the best travel laptop

• Reviews TV REVIEWS   v1.11 HEADPHONES REVIEWS   v1.7 MONITOR REVIEWS   v2.0 SOUNDBAR REVIEWS   v1.3 MOUSE REVIEWS   v1.5 KEYBOARD REVIEWS   v1.3.1 PRINTER REVIEWS   v1.2 VACUUM REVIEWS   v1.3 PROJECTOR REVIEWS   v0.8 TOASTER REVIEWS   v1.0 BLENDER REVIEWS   v1.0 KEYBOARD SWITCH REVIEWS   v1.0 SPEAKER REVIEWS   v0.8 CAMERA REVIEWS   v0.12.1 LAPTOP REVIEWS   v0.8.2
• In Progress
• Newsletters
• Table of Contents
• Best Laptop
• Best Upper Mid-Range
• Best Mid-Range
• Best Budget
• Best Compact
• Best Gaming

Notable Mentions

Recent updates, all reviews, the 6 best travel laptops - spring 2024 reviews.

When shopping for a travel laptop, a couple of requirements immediately come to mind: size, weight, and battery life. Finding a thin and light laptop isn't so much a problem when it comes to general productivity and media consumption devices, but finding a relatively portable mobile workstation or gaming laptop can still be challenging. You must also ensure that portability doesn't come at the cost of a flimsier, cheaper-feeling build. Screen brightness is another thing to consider, as you want a display that can overcome glare in bright settings, and you'll want a good keyboard and touchpad, as they're your primary input methods. A good port selection is a must if you don't want to carry around a hub or dock, and webcam quality is important if you're often on video calls. Biometrics isn't necessary but nice to have, especially if you don't like typing out your password or PIN in a public area.

We've bought and tested over 105 laptops. Below are our recommendations for the best laptops for travel you can buy. You can also see our recommendations for the  best laptops , the  best business laptops , and the best laptops for college .

Best Laptop For Travel

The best travel laptop we've tested is the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023). This 14-inch workstation has nearly everything you could ask for in a premium model: a sturdy all-metal chassis, a compact design, tons of processing power, and a long battery life. It sports a bright 120Hz Mini LED display, a spacious keyboard, and a gigantic, easy-to-use haptic touchpad. The display is suitable for color work, as it has full DCI P3 coverage and superb factory calibration. Its 1080p webcam is excellent, so your colleagues can see and hear you clearly on video calls.

New in this generation of MacBook Pro is the addition of a base M3 model, similar to the discontinued 13-inch model with Touch Bar. This can be a great option if you don't need all the processing power but still want the 'Pro' features, like the display and up-firing speakers. The main downside is that the RAM and storage aren't user-replaceable, and upgrading them increases the total cost considerably.

The  Dell XPS 15 (2023) is our recommendation for Windows users. It's a larger 15.6-inch device but weighs the same as the MacBook Pro 14. It provides a great user experience and can easily handle demanding tasks like programming and video editing. Unlike the MacBook Pro, the RAM and storage drive are user-replaceable, so you can upgrade or add more space later. Unfortunately, there are a couple of tradeoffs, like its display's basic 60Hz refresh rate and its terrible 720p webcam. Port selection is also a slight downgrade compared to the MacBook Pro, as there's no HDMI port. Lastly, Dell has released new XPS models in 14- and 16-inch sizes, so if you're a fan of the 15-inch size, this is a good time to get one because it's often on sale on  Dell's website .

See our review

Best Upper Mid-Range Laptop For Travel

If your workload includes lighter tasks like text processing, web browsing, spreadsheets, and video playback, get the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022) instead. It's also a high-end model that provides a premium user experience; however, it doesn't have as much processing power, so you aren't overpaying for performance you don't need. Don't worry; its M2 SoC is fast and can stand toe to toe with current-generation Intel and AMD CPUs. While its IPS panel isn't as impressive as the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023) 's 120Hz Mini LED display, it's still pretty and bright enough for outdoor use. The main drawback is the port selection, which comprises two USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports with support for a single external display.

As you may have heard, Apple has released a new MacBook Air with its M3 chip. There are only a few changes, including a slightly faster SoC, Wi-Fi 6E, and support for two external displays, though the latter has a caveat, as you can only get two external displays with the laptop's lid closed. We'll have a full review of the new model soon. If you don't need these upgrades, Apple still sells the M2 model as a more budget-friendly option with a starting price of $999 USD. The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is also a good option if you want more screen space and don't mind paying more. It's still very portable for a 15-inch model, but it might not fit into smaller messenger or sling bags.

A Windows alternative would be the LG gram 14 (2023) . At 2.1 lbs, this 14-inch ultraportable is even lighter than the MacBook Air 13. It provides a good user experience overall, and while its battery life is shorter, it's still enough to get through a typical workday. It also has a wider port selection that includes two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4s, allowing you to connect up to two 4k displays at 60Hz with a single cable. Naturally, there are compromises, like a worse dimmer, lower-resolution FHD+ display, and a less premium-feeling magnesium alloy build.

Best Mid-Range Laptop For Travel

Our best mid-range pick is the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2022), a 14-inch 2-in-1 convertible Chromebook. It's a very compact device that's easy to carry around, and its battery lasts over 13 hours of light use. The display gets bright enough for use in most indoor settings, and since it's a 2-in-1 convertible, you can set it up in tent mode for media consumption or flip the screen all the way around and use it as a tablet. If you want to take handwritten notes, it supports pen input and comes with a stylus that you can dock into its charging slot at the front of the device. Ports include one USB-A, two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4, and an HDMI port.

Spec-wise, this laptop has various Intel 12th Gen CPUs, from a Core i3 to a P-series Core i7. However, only the Core i5 model with 8GB of memory and 128GB of storage is widely available, and even that model is getting hard to find. There's a newer 2023 model, which we haven't tested but expect to be very similar. The upgrades include a faster Intel 13th Gen CPU and a 1440p webcam. You can get the 2023 model on Amazon or at  Best Buy . Lastly, if you're new to Chrome OS, know that the type of applications you can install is limited, so you need to ensure you can do everything through a Chrome browser or Android apps.

Best Budget Laptop For Travel

For those on a tighter budget, get the Acer Swift 3 14 (2020), a 14-inch Windows ultraportable. Acer's Swift models are typically more expensive, but since this is a 2020 version, you can get it much cheaper. It has a nice FHD display, a decent keyboard, and a wide port selection, including two USB-As, one USB-C/Thunderbolt 4, a full-size HDMI, and a headphone jack. It's available with an Intel 11th Gen Core i5 or i7 CPU and up to 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage.

The Intel 11th Gen CPUs are two generations behind Intel's latest offerings but can still easily handle general productivity tasks like web browsing, text processing, spreadsheets, and video playback. Plus, the battery life is amazing at over 13 hours of light use. Its 720p webcam is its main weakness; the image is underexposed, and the microphone sounds staticky.

Best Compact Laptop For Travel

If you need something compact to browse the web or answer emails on the go, get the Microsoft Surface Go 3 (2021), a 10.5-inch tablet PC with a built-in kickstand and a detachable keyboard. It's super compact, and its battery lasts a little over seven hours of light use. Its FHD+ display looks very sharp, gets bright enough to combat glare, and supports pen input. You get an excellent 1080p webcam, a second back-facing camera, and a facial recognition IR camera for quick logins. Like all Microsoft 2-in-1 tablets, you must buy the keyboard and stylus separately. The keyboard is worth getting, as it's much more comfortable to type on than an on-screen keyboard, and it protects the screen from scratches.

The Surface Go 3 is available with an Intel Pentium Gold or Core i3 CPU. They perform well enough for this tablet PC's intended use, which is to say simple tasks like web browsing, emails, and video playback, but don't expect to do anything remotely intensive. If your budget allows, it's worth upgrading the memory to 8GB, as you'll get a much smoother experience with fewer slowdowns when multitasking. Port selection is limited; you only get a USB-C, a headphone jack, and a proprietary Surface Connect charging port.

Best Gaming Laptop For Travel

We recommend the Razer Blade 14 (2022) for gaming on the go. This 14-inch model is surprisingly thin and light for a gaming laptop, and aside from its green logo on the lid, it has a fairly understated design, so it doesn't stick out in a professional environment if you use it for work. It's available in three preset configurations: a 1080p 144Hz display with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, a 1440p 165Hz display with an RTX 3070 Ti, or a 1440p 165Hz display with an RTX 3080 Ti. All three configurations deliver a smooth gaming experience in demanding AAA titles.

We don't have many complaints about the keyboard; the keys have a good amount of travel and tactility, but they could be more stable. And, of course, it has per-key RGB backlighting. As for upgradeability, the storage drive is replaceable, but not the memory, as all three configurations come with 16GB of soldered RAM.

A newer model of the Blade 14 is available. Its design remains largely unchanged, as the upgrades are internal. The CPU is now an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS, and GPU options include an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 and 4070. These new GPUs bring a new feature called Frame Generation, which boosts performance by inserting AI-generated frames. Few games currently support this feature, but as we've seen with DLSS, the adoption rate will likely grow quickly. There's also a new display option: a 240Hz QHD+ panel with a matte finish and VRR support. See  here  for more details about the new Razer Blade 14.

• ASUS Zenbook 14 Flip OLED (2023): The ASUS Zenbook 14 Flip OLED (2023) is a great 2-in-1 Windows convertible and a good alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022). It feels as well built as the MacBook Air and has a gorgeous, albeit slightly dimmer, OLED display. It also has a wider port selection, including two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4s with support for multiple external displays. It's heavier, though, and its battery life is shorter at around eight hours of light use. See our review
• Framework Laptop 13 (2023): The Framework Laptop 13 (2023) is a good alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022) if you want a laptop that's easy to repair or upgrade. You can replace any component in the laptop, even the CPU and motherboard. All the parts are available via Framework, and the company provides manuals to guide you through the replacement process. It also has a modular port system that lets you swap out the ports on the fly. However, its keyboard, touchpad, speakers, and webcam aren't as good. Also, depending on where you live, it might be harder to get one because you can only get it via Framework's website. See our review
• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 (2023): The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 (2023) is a great ultraportable alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022). It has a wider port selection and Thunderbolt 4 support, and its SSD is user-replaceable. However, it's slightly bulkier, and its battery doesn't last as long. It's also more expensive. See our review
• Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 (2023): The Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 (2023) is a good alternative to the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2022) if you prefer Windows. It provides a great user experience, and its battery lasts around 12 hours of light use. It's a pretty thin laptop, but ultimately, it's still a 16-inch device, so it might not fit into some bags. It also weighs considerably more at 4.4 lbs. See our review
• Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 (2021): The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 (2021) is a good alternative to the Microsoft Surface Go 3 (2021) if you only need a device for media consumption. It has a much nicer OLED display, and its battery lasts longer. It's a 13-inch device, though, so it isn't as portable as the Surface Go 3. See our review

Mar 15, 2024: Removed the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 (2023) from the Notable Mentions because it's discontinued. Added the Framework Laptop 13 (2023) as a Notable Mention. Minor text changes to provide information about new models of the Dell XPS 15, Apple MacBook Air 13, and Razer Blade 14.

Jan 23, 2024: Replaced the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M2, 2023) with the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023) because Apple no longer sells the M2 model.

Nov 16, 2023: Minor text changes to provide information about the new M3 MacBook Pro and to add the Dell XPS 15 (2023) as a Windows alternative to the MacBook Pro. Added the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 (2023) and Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 (2023) as Notable Mentions.

Sep 18, 2023: Replaced the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) with the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) because the M1 model is no longer available. Small text changes to include the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 (2023) as an alternative to the MacBook Pro 14. Replaced the Lenovo Chromebook C340 15 (2020) with the Acer Swift 3 14 (2020) because the Acer is a better value.

Jul 18, 2023: Verified that the picks are valid and available. Added the ASUS Zenbook 14 Flip OLED (2023) as a Notable Mention.

Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best travel laptops you can get. We factor in the price (a cheaper laptop wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no laptops that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).

