A standard laptop with a clamshell design and a keyboard-mouse interface is easy to find, such as the lightweight Surface Laptop line. On the software side, Windows is far more open-ended than MacOS. Apple has always been protective of its brand, releasing products in very deliberate iterations.
As a result, Macs are very user-friendly and stable. Quality design is one of the hallmarks of a Mac. They are built to look great, feel elegant, and have incredible displays, which translates to a much higher price tag than their Windows and Chrome OS counterparts, especially when configured with lots of storage. Macs use fast hardware, but rarely sport the most powerful graphics chips as seen in Windows-based PCs — and unlike many PCs, it is nigh impossible to upgrade components, so you are stuck with the specs that you purchase on day one.
Still, those who want a solid computer but do not know a lot about hardware can rest easy knowing their Mac will perform well during everyday use. Unlike Windows, the platform includes a suite of proprietary office and media-editing software, and each application is well-suited for its targeted task. Based on the Chrome browser, this platform initially focused on web-based apps and affordability. While the latter still holds true, Chrome OS has evolved over the years to support more traditional desktop software and mobile apps, similar to its rivals.
Chrome OS powers Chromebooks. These devices are typically more affordable than Windows-based PCs and MacBooks due to their lower hardware requirements. There are even 2-in-1 options like the HP Elite Chromebook. Its foundation is still web-centric, but the platform now supports Google Play and Android apps, making it the ideal notebook companion if you have an Android phone. Still, the maturity of Chrome OS has proven to be a strong contender in a market mostly dominated by Windows. Overall, if Chrome OS fits the bill for what you need in a laptop, you can save a lot of money by going with a Chromebook.
There are several laptop categories, manufactured with a certain use or audience in mind. When shopping for a laptop, decide what you primarily intend to use the laptop for and seek out a category that aligns with those interests. Here are some broad categories and a couple of our favorites for each.
In general, budget laptops are ideal for people who may not know a lot about computers and simply want a device that can carry out standard tasks. This is a category where Chromebooks excel, as they ditch some of the fancier features of Windows and MacOS laptops, but there are options from those two camps as well. If portability is more important, the Microsoft Surface Go 2 is a solid option, but we suggest taking a look at our full list of 2-in-1s.
This price range is arguably the best in terms of bang for your buck. These laptops are truly excellent. You get much better internal hardware than the entry-level offerings, but at the cost of premium features, high-powered graphics chips, and fancy materials.
The fact that this section is such a sweet spot for the industry means that you have plenty to choose from. There are laptops with great displays, laptops with powerful processors, beautiful laptops, and ones that are light and portable with great battery life.
This bracket contains some of the best laptops you can buy today. For a little extra money, you gain longer battery life, improved performance from more powerful internal hardware, larger and higher-resolution displays, and overall better build quality.
Despite the inflated cost of the premium laptop category, there are still plenty of choices. You can pick up stellar laptops in the inch form with plenty of general computing power and connectivity options.
This category even contains our favorite laptop of the past few years, the Dell XPS We respect your privacy. All email addresses you provide will be used just for sending this story.
Sign In. Become a Member. Remember Me. Forgot username or password? Not a member? Need further assistance? Please call Member Services at Sign in or Become a Member. Laptops Desktop computers Chromebooks. Computer Buying Guide Last updated: February 26, Find the Best Laptops and Desktop Computers We test, evaluate, and compare the latest computers to keep you connected.
Laptops Laptops let you use your computer away from your desk, but you pay for that mobility with keyboards that some consumers may find a little small, especially when it comes to laptops less than 13 inches wide. A to inch laptop is best for people frequently on the move. This size range offers the ideal balance of performance, portability, and price for many users. Other Types Lighter and less expensive than most laptops, these highly mobile devices offer an extra dose of portability and many—but certainly not all—of the features.
Desktop Computers Desktops typically offer a better bang for your buck compared with laptops, delivering more power and performance per dollar spent. Laptop Video Buying Guide For more, watch our video below.
In general, Consumer Reports recommends solid-state drives over hard drives. Computer Features Although most computers come with a basic, predefined set of features, that doesn't mean you don't have choices. Monitors for Desktops Screen sizes measured diagonally generally range from 15 to 24 inches, but you can find larger ones.
Displays for Laptops A to inch display should suit most people. Touch Screens Borrowing from tablets , companies have begun including touch screens on many laptops. Networking For connecting to the internet, all desktops come with an Ethernet port that lets you run a cable between your desktop and your router. Wireless Mouse Most of those that come bundled with desktops are optical, meaning light sensors on their undersides track movement.
Photo: Google. Computer Brands This list comprises the major computer brands. Acer Aspire laptops and desktops run the gamut of computers from budget to high end, including a full line of thin-and-light laptops, and detachables.
Acer also produces Chromebooks. Its gaming line is known as Predator. Apple computers usually cost more than similarly configured Windows-based systems.
Macs can also run Windows using specialized software. The Mac Pro desktop is its professional line. Asus offers a full lineup of both desktop and laptop computers, including thin-and-light and 2-in-1 laptop models under its ZenBook line.
For higher performance and gaming systems, Dell offers the XPS line, which includes convertibles. For gamers, Dell offers Alienware systems. All-in-ones include the Inspiron , , and series, as well as the higher-end XPS series.
Dell also offers a small line of Chromebooks. Google currently makes only one Chromebook of its own, the PixelBook. It also has a handful of tablets, including the new as of late Pixel Slate and older Pixel C. HP is the top seller of desktops and laptops in the U. For laptop users it offers the budget HP line, the mainstream Pavilion line, the higher-performance Envy line, and the premium Spectre line, some of which are convertible and detachable.
Desktops and all-in-ones include the Pavilion and Envy lines. Gaming models are the Omen line. HP also offers a line of Chromebooks. They point you towards a computer that earns them the most commission or helps clear out older obsolete stock.
Desktop computers have lost their popularity over the years in favour of laptops and tablets. A desktop computer comprises of a tower, maybe half a metre high and 20cm wide, plus a separate keyboard, mouse and monitor screen. They are always plugged into mains power.
In the past, the main reason to buy a desktop computer was for extra performance and a bigger screen. These days, most laptops have adequate performance especially for a beginner user and you can plug a screen of any size into your laptop.
Laptops have increasingly better battery life, some now lasting 14 or more hours. They can also be plugged in.
You can plug in a monitor with a bigger screen and use either the big screen, the laptop screen or both. Tablets have the best battery life but have no keyboard unless you plug one in. Some devices like the Microsoft Surface Pro have detachable keyboards so you can use it as a laptop or a tablet. They are hybrid.
Select one or two of the below options. PCs with a touchscreen and long battery life that help students learn at home or in the classroom. PCs primarily used for everyday tasks like browsing the internet and checking email. Windows offers a variety of innovative PCs with a variety of screen sizes for you to choose from.
You said you will use your computer primarily. You also wanted a computer that. Based on current availability, here are some PCs that have some of those and a few other features you might like.
Badges for each device indicate whether a device is preloaded with Windows 11 or comes with a free upgrade when it becomes available. Specific timing on upgrade eligibility will vary. Find the right one for you: compare up to 3 Windows devices by selecting the compare checkbox below each device. Check each device for its feature capabilities and specifications.
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