, movies, video games, and podcasts. Those with distinctive hearing may also notice how well the Pebble V3’s clear dialog audio processing performs when compared to what comes out of your MacBook’s built-in speakers; dialogue-heavy scenes in movies and games sound amazing. We do advise not to blast the speakers at max volume, as it can produce some crackling and minor distortion when jamming out to tunes. 

Wireless playback is superb with Bluetooth 5.0 providing steady connectivity across all devices (e.g. laptops, desktops, smartphones). Then you have the super-compact design, which is perfect for small work environments or to pack with you on the road. For $40, it’s a no-brainer that you can also pass onto someone else once you’re ready to look at bigger, more powerful options.

The Fives speaker system looks like something you would find in your great-grandfather’s study, but the only thing retro about these speakers is the design. Despite no subwoofer, these monitors blast powerful, balanced sound to create an immersive listening experience when enjoying music, movies, sports, and video games. The details in craftsmanship are remarkable as exhibited by the aluminum dials sitting atop the right channel to allow for seamless switching between the numerous connections. There is even an output to connect to turntables; we recommend checking out our best USB turntables roundup to find some worthy pairings.

All that firepower does come at the cost of size. As you can see by the dimensions, The Fives isn’t exactly a pair of computer speakers that rest steadily on any tiny desk, so you’ll definitely want to clear out some space before these arrive on your doorstep.

An award winner in multiple categories, the KEF LSX is included on our best computer speakers list for numerous reasons. For one, just look at how gorgeous and well-constructed it is, highlighted by the color-matched fabric on each side and the high-gloss finish. Unique details like the Uni-Q driver array, which consists of a 19mm aluminum dome tweeter sitting in the center of a 10cm bass cone, are complementary to the LSX’s appearance as well. Sound is rich with an impactful low end that favors bass-heavy genres, though you can customize this in the EQ settings via Control app. Being able to stream music wirelessly through Bluetooth and AirPlay 2, while also supporting Spotify Connect and Tidal, adds to its value.

It does seem impractical that you need two apps – the aforementioned Control and Stream – to personalize sound and play music from streaming platforms. In addition, Stream tends to experience serious lag when playing Tidal tracks.

Edifier knows all about making some of the best computer speakers, and the R1280DB is a fine addition to the brand’s long line of heritage receivers. Their penchant for build quality is certainly on display, with the speakers featuring a wood grain finish, vinyl wrap, and magnetic shields for protection from surrounding items. They’ll feel right at home on any bookshelf, while also blending nicely on any entertainment center. More enticing than the design is the sound quality, which is ideal for multiple media formats (e.g. music, movies, and games), thanks to its superb mids and highs. Bluetooth connection is another bonus, letting you pair the speakers with multiple computing devices.

You’ll just want to be mindful of listening at high volumes since that can create distortion. The low end won’t blow you away either, so bass lovers looking to shake their game room with explosions may want to look at other models on this list.

The small-but-mighty A2+ is considered one of the best computer speakers for those who appreciate detailed audio and can afford to pay for it, if they can find it. That’s right, at nearly seven years old, the A2+ remains a hot commodity among PC owners who want top of the line sound. You'll hear crisp treble and balanced midrange and bass — no subwoofer needed, though there's a subwoofer output if you want to add one. Best of all, the A2+ fills the room with sound, and they can get really loud. You can connect in a variety of ways, including RCA stereo, 3.5 mm minijack and USB (you can also get a version with Bluetooth for $50 more).

The solidly built units come in satin black, glossy white or glossy red to match your aesthetics. You’re going to want to find the right volume level and stick with it because Audioengine made the inconvenient decision to place the volume control on the back, which becomes annoying to access every time.

Another popular, well-received pair of Klipsch computer speakers, the R-41PM presents fantastic sound and connectivity in a sleek package. Powerful bass, clean mids, and resonant highs demonstrate the unit’s great frequency range. An included sub-out line makes it seamless to add a subwoofer, should you want to boost low frequencies, which isn’t necessary for small settings, but is available nonetheless. The numerous inputs let you connect these babies to everything from your desktop to television, even to a turntable. There’s also the option to go wireless and pair the speakers with your mobile device. Craftsmanship is excellent too, made up of exposed fasteners, low profile magnetic grilles, and a scratch-resistant, textured wood grain vinyl finish for a polished appearance.

Sadly, Bluetooth isn’t executed well and doesn’t allow you to automatically re-pair the R-41PM with recently connected devices. Don’t blast these speakers too loudly either, because it can lead to harsh sound.

Bigger in size, bigger in sound, the Ai61 is basically a more advanced version of the popular Ai41. You really can’t go wrong with either model, but the Ai61 garners more attention because of its increase in driver size, wattage, and low-end frequency. It also comes with a USB Type-C input, which is ideal for computer use. These speakers produce loud, powerful bass and impressive stereo separation to hear instruments and vocals distinctly through the left and right channels. The plethora of inputs – Bluetooth, analog, and digital – are nicely appointed for audiophiles who want to get more out of the speakers by pairing to high-end sound systems. And even with the extra specs, the Ai61 remains lightweight.

The price difference between the Ai41 and Ai61 is only $50, which seems like a bargain when factoring in the bonuses. However, $300 isn’t what most would consider relatively affordable.

