Laptop Buying Guide (2022): How to Choose the Right PC (Step-by-Step Guide)

Best Budget Gaming Laptop 2022

Buying a gaming laptop usually comes with the severe financial strain of spending $2,000 and up. But it really doesn’t have to be that way. There are plenty of good and affordable portable gaming machines out there. And these cheap gaming laptops aren’t the poorly built and anemic GTX 1650-powered notebooks of yesteryear. You can find a quality machine equipped with even mid-range to high-end CPUs and graphics cards to play all of the latest and best PC games releases.

Now weeding out the bad cheap gaming laptops to find some genuine gems of value is a tall task. Thankfully, though, we’ve done all the comprehensive testing and research for you. We've narrowed down our picks so you can be sure these are the best budget gaming laptops.

TL; DR – These are the Best Budget Gaming Laptops:

Asus TUF Dash 15

Best Budget Gaming Laptop

Asus TUF Dash 15 35 See on Amazon

Display: 15.6” FHD (1,920 x 1,080) IPS 144Hz | CPU: Intel Core i7-12650H | GPU: Nvidia RTX 3060 | RAM: 16GB DDR5 4,800MHz | Storage: 512GB NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD | Weight: 4.41 pounds | Dimensions: 13.94″ x 9.88″ x 0.78 ~ 0.81″

The Asus TUF Dash 15 is a remarkable gaming laptop not only for its affordable $1,069 price but also for how well equipped it is. This machine surprises you with an Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics when you might have expected bottom-tier components. Asus hasn’t skimped on the memory as you get 16GB of DDR5 memory. Plus this machine packs a few extras including a MUX switch, which reduces latency between the GPU and display, and a ThunderBolt 4 port. The only thing truly lacking here is the measly 512GB of SSD storage space that runs at PCIe 3.0 speeds.

And with a name like TUF, you’ll be glad to hear this gaming laptop is built tough too. No chintzy and creaky plastic here. The Asus TUF Dash 15 is built to a better standard with a sheet of aluminum covering the screen lid that helps elevate and simplify its design. This device is also a bit thinner and lighter than your average gaming laptop too.

Dell G16 Gaming Laptop

Best Gaming Laptop Under $1500

Dell G16 Gaming Laptop 2 See on Dell

Display: 16” QHD+ (2,560 x 1,600) WVA 165Hz | CPU: Intel Core i7-12700H | GPU: Nvidia RTX 3060 | RAM: 16GB DDR5 4,800MHz | Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD | Weight: 5.38 pounds | Dimensions: 14.06" x 10.71" x 0.81 ~ 1.06"

The Dell G16 Gaming Laptop stretches the limits of what we’d consider a budget gaming laptop at $1,500, but it’s incredibly well-equipped for the price. First off, it features a larger 16-inch screen running at a QHD resolution and a 16:10 aspect ratio, so you get a few more pixels of screen real estate. An Intel Core i5 and Nvidia RTX 3060 power that bigger-than-average screen and with 16GB of fast DDR5 memory, you’ll get great performance out of this machine. Once again, though, storage has been left to the wayside so you’re left with a 512GB SSD.

The Dell G16 Gaming Laptop also doesn’t look anything like a budget gaming laptop either. The wedge-shaped design of the laptop’s chassis and hinge forward design definitely echo the look of Dell’s higher-end Alienware models and that’s a good thing.

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3

Best Gaming Laptop Under $1,000

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 0 See on Lenovo

Display: 16” WUXGA (1,920 x 1,200) IPS 165Hz | CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | GPU: Nvidia RTX 3050 | RAM: 8 GB DDR5 4800MHz | Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD | Weight: 5.51 pounds | Dimensions: 14.16" x 10.94" x 0.82"

You might think it’s impossible to find a quality gaming laptop under $1,000, but the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 does just that for even a couple hundred less. With it, you get a 16-inch IPS panel toting a slight higher than Full HD resolution and a 16:10 aspect ratio for an impressively clear field of view to see your enemies lurking. The 165Hz refresh rate with FreeSync also means you’re in for silky smooth frames playing your favorite titles.

Powering this screen is an AMD Ryzen 7 6800H processor with eight cores capable of hitting decently high speeds. That pairs nicely with an Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card for enough power to get into competitive online play with games like Apex Legend and Overwatch 2. However, this gaming laptop’s most limiting factor is the 8GB RAM, though it's relatively easy to add more memory, and you can amp up the storage as well using the two M.2 PCIe SSD slots.

Acer Predator Triton 300 SE

Best Budget Everyday Gaming Laptop

Acer Predator Triton 300 SE 6 See on Best Buy

Display: 14” FHD (1,920 x 1,200) IPS 144Hz | CPU: Intel Core i7-12700H | GPU: Nvidia RTX 3060 | RAM: 16GB DDR5 | Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD | Weight: 3.75 pounds | Dimensions: 12.3″ x 8.9″ x 0.74 ~ 0.8″

If you’ve been enamored by sleek yet powerful gaming laptops like the Asus Zephyrus G14 and Razer 14 but couldn’t see yourself spending $2,000 or more, the Acer Predator Triton 300 SE is an amazing budget alternative. For $1,399, this machine comes in a clean and almost professional-looking 14-inch chassis just like its more expensive contemporaries.

Don’t let its plain looks fool you though, this one packs some serious gaming power between its Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 3060. 16GB of DDR5 memory also ensures your games run well and you have enough memory to multitask like a boss. You may want to upgrade the limited 512GB of storage sooner rather than later though.