If you prefer to make your own decision, here’s the list of all of our laptop reviews. Keep in mind that most laptops are available in various configurations, and the table only shows the results of the model we tested, so it’s best to see the full review for information about other variants.

• Meet the Team
• Work with Us
• Czech Republic
• Netherlands
• Switzerland
• Scandinavia
• Philippines
• South Korea
• New Zealand
• South Africa
• Budget Travel
• Work & Travel
• The Broke Backpacker Manifesto
• Travel Resources
• How to Travel on $10/day

Home » Gear » best travel laptop

10 BEST Travel Laptops (MUST READ! • 2024)

From the sleek and mighty powerhouses to the budget-friendly gems, our list is tailored for diverse itineraries and preferences. Imagine unwinding in a quaint café with a laptop that boasts a battery life longer than your layover, or editing your travel vlog on a device that handles heavy graphics like a breeze.

I put this guide together with one goal in mind – to help you find the best travel laptop for YOUR travel style. With the help of this epic guide, you’ll easily to be able to know which laptop is best for your needs, style, and budget.

Alllrighty then, do you wanna find out what the best computer for travel is? Well, let’s get to it!

Quick answer: The Best Portable Travel Laptops

What type of traveller are you, best overall laptop for travel – macbook air, best laptop for professionals – macbook pro, best midrange travel laptop – dell xps 13″, best value for money laptop – microsoft surface book, best budget travel laptop – lenovo ideapad, best budget 2-1 laptop – microsoft surface pro 7, other great budget laptops for travel, the best overall travel laptop, what specs to consider before buying the best travel laptop, choosing the best travel laptop faqs, how we tested the best travel laptop, faq about the best travel laptop, final thoughts on the best laptops for travel.

• Macbook Air – Best Lightweight Laptop
• 16.2 Inch MacBook Pro – Best Laptop for Professionals
• Dell XPS 13″ – Best Midrange Laptop
• Microsoft Surface Book – Best Value Laptop
• Lenovo Idea Pad – Best Budget Laptop
• Microsoft Surface Pro 7 – Best Travel Tablet
• Jump to –> Travel Laptop Reviews

Macbook Air

• Portability > 2.5 lbs
• Battery Life > 18 hour battery
• Storage Space > 256 – 512GB SSD
• Processing Power > M2 chip
• Operating System > Mac OS Ventura

16.2 Inch Macbook Pro

• Portability > 6.4 lbs
• Battery Life > 22 hour battery
• Storage Space > 512 GB – 1 TB SSD

Dell XPS 13

• Portability > 2.7 lbs
• Battery Life > 7 hour battery
• Storage Space > 128 GB SSD
• Processing Power > Intel Core i5-7200U 3MB cache, up to 3.10 GHz 8G memory 128G SSD
• Operating System > Windows 10

Microsoft Surface Book

• Portability > 3.34 lbs
• Battery Life > 10.5 hour battery
• Processing Power > 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5
• Operating System > Windows 10 Pro

Lenovo Ideapad

• Portability > 5 lbs
• Storage Space > 500 GB Hard Drive
• Processing Power > Intel Pentium 4405U (2M Cache, 2.10 GHz), 2 cores, 4 threads

Microsoft Surface Pro 7

• Portability > 1.7 lbs
• Processing Power > 3 GHz Intel Core i5
• Operating System > Windows 10 Home

My laptop has literally changed my life – not only can I earn money online but I can also stream Game of Thrones wherever I go… and I think we can all agree that that’s pretty damn important.

But what about your needs?

You see, “the best travel laptop” is a pretty broad statement since there are many different types of travelers. The question is – which kind of traveler are YOU?

Here are some extremely important things to consider…

1. Do you need to get work done on your laptop?

If you aren’t planning on using your travel laptop for online work, you don’t necessarily need to splash out on a top of the range laptop.

While it might be tempting to spend $2,000 on the new best laptop, the truth is that only digital nomads and other professionals really need that sort of tech. If you don’t have any work deadlines to meet, it might be better to keep it simple.

2. What will you use your laptop for?

Will you be working on the road (writing, editing, etc.), or mainly surfing the web? Do you need the processing power to run multiple editing programs, or is your prime concern staying connected to social media?

Identifying exactly what you need a laptop for will help you decide on which one is best for your travels.

3. Do you have any size requirements?

Are you traveling with minimal room in your backpack? Are you bringing a bag with certain size requirements?

For instance, some expensive daypacks can’t fit 15-inch laptops, or some laptop sleeves can’t fit larger than a 13 inch. If you buy a special backpack for your laptop , then most of your needs should be met. Either way, make sure to keep these in mind.

4. Are you traveling heavy or light?

The more powerful the laptop, the more it weighs. The difference between a 1.5 lb tablet and a 7 lb professional laptop is HUGE.

Remember that a light traveler is a happy traveler, so if you don’t need a heavier laptop, there’s no reason to cause extra strain on your body.

There are different specs you need to considers when choosing the best laptop for you…

Introducing the world’s best co-working hostel – a game changing space…

Tribal Hostel Bali is finally open – this custom-designed co-working hostel is an absolute game-changer for digital nomads, wandering entrepreneurs and excitable backpackers alike… 

A unique coworking and co-living hostel for those that want to travel the world while working from their laptops. Make use of the massive open-air coworking spaces and sip on delicious coffee.

Need more work inspiration? Staying at a digital nomad-friendly hostel is a really smart way to get more done whilst still enjoying the social life of travelling… Mingle, share ideas, brainstorm, make connections and find your tribe at Tribal Bali!

Two quick things….

• If you are a digital nomad, working professional, or aspiring to work online. Do not pick this travel laptop.
• If you hate Macs or iOS. Do not pick this computer.

Everyone else. This is the best travel laptop. 

If you’re an Apple user, this is Apple’s best Mac laptop for the money and this was the first laptop I took traveling which was adequate for working online. The pros (as with any MacBook) are its integration with apple products, ease-of-use, trackpad and keyboard, design, and reliable performance. It’s also the lightest laptop for travel, so that’s a major win.

I’ve used MacBooks for 7 years now (my first one from 2010 is still alive and kicking!), and I’ve never needed repairs (except to replace an old battery). I can’t say the same for any of the PCs I’ve owned, which is why I think Macs are the best user-friendly laptops if you don’t have a computer background.

If you want a MacBook for browsing, streaming, social, and office, the MacBook Air is fast enough, especially with 2024’s updated processor speed and default memory. But if you want a Retina resolution screen, “Kaby Lake” processors, and more power for editing programs, you’ll have to fork out the money for a MacBook Pro instead.

I recommend you go for as much storage as you can afford if you plan on storing music, images or video because you can’t add storage to Apple computers after purchase. If your laptop is used for browsing and light document work (Excel, Word, etc.) the 256GB SSD should be fine.

• Fast and durable!
• Lightweight (super important)
• Can handle your internet needs and then some
• Not as powerful as other options
• Not good for working professionals

Is the MacBook Air for you?

If you are looking for a light laptop that can handle all of your basic internet needs and then a little bit more – the MacBook Air is my highest recommendation. It’s light and sleek design makes it ideal for travelers, and it comes at a reasonable price.

If you are interested in making money online, you need to invest in a great laptop. The MacBook Pro is my highest recommendation. Its starting price plus lack of ports can be a deal breaker for many, but I still think it is the most versatile, user-friendly laptop out there and mine has allowed me to start and run several businesses from all over the world. I love my MacBook Pro and investing in it was the smartest move I made.

Whether you are freelancing, doing graphic design, blogging or editing photo or video – if you are a traveling professional, it’s hard to beat the MacBook Pro. If you’re in the market for the best lightweight laptop that still has a ton of storage space, the 16.2-inch MacBook is the best choice for you. Weighing less than a 2 kg, this is the best lightweight laptop for travel. Overall, the MacBook Pro is one of the fastest computers on the market. It’s the best traveling laptop for digital nomads, but you have to pay for it.

This is a great choice for bloggers, freelance photographers , etc too. It outperforms the other laptops on this list, but if you’re not set on the Mac OS system, the Dell XPS and Microsoft Surface Book have competing specs for a much more affordable cost.

• Powerful – can handle anything
• Great battery life
• Great for Digital Nomads or professionals
• Unnecessary for normal web users

Is the MacBook Pro for you?

If you can afford a notebook above $1800, or have to bite the bullet because of work, these laptops are going to be fantastic options because they have powerful processors, larger storage space, and better quality build.

High-end laptops are the best laptops for travelling photographers, videographers, laptop bloggers, etc., but not necessary for the average traveller.

REI is one of America’s biggest and most-loved outdoor gear retailers.

Now, for just $30, get a lifetime membership that entitles you to 10% OFF on most items, access to their trade-in scheme and discount rentals .

The Dell XPS is best mid-range laptop for travel because of its superb battery life, 7th-generation Core performance and excellent Wi-Fi range. I love that it has more ports than on competing laptops, as well as an SD port. It also has a touch-screen higher-resolution option (for a bit more weight and quite a bit more money).

As for its design, the Dell XPS has a comfortable soft-touch, carbon-fibre deck, infinity display, and rose-colour option. Often the trade off for a thin, best ultralight laptop is shorter battery life and too few ports. The XPS 13, however, gives you nearly 14 hours of battery power, and all the connection options you need while also remaining pretty light and compact for travel.

If you are a PC user, the Dell XPS 13″ is the best travel computer within the $1000 range. Though if you want more memory than 256MB, or an i7 processor, you will have to pay more money. This is a high quality laptop at a great price…

• Incredible value
• Powerful – good for those who  work and travel
• Great alternative if you don’t like Apple products
• Pricey for a PC
• Touch screen option is very expensive

Is the Dell XPS right for you?

For under $1000, you should be able to find a high quality travel laptop for many of the specs that matter most to the average traveler: weight, portability, and reliability. If you are willing to spend a couple hundred more, I would recommend picking up the Dell…

Do You Want to Travel FOREVER??

Pop your email in below to get a FREE copy of ‘How to Travel the World on $10 a Day!’.

This is definitely one of the best-value laptops/tablets for travel! You essentially get the portability and ease of use of a tablet with a detachable keyboard. The Microsoft Surface book is lightweight and portable, but you can still run programs like Lightroom and upload your travel photos and videos. The Stylus Pen is a truly innovative and amazing addition as well.

While this isn’t the cheapest laptop in this guide, the Microsoft Surface book is definitely one of the best value laptops on the markets since you are getting a great tablet and computer all-in-one. When it comes to weight, size, features, battery, I think this is the best travel laptop for your money but if you are going pro and embracing the digital nomad lifestyle, I would recommend getting a Macbook instead.

The Microsoft Surface book is a great laptop for photographers and allows you to run Lightroom, Adobe Premier, and other intensive programs.This is the best Windows 10 option for creatives and travellers needing versatility, speed, and power. While technically a powerful laptop, this is also one of the best tablets for travel. It has a battery on the detachable screen and actual computer. When both are charged you can get up to 12 hours battery life.

The 6th generation processor is not as speedy as the 7th generation in the MacBook Pro, but it’s a bit more affordable. The Surface Book also has a leg up on graphics performance in comparison to the MacBook Pro.

• Great value
• Laptop AND a tablet
• Overall pick for best value
• Not powerful enough for professionals/Digital Nomads
• Not as durable

Is the Surface right for you?

People who need discrete graphics, want a powerful computer that is also a 2-1, and Microsoft program integration will find this laptop to be one of the best options out there.

To take full advantage of the separate graphics chip and power, you have to invest more than the starting price and pay for an upgrade, but it’s totally worth it.

The Lenovo is one of the best ultra-lightweight laptops in the budget price range. This Windows OS laptop has 9 hours of battery life, a nice design, and is one of the cheapest light laptops for travel. The performance is good enough for web surfing, editing documents, and viewing movies. The keyboard and touchpad’s quality, however, is less than subpar.

Overall, this is a cheap laptop and a solid choice for the minimal traveller, who wants to stream online and run basic programs. This is definitely not adequate for anybody who needs to work online and certainly the Lenovo cannot handle Lightroom or other photo editing programs.