Razer is a brand that has become synonymous with PC gaming, as best exhibited by their award-winning gaming laptops. It didn’t take long for them to release a line of gaming computer speakers, and if you want top-tier performance, then the Nommo Pro might be the gaming set-up for you. These speakers boast a loud, wide soundstage that delivers an immersive listening experience perfect for gaming; you’ll be more aware of sneak attacks during Call of Duty: Warzone multiplayer matches and hear players voices clearly over heavy gunfire. The Razer Synapse app makes it easy to personalize the speakers, be it the EQ or RGB lightning pattern. Also, the dial control makes volume adjustment and switching between audio sources a breeze. 

The subwoofer does help the speakers produce pleasant rumble, though it can also make bass too punchy when blasting sound at high volume. Also, the high price tag doesn’t make the Nommo Pro financially accessible to all PC gamers.

Our favorite sustainable audio brand has made their way into the computer speaker market, offering up an attractive set of sound blasters composed of solid bamboo and HoM’s trademark REWIND Fabric made from recycled materials. You can expect crisp, detailed audio to come out of this dual-speaker system, along with 20 hours of playtime from the right speaker, which can be used wirelessly around the house or on the go. The Get Together Duo even has RCA outputs and an aux input for wired playback; we recommend pairing it with some of the market’s best noise-cancelling headphones or USB turntables.

Bass heads who want deep, boomy sound might want to look elsewhere, as this speaker system places heavy emphasis on midrange. It would have also been great if HoM added lossless Bluetooth codecs and AAC support, but neither of these omissions is a dealbreaker.

Airpulse designed these desktop speakers with versatility in mind. Multiple inputs allow you to pair them with any other compatible audio source. Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX connectivity means hi-res streaming with minimal latency. Powerful drivers and a subwoofer output for bass expansion guarantee loud, boom-filled sound. Listeners have the option to tweak sound via the volume, bass, and treble dials. A sleek, clean design with unique touches like a horn-loaded ribbon tweeter completes the A80’s look. 

A beautiful design doesn’t always translate to appealing sound. The A80’s frequencies fail to complement one another. For instance, the highs don’t merge well with mids, and bass can be overly aggressive at times. The bundled remote control doesn’t function well either.  

How to choose the best computer speakers for you

You’ll want to prioritize audio performance, connection type, extra features, and pricing when seeking out the best computer speakers.

Ask yourself what suits your setup best: wired or wireless. The former is known for guaranteeing better sound, yet requires dealing with more cables and ports, which can be overbearing for small setups. If you’re not looking to be tethered to your machine, then know that there are plenty of wireless models available that come with stereo or surround sound technology. Speaking of sound, also look for computer speakers that deliver clean vocals, deep bass, and rich treble, and with volume levels that aren’t too loud or distort sound.

Something else to keep in mind is codecs. SBC (Sub Band Codec) is the most common and is a great option for streaming music on popular services like Spotify. You can look into newer and more advanced codecs like AAC (Advanced Audio Coding), Qualcomm aptX, and Sony LDAC as well; each one processes information quickly and delivers superior audio output.

In terms of features, the most common tend to be bass and treble controls, allowing you to personalize sound to your liking. Multiple inputs are important too, especially if you’re looking to connect the speakers to other devices like smartphones or tablets. Make sure the speakers have an auxiliary input jack, USB slots, and extra ports for more versatility.

Top-tier performance usually comes at a premium, but not all of the best computer speakers carry a steep MSRP. Yes, the more expensive models will likely have more powerful sound and components underneath the hood, along with a more upscale appearance. That’s not to say you won’t get some great performance out of a less expensive pair. Look at reviews – both expert and consumer – then figure out what models offer everything you want for the most reasonable price.

How we test the best computer speakers

Similar to how we test all audio products, our reviewers evaluate several factors, including audio, battery life, design, and value.  We also compare each model to similar ones in terms of features, pricing, and setup.

Computer speakers are tested over the course of a week for 2 hours at a time. During this process, we analyze Bluetooth performance, ease of use, and, most importantly, sound quality. Reviewers listen to numerous predetermined tracks across a variety of music genres: classical, EDM, hip-hop, jazz, rock, and R&B. Movies, podcasts, and video games are taken into serious consideration too. Overall, we evaluate clarity, fullness, and volume. 

With more streaming services offering high-resolution audio, we advise reading this audio codec FAQ to learn more about FLAC files, MP3s and, everything in between. The streaming service you choose could enhance sound quality.

After testing is completed, we rate each model based on our five-point system (1 = worst, 5 = best). Any product that is exemplary is awarded a Laptop Magazine Editor’s Choice badge.

• Here are the best gaming laptops available right now
• Our picks for the best business laptops
• Take a look at the best tablets for the money based on our testing

With all the games in the Google Play store, it's hard to know which one is worth downloading. That's why we've put together a list of the best Chromebook games you can find. 

The best Chromebook games include the madly addictive Fallout Shelter, which runs without a stutter and benefits greatly from the larger screen. Among Us is another excellent Chromebook game, a multiplayer whodunnit murder game you can play with friends or strangers. However, those who want to enjoy smooth, slick graphics and relaxing gameplay may want to look at Alto's Odyssey.

Psst! You'll likely want to find the best Chrome OS device to house these games, so be sure to check out our best Chromebooks page, too!