Legion Slim 7 Gen 7

Best Budget 1080p Gaming Laptop

Legion Slim 7 Gen 7 0 See on Lenovo

Display: 16” WUXGA (1920x1200) IPS 165Hz | CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | GPU:AMD Radeon RX 6600S | RAM: 16GB DDR5 | Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD | Weight: 4.41 pounds | Dimensions: 14.08" x 10.24" x 0.67"

When you’re ready to take full advantage of speedy frame rates in Full HD, grab the Legion Slim 7 Gen 7—though you technically get slightly more vertical resolution than 1080p with its 16:10 aspect ratio. Your games will cruise at 165Hz while FreeSync support ensures your screen and graphics card are on the same team eliminating distracting screen tearing and stuttering. And though that GPU, the Radeon RX 6600S, isn’t necessarily a hair-raiser, it’ll work seamlessly with the Ryzen 7 processor.

For further improvements to your gaming experience, various cooling solutions are baked into the Legion Slim 7 Gen 7’s surprisingly thin chassis, preventing interruptions in action from overheating. It even includes a feature often lost in budget laptop models: a flashy RGB keyboard. And if you’re concerned about connections for your extra peripherals like a gaming headset or controller , this rig is packed to the brim with ports, including an HDMI 2.1, USB-C, and SD card reader.

Where to Get the Best Cheap Gaming Laptops in the UK

It is definitely possible to game on a budget, and these magnificent laptops will certainly help you get there. Thankfully the vast majority of laptops on this list are also available to purchase in the UK, with just the one exception. Otherwise, take your pick, as there are plenty of great options to choose from. Don't see the laptops below? Click here.

What to Look for in a Cheap Gaming Laptop

Below I've sketched out which graphics card and what other specs you need in a cheap gaming laptop. I also go over the main features to consider when shopping for a cheap gaming notebook.

For screen resolution, a 1080p display hits the sweet spot between price and required GPU beefiness. It is really the only option for a value-oriented gaming laptop. Even if you could score a cheap laptop with a high-resolution 4K panel, the GPU inside won't be able to run games at that resolution, so prepare yourself for 1080p gaming.

When it comes to storage, try to steer clear of laptops with a lone solid-state drive. Heck, even a model with a 256GB SSD offers barely enough space to keep multiple games installed and at the ready, so you might be stuck getting a system with a slower, yet much more spacious, spinning hard drive.

One more thing: just because it's a laptop doesn't mean you need to take its name literally. The best experience with a laptop usually isn't on your lap but at a desk. Do yourself a favor and check out my guide to the best gaming desks to find one to suit your needs – and perhaps a laptop cooling pad to boost your performance—and don't forget to check out the best gaming chairs to sit in with your new laptop.

Kevin Lee is IGN's SEO Updates Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam.

Best ultrabook and portable lightweight laptop in 2022

Here at we’ve reviewed hundreds of ultrabooks and portable lightweight laptops over the last 15 years, of all kinds and from all brands. In this guide, I’ll tell you which are our favorite ultrabooks right now and explain why, in order to help you choose the best ultrabook for your needs and budget out of the multitude of available models.

And while I’ll primarily cover ultrabooks in this article, compact and thin-and-lightweight laptops meant for everyday use and productivity, I’ll also touch on some of the larger-size good-value options, especially since most of these are also fairly portable these days.

With the multiple types of light compact laptops out there, I’ve split this guide into a few different sections, based on their overall size, capabilities, and pricing; the Table of Contents will point you toward the section of interest. I kept things as simple as possible, with only the best options mentioned in each category, but I’ve added links to our reviews and more detailed guides that go in-depth over each subtopic, if you’re interested in more variants or details.

I also mention that we update the article several times a year, or when something remarkable comes out, and if you need more guidance or have any questions, there’s a comments section at the end of the post where you can get in touch with us.

That aside, please account for the fact that thorough testing and analysis take a lot of time and effort, thus if you’ll find the article helpful, I’d appreciate you supporting our work. Sharing the post with your friends, disabling your adblocker, or buying from our links greatly helps us continue what we do here.

Table of contents – the best 2022 ultrabook

The best premium thin-and-light ultrabooks

This section goes over our recommendations for premium thin-and-light ultrabooks with the latest hardware specs and modern features. We’re only looking at traditional clamshell formats here, as we’re also covering 2-in-1 models with convertible touchscreens or tablet formats in the following section.

Dell XPS 13 – the complete compact option

The XPS 13 has been my ultraportable of choice for many years now and the recent variants have improved on the original model in multiple ways, even if I’m not entirely happy with how Dell split the XPS 13 lineup into two different products lately: the regular XPS 13 and the XPS 13 Plus. We’ve reviewed both, and here’s a quick summary of the two, with links to our reviews:

Dell XPS 13 – starts at $829, premium metal build and weighs 2.6 lbs (1.17 kg), standard inputs and USB-C only IO, 13.4-inch 16:10 matte display with FHD panel, Intel Core U low-power hardware implementation with up to 32 GB RAM, 51 Wh battery;

– starts at $829, premium metal build and weighs 2.6 lbs (1.17 kg), standard inputs and USB-C only IO, 13.4-inch 16:10 matte display with FHD panel, Intel Core U low-power hardware implementation with up to 32 GB RAM, 51 Wh battery; Dell XPS 13 Plus – starts at $999, premium metal build and weighs 2.7 lbs (1.23 kg), unique inputs and USB-C only IO, 13.4-inch 16:10 matte or touch display with several panel options, Intel Core P higher-power hardware implementation with up to 32 GB RAM, 55 Wh battery.

There’s a more detailed comparison of the two in this post and you should also check out the video comparison available further down. Overall, though, the XPS 13 lineup is now more difficult to understand than in the past.

On one side, there’s the traditional XPS 13 design that follows in the footsteps of the previous XPS generations, but is now only configurable with lower-power Core U hardware, and only offers USB-C only IO and options only for FHD+ matte/touch screens (for now, that might change in the future).

Overall, this regular XPS 13 ultrabook model is meant for general everyday use and light multitasking, and is the more affordable option of the two.

On the other is the new XPS 13 Plus design, which offers a unique and controversial set of inputs and multiple screen options, including the FHD panels from the regular XPS, but also 3.5K OLED or 4K IPS options, both with touch and 100% DCI-P3 color coverage.

