Best Laptop For 2020
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With more people now working from home and remote learning, your current laptop might not be meeting your new needs. This list has all the best laptops we've tested for work or entertainment, for home or travel, or a two-in-one or traditional clamshell. We've considered all of the details -- from processor performance and battery life to the quality of the laptop screen and keyboard -- and all from the best brands in the market: Dell, Apple, Acer, HP, Asus, Microsoft, Lenovo and more.
There are a lot of different types of laptops, though, so here's where you'll find our [/news/best-gaming-laptops-for-2019/ best gaming laptops], [/news/best-15-inch-laptops-in-2019-razer-blade-macbook-pro-zenbook-pro/ 15-inch laptops], [/news/best-2-in-1-pcs-for-2019-when-you-need-a-laptop-and-tablet-in-one/ two-in-ones] and [/news/best-chromebooks-for-2019/ Chromebooks], as well as the [/news/the-best-college-laptops-in-2019/ best choices for college students], [/news/best-laptops-desktops-tablets-for-designers-in-2019/ creatives] and [/news/best-macbook-pro-alternatives-for-2019/ MacBook Pro alternatives] for the Windows set. Plus, if you just want pure power or a long-lived battery, yogastudiolive.pageride.com our rankings of [/news/best-battery-life-laptops-for-2019/ battery life] and [/news/the-best-gaming-laptop-performers-in-2019/ performance] are for you. Need to stay as low as possible on price? Check out our picks for [/news/the-best-laptop-deals-in-2019-windows-and-chromebooks-for-under-500/ budget laptops] and [/news/best-cheap-gaming-laptops-under-1000/ budget gaming laptops]. [ ].
[ Best small laptop]
[ Dell XPS 13 2020]
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Sarah Tew/CNET
We already had the XPS 13 as a top pick for anyone looking for great performance and battery life in the smallest chassis possible for a 13.3-inch screen size display. But for 2020 Dell made the laptop even smaller, while making the screen larger and increasing performance for both CPU and graphics-intensive tasks. It's not a huge leap, but it's still the best in the category.
[/reviews/dell-xps-13-2020-review/ Read our Dell XPS 13 (2020) review].
[ $1,000 at Dell]
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Read more: [/news/best-laptop-backpack-for-2020/ Best laptop backpack for 2020]
[ Best 2-in-1]
[ HP Spectre x360 13 (late 2019)]
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Sarah Tew/CNET
[/awards/ ED I T O R S ' C H O I C E Dec 2019]
HP outdid itself on its latest ultraportable premium two-in-one. At first glance it might seem like little more than a processor update -- it's running on a great 10th-gen Intel CPU -- the latest x360 is significantly smaller than its predecessor without sacrificing usability. New features like an instant mic mute button join other privacy and security features like an IR camera and fingerprint reader and switch to disable its webcam. Plus, it's available with 4G LTE wireless so you can get your work done wherever and whenever you want.
[/reviews/hp-spectre-x360-13-late-2019-review/ Read our HP Spectre x360 13 (late 2019) review].
[ $1,050 at HP]
[ Best MacBook Pro]
[ Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch)]
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Sarah Tew/CNET
The combination of the larger MacBook Pro's hardware and MacOS extracts the maximum performance from the components while delivering class-leading battery life in a way Windows systems never seem to do, and the high resolution display screen remains terrific. Plus, this model's keyboard uses scissor-style switches under the keycaps, rather than the much-derided butterfly-style switch. You pay for it, though -- base price for the 16-inch model of this device is $2,399.
[/reviews/apple-macbook-pro-16-inch-2019-review/ Read our Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) review].
[ $2,399 at Apple]
[ $2,035 at Back Market]Refurbished
[ $2,099 at Amazon]
Read more: [ ]
[ Best Surface laptop]
[ Microsoft Surface Pro 7]
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Sarah Tew/CNET
[/awards/ ED I T O R S ' C H O I C E Nov 2019]
Although it's not the [ ], the Surface Pro continues to hit all the right notes if you're looking for a do-it-all Windows tablet that doubles as a Windows laptop. These powerful laptops feature 10th-gen Intel Core processors, [ ] and long-lasting battery life. It's also the first to feature an honest-to-goodness USB-C port.
[/reviews/microsoft-surface-pro-7-review/ Read our Microsoft Surface Pro 7 review].
[ $1,200 at Best Buy]
[ $699 at Adorama]
[ $1,500 at HSN]
[ Best MacBook Air]
[ Apple MacBook Air 2020]
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Sarah Tew/CNET
[/awards/ ED I T O R S ' C H O I C E Mar 2020]
This is our go-to recommendation for those in search of a MacOS laptop for everyday basic use. The MacBook Air was updated for 2020 with new processors and, most importantly, [/reviews/apple-macbook-air-2020-review/ Read our Apple MacBook Air 2020 review][/reviews/apple-macbook-air-2020-review/ Read our Apple MacBook Air 2020 review].
[ $999 at Apple]
[ $899 at B&H Photo-Video]
[ $950 at Best Buy]
Read more: [ ]
[ Best cheap laptop]
[ Acer Swift 3]
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Josh Goldman / CNET
A remarkable deal for simple tasks like email, word processing and much more, thanks to the new AMD Ryzen 5 and Ryzen 7 processors. This device has a backlit keyboard, a fingerprint reader and a USB Type-C port, too. It's also incredibly light -- less than 3 pounds -- for a laptop that can be found for less than $600.
We're also fans of the Acer Aspire 5, which has a larger 15.6-inch display. It's available in a variety of configurations starting as low as $400, but can go up to $730 if you want [ entry-level discrete graphics for basic gaming and content creation].
