The best laptop 2018: our pick of the 15 best laptops you can buy this year
We've reviewed all the recent models from the best brands to help you discover which is the best laptop for your own personal needs
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| The best laptop 2018: our pick of the 15 best laptops you can buy this year
Welcome to our list of the best laptops you can buy in 2018. Here, you'll find the top laptops that have been carefully tested by the TechRadar editorial team.
In our list of the best laptops you'll find a wide array of choices, from the best gaming laptops, top budget choices, as well as the best 2-in-1 laptops that are virtually everywhere in 2018. That means you’re sure to find exactly what you’re looking for right here on this list.
Because every single laptop in this guide has been used and reviewed by us, you can be confident that only the best laptops make it on this list. Our very own price comparison tool will also make sure you get the very best deals for these top-rated laptops.
We've also recently updated this list with the brilliant MSI GS65 Stealth, currently our pick for the best gaming laptop money can buy in 2018.
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The best laptops of 2018:
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| Dell XPS 13 |
Editor's Choice
1. Dell XPS 13
The best laptop is now even better
CPU: 8th generation Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – 4k (3840 x 2160) | Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD
Centered IR webcam
Gorgeous new design
Beautiful optional 4K display
Steeper starting price
White option is pricier
Riding the top of our best laptops list for three years running, the 2018 revision of Dell’s flagship continues the trend of excellence. The 2018 Dell XPS 13 is a slimmer, more powerful version of the award-winning laptop with a stunning 4K display and a gorgeous Rose Gold on Alpine White color option. Packing an 8th-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 CPU and a bezel-less ‘Infinity Edge’ display, this Dell XPS 13 is more expensive, but its still worth every penny. It’s no wonder the Dell XPS 13 continues to be the most popular Windows laptop in the world. Better yet, there’s a wide range of customization options, so you can make the Dell XPS 13 the best laptop for you.
Read the full review: Dell XPS 13
Today's cheapest Dell XPS 13 deals:
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| Asus Zenbook UX310UA |
2. Asus Zenbook UX310UA
The best all-rounder laptop that punches above its weight
CPU: Intel Core i3 – i5 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch up to QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800) | Storage: 256GB SSD
Wonderful aluminium body
Fast wake-up and use
Fantastic value for money
Average battery life
Behold the Asus ZenBook UX310UA, a laptop that sidesteps the lofty price of the Dell XPS 13 without compromising on performance. It doesn't quite look or feel as nice as the Dell above, and the battery life isn't as good, but you can still expect an all-aluminum frame and fantastic performance from a 7th-generation Kaby Lake processor – whether that’s of the i3 or i5 variety is entirely up to you. Additionally, you can choose between a full HD, 1080p display or a brilliant 3,200 x 1,800-pixel, QHD+ screen with 30% more pixels compared with Apple’s 13-inch Retina screens. No matter what model you go for, the Asus ZenBook UX310UA is one of the best laptops you can buy.
Read the full review: Asus Zenbook UX310UA
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| Lenovo Yoga Book |
3. Lenovo Yoga Book
A wonderfully versatile and cheap 2-in-1 laptop
CPU: Intel Atom x5-Z8550 | Graphics: Intel Atom | RAM: 4GB | Screen: 10.1-inch full HD IPS touchscreen | Storage: 64GB SSD, up to 128GB microSD
Extremely thin + light
Excellent display
It's cheap!
Intel Atom is underpowered
If you're after a cheap laptop that offers something a bit special, look no further than the Lenovo Yoga Book 2017. As with all Yoga devices, the screen folds flat so you can use it either as a tablet or a laptop. To add more versatility, Lenovo has now added the option to buy it with either Windows 10 or Android 6.0 onboard - which one you choose will depend how you're more likely to use the device. The screen on this thing defies the cheap asking price and the keyboard and capacitive touch-keyboard are both fantastic too. This is a great option if you want something cheap for basic computing tasks, for creating art using the built-in Wacom digitizer or a train device for watching movies. But for more heavy lifting you'd be better off choosing one of the options above as the Intel Atom CPU in this thing is great at saving power and making the battery last for ages but not so good at super speedy processing.
Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga Book
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| Apple Macbook Pro with Touch Bar |
4. Apple Macbook Pro with Touch Bar
The best Macbook Pro ever, now with Touch Bar
CPU: Dual-core Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 – 650 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, (2,560 x 1,600) IPS | Storage: 256GB – 1TB PCIe 3.0 SSD
The best Macbook Pro ever
Super fast performance
Expensive
Disappointing battery life
If you're after the latest and greatest laptop from Apple, we suggest you welcome the 13-inch Macbook Pro with Touch Bar. Despite Microsoft’s claims that its Surface Book 2 is twice as powerful as Apple’s flagship MacBook Pro, it’s also more expensive at the starting level. Of course, the headline feature is the Touch Bar – it's a thin OLED display at the top of the keyboard which can be used for any number of things, whether that be auto-suggesting words as you type or offering Touch ID so you can log in with just your fingerprint. If you're a massive fan of the Macbook Pro 2017, you'll be happy with this model but there are some serious reasons why you should consider one of the Windows alternatives. As we said before, it's not as powerful, the screen is lower-res versus the competition and isn't touchscreen friendly, plus the battery is a bit disappointing, too. So, if you're open to switching to a PC, definitely consider the XPS 13 as a more modern, cheaper alternative. But, if you're a steadfast Apple diehard, this is definitely the best laptop for you!
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| MSI GS65 Stealth |
5. MSI GS65 Stealth
The best gaming laptop of 2018
Beautiful, subtle design
Excellent performance
Underside gets very hot
The new MSI GS65 Stealth has knocked our previous choice of the best gaming laptop, Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501, off this list, thanks to its excellent array of cutting edge components, which includes an 8th-generation Intel Core i7-8750H CPU and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 GPU. It's also more reasonably priced than the Zephyrus GX501, and its subtle design means that it can double as a work or study laptop without raising any eyebrows. If you're looking for a more affordable gaming laptop, however, check out the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming below.
Read the full review: MSI GS65 Stealth
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| Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 |
6. Dell XPS 15 2-in-1
Luxury meets power
CPU: Intel Core i5-i7 | Graphics: Radeon RX Vega M GL Graphics with 4GB HMB2 Graphics Memory | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 512GB PCIe SSD
Impressive power
Ultra-thin design
Kind of expensive
Last year’s Dell XPS 15 was already one of the best laptops you could buy, but now that Dell has taken the beautiful redesign of the Dell XPS 13 and applied it here – while also making it a convertible. Well, it’s amazing. Not only do you get one of the most aesthetically pleasing 15-inch laptops on the market, but it also packs one of those new Intel Kaby Lake G-series CPUs featuring ‘discrete-class’ Radeon graphics. This means that this laptop packs serious power – even if it can get a little loud.
Read the full review: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1
Luxury meets power
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| Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming |
7. Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming
Nvidia MaxQ, without emptying your bank account
CPU: Intel Core i5-7300HQ (quad core 3.5GHz) | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q + Intel HD Graphics 630 | RAM: 8GB DDR4 | Screen: 15.6-inch, Full HD | Storage: 256GB SSD
Minimalist design
MaxQ for a budget price
Lackluster trackpad
If you’re looking for a thin and light gaming laptop, but you gasp whenever you see the price of the Razer Blade, the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 might be for you. Not only does this laptop pack a powerful CPU, it now includes a Nvidia GTX 1060 Max-Q – capable of running all of the latest games – in a laptop less than an inch thick. You won’t find a Nvidia MaxQ equipped laptop cheaper than the Dell Inspiron 15 7000, and it looks good, to boot.