Furthermore, the XPS 13 Plus is a more complex internal design, with a more advanced cooling solution and more competent Intel Core P hardware, running at higher power settings. That’s not going to make much difference for daily use, but definitely will with demanding CPU loads, heavier multitasking, and sustained loads.

You’ll have to get used to that quirky keyboard, though, the fact that you’re only getting two USB-C ports and nothing else, and the fact that XPS 13 Plus offers poorer battery life than the regular XPS 13, even if it packs a slightly bigger 55 Wh battery (vs 51 Wh in the regular model). In fact, if that’s important to you, there are alternatives that will outlast both these models by a fair degree, with larger batteries and more efficient AMD hardware.

All in all, the XPS 13 series remains competitive in this premium ultrabook space, with some configurations being quite competitively priced. At the same time, I feel that these XPS models are no longer the iconic ultrabook symbol that this series presented in the past, and they are not the right call for everyone, as explained in our reviews.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon and X1 Nano – the business ultrabooks

The X1 Carbon is still Lenovo’s flagship premium ThinkPad ultrabook, alongside the ultra-compact, but not as powerful, ThinkPad X1 Nano.

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon( reviewed here) is a 14-inch laptop, thus somewhat larger than the XPS 13, but actually a bit lighter due to it being made out of magnesium alloys. It also offers what most consider the iconic ThinkPad design, keyboard, clickpad, and TrackPoint, as well as a more diversified IO, more hardware and 16:10 display configurations, a larger 57 Wh battery, and some extra business features (IR sensor, TPM, vPro CPUs, etc).

At the same time, though, the X1 Carbon is more expensive than the XPS 13 in most regions, is only available in a single color (the classic black ThinkPad design), and even with the updated speakers, is no match for the audio quality of the XPS. Furthermore, while the latest XPS 13 and X1 Carbon models are both built on the same Intel Core hardware platform, the XPS 13 tends to outperform the X1 carbon in sustained demanding loads, as explained in our reviews. Both are excellent snappy computers with daily use and multitasking, though, and you’re not going wrong with any of them.

Still, too bad there’s no AMD option on any of these premium chassis, as that’s only available on the more mainstream ThinkPad T14s model.

Anyway, follow this link for up-to-date details on the available ThinkPad X1 configurations and potential discounts, or this link for all our reviews of the ThinkPad lines.

As for the ThinkPad X1 Nano (reviewed here), this one is a less-powerful hardware implementation that favors portability thanks to its sub-1-kilo (221 lbs) total weight, more compact 13-inch 16:10 display, and minimalistic USB-C IO, but otherwise, this is still a ThinkPad in most ways. If you need a highly portable premium ultrabook for light use and everyday multitasking, this X1 Nano is one of the better options out there, but if you’d be alright with a slightly larger chassis, the X1 Carbon and the XPS 13 remain the more powerful and versatile ultrabooks.

The X1 Nano also sells at a premium over the X1 Carbon or the XPS 13, starting at $1500, and that might put it out of reach for many of you. Follow this link for more details.

Apple MacBooks – the unmatched daily drivers

Apple have offered portable 13-inch versions of both the popular MacBook Air and the more powerful MacBook Pro for many years now, but as of 2021 and later these are available with Apple’s own silicon (M1, M2, and later), which proved to be a major game-changer for the MacBook lineup in comparison to most of the Windows laptops out there.

In fact, unless you prefer the Windows environment or must use a Windows laptop for specific workloads (or games), or if perhaps you’d prefer a format or certain features that are only available with Windows ultrabooks (such as a matte or touch screen, or a convertible form factor), there’s little reason not to go with an Apple MacBook for daily use these days. Windows ultrabooks still win with their diversity and these specifics and features, but these MacBooks are very hard to beat as daily drivers.

Aside from the excellent design and build quality, the excellent inputs with the updated key switches, the balanced Retina displays, and the smooth hardware/software integration, these Apple silicon MacBooks are now also more powerful and more efficient than their Intel-based predecessors. That means they run cooler and for much longer with everyday casual use; in fact, the MacBook Airs are fanless designs, and the Pros keep completely silent with light loads. Plus, these are a lot faster with some workloads than the previous MacBooks and even many of Windows ultrabooks (with some exceptions). There are countless videos on Youtube showing how smoothly these MacBooks handle Photoshop, After Effects, CAD, Premiere, or Davinci Resolve.

Furthermore, these MacBooks are even more enticing for those already in the Apple ecosystem. The phone, the watch, the earbuds, the laptop, all work seamlessly together and make your digital life easier. Not necessarily better, but definitely easier. And that’s coming from someone who uses most of these Apple products everyday.

As for the two laptop variants that we recommend, the Air is the more affordable model and completely fanless, while the Pro is slightly more powerful, includes a higher-quality display, larger battery, a touch bar, and extra Thunderbolt ports, but also sells for more.

There are in-fact two versions, for both the Pro and the Air. The Pro M1 and M2 are identical, with just a bump in specs for the latest model. The MacBook Air M2 is a revised designed with a better screen and various updates, but also a more expensive product, especially when specced up. That’s why my recommendation around the 1000-1200 price-range still goes towards a mid-specced variant of the MacBook Air M1.

That’s starting at sub $999 MSRP without considering discounts, while the Air M2 starts at $1199 and the MacBook Pro 13 at $1299+. Follow these links for more details on the MacBook lineup, updated configurations, and potential discounts: the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro. And keep in mind you most likely don’t want to go with the base-tier models, but rather with the middle specced variants with more RAM and storage space.

Asus ROG Flow X13 – the gaming ultrabook

After many years at the top of this sub-niche, the Razer Blade Stealth 13 has been decrowned by the Asus ROG Flow X13 as the most capable performance and gaming ultrabook on the market right now, mostly thanks to the more advanced AMD and Nvidia platforms that power the Flow, but also because of how well balanced this Flow X13 series is in its niche.

