Best business laptops 2022: Top picks for working from home

The best business laptops offer durability, power, security and ease of use, whether you are in the office or working from home.

We review dozens of business laptops each year and the models that make our best business laptops offer a combination of comfort, performance and battery life. Don't forget about security and durability — business laptops typically come with fingerprint sensors, IR cameras, and security chips, and many have military-grade durability. Some even feature webcam sliders and displays with built-in privacy filters for the extremely security conscious.

If you need something with more oomph than your traditional business laptop, then check out our best workstations page. If you're not sold on a business laptop, read our best laptops page for options that can pull double duty at home or in the office. Are you a fan of a specific brand? See our best Lenovo ThinkPad or best Dell laptop guides.

Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon is our favorite business laptop for four years running and the Gen 9 model kept that trend rolling thanks to its lightweight design, fast performance and strong display options. Apple has strong options in the MacBook Air M2 or any of the MacBook Pro models for those with more demanding performance needs. Read on for a more detailed look at our top picks and we'll find the perfect fit for you.

Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon is, once again, the best business laptop thanks to its sleek design and fast performance. (Image credit: Phillip Tracy/Laptop Mag)

1. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 9) Best overall business laptop Specifications CPU: 11th Gen Intel Core i5/Core i7 GPU: Iris Xe RAM: 8GB/16GB/32GB Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB SSD Display: 14-inch, 1920 x 1200-pixel 16:10 Size: 12.4 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches Weight: 2.5 pounds Today's Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at (opens in new tab) View at CCL (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Slim, lightweight design + Good 14-inch, 16:10 FHD+ display + Class-leading keyboard + Great quad speakers + Epic battery life Reasons to avoid - Poor 720p webcam - No card slot

Lenovo's 9th Gen edition of its flagship business laptop delivers fast performance from 11th Gen Intel CPUs, you get longer battery life (15 hours!), powerful quad speakers, a new 14-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, and plenty of ports, all in an impossibly lightweight chassis (2.5 pounds).

But it's still those classic ThinkPad features — a durable design (with MIL-STD-810G strength), best-in-class keyboard and stealthy black/red aesthetics — that carry the X1 Carbon to greatness.

Yes, we wish the ThinkPad X1 Carbon had a better webcam and hadn't ditched the SD card reader in the previous. Also, top configurations can get very expensive; still, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better business laptop.

See our full Lenovo ThinkPad Carbon X1 (Gen 9) review.

With faster performance and longer battery life from its M1 chip, the new MacBook Pro is the ultimate MacBook (for now). (Image credit: Future)

2. Apple MacBook Air M2 The best Apple laptop for business Specifications CPU: Apple M1 Pro GPU: Apple M1 (integrated) RAM: 16GB/32GB/64GB Storage: 512GB/1TB/2TB/4TB/8TB Display: 14.1-inch, 3024 x 1964-pixel Size: 12.3 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches Weight: 3.5 pounds Today's Best Deals View at John Lewis (opens in new tab) View at (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Elegant redesign + Good performance + Bright, colorful screen + Comfortable keyboard + Excellent battery life Reasons to avoid - SSD somewhat slower than M1 Air

The MacBook Air M2 is a nearly perfect laptop with the same outstanding performance and battery life that we've come to expect from Apple Silicon, but it also introduces the new design from the MacBook Pro 14 and 16 along with a gorgeous new 13.6-inch display.

This is a blend of performance and portability that few Windows laptops can challenge, so for those that can live in the macOS ecosystem, this belongs at the top of your list. Our lone complaint with the Air M2 is that the SSD has a slightly slower write speed than its predecessor, but it is still well above average and not something that should sway you against it.

While you have a pair of USB-C ports and the new MagSafe charging port, if you are looking to escape carrying a USB-C hub with you then you will need to look to the MacBook Pro 14, which sports an HDMI port, an SD card slot, MagSafe and a trio of Thunderbolt 4 ports (sadly, still no USB-A). If battery life is your biggest concern then the MacBook Pro 13-inch M2 is your best choice with over 18 hours on a single charge in our test! It didn't get the updated design of the Air this year, but its performance remains outstanding.

See our full Apple MacBook M2 review.

Lenovo ThinkBook 14s Yoga (Image credit: Future)

3. Lenovo ThinkBook 14s Yoga The best business laptop under $1,000 Specifications CPU: Intel Core i5-1135G7 GPU: Intel Iris Xe RAM: 16GB Storage: 512GB Display: 14-inch, 1080p Size: 12.6 x 8 x 0.7 inches Weight: 3.3 pounds Today's Best Deals Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Visit Site (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Robust build quality + Smart Pen included + Fingerprint reader in power button + Reasonably priced

Reasons to avoid - Quiet speakers - Fingerprint-attracting chassis

The ThinkBook 14s Yoga delivers amazing value at under $1,000 for a durable 2-in-1 that includes a built-in Smart Pen, solid performance and battery life.

While it could never quite grab that first place spot on our benchmarks, it consistently earned itself a silver, which makes for a balanced laptop that won't let you down in any regard.

Overall, if you don’t want to spend a penny more than $1,000 — and you want an impressive 14-inch business-oriented convertible with an included Smart Pen — you can’t go wrong with the ThinkBook 14s Yoga.

See our full Lenovo ThinkBook 14S Yoga review

A premium workstation in a thin-and-light form factor (Image credit: Laptop Mag)

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4. Dell Precision 5470 The best portable business workstation Specifications CPU: Intel Core i9-12900H CPU GPU: Nvidia RTX A1000 RAM: 32GB Storage: 1TB Display: 14-inch, 1920 x 1200-pixel IPS (16:10) Size: 12.2 x 8.3 x 0.7 inches Weight: 3.3 pounds Today's Best Deals View at (opens in new tab) Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Powerful performance + Sleek chassis, premium design + Beautiful InfinityEdge touchscreen + Outstanding battery life + Advanced thermals keep things cool Reasons to avoid - Lacks USB-A or HDMI ports

With 5 out of 5 stars, how is the Dell Precision 5470 not higher than 4th on this list? It's simple, not everyone needs this much power in a business laptop. This is a workstation laptop with the Nvidia RTX A1000 GPU and Intel Core i9-12900H CPU to prove it. It can't go toe-to-toe with the best gaming laptops, but it will run circles around any typical business laptop.

If your productivity work ever dips into the realm of content creation, if you are like me and you just overload your laptop with a million seemingly small tasks, or you are frequently transferring large data files, the blazing performance of the 5470 will be worth its 3.3-pound weight in gold.

Lastly I'll touch on the display, which is a gorgeous 14-inch anti-glare InfintyEdge touchscreen with a 2560 x 1600-pixel resolution and the ability to overpower any brightly lit environment with its 499 nit max brightness.

See our full Dell Precision 5470 review.

Dell stepped up its game with the Dell Latitude 9420 2-in-1, an attractive laptop with 15+ hours of battery life. (Image credit: Laptop Mag)

5. Dell Latitude 9430 An excellent detachable 2-in-1 laptop Specifications CPU: 12th-Gen Intel Core i7-1265U GPU: Iris Xe RAM: 16GB Storage: 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD Display: 14-inch, 2560 x 1600-pixel 16:10 Size: 12.2 x 8.5 x 0.5 inches Weight: 3.2 pounds Today's Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Gorgeous InfinityEdge touchscreen with wide viewing angles + Comfy keyboard with good travel + Wide, responsive touchpad + Outstanding battery life + Includes HDMI port Reasons to avoid - Limited port selection - Kind of clunky in tablet mode

If battery life is a priority, the Dell Latitude 9430 2-in-1 is going to be a serious contender for the best business laptop for you. The 2-in-1 laptop cruised to 12 hours and 39 minutes in our Laptop Mag Battery test. That's hardly the only reason to choose it though; the bright InfinityEdge display lets Dell squeeze a 14-inch display into a super slim 0.54-inch chassis.