Read the full review: Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming
Nvidia MaxQ, without emptying your bank account
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| Asus Chromebook Flip |
8. Asus Chromebook Flip
Premium Chromebook specs, economic Chromebook pricing
CPU: Intel Pentium 4405Y – Intel Core m3-6Y30 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 515 | RAM: 4GB | Screen: 12.5-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) LED backlit anti-glare | Storage: 32GB – 64GB eMMC
Elegant tablet mode
Tactile keyboard
No out-of-box Android app support
Middling speakers
When it comes to the best Chromebook laptop, you have a choice between two stark alternatives. There's the premium Chromebook Pixel, which we list further down this page, and then there's the excellent Asus Chromebook Flip C302, which combines premium features in a much more affordable package. For many people, Chromebooks are excellent and affordable laptops that are perfect for students, and the Asus Chromebook Flip C302 is easily one of the best Chromebooks, and one of the best laptops, money can buy. It comes with an Intel Core processor, full 1080p display, touchscreen, backlit keyboard and USB-C port.
Read the full review: Asus Chromebook Flip
Premium Chromebook specs, economic Chromebook pricing
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| Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch) |
9. Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch)
The most powerful 2-in-1 laptop in the world
CPU: Intel Core i5-7300U - Intel Core i7-8650U 1.9GHz | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620; Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 (2GB GDDR5 VRAM) | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 3,000 x 2,000 (267 ppi) PixelSense display, 3:2 aspect ratio | Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD
Very good battery life
Powerful
Pricey
No Surface Pen included
With the Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch), Microsoft has crafted one of the most powerful 2-in-1 laptops in the world. The Surface Book 2 has some powerful enough components to handle most day-to-day tasks, and even some light gaming and video editing if you go for a model with a dedicated graphics card. Brilliant build quality and excellent battery life makes this a wonderful device for using as either a laptop, or as a powerful Windows 10 tablet. It also comes in a 15-inch version, which is more powerful and with a larger screen. If you're after a more affordable 2-in-1 device, then the Acer Switch 3, below, is well worth checking out.
Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch)
The most powerful 2-in-1 laptop in the world
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| Acer Switch 3 |
10. Acer Switch 3
A great Surface Book 2 competitor at half the price
CPU: 1.10GHz Intel Pentium Quad Core N4200 - Intel Core i3 7100U | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 505 | RAM: 4GB | Screen: 12.2-inch, 1920 x 1200 IPS LCD touchscreen | Storage: 64GB - 128GB eMMC
Excellent build quality
Superb value
Tricky hinged stand
No good for games
If you want the Microsoft Surface Book 2 but you want to spend a lot less, the Acer Switch 3 2017 is definitely the your best option. It's designed around essentially the same concept as the Surface Book 2 and it's a less capable thanks to slightly lower power innards, but for most tasks it's a brilliant little machine. What's more, to add further value this 2-in-1 laptop/tablet comes with the keyboard upgrade which means no little extras to pay for. As usual it comes in several different versions, with USB Type-C, 8GB RAM, an IPS display and Intel Core i3 7100U CPU coming with the more expensive option.
Read the full review: Acer Switch 3
A great Surface Book 2 competitor at half the price
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| Apple Macbook 12-inch |
11. Apple MacBook 12-inch (2017)
This year's MacBook is another winner
CPU: Intel Core M3 1.2GHz - Intel Core i7 1.4GHz | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 615 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 12-inch, (2,304 x 1,440) IPS 16:10 | Storage: 256GB – 512GB SSD
Updated processor
Long battery life
Still only one USB-C port
Expensive
This year's iteration of the MacBook is another win for Apple, and it's once again won us over with a gorgeous design, excellent performance and best-in-class battery life. Apple has updated the processors with Intel's 7th-generation Kaby Lake range, which means you get improved performance and longer battery life without sacrificing the thin and light design that the MacBook is famous for. While the MacBook 2017 is not designed as a pure productivity machine, like the more powerful and versatile MacBook Pro above, or as a gaming machine like the Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501, it's still one of the best laptops in the world right now thanks to being a super slim and light MacBook that you can take anywhere without even noticing the weight, and being a powerful showcase for macOS High Sierra. If you're after a MacBook, this year's model is easily one of the best.