What is the best Chromebook game?

1. Alto's Odyssey

The sequel to Alto's Adventure is even more beautiful than the award-winning mobile game that preceded it. Expanding on the tap-to-jump gameplay with a new hold-to-wall-grind move, Alto's Odyssey is more of the same, and that's not an insult. Also, Odyssey is just as calming as increasingly luscious locales, with vibrant and calming visuals. You'll need a touchscreen Chromebook, as there's keyboard support, but sincethere are no on-screen controls to tap -- you just tap anywhere you want --it's comfortable to play even on larger screens.

2. Roblox

What makes Roblox one of the best games ever is that it is filled with user-generated worlds and games. As such, you will always find something that tickles your fancy. One of my favorite games on Roblox are the Squid Game-inspired competitions where you can play deadly rounds of Red Light, Green Light with other Roblox players all around the world.

You can also choose to be a creator, too. You can build your own game. Instead of being a player, you can be a game developer. Check out all of these educational articles on how to launch your own games.

3. Among Us

The multiplayer game Among Us exploded into popularity as players reveled in getting the opportunity to play a murderous imposter while others call "emergency meetings" to determine who, among them, is the dangerous intruder.

Among Us is recommended on Chromebooks because the game is optimized for Chrome OS laptops; players will get to enjoy this game in all of its full-screen glory. In fact, some Chromebooks already come with Among Us pre-installed (e.g. Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2). Among Us is one of the best mobile games of the year, so don't miss out on playing the whodunnit game on your Chromebook.

4. Into the Dead 2

Into the Dead 2 is one of the best Chromebook games for Chrome OS users seeking some thrilling, creepy, apocalyptic action. Into the Dead 2 is a game that throws you into a terrifying Zombie apocalypse. You will step into the shoes of a man who wandered a little too far away from home. He has a wife and daughter to get home to, but there are a horde of zombies threatening to impede his journey back home.

Armed with a gun, you must escape zombie-filled areas by shooting them out of your way. You can collect weapons and upgrade to more powerful artillery. This is one of the most action-packed Chromebook games you can play as you try to survive the zombie apocalypse.

5. Sniper 3D 

Step into the shoes of a exceptional, unparalleled sniper who is given assignments to take out all the bad guys of the world. Take out bank-heist thieves downtown, save hostages from criminals and assassinate key figures to protect the world from evil characters.

This is action-packed game is exciting! You can take out your target from a moving vehicle or you can stake out your person of interest from a high vantage point. You are often given assignments where you're simply given a vague description of who your target is – make sure not to take down an innocent civilian! You also have to ensure that you do not wait too long to assassinate your person of interest, or else he will disappear from your field of vision and you'll fail your assignment.

6. The Ramp

Get your inner Tony Hawk on with Crescent Moon Games' popular new game: The Ramp. Shred through the skatepark and show off your sick skateboard tricks, including 720-degree tail grabs and 360-degree flips. Get as much air as you can and nail mind-blowing tricks, but don't worry about scoring and getting to the top of the leaderboard. This game is devoid of high scores, missions and bosses. Just relax, have fun and skateboard!

7. Bullet Hell Monday

This vertical-scrolling shooter takes everything we loved from the games of yore, and places them on Android (and now Chrome OS) devices. Oh, and you won’t *need* to use a touch screen, as clicks from your cursor can replicate taps. So we’ve only got one question, why is it called Bullet Hell Monday? Yes, Mondays are hell and this is a bullet hell title (where you’re dodging an insane amount of fire), but the connection isn’t exactly obvious in the game.

8. Asphalt 9: Legends 

The latest version of the Asphalt racing series runs pretty well on Chrome OS, though you'll see small stutters here and there. Overall, it's very much playable, and I'd recommend playing it with the touch controls and rotating the screen. While there are keyboard controls, Asphalt 9's touch-based gestures, including swiping, make this game best for use with touchscreen Chromebooks.

9. Pokemon Quest

Arguably the most adorable Pokemon game yet, Pokemon Quest sends you to Tumblecube Island. There, you'll meet Pokemon that look straight out of Minecraft, with brick-based versions of your favorites, including Pikachu (one of your starter options). Requires a touchscreen.

10. Amazing Katamari

The cult classic Katamari Damacy ball-rolling game is one of the weirdest concepts in video game history, and its fun has now arrived on Android and Chrome OS. Instead of collecting items on your giant ball in an aimless manner, this mobile version is an infinite-runner where your ever-growing sphere gets larger and larger and becomes difficult to fit between dangerous obstacles. One note, though: you'll want to use Amazing Katamari's touch screen controls, and not tilt option, as the latter isn't sensitive enough for survival.

11. Injustice 2 

While it's not a straight port of its console version, the Android version of Injustice 2 plays quite well via Chrome emulation. Not only do the characters move smoothly, but you see them in tons of detail. Since there's no keyboard support, and you need to tap the screen quickly, this one may be best on Chromebooks with smaller screens.

12. Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp puts you in the role of a gal or guy who's walking around the world, just looking to make friends and have them come over to hang out. Unfortunately, his world is filled with a bunch of lazy animals with increasingly high demands. Still, there's a certain calm zen feeling to be gained by clicking around this adorable cartoonish environment. Unfortunately, Pocket Camp is touchscreen-only, as it doesn't support the keyboard, which it could, since you're just moving your character around on a map.

