The best Windows laptops we tested
Best Windows laptop: Microsoft Surface Laptop (2024)
Best 2-in-1 Windows laptop: Asus ZenBook Duo (2024)
Best Windows gaming laptop: Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
From highly portable ultrabooks to heavy-duty workstations, Windows laptops offer a ton of variety to choose from. Almost too much, in fact. That’s why we’re here to help you find one that’s worth buying.
As we continue to test more and more Windows 11 machines from top brands such as Dell, Microsoft, Lenovo and Asus, it was inevitable that we were going to crown a new champion. After our latest batch of testing, we’ve found a new speedy, long-lasting and well-designed Windows laptop to place atop our list.
Best Windows laptop
Past models never truly wowed us, but the new Surface Laptop is a beacon of battery life and performance that impresses in the sea of new Copilot+ PCs. But instead of AI trickery, this laptop impressed with all the gains from its Snapdragon X Elite processor.
Read our review
Best 2-in-1 laptop
With a full keyboard that’s great to type on and a dual-OLED display design, the Asus ZenBook Duo proves that the secret to making a truly decadent detachable is all about duality. Its 14-plus hour score on our battery life test also helped it stand out.
Read our review
Best gaming laptop
The ROG Zephyrus G14’s AMD Ryzen 9 processor and Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU enabled great gaming in our testing, but its slim design and long battery life earned the win in the end. On top of that, its OLED screen will make your games look great.
Read our review
Best Windows laptop: Microsoft Surface Laptop
Key specs
- Display: 13.8-inch at 2304 x 1536 PixelSense Flow touch display
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus / X Elite (tested)
- GPU: Qualcomm Adreno GPU
- RAM: 16GB / 32GB (tested) / 64GB
- Storage: 256GB / 512GB / 1TB (tested) solid state drives
- Size and weight:11.6 x 7.8 x 0.6 inches, 2.64 pounds
Pretty much the dictionary definition of what many people want from a Windows laptop in 2024, the new Surface Laptop is a major achievement from Microsoft’s hardware division. Credit must be shared with Qualcomm, though, as its Snapdragon X Elite powered the new Surface Laptop to an impressive battery test time of 17 hours and 55 minutes.
That endurance on our looping 4K video test is the kind of score that we had hoped to see when Microsoft announced it was renewing its interest in Arm-based processors. Apple itself did the exact same thing and saw its own impressive gains when the M-series chips debuted, so think of the Surface Laptop and other Copilot+ PCs as an equally important new generation of laptops. Oh, and that Snapdragon X Elite processor also made for snappy performance throughout the day and night.
But what good is endurance and performance without a good screen to see all the apps you can run? Well, we’ve got more good news., This Surface Laptop benefits from a screen size upgrade that bumps it up to nearly 14 inches (similar enough to popular 14-inch laptops such as the MacBook Pro M3 and XPS 14), with a display that allows colors to pop and offers plenty of contrast. This 13.8-inch screen also sports a 3:2 aspect ratio, which is great for letting you see a lot of a document, spreadsheet or webpage at once. Movies won’t just look great, though, as the Surface Laptop’s Dolby Atmos-equipped speakers made everything we tested also sound stellar too. Just don’t expect a lot of bass.
The Surface Laptop also gets the little things right, with both USB-C and USB-A ports, a sharp full HD webcam and a sleeker design than before. The only big knock against it is how not all Windows 11 applications are Arm-ready just yet, and that includes games. The good news, though, is that we have a great long-lasting OLED gaming laptop to recommend below.
Best 2-in-1 Windows laptop: Asus ZenBook Duo
Key specs
- Displays: Dual 14-inch touch OLED 3K (tested) / Full HD displays
- Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 (tested) / Ultra 9
- RAM: 16GB (tested) / 32GB
- Storage: 1TB
- Size and weight: 12.34 x 8.58 x 0.57 inches, 3.64 pounds
Most 2-in-1 laptops gain that classification because you get to use them in laptop and tablet modes. The Asus ZenBook Duo sees that possibility and raises, by giving you two OLED displays in one detachable device. And unlike some other dual-screen laptops and 2-in-1 devices, it includes its keyboard — which is also great for typing.
This multi-screen design lets you basically pack a second full screen wherever you go, which makes it perfect for traveling professionals who feel cramped by a single laptop display. I loved it for the ideal amount of multitasking, so I can have a whole screen dedicated to my research and the other with my word processor — instead of having two windows fight it out for space on a single display. Those OLED panels also made movies and trailers look fantastic, as I observed while taking breaks from writing my review.
I also found that the ZenBook Duo delivers all the requisite performance for getting work done with its Intel Core Ultra 7 processor and 16GB of RAM on the entry-level configuration. The ZenBook Duo’s battery life is also good to great, lasting 10 hours and 36 minutes with both screens on and 14 hours and 18 minutes with only one display enabled.
