Setting a budget is a good place to start when shopping for the best laptop for yourself. If you need advice on whether a particular type of laptop or two-in-one is right for you, jump to our laptop FAQ at the bottom of the list.
It's a great place to get an idea of what's available. This best laptop list is updated periodically with new models we've tested and reviewed. If you need to stay as low as possible on the price of a new laptop computer, check out our best budget laptop and best budget gaming laptop picks. If you want more laptop brands and options for a particular category, we also have specialized lists you can look at, including the best gaming laptops, best 15-inch laptops, best two-in-ones and best Chromebooks, as well as the best laptops for college students, designers and the best MacBook Pro alternatives.
(Microsoft released the full version of its Windows 11 operating system in October 2021 all of the Windows laptops on this list should fully support that new OS.) This hand-curated list covers the best laptops across various sizes, styles and costs, including laptop computers running on Windows, MacOS and Chrome. Plus, there are plenty of big sales events around this time for Father's Day, Memorial Day and graduations.Īt CNET, our laptop and computer experts have spent collective decades testing and reviewing laptops, covering everything from performance to price to battery life. There are lots of new 2022 laptops rolling out now, which means you'll see many 2021 models that you can pick up at significant discount. A docking station may be your best bet if you're looking for the ultimate tool for your high-speed data transfer, multi-display 4K or 5K connection, and built-in charging.Outside of Black Friday, spring is one of the best times to hunt for deals on a new laptop. For the most part, they're meant to be stationary to give your desktop workflow more versatility and convenience. They usually have their own power supply and can charge your laptop and mobile devices while also providing fast data transfer and 4K or 5K display support. If the adapters listed here aren't giving you enough options, you may need a USB-C hub instead.ĭocking stations are designed for multi-display use with charging support.
They also tend to be more portable because they're lighter and smaller (and don't usually need a wall plug). Hubs make your MacBook Pro more versatile, providing several different ports.
My recommendation is always to have a USB-A-to-USB-C adapter like the one Apple sells on hand because that's the most commonly-used cable for connecting peripherals to your computer. They are almost always a single-port changeover, like USB-C-to-USB-A or USB-to-Lightning, though sometimes they may have one or two additional ports, like HDMI. $45 at Nomad Adapter, hub, or docking station: Which one is right for you?Īdapters are the simplest peripherals for port versatility. It's 1.5 meters long and made out of kevlar so that you could throw it off the side of a cliff, and it'll still work like new to connect your devices to your MacBook Pro. It also supports USB-C PD (power delivery) at up to 100 watts. It's made of kevlar and has three connector options: USB-A, USB-C, and micro-USB. This universal cable is my personal favorite I take it everywhere with me.