13. NBA JAM 

It doesn't have to be Throwback Thursday for you to have fun shooting hoops in NBA JAM by EA Sports. The major difference between this game and the classic version you're used to? Updated rosters featuring the likes of Carmello Anthony, Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook. Pro tip: if you can't find LeBron James, tap on the Cleveland Cavs players to cycle through and find King James, who is surprisingly not a member of its default pairing.The keyboard doesn't do anything in this one, so you're better off setting your Chromebook in tablet mode.

14. PinOut 

One of the best mobile games you haven't played yet, PinOut is part pinball and part infinite runner. That means your goal is to advance your ball by knocking it through a series of tables that keep going and going. And from its Tron aesthetics to its excellent electronica soundtrack, Pinball looks and sounds as great as it plays. Pinout also supports your keyboard, as clicking the left and right shift keys flip the corresponding flippers.

15. Sonic the Hedgehog Classic 

The Chromebook is the latest platform to allow you to go back to Green Hill and Marble Zone to fight Eggman's robotic army. And while it's free to play, that is with ads (you can remove them for $1.99). And Sonic the Hedgehog Classic includes keyboard support: W, A, S and D move the iconic hedgehog and J makes him jump.

16. Super Mario Run

One of the best mobile games of 2016 also runs on touch-screen Chromebooks. That's right, Super Mario Run's Android version works well in Chrome OS's Android emulation, allowing you to collect every single special coin (in pink, purple and black) and play Toad Rally to win more toads. The only catch, though, is that there's no keyboard support. Oh and you'll need to spend $9.99 to unlock the whole game, but that's a pittance for how fun this one is.

17. Pac-Man

Yes, even the true OG of retro gaming is also on the Chromebook, thanks to Android version of Pac-Man's flat world landing on the laptops. Of course, you can use the up, down, left and right arrow keys to move the circular fellow, but the option to turn an entire tablet into a Pac-Man board is also a fun time.

•  Gaming Laptop Buying Guide: Find the Right Rig 
•  Why You Shouldn't Buy a Touch-Screen Laptop 

The best cheap tablets perform smoothly and efficiently for daily use, at a price that won't break the bank. They also feature sleek, compact and lightweight chassis that are easy to stow inside a laptop backpack or messenger bag. Just remember that the best cheap tablets run on Android or FireOS. (In other words, don't look for Apple devices on the list below; even the entry-level iPad mini costs a pretty penny.)

Not to worry! For under $200, you can still snag some of the best tablets around, such as the Amazon Fire HD 8 and the Lenovo Smart Tab M10 Plus. These are two heavy hitters if you're looking for some of the best cheap tablets on the market. Don't forget to check out our best kids tablets page, too, if you have little ones.

Note: CES 2024 and Mobile World Congress are coming up in January and February, relatively. That means we're excitedly anticipating new tablet announcements across a lot of price points.  Stay tuned to this page for the latest news and reviews. 

The Quick list

Best tablet overall

The Lenovo Smart Tab M10 Plus is the best cheap tablet you can get. It's the most fun and engaging tablet I've ever had the experience of reviewing. It doubles as a smart display, which means you can turn on Google Assistant Ambient Mode. This means you can pop it up on a surface to display your favorite photos, upcoming calendar events, weather information and news updates. You can even control smart-home devices from the tablet.

Another reason why the Lenovo Smart Tab M10 Plus is the best cheap tablet around is because it ships with a Lenovo Charging Dock, so you can prop it up on the Charging Dock for a hands-free experience, and your tablet is getting charged up along the way.

The Lenovo Smart Tab M10 Plus is the best cheap tablet because of its vivid, colorful display. It also has a nice variety of ports for a cheap tablet, including USB Type-C,  a microSD card slot and a headset jack. You'll also find yourself playing a lot of fun games on this tablet, whether it's PUBG Mobile or Fortnite.

The Lenovo Smart Tab M10 Plus has a starting price of $169.99, and the unit I reviewed cost $229.99 as it has more RAM and storage.

See our full Lenovo Smart Tab M10 Plus review.

Best tablet display

The Xiaomi Pad 5 is a significant upgrade from its 2018 predecessor: the Mi Pad 4. It comes with a host of improvements, including an 11-inch, 120Hz display, an upgraded Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 chip, and a refined Mobile Internet UI (MIUI). What's an MIUI, you ask? It's another variant of Android OS developed by Xiaomi, which we really enjoy on the Pad 5.

We loved its long battery life. It lasted a whopping 14 hours and 11 minutes before tapping out and giving up on us. We also gave the Xiaomi Pad 5 a thumbs up fro its brilliant display, excellent audio setup, and fluid, adaptable OS. The Pad 5 provides an even more seamless experience when paired with the Xiaomi Smart Pen and compatible keyboard, but unfortunately, those accessories are sold separately (hey, it's one way Xiaomi helps to keep the Pad 5's cost down).

Overall, the Xiaomi Pad 5 is a fantastic option for those in need of a quality (but affordable) tablet.

See our full Xiaomi Pad 5 review.

Best kickstand tablet

The Lenovo Yoga Tab 11 has a pretty sweet design, from its half-fabric, half-aluminum chassis to its sleek, lightweight footprint. We also can't forget its unique, built-in kickstand. The kickstand even doubles as a hanger, allowing users to hang the slate on a wall for hands-free movie watching.

