The best Windows laptops we tested in 2024: Our pick lasts longer than the M4 MacBook Pro

Read Mashable's full review of the HP OmniBook X 14.

The HP OmniBook X 14 is for users searching for a reasonably priced PC that balances serious performance and fun features. It's just not the most exciting laptop to look at.

Another Qualcomm-powered Mashable Choice Award winner, the OmniBook X 14 is a more affordable way to hop on the Copilot+ PC train. While it wasn't quite as zippy as the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, our Snapdragon X Elite-powered test unit crushed M3 MacBooks in CPU testing, and lasted a commendable 17-ish hours on a charge. It packs the same entertaining AI features as the Surface Laptop 7, too: "I had a blast playing around with the new-and-improved [Microsoft] Paint," said Gedeon. Other highlights include a satisfyingly clicky backlit keyboard, a good mix of legacy and modern ports, and a vivid (though dim) 14-inch touchscreen display.

Alas, all of this is wrapped up in an aggressively plain package: "[The] OmniBook X [14] is a bit of a snoozefest in the looks department," Gedeon wrote. "HP wants this to be the laptop that you bring into the office — and it blends right in with the sterile, clinical vibes." Its speakers aren't great, either (though they're plenty loud). That said, the OmniBook X 14's great performance and price point make these pretty easy to brush off —?so easy, in fact, that it was set to be our top Windows laptop last year before the Surface Laptop 7 came along.

Read Mashable's full review of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3.

Who it's for:

You can stretch your dollar further with other tech giants, but the 2023 Microsoft Surface Go 3 is a good cheap laptop for brand loyalists and those who want a flashy ultraportable. "I can see this being the daily driver of young students or Gen Z users seeking a laptop that can handle casual usage with style and sophistication," said former Mashable Tech Editor Kim Gedeon.

Why we picked it:

The 12.4-inch Surface Laptop Go 3 is basically a "Windows Air," Gedeon wrote, with a premium build quality that wouldn't seem out of place among Apple's ranks. And don't get her started about its snappy, spiffy keyboard, which she deemed "one of the best I’ve ever used during my entire career as a laptop reviewer." Its crisp, responsive touchscreen was another highlight (though its bezels are a tad chunky).

Alas, the Surface Laptop Go 3's internals are far more underwhelming. Its 12th-generation Intel CPU is pretty long in the tooth, and its battery life clocked in at a mediocre eight-ish hours in our testing. But at least it's frequently on sale at Amazon and Best Buy: I often catch it marked down to $700 or less, which feels way more reasonable given those specs.

Read Mashable's full review of the Lenovo Yoga 9i (Gen 9).

Who it's for:

A stunning hybrid laptop with stellar speakers, Lenovo's latest Yoga 9i is geared toward users who need a sleek, flexible machine for moderately intense productivity. Bonus points if you have a dedicated work spot, as it needs to stay plugged in.

Why we picked this:

This Mashable Choice Award winner isn't a cheap laptop, but realistically, it's a sneak for the money. The Yoga 9i configuration we tested is "equipped with a gorgeous 2.8K OLED display, Intel’s new Core Ultra 7 155H processor, and a rotating soundbar that gives your favorite tunes a full-bodied, atmospheric sound you won’t find on most other laptops — all for just $1,449!" wrote reviewer Sarah Chaney. "In my book, that’s an excellent deal, especially if you’re searching for a laptop with flexible 2-in-1 functionality." (It can flip between laptop, tablet, tent, and stand modes.) It also includes a Lenovo Slim Pen and a protective case, upping the value factor even further.

Zeroing in on that CPU, the Yoga 9i performed admirably in our testing, scoring just a tad faster than the M3 MacBooks in a Geekbench 6 benchmark. The trade-off there is that the battery doesn't last very long and runs quite hot. (Good thing it has those fantastic speakers —?you'll want to drown out the sound of its hardworking fans.) Still, "[for] me," Chaney said, "its premium positives easily outweigh its few negative traits."

Read Mashable's full review of the Alienware m16 R2.