The team felt this was a great option for those with pretty basic needs looking for something lightweight, affordable and that performs well enough given the tasks expected of it. For those working mostly on word processors and looking to store their travel photos, this is a great option. The standard edition comes with a massive hard drive too making it great for storing and doing some basic processing to travel photos on the road.

• Good for basic surfing and Netflix-ing
• Not durable

Is the Lenovo right for you?

If you are trying to get any work done or be productive, the Lenovo is NOT for you. This is a budget computer that can handle some basic browsing and streaming for the few years it lasts. If that is what you need it for, then this is one of the best budget options!

This is one of the top travel laptops out there because of its versatility and price range compared to the competition. However, the biggest drawback is that the Surface Pro Keyboard  must be bought separately (and costs an extra $120)! The Surface Pro can easily function as an ebook reader, travelling tablet, sketchpad, and video player all-in-one, making it the best tablet for travel, hands down. Plus, I can say from experience that it has awesome resolution and a sharp screen, making it great for watching movies on a plane/bus/train.

Its most stand out features are its touch screen and surface pen stylus. The pen has been tested by comic artists and graphic designers for its accuracy and real-feel! (The pen even learns your handwriting!)

The device doesn’t have as much storage space or processing power as its sister product, the Surface Book, so an external drive is crucial! Though you can upgrade to 256MB or 512MB, it will make the surface pro significantly more expensive.

• Best tablet for travel
• Super light
• Spectacular resolution
• Lacks power/storage
• Not ideal to get serious work done

Is the Surface Pro 7 for you?

The Surface Pro 7 is the best tablet for travel, and with the keyboard one of the most versatile laptops on the market and is definitely worth considering.

What are 2-1 Laptops?  They are travel tablets that can be converted into full laptops. Unlike conventional tablets, they’re made to be used offline and can run computer programs. Moreover, unlike with normal tablets, 2-1 laptops allow you to upload data (music, videos, photos, documents).

Just keep in mind, 2-1 laptops rarely have enough storage space for a lot of videos and photos. A 2-1 tablet/laptop isn’t the best laptop for GoPro users or videographers either since they cannot run intensive video editing programs without sacrificing performance and speed.

1. Samsung Chromebook

The Samsung Chromebook Plus offers a decent design, long battery life, touchscreen, and a hybrid hinge that turns it into a tablet, and is the lightest Chromebook on this list.

Unlike other ChromeBooks, this one is using the sister system, that allows you to download Android apps and use them offline, making it a great Chromebook for travel.

As an alternative to expensive and heavy Macbooks, the team felt the Samsung Chromebook Plus was a really viable option for those not wanting to travel with that kind of laptop but wanting similar performance levels.

2. Acer Chromebook

The Acer Chromebook is one of the better budget lightweight laptops on the market. The laptop has ultra portability, a comfortably sized keyboard, and a touchscreen. The downside is it does feel very “cheap” with a plastic like frame. At 1.1 Kg and 11.6 inches, this is one of the best budget laptops for surfing the internet, and a great option if you’re looking for a small, portable laptop to stream movies on or run other basic tasks with.

Note:  I have listed the starting price for the storage space available. Often you can add more storage space for a higher price.

3. Lenovo Yoga 910

An alternative to the Surface Pro and another one of the best tablets for traveling is another hybrid with cool features like a fingerprint sensor. At 1.4kg (3.09lbs), the Yoga 910 is a heavier than most 2-1s, but also has more storage space to start, an all-metal finish, the latest Kaby Lake processors (i7), and 14in HD display.

It’s reasonably well-priced for a hybrid of this quality, but there is a cheaper, more basic version called the Lenovo Yoga 710 if you’re trying to save some cash. The 910, however, is the best no-compromise option for work and pleasure making it one of the best laptops for travel and digital nomad life.

Tie Between MacBook Pro and Dell XPS 13 for the best travel laptop

MacBook Pro

MacBook Pro is the best laptop for travel for Mac users, who want the fastest, most reliable computer on the market. The MacBook Pro uses Kaby Lake processors (Intel’s seventh generation chips), has a sleek design, retina (2560 x 1600-pixel) display, touch ID, and the best rated audio sound.

The Dell XPS is the best Windows 10-based laptop. It comes with 13.3 HD display, nearly 14 hours of battery power, and all the connection options you while remaining plenty light and compact for travel. This is a great choice if you want to save a bit of cash and avoid Macs…

Now, you  could spend a fat chunk of $$$ on the WRONG present for someone. Wrong size hiking boots, wrong fit backpack, wrong shape sleeping bag… As any adventurer will tell you, gear is a personal choice.

So give the adventurer in your life the gift of convenience: buy them an REI Co-op gift card!  REI is The Broke Backpacker’s retailer of choice for ALL things outdoors, and an REI gift card is the perfect present you can buy from them. And then you won’t have to keep the receipt. 😉

Price is probably the most important factor when choosing the best laptop for traveling.

Unless you are working online, you really don’t need to spend $1000+ to get the best travel laptop. There are several cheap travel laptops and mid-range options that make great laptops for travel.

Remember that high-value items, such as a top of the range laptop, are often harder to claim for on insurance. There are some cheap lightweight laptop options on the market too and overall the price of laptops continues to come down… You get what you pay for though so if you need a laptop for work, I recommend not going for the cheapest laptop option.

2. Portability

Portability is especially essential for the on-the-go, minimal traveler, and an important factor to consider when choosing the best laptop for travel.

You want something lightweight so that your backpack doesn’t end up weighing too much (As we say in the hiking world, ounces add pounds and pounds add pain!). If you haven’t yet picked up a backpack for your trip, check out this post for plenty of backpack inspiration. 

Your laptop’s size is also important (usually correlating with weight) to easily pull your computer in/out of your bag at the TSA security line, etc. The smallest travel laptops and tablets have less storage space and processing power, but they are also cheap and highly portable. If you are going to be on the road a lot, I recommend trying to find a lightweight laptop.

If you have a smaller unit, you can also invest in a smaller laptop bag . So portability not only applies to the laptop itself, but what you’re going to use to carry it.

3. Battery Life

It’s always nice to have a reliable battery life, especially if you are taking your laptop up into the mountains. The best laptops on the market have at least 8 hours of battery life, and some can last for an entire day. If you are spending a lot of time off the grid and still need access to your laptop then consider picking up a portable battery capable of charging a laptop.

Quick travel tip: make sure your wi-fi and blue tooth are turned off (when you’re not using them) to save battery!

4. Storage Space

Most of the top travel laptops (with ample battery life and affordability) lack a large amount of storage space, and if you’re going to store a lot of photos and videos from your travels, it’s important to have ample hard drive space!

I’ve found it’s well worth investing in a cloud drive and/or an external hard drive, especially since photos and videos take up a lot of room. This way you don’t have to sacrifice laptop portability for storage space on the actual laptop.

My first backpacking laptop, a MacBook Air, didn’t have too much storage space so I kept a lot of my photos and videos on Dropbox and stored my movies on a nearly bulletproof portable hard drive .

Typical external drives with 1 terabyte cost around $80 USD, and cloud storage (through Google, Dropbox Microsoft, etc.) average around $10 a month. It’s also important to back up your files in case your travel laptop gets stolen (like my friend Ana’s did in Costa Rica)!

5. Processing Power

If you are running editing programs and high-resolution videos, you should also prioritize the processing power.

The CPU is like the “brain” of your computer. At the moment, Intel Core i7 is the highest performer, but also the most expensive. Intel Core i5 should work for most of the best travel computers, and anything older is fine if you’re just surfing the web.

A separate graphics chip allows gamers, 3D designers, and high-res video editors to run their programs without taking up a ton of RAM and slowing the overall performance of the computer.

An integrated graphics chips (one that shares system memory) is just fine if you don’t have these needs.

If you want a separate graphics chip, keep in mind Apple only puts separate graphics chips in their MacBook Pro 15in computers. The 15 inch MacBooks are more expensive, and in my opinion, anything over 13 inches is too large to be considered one of the best laptops to travel with.

6. Do you prefer Mac, Windows, or Chrome OS?

Most laptops run one of these three operating systems: Windows, Chrome OS, or Mac OS X (for MacBooks only).

Windows notebooks offer the largest range of options for the best travel laptop. The newest window computers offer cool features like touch screens, 2-1 convertible tablets, fingerprint readers, and dual graphics chips.

Mac’s newest operating system, MacOS Sierra, comes with all Apple computers. Once you get the hang of Apple’s programs and trackpad/keyboard short cuts, Mac is the best user-friendly laptop (in my opinion) for the average person who knows nothing about computer engineering or coding.

Macs are expensive, but also reliable, which is important when you are travelling around the world and don’t have time/money to take a computer in for repairs.

Chrome-OS is Google OS’ – simple and secure operating system, usually available on small portable laptops. The drawback? It’s mainly limited to surfing the web, checking email, and navigating social networks, not doing stuff offline. Still, ChromeBooks are the best cheap and light laptops for the minimal traveller.

Conclusion? Most travellers are going to need to prioritise versatility , weight , battery life , and price when picking the best travel laptop. Digital nomads and travellers working remotely are going to need powerful laptops for travel to handle multi-tasking and intensive programs.

Q. What is the best laptop for the money?

In my humble opinion, the best value laptop is definitely the Microsoft Surface Book  – from a specs / weight / price ratio, this laptop outperforms all the others.

Q. What is the best cheap laptop?

The Lenovo Idea Pad  is the best cheap laptop on the market at the moment. It is adequate for streaming movies and casual web browsing but that’s about it… Still, for less than $300, it’s a steal.

Q. What is the lightest travel laptop?

The MacBook Air  is the most compact, thinnest and lightest laptop for traveling on the market… If space and weight is your primary concern, this is the laptop to choose.

Q. What is the best laptop for blogging?

The Macbook Pro  is the best laptop for bloggers and photographers – it can handle whatever you throw at it and edit photos without any problems, even on very advanced, space hungry, software.

Q. What is the smallest travel laptop?

The Macbook Air  takes the gold again for the smallest laptop for traveling…

Q. What is the most durable laptop?

The Macbook Pro  is the toughest laptop in this list and if you put it in a case it can take some knocks… Still, be careful with it.

Q. Should I travel with a laptop or a tablet?

A 2-1 will give you a lot more versatility than just traveling with a laptop or a tablet. If you ARE a fan of tablets, I recommend that you consider getting a 2-1 laptop / tablet combo rather than just a tablet. The Microsoft Surface 7 Pro  is definitely the best 2-1 laptop / tablet on the market.

There is no perfect or exact science when it comes to testing out what the best work travel laptop is. Having been digital nomads for a number of years, we think we’re in a decent position to give our 2 cents on the matter!

So when it came to assessing the best travel computers, we looked at a few different factors like specific performance for certain jobs and tasks, memory, storage, speed, weight and durability too. Of course, when it comes to the best laptop for travel and work, much of what is needed is individual depending on your needs. But we tried to cover most of the common uses as well as generalised purposes for travelling with a laptop.

Finally, we also take into account how an item is priced. Travel computers vary wildly in price and the most expensive isn’t always the best for your needs and your trip. However, we did scrutinise the more expensive laptops and gave the cheaper ones a bit more leeway.

Still have some questions about the best laptops for travel? No problem! We’ve listed and answered the most commonly asked questions below. Here’s what people usually want to know:

What is the overall best travel laptop?

The perfect all-rounder for digital nomads is the Macbook Air . It packs style, efficiency, plenty of battery life and storage space and a solid operating systen in one little rectangle. For even more storage space, we’d suggest upgrading to a Macbook Pro .

What is the most affordable travel laptop?

The Lenovo Ideapad is one of the best budget options for digital nomads. While the value might not be as high as a Macbook, you’ll definitely get some real bang for your buck.

Which is the lightest travel laptop?

The Macbook Air is one of the best lightweight travel laptops on the market, with only 2.5lbs!

Should I get an insurance for my laptop during my travels?