We also loved the 11-inch, 2K display's sharp, vivid, well-balanced colors. The Yoga Tab 11's loud, crisp speakers are also a big selling point for the Lenovo tablet. Its battery life is also pretty darn good, lasting nearly 12 hours.

Of course, because it's priced at around $200, the Yoga Tab 11 does cut some corners, and users may see that with its average, so-so cameras. Overall, the Yoga Tab 11 earned a 4.5-star review because it gives users a lot of bang for their buck.

See our full Lenovo Yoga Tab 11 review.

Best Amazon Fire tablet

The Amazon Fire HD 8 2020 is the best cheap tablet you can buy in Amazon's FireOS portfolio. It's got a camera located on the side bezel for landscape-view photos and video calls for Zoom, Google Meet and other apps. It also has Alexa integration for fun and engaging voice controls. 

The Amazon Fire HD 8 2020 is best for those who have a Prime subscription since it is a tablet that is filled with the Amazon ecosystem, such as the Audible and Prime Video apps. The Amazon Fire HD 8 2020 tablet has its own Amazon-built app store, so don't expect to find the familiar Google App Store on this tablet.

And of course, the best part of the Amazon Fire HD 8 2020 tablet is that it's super, super cheap. It will only set you back $89.99.

See our full Amazon Fire HD 8 2020 review.

Best 10-inch tablet

The Lenovo Tab 4 Plus is the successor to the Lenovo Tab 4.

This 10.1-inch tablet provides an eye-catching, vivid display, features a comfortable design that is easy on your hands and has superb battery life. However, the downside is that you get an older version of Android. At the same time, the Tab 4 10 Plus is a highly rated media tablet for the price, especially since you also get a nice pair of cameras and solid speakers. No wonder it has 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon.

See our review of the full 10-inch Lenovo Tab 4 Plus.

Best tablet for kids

If you want to get your kid something a little bigger and stay under $200, we recommend the Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition. Its battery lasted an epic 13 hours and 29 minutes and it's packed with a ton of parental controls as well as a 2-year warranty, like its predecessor. Its 10-inch display is super bright, at 411 nits, and offers decent color, covering 103% of the sRGB color gamut. It's by far among the best cheap tablets for kids.

See our full Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition review.

Best Samsung tablet

If you're a Samsung fan, whether you enjoy their phones, TVs or monitors, you'll likely also be impressed with the Galaxy Tab A7 tablet. It's particularly ideal if you need a tablet that can be easily paired with a Galaxy device. The Galaxy Tab A7 can receive your phone's notifications and texts. You can even make calls and send messages with it.

If you have a Samsung TV, you can use the Galaxy Tab A7 to control and manage it.

The Galaxy Tab A7 also wow-ed us with its excellent battery life, lasting more than 13 hours. It also has sweet-sounding, Dolby Atmos quad-speaker system, and a colorful, vivid 10.4-inch, 2000 x 1200-pixel display.

One downside we discovered is that it doesn't have the brightest display. It also has middling performance, but to be fair, you can't expect too much from a sub-$250 tablet. Overall, it's a great buy.

See our full Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 review.

How to choose the best tablet for you

If you're a huge Amazon consumer, and perhaps you've got a Prime account, an Amazon tablet such as the Amazon Fire HD 10 is a perfect fit for you because you'll have easy access to all your favorite Amazon features, including Audible, Prime Video, Amazon Photos and more. 

If you're not a big Amazon shopper, perhaps Amazon tablets aren't the best pick for you because you won't be utilizing many of the pre-installed apps on the tablet.

Perhaps you'll prefer having access to the Google Play store so that you can download all of your favorite Android apps and games. In that case, perhaps you'll want to opt for the 10-inch Lenovo Tab 4 Plus, which has an impressive 13 hours of battery life. You'll get all the features similar to any other Android-based phone, but on a bigger, more interactive screen.

How we test tablets

Our tablets go through rigorous benchmark testing before they even land in the hands of our reviewers. Our tests vary slightly based on which OS the tablet runs, but the overall performance and graphics of almost every tablet is measured by the Geekbench 5 benchmark. 

We also use a fancy colorimeter to quantify display quality. The device can measure the sRGB color range a display captures and the average brightness across the panel.

Our battery test gives an accurate measure of everyday runtimes. To test the endurance of a tablet, we set the display to 150 nits then run a continuous loop consisting of web browsing and video playback until the device powers off. 

After a thorough test drive, we also compare each tablet model with other competitors, such as MediaPad M5 Lite vs. iPad: Why Huawei Almost Beats Apple, to give our readers a better perspective on which tablet would best suit their needs.

Why trust Laptop Mag

Laptop Mag reviews over one hundred different laptops every year, from paperweight ultralights to everyday workhorses to lumbering gaming notebooks that scorch the frame rates of even the hottest AAA games. We're not just experts in the laptop field, as we go one step further by meticulously testing smartphones, tablets, headphones, PC accessories, software, and even the latest in gaming. 

We are 100% independent and have decades of experience to help you buy with confidence. In fact, Laptop Mag has been testing and reviewing products for three decades, and we continue to deliver trustworthy reviews you can rely on. 

