Best Business Laptops of 2027

What separates the best laptops for business on this page?

Two things: the score and the price. The Apple MacBook Pro 16" sits at 9.7 for $3,499, with a 4K export in 3m 41s, a 22h 10m battery and an XDR display measured at 99.8% DCI-P3. The Apple MacBook Pro 14" scores 9.3 at $1,999 and keeps the same XDR panel in a 1.6 kg body, exporting 4K in 5m 12s.

Below that, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 (9.1, $1,749) weighs 1.09 kg, runs a 14h office-loop battery and carries a 3-year on-site warranty. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (9, $1,499) is the longest-lasting Windows machine here at 15h 10m. The Dell XPS 15 (9, $2,899) brings an RTX 4070, a 3.5K OLED and user-upgradeable SSD and RAM. The HP Spectre x360 14 (8.6, $1,449) folds flat with a 2.8K 120Hz OLED and an included pen.

What should I check before buying a business laptop?

The rubric weights Performance 30, Display 20, Battery 20, Build 15 and Value 15, so decide which of those you actually pay for.

• Memory and storage: the MacBook Pro 16" has no RAM or SSD upgrades after purchase, and the 64GB configuration is $4,299. The MacBook Pro 14" starts at 24GB. The Dell XPS 15 lets you upgrade both.
• Graphics: the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 uses integrated graphics, so it is not for 4K editing. The XPS 15 adds CUDA acceleration in Premiere Pro and Resolve.
• Ports: the XPS 15 has no HDMI or USB-A without a dongle.
• Battery: the HP Spectre x360 14 runs 9h in office use, against 15h 10m for the Surface Laptop 7.
• Noise and heat: the XPS 15 runs warm with fans audible on long exports; the Surface Laptop 7 stays silent under office load.

Apple MacBook Pro 16"

For 4K video editors and colourists. The 22h 10m battery and 99.8% DCI-P3 panel are the reasons to pay $3,499.

Apple MacBook Pro 14"

For editors who want the same XDR panel and keyboard at 1.6 kg for $1,999, accepting 24GB base memory and smaller speakers.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12

For frequent travellers: 1.09 kg, a MIL-STD-810H chassis, the best keyboard in the ranking and a 3-year on-site warranty.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7

For Windows users who need the longest battery here, 15h 10m, and a silent machine — with some x86 apps still emulated.

Dell XPS 15

For creators who need CUDA acceleration, a 3.5K OLED touch display and upgradeable storage and RAM.

HP Spectre x360 14

For pen work and tablet use: a 2.8K 120Hz OLED that folds flat, an included pen and a haptic trackpad.

For 4K editing and colour work, the Apple MacBook Pro 16" and 14" carry the XDR panel and the fastest export times here. If you travel constantly, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 at 1.09 kg with a 3-year on-site warranty is the one to carry. Windows buyers who want the longest battery should look at the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, creators who need CUDA at the Dell XPS 15, and pen users at the HP Spectre x360 14.