Who it's for:

With nice performance and good build quality for the dollar — plus the ability to "un-game" itself for everyday use —?the Alienware m16 R2 is the Windows laptop we recommend for most gamers. You will need to wear headphones and stay put while you play, though.

Why we picked this:

Powered by an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU and a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, the m16 R2 we tested "[delivered] impressive benchmark figures on our tests, particularly for a mid-level gaming laptop," said Gedeon. She also appreciated the silkiness and vibrancy of its 240Hz display when she used it to play CyberPunk 2077, even though she thought it could use a little boost in the brightness department.

The other great thing about the m16 R2 is that it recognizes that most gamers aren't gamers 24/7. There's a "Stealth Mode" hotkey that turns off its lighting effects and activates Quiet performance mode, reducing the whir of its fans. It brings support for Nvidia Advanced Optimus, too — a feature that lets it automatically swap between its integrated and discrete GPUs for browsing and gaming, respectively. (You can also do this manually using its built-in MUX switch.) It could definitely double as your go-to, everyday computer when you punch out of Valorant for the day.

Heaviness, poor battery life, and shoddy speakers aside, we think it's totally worthy of a Mashable Choice Award.

Read Mashable's full review of the Acer Swift X 14.

The Acer Swift X 14 is a lesson in not judging a laptop by its boring gray chassis. Photo and video editors with intense workload needs will appreciate its beautiful OLED display and unassuming brawn.

That "Swift" in its name is not false advertising. Its Intel Core Ultra 7 155H configuration is the second-fastest Intel laptop we've tested to date (the speediest being a $4,485 gaming laptop). And while it can't quite compete with Apple's supercharged M4 Pro chips, it's significantly more powerful than the M3 MacBook Pro we tried back in late 2023. All this power means the Swift X 14's fans can get quite noisy, but fortunately, its battery life doesn't take a hit. It lasted for about 8.5 hours in our trial, which "isn't half bad for a laptop with discrete graphics," Gedeon wrote in her review.

Media editors and other creative types will also make good use of the Swift X 14's ample port selection (there's a microSD card slot and an HDMI port) as well as its 14.5-inch 120Hz OLED display, which Gedeon deemed "a visual treat." The same can't be said of its overall design; this is an objectively boring-looking aluminum laptop, so seek artistic inspiration elsewhere. But that was hardly enough to stop us from giving it a Mashable Choice Award.

Read Mashable's full review of the Asus Zenbook Duo (2024).

Asus' 2024 Zenbook Duo is the tops for zealous multitaskers who need more screen real estate than a standard laptop can provide, but don't want to haul around a separate monitor. It'll also appeal to those who simply appreciate a good, fair value: It feels like a machine that costs more than $1,500, a number that includes useful accessories to boot.

The Mashable Choice Award-winning Zenbook Duo from last year features two bright OLED displays stacked on top of one another, a detachable Bluetooth keyboard that works with both of them, and a built-in kickstand that allows it to shift into different positions. This design could feel super gimmicky if it wasn't executed smartly, but Asus nailed it —?and for well under $2,000. "[Single]-display laptops are now canceled," said Gedeon, who confessed to feeling "spoiled" after testing this one in her everyday workflow. "How can I work on my MacBook Air, my daily driver, without missing the masterful app-juggling capabilities of the Zenbook Duo?"

Speaking of MacBook Airs: The base Intel Core Ultra 7 155H configuration of the ZenBook Duo performed on par with Apple's M2 chipset in testing. (That one powered our former favorite "budget" MacBook.) Among other Windows laptops, it scored similarly to the two newer Intel Core Ultra Series 2 models we've tested thus far, which cost a few hundred dollars more. While the Zenbook Duo isn't a heavy lifter, it's more than fine for moderate use. Its quiet speakers and dull webcam won't dazzle anyone who's defecting from Team Apple to Team Windows, but those are minor gripes in the grand scheme of things. For productivity pros, the Zenbook Duo shines where it matters most: adequate speed, plenty of screens, and a fair selling price.