Our experienced team of writers and editors scour the available information about the laptop and put it through its paces to determine which is best for you. But before they start, the testing team subjects each system to a rigorous regimen of synthetic and real-world tests to see how a system handles the type of work and games you’re most likely to throw at it. 

Our editorial trustworthiness is enforced by one of the world's largest technology publishers, Future Publishing. As a company, we have unrivaled experience across every tech sector — and we're the group's specialist for all things mobile tech. 

The best Asus laptops are hidden among the company's expansive portfolio. It can be overwhelming to figure out which one is best for you. There are so many! The good news is that we've sifted through Asus' massive lineup of laptops, so you don't have to.

The best laptops from Asus are known for their mind-blowing, state-of-the-art innovation. Asus' impressive innovations (we love their dual-screen laptops) and economically priced notebooks keep this laptop maker high in the industry's esteem.

After all, Asus doesn't want to get lost in a sea of boring laptops. Instead, it wants to stand out from the crowd and offer powerful performance in a computer while still tackling the challenge of portability. We've tested a cornucopia of Asus laptops, including their battery runtimes, display quality, sturdiness, and more.

Asus announced exciting new ProArt laptops at Computex 2024. The first Asus Copilot+ PC will arrive via the Asus Vivobook S 15, which comes outfitted with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor. We also got hands-on with the Asus ROG Ally X, the newest handheld gaming PC from the Taiwan-based tech giant. (I'm hyped for that the most.)

Below, we've compiled a well-tested list of Asus' best laptops.

The Quick List

Best Overall

I do not often get to crown a laptop that starts at under $1,000 as the best for a whole brand's page. That's right. The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (Q425M) is a killer laptop with incredible battery life and is surprisingly affordable. It's our best for students' laptops on our best laptops page, and it even made its mark on the laptops with the best battery life page for its incredible 15 hours and 52 minutes of battery life.

Despite its price, the Zenbook 14 is equipped with Intel's latest Core Ultra 7 155H, which offers enough power to handle a modest number of tasks. A Photoshop editing session combined with a couple dozen Chrome tabs and spreadsheets wasn't enough to slow it down.

It's not just performance and battery that takes this machine to the top. I love OLED displays, and my favorite part about the Zenbook 14 is its 14-inch, 1080p OLED display. This baby covers 79.8 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut, averaging 339 nits of brightness. That means the Zenbook 14 will be there for you at the end of the day when you want to stream your favorite shows on a gorgeous window.

That battery will get you through work or school, but what about the keyboard? Thanks to their pleasant click-to-pressure ratio, these 1.4mm deep keys will carry you throughout the day. Take comfort in the comfort that this keyboard graces your fingertips with.

Then we've got the bumpin' Harman Kardon and Dolby Atmos-certified super-linear speakers that had us headbanging subconsciously. The Zenbook 14 captured quality mids and highs along with a wide bass.

The device is also remarkably thin, sliding in at 0.59 inches. Slot this into a medium-sized purse, and you're good to go. You can't forget about the webcam privacy shutter, which is an excellent feature in this day and age.

See our full Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (Q425M) review.

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Best budget

The Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3 is not only the best Asus Chromebook, it's one of our favorite Chrome OS devices we've ever tested. Yes, it’s a bit on the older side, but it’s incredibly versatile thanks to its laptop-to-tablet nature, built-in stylus, and long battery life. 

It lasted 11 hours and 41 minutes on the Laptop Mag battery test. That’s enough time to outlast the average work or school day. You can even get some overtime or a head start on homework. Its weight and size make it much more portable, at 2 pounds (with keyboard and case) and 12.7 x 8.9 x 0.68 inches, respectively.

Speaking of its design — you can’t get more versatile than a durable 2-in-1 detachable. What makes it durable? It meets U.S. MIL-STD810H standards for bumps, shocks, and temperature changes. Otherwise, its design lets you use it as a laptop or tablet, and its cover lets you stand it vertically. And unlike some premium products, this Chromebook sports a built-in stylus, so you don’t have to pay extra.

Then we’ve got the 10.5-inch, 1900 x 1200 touchscreen display, which wowed us with its color and brightness. The Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3 covered 93.6 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut and averaged 386 nits of brightness, which is more impressive than some premium laptops we test.

Unfortunately, the MediaTek MTK 8183 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of eMMC storage don't deliver much performance. However, if you buy it directly from Asus, you can get it for cheap. Please don’t purchase this device for anything over its launch price, which started at $329.

Overall, the CM3 is a fantastic device for kids, students, or anyone who needs a rugged, portable device for a budget-friendly price. 

See our full Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3 review.

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Best gaming

The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 is the monster under the bed if your bed has the under glow of a Fast & Furious street car. Packed with Intel's Core i9-13900HX processor and Nvidia's RTX 4090 GPU, its chips are powerful and highly overclockable so that you can squeeze every drop of performance out of the system.

The king of gaming laptops crushed our benchmarks and their families. For the most part, it maintained a three-digit result during gaming tests. The Strix sped through on the Assassin's Creed Valhalla benchmark with a scorching 154 fps. It reached 181 and 152 fps on Rise of the Tomb Raider and Grand Theft Auto V, respectively.