Somehow Asus managed to put an 8Core Ryzen 9 processor and an RTX 3050Ti dGPU inside a compact 13-inch chassis here, without sacrificing the build quality, inputs, ergonomics, thermals, or battery life. On top of all these, the Flow X13 is a convertible with a 360-degree 16:10 120Hz touchscreen and is also more affordable than the top-tier Stealth laptops of this generation. Follow this link for updated configurations and prices in your region, and this one for our more detailed look at this series.

A unique particularity of the Flow X13 is also the fact that it is the first Asus laptop compatible with the ROG XG Mobile GPU enclosure, which includes higher power RTX 3070 and 3080 Nvidia mobile graphics chips and hooks up to the laptop through a proprietary connector. Combined, the two offer the same kind of GPU performance and gaming experience that you can expect from the beefiest gaming laptops of this generation, if that’s something you are interested in and you’re willing to pay around 3K USD for the two.

I’m more blown away by the ROG Flow X13 as a stand-alone ultraportable, though, and the unmatched versatility it provides in a sub-3-lbs format, both with casual everyday use and especially with sustained workloads and games, where the Ryzen 9 is no match for any of the Intel platforms currently available.

I must also add that the Flow X13 is not the only powerful 13/14-inch ultraportable on the market right now, and we’ll go over some of the other such options in the dedicated section that goes over performance/gaming ultrabooks, further down, including the Asus Zephyrus G14 and the Razer Blade 14.

Acer Swift X – the value all-purpose option

This year, the Acer Swift X (reviewed here) replaces last year’s popular Lenovo’s IdeaPad/Yoga Slim 7 as the best-value performance ultrabook available in stores at the time of this update, the best balanced multi-purpose ultraportable that you can get for around 1000-1200 USD/EUR.

The Swift X is pretty much an updated and significantly more powerful version of the popular Acer Swift 3 series, powered by AMD Ryzen APUs and the same kind of Nvidia RTX 3050Ti graphics also available in the Flow X13, on the top-tier configuration, or by a GTX 1650 dGPU on the mid-range models. Acer redesigned the internals and implemented a slightly thicker chassis to accommodate the cooling module required by this sort of hardware in a 14-inch chassis, while the design lines, inputs, IO, and screen options are borrowed from the Swift 3 14 inch models.

That means you’re only getting a FHD 60Hz screen option here with a middling 350-nits 100% sRGB panel, as well as not the kind of finesse, materials, audio quality, or typing experience available on the more premium ultraportables. But the overall value and performance offered in this 3.1 lbs laptop for only around $1100 in the US (for the top Ryzen 7 5800U + RTX 3050Ti configuration) are unmatched by any of the competitors available at the time of this update.

Follow this link for more details on the Acer Swift X series, as well as the latest configurations and prices.

Things might change once the Asus VivoBook Pro 14X becomes available in stores, with the superior thermal design and nicer OLED 90Hz screens, but for now, the Swift X is my recommendation in this sub-niche.

I’ll also still leave the Lenovo IdeaPad/Yoga Slim 7 in here, both the 2020 model with Ryzen U and a FHD 16:9 display, which should be quite affordable these days if you can still find it in stock, but especially the Lenovo Slim 7i Pro X (reviewed here). This one gets full-power Intel H processors with an RTX 3050 dGPU, as well as an updated 16:10 high-res screen with 120Hz refresh rate.

Follow this link for updated configurations and prices.

Honorary mentions

Given the multitude of excellent premium ultrabooks out there, I’ve also put up together this list of honorary mentions in this segment, with links towards our detailed reviews and guides.

You might want to consider these for specific features and traits that might not be available with our recommendations above, such as certain screen formats and types of panels, certain design choices, longer battery life, or more affordable price tags in your region, as the Dell XPS and Lenovo ThinkPads tend to get very expensive in some countries, making other brands more competitive there.

Asus Zenbook series – reviews – ultra-compact 13 and 14-inch ultrabooks available in a multitude of screen sizes and formats; mostly premium builds and very good inputs, full-size IO; middling hardware implementations of the latest Intel and AMD platforms and 60+Wh batteries;

– – ultra-compact 13 and 14-inch ultrabooks available in a multitude of screen sizes and formats; mostly premium builds and very good inputs, full-size IO; middling hardware implementations of the latest Intel and AMD platforms and 60+Wh batteries; Asus ExpertBook B9 series – review – sub 1-kilo 14-inch business laptop with modern specs, IPS screen, big battery, and uncompromised IO and business features;

– review – sub 1-kilo 14-inch business laptop with modern specs, IPS screen, big battery, and uncompromised IO and business features; Dell Latitude 7000 13/14 – configurations and prices – Dell’s alternatives for the ThinkPad X1 line, excellently crafted business models with 13/14-inch screens, solid features, and big batteries; tend to get very expensive;

configurations and prices – Dell’s alternatives for the ThinkPad X1 line, excellently crafted business models with 13/14-inch screens, solid features, and big batteries; tend to get very expensive; Microsoft Surface Laptop – configurations and prices – compact 13.5-inch and 15-inch ultrabooks with 3:2 high-resolution screens, modern hardware, and excellent keyboards, all tucked inside portable unibody designs; small batteries and limited availability;

– configurations and prices – compact 13.5-inch and 15-inch ultrabooks with 3:2 high-resolution screens, modern hardware, and excellent keyboards, all tucked inside portable unibody designs; small batteries and limited availability; Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and T14s – reviews – 13/14-inch business ultrabooks, value alternatives for the X1 Carbon and X1 Nano, with mostly similar traits, but increased dimensions/weight;

– reviews – 13/14-inch business ultrabooks, value alternatives for the X1 Carbon and X1 Nano, with mostly similar traits, but increased dimensions/weight; LG Gram series – reviews – configurations and prices – compact and ultralight 13/14/16 and 17-inch ultrabooks with matte screens, good inputs, and large batteries; not as sturdily built as other premium options;

– reviews – configurations and prices – compact and ultralight 13/14/16 and 17-inch ultrabooks with matte screens, good inputs, and large batteries; not as sturdily built as other premium options; Samsung Galaxy Book Pro series – ultralight 13 and 15-inch laptops with Intel hardware and big batteries, available as clamshell or 2-in-1 convertibles;

– ultralight 13 and 15-inch laptops with Intel hardware and big batteries, available as clamshell or 2-in-1 convertibles; Razer Book 13 – review – premium 13-inch ultraportable with 16:10 display and the iconic Razer build quality; bit heavy and on the expensive side.