Read the full review: Apple MacBook
This year's MacBook is another winner
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| Google Pixelbook |
12. Google Pixelbook
A premium Chromebook well worth its lofty price
CPU: Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 615 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 12.3-inch QHD (2,400 x 1,600) LCD touchscreen | Storage: 128GB – 512GB SSD
Sublime design
Full Android app support
Pen sold separately
No biometric login
Designed for users hoping to avert the complicated nature of a Windows PC or Mac, Chromebooks have been a raging success in recent years as a result of their accessibility. The Google Pixelbook is no exception. Although it’s double the price of the average Chrome OS device and doesn’t come with a stylus as you might expect, the Pixelbook is built to withstand the future. It has a pair of Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports for accessories and super fast file transfers, a hinge that flips inside out for watching movies on planes and – perhaps best of all – Android app support. Now, there are still some kinks to work out, but you can access the entire Google Play store on the Pixelbook, from playing Sonic the Hedgehog to watching videos in VLC. And, with a battery life of 7 hours and 40 minutes in our own testing, you can do so for a while without recharging. If you're after a cheaper Chromebook, the Asus Chromebook Flip (which is higher up this page) is an excellent choice.
Read the full review: Google Pixelbook
A premium Chromebook well worth its lofty price
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| Lenovo Yoga 920 |
13. Lenovo Yoga 920
Another remarkable 2-in-1 laptop
CPU: Intel Core i7-855OU | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.9-inch 1920 x 1080 - 13.9-inch 3840 x 2160 | Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD | Connectivity: 802.11ac Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4.1 | Camera: 720p front-facing
Lovely design
Thin
Decent power
Lacks graphical power
Keyboard still annoys in tablet form
Fans can be loud when they kick in
Some of the very best laptops in 2017 have been 2-in-1 devices, and Lenovo has added to that list with the excellent Lenovo Yoga 920. It features a wonderfully slim design, and its build quality is exceptional. The 360 degree hinge allows you to convert the laptop into a tablet-like device, making it flexible in all senses of the word. It's cheaper than the Surface Book 2, and while it doesn't offer quite the same quality when in tablet mode, it's an excellent device with plenty of power and bags of battery life. It's definitely a worthy alternative, and it's easily one of the best laptops we've seen this year.
Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga 920
Another remarkable 2-in-1 laptop
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| Acer Swift 3 |
14. Acer Swift 3
A budget Ultrabook that performs better than it looks
Powerful for the price
Stellar battery life
Boring looks
Down-firing speakers
While you may have been convinced that ‘budget Ultrabook’ was an oxymoron up until this point, the Acer has turned this common misconception on its head with the Swift 3. That’s because the company has taken the all-aluminum chassis of the Acer Swift 7 and stuffed some more affordable components inside for everyone to enjoy. It doesn’t run macOS, but the Acer Swift 3 does put the age-old MacBook Air to shame in about every other regard, including the nigh-unbeatable price tag. Of course, in the process of demolishing the competition, Acer did have to cut a few corners in order to keep the price so impressively low. So although you can’t expect much in the way of an Ultra HD display or quality onboard sound, the performance benchmarks alone give even the Surface Laptop a run for its money.
We've also had a glance of the upcoming 2018 edition of the Swift 7 at CES 2018, which comes with boosted graphics and processing specs. It could be a shoe-in for a place on this list when it launches later this year.
Read the full review: Acer Swift 3
A budget Ultrabook that performs better than it looks
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| Samsung Notebook 9 |
15. Samsung Notebook 9
A beautiful MacBook Pro alternative
CPU: Intel i7-8550U | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce MX150 | RAM: 8GB-16GB | Screen: 15-inch 1,920 x 1,080 LED | Storage: 256-512GB SSD
Excellent performance
Insane battery life
Squishy Keyboard
While it may not have the best keyboard in the world, the Samsung Notebook 9 is still one of the best laptops you can buy in 2018. Packed with more horsepower than the MacBook Pro, but at a much lower price, Samsung has crafted a laptop that has just as much substance as it does style. Plus, on top of its killer specs, it’s lightweight and thin, making this one of the most portable 15-inch laptops you can buy today.
Read the full review: Samsung Notebook 9
A beautiful MacBook Pro alternative
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The best laptop 2018: our pick of the 15 best laptops you can buy this year