We\u2019ve kicked off 2024 with a slew of new processors from Intel<\/a>, NVIDIA<\/a> and AMD<\/a>, which means there should be plenty of refreshed laptops on the horizon. This year, the term you\u2019ll probably hear the most is AI PCs, that is, computers with neural processors designed to speed up AI tasks. While it\u2019s not necessary for you to buy a laptop just for the sake of AI this year, it\u2019s a good thing to keep an eye on for future-proofing as more companies bring the likes of Microsoft\u2019s Copilot or ChatGPT to their systems. Some notebooks even have dedicated Copilot buttons on the keyboard to make it easier to summon generative AI help.<\/p>\n Even if you\u2019re willing to wait out the AI hype while you shop for your new laptop, there are still plenty of other specs to consider. Should you pay extra for more memory, or get a notebook with a larger screen? We’ve tested and reviewed dozens of the latest laptops to come up with top picks for the best laptops you can buy right now, along with buying advice that will hopefully help demystify the market.<\/p>\n Editor’s Note (3\/5\/24):<\/strong> Apple just announced the new MacBook Air with M3<\/a> in 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, available now starting at $1,099<\/a>. We knew this was coming: at the end of 2023, the iPhone maker updated its MacBook Pros<\/a> and the 24-inch iMac<\/a> to run on M3 chips, so it was only a matter of time until the latest silicon showed up in the company\u2019s lightest notebook. The new chipset is the biggest change in the new Air machines, aside from support for Wi-Fi 6E and up to two external displays. But the additions have pushed the M1-powered Air out of Apple\u2019s official lineup; the company\u2019s no longer selling its first Air laptop powered by an M-series chip (although it\u2019s still available at other retailers<\/a>), and the MacBook Air M2 has now become its \u201cbudget\u201d option with a starting price of $999. We\u2019ll put the new M3-powered machines through their paces soon with full reviews, so you may want to hold off until then to choose the best laptop for you. However, if you\u2019re in dire need of a new laptop, our current recommendations below still stand.<\/p>\n You probably have an idea of your budget, but just so you know, most modern laptops with top-of-the-line specs cost between $1,800 to $2,000 these days. That doesn\u2019t mean you won\u2019t find a good system for under $1,000 \u2014 a grand is the base price for a lot of premium 13-inch ultraportables, with chips like Intel\u2019s Core i3 or i5 series. And if that\u2019s too expensive, you\u2019ll still have respectable options in the $600 to $800 range, but they might come with older, slower processors and dimmer screens. You could also consider configurations with AMD\u2019s processors, which have become more reliable and speedy in recent years, while sometimes costing less. I\u2019ve included our favorite budget-friendly model in this best laptop buying guide but we have a list of more-affordable laptop picks<\/a> that you can check out as well.<\/p>\n After working out how much money you want to spend, your next decision is what operating system to choose. As expected, that\u2019s slightly easier for people who prefer an Apple MacBook. Now that the company has brought its M-series chips to the whole lineup, with the Pro models sporting the third generation of those processors \u2014 your only real considerations are budget, screen size and how much power you need.<\/p>\n Over on Team Windows, however, the shift to ARM-based chips hasn\u2019t been as smooth and it\u2019s quite unlikely you\u2019ll be considering one in 2024. Though Apple laptops have been able to bring huge increases in battery life while maintaining (and in some cases improving) performance with their own silicon, PC makers have been limited by Windows\u2019 shortcomings. For now, it\u2019s still safer to stick with an Intel or AMD processor.<\/p>\n As for whether you want a PC with a dedicated AI button on the keyboard, that depends on how often you see yourself using Microsoft\u2019s CoPilot generative tools. Given we\u2019re only just seeing the first slate of AI PCs, it would be wiser to wait out the hype and see what improvements might come over time.<\/p>\n Finally, if you don\u2019t really need your laptop for a lot of complicated tasks and mostly want it for Netflix, shopping and Google Docs, it\u2019s worth remembering there\u2019s a third and fairly popular laptop operating system: Chrome OS. If you do most of your work in a browser, then a Chromebook might be good enough, and they\u2019re usually more affordable, too.<\/p>\nWhat to consider before buying a laptop<\/h2>\n
Price<\/h3>\n
Operating system: Apple, Windows or Chrome OS<\/h3>\n