For those that want touch screen tablets and a laptop in the same package, the Asus ZenBook Duo will give you many moments of zen.
Best Windows gaming laptop: Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
Key specs
- Display: 14-inch OLED ROG Nebula display, 2880 x 1800
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 (tested) / 4070
- RAM: 16GB (tested) / 32GB
- Storage: 1TB solid state drive
- Size and weight: 12.2 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches, 3.3 pounds
Remember how we said Copilot+ PCs have some issues with gaming? You won’t have any such issues with the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14. Sure, this slim slab doesn’t look like a typical gaming laptop,, but it’s got the power to game nonetheless.
That all starts with its AMD Ryzen 9 processor and GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, which enabled smooth performance in titles such as Baldur’s Gate 3 and Mortal Kombat 1. It even blasted a super high score on the Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark. Performance is only part of the story about why those games looked that good, as the ROG Zephyrus G14 also boasts a gorgeous 14-inch, 2880 x 1880 OLED display that we loved playing on.
The ROG Zephyrus G14 also lasts longer on a single charge than most gaming laptops, too, as it made it 10 hours and 33 minutes on our looping 4K video test. By comparison, the recently-released Alienware m16 R2 only made it five hours and 37 minutes — almost half of the G14’s time.
You’ll also get a ton of productivity out of the G14, as its keyboard was a joy to use in our testing. We didn’t love the touchpad as much, but it’s not a dealbreaker at all. Especially when you can get a compelling configuration for just $1,600 — a surprise for a laptop this complete.
How to choose the right Windows laptop for you
While there are a number of factors to consider when choosing the right Windows 10 laptop, we advise that you start by figuring out how much display you need. Windows laptops are available in display resolutions ranging from 1080p to 4K (3840 x 2160), and in screen sizes from 13 to 17 inches. Many of these machines also offer optional touch displays.
We think a 13 to 15 inch laptop at 1080p (“Full HD” resolution) is the sweet spot for most people, as you’ll get very good clarity and a decent amount of real estate within a machine that’s still fairly portable and reasonably priced. This class of machine (known as an “ultrabook”) makes relatively few compromises and works well for most users.
Recommended specs
- Display:13 inches to 15 inches at 1920 x 1080
- Processor:13th to 14th Gen Intel Core i5 or i7 or AMD Ryzen 5 5000
- RAM:8GB or more
- Storage:512GB or larger solid-state drive
- Ports:At least two USB-C connections
A higher screen resolution means you can see more detail when using apps and watching movies, or get more screen real estate for apps (assuming you are willing to look at very small text), but it can also drive the price of a laptop up considerably. So a 4K display (or alternative display technology options like OLED, also available in very high screen resolutions) makes the most sense if you do a lot of graphics work or use your laptop as your main entertainment screen for movies and TV, (though you’ll get the most benefit if you choose a 15” or larger display). Also think about how you’ll be using your laptop — a slim 13-inch notebook is ideal for working on the road, while a 17-inch machine isn’t quite as portable, but will get you more screen space (and possibly more power) for working at your desk.
Many of these machines also offer optional touch displays, but we generally feel that you can skip this to save some cash. Unless you’re looking to carry only one device and are specifically looking for a 2-in-1 laptop that doubles as a tablet, we think a dedicated tablet does a better job at touch, and touch doesn’t add that much functionality to a laptop.
Many modern Windows laptops are slim on connectivity options, usually packing only a handful of USB-C ports in addition to a microSD card reader and a headphone jack. If you want a laptop that can connect to USB-A gadgets (and chances are you have a lot of those) as well as traditional HDMI cables for external displays, you’ll want to check out some of the thicker, business-class notebooks out there from manufacturers like Acer, HP and Lenovo. Alternatively, you can pick up aUSB-C hubto augment your laptop’s connectivity options.
Laptops come with a swath of processor options, but we consider the latest 13th or 14th Gen Intel Core i5 or the AMD Ryzen 5 5000 series to offer a good amount of performance for everyday multitasking for the price. And to back that processing power up, we recommend opting for at least 8GB of RAM to keep all of your apps running smoothly. If you’re someone who does heavy creative work such as video and photo editing, it’s worth considering Core i7/Ryzen 7 as well as 16GB to 32GB of RAM. And if you’re a gamer, you’ll need a laptop with discrete graphics, starting with at least an Nvidia RTX 4050.
Finally, consider your budget. Laptops that are $500 or less generally offer the bare minimum when it comes to specs, pumping out enough performance for checking email, browsing the web and composing documents. The $1,000 to $1,500 is our recommended middle ground, as you’ll find a variety of slim machines that can pump out respectable performance and battery life for a reasonable price. Notebooks $1,500 or more are generally on the higher-end of things, with high-res displays and powerful components built for serious work and gaming.