Hell yes! If you’re relying on your laptop, having your electronics insured is one of first steps to travelling without any worries.

Our GREATEST Travel Secrets…

Pop your email here & get the original Broke Backpacker Bible for FREE.

There you have it!

Our epic reviews of the most versatile laptops, the most cost-efficient laptops, the best laptop for blogging and digital nomads and, of course, the best budget laptop on the market.

Overall, I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the listed choices. I personally tend to lean towards MacBooks because of their reliability and my own personal experiences.

However, some of the newest Microsoft, Lenovo, and Dell laptops have unique, useful features like touch screen, and 2-1 convertibility that give them a leg up as the best traveling laptops.

If you just want the best cheap travel laptop to surf the web and stream online, one of the budget laptops or Chromebooks would be perfect for you.

You will need to upgrade from the ChromeBooks and budget options to one of the travelling tablet 2-1’s or more expensive laptop options if you want to store data but you can get around this by buying a portable hard drive. Personally, I’m a big fan of Macbook Pros but what does the data say? When we compare all the factors, what is the best laptop for traveling?

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

Share or save this post

30 Comments

Great article and certainly needed. However, I wouldn’t use a Lenovo product, even if you gave it to me for free. They have lots of problems!

Nicely comprised info for travelers. Like you, I once brought a laptop while traveling, only for it to not turn on due to the none air conditioned climate. It worked fine once I got back to the air conditioned USA. Do you have a laptop suggestion for those traveling to poor areas where cool flowing air is not an option? I’ve heard someone say there are ASUS laptops that can take the heat, but I have yet to find an article that states this.

This is a tough question because I feel like most laptops would be susceptible to this problem. You should buy a laptop with a high-quality frame or invest in an industrial-grade laptop.

Hey, thanks for your effort. I love working outside and i am trying to become more independent. After going through your choices real quick, the microsoft surface pro seems to be the most fit for me. Although i would love to be able to use a powerbank or something to charge it. Any suggestions in that regard?

The most important information thats missing for me is, the ability to work outside. Are all of them equal in that regard? Will i be able to work in the sun? Because my current notebook will not let me do that.

Hey Flo! I’m working off a Surface Pro 4 and I love mostly love it…. Mine has a factory error that dates back to 2016, but new ones should be fine. I’m able to work in the sun… if I need to. But working in the sun is both miserable and can cause eye damage. You’re not meant to be focusing on tiny text on a screen while inundated with blazing sunlight!

The best Windows 10 option for creatives and travelers needing versatility, speed, and power. While technically a powerful laptop, this is also one of the best tablets for travel. I will go for it.

I think this is great and you have totally nailed it by making that statement. Right on.

Thanks for the review. I am going to making some tour videos and for that, I will buy a laptop for video editing. I hope MacBook Pro will do that job greatly.

very informative blog, to bring a laptop while traveling actually I am making a plan to go an India for some time before that I definitely will check your mention points like battery life, processing power etc.

I’ve had my MacBook Air for a couple years now and it’s starting to show signs of needing replacement. Kinda nervous about this and what Apple is currently offering. Hopefully, it will hold out for a bit longer to see what else Apple might have in store.

You should really add the “Surface Laptop” to the list, it’s a great little laptop that allows you to choose how much storage you want along with three different processor options

I am looking for a new laptop and your list is helpful. Thank you.

Thank you for sharing this. A lot of people recommended me to buy the MacBook pro definitely expensive but worth every penny especially for us freelancer who like to travel and do work not just outside our home. Anyways, thank you for sharing this list. I love that you also share how informative and being detailed about the pros and cons.

Glad you found our laptop reviews helpful Esther! I’m a Macbook Pro man myself! 🙂

Please stop using the term “Digital Nomad.” It’s cringeworthy… Also, being a “DM” isn’t the only reason to have a high-powered laptop.

If you have heaps of money to spend on a high end laptop purely for leisure then good for you dude but for most people that kind of investment is only worth making if you’re going to be working online, with your laptop, as you travel.

that was wonderful details on the travel laptpops for all the techno freaks. Good post with all the essential details.

The performance of the SurfaceBook 2 is everything you could want form a laptop and thanks to the dual battery the battery life on offer here is impressive from a performance-focused device.

While choosing the laptop for traveling it is most important to consider which specs will optimize the digital experience. Which type of laptop is best for traveling and also how you plan to use your laptop while traveling

I’m definitely a windows user! The surface book 2 is just awesome, I’m gonna buy it soon.

Chromebooks are pretty much the perfect laptop for travelling. I mean not only are they cheap and super light and portable, but you can’t do much on them – which hopefully means you’ll STAY THE HECK OFF OF THEM and actually enjoy your vacation 😉

Comprehensive and detailed. I love that you have included comparison and required specs of the different travel laptops. I’d go for portability, memory, and battery life. Thanks for providing the best choices!

Hii Will Hatton,

I would like to say big thank you for your post. I really love to read it , this is such a very appreciable & informative post for each travelers. Keep posting

Yeah portability is what makes laptops great 🙂

I’ve been looking for a laptop to use for my business when I am away from home. So glad I found your blog. It has great info and I think I’ve narrowed it down to 2 different ones. Price is going to effect my choice, but that’s how it goes.

Hi, I’m going to India this winter but I’m also a student so I do have to be checking my laptop to see if my assignments and homework. I’m a little worried about wifi coverage. When you go to 3rd world countries how do you get reliable wifi? What provider/coverage plan do you use?

You’ll be fine – WiFi can be found in most places these days, which is kind of a shame. I don’t have reliable WiFi when I travel, I just get on with it.

Yes, but what no travel writer thinks to mention is which of these computers, all or none or in between, can connect to Channels 12 (in Canada and the rest of the world) 13 (in Europe and the rest of the World) and 14 in Japan. I’ve bought devices in the past, for world traveling, only to discover that the devices had been needlessly throttled for US customers at the firmware level. In other words, they could only connect on Channels 1-11.

Hi Will, Great detailed post. For me, a travel laptop has to be extra portable and have long-lasting battery. Chromebooks tend to meet those requirements and I always keep one for when I am on the road.

I’m truly impressed with your business finesse while traveling in some really interesting places. Nicely done!

I used to be a MacBook fan, but this last one as well as my latest iPhone has made me look elsewhere. The Dell XPS and the Lenovo Yoga products definitely seems to get great reviews and rock solid performance. I think I’ll be checking them out next. And, of course, your travel on $10 a day…didn’t think that was possible anymore! Thanks for some great reads

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail.

10 best travel laptops – ultimate buyer’s guide

Whether it’s for the daily commute, business trips, holidays or blogging, I know that having the best laptop for travelling can make so much difference. Finding the best travel laptops isn’t like choosing a laptop solely for use at home, however.

As someone who works from all over the world and is constantly on the move, I understand the importance of having a travel laptop that ticks all the boxes.

My guide will help you choose a laptop for travelling, whether for short-haul trips, use on a daily basis or heading off around the world.

For business travel and commuting to holidaymakers and digital nomads, discover 10 of the best travel laptops – based on my own personal experience, plus recommendations from fellow travellers.

In this guide, you’ll also find all the technical details you need (and none that you don’t).  The options to consider come from some serious brands.

Apple, of course, is represented twice in the following list (and is a personal favourite. Other options well worth considering include lightweight yet portable powerhouses from HP, Lenovo, Microsoft and more. 

From a small, light laptop for travelling that won’t break the budget to powerhouses capable of video editing, gaming and much more, here’s the full lowdown on buying the right one from yours truly.

But before listing 10 of the best travel laptops, let’s take a look at what I think you should consider when choosing. 

Author Bio: Jessie Moore

Jessie Moore is a luxury travel expert with years of experience travelling the world to find the best destinations, hotels and adventures.

What to look for in a travel laptop

If you want to find the best lightweight laptop for travel, then this has to be number one.

A travel laptop is by definition something you’re going to carry around. So you need to find one that’s as portable as possible. 

The lightest laptop listed in my guide is a little over 500 grams, while the heaviest is around three times that. So it’s something to look at closely when choosing the best laptop for travelling. 

Screen size

There’s little point in buying the best budget laptop for travel if you cannot see the screen properly when working or playing.

So do bear in mind that the best cheap travel laptop, for example, is more likely to have a smaller screen. 

A hack I’d recommend to get around this – when working at home or in the office – is plugging a compatible laptop into a larger monitor. This is what I do when I’m at home.

Battery life

How you travel may affect the relationship between the best laptop for travel and business and its battery life.

If you always have access to a power socket on the train, for example, then it may not matter so much. But what if you have an aisle seat without this connection? 

The best laptop for travel and work is therefore always going to be one with a good battery life. In fact, this is one of the key reasons why I’m recommending the laptops on this list. 

When choosing the best laptop to take travelling, it’s worth asking yourself this question.

What do I want to use the laptop for? Is it for work or leisure, for starters? But beyond that, what do you do most when sitting in front of your computer? 

The best gaming laptop for travel, for instance, may be completely different to the best laptop for travel vlogging. Or the best lightweight laptop for business travel.

Try to choose a computer with the technical features to fit your intended purpose(s) – that may be watching the latest box set or making your latest YouTube video.  

Whether you want the best laptop for travel blogging, your corporate role or a trip around the world, I’d recommend thinking long term.

Buying a cheap laptop can be a false economy, as it may not last for as long as a more expensive product.

A really good laptop may last you for many years, meaning it actually pays in the long run. 

If you want the best Windows laptop for travel, then good brands include Lenovo, Asus, Microsoft, Acer, Zenbook and HP.

Otherwise, Apple Macbooks come highly recommended. The Pro in particular, if your budget can stretch to it. 

Best travel laptops – quick comparison

Note that prices are based on the best price available at the time of writing. These may fluctuate depending on special offers.

10 best laptops for travellers

1. macbook pro 13 inch.

Best video editing laptop

• Price: £1,349.00
• Battery life: Up to 20 hours
• Weight: 1.4kg
• Screen size: 13-inch
• Features: Up to 24GB memory, play and edit up to 11 streams of 4K and up to 2 streams of 8K ProRes video, touch ID and touch bar
• Good for: Video editing, battery

If you’ve got a bigger budget, then I really think that the 13 inch MacBook Pro is worth splashing out on – this is the laptop that I am currently using.

It’s arguably the best travel laptop for photographers, writers, viewers and workers alike. And it truly leads the field when it comes to making videos.

If you have a YouTube channel or are planning to give it a go, I’d really recommend picking this one. It’s also the leader in terms of battery life, as it can last for up to 20 hours on a single charge.

All without heating up, thanks to the effective cooling system that’s built in. 

This is the most portable model of the Apple Pro range, weighing in at 1.4 kilos. It also has a FaceTime HD camera – ideal for making you feel connected to the loved ones you may have left at home.

M2 chip technology makes it super fast, and you can also stream 4K and 8K ProRes video with ease. 

In fact this laptop is up to six times faster than an Intel laptop, and up to 1.4 times faster than the previous M1 models.

The display is incredibly clear, with realistic colours and crisp images. Plus there are studio-quality microphones perfect for video and podcast producers. 

If you want to find the best laptop of the bunch, this is my favourite and the one I use personally. 

2. Zenbook S UX393

Best touchscreen travel laptop

• Price: From £1,099.00
• Battery life: Up to 14 hours
• Weight: 1.35kg
• Screen size: 13.9-inch
• Features: NanoEdge touchscreen, facial recognition, 10th Generation Intel® Core™ processor
• Good for: Lightweight, battery life, touchscreen

The Zenbook S UX393 can go for up to 14 hours on a single charge, and is an ultra lightweight choice too.

For portability, I think this one scores serious points as it’s super thin. It also weighs in at a little over a kilo, yet is packed with power and useful features.

These include facial recognition protection and an intuitive NanoEdge touchscreen. The Generation Intel® Core™ processor makes this Zenbook a great all-rounder, perfect for multitasking.

For an even longer battery life from the same brand, check out the Zenbook S 13 OLED.