And don’t forget this section only touches on premium clamshell ultrabooks, and we’re also covering the value options and the 2-in-1 convertibles further down.

The best-value ultrabooks and thin-and-light laptops

While the market offers compact laptops that range from between several hundred to several thousand dollars, most of you are looking to maximize the return of your money, and my years of experience show me that the sweet spot for that is somewhere in the $700 to $1200 price range or local equivalents in your area.

Shopping at the higher limit of that budget would allow you to get versatile mid-specced variants of some of the premium ultrabooks mentioned earlier (such as the Apple MacBook Air, Dell XPS 13, Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon) and the full-size performance options (such as the Asus ZenBook Pro, Dell XPS 15, HP Envy 14/15 lineups or Razer Blade 14/15) that we’re going to cover in the next section.

There are, however, some excellent-value options to consider at the lower-end as well, in the $500 to $1000 price range, and we’ll go over them down below, listed alphabetically. We’re looking at both Windows ultrabooks and some excellent-value Chromebooks.

Acer Swift 3 and Chromebook Spin 713

The Acer Swift 3 is one of the best-selling lineups of thin-and-light laptops for the last many years, and for good reason, as Acer were able to refine this series into mature and uncompromised products, while still keeping the prices down and competitive.

The Swift 3 series is available in a multitude of options, with screen sizes ranging from 13 to 16-inches, and they all deliver good specs and connectivity, backlit keyboards, and fair-quality displays, but without pushing the boundaries into the more premium section, which means these Swift 3s might lack the finesse and some of the features available in more expensive laptops.

We’re reviewed most of the Swift 3 models and generations over the years, and you’ll find our articles over here.

The Chromebook Spin 713, on the other hand, is one of the best-value premium Chromebooks on the margin, a portable 13-inch product with snappy hardware, long battery life, and a productivity-oriented 3:2 high-res touchscreen. If you’re OK going with a Chromebook as your main computer, this here is one of the best options in that segment, at around $650 at the time of this update. Our review of the Chromebook Spin 713 is available here.

Asus ZenBook 13 OLED

The Asus ZenBook series is a slightly more refined, but also more expensive, alternative to the Acer Swift lineup. In fact, Asus offers their own series of mid-range ultraportable with their VivoBooks, but I feel that the ZenBook 13 OLED earns its place in this section over all the other Asus ultrabooks at this point.

Available with a punchy OLED screen and either Intel or AMD hardware, the ZenBook 13 is an ultra-compact laptop that punches above its class in construction quality, display quality, and battery life. Of course, its small format leads to a slightly cramped keyboard and not the most powerful implementation of the Intel/AMD platforms, but if you’re after a tiny daily driver and don’t have oversized hands and fingers, this right now is one of the best options in its class.

You’ll find more about it from our detailed review of the ZenBook 13 OLED series.

Dell Inspiron series

These Dell Inspiron laptops are more affordable alternatives to the XPS 13 series, and at the same time unique in their own way.

There are multiple Inspiron models and configurations out there, but the ones that draw my attention in this class are the competitive 15-inch Inspiron 15 5155 convertible with AMD hardware, reviewed over here, and the versatile 14-inch Inspiron 14 5410 series, a more powerful and competitively priced alternative for the Acer Swift 3 and Lenovo Ideapad 14 lineups.

HP Envy 13/14 and Pavilion Aero 13

HP have been constantly pushing and improving their laptop lineups over the last years, and they end up with three value mentions in this section.

The Envy 13 is an excellent-value 13-inch ultrabook and alternative for the Asus ZenBooks or the Dell XPS/Inspiron lineups. It tends to be very competitively priced in most regions, at around $700-$800 for mid specced configurations, as well as nicely made, compact, and equipped with an alright FHD 400-nits IPS screen, latest hardware platforms, and a 51 Wh battery.

The Envy 14 is a slightly larger and more powerful laptop, with a 14-inch 16:10 FHD+ display and Intel U + Nvidia GTX 1650Ti specs. These make it a viable alternative for the Acer Swift X, nicer built and with a better display, but not as powerful in multitasking and demanding loads.

Finally, the Pavilion Aero 13 (reviewed here) is the most affordable of these HP laptops, the lightest at just 2.2 lbs (1 kilo), and also arguably the faster in daily use and multitasking, as this is built on the latest AMD Ryzen hardware specs. It also offers a nice 450-nits 16:10 FHD+ matte screen, but comes with a rather small battery and is not as nicely made as the Envy models. Even so, this is a very competitive budget ultrabook these days and a solid alternative for the ZenBook 13 and the Envy 13 lineups.

You’ll find more about HP laptops from our reviews and coverage over the years.

Huawei MateBook 14 and D 15

While not available worldwide, Huawei Matebook laptops tend to punch outside their price segments where they are, based on our reviews.

Huawei offers both budget and premium Matebooks, such as their fanless MateBook X illustrated down below, but for me, the better value is in their more inexpensive products, such as the 15-inch all-around MateBook D 15 and their more portable MateBook 14 models. The latter offers AMD hardware, a nice-quality metal chassis, good inputs, and a 3:2 high-res IPS display for a very competitive price over here in Europe. Just make sure you’re OK with the ethics of buying a Huawei laptop.