Meanwhile, the 13th Gen CPU scored 19,233 on the Geekbench 5.4 overall performance test, which smoked the average premium gaming laptop (practically doubling it). Our video transcoding test was no match, as the Strix completed it in just 2 minutes and 49 seconds, which is over a minute faster than the MacBook Pro 16-inch M2 Pro Max. And the Strix's pair of 1TB SSDs dominated our file transfer tests.

We also loved the design, which had a mysterious Blade Runner vibe. The 18-inch, QHD+ (2560 x 1600) 240Hz display also created a beautiful picture with a buttery smooth rendering.

However, be prepared to make some sacrifices. You're stuck with a measly 4 hours and 26 minutes of battery life. Naturally, we hate its 720p webcam. Even if it wasn't great, we expected a 1080p shooter at this eye-watering price. 

Despite that, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 is the gaming laptop to beat. Seriously, it's at the top of our best gaming laptops page.

Unfortunately, the webcam is rough, so we recommend checking out the best webcams if that's an issue for you.

See our full Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 review.

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Best Workstation

Are you ready to work on a dual-screen monstrosity that emphasizes performance and productivity? The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 features the most bizarre deck layout, but the design works perfectly for anyone with a multitask-heavy workflow.

Let's start with its displays (plural). The main display is a 16-inch, 1600p, 240Hz Mini-LED panel that wowed us with its 121 percent coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut and its stunning 684 nits of brightness. Finding an equally bright and colorful display of this caliber is like catching a shiny Pokémon. But that's not the only display!

Then we have the 14-inch, 2560 x 734-pixel ScreenPad Plus, which encompasses half of the deck. Its touchscreen panel is incredibly responsive, making it perfect for managing multiple projects, including video and photo editing.

Now let's dive into the awesome specs, including an AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPU with 16GB of VRAM, and 32GB of RAM. We ran the Duo 16 through Grand Theft Auto V and Borderlands 3, achieving an excellent 158 fps and 135 fps, respectively. Other laptops with an RTX 4090, like the Razer Blade 16, got 164 fps and 142 fps, respectively. While the Razer technically did better, the Duo 16 offers comparable performance.

The Duo 16 may put a sizeable dent in your bank account with a price tag nearing $5,000. This six-pound gaming laptop will also require you to up your gym game. And you need to get used to the keyboard and touchpad — no, they are not where they should be.

Forget about using this machine unplugged. On our battery test, the Zephyrus Duo lasted 4 hours and 7 minutes with one display enabled, and it survived 3 hours and 32 minutes with two displays enabled.

Overall, the Asus gaming laptop will be an excellent investment for those who constantly cross-reference documents for work — this chunky money is a significant time saver.

See our full Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 review.

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Best MacBook Pro alternative

Are you looking for a MacBook Pro equivalent for Windows that you don’t need to pay $3K+ to get? That’s why the Asus Zenbook Pro 14 OLED is here. Starting under $1,999, you get quality performance, a gorgeous display, and strong speakers that a content creator could only dream of.

Asus stacked the Zenbook Pro 14 OLED with an Intel Core i9-13900H CPU, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD SSD, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU with 8GB of VRAM. The Pro 14 scored 13,249 on the Geekbench overall performance test and 19,010 on the 3DMark Fire Strike synthetic graphics test, which crushed the average laptop in its category. 

Let’s move on to that beautiful 14-inch, 2800 x 1800, 120Hz, 16:10 OLED display. The Pro 14 reproduced 78.2 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut and averaged 346.6 nits of brightness. That’s nearly on par with a MacBook Pro. The one advantage that the Pro 14 has is its OLED panel, which presents deeper blacks and bolder colors.

For a beast of a machine, it’s relatively lightweight and slim as well. It weighs 3.5 pounds and measures 12.67 x 8.79 x 0.7 inches. And packed within that chassis are Harmon Kardon-tuned speakers, which showcase very discerning, clear audio with depth.

However, the only place where the MacBook Pro 14 dominates the Zenbook is in battery life. The Pro 14 lasted only 6 hours and 51 minutes on our battery test. It can get you through most of the workday, but you’ll have to plug it in before the day closes.

Despite that, the Asus Zenbook Pro 14 OLED is an excellent option. If you’re doing serious video editing, you’ll likely be plugged in to take full advantage of the GPU.

See our full Asus Zenbook Pro 14 OLED review.

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Best handheld

The last thing I imagined was that Asus would produce one of our favorite devices in the past decade, but it wasn't a laptop. Yep, this is the Asus ROG Ally, one of the few trending handheld gaming devices that launched since the Steam Deck made its mark on the world.

Outside of its incredible concept, the ROG Ally's most remarkable feature is the display. It's smaller than a traditional gaming laptop but looks way better. At 465 nits of brightness, the 7-inch, 1920 x 1080 display is brighter than some premium laptops. It also supports a 120Hz refresh rate and AMD FreeSync with a 7-millisecond response time.

Before you start jumping up and down, temper your expectations. You won't play games on high settings, so put that out of your mind. Despite that, the Ally pushed hard on our testing. On the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla benchmark, the ROG Ally scored 29 fps at 1080p on High. You'll likely get at least 60 fps if you turn that to low.

Surprise! The ROG Ally weighs only 21.4 ounces and measures 11 x 4.4 x 0.8 inches, making it the most portable device on this page. I threw this thing in my purse, and I still had room for my usual things. 