Performance is more than enough to juggle all the browser tabs you forgot to close during the day along with every productivity app in your arsenal. The sleek, but durable build, and the flexible 2-in-1 convertible form factor make all help to extend its utility.

Add in excellent enterprise-grade security from its vPro processor, secure and convenient login via its FHD IR camera or fingerprint reader and you have a business laptop that justifies its admittedly high price.

See our full Dell Latitude 9430 2-in-1 review.

(Image credit: Laptop Mag/Sean Riley)

6. Microsoft Surface Pro 8 The best business 2-in-1 laptop Specifications CPU: Intel Core i7-1185G7 GPU: Iris Xe RAM: 8GB/16GB/32GB Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB Display: 13-inch, 120Hz 2880x1920-pixels Size: 11.3 x 8.2 x 0.37 inches Weight: 1.96 pounds Today's Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Microsoft UK IE (opens in new tab) View at (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Gorgeous display + Strong performance + Dual Thunderbolt 4 ports + Excellent webcam + Versatile 2-in-1 form factor Reasons to avoid - Battery life could be better - Keyboard and pen sold separately

The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 isn’t a quantum leap forward from its predecessors. Still, it makes enough crucial upgrades to an already excellent 2-in-1 tablet to once again put it among the top 2-in-1 laptops.

The added screen size and reduced bezels make for a more modern look, while the rounded edges give it a much more tablet-friendly feel backed up by some of the new software touches in Windows 11. For creatives or prolific note-takers, the new Slim Pen 2 combined with the Type Cover gives you a built-in stylus with a tactile feel that makes for an improved inking experience.

A bit more battery life would have been outstanding and the price jump may be hard for some to swallow. However, taken as a whole, the Surface Pro 8 is a solid addition to the Surface lineup and a compelling option for those looking to upgrade their laptop for the move to Windows 11.

Not sold on the Surface Pro 8? See our review of the ThinkPad X12 Detachable. If you want more dedicated business features, the Surface Pro 7+ offers a more enterprise-focused take with the last-gen Surface Pro design. We're in the process of reviewing the Surface Pro 9, but if you need something today check out our Surface Pro 9 vs. Surface Pro 8 overview and rest assured you aren't missing too much; you can also probably find a solid deal on the Surface Pro 8 right now.

See our full Surface Pro 8 review.

HP Pro C640 Chromebook (Image credit: Laptop Mag)

7. HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook Best business Chromebook Specifications CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 RAM: 8GB LPDDR4X Storage: 256GB NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD Display: 13.5-inch, 2256 x 1504-pixel touchscreen Size: 11.6 x 8.7 x 0.65 inches Weight: 2.8 pounds Today's Best Deals Visit Site (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Bright, sharp 2K display + Versatile 360-hinge design + Outstanding performance + 5G connectivity available + Durable and attractive design Reasons to avoid - Weak battery life - Starts at $1,149

business users? Yes, we mean it. The HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook Enterprise is the best option available today. Boasting Intel vPro security, a Titan C chip, and a fingerprint sensor the Dragonfly far surpasses the security of your average Chromebook. A free year of Parallels for Chromebooks gives you full access to any Windows apps you might still need.

The security and ease of management offered by the HP Elite Dragfonfly Chromebook are two strong selling points, but the rest of the hardware doesn't let down from there. The 13.5K 2K display with up to 400 nits of brightness looks outstanding. The 2-in-1 form factor, light 2.8-pound chassis, and optional 5G support make it a dream for frequent travelers.

At just over 9 hours in our Laptop Mag battery test the battery life could be better and the price makes it a tough sell if work isn't paying for it, but for businesses that will save considerable money on support, it is worth the investment.

See our full HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook review.

Dell's Latitude 7320 Detachable is a better version of the Surface Pro 7+ (Image credit: Laptop Mag)

8. Dell Latitude 7320 Detachable The best business 2-in-1 laptop Specifications CPU: Intel Core i7-1180G7 CPU GPU: Iris Xe RAM: 16GB Storage: 1TB Display: 13 inches, 1920 x 1280-pixel Size: 11.4 x 8.2 x 0.3 inches Weight: 1.8 pounds Today's Best Deals Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Visit Site (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Slim aluminum design + Bright, vivid 13-inch display + Good performance + Comfy keyboard with pen charging slot Reasons to avoid - Kickstand is a bit flimsy

With the Latitude 7320 Detachable, Dell takes on the Surface Pro 7 and wins. Standout features include a gorgeous 13-inch display, fast performance, a comfortable detachable keyboard with a built-in stylus slot, useful security features, and a class-leading webcam (yes, you read that right). These are all packaged in a sleek metal chassis that can easily be slipped into a backpack or purse.

The Latitude does waver in a few areas. The kickstand feels somewhat flimsy and the sky-high price will detract all but the highest-ranking execs or the wealthiest corporations. Despite these faults, the Latitude 7320 gives Dell enterprise customers an excellent version of this ultra-mobile form factor so they can work or relax from anywhere.

See our full Dell Latitude 7320 Detachable review.

Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen 2 is the best workstation on the market. (Image credit: Laptop Mag/Sean Riley)

9. Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen 2 The most powerful business workstation Specifications CPU: Intel Core i7-11950H vPro GPU: Nvidia RTX A5000 RAM: 32GB Storage: 1TB SSD Display: 15.6-inch, FHD (1920x1080) Size: 14.7 x 9.9 x 1.2 inches Weight: 6.2 pounds Today's Best Deals View at (opens in new tab) View at CCL (opens in new tab) View at Laptops Direct (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Class-leading performance + Excellent array of ports + Bright display + Durable build Reasons to avoid - Heavy

The Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen 2 improved on what was already a winning formula with the original ThinkPad P15 with upgraded performance and stellar battery life for the 1080p model.

The laptop’s 11th Gen Intel Core i9-11950H CPU, Nvidia RTX A5000 GPU and 32GB of RAM make it an absolute workhorse of a workstation. If raw performance is your goal, it will be hard to beat the ThinkPad P15 Gen 2. The one concern for creatives will be the display, but if that’s crucial for you consider the OLED panel option or perhaps an external display.

See our full Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen 2 review.

Asus ExpertBook B9450 (Image credit: Laptop Mag)

10. HP Elite Dragonfly G3 Outstanding battery life and an excellent webcam Specifications CPU: Intel Core i7-1265U vPRo GPU: Intel Iris Xe graphics RAM: 16GB Storage: 512GB SSD Display: 13.5-inch, 1920 x 1280-pixel display Size: 11.7 x 8.6 x 0.64 inches Weight: 2.2 pounds Today's Best Deals View at HP Store (opens in new tab) Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Impressive battery life + Great webcam + Spacious touchpad + Lightweight and portable Reasons to avoid - Middling performance

The HP Elite Dragonfly G3 is a power-efficient gem with a lightweight, portable form factor, a great webcam, and a battery runtime that climbs above 14 hours!

While the performance won't have the Dragonfly G3 doubling as your gaming laptop in your downtime, it's more than enough to handle productivity and web browsing tasks and that efficiency over raw power is a worthwhile tradeoff for business users.

Factoring in the productivity-enhancing 3:2 aspect ratio, the comfortable clicky keyboard, the spacious touchpad, solid webcam and 2.2-pound weight and you have a fantastic option for business users that travel or are frequently moving around the office or working remotely.

Read our full HP Elite Dragonfly G3 review.

HP ZBook Studio G8 is another excellent workstation if you can afford the price. (Image credit: Future)

11. HP ZBook Studio G8 Powerful workstation with stunning display Specifications CPU: Intel Core i9-11950H GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 RAM: 32GB Storage: 2TB SSD Display: 15.6-inch, OLED 4K (3840 x 2160) Size: 14.1 x 10.1 x 0.6 inches Weight: 3.3 pounds Today's Best Deals View at HP Store (opens in new tab) Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Stunning 4K OLED display + Powerful overall and gaming performance + Comfortable keyboard Reasons to avoid - Can get hot

This salacious attention grabber comes with an 11th Gen Intel Core i9 processor, 32GB of RAM, 2TB of SSD storage, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 GPU that will more than handle all your Adobe Creative Suite power-hungry needs and then some.

