Best Laptops of 2027

What separates the best laptops on this page?

Every laptop here was bought at retail and run through the same tests. Scores run from 9.7 down to 8.6, and the gap usually comes down to what you do with the machine.

The Apple MacBook Pro 16" sits at 9.7 for $3,499. It exported a 4K clip in 3m 41s, ran 22h 10m on battery, and its XDR display measured 99.8% DCI-P3. The catch is the price and the fact you cannot add RAM or storage later.

Below it, the MacBook Pro 14" scores 9.3 at $1,999 with the same XDR panel in a 1.6 kg body, though it starts at 24GB memory and its speakers are smaller. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 scores 9.1 at $1,749 and weighs 1.09 kg with a 14h office-loop battery and a 3-year on-site warranty.

Three machines tie at 9.0: the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 ($1,499, 15h 10m battery), the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 ($3,299, 140 fps in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1600p), and the Dell XPS 15 ($2,899, user-upgradeable SSD and RAM). The MacBook Air 13" scores 8.8 at $999 with an 18h 05m battery, and the HP Spectre x360 14 scores 8.6 at $1,449 with a 2.8K 120Hz OLED that folds flat.

What should I check before buying a laptop?

Our rubric weights performance 30, display 20, battery 20, build 15 and value 15. That ordering matters when you compare two machines.

• Battery: the spread runs from 5h 20m on the Zephyrus G16 to 22h 10m on the MacBook Pro 16".
• Memory and storage: the MacBook Pro 16" and 14" cannot be upgraded after purchase; the XPS 15 can.
• Graphics: the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 uses integrated graphics, so it is not for 4K editing.
• Ports: the XPS 15 needs a dongle for HDMI and USB-A.
• App compatibility: some x86 apps still run emulated on the Surface Laptop 7.

Which laptop should you buy?

For video and colour work

The MacBook Pro 16" is the pick if the 3m 41s export and the measured 99.8% DCI-P3 panel matter more than the $3,499 price. The MacBook Pro 14" gets you the same panel for $1,999.

For office and travel

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 at 1.09 kg with a 14h battery and a 3-year on-site warranty. The Surface Laptop 7 runs 15h 10m and stays silent under office load.

For gaming

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16: 140 fps in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1600p, 41 dB under load, 1.85 kg.

For creators on Windows

The Dell XPS 15 brings CUDA acceleration in Premiere Pro and Resolve, a 3.5K OLED touch display, and upgradeable SSD and RAM.

For most people

The MacBook Air 13" at $999: 18h 05m battery, fanless, 1.24 kg, fast enough for 1080p editing and office work. The HP Spectre x360 14 is the 2-in-1 choice, with a pen included and a 2.8K 120Hz OLED that folds flat.

The MacBook Pro 16" suits 4K editors who need the fastest export and the most accurate screen, while the MacBook Pro 14" gives you the same panel for $1,999. For travel and office work, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 and Surface Laptop 7 last longest. Gamers want the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16, Windows creators the Dell XPS 15, and most buyers the MacBook Air 13" at $999.