Lenovo IdeaPad 5 and Chromebook Flex 5

While alphabetically last in this section, Lenovo make some of the most competitive mid-tier and budget ultrabooks right now, with the AMD-powered IdeaPad 5 (clamshell) and Ideapad Flex 5 (convertible) series starting at as low as $600 over here, and the even more affordable Chromebook Flex 5 going for less than $400, as still the best-value Chromebook of its generation in our Chromebook top.

You’ll find more about the two Windows-running IdeaPads from our reviews linked above. They’re both sturdily made, uncompromised in any major way, and both powerful and efficient at the same time. But they’re also plagued by subpar screen choices, IPS panels, but with dim brightness and washed-out colors. These screens are OK for a budget product, but still enough to make me recommend you to save up extra for any of the other options mentioned earlier that offer a nicer display, if possible.

The Chromebook Flex 5 doesn’t get an excellent display either, but is also a much cheaper device at sub $400 and pretty much unbeatable as a whole at that level.

The best gaming ultraportables

We’ve already thoroughly covered this topic in a separate article, sofollow this link for our detailed guide on gaming ultrabooks and portable gaming laptops.

In just a few words, though, gaming ultraportables are compact and light-performance laptops with capable processors and graphics. Most of these are full-size devices with 15 to 17-inch screens, but with compact designs.

The best options include premium ultraportables such as the Razer Blade 15 Advanced, Asus ROG Zephyrus M16, Acer Predator Triton 500, or the MSI GS66 Stealth Thin, but also good-value full-size notebooks like the Lenovo Legion 7 or the Acer Predator Helios 300. As for the 17-inch models, I’d turn my attention to the Alienware X17, Asus ROG Zephyrus S 17, the Gigabyte Aero 17, or the Razer Blade 17. All these have been reviewed here on the site.

Those interested in even smaller and lighter options should consider some of the available 13 and 14-inch gaming ultrabooks, such as the compact Asus ROG Flow X13 and Razer Blade Stealth 13, the value mid-tier 14-inchers such as the Acer Swift X, the Asus VivoBook Pro 14X or the HP Envy 14, as well the 14-inch gaming notebooks with more capable graphics such as the Razer Blade 14 or the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14.

As mentioned, follow this link for our detailed guide on gaming ultrabooks, or this one for a wider coverage of the thinnest and lightest 14/15-inch laptops out there.

Productivity lightweight laptop for work, creators, or programmers

This section caters to those among you in need of a portable and powerful laptop for complex workloads and school tasks, the kind you could not properly run on most of the ultra-compact devices mentioned in the previous sections of the article. These recommendations are meant for university students, engineers, programmers, architects, and creatives, but still with a portable and slim form-factor in mind.

For sure, the gaming/performance ultraportables already covered above make for excellent all-around work&play devices. However, most of those laptops are primarily gaming-focused and thus prioritize performance over fan-noise and fast high-refresh-rate screens over the color coverage (100% DCI-P3 or AdobeRGB) and image fidelity that you might require in your creative endeavors. And here’s where the options in this class come in handy, which offer power profiles better optimized for everyday use and work, even if this does take a toll in performance on the thinnest designs, high-gamut high-resolution displays, as well as certain software and hardware optimizations meant to enhance your productivity.

Dell XPS 15/17, Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme, and HP Envy 15

These three lineups have dominated the premium 15-17 inch segment of portable performance laptops for the last years, and still are the better options in this sub-niche to consider, as long as they fit within your budget and you understand and accept their quirks. And as long as you’re not specifically looking for an AMD laptop, as these are all still Intel exclusive.

They are primarily built with portability and ergonomics in mind, so don’t offer the same kind of hardware specs or thermal designs available with gaming notebooks. In fact, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme is the most powerful option here, toping at an Intel Core i9 configuration with RTX 3080 MQ graphics, but both limited in performance by the compact design over what they would deliver in beefier products.

So the Dell XPS 15 and the HP Envy 15 are both premium 15-inch ultrabooks, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme gets a slightly bigger 16-inch 16:10 display in its latest iteration, and the XPS 17 is available with a 17-inch 16:10 display. Here are the rest of their important specs and particularities:

Dell XPS 15 – compact aluminum build, Core H hardware and up to RTX 3050Ti MQ graphics, 15.6-inch 16:10 FHD+/UHD+ IPS screen options, matte or touch, up to 86 Wh battery, starts at 1.81 kg / 4 lb, front speakers;

– compact aluminum build, Core H hardware and up to RTX 3050Ti MQ graphics, 15.6-inch 16:10 FHD+/UHD+ IPS screen options, matte or touch, up to 86 Wh battery, starts at 1.81 kg / 4 lb, front speakers; Dell XPS 17 – compact aluminum build, Core H hardware and up to RTX 3060 MQ graphics, 17-inch 16:10 FHD+/UHD+ IPS screen options, matte or touch, up to 97 Wh battery, starts at 1.85 kg / 4.1 lbs, front speakers;

– compact aluminum build, Core H hardware and up to RTX 3060 MQ graphics, 17-inch 16:10 FHD+/UHD+ IPS screen options, matte or touch, up to 97 Wh battery, starts at 1.85 kg / 4.1 lbs, front speakers; Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme – magnesium ThinkPad build, Core H hardware and up to RTX 3080 MQ graphics, 16-inch 16:10 QHD+/UHD+ IPS screen options, matte only, 90 Wh battery, starts at 1.81 kg / 4 lb, front speakers, most expensive option;

– magnesium ThinkPad build, Core H hardware and up to RTX 3080 MQ graphics, 16-inch 16:10 QHD+/UHD+ IPS screen options, matte only, 90 Wh battery, starts at 1.81 kg / 4 lb, front speakers, most expensive option; HP Envy 15 – compact aluminum build, Core H hardware and up to RTX 2060 MQ graphics, 15.6-inch FHD IPS or UHD AMOLED screen options, 83 Wh battery, starts at 2.2 kg / 4.8 lbs, front speakers, more affordable than the XPS 15.