The $4,727 system is gorgeous, powerful, MIL-SPEC tough, and in my humble opinion is one of the best content creator laptops on the market. Oh, I forgot to mention, its OLED 4K touchscreen is bright, vivid and positively stunning.

However, for the price, I wish the battery lasted longer and it didn’t run as hot. If you’re looking for longer battery life and just a scooch more power, the $2,999 MSI Creator Z16 is an option that’s loads cheaper.

See our full HP ZBook Studio G8 review.

How to choose a business laptop

Why you can trust Laptop Mag Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing the right model of business laptop for you or your company.

Do you need Intel vPro or AMD Pro? Many business laptops are available with CPUs that have Intel vPro technology, which lets a support person log in remotely, even if the computer can't boot. However, unless you have a large IT department and a huge fleet of laptops that you need the ability to service remotely, you probably won't use this feature.

Many business laptops are available with CPUs that have Intel vPro technology, which lets a support person log in remotely, even if the computer can't boot. However, unless you have a large IT department and a huge fleet of laptops that you need the ability to service remotely, you probably won't use this feature. How fast do you need it to be? Most business users will be happy with a laptop that has a quad-core, Core i5 CPU like the Core i5-1135G7 or Core i5-1145G7 (vPro) and the CPU's integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics. However, if you require a high-end performance for 3D Modeling, professional video editing, or creating predictive models, then get a mobile workstation with Core i7 or Core i9 H-Series CPU (model numbers end in HQ) and Nvidia Quadro graphics.

Most business users will be happy with a laptop that has a quad-core, Core i5 CPU like the Core i5-1135G7 or Core i5-1145G7 (vPro) and the CPU's integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics. However, if you require a high-end performance for 3D Modeling, professional video editing, or creating predictive models, then get a mobile workstation with Core i7 or Core i9 H-Series CPU (model numbers end in HQ) and Nvidia Quadro graphics. Long battery life: Nobody wants to run out of juice in the middle of a long workday or a cross-country flight. Unless you're getting a giant workstation, look for a laptop that gets more than 9 hours on a charge. Some business systems come with a choice of regular or extended batteries; always get the high-capacity unit.

Nobody wants to run out of juice in the middle of a long workday or a cross-country flight. Unless you're getting a giant workstation, look for a laptop that gets more than 9 hours on a charge. Some business systems come with a choice of regular or extended batteries; always get the high-capacity unit. SSDs for responsiveness: If you want a truly fast computer, get a solid state drive rather than a mechanical hard drive. SSDs boot up, open programs and multitask at least three times faster than old-fashioned hard drives.

If you want a truly fast computer, get a solid state drive rather than a mechanical hard drive. SSDs boot up, open programs and multitask at least three times faster than old-fashioned hard drives. The right ports: Nobody likes to carry a bag full of dongles. Consider which kinds of connections you or your employees will need the most. If you connect to a wired network a lot, make sure the laptop has an Ethernet port. If photography is a key part of the job, choose a laptop with a memory card reader. No matter what your needs, a Thunderbolt 4 port is a huge plus, because it will allow you to connect to a new generation of high-speed peripherals, universal chargers and powerful docks.

Nobody likes to carry a bag full of dongles. Consider which kinds of connections you or your employees will need the most. If you connect to a wired network a lot, make sure the laptop has an Ethernet port. If photography is a key part of the job, choose a laptop with a memory card reader. No matter what your needs, a Thunderbolt 4 port is a huge plus, because it will allow you to connect to a new generation of high-speed peripherals, universal chargers and powerful docks. A great keyboard: It almost goes without saying that every laptop should have a good keyboard. But with business systems, a comfortable typing experience is even more important. Look for snappy feedback, deep travel and absolutely no flex.

(Image credit: Future)

How we test business laptops

We put each laptop through extensive benchmark testing — both synthetic and real-world — before they end up in the hands of 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 brightness and DCI-P3 color gamut of the laptop's display. For performance testing, we run the laptop through a gauntlet of benchmarks, including GeekBench 5 and 3DMark professional graphics tests.

To determine real-world performance, we task the laptop to convert a 4K video to 1080p resolution and to duplicate a 25GB multimedia file. Our real-world graphics test includes the Assasin's Creed Valhalla 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 for longer than 5 hours deserve praise.

These tests are complemented with extensive hands-on testing from our reviewers who critique everything from the laptop's materials to the feel of its touchpad.

The best business laptops in 2022

The best business laptops make it easy to get work done and be more productive on the go. They're light enough to carry all day, with great keyboards and crisp, easy-to-read screens that are comfortable to look at during marathon sessions. Plus, they've got great battery life.

Once upon a time, if you wanted a laptop for business you were pretty much limited to Lenovo ThinkPads and HP EliteBooks. While these are still great laptops for office workers and business mavens on the go, recent advances in mobile components have given us a bumper crop of affordable ultraportables that are long-lasting, powerful, and svelte enough to slip into a briefcase or look stylish on a desk.

Of course, with all the options you have at your fingertips now for a great business-ready laptop, you're going to need some help sorting the wheat from the chaff. Read on for our guide on the best business laptops you can buy.

Now that November is upon us we're rounding up the best Black Friday deals, too!

The best business laptops you can buy today

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

1. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano The best business laptop overall Specifications Display: 13 inches; 2K CPU: Intel Core i5-1130G7 | Intel Core i7-1160G7 GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics RAM: 8GB - 16GB Storage: 256 - 1TB SSD Weight: 2 pounds Today's Best Deals View at Walmart (opens in new tab) View at Best Buy (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Great battery life + Lightweight + 2K, anti-glare display Reasons to avoid - Limited ports - Dull sound

Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Nano is a great business laptop because it's powerful, long-lived, and easy to carry. Weighing in at just 2 pounds, the Nano is the lightest laptop on this list, but with a tested battery life of 12 hours it still has enough juice to last you through a day of work without needing a charger. You can also pay extra for 4G/5G connectivity, if you need to stay connected on the go.

Lenovo didn't sacrifice on performance or usability either. In addition to the standard suite of security features and durability ratings all ThinkPads have, the Nano's Intel 11th Gen Tiger Lake processors provide the speed you need for tons of productivity — and its keyboard provides a snappy and comfortable typing experience that lives up to the ThinkPad brand. You might want to pack a USB hub though, as it sports just two Thunderbolt / USB-C ports.

Read our full Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano review.

(Image credit: Future)

2. HP Spectre x360 14 The best 2-in-1 business laptop Specifications Display: 14-inch 1920 x 1280 FHD (as tested) or 3000 x 2000 OLED touchscreen CPU: Intel Core i7-1165G7 GPU: Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics RAM: 8 GB Storage: 256GB to 512GB SSD Weight: 2.95 pounds Today's Best Deals View at HP (US) (opens in new tab) View at Walmart (opens in new tab) Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Excellent sound quality + Stellar display + Intuitive touchscreen and pen controls + Ultra portable Reasons to avoid - Very expensive - Limited port connectivity on lower-priced models - No 10-key option - Pen input finicky for left-handed users

The HP Spectre x360 14 is a powerful convertible business laptop with a sleek, elegant design that provides excellent performance for both work and play. Available in three colors (silver, black, and navy blue) and sporting an ultra-thin profile of just 0.67 inches, the HP Spectre x360 brings a touch of sophisticated style to your desk that perfectly complements its internal components.

While the price can be steep if you configure it with top-tier components, we think the performance and sleek, sturdy design of the Spectre x360 are worth the asking price. It comes packaged with a rechargeable MPP2.0 Tilt Pen too, which is perfect for digital artists or anyone who prefers to take handwritten notes during meetings.