3. Microsoft Surface Pro 9

Best travel tablet hybrid

• Price: From £1,075.00
• Battery life: Up to 15.5 hours or 19 hours with 5G
• Weight: 879g
• Features: Front and rear 1080p camera, rear 4k video, 2 in 1 can add keyboard
• Good for: Lightweight, 2 in 1 

If you want to find the best small laptop for travel that involves business trips, I’d recommend considering the Surface Pro 9 from Microsoft.

At under 880 grams, it’s also one of the lightest models on the market. I love that it can also be used as a tablet, so may save you from carrying two devices around.

High-speed 5G connectivity is an optional extra here too, which is ideal if you want to work without delay while on the go. Do check regarding 5G availability in the area, though, if you’re relying on this.

Unlike laptops from other makes, this Microsoft one comes preloaded with Windows 11. So you can set to work – or play – straight away.  

4. ROG Zephyrus G14 Gaming Laptop

Best gaming travel laptop

• Price: £1,799.00
• Battery life: Up to 8 hours
• Weight: 1.65kg
• Screen size: 14-inch
• Features: AMD Ryzen™ 9 processors, Nebula Display, fast charging, intelligent cooling, Dolby Atmos® audio
• Good for: Gaming

In my opinion, the ROG Zephyrus G14 is the best on-the-go laptop for any keen gamer. Its powerful AMD Ryzen™ 9 processor ensures reliable speed and a true powerhouse laptop. 

This ROG gaming laptop also features intelligent cooling to avoid overheating, as well as the ROG Nebula Display for excellent graphics.

Care has also been taken when it comes to sound, as this laptop has Dolby Atmos® for crystal clear audio. 

At a weight of 1.65 kilos, it’s not the lightest in this list – but it’s surprisingly compact considering its powerful function. The battery life is up to 8 hours.

Finally, I think it’s wonderfully sleek for a gaming laptop so it hits the aesthetics points too.

5. Microsoft Surface Go 3 

Best lightweight travel laptop

• Price: £369.00
• Battery life: Up to 12 hours
• Weight: 544g
• Screen size: 10.5-inch
• Features: Touchscreen, pen compatibility, lightweight, 1080p HD cameras
• Good for: Ultra-lightweight, on the go, budget

I’d recommend the Microsoft Surface Go3 as an ideal option for those seeking a lightweight laptop for travel. It’s also a very pocket-friendly pick. 

A 10.5 inch touchscreen and a kickstand combine to give you great flexibility here.

Whether you want to watch a film, study, work, play or surf the internet, this incredibly lightweight little machine can help you out. At 544 grams, it’s the lightest one featured in this article. 

Despite the modest weight and price tag, this Microsoft Surface device offers a battery life of up to 12 hours, plus 1080P HD cameras and a high resolution touchscreen.

I love that it’s also pen compatible for those who like to take notes or get creative. 

6. MacBook Air M2 

Best for portability and video quality

• Price: From £1,249
• Battery life: Up to 18 hours
• Weight: 1.24kg
• Screen size: 13.6-inch
• Features: Ultra-thin (1.13cm), play and edit 4K and 8K ProRes videos, made with recycled materials, touch ID, 1080p camera and three-mic array
• Good for: Video-editing, lightweight, video calls

In my opinion, the best travel laptop for video editing is the MacBook Air M2 . For many people (myself included), there’s no going back to other operating systems once they’ve tried a Mac.

Apple products work a little differently to the likes of Windows laptops, yet are very easy to get used to. 

The benefits of the MacBook Air M2 include a battery life of up to 18 hours, advanced audio and visual tech and an ultra-thin build.

This latter feature places this among the most portable laptops on the market. Being made from recycled materials, this is also an eco-conscious choice. 

Video-friendly features of the MacBook Air M2 include a 1080p camera and the ability to edit and play 4K and 8K ProRes videos.

There’s also three microphones for sound recording plus a touch ID for security purposes. 

7. Acer Aspire 5 A515-57 15.6 inch Laptop

Best travel laptop for work

• Price: £699.99
• Battery life: 11 hours
• Weight: 1.8kg
• Screen size: 15.6 inch
• Features: HD camera with dual microphones and AI noise reduction, 4k streaming
• Good for: Working remotely

It’s not always about the best laptop screen size for travel. Sometimes it’s even more important to choose a laptop with a screen of a decent size, so you can see what you’re doing very clearly at all times.

Especially when your eyes are tired at the end of a long day!

The Acer Aspire 5 A515-57 15.6 inch laptop scores highly on visuals, with wide viewing angles, Quad HD resolution and true-to-life colours. It also has a backlit keyboard so you can see better, even in dim lighting. 

A 12th Gen Intel core, 16GB of RAM and pre-installed Windows 11 means you have power at your fingertips when using this laptop.

Features making it particularly work-friendly include the HD webcam and AI noise reduction for those online meetings, plus a raised hinge for more ergonomic posture.

I don’t know about you, but I could definitely do with a better posture when hunched over my laptop!

8. ASUS Chromebook Flip CM3 (CM3200) 

Best for work, rest and play  

• Price: From £219.99
• Battery life: Up to 16 hours
• Weight: 1.1kg
• Screen size: 12-inch
• Features: 360° hinge to turn into a tablet
• Good for: Budget, lightweight, 2 in 1

I love that the ASUS Chromebook Flip CM3 stands out from the crowd because of its innovative design.

It’s called the Flip because you can turn it up the other way, which means that the keyboard is no longer in your way. This is known in the trade as “tent mode”.

If you can’t decide between a laptop and a tablet, this device offers you the best of both. All you need to do is fold back the screen however you like. A 360 degree hinge gives you full flexibility here.

The ASUS Chromebook Flip CM3 is a great all-rounder. You can use it to watch TV or a movie in bed or take it to the boardroom fully powered up, ready to go for up to 16 hours.

It’s fast, lightweight and versatile, and you can also connect it to a monitor if you like using a large screen. 

9. LENOVO IdeaPad Duet 10.1″ 2 in 1 Chromebook

Best budget travel laptop

• Price: From £260.00
• Battery life: Up to 10 hours
• Weight: 920g
• Screen size: 10.1-inch
• Features: 2 in 1 keyboard included, HD touchscreen, 1 year guarantee
• Good for: Lightweight, budget, 2 in 1 

I’d recommend this IdeaPad Duet 10.1 inch 2 in 1 Chromebook as a great bet if you’re on a budget. Because of the modest price tag, I think it also makes the perfect starter laptop for teens.

The battery life on this one is limited to 10 hours, however. Weighing only 920 grams, it’s not asking too much even if you want to carry this one around all day long.

A one year guarantee is provided for peace of mind, and a clever detachable keyboard means you can use it as a tablet. 

As well as being the best laptop size for travel, this IdeaPad Duet 2 in 1 Chromebook weighs just 450 grams when used solely as a tablet. You can also use it for watching full HD videos. 

10. HP ENVY x360 13.3″ 2 in 1 Laptop – Intel® Core™ i5

Best for blogging

• Price: £999.00
• Battery life: Up to 17.5 hours
• Weight: 1.3kg
• Screen size: 13.3-inch
• Features: Full HD touchscreen, includes stylus for note taking
• Good for: Blogging, battery life

If you want to source the best laptop for travel photography, writing and taking notes, the HP ENVY x360 1.3 inch 2 in 1 laptop is a very good bet indeed.

Like the ASUS Chromebook Flip CM3, you can flip this one up the other way for viewing the screen via the 360 degree hinge.

This is ideal for online meetings – or winding down with a film at the end of a long, demanding day. 

This laptop comes with a full HD touchscreen. Unlike others, I love that a stylus is also part of the package, so you won’t need to buy one of these separately.

If you appreciate good sound, you’ll also love the fact that this laptop comes with Bang & Olufsen speakers, no less. 

A powerful 12th gen Intel® Core™ i5 processor, an edge-to-edge HD touchscreen and Intel® Iris® Xe integrated graphics are all features to wrte home about.

You can also transfer files without wires via HP QuickDrop, or load up a video by using Intel® WiFi 6E.

There’s even a webcam privacy shutter for when you’d rather not be seen on screen.

Of course this isn’t a comprehensive list of the best travel laptops, but these are my personal pick of the best. To keep your laptop safe while on the move, discover my guide to the best travel laptop bags .

Plus, read my tips on how to become a digital nomad or how to protect yourself online when travelling .

Want up to 25% off hotels?

Subscribe to my newsletter and get immediate access to my guide on how to save money on flights and hotels. Our weekly emails are filled with adventure inspiration, insider travel tips and exclusive discounts.

Save on Pinterest:

Jessie is a luxury travel expert with years of experience travelling the world to find the best destinations, hotels and adventures.

Find me on: Web | Instagram

Pocket Wanderings is a luxury travel and lifestyle brand run by London-based content creator, Jessie Moore. Here you’ll find a community of fellow wanderlusters and adventurers.

Quick Links

About Contact Privacy Policy

The Best Travel Laptop for Remote Workers and Business Travelers

By Emily Price

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

When it come to travel these days (and especially business travel ), a laptop is an essential addition to your carry-on . But the best travel laptop isn’t always the same device you'd use while at the office. And sure, many laptops might tout that they’re great for taking on the go, but we've learned that not every option is created equal.

To identify the best travel laptop on the market, we spent the past few months working, watching movies, editing photos , and gaming on several different models before narrowing down to our six favorites. In choosing our favorites, we took a few key factors into account:

Weight: When you’re carrying a laptop around with you all day, be it to a coffee shop or in transit to your destination, an extra pound can make a dramatic difference. Almost all of the options on our list weigh in at less than two and a half pounds; some are even lighter.

Battery life: You want a laptop that’s going to be able to make it from point A to point B on a single charge, not one that’s going to run out of battery power halfway through your cross-country flight.

Performance: A light laptop won’t do you any good if you can’t get all your work done on it. We looked for laptops that packed a punch in a tiny package.

Below, the six best travel laptops to buy now, whether you're looking for something that can double as a tablet for easy vacation reading , the lightest option out there, or a laptop that functions just as well as a WFH back-up for when you're stuck at home.

All products featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Best overall: MacBook Air 2020

The MacBook Air has been the gold standard for travelers for a while now, due to its ability to handle complex tasks without added bulk. This year’s Air replaces Apple’s problematic butterfly keyboard with a new Magic Keyboard, and offers faster graphics and double the storage capacity of previous versions. You can purchase models with up to 2TB of internal SD storage, enough to hold over 70 hours of 1080p video. You can also watch up to 12 hours of video on the device on a single charge.

Touch ID makes unlocking the laptop a snap, and the edge-to-edge Retina display offers a resolution of 2560 x 1600, making everything from web pages to videos crisp and easy to read or see. The computer weighs in at 2.8 pounds, which, while once considered light for Macs, is a bit heavier than some of the other options out there. That said, if you use a Mac already, transitioning to the Air will be a relatively seamless experience and that extra pound will likely only come into play if you have to carry the laptop around for long periods of time.

Pros: This full-powered computer with a great keyboard is easy for Mac users to transition to.

Cons: While great for web-based work, the computer gets overloaded if you need to have multiple software programs or a large volume of browser tabs open at once.

Buy now: $1,000, amazon.com

Best for work and entertainment: Lenovo Yoga C940

Lenovo’s Yoga C940 is our favorite for both work and play, thanks to its 4K display and powerful Intel Core i9 that can handle heavy photo and video editing software, on top of basics like word processing.

The keyboard side easily folds back to put the device in tablet mode, perfect for watching a movie on your tray table, and the C940 is available with storage up to 2TB, so you can queue up viewing materials for your entire trip without running out of space. The Yoga’s Dolby Atmos speaker system also makes it a solid choice for watching movies; however, the laptop weighs in at 4.41 pounds, which is almost double the weight of other options on our list.

Pros: The device's pen fits into its side, making it easy to carry around without losing it.

Cons: Travelers having to carry their gear for extended periods of time will notice the laptop’s 4.41-pound weight.