As the most recent design of this selection, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme is the arguably most interesting choice here, with its only obvious drawback being the lack of any touch or OLED screen choices. It’s also the most expensive, though. I haven’t properly reviewed it yet, so make sure to look into more details before jumping on this one, so you’ll know what to expect in terms of performance, thermals, and overall value. The clip below sheds some light on potential quirks to further look into.

Asus ZenBook Pro Duo, VivoBook Pro 16X, and StudioBook 16

Asus gets an entire panel in this section with their OLED models targeted towards creators.

The VivoBook Pro 16X is a newer launch and it’s in here because it pairs a competent hardware platform with one of these new-gen 16-inch OLED displays, in a mid-priced product that sells for less than the premium models mentioned earlier. I’ll be reviewing this in the very near future and will update the article, but in the meantime, you should know that Asus puts a Ryzen 9 HX processor in this chassis and mid-tier RTX 3050Ti graphics, alongside 4K+ 16:10 OLED touch panels with 400-nits of brightness and 100% DCI-P3 coverage, plus a 96 Wh battery.

The ZenBook Pro Duo is not a new design, but is still one of the very few laptops to offer two screens in a 15-inch laptop chassis. It’s somewhat dragged down by the Intel-hardware implementation being not as competent as the AMD-based ROG Zephyrus DUO, which also gets a faster GPU and better cooling, as you’ll find from my review. However, that one is not available with the high-res high-gamut OLED screen that you’re getting on the ZenBook.

Oh, and if you like the dual-screen design but don’t plan on spending 2-4 K on your laptop, Asus also offers a regular ZenBook Duo 14-inch model that we’ve reviewed here. It’s smaller and more affordable, but also less powerful.

Finally, the ProArt StudioBook 16 OLED is Asus’s new flagship creator lineup, meant to take on the MacBook Pro and the XPS 15 heads-on.

This one is Intel exclusive, but can be configured with Core i9 and Xeon processors, GeForce RTX 3070 or RTX 3000/5000 professional studio graphics, a 90Wh battery, as well as a 16:10 matte panel available with either a 4K+ OLED or a QHD+ IPS panel. This is also coming for review in the near future, and I’ll update this section once I get to spend more time with it.

Apple MacBook Pro 16

An updated MacBook Pro 16 with Apple M1x/M2 silicon is expected in the next few weeks, and I’ll update this section when available.

In the meantime, follow this link for the latest details on the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

These aside, I’d also consider laptops such as the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED, the unique Acer ConceptD 7 Ezel, or the portable MSI Creator 16Z in here. However, we haven’t properly reviewed the latter two yet to be able to properly judge their worth, while the former is mostly a gaming laptop with a 4K OLED screen, so might not meet the design, portability, and construction expectations of this niche.

Finally, the creators among you might want to consider some of the newer generation Studio-branded options available, with the latest Nvidia RTX A3000 to RTX A5000 graphics and optimized drivers and software support. Follow this link for all our Studio RTX notebook reviews.

2-in-1 convertible ultrabooks with touchscreens

Hybrids are modern devices with convertible or detachable touchscreens, and they can be used as either regular notebooks or as tablets. We’ve covered this topic in-depth in this separated article about the best 2-in-1 laptops, which you should head over to if primarily interested in a convertible over any of the other ultrabooks in this article, but we’ll also quickly go through our top recommendations down below.

First, though, you need to be aware that there are mainly two kinds of 2-in-1s: stand-alone tablets that can act as laptops when hooked to an external dock or keyboard-folio, and regular laptops with 360-degrees convertible screens. The latter are more versatile in notebook format, especially when used on the lap, and tend to get larger batteries, faster hardware, and more ports, while the former are highly portable and excellent tablets, but less practical when not on a flat sturdy surface.

Tablets: Microsoft Surface Go, Surface Pro, and iPad Pro

Microsoft makes some of the best Windows tablets out there, with the compact and affordable Surface Go and the powerful Surface Pro series.

The Surface Go is a 10-inch tablet with a high-resolution 3:2 touchscreen, fanless Core Y hardware, and a base selling price of around $400 at the time of this update (plus ~$100 for the Keyboard Folio). It’s compact, lightweight, and rather inexpensive, which makes it an awesome mini-computer for school or travel companion. It runs Windows S by default but can be upgraded to regular Windows for extra functionality. Follow this link for more details.

The Surface Pro is a much more powerful and capable device, able to handle daily multitasking and demanding chores, in a lightweight and compact magnesium chassis. It gets a 13-inch 3:2 touchscreen with smaller bezels, Intel Core U hardware (fanless in the i3/i5 variants on the Pro 5-7 generations, fan-cooled on all versions of the Pro 8), and a larger battery, but with a starting price between $799 to $1099 for a mid-tier configuration. The keyboard and pen are not included and cost roughly $150 extra combined. Follow this link for more details.

Finally, the iPad Pro makes its way into this section as well, as a competent choice for graphics artists and creators. It’s a lot more versatile than in the past, with the latest hardware and software updates, and includes an excellent screen with pen support, for the same budget you’ll pay for a fully accessorized Surface Pro. Of course, it’s not a Windows tablet and can’t run the things you can run on the Surface devices, but has its own software advantages and integration with the Apple ecosystem. Follow this link for more details.

Premium convertibles: Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, HP Spectre x360, and Lenovo Yoga 9i

All these lineups of premium 2-in-1s have been available for a while now, and incrementally updated over the years.

The HP Spectre x360 is available in either a 13-inch or a 15-inch variant, both reviewed here on the site. The Spectre x360 13t makes more sense as a convertible, due to its smaller build, but the x360 15t offers faster hardware, a larger battery, and improved IO. Both are premium computers and bundle the latest and greatest in terms of features, connectivity, and everyday user experience in their niche. They also emphasize on their excellent screens, with high-resolution wide-gamut panel options on both sizes, as well as OLED variants.