Read our full HP Spectre x360 14 review.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

3. Apple MacBook Air with M1 Apple's best business laptop Specifications Display: 13.3 inches; 2560x1600 CPU: Apple M1 GPU: Integrated 8-core GPU RAM: 8GB-16GB Storage: 256GB-2TB SSD Weight: 2.8 pounds Today's Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Verishop (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Remarkably fast performance + Strong legacy app support + Amazingly long battery life Reasons to avoid - Still has thick bezels - Light on ports

Apple revolutionized its laptops with the M1 chip, and the MacBook Air was one of the first devices to get one. This chip delivers better performance than the Air's ever seen, as well as incredible battery life: it lasted 14 hours and 41 minutes on the Tom's Guide battery test. Plus, the MacBook Air's webcam is clearer and more color-accurate than ever, thanks to signal processing, and the Magic Keyboard still delivers a great typing experience.

All in all, if you need a MacBook for business purposes, you'd be hard-pressed to do better than the M1-equipped MacBook Air. It's powerful, long-lived, and capable enough to handle everything from meeting presentations to coffee shop work sessions.

Read our full Apple MacBook Air M1 (late 2020) review.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Judging by the name, you might think that the Dell XPS 13 Plus is a bigger version of Dell’s iconic laptop. But it’s actually quite the opposite. This is as minimalist a design as we’ve ever seen from Dell.

There’s just two ports. There’s no headphone jack. And Dell even took away physical function keys, replacing them with a capacitive row. There’s not even lines to denmark the touchpad; the entire area beneath the keyboard is one smooth piece of glass.

But the XPS 13 Plus isn’t just a design statement. Dell managed to pack a 28W 12th gen Core i7 processor into this sleek 2.7-pound machine. And the result is a system that can outperform even the mighty MacBook Pro M2 on some tests. However, the short battery life and capacitive function row will give some pause. We also found the bottom gets a bit toasty when running at full power, so keep that in mind to avoid a scorched lap!

Read our full Dell XPS 13 Plus review.

Not interested in the Plus? Don't miss our Dell XPS 13 OLED review -- the base XPS 13 is still a great laptop that we recommend often.

(Image credit: Future)

5. Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 Best Windows laptop for productivity Specifications Display: 15-inch touchscreen, 2496 x 1664 (201 PPI) CPU: 12th gen Intel Core i5 / i7 GPU: Integrated Intel Iris Xe RAM: 8GB - 32GB Storage: 256GB to 1TB SSD Weight: 3.4 pounds Today's Best Deals View at Walmart (opens in new tab) View at Best Buy (opens in new tab) View at Microsoft US (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Spacious, comfy keyboard + Good speakers + 3:2 display great for productivity + Finally, Thunderbolt 4 support Reasons to avoid - Outdated design - Underwhelming performance - Middling battery life - 720p webcam is a letdown

The Surface Laptop 5 isn't a bad device. The spacious keyboard and tall screen are great for getting work done, and the fact that Microsoft improved the brightness this time around makes the Surface Laptop 5 more usable outdoors than its predecessor. The newly-added Thunderbolt 4 support is also welcome, especially if you like to use external displays, and the upgrade to a 12th Gen Intel CPU delivers clear improvements in performance benchmarks.

But those are the only meaningful upgrades Microsoft appears to have delivered over last year's model, and they don't do enough to keep the Surface Laptop 5 competitive with some other laptops on the market. You can generally get better performance and more useful features for your money from competitors like the Acer Swift 5 and Dell XPS 15 OLED.

So while the Surface Laptop 5 is still a very serviceable laptop, it's a disappointing step forward from Microsoft. This is the company that Windows built, and it would be great to see it take a leading role in designing the ideal Windows 11 laptop. It's a decent enough productivity laptop, but it could have been better.

Read our full Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 review.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

6. Acer Swift 3 (AMD) Best business laptop under $700 Specifications Display: 14 inches; 1920x1080 CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 4700U GPU: AMD Radeon graphics RAM: 8GB Storage: 512GB SSD Weight: 2.7 pounds Today's Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Walmart (opens in new tab) View at Acer (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Amazing battery life + Powerful performance + Affordable Reasons to avoid - Display is a little dim - Speakers aren't great

If your business is on a budget and you want the best bang for your buck, the Acer Swift 3 proves that you can get great performance at a surprisingly low price. Packing AMD harware, this laptop offers plenty of battery life (11:09) in a lightweight design. Plus, it's got more ports than some of the laptops listed above it here: a USB Type-C, HDMI, and a USB-A. Plus, you get a fingerprint reader too.

The keyboard is also great for getting work done in an office, thanks to its quiet, satisfying keys. We just wish the Swift 3's display had more brightness and color, and that its speakers had a little more kick. But if you're looking to get things done on a budget, it's hard to argue with the value and performance provided by the AMD-based Acer Swift 3.

Read our full Acer Swift 3 (AMD) review.

(Image credit: Future)

7. Dell XPS 15 OLED Best 15-inch OLED business laptop Specifications Display: 15.6 inches; 3.5K CPU: 11th Gen Intel Core i7 GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti RAM: 16 GB Storage: 512 GB SSD Weight: 4.2 pounds Today's Best Deals View at Best Buy (opens in new tab) View at Walmart (opens in new tab) Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + 3.5K OLED display impresses with beautiful contrasts + Remarkable performance + Spacious, comfy keyboard + Svelte chassis still looks great Reasons to avoid - Disappointing battery life - 720p webcam delivers grainy, washed-out images

If you need your business laptop to have a nice big screen, we recommend the XPS 15 because it's surprisingly slim and stylish for its size, with the same great performance and beautiful thin-bezelled design of its XPS siblings. The new XPS 15 is also made better by some smart design tweaks, such as bigger keycaps and a responsive touchpad that’s over 60% larger than that of the previous generation.

Plus, in 2021 Dell began offering the XPS 15 with a 3.5K OLED touchscreen option. If you can afford the extra $1k or so it costs (though you get a few upgraded components bundled in with that, in addition to the OLED screen) it's well worth the investment, as the OLED's deep, inky blacks, vibrant colors, and high contrast ratios really shine when mounted in the XPS 15's eye-catching InfinityEdge design.

Read our full Dell XPS 15 OLED review.

Not interested in OLED? Don't miss our Dell XPS 15 (2020) review.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

8. Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 The best AMOLED 2-in-1 for business Specifications Display: 13.3- or 15.6-inch 1080p Super AMOLED CPU: Intel Core i7 RAM: 8-16 GB Storage: 256 GB - 1 TB Weight: 3.11 pounds Size: 13.97 x 8.98 x 0.47 inches Today's Best Deals View at Samsung (opens in new tab) View at Best Buy (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Gorgeous 15.6-inch AMOLED display + Fetching ultra-thin design + Extremely portable + Speedy performance + Roomy keyboard and responsive touchpad Reasons to avoid - Samsung apps can feel like bloatware - 1080p max resolution disappoints

The Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 ($1,249 to start) is an ultra-thin 2-in-1 laptop that's tailor-made for people who are always on the go. Like last year's Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360, this iteration features a gorgeous AMOLED screen that's perfect for media consumption. It's also ideal for work thanks to its speedy performance.

Though a Windows laptop at its core, the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 comes loaded with a slew of Samsung software. This could be good or bad, depending on how invested you are in the Samsung ecosystem. If you are, then you'll find that this 2-in-1 pairs nicely with your Samsung tablets and phones. Otherwise, all of these applications are effectively bloatware.

