The Dell XPS 13 strikes an incredible balance between the most powerful mobile hardware to date in an attractive, thin, and light chassis for a reasonable high-end price. Added details on the Surface Laptop 4 to the section on laptops we look forward to testing soon. Removed the Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 since it's difficult to find.
Updated on 6/29/21 by Lisa Eadicicco: Added details on the Windows 11 and macOS Monterey updates coming later this year, including compatibility information. Best budget laptop: Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5.Best MacBook: Apple MacBook Air (M1 edition).
We've spent a decade covering technology, including laptops, and have tested and researched hundreds of laptops and tablets running Microsoft Windows, Apple macOS, and Google Chrome OS over the years. The laptops below are our current top picks, but we're always testing new models as they come in and will be updating this guide regularly.