Shannon McMahon

CNT Editors

Hannah Towey

Buy now: From $1,050, lenovo.com

Best combination laptop and tablet: LG Gram 2-in-1

LG’s 2-in-1 does double duty as both a laptop and a tablet. The 2.3-pound device folds easily in half, turning the keyboard into a stand for when you want to binge watch or video chat. It's battery life was also among the best we’ve seen, with the computer able to last up to 21 hours on a single charge.

Like some of the other Windows options we tested, the Gram 2-in-1 offers smart pen support. The laptop ships with a AAA-powered LG Stylus Pen that you can use to take handwritten notes on the screen, or mark up drawings and documents. Fingerprint recognition makes signing in as easy as touching the computer’s power button, and the laptop comes with two USB slots, in addition to the USB-C port used for power, so you can connect a few devices to it without using dongles.

Pros: The ability to fold it in half, and multiple USB ports, make this ultraportable device especially convenient.

Cons: The included pen doesn’t have a way to attach to the laptop, so you have to carry it separately. (We recommend a tech organizer like Bellroy's so you don't lose it.)

Buy now: $1,599, amazon.com

Best thin laptop: Samsung Galaxy Book S

Samsung’s Galaxy Book S is both thin and lightweight, at just .46 inches thick and 2.12 heavy, making it a great choice for travelers whose carry-on space is at a premium.

The laptop has a built-in SIM card slot, so you can also use it to connect to mobile networks through your phone plan. With the fingerprint sensor built into the power button, signing in is a breeze (and you can feel good about the added security). Since the device is so thin, it doesn’t offer any full-sized USB ports, just two USB-C ports, which means you’ll need to pack a dongle to attach any additional devices like keyboards or cameras.

The laptop isn’t as high-powered as some of the other options, so it's not the best choice for running a lot of programs at once—but those who mainly work with documents and spreadsheets on the go will have all the power they need.

Pros: The built-in SIM slot allowing access mobile networks on-the-go, and the laptop’s thin design, make it easy to use on the move.

Cons: No built-in traditional USB ports means that using the laptop with other devices is challenging, and while great for things like web browsing and word processing, the laptop lags when trying to handle more complex tasks.

Buy now: From $1,000, samsung.com

Best lightweight laptop: Microsoft Surface Pro X

Technically, this is actually a tablet that works like a laptop—but if you’re looking for something ultra-light, you’re not going to find anything as compact as Microsoft’s 1.7-pound Surface Pro X.

The tablet is 7.33mm thick (just over a quarter of an inch), making it thinner than many cell phones, even with the removable keyboard attached. (Bonus: There's a stylus tucked inside the keyboard.)

The device’s battery lasts up to 13 hours, ensuring you’ll have enough juice to make it through the day. If that battery does wane on long journeys, you can get it back to 80 percent in just an hour thanks to a quick charging feature. LTE support also allows you to stay connected even when WiFi isn’t available, helpful for road trips where you need to stay connected from the passenger seat. One downside: While it’s able to handle things like word processing, email, and spreadsheets with ease, it is a tablet after all. If you need to run more complex software, like for video editing, you might need to opt for a more high-powered machine.

Pros: Fast charging means you’ll always have power when you need it, and the ultra thin profile makes it easy to carry around. (Plus, we love a stylus that stores inside the keyboard like this one.)

Cons: The Surface Pro X tablet can’t run many applications you might use on your regular computer.

Buy now: From $1,000, microsoft.com

Best for those who need big displays: Microsoft Surface Laptop 3

While most people think of the tablet version when they hear “Surface,” Microsoft also makes a pretty solid laptop by the same name. The touchscreen laptop comes in both 13.5” and 15” varieties, the larger being the best for those who need a little extra screen to work with. The laptop’s battery can last up to 11.5 hours on a single charge, and, like the Surface Pro X, it can charge to roughly 80 percent after just an hour of being plugged in, so you could potentially get enough juice to make it through your long-haul flight just by charging up at the gate.

The Smart Pen support allows you to precisely draw on the screen or mark up documents. However, that extra screen space is reflected in the device’s weight: The 13.5” version of the laptop weighs in at 2.84 pounds, while the larger 15” is 3.40 pounds. (Both, it's worth noting, weigh less than the Lenovo Yoga, the heaviest on our list.)

Pros: The 15” version is a powerful machine with a ton of screen in a small package; and while that brilliant screen drains the battery, fast charging ensures you’ll have power when you need it.

Cons: The larger version can be heavy to carry around for longer periods of time, and the laptop is overall bulkier than other options on our list.

Packing List

By signing up you agree to our User Agreement (including the class action waiver and arbitration provisions ), our Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement and to receive marketing and account-related emails from Traveller. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

The best portable laptops for travel

Wherever you may roam

When you're looking for a laptop to use on the move, there are three main points to consider: size, weight and battery life.

The best laptops for travelling are compact, but designed with extra narrow bezels to allow for a larger screen. They're also super slim, and will slip into a big or briefcase as easily as a magazine, and crafted from aluminium to keep things as light as possible. They also last hours on a single charge, so you can keep working all day without stopping to plug in.

Thankfully, there's a great selection of laptops that hit all these criteria, including convenient 2-in-1 devices, powerful ultrabooks, and affordable Chromebooks. Whatever your needs, and wherever you're going, we've found your perfect travelling companion.

1. Microsoft Surface Book 2 13.5-inch

Specifications, reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

Microsoft has chosen to market its Surface range as much as fashion accessories as computers, and this iteration of the Surface Book delivers on both counts.

This convertible device can be switched between tablet and laptop modes via the removable keyboard, and Windows 10 adapts accordingly to suit each configuration. It's light and slender either way, and makes no compromises on performance.

The Surface Book 2 13.5-inch is available in a variety of configurations, but even the base model is equipped with a powerful 7th-gen Intel Core i5 processor, discrete graphics and 8GB RAM.

This is undoubtedly a luxury device and is priced accordingly, but it'll serve you well for years to come - wherever your travels take you.

Read the full review

2. Lenovo Yoga 920

The Lenovo Yoga 920 is another superb convertible laptop, but with a slightly more wallet-friendly price tag and a few thoughtful touches like a stylus included as standard and none of the unnecessary extra software that often comes pre-installed on PCs.

Lenovo's 360-degree hinge is a design often copied but never bettered, letting you switch between laptop, tablet and tent modes in a flash wherever you are. The hinge adds surprisingly little bulk to this slender laptop, and is reassuringly sturdy.

The Yoga 920 delivers exceptional performance thanks to its Core i7 processor, and will happily do so for a whole day before it needs recharging. 

3. Apple Macbook Pro with Touch Bar 13-inch

It's 10 years since the Macbook made its debut, and this model is Apple 's most impressive yet. Despite being packed with top-end components, it weighs only 1.37kg and measures just 14.9mm at its thickest point.

Its performance is as impressive as you'd expect from any Apple device, and its build quality is exceptional. The keyboard has received a welcome upgrade for 2018, the screen is simply stunning, and the touchbar (essentially a thin touchscreen for program-specific icons) is a great way to speed up everyday work tasks.

That power and convenience comes at a price, and depending on your chosen configuration, the Macbook Pro with Touch Bar could be a serious investment. If it's going to be your main computer, though, that's not unreasonable.

4. Acer Chromebook 14

How can a laptop this stylish cost so little? The answer is the operating system . Rather than Windows or macOS, this lean machine runs Google 's ChromeOS, which can run smoothly on less powerful hardware.

That means you can't use the Acer Chromebook 14 to run software designed for Windows and Mac devices, but you can take your pick from thousands of apps available in the Google Chrome and Google Play Stores - including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, plus Google Docs, Sheets and Slides.

It won't be running the latest games any time soon, and its graphics performance isn't the best, but for getting work done on the daily commute, the Acer Chromebook 14 is ideal.

5. Lenovo Ideapad 720S

This lovely looking ultrabook from Lenovo is thin enough to slip neatly into any bag. Its high-end components mean it's a little heavier than some other devices with similar dimensions, but at 1.55kg it's barely a burden.

The Ideapad 720S offers very impressive performance for its price tag - particularly in the graphics department thanks to its discrete GPU. Like all the best laptops for working on the move, it also packs an awful lot of screen into its lean chassis thanks to ultra-thin bezels.

The only drawback is battery life, which is a little less impressive than some of the other laptops in this roundup (partly due to that graphics card). You'll still get hours of use out of single charge, but if you're likely to be without access to a power outlet until the evening, one of the other machines might be a better choice.

• Check out our list of the best laptops of 2018

Pay for your new laptop AND get points for your next trip with one of the best credit cards for travel (US only)

Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox

Get the hottest deals available in your inbox plus news, reviews, opinion, analysis and more from the TechRadar team.

Cat is the editor of TechRadar's sister site Advnture. She’s a UK Athletics qualified run leader, and in her spare time enjoys nothing more than lacing up her shoes and hitting the roads and trails (the muddier, the better)

Dell launches limited-time flash sale - shop these 4 best laptop deals while you can

Forget Apple’s M4 MacBooks – Lenovo’s Snapdragon X Elite laptops have been spotted and could be the most exciting launch of 2024

Instant Vortex 9-quart Air Fryer with VersaZone technology review: competent, but not flawless

Most Popular

• 2 'The party is over for developers looking for AI freebies' — Google terminates Gemini API free access within months amidst rumors that it could charge for AI search queries
• 3 Sony dropped OLED for its flagship 2024 TV – here's why
• 4 Looking for a cheap OLED display? LG's highly-rated C2 OLED TV is on sale for $839
• 5 Amazon Prime Video's disappearing act could point to a future without the service
• 2 Boston Dynamics reveals its most astonishing humanoid robot so far – and I can’t stop watching it
• 4 Amazon Prime Video's disappearing act could point to a future without the service
• 5 Rebel Moon Part 2 isn't the epic sci-fi sequel we hoped for – here are 3 better sagas to stream

The Best Laptops for Travel

Need to work or access the internet while you're away? Wherever you are in the world, these laptops should provide everything you need.

Travelers have specific requirements when buying laptops, especially if they are on the go for extended periods. You could be a backpacker on a three-month trip, a digital nomad who doesn’t know what going home is, or a two-week vacationer relaxing by the pool. Whatever type of traveler you are, you will need something slim and lightweight so you can easily transport it. Battery life, RAM, and storage will also be crucial for some, especially traveling professionals.

Here are the best laptops for travel available today.

MacBook Air M2 13-inch

Microsoft surface go 3, hp spectre x360 16-inch 2-in-1, macbook pro m2, microsoft surface pro 9, dell xps 13 9310, lenovo yoga 9i 2-in-1, asus zenbook 14x laptop, our top travel laptop picks for 2023.

Convenience and Power for All Travelers

The MacBook Air with M2 chip is a powerful beast with excellent features for travelers. It has a stunning display and a substantial battery life to back it up. It also boasts a superior webcam to some other MacBooks and is highly portable thanks to its slight weight and thin design.  

• MagSafe charger
• 1080p webcam
• Gorgeous and bright display
• Slim and lightweight
• Excellent battery life
• No ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate

MacBooks offer travelers performance and portability, and the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with M2 chips are both excellent yet similar choices. However, there are subtle differences between the two that might help you decide.

Both laptops offer up to 24GB of unified memory, up to 2TB of SSD storage, an 8-core CPU, and a 16-core neural engine. They also offer a 10-core GPU, but with the MacBook Air M2, you can settle for an 8-core GPU at a lower price.

Display-wise, the MacBook Air M2 has a slightly larger 13.6-inch screen, but the laptop weighs a little less than the Pro M2 and is even slimmer. The MacBook Air also has a Liquid Retina display, which is slightly better than the Pro’s Retina display, offering a wider color gamut and better reflection handling. Peak brightness is identical at 500 nits, so watching movies after a hard day's sightseeing is delightful. However, it doesn’t feature Apple’s ProMotion technology for a 120Hz refresh rate.

The MacBook Air M2 has a better 1080p webcam, a plus for travelers and nomads attending online meetings, taking classes, or calling home. Another positive is the reintroduction of the popular MagSafe charger, which effectively frees up one of the Thunderbolt 4 ports that the Pro must use when charging. However, the battery life on the MacBook Air M2 is a bit worse, although still outstanding at 18 hours.

