Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (2024) – Best overall
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is a top contender in the laptop market, offering a balance of performance, battery life, and display quality at an affordable price point. Priced at $999, this laptop outperforms its competitors with a PCMark 10 score of 7,061 and an impressive battery life of 17 hours. The 14-inch 1400p display is perfect for office work and offers a peak brightness level of 418 nits. Despite lacking in design aesthetics, the Inspiron 14 Plus makes up for it with its hardware capabilities and long-lasting battery life.
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED – Best overall runner-up
The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED is a strong contender for those seeking a powerful laptop with an attractive OLED touchscreen display. Priced at $849.99, this laptop offers robust build quality, good CPU performance, and outstanding battery life of 16 hours. The 1200p OLED touchscreen display provides vivid colors for movies and games, although it may be challenging to use in bright environments. Overall, the Zenbook 14 OLED is a great Windows machine that hits all the right marks for performance and affordability.
Acer Aspire Go 15 – Best budget laptop
For budget-conscious buyers, the Acer Aspire Go 15 is a solid choice, priced at $299. With a decent performance from the Intel Core i3-N305 CPU and a battery life of almost 12 hours, this laptop offers good value for everyday tasks like browsing and email. The 15.6-inch 1080p display provides good visibility, making it a reliable option for those on a tight budget who need a dependable machine for daily use.
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 – Best battery life
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 stands out for its remarkable battery life, lasting nearly 24 hours on a single charge. Priced at $1,754, this laptop is lightweight and offers a sturdy design, making it ideal for frequent travelers. While the display may not be the sharpest, it provides good visibility in most conditions. The ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 is a great choice for users looking for a long-lasting laptop with solid performance and portability.