Despite the middling webcam and Samsung bloatware, the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 has a lot going for it and is a 2-in-1 we highly recommend to those who are in the market for a powerful, portable laptop that pairs nicely with Samsung devices.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 review.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

9. Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 7 A solid 2-in-1 Specifications Display: 14-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) CPU: 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1260P RAM: 8GB Storage: 512GB Weight: 3.09 pounds Size: 12.52 x 9.06 x 0.6 inches Today's Best Deals View at Walmart (opens in new tab) Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Bright 14-inch OLED display + Large keyboard and touchpad + Powerful, booming audio + Snappy performance Reasons to avoid - Too big to use as a tablet for long - Battery life could be better

The Yoga 9i Gen 7 is an excellent 2-in-1 for business. The beefy 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and bountiful RAM allow for seamless multi-tasking, while the spacious keyboard lets you work comfortably for hours. The improved webcam and roaring speakers are also highlights. While the battery life on our configuration is less than the previous model, you should be able to get through most of an average workday.

The only major complaint we have with this laptop is that it makes for a somewhat awkward tablet. Yes, the touch interface is snappy and easy to use, but the laptop's size means you can't comfortably hold it in one hand as you would with smaller tablets. But it's entirely possible some folks will consider the Yoga 9i as a perfectly capable Windows tablet despite its size.

Minor qualms aside, this is one of the best 2-in-1 laptops we've tested and is one worth considering.

Read our full Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 7 review.

(Image credit: Future)

10. Asus Zenbook 13 OLED The best cheap OLED business laptop Specifications Display: 13.3-inch 1080p OLED CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5700U GPU: Integrated Radeon graphics RAM: 8 GB Storage: 512 GB Weight: 2.5 pounds Today's Best Deals Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Stellar battery life + Beautiful 1080p OLED display + Great performance Reasons to avoid - Middling sound quality - Inconsistent webcam - No headphone jack

The AMD-equipped Asus Zenbook 13 OLED is an excellent value, offering an eye-catching 1080p OLED display and exceptional 15-hour battery life in a slim, lightweight package for less than a thousand bucks.

The speakers aren't amazing, the webcam leaves something to be desired, and there's no headphone jack, but these are stumbling blocks you can work around. If you need a zippy little business laptop with a great screen that will last you all day long, you can't do better than the OLED-equipped Asus Zenbook 13 at this price.

Read our full Asus Zenbook 13 OLED review.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

11. HP Pavilion Aero 13 The best premium business laptop for travel Specifications Display: 13.3-inch 1920 x 1200 CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 - 7 GPU: Integrated Radeon graphics RAM: 8 - 16 GB Storage: 512GB - 1TB Weight: 2.2 pounds Today's Best Deals View at HP (US) (opens in new tab) View at Best Buy (opens in new tab) View at Walmart (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Bright, colorful display + Clicky keyboard feels satisfying + Well-priced + Good performance + Lightweight Reasons to avoid - Small deck - No microSD card slot

If you’re looking for a great all-around ultraportable laptop for under $1,000, then I think you need the HP Pavilion Aero 13 ($839 as reviewed).

That’s because the HP Pavilion Aero 13 offers a powerful AMD Ryzen 7 CPU backed by a bright, colorful 13.3-inch display along with a clicky keyboard and a superlight chassis, all for a great price. However, some people may not like the small keyboard deck and the lack of a microSD card slot.

But those are cons you could easily get over when you consider it delivers great performance in a lightweight laptop that's easy to carry and satisfying to type on. It’s easily one of the best laptops you can buy.

Read our full HP Pavilion Aero 13 review.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

12. HP Elite Dragonfly Another great 2-in-1 business laptop Specifications Display: 13.3 inches; 1920x1200 or 3840x2160 CPU: 8th-Gen Intel Core i3 / i5 / i7 GPU: Intel HD Graphics 620 RAM: 8GB / 16GB / 32GB Storage: 128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB SSD Weight: 2.5 pounds Today's Best Deals View at Walmart (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Beautiful, eye-catching design + Epic battery life (with optional upgrade) + Bright and colorful screen + Comfortable keyboard Reasons to avoid - Can be much more expensive than other laptops on this list

The HP Elite Dragonfly is another 2-in-1 laptop that's great for business because it's incredibly thin and light, with excellent battery life (12+ hours) and a nice comfy keyboard.

Plus, it offers a crisp, beautiful display and all the robust security features that the HP Elite line is known for, including a physical webcam privacy shutter and the promise of having passed 19 MIL-STD-810 tests, giving you some peace of mind when someone inevitably knocks it off a desk. The biggest potential pitfall is the expense, as this laptop's price can climb up into the $2k range if you kit it out with all the bells and whistles.

Read our full HP Elite Dragonfly review.

How to choose the best business laptop for you

Performance: If you only need something basic for tackling emails and surfing the web, you'll be fine with a mid-range CPU (think: Core i5 or an AMD A10) and 4-8 GB of RAM. However, if you want something that can tackle anything you throw at it (short of heavy-duty gaming and video editing) splurge for a Core i7 and 16 GB of RAM.

Graphics and gaming: Business laptops are rarely built to do much serious gaming, but if you just want to unwind with older or undemanding games like Civilization, you should be fine as long as you have at least a Core i5 CPU and 8 GB of RAM. For more demanding games, look into one of the best gaming laptops instead — a few have designs subtle enough to not look out of place in a boardroom.

Size: Consider how mobile you want your business laptop to be. Machines such as the Dell ThinkPad X1 Nano and HP Elite Dragonfly are slim and feather-light, whereas machines with larger screens (like the Dell XPS 15) are a bit bulkier and more painful to carry all day.

Whichever system you decide on, you may also want to pick up the best mouse for your particular work situation.

How we test the best business laptops

To find the best laptops, we run every machine through a rigorous suite of benchmarks and real-world tests to gauge how it will perform during everyday use.

We measure the average brightness and color quality of each laptop's display using our in-house light meter and colorimeter. For general performance, we run our machines through tests that include Geekbench 5 (CPU performance), as well as various 3DMark tests to measure graphics capabilities. We also run a file transfer test to measure how fast a machine's hard drive is, and a custom battery test that has the machine browse the internet over Wi-Fi until it runs out of juice.

And because we know everyone likes to play games sometimes, we run every laptop we review through the Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm graphical benchmarking test to see how well it handles light gaming.

For more information, check out our how we test page for Tom's Guide.

Best business laptops of 2022

The best business laptops make it simple and easy to carry out work on your laptop without worrying about whether your hardware specs are up to it.

It doesn't matter if you’re still working from home or going into the office. You need a portable that can keep up with your most intensive computing needs and keep your work safe.

If you need a device to keep up with your demanding productivity workflow, consider the best business laptops 2022 offers. While plenty of professionals have flocked to more consumer-focused devices over the years, these notebooks offer a combination of power, flexibility, and, most importantly, security that you won’t find elsewhere.

And, you might indeed be fine using cheaper laptops for work. But they’re not as secure and, in some cases, won’t offer the kind of horsepower that you might need to handle your productivity needs. Fortunately, the top business laptops have learned from the best Ultrabooks. They’re thinner, lighter, and easier to take on the go, making them just as portable as most of the prosumer options.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the transition away from desktop PCs and workstations. It has established laptops as the dominant format in businesses and enterprises, enabling the ability to work from the office, from home, or anywhere.

Falling prices, a clear focus from component vendors on thin-and-light laptops, and a drive to decrease power consumption means that there's barely any difference between laptops and desktops of equivalent specifications once you throw in the peripherals.

Business Laptops

What is a business laptop?

Why you can trust TechRadar Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

A business laptop is a device that has been designed for a professional usage. Like their consumer counterparts, business laptops come in all shapes, sizes, price points and features. And business laptops do not have to run Windows only; businesses in their thousands have embraced Chromebooks, MacBooks and so called mobile thin clients.

Choosing your budget (and shopping window)

Buying a business laptop for an organization usually entails a designated budget set by the purchaser or someone else within the organization and is usually part of a purchase lifecycle.

That is, a device is being acquired either for a new starter or because the previous device is no longer fit for purpose (too slow, broken, or out of warranty). What that means is buying a new PC for business rarely happens by itself; it is usually a well-structured process that is outside the scope of this article.