A Budget-Friendly Option for Poolside Emailing

If you don't need high-end power and are looking for something more affordable, the Microsoft Surface Go 3 is an excellent pocket-friendly choice. It's ideal for travelers thanks to its ultra-portable size and build. While you need to purchase a separate keyboard to turn it into a complete laptop, you do get a decent battery life and a display worthy of your attention to enjoy videos.

• Touchscreen
• Fanless design
• Compact and lightweight
• Bright, vibrant display
• Battery drains quickly when watching videos
• Doesn't perform well with demanding workloads

For vacationers that don’t use CPU-intensive apps or play graphic-intensive games, there are more budget-friendly options for you to consider. One of those is the Microsoft Surface Go 3. It’s lightweight, small, and slips into any luggage with ease, handy for any excursions or day trips you make.

However, you should note that this is the tablet only. To turn it into a complete laptop, you will need to purchase a separate compatible Surface Go keyboard . You can also buy other accessories, such as the Surface Pen and Mobile Mouse .

With 8GB of RAM, you can stream movies, browse the internet, send messages, and do other daily tasks with ease. Catching up on documents while sipping pina coladas by the pool is also a breeze. But it’s the webcam and battery life that are especially pleasing. Making calls home or even taking online classes look great. And, with its 11-hour battery life, digital nomads can spend a full day teaching or taking meetings without worry.

On the downside, traveling business professionals may find the screen too small for multitasking. But it is bright, vibrant, detailed, and good enough to watch movies and shows while on the go. The battery does drain more quickly when playing video, lasting for around four hours, so you'll want to keep the charger handy.

A Large 2-in-1 Perfect for Nomads and Backpackers

Digital nomads will love the HP Spectre x360 thanks to its 2-in-1 design, durable build, and excellent webcam with features to make you look your best in Zoom meetings and video conferences. The display is also stunning, making it a good choice for watching your shows and editing your travel snaps and videos. It also has a comfortable stylus pen included for use on the 10-point multitouch screen.  

• Excellent webcam features
• Good audio system
• 10-11 hour battery life with regular usage
• HDMI 2.1, 1x USB-A, and 2x T4 ports
• Fast charging
• On the heavy side at 4.4lbs

The HP Spectre x360 is a 16-inch 2-in-1 laptop that checks most boxes for digital nomads and other long-term travelers. While it may be on the heavier side at 4.4lbs, tough Corning Gorilla Glass protects the 3K IPS multitouch display. This glass also features an excellent anti-reflective coating that preserves the stunning display in bright conditions.

Watching and editing content is a joy, and the 360-degree hinge allows you to find the optimum comfort for the various tasks you might perform as a digital nomad. You can place the device in tent mode to enjoy the stunning display when watching movies or get involved in editing, note-taking, and sketching in tablet mode with the included HP Tilt Pen.

It is powered by a 12th Gen Intel i7-12700H processor, 16GB of RAM, and 2TB SSD storage. It’s powerful enough for most nomads but may not perform as well for those needing to use CPU-intensive apps simultaneously. Additionally, while it is a good choice for most casual gaming, it is not not the best choice for serious gamers.

The 5MP webcam is excellent, and anyone attending video conferences and Zoom meetings will be delighted with the experience. It has features like auto-ISO sensitivity, white balance and brightness sliders, autofocus, a GlamCam panel for lighting correction, and Beauty Mode that will help you look your most dapper on those important work calls.

Mighty Battery Performance

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 chip is a powerful machine for travelers. It’s slim, lightweight, and has a beautiful display, perfect for editing snaps and videos. It also has an incredible battery performance that ensures you can take the laptop anywhere you like to catch up on work while traveling.

• Bright and detailed display
• Fast and reliable performance
• Slimline and lightweight
• Premium battery performance
• Lacks ports
• Average webcam

In terms of portability and performance, it doesn’t get much better than the MacBook Pro fitted with Apple’s M2 chip. The 13.3-inch display is perfect for travel. And, with it being just a little over half an inch thick, it can slot into your carry-on luggage or backpack quite easily while being barely noticeable at only 3lbs.

The M2 chip has an 8‑core CPU, a 10‑core GPU, and a 16‑core Neural Engine, and you can choose from 8,16, or 24GB of unified memory and up to 2TB of SSD storage. The gorgeous Retina display offers up to 500 nits of peak brightness, so viewing any content is a joy. It’s also one of the best laptops for editing video . The few that are better are heavier, bulkier, and for more expensive machines, including the MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips.

The biggest selling point for travelers is the incredible battery life of up to 20 hours. Digital nomads can work at the beach, and you won’t need to be on the lookout for wall outlets at the cafe.

Unfortunately, the FaceTime camera remains at 720p, which is a strange choice considering the MacBook Air M2 has an upgraded 1080p webcam. It may be a deciding factor if you are an on-the-go educator or just want to look your sharpest during calls back home. Another drawback is that it only has two Thunderbolt 4 ports. Considering you will need one when charging, this may not be enough, and you might want to consider a lightweight docking station.

An Excellent Choice for Professional Video On the Go

The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is a reliable portable laptop that can be used as a proper tablet when not attached to the removable keyboard. You can also buy a stylus to make the most of the touchscreen. The display is stunning and fun for entertainment purposes. The battery life gets you through an entire day, and it’s lightweight and easily transportable. The excellent webcam is a bonus and helps you look your best during video calls and meetings.

• Robust and lightweight design
• Excellent webcam
• 5G connectivity
• Dual far-field microphones
• 19-hour battery life
• No headphone jack
• Keyboard and stylus sold separately

The Surface Pro 9 sports the excellent Microsoft SQ3 chip. This chip offers outstanding energy efficiency and battery life and is an ideal choice for travelers. It may not be powerful enough for traveling creatives running highly-demanding apps but is a great choice for everyone else. This model has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, but there are plenty of other options if you need more power and space.

If video conferencing is essential to your day-to-day, this laptop won’t fail you. It has features that make Zoom meetings, online classes, and webinars look sharp and professional. The gaze correction feature will make your eyes appear to be looking at the camera at all times. Background noise elimination and central framing are other valuable features. On top of looking great, you will also sound great with the dual far-field microphones.

The screen is bright enough for watching movies while indoors. But, at 450 nits peak brightness, viewing by the pool on a sunny day might be tricky in direct sunlight. However, it has a 2K, edge-to-edge, 120Hz display with a 100 percent sRGB color gamut and good contrast.

A Powerful Choice With a Stunning OLED Display

The Dell XPS 13 9310 is a powerful laptop that travelers can enjoy. With its slim, durable construction, and light weight, you can easily slip it into a bag and transport it. However, the powerful processor and stunning display are what make this laptop such a good value. Creatives will enjoy editing their photos and videos, while the OLED display offers superb contrast and color for media watching after long, hot days at the beach or sightseeing.

• Robust and portable
• Stunning OLED display
• Powerful performance
• Good for gaming
• 720p webcam
• OLED display drains the battery quicker

The Dell XPS 13 9310 is small, lightweight, ultra-portable, and very powerful. It features an 11th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD that can handle most tasks you throw at it with little trouble. Running multiple programs together is also a breeze, and the XPS 13 can take on casual gaming and even some demanding titles.

With its 13.4-inch, 3.5K OLED screen, it’s an excellent choice for traveling creatives and is perfect for editing those vacation snaps and videos. The stunning display is also large enough for enjoying movies and shows after a long day. And while the 400-nit peak brightness isn’t as high as some of its rivals, it has an excellent anti-reflective coating that enhances the display in bright conditions. In dimmer environments, the deep blacks and rich colors of the OLED technology ensure any media content looks simply stunning.

It’s also very portable at just over a half-inch thick and weighing just under 2.8lbs. And, while it doesn’t match some of its competition, the battery life is also decent, and a full charge should see you get a whole day away from any wall outlet. Additionally, the touchscreen is a bonus and a good option for scribbling down notes if you are keeping a journal or planning your day.

A 4K OLED Display With Good Audio for Immersive Entertainment

The Lenovo Yoga 9i is the ideal 2-in-1 laptop for taking in media content when you’re on your travels. Long bus journeys or days when you have to wait out poor weather are all the easier on a 4K OLED display with a surprisingly good audio system. It also boasts a powerful processor with ample RAM and storage, making it a good choice for digital nomads.  

• 2-in-1 design
• Stylus included
• Stunning display with great speakers
• Average battery life

The Lenovo Yoga 9i is another slim and lightweight choice for travelers. And, thanks to the 360-degree hinge, you can fold this device seamlessly into tent, tablet, or laptop modes, making it another ideal 2-in-1 option that any intrepid adventurer would love to have. The keyboard is also comfortable with snappy keys, and the included stylus pen is a bonus.

On the Yoga 9i, watching videos and TV shows is an excellent experience because of the 4K resolution on a stunning 14-inch OLED display. Images are natural and vibrant, and the contrast is excellent. This superb display is rounded off with 400 nits of peak brightness.

A Bowers and Wilkins speaker system with a Dolby Atmos soundbar rotates and directs the audio straight to your waiting ears. Additionally, the rare presence of subwoofers means thumping low frequencies in bass-heavy songs and shows.

On top of being an excellent choice for watching media content, it’s also a top performer when it comes to multitasking and handling demanding applications. The Core i7-1360P is a powerful processor, and it also boasts 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. One downfall, however, is the battery life. You’ll get around 10 hours with regular usage, but with anything more intensive, you might need to find a wall outlet.

Enhanced Productivity While On the Go

The ASUS Zenbook 14X is another lightweight option perfect for travelers. With its stunning 2.8K OLED display, media content looks fantastic. Its powerful specs and handy ScreenPad make it a good choice for multitasking, too. Having a primary display and a secondary display to assign less critical applications to is extremely useful for travelers and nomads looking to enhance their productivity on the go.

• 1080p ScreenPad
• Beautiful display with thin bezels
• Good number of ports
• Multitasking is easy
• Middling webcam

If you are searching for a travel laptop with a gorgeous display, you might want to check out the ASUS Zenbook 14X. This laptop has a stunning 14-inch, 2.8K OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate pumping out a peak brightness of 550 nits. On top of that, it has an extensive color gamut. With a DCI-P3 and an sRGB of 100 percent, and an RGB of 99 percent, you can be sure that colors are vivid while blacks are deep and dark. It’s an excellent laptop for watching movies and editing travel photos and videos.

This is a powerful and lightweight laptop that you can transport with ease. It boasts an Intel Core i7-1260P CPU, NVIDIA GeForce MX550 graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD storage. Streaming, surfing, and creating content is seamless, and gamers will also get a decent experience. It doubles as an excellent entertainment source in your downtime or when flying. However, It has below-par battery life, so you might need to be near a power source.

One unique feature this laptop has is its ScreenPad. It’s larger than most trackpads, but it's also a secondary screen. Some may see this as a gimmick, but others may find genuine uses for it. Anyone multitasking will find it particularly helpful. These tasks can include working on the main display while you chat with colleagues or enter data on the ScreenPad.

Another thing to consider, especially for digital nomads, is the average 720p webcam. It works well enough in a brightly lit room. But travelers joining online meetings may want to find something sharper.

Considerations Before Buying a Laptop for Travel

The first thing you should consider is the type of traveler you are. Long-term backpackers and digital nomads will have different requirements than short-term vacationers. For example, they will likely need a good amount of storage for all their photos and videos, and they'll probably seek a model on which to smoothly edit them, too.

Nomads will also need features specific to their profession. Online educators and business professionals need a good webcam. In fact, they might even look for extra video features for web conferencing and Zoom meetings. The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is a good choice for this. However, the HP Spectre also has excellent video features as well as ticking many other boxes that digital nomads require, such as good performance, fantastic battery life, touchscreen capabilities, and a beautiful display.

