Shopping for a laptop these days is a pretty daunting task. The sheer number of laptops available online or in a store's electronics section is enough to make your mind spin. Most people have a general idea of what their laptop should look like and what they want in terms of features, but are often intimidated by the choices available. That's where we come in.
The editors of PCMag.com test hundreds of systems each year to help you find the best laptop. There are a lot of laptops out there, from the large-screen desktop replacements to the lightweight ultraportables, and even netbooks, but all share common features. In this story, we help you narrow your choices by collecting the top 10 laptops on the market today.
Dell Vostro 3350Dell Vostro 3350
The power of the Dell Vostro 3350 small business laptop?s second-generation Core i5 processor and more than hours of battery life are well-worth its budget-conscious price.
Dell XPS 15z : TopDell XPS 15z
The Dell XPS 15z is a thin, powerful, and well-priced desktop replacement laptop that won't cost you as much as the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch.
Acer Aspire AS8950G-9839 : LeftAcer Aspire AS8950G-9839
Home theater enthusiasts will love the Acer Aspire AS8950G-9839 laptop's big 1080p-resolution screen, built-in Blu-ray drive, and crisp-sounding speaker system, and the parts powering the system are impressive.
Toshiba Portege R835-P50X : FrontToshiba Portege R835-P50X
The Toshiba Portege R835-P50X is the epitome of what an ultraportable should be: Lightweight, relatively inexpensive, powerful, and equipped with enough battery life to last from dawn to dusk.
HP Pavilion dv6-6013cl : FrontHP Pavilion dv6-6013cl
In terms of looks, features, and cost, the HP Pavilion dv6-6013cl was already a great laptop, but the addition of a second generation Intel processor and dramatically improved graphics and gaming capability make it a winner.
Dell XPS 15 (Sandy Bridge) : AngleDell XPS 15 (Sandy Bridge)
With a Sandy Bridge quad-core processor and excellent battery life, the Dell XPS 15 (Sandy Bridge) is arguably the most complete desktop replacement laptop, even if it isn't the fastest or the prettiest.
Lenovo ThinkPad X220 : FrontLenovo ThinkPad X220
The Lenovo ThinkPad X220 business ultraportable is an amazing piece of engineering when you factor in all the features it squeezed into a 12-inch frame, including best-in-class battery life and the new Intel Core i5 i5-2520M CPU.
Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Thunderbolt) : FrontApple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Thunderbolt)
The Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Thunderbolt) is the fastest, most technologically advanced laptop to grace our Labs benches, thanks to new Intel architecture, a renewed romance with AMD graphics chips, and a connection technology called Thunderbolt.
Asus_U41JF-A1 : AngleAsus U41JF-A1
The Asus U41JF-A1 is the most well-balanced mainstream laptop, combining excellent power with all-day battery life.
HP Pavilion dm1z : FrontHP Pavilion dm1z
The HP Pavilion dm1z and its AMD Fusion APU offer the best of both worlds: faster-than-Atom speeds and great battery life.
The editors of PCMag.com test hundreds of systems each year to help you find the best laptop. There are a lot of laptops out there, from the large-screen desktop replacements to the lightweight ultraportables, and even netbooks, but all share common features. In this story, we help you narrow your choices by collecting the top 10 laptops on the market today.
Dell Vostro 3350Dell Vostro 3350
The power of the Dell Vostro 3350 small business laptop?s second-generation Core i5 processor and more than hours of battery life are well-worth its budget-conscious price.
Dell XPS 15z : TopDell XPS 15z
The Dell XPS 15z is a thin, powerful, and well-priced desktop replacement laptop that won't cost you as much as the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch.
Acer Aspire AS8950G-9839 : LeftAcer Aspire AS8950G-9839
Home theater enthusiasts will love the Acer Aspire AS8950G-9839 laptop's big 1080p-resolution screen, built-in Blu-ray drive, and crisp-sounding speaker system, and the parts powering the system are impressive.
Toshiba Portege R835-P50X : FrontToshiba Portege R835-P50X
The Toshiba Portege R835-P50X is the epitome of what an ultraportable should be: Lightweight, relatively inexpensive, powerful, and equipped with enough battery life to last from dawn to dusk.
HP Pavilion dv6-6013cl : FrontHP Pavilion dv6-6013cl
In terms of looks, features, and cost, the HP Pavilion dv6-6013cl was already a great laptop, but the addition of a second generation Intel processor and dramatically improved graphics and gaming capability make it a winner.
Dell XPS 15 (Sandy Bridge) : AngleDell XPS 15 (Sandy Bridge)
With a Sandy Bridge quad-core processor and excellent battery life, the Dell XPS 15 (Sandy Bridge) is arguably the most complete desktop replacement laptop, even if it isn't the fastest or the prettiest.
Lenovo ThinkPad X220 : FrontLenovo ThinkPad X220
The Lenovo ThinkPad X220 business ultraportable is an amazing piece of engineering when you factor in all the features it squeezed into a 12-inch frame, including best-in-class battery life and the new Intel Core i5 i5-2520M CPU.
Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Thunderbolt) : FrontApple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Thunderbolt)
The Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Thunderbolt) is the fastest, most technologically advanced laptop to grace our Labs benches, thanks to new Intel architecture, a renewed romance with AMD graphics chips, and a connection technology called Thunderbolt.
Asus_U41JF-A1 : AngleAsus U41JF-A1
The Asus U41JF-A1 is the most well-balanced mainstream laptop, combining excellent power with all-day battery life.
HP Pavilion dm1z : FrontHP Pavilion dm1z
The HP Pavilion dm1z and its AMD Fusion APU offer the best of both worlds: faster-than-Atom speeds and great battery life.