It may be worth pointing out two trends influencing purchasing a business laptop in the 2020s. First, there’s PCaaS, otherwise known as PC-as-a-service. It’s essentially another variant of leasing; there are usually no upfront costs (only one fixed monthly payment that may cover accessories/peripherals), and essential software (e.g., antivirus (opens in new tab)), deployment, end-of-lease recycling/migration, and support are included throughout. All major vendors now offer PCaaS.

Then there’s the emergence of Black Friday and various similar sales events that happen throughout the year (e.g., Amazon Prime Day, Presidents Day). Many now target small and medium businesses outright with exclusive discounts, vouchers, and coupon codes.

Windows 11 Pro and business laptops

Microsoft’s operating system is the defacto one in the enterprise and business space and includes some compelling business-focused features. The obvious assumption is that you want to stick with Windows for business, but that’s no longer the case. Apple’s macOS and Google’s Chrome OS have made inroads in what was and remains Microsoft’s most prized possession as its de-facto OS for business end-user/client computing.

Can business laptops be used for working from home?

In short, absolutely. Business laptops these days have been used for working from home in many cases or a wide range of different jobs. Everything from accounting to journalism, graphic design or project management. Fundamentally, there is nothing challenging about using a business laptop to work from home, especially if it is to work for the business that gave you the laptop. The one issue could potentially be accessing a secure network, but even that is not a limitation of the laptop but rather a limitation put in place by the business. Part of the beauty of a laptop is the ability to bring it with you anywhere.

What level of support does a business laptop need?

You need to consider the level of support your business requires. Smaller vendors often offer a one-year warranty, sometimes with onsite support, but more often than not, that's return-to-base you need to send the laptop back to the vendor at your own cost) which is not ideal.

Most global vendors offer comprehensive warranty packages with their laptops, with some having a three-year affair with onsite next-business-day support by default. Dell and Lenovo stand out by offering warranties of up to 60 months (that’s five years), well worth it on laptops costing thousands. Check out whether you need accident coverage or coverage outside your country; some offer support in countries as far away as India.

Some car insurance providers offer a courtesy car when a member’s vehicle breaks down or is involved in an accident. This allows the customer to minimize any disruption caused to his or her workflow. There’s no equivalent yet from a laptop vendor. If downtime is not an option and if there are privacy concerns, having a backup laptop or PC is highly recommended.

Business laptops: what are the use cases?

The purchase strategy for a one-man band (or very small entity) will differ significantly from that of a medium size company. If you only need a couple of laptops, you might be less picky when choosing a manufacturer of refurbished notebooks. Choosing your laptop will also depend on what you intend to do with it.

Edge use cases (e.g., graphics designer, coder, video editing, financial analysts) may require mobile workstations (opens in new tab) or rugged laptops (opens in new tab) rather than standard business laptops. Still, for everyone else, the configuration below should be good enough. While there is no real alternative to a powerful CPU, extra memory and a fast SSD can often help.

Swipe to scroll horizontally Minimal configurations for a business laptop Components Optimal specifications Processor At least a 10th generation Intel Core/3rd generation AMD Ryzen RAM Minimum 8GB Graphics Integrated Storage 256GB SSD Display 13.3-inch or bigger, full HD resolution Connectivity Type-C or Thunderbolt connectors Networking Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6

Battery life and processing power do not go hand in hand. That's an unfortunate truth; the fastest laptops tend to have very short battery life despite sporting massive batteries because they run components that are power hogs.

Throw in the market's obsessive quest for thinness, and it's no wonder that many are often disappointed by their laptops because they are either powerful but with short battery life or vice versa. Finding the right balance means that you will identify how long you can stay away from mains and what kind of processing power you need (hint: look at the applications you use most often).

Avoid these 10 easy mistakes:

Too little, badly configured memory, low-resolution display, slow storage components, or no webcam. I recently compiled a l ist of things you need to avoid when buying a business laptop (opens in new tab). Worth a look so that you don’t end up in a pickle.

Think about the peripherals

If you plan to use your laptop at your desk a lot, then it makes sense to invest in a docking station (opens in new tab) that allows you to connect your device to several peripherals (like a keyboard, mouse, printer, and monitor) in one simple move. The ubiquity of USB Type-C also allows some of them to charge their laptop at the same time.

Generic docking stations are more affordable and compatible with various laptop ranges, making them more attractive if you plan to change laptop brands regularly. Type-C power delivery models are attractive because they allow you to bypass your laptop charger or keep the latter for another location.

The future of external displays is 4K, so make sure your laptop supports it should you plan to have an external monitor (opens in new tab) at work or elsewhere. This means checking that your laptop either comes with an HDMI 2.0 port or a DisplayPort connector. Another option is to consider a docking station that offers either of these connectors.

A 4K monitor (opens in new tab) can transform your work by offering four times the full HD resolution, perfect for multi-tasking on several documents. It can also help improve your workflow by allowing you to work on several devices simultaneously while reducing the number of monitors needed.

Explore the upgrade options available for your laptop should you have access to them (e.g., at checkout). For example, you could opt for a 4G/LTE internal modem should you have the option. Not only do they allow you to be connected when you're far from a Wi-Fi Hotspot (opens in new tab), they often cost less than buying a separate dongle, use less power, and are unlocked – plus, you don't run the risk of breaking one USB port.

Check whether you can get a removable/second battery that may allow you to stay longer away from the mains. Security options are also worth considering; these include SSD with default encryption, fingerprint or palm readers, and NFC/SmartCard readers.

Best business laptops in 2022

The Dell XPS 15 is one of the best business laptops around. (Image credit: Dell)

1. Dell XPS 15 OLED (2022) All-powerful laptop for business professionals Specifications CPU: 12th Gen Intel Core i7 – i9 Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 – NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti RAM: 16GB – 32GB DDR5 Screen: 15.6" OLED 3.5K (3456 x 2160) InfinityEdge Touch Anti-Reflective 400-Nit Display Storage: 512GB – 2TB M.2 PCIe NVMe specifications Processor Intel Core i7 RAM 8GB RAM - 16GB RAM Storage Size 512GB - 1TB Read more ▼ Today's Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Classic design + Excellent battery life + Electrifying performance Reasons to avoid - Budget busting price of higher spec models

Over the years, the Dell XPS 15 has become something of a classic, and its latest incarnation is no exception.

Maintaining all the typical XPS bravado, the 2022 release leverages the latest Alder Lake processors up to the impressive Intel Core i9-12900HK combined with the mobile Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti.

What a discrete GPU doesn’t achieve for the XPS 15 is to make it a gaming laptop, but it is better than any of the integrated video options, including Intel Iris Xe. Computing is increasingly graphics lead, so a better GPU is becoming necessary.

Where this Dell surprised us most is that the processing power onboard doesn’t noticeably impact the battery life, with the review hardware capable of running video playback for more than ten hours in our tests.

With excellent performance, solid construction and fine lines, the Dell XPS 15 would be the obvious choice for corporate customers wanting to provide a solid mobile platform for employees. However, while the lower specified options start at around $1,500, the Core i7 and Core i9 SKUs are substantially more expensive. For those who want every option, it is possible to spend nearly $4,000 or £3,200 on one of these systems.

Read our full Dell XPS 15 OLED (2022) review (opens in new tab) .

The HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook is spectacular (Image credit: )

2. HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook A Chromebook to rule them all Specifications CPU: Up to 12th Gen Core i7-1265U vPro Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics RAM: 8GB - 32GB Screen: 13.3-inch diagonal 1080p LED FHD, 400 nits Storage: up to 2TB SSD Today's Best Deals View at HP (US) (opens in new tab) Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + High-performance Chromebook + Stunning display Reasons to avoid - Expensive for a Chromebook - Enterprise security costs extra

In this increasingly Cloud-driven world, not every problem needs Microsoft Windows, and many users can do everything they need using Chrome OS on a Chromebook.

The HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook isn’t a cheap machine for students to abuse or access streaming services. It’s a highly functional laptop with a myriad of security features designed to become the go-to solution for IS departments of Enterprise customers.

The critical component that gives this Chromebook the security edge is that the higher-level SKUs offer an Intel vPro processor designed to facilitate a multi-layered security approach that’s compliant with the level of customers that HP desires the most.

When businesses invest this heavily, they expect only the best, and HP includes a year-long subscription to Parallels for Chrome OS, an app that enables legacy Windows apps to run on this hardware to help with any transition.

Our review hardware came with just an Intel Core i5-1245U with vPro processor, 8GB of RAM and only 256GB of storage is $1,449, making it one of the most expensive Chromebooks we’ve ever reviewed. However, the top model with the Core i7-1265U vPro, 32GB LPDDR4x and 512GB is a whopping $3,393. Or, more expensive than most Windows laptops with this spec.

As nice as it is, the HP Elite Dragonfly proves that all Chromebooks aren’t cheap or under-specified.

Read the full HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook review (opens in new tab).

Dell XPS 17 (2022) (Image credit: Dell)

3. Dell XPS 17 (2022) Packs Intel's latest chips into a beautiful, if familiar, design Specifications CPU: 2th-generation Intel Core i5 – i9 Graphics: Intel Iris Xe RAM: 8GB – 32GB DDR5 Screen: 17-inch 3,840 x 2,400, 500 nits Storage: 256GB – 512GB SSD specifications Condition New, Refurbished Today's Best Deals View at Dell (opens in new tab) Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Gorgeous design and build quality + Great battery life Reasons to avoid - Expensive - Not a gaming laptop - Limited portability

Dell doesn’t make radical changes with its XPS series machines, and from the outside, the 2022 version of the Dell XPS 17 looks practically identical to that it sold in 2021 and 2020.

However, internally this is an entirely new design that uses the latest 12th Gen Intel silicon to deliver bucketloads of performance, ably supported by Nvidia GeForce RTX mobile GPUs.

The highlights of this design are its exceptional build quality, decent battery life, four Thunderbolt USB-C ports and a 4K screen. If that sounds perfect, there are a few caveats that come with all those good things.

While the entry-level designs are affordable, the higher specified XPS 17 options can be steep. And, for those paying that high price, it may prove disappointing in its attempts to fully drive the 4K display. The RTX 3060 is the top GPU option, but most models come with the mobile RTX 3050, a GPU that will struggle with this resolution.

This leaves the XPS 17 slightly stranded between true mobile workstations and well-specified laptops, with a foot in each camp.

Still, an impressive product, even if it doesn’t achieve the full potential that the 12th Gen platform offers.

Read the full Dell XPS 17 (2022) review (opens in new tab).

Not many brands make a 16-inch laptop (Image credit: HP)

4. HP Envy 16 A worthy creative's laptop with respectable gaming chops Specifications CPU: 12th generation Intel Core i7 – i9 Graphics: Intel ARC A370M or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile RAM: 8GB – 32GB DDR5 Screen: 40.6 cm (16”), WQXGA (2560 x 1600), touch screen, 120 Hz, 400 nits Storage: 256GB – 2TB SSD specifications Processor Intel Core i7, Intel Core i9 RAM 16GB RAM Colour Silver Read more ▼ Today's Best Deals View at HP (US) (opens in new tab) View at Verishop (opens in new tab) Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Stunning 4K OLED panel, + Solid performance Reasons to avoid - No fingerprint scanner - Mediocre battery life

HP had the media professional in mind when they specified the Envy 16, although its GPU performance is sufficient for those that wish to game away from their desktop system.

The caveat to using all that performance on this system is that it can become somewhat noisy, and the battery life isn’t sufficient to allow for demanding tasks to operate for long without mains power.

The lack of a fingerprint scanner also hints that HP considers this a business solution only in the loosest terms rather than ideal for most of its corporate customers.

The entry-level designs that use a 12th Gen Core i5 processor start at $1,049. These come with a WQXGA resolution screen and the new ARC A370M discrete processor. These are better value choices than the high-end Core i9 machines with the mobile RTX 3060 GPU and the 4K OLED panel, that cost at least $2,599.

Part of the justification for that price curve is that the better machines come with more RAM, more storage and an excellent HP True Vision 5MP IR webcam.

Overall, the HP Envy 16 represents excellent value for money, especially at the lower end.

Read the full HP Envy 16 review (opens in new tab).

Apple delivered the 16-inch Pro in 2021, don't expect another for a few years (Image credit: )

5. Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021) Best for Apple fans Specifications CPU: Apple M1 Pro or M1 Max 10-core Graphics: Integrated 16-core GPU RAM: Up to 64GB on M1 Max Screen: 16.2-inch, 3,456 x 2,234 Liquid Retina XDR display Storage: Up to 8TB specifications RAM 16GB RAM - 32GB RAM Storage Size 512GB - 1TB Colour Silver Read more ▼ Today's Best Deals View at Best Buy (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Walmart (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Excellent performance + Stunning display + Ultimate battery life Reasons to avoid - Expensive - Zero user upgrades - Heavy

For those invested in the Apple ecosystem, a single supplier scenario limits the number of equipment refreshes you can expect. Or in the case of the Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch, it was the first new design since the 15-inch MacBook Pro Touch Bar appeared in 2017.

Since the Air and Pro 13-inch have already transitioned to the M2 CPU design, that leaves this design using slightly older technology and the likelihood that it won’t see an upgrade before 2025.

That said, the performance of this system is exceptionally good. It sports a glorious 3,456 x 2,234 Liquid Retina XDR display, and battery life is remarkable for such a spritely system.

As with most things Apple, the downsides are that the cost is frankly outrageous ($3,299 for a 1TB version), it is not a lightweight laptop to carry around, and there is no practical way to upgrade it (memory or SSD).

We’d recommend getting the 1TB of SSD as, by the time this model is replaced, 512GB might seem like a tiny amount of storage.

Read the full MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021) review (opens in new tab)

LG Gram 16 (2022) laptop (Image credit: LG)

6. LG Gram 16 (2022) laptop One of few Ultrabooks made with upgrades in mind Specifications CPU: 12th Gen Intel Core i7 Graphics: Iris XE RAM: 8GB – 32GB DDR5 Screen: 16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600 pixel) Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD Reasons to buy + Super-lightweight + Outstanding battery life + Dual SSD slots Reasons to avoid - Soldered RAM - Bloatware

Most business laptop brands, for presumably valid reasons, don’t make 16-inch laptops, which might have encouraged LG to take their popular 17-inch model and shrink it down to create the LG Gram 16.

The resulting solution is a system that delivers a similar experience to smaller business laptops using intel 12th Gen silicon but offers an increased screen size without compromising portability. The extra space also allowed for a dedicated numeric pad, making it ideal for those crunching numbers.

But, packing this much system inside the Gram 16 case wasn’t without a few compromises, not least that the RAM is soldered in, not socketed. Therefore, those wanting more RAM need to specify that when ordering the machine. Conversely, the storage can be easily upgraded, and with two M.2 sockets, this process is remarkably straightforward.

Another aspect that we wish LG had better considered is the amount of bloatware that includes the every-unpopular McAfee Livesafe. Customers hate this software vandalism, but that appears to be something LG, and others, are unwilling to accept.

If you are happy to spend a few hours cleaning this rubbish off, the LG Gram 16 is a remarkably serviceable machine that creatives and accountants would most easily embrace.

Read the full LG Gram 16 (2022) laptop review (opens in new tab).

HP EliteBook x360 1040 G8 (Image credit: Future)

7. HP EliteBook x360 1040 G8 Security from every angle Specifications CPU: Up to 11th Generation Intel Core i7-1165G7 Graphics: Up to Intel Iris Xe Graphics RAM: Up to 32GB LPDDR4x Screen: 14-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) touch display Storage: Up to 2TB M.2 PCIe NVMe Today's Best Deals View at Newegg (opens in new tab) Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Secure + Good battery life + LTE SIM support Reasons to avoid - Soldered RAM - No Ethernet port

While the market for laptops that can convert into a tablet never achieved the market domination Microsoft expected when it created Windows 8, yet many brands make them for business customers.