So what's wrong with it? The battery life. You’re getting 1 hour and 43 minutes — that is persistent gaming. If you’re not gaming, it lasts 5:51. However, if we consider the use case, that's not a great way to just the device. We don't use the Nintendo Switch to browse the web, so why do it on this?

Asus is the king of innovation, so while I am shocked that the Ally exists, it makes sense. If you're looking for a controller-based gaming rig to play on the go, the Asus ROG Ally is the one for you.

See our full Asus ROG Ally review.

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How to choose the best Asus laptop for you

Do your intensive daily workloads require more RAM than the average Joe? Are you a video editor who needs extra storage? Are you a gamer who wants a powerful GPU? Sorting through the best Asus laptops to fit your lifestyle is tricky.

To simplify your shopping process, we put together some tried-and-true guidelines to help you find the best laptop for your specific needs.

Budget: What you get for the money.

You will struggle to find decent Windows laptops or high-quality Chromebooks for under $500, but some diamonds are rough. However, better mainstream laptops usually cost more than $800, and premium laptops start at over $1,000. The best gaming laptops can cost $2.000 and up, but you can play the latest titles at decent frame rates on gaming laptops under $1,000.

The CPU and GPU are among the most significant factors in the cost of any laptop, so don't pay for a premium gaming laptop if you're a casual gamer who prefers retro titles or spend up for a content creator laptop with a 40 series GPU if you are going to be browsing the web and doing productivity tasks. List the apps you use or games you want to play and start checking the PC requirements. You can likely take on anything non-graphic-intensive with a Core i7 or higher for traditional machines. In terms of gaming laptops, almost any with a 40-series GPU can play an indie game, but if you're dabbling in AAA titles, you have to decide which settings you're comfortable playing on and scale up to an RTX 4070 or higher as needed.

Screen Size: 12 to 14 inches for portability

Knowing a laptop's screen size tells you a lot about its portability overall. If you want to use your computer on your lap or carry it around a lot, go for one with a 12, 13, or 14-inch display. If you want to use the computer on tables and desks and won't carry it around much, a 15-inch model may give you more value. Some gaming rigs, media machines, and workstations even have 17 or 18-inch screens, but steer clear of those if you need to tote this laptop in your bag daily.

Do you want a 2-in-1 or a clamshell?

More of today's laptops are 2-in-1s with screens that either bend back 360 degrees or detach so you can use them as tablets. If you like using your laptop in slate mode for drawing, media consumption, or just standing it up, a 2-in-1 could be for you. However, you can often get better features or a lower price by going with a traditional clamshell-style laptop.

How much battery life do you need?

If you're on the go, you'll need to make sure you snag a laptop that lasts more than 10 hours. But if you're a homebody or tied to your desk all day, perhaps you can sacrifice some battery life and save money. If battery life is your top priority, check out our laptops with the best battery life list.

Specs: 1080p / Core i5 (Ultra 5) / 256GB / 8GB are a good baseline

You can spend a lot of time delving into specs, but here are the key components. If you just want good mainstream performance, go for a Core i5 (Ultra 5) CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a 1080p screen. If it's within your budget, consider upgrading to 16GB of RAM, particularly if you like to multitask. 

How We Test the Best Asus Laptops

We put each laptop through extensive benchmark testing—both synthetic and real-world—before we send it to our reviewers. We evaluate each aspect of the laptop, including its performance, battery life, display, speakers, and heat management.

In our benchmark testing, we use a Klein K10 colorimeter to detect the laptop's display's brightness and sRGB color gamut. For performance testing, we run the laptop through a gauntlet of benchmarks, including Geekbench 5 and 6 and 3DMark professional graphics tests. 

To determine real-world performance, we task the laptop with converting a 4K video to 1080p resolution and duplicate a 25GB multimedia file. Our real-world graphics test is Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm benchmark with medium settings at 1080p resolution.

We also run heat tests by playing a 15-minute full-screen video and measuring temperatures in different areas of the laptop. Last but not least, our battery test consists of continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits of brightness. For MacBooks and premium Windows 11 laptops, a runtime of over 9 hours is considered a good result, whereas gaming laptops and workstations that can stay powered longer than 5 hours deserve praise. 

We complement these tests with extensive hands-on testing from our reviewers, who critique everything from the laptop's materials to the feel of its touchpad. 

See this page on How We Test Laptops for more details on our benchmarking procedures.

Why Trust Laptop Mag

Laptop Mag reviews over one hundred different laptops every year, from paperweight ultralights to everyday workhorses to lumbering gaming notebooks that scorch the frame rates of even the hottest AAA games. We're not just experts in the laptop field, as we go one step further by meticulously testing smartphones, tablets, headphones, PC accessories, software, and even the latest in gaming. 

We are 100 percent independent and have decades of experience to help you buy with confidence. In fact, Laptop Mag has been testing and reviewing products for three decades and continues to deliver trustworthy reviews you can rely on. 

Our experienced team of writers and editors scour the available information about the laptop and put it through its paces to determine which is best for you. But before they start, the testing team subjects each system to a rigorous regimen of synthetic and real-world tests to see how a system handles the type of work and games you’re most likely to throw at it. 

Future Publishing, one of the world's largest technology publishers, enforces our editorial trustworthiness. As a company, we have unrivaled experience across every tech sector — and we're the group's specialist for all things mobile tech.