How we tested
As with every CNN Underscored review, we rigorously test devices both quantitatively and qualitatively. For laptops, we made the decision to benchmark first to get a standard for quantitative performance. If you’ve read our stand-alone laptop, tablet or mobile phone reviews, these tests will be familiar.
On Windows laptops, we performed GeekBench 5 and PCMark 10 tests. These run the laptops through a series of workflows and application processes, many of which you’d find yourselves (and we found ourselves) completing on a daily basis. For Mac laptops, PCMark 10 is not available, so GeekBench 5 was performed.
Regardless of operating system, we put each laptop through our standard battery test, which involves charging the laptop to 100%, setting brightness to 50% and engaging airplane mode to ensure connectivity is off. We then loop a 4K video file with the sound set to 15% until the battery dies and the machine turns off. These tests are monitored in person as well as via two cameras to ensure accuracy.
The combination of battery and benchmark testing gives us a quantitative feel for the devices and a hard number for each that can be used for comparisons. We then used each laptop as our daily driver for work, play and entertainment tasks, testing the battery to see if it could last through a full day of tasks, watching a movie to get a feel for the display and, of course, running a bunch of different applications.
Our testing categories were as follows:
Design
- Build quality: We looked at what the laptop was physically made of and how it felt in our hands, on a desk and in our laps.
- Portability:Thickness and weight of each laptop was top of mind here, along with the overall size and bezels. We also tested if it could fit in a range of bags.
- Looks: We took note of the overall design, if it was sleek or stealthy.
Battery life
- Total battery life: The CNN Underscored battery test, explained above, was used to determine a quantitative battery life number.
- Stress test: We noted whether intense photo or video editing reduced battery life and how the laptop performed when playing a game.
Hardware
- Benchmarking: Using GeekBench 5 and PCMark 10, explained above, we established a baseline for performance.
- Processors and GPU: We observed how the internal hardware performed and if most models across similar price points had the same specs. Can these handle a full productivity load? Can we get the laptop to bottleneck?
- RAM:We considered how much RAM or memory comes standard and if it’s enough for core tasks.
- Storage:We noted whether the laptop opts for a solid-state drive (SSD) or a traditional hard drive (HD).
- Ports: We looked at how many ports the laptop features, any legacy options available and if a dongle comes in the box.
Speakers
- Overall:We observed how the speakers performed in core use cases, including movies, music and system sounds.
- Compression:We made note if the laptop speakers added any extra compression to core sounds or tracks.
- Bass: Did the laptop generate bass, or was it mostly missing?
Display
- Overall:We tested the display with various test images, applications (including word processing for pixelation), videos, VoIP, photo editing, gaming and even video editing.
- We additionally took a closer look at vibrancy, bezels, clarity and resolution.
Keyboard
- Overall:To get a feel for a keyboard, you really need to type a ton — and that’s exactly what we did.
- We paid close attention to specific categories, like tactileness and punchiness of the keys.
Software
- Experience out of the box: What apps come preloaded that provide real user benefits? Is there a ton of bloatware?
- Ease of use:How easy was it to navigate around the respective base software and any core apps?
Usability
- Overall:We noted what it was like to use as a daily driver and how it performed with a plethora of apps and workflows.
Warranty
- Overall:We noted the length of the included warranty and what it covers.
Other Windows laptops we tested
Dell XPS 14 (9440)
We’re not calling the latest XPS 14 a bad laptop. We tested the Intel Core Ultra 7-based model, which was speedy enough for all the work we put it through. Its optional OLED screen upgrade also impressed. The big problem, though, is a case of “it wasn’t broken, so why did you try and fix it?”
Dell switched out the physical function keys and traditional trackpad for tap-to-click versions that trade intuitive functionality for a futuristic look. We look forward to seeing if this divisive design change lasts.
Microsoft Surface Pro (2024)
We considered the new long-lasting Microsoft Surface Pro for best 2-in-1 Windows laptop. On the upside, its Snapdragon X Elite chip enabled snappy performance and good battery life, but its design isn’t exactly aging well.
Yes, Microsoft upgraded this detachable’s keyboard for increased stability, but its laptop mode isn’t as good as the ZenBook Duo’s. Plus, the Surface Pro doesn’t include that accessory by default, which continues to frustrate.
Framework Laptop 16
I doubt you’ve ever seen a laptop like the Framework Laptop 16 — a modular notebook built for the future. Its design allows you to swap in more storage and memory, and even upgrade your CPU, GPU and internal battery. You can also switch its six ports on the fly, move its keyboard around to your liking and change everything from the keyboard to the bezel. I wanted to give it more applause, but some quirks including webcam troubles (that I fixed by hand) got in the way.
Alienware m16 R2
The folks at Alienware chopped the back chunk off of the m16 gaming laptop for a more portable design that caught our attention and impressed in our demanding testing. And while this laptop packs plenty of gaming punch, its short battery life and underwhelming display demote it to the almost-ran list.