The Lenovo Yoga 9i is available in 14 and 15-inch variants. The smaller model is not as portable as the Spectre or the XPS 13, but is still within a few millimeters and tens of grams. It does get a large battery, a larger UHD screen, and excellent audio, with part of the speaker system integrated within the hinge. The 15-inch Yoga 9i is a completely different beast though, with Core H and dedicated GTX hardware, thus more powerful than the 15-inch HP and Dell models. Both Yogas are however more expensive than their direct competitors.

Finally, the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is a lighter and smaller 13-inch convertible with a 16:10 500-nits IPS touch display. The thinner and smaller construction makes it more portable than the other options, but only leaves room for a smaller battery and more cramped keyboard, though, and fairly warm chassis temperatures with demanding loads. Thus, the XPS 13 2-in-1 makes for an excellent convertible ulrtabook, but the Spectre and the Yoga should be the go-tos if you need the extra performance and longer runtimes.

Follow this link for a more thorough list of recommended 2-in-1 laptops and hybrids.

Top affordable convertible: Asus Chromebook Flip

Much like the Surface Go, the Asus Chromebook C434 is a competent all-day convertible laptop, but in this case, a Chromebook built on ChromeOS. That makes it well suited for browsing, streaming, text-editing, and everything else Internet-based, as well as a snappy overall computer with excellent battery life, much like all the other flagship Chromebooks of this generation.

The Chromebook Flip C434 is available for around $450 at the time of this update. Follow this link for more details.

If you’d rather get an affordable Windows 2-in-1, I’d look into some of these options: Acer Spin series, Asus ZenBook Flip, Dell Inspiron 2-in-1, or the Lenovo Flex series. I’d especially turn my attention to that recent Lenovo Flex 14 based on AMD Ryzen hardware, a great value option in its niche, as long as you can live with a lower-quality IPS screen.

Fanless ultrabooks and tablets

If you want a completely silent computer without a fan inside, fanless passively-cooled options are the ones for you. Just keep in mind that most of these passively-cooled models are not going to be as powerful in sustained loads and multitasking as the beefier platforms with more competent active cooling.

The Apple MacBook Air with the proprietary Apple silicon (M1 or later) is by far the go-to fanless multipurpose ultrabook to get these days and the exception to the rule mentioned above, as it’s at the same time both faster and more efficient than the Intel variants of the MacBook Air or most of the available Windows ultrabooks. And even the MacBook Pro 13 runs completely silent for most of the time, with its fan only kicking in with demanding workloads.

MacBooks aside, most of the competent Windows models are not fanless, with the exception of the lower-tier variants of the Microsoft Surface Pro tablet and the Huawei MateBook X 13-inch ultrabook. There are however a few fanless Windows mini-laptops and tablets to consider, such as the compact Surface Go tablet or the inexpensive Asus Vivobook L210 (11-inch) and L410 (14-inch)/L510 (15-inch) notebooks.

Plus, if you’d be fine with a Chromebook, the Google Pixelbook Go, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet series, or the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook are all amazing-value options for everyday use, and all passively cooled.

Finally, we’ve also compiled a complete list of fanless ultraportables in this separate article if you’re interested in a deeper dive into this topic.

Wrap-up – what’s the best ultrabook?

Ultrabooks have come a long way over the years.

The hardware is more powerful and more efficient these days, and alongside came new form factors and features, as well as improvements on all the fundamentals that make for a competent laptop: build quality, inputs, screens, IO and connectivity, and battery life, among them. As a result, there are now many excellent ultrabook options to choose from.

As for what’s the best ultrabook for you, that’s for each one of you to decide. You know what you want and value in a laptop, so go through the options in this article and pick the one that best fits your needs and budget.

And if by any chance you haven’t found what you were looking for in this massive post, you could also check out these other articles on the site:

Last but not least, you can check out the reviews posted here on the site and our thorough comparisons, or get in touch in the comments section if you need any help with your decision, have any questions, or just want to add something to this article.

Keep in mind that we’re updating this list of recommended ultrabooks and portable lightweight laptops every three to four weeks, if not more often. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Laptop Buying Guide (2022): How to Choose the Right PC (Step-by-Step Guide)

Buying a laptop is an exercise in confusion. Even if you know what everything means, and know exactly what you want, finding it can be difficult. Heck, just navigating the manufacturers' websites to locate the model you want is frustrating.

We hope this guide will help you navigate the morass of modern laptops. Below is a section on every major component you'll want to know about when you browse for your next PC. We break down the jargon and try to explain things on a practical level.

Table of Contents

Updated September 2022: We've updated specifications and our minimum suggestions for both Intel and AMD chips, noted the more common use of Snapdragon chips in Chromebooks, and added a note about Thunderbolt 4.

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First, Pick Your Operating System

Before you begin to look at laptops, you must figure out which operating system (OS) works best for you. Thinking through what software you need to run and on which operating systems that software runs will help you determine the hardware you need.

There are four major computer operating systems. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. Here's an overview of each:

Windows: This stalwart OS doesn't get much press anymore, but it gets the job done. It's the best choice if you need Microsoft apps like MS Office, Access, or Outlook. There are also more Windows laptops to choose from than any other OS. Read our picks for best laptops, best gaming laptops, and best cheap laptops to see some of the choices out there.

MacOS: Apple's MacOS is a bit more beginner-friendly than Windows, but it's tightly coupled with the company's hardware. It probably isn't your first choice if you don't own an iPhone or iPad, and your options are limited to MacBooks. Be sure to read our guide to picking the best MacBook.

Chrome OS: If you can do most of your laptop tasks in a web browser, Chrome OS is a good choice. Chrome laptops (called Chromebooks) are also among the cheapest (and least powerful) you'll find, so the OS is also worth considering if you're on a tight budget. The catch is that apps like Adobe's Creative Suite or Microsoft Office won't run. Some apps, notably Office, do have and Android phone/tablet version you might be able to install on your Chromebook, but I have found Android apps often don't run well. Read our Best Chromebooks guide.

Hunter Jones

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