The EliteBook x360 1024 G8 is a flagship hybrid design by HP that is reassuringly expensive but functions as a solid workhorse for those that like long hours, a practical battery life, and their data to be secure. This hardware is also emphatically aimed at those on the move, as it comes with a mobile data LTE SIM slot by default.

However, the challenges of making such a slim and flexible design effectively closed off user upgrades, with the system RAM being soldered to the mainboard.

For those with sufficient technical expertise, it is possible to replace the intel NVMe drive, but there is only one slot making a system transfer more convoluted than it could have been.

Overall, the HP EliteBook x360 1024 G8 is an impressive beast that includes IR face recognition, a fingerprint reader and proximity sensors across all models and optionally offers the Sure View system for information privacy.

The issue here is convincing accounts that spending this much on a laptop will be a worthwhile investment in the longer term.

Read the full review: HP EliteBook x360 1040 G8 review (opens in new tab).

The slender and stupendous Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro (Image credit: )

8. Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro Slender and stupendous Specifications CPU: 12th Gen Intel Core i5 – i7 Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics RAM: up to 8GB Screen: 15.6-inch 1080p AMOLED Storage: up to 1TB PCIe SSD Today's Best Deals View at Walmart (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Best Buy (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Ultra-lightweight + Beautiful AMOLED display + Practical battery life Reasons to avoid - Samsung bloatware - Top models are expensive

Top executives have the lightest computers, and the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro was undoubtedly fashioned just for them.

A replacement for the original and highly popular Samsung Galaxy Book Pro, the Book2 offers overall improvements without substantially changing what was arguably a winning recipe.

The Book2 retains the sleek chassis, has a full-scale keyboard with a palatial trackpad, and boosts the user experience with a better processor, enhanced cooling and enhanced audio clarity.

While the original was powerful, the new 12th Gen Intel CPUs in the Book2 deliver greater performance and, critically, much better performance per watt of battery power used. And the AMOLED display is decadently vibrant and viewable from almost any angle.

All this power is packaged in an elegant chassis only 10mm thick and, excluding the PSU, weighs just 1.16 kg. While there are lighter designs available, this is low enough to work for those that will be carrying it around.

Having such finely engineered hardware doesn’t come especially cheap, and the high-end SKUs are eye-wateringly expensive. But, factoring in the quality of the build, it might be worth it. Or, it would be if it wasn’t for the copious amounts of bloatware Samsung sprinkled over the Book2, unnecessarily.

Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro review (opens in new tab).

Samsung Galaxy Book2 360 (Image credit: Future)

9. Samsung Galaxy Book2 360 A winning laptop from Samsung Specifications CPU: Up to Core i7-1265U vPro Graphics: Intel Iris XE RAM: Up to 64GB Screen: 13.5-inch, 1920x1280p, 400 nits, touchscreen Storage: Up to 2TB Today's Best Deals View at Samsung (opens in new tab) View at Newegg (opens in new tab) Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + AMOLED display + Long battery life + Convertible nature Reasons to avoid - 720p webcam - Limited upgrades

Alongside the Galaxy Book2, Samsung also has the Samsung Galaxy Book2 360, a convertible design that comes either with a Core i5 or Core i7 12th Gen class processor.

It also sports a highly desirable 13.3-inch AMOLED display that delivers punchy colours and impressive viewing angles, more than a working day of battery life, while weighing just 1.16kg.

And, at a starting price of only $899, the most basic machines are highly affordable for business users.

To deliver all the features customers demanded at a price they liked, some corners were cut. This resulted in a mediocre 720p webcam, limited USB ports and no official upgrade options. Even for those willing to flaunt their warranty, the RAM is soldered, and the M.2 NVMe drive needs a high degree of technical expertise even to reach.

For those willing to pay for a fully upgraded machine from the outset, the Samsung Galaxy Book2 360 is a reasonable performer for those doing typical office tasks and accessing Cloud services. The Iris Xe GPU that Intel has brought with the 12Th Gen mobile silicon is good enough for video playback but insufficient for gamers or media processing.

There are more powerful 2-in-1 designs available, especially those with discrete Nvidia GPUs, but those are generally triple the cost of this one for that enhanced experience.

Read the full Samsung Galaxy Book2 360 review (opens in new tab).

The Dynabook Portégé X30L-K laptop surprises us every time we use it (Image credit: Future)

10. Dynabook Portégé X30L-K laptop Best business laptop for those on a budget Specifications CPU: Up to Core™ i7-1260P Graphics: Intel Iris XE RAM: 8GB – 16GB LPDDR4X Screen: 13.3-inch, 1080p IGZO panel, 470 nits Storage: 256GB – 2TB SSD Today's Best Deals Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Excellent spec for cost + Remarkably lightweight Reasons to avoid - Trackpad isn’t ideal

Since Toshiba’s laptop division became Dynabook and owned by Sharp, it has produced some distinctive designs, and the Portégé X30L-K laptop is one of those. It uses much the same 12th Gen Intel silicon that most Ultrabook makers have built their latest offerings around, but this device stands out in several significant ways.

The first aspect that anyone holding the Portégé X30L-K would immediately notice is that at just 904g, this is easily one of the lightest business laptops around, being just 80% of the weight of an Apple MacBook Air.

There isn’t an obvious way that Dynabook engineers achieved this party trick. The X30L-K comes with plenty of memory, enough storage and an excellent selection of ports, including some Thunderbolt/USB 4.0. It also sports some solid security features, like a fingerprint reader, a Smartcard reader option and an IR camera for face authentication.

Being so lightweight, our immediate guess was that battery life would be an issue, but you can get a full working day out of the 53 Wh capacity onboard.

The only part we didn’t care for was the trackpad, which seemed to be aping an old ThinkPad design where the buttons are at the top. This point aside, and with a relatively low price for the latest technology, the Dynabook Portégé X30L-K is a bargain compared to what other brands are asking for their designs.

Read the full Dynabook Portégé X30L-K laptop review (opens in new tab).

HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 Notebook PC is cheap and feels that way (Image credit: HP Development Company)

11. HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 Notebook PC Performance and battery life in perfect harmony Specifications CPU : Up to AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 4750U Graphics: AMD Radeon Graphics RAM: 8GB - 16GB Screen: 13.5-inch, 1920x1280p, 250 cd/m² Storage: 256GB - 1TB SSD Today's Best Deals View at Walmart (opens in new tab) Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Incredible performance + Fantastic battery life Reasons to avoid - Integrated graphics struggle with creative workloads

Often laptop makers make the entry-level SKU very cheap, knowing that once a few features have been tweaked by the customer, that price will be a good bit higher. The HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 Notebook PC is a prime example of this approach since the primary Ryzen 5 powered option is well below $1,000. And, even the enhanced SKUs that use the AMD Ryzen 7 Pro platform don’t exceed $1,500.

It’s worth saying that AMD’s current mobile silicon is very power efficient and delivers great performance, although the Vega graphics has been overtaken by the Intel Iris Xe for 3D scene rendering.

The weaknesses of this design are twofold; resilience to damage and port availability.

HP’s efforts to bring the ProBook 635 Aero G7 in under 1kg has resulted in a construction that is mostly thin plastic that is unlikely to withstand much if any, abuse. How long this might last in a business context is difficult to access, but other designs feel more substantial than this.

The other issue is an entirely self-inflicted absurdity of giving it only a single USB-C port that is required for charging.

The HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 is cheap and a decent performer, but it’s hardly made to handle typical business users or anyone with a tendency to be clumsy.

Read the full HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 Notebook PC review (opens in new tab).

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