[/reviews/acer-swift-3-14-inch-2020-review/ Read our Acer Swift 3 (14-inch, 2020) review].
[ $680 at Amazon]
[ $830 at Walmart]
[ Best Chromebook]
[ Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook]
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Sarah Tew/CNET
This is essentially a Chrome version of the first [ ], and you're not wrong. Like the Go, the Duet is a 10-inch tablet with a detachable keyboard and touchpad. Unlike Microsoft, though, Lenovo includes the keyboard. It also costs much les[
$300 at Best Buy][ $300 at Best Buy]
[ Best cheap gaming laptop]
[ Dell G5 15]
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Sarah Tew/CNET
Dell's G-series gaming laptops are cheaper than those from its Alienware division, but still capable of playing the latest AAA titles. There are three separate models -- [ the G3, G5 and G7] -- available in 15- and 17-inch sizes. The midrange G5 15 hits the mark with an excellent price-to-performance ratio, build quality and design. The newest versions [ start at $830, including a special-edition model] with AMD's impressive Ryzen 5 4600H processor.
[ $830 at Dell]
[ Best large screen laptop with long battery life]
[ LG Gram 17]
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Joshua Goldman/CNET
There are simply no other 17-inch laptops that are this light and also have long battery life. The Gram 17 lasted 13 hours on our streaming video test, beating last year's model by 47 minutes on the same test. Processor performance is stepped up some from the 2019 version, too, thanks to the addition of a 10th-gen Intel Core i7-1065G7 CPU. This is partnered with more powerful Iris Plus integrated graphics as well, giving you a little extra speed for photo and video editing and casual gaming.
[/reviews/lg-gram-17-2020-review/ Read our LG Gram 17 (2020) review].
[ $1,682 at Amazon]
[ $1,850 at Best Buy]
[ $1,847 at Abt Electronics]
[ Best 2-in-1 with a pen]
[ Lenovo Yoga C940]
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Sarah Tew/CNET
[/awards/ ED I T O R S ' C H O I C E Mar 2020]
Though HP and Dell have excellent premium two-in-one convertible laptops, they have small 13.3- and 13.4-inch displays. If you want a bit more room for your work or entertainment, the 14-inch C940 is a great choice. One of Intel's Project Athena laptops, the C940 is tuned to be more responsive and for longer battery life. Everything about it is fast. Plus, it's one of the few that come with a pen, which stores and charges in the body.
[/reviews/lenovo-yoga-c940-14-inch-review/ Read our Lenovo Yoga C940 (14-inch) review].
[ $1,300 at Best Buy]
[ $1,329 at Walmart]
Read more: [ ]
[ Best MacBook Pro alternative]
[ Razer Blade Pro 17]
[ ]
Sarah Tew/CNET
The Blade Pro 17 deftly straddles the line between thin-and-light 17-inch general-purpose power models like the [ ] ([ $2,940 at Del[ ][ ] and [ ] ([ $3,982 at Amazon]). Despite appearances, the Blade Pro isn't really a competitor to the MacBook Pro. However, it does have the system performance and high-quality display you would expect from one of Apple's top laptops. Creators will definitely want to get it with Razer's 4K-resolution display option.
[/reviews/razer-blade-pro-17-early-2020-review/ Read our Razer Blade Pro 17 (early 2020) review].
[ $3,700 at Amazon]
[ $3,800 at Best Buy]
[ $3,700 at B&H Photo-Video]
[ Best MacBook Air alternative]
[ Lenovo Yoga C740]
[ ]
Sarah Tew/CNET
Regularly available for less than $750, this thin, 3-pound convertible is a solid choice for anyone who needs a laptop for office or schoolwork. The all-metal chassis gives it a premium look and feel, and it has a comfortable keyboard and responsive, smooth precision touchpad. Though it's light on extra features compared to its premium linemate, the C940, it does have one of Lenovo's sliding shutters for its webcam that gives you privacy when you want it. And it has a long battery life to boot.
[/reviews/lenovo-yoga-c740-14-inch-review/ Read our Lenovo Yoga C740 (14-inch) review].
[ $746 at Back Market]Refurbished
[ $800 at Best Buy]
[ $888 at Walmart]
[ Best business laptop]
[ Asus ExpertBook B9450]
[ ]
Lori Grunin/CNET
Asus wowed us when [ ] and again when we got to actually use it. Several novelties make the 14-inch ExpertBook B9450 stand out from a crowd of me-too business laptops, in addition to the yowza 16-plus-hour battery life as tested.
[/reviews/asus-expertbook-b9450-review/ Read our Asus ExpertBook B9450 review].
[ $1,699 at Amazon]
[ $1,699 at B&H Photo-Video]
[ $1,843 at Walmart]
[ Best gaming laptop]
[ Razer Blade Pro 17]
[ ]
Lori Grunin / CNET
Yes, the best gaming laptop at the moment is the same as our top pick for a MacBook Pro alternative. There is one small exception, though: While we recommend getting this Blade Pro laptop with its 4K-resolution display option for creators, gamers will want to get the display with a 300MHz refresh rate that Razer offers for this model.
[/reviews/acer-predator-triton-500-review/ Read our Acer Predator Triton 500 review].
[ $3,000 at Best Buy]
Read more:
[/news/how-to-buy-a-cheap-gaming-laptop-in-2020/ What to look for in a cheap gaming laptop]
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[ ] [/news/best-gaming-pcs-in-2020/ Best gaming PCs for 2020]
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Originally published last year and updated periodically.
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