On the other end, short-term vacationers may be looking for a decent, affordable machine for watching media content, emailing, and browsing. The Microsoft Surface Go 3 is an excellent shout, though you’ll need to buy a separate keyboard to make it a complete 2-in-1.

MacBooks generally cover all the needs of the traveler. They are lightweight and slim, easily transportable, have powerful performance, and their displays are excellent. They usually have decent audio, too, which saves you from carrying around a portable speaker. The MacBook Air M2 13-inch is a tremendous overall pick for travelers, and the MacBook Pro M2 is a good option, too, albeit at a higher price.

Apple M2 Convenience and Power for All Travelers

Hand-Picked Top-Read Stories

Male Remote Workers Are Less Likely To Get Promoted

Madrid Ranks As The No. 1 Best City For Remote Workers

18 Best Remote Jobs for Introverts in 2024

Trending tags.

• Work From Home
• Virtual Teams
• travel guides
• Remote working Tools
• remote working news
• Remote Working
• Remote Workers
• Remote work with pets
• Remote Work Tips
• Best Hardware for Digital Nomads

13 Best Travel Laptops for Digital Nomads

1. MacBook Air

Pros and Cons

2. dell xps 13.

3. Microsoft Surface Go

4. Lenovo Ideapad Flex 5 14

5. Acer Spin 3

6. HP Envy X360 13

7. Acer TravelMate P6 (2022)

8. Lenovo Yoga 6

9. Asus ZenBook

10. HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook

11. Dell Latitude 7370

12. Asus Chromebook Flip C302

13. HP Pavilion x360 Convertible Touchscreen Laptop

Travel Laptop: FAQs

Invest in the right remote work equipment .

Sign up for the ThinkRemote newsletter and stay up to date with the latest news and tips on remote work and WFH productivity.

Additionally, you’ll get a copy of our chairman’s best-selling remote leadership book for free (a $19.99 value).

Join us (We Have Cookies)

You're interested in news & tips about remote work? What luck! That's what we do! Better join our newsletter so we can hang out.

Privacy Overview

Best Laptops for Travel in 2022

When it comes to travel, one of the key factors to consider is size.

• Best overall
• Best 2-in-1

The Dell XPS 13 made an immediate impact upon its debut in 2015. The eye-catching, almost bezel-free design of its InfinityEdge display makes it stand out from the crowd and fit a 13-inch laptop into the form of an 11-incher.It's incredibly well made, formed of aluminum and carbon fiber, and sports a full-sized keyboard and powerful internals — including 8th generation Core i7 processors, PCIe SSD storage and 16GB of RAM, plus USB-C Thunderbolt 3 connectivity. Depending on specs, you can expect between seven and 10 hours of battery life, so fairly good for those jaunts away from the wall. The XPS 13 is not only perfect for taking on the road, it's perfectly well-equipped to be your only machine. Starting at $999.99 . Bottom line: It packs the power of a bigger laptop in a smaller body — and is the perfect travel companion. One more thing: If you prefer a convertible, Dell also now has a 2-in-1 version of the XPS 13.

Why the Dell XPS 13 is the best

Why you can trust Windows Central Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test .

Lugging a massive laptop through airports isn't a fun experience, and that's where the Dell XPS 13 really comes into its own. With the striking InfinityEdge display, Dell managed to squeeze a 13-inch laptop into the form factor of something closer to the 11-inch MacBook Air. And that's an incredible achievement.

It's a high-end Ultrabook in a teeny tiny chassis.

And this isn't just a laptop. It's a high-end Ultrabook boasting 8th generation Intel processors, a 4K touchscreen, massive internal storage and plenty of ports. This is a top-of-the-line Ultrabook in a teeny, tiny chassis.

It's also incredibly well made. With aluminum on the outside and carbon fiber when you open the display, the XPS 13 will stand the test of time and many, many trips in and out of overhead bins. It's probably the best way to travel light with a Windows 10 PC.

The HP Spectre x360 has a fantastic build quality and a crazily thin body. The 13.3-inch, 1080p touch display works well while in tablet, stand or tent modes, and the keyboard and touchpad are a joy to use while in notebook mode.Inside you get an 8th generation Intel Core i7-8550U processor, up to 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB NVMe solid-state drive (SSD). There's now also in the latest refresh an option for NVIDIA MX150 dedicated graphics, proving this laptop is perfect for all scenarios and starts at just over $1,200. Bottom line: This is a laptop that does it all One more thing: HP also has a larger, 15-inch version of the Spectre for fans of bigger screens.

Now in its sixth generation, the X1 Carbon starting at around $1,140 is a superb laptop for frequent travellers thanks to its optional LTE capabilities.Inside the latest model is up to an 8th generation Intel Core i7-8650U vPro CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB PCIe SSD. Also important for travel is that it weighs handily under 3lbs, and it's very slim and sleek, too.The X1 Carbon also has a 14-inch display available in 1080p touch, 1440p non-touch, and 1440p non-touch HDR, has two USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports, two USB-A 3.1, HDMI, and an SD card reader as well as support for Windows Hello There's an IR camera for quick logins. And of course, Lenovo's signature pointer. Bottom line: It delivers true mobile productivity thanks to 4G LTE support. One more thing: Read our in-depth review of the fifth-gen X1 Carbon for more.

The Surface Book 2 starts at $1,199 and is the ultimate 2-in-1 because you can use it as a tablet either connected to the keyboard dock or completely detached from it. What's extra nice is that by docking the tablet to the keyboard you actually get more battery life, because that part is stuffed with a big ol' battery.In true Surface style, it's also ridiculously portable and very well equipped. With options including Core i7 processors, 512GB SSD storage and up to GTX 1060 graphics from NVIDIA, the Surface Book 2 packs an awful lot into its sleek frame. It's also available in 13- and 15-inch sizes. Bottom line: Easily the best 2-in-1 PC you can get right now. One more thing: Available in either a 13- or 15-inch size.

Updated May 21, 2018: We updated our roundup for 2018.

Get the Windows Central Newsletter

All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.

Richard Devine is a Managing Editor at Windows Central with over a decade of experience. A former Project Manager and long-term tech addict, he joined Mobile Nations in 2011 and has been found on Android Central and iMore as well as Windows Central. Currently, you'll find him steering the site's coverage of all manner of PC hardware and reviews. Find him on Mastodon at mstdn.social/@richdevine

• 2 Surface Laptop 6 with Snapdragon X Elite SoC confirmed via benchmark leak — rivals MacBook Pro with M3 and M3 Pro
• 3 A huge game-of-the-year contender just went up for pre-order — will you be nuts enough to buy it?
• 4 PSA: Fallout 4 next-gen update is now available on Xbox, PlayStation and Windows PC
• 5 Rocksteady's 'Suicide Squad' game sinks to an all-time low player base, which doesn't bode well for the game's future

Home » Laptop » Laptop Buyer's Guide » Best travel laptop in January 2024: 5 portable picks

Best travel laptop in January 2024: 5 portable picks

We discuss the contenders for the best laptop for travel - covering different operating systems, budgets, and screen sizes

Share this article...

WePC is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices subject to change. Learn more

If you’re looking for the best travel laptop currently available, we’ve got the best picks on the market here for your consideration. We’ll be covering a range of options including Windows laptops, MacBooks, 2-in-1 convertible devices, a laptop you can game on, and a budget-friendly option.

We regularly keep our buying guides updated with the latest products, should we deem them worthy of inclusion, so you can rest assured that these are the best options available at any given time . If you’re pressed for time, we suggest either the MacBook Air 2022 13.6″ if you’re open to using the Mac operating system, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 if you’re after a Windows laptop, and the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 if you fancy a 2-in-1, tablet-like device.

MacBook Air 2022 (13.6″, M2)

Shop on Amazon

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 (14″)

Microsoft surface pro 8, which is the best-sized laptop for travel.

The best size laptop for traveling is subjective to a point, depending on your personal needs and preferences, however, we can say in terms of screen size it’s somewhere in the 12 – 14 inch range. 15.6 inches is the standard laptop screen size and you can travel with these depending on the size of your bag and your own personal willingness/ability to carry larger devices, however, you will find it difficult to use a 15-inch machine on a fold-down tray table on a plane/coach/train for instance, whereas a 14-inch or smaller device should probably work fine for this. All of the laptops in our guide will therefore be within this size range, though by the time you get to 12 inches you’re really dealing with a small display that’s usually too small for most people’s needs.

Today’s best laptop deals

• Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Business Laptop – Save 22% NOW!
• ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 (2021) Gaming Laptop – Save 33% NOW!
• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (14″) (i5-1260P) – SAVE 18% NOW!
• Apple 2023 MacBook Air Laptop with M2 chip – Save 19% now!
• Alienware X17 R2 (360Hz FHD, RTX 3070 Ti) – Save 17% now!
• ASUS ROG X13 Touchscreen Gaming Laptop – $768 off
• MSI Pulse GL66 15.6″ FHD 144Hz Gaming Laptop – Save 24%
• MSI Stealth GS77 17.3″ UHD 4K 120Hz Ultra Thin & Light Gaming Laptop – Save 24%
• Acer Nitro 5 15.6″ Gaming Laptop – Save $330 NOW!
• GIGABYTE AORUS 17 YE5 – Save 20% NOW!
• Apple 2020 MacBook Air (13″, M1) – Save 25% NOW!
• Apple MacBook Air 13.3″ (2020) (M1 chip) – Save $249 now!

Best travel laptop 2024

Best all-round laptop for travel.

CPU & graphics

Max Refresh Rate

2560 x 1664

Screen Size

• fairly powerful M2 chipset
• bright and colorful screen
• excellent battery life
• superb build quality
• solid speakers
• solid webcam
• looks great
• light and portable
• most options limited to 8GB of RAM
• higher-specced RAM & SSD options can get pricey
• webcam notch on top of screen can be irritating

If you don’t mind using macOS – the Apple operating system – rather than Windows, then the 13.3-inch Apple MacBook Air is the best all-round travel laptop on the market. It offers a combination of portability, durability, a great keyboard and trackpad, a nice strong battery life, and a quality webcam.

You can pick up the 15″ MacBook Air with very similar specs for a slightly higher price if your bag has the space for this size, as it remains a very thin and lightweight machine, but for most of those looking for a travel laptop, the 13–inch model offers much better portability.

The M2 chipset the latest MacBook Air comes with delivers impressive performance for such a slim device and can handle non-demanding video editing workflows and light gaming. Despite its power, the chipset is highly energy-efficient, providing the MacBook Air with a fantastic battery life of approximately 11-13 hours for general usage and web browsing. The Liquid Retina IPS display features a high resolution and contrast, with a peak brightness of 500 nits, making it a bright screen suitable for outdoor use.

As is typical with Apple products, these laptops come at a premium. Nevertheless, the MacBook Air is considered one of the more reasonably priced models in Apple’s line-up. If you’re comfortable with 8GB of RAM and the base 256GB SSD size (which you can supplement with an external hard drive), you can get the base model at a fairly competitive price. Keep in mind though that additional RAM and SSD storage upgrades can be costly, and these components cannot be upgraded after purchase, which is annoying because 16GB memory and a 512GB SSD would be our ideal.

The most robust, secure travel laptop with an excellent keyboard

Intel Core i5-1135G7 / i7-1165G7 / i7-1185G7

Intel Iris Xe (iGPU)

up to 16GB LPDDR4x (4266MHz)

up to 1TB SSD

1920 x 1200 / 3840 x 2400

• arguably the best laptop keyboard for typing
• matte screen minimises reflective glare
• very tough build quality
• additional security features
• somewhat pricey
• utilitarian aesthetic

The Lenovo ThinkPad series is generally recognized as the leading brand of business laptops; known for producing rugged, secure devices with excellent keyboards that offer arguably the best typing experience, matte displays that reduce glare, and superior file security. The premium option of the range is the ThinkPad X1 Carbon series. The latest iteration, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 , has the most powerful CPU options, specifically Intel’s 13th-gen laptop CPUs, and the latest DDR5 RAM . The generation before, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 featured Intel’s 12th-gen laptop CPUs and also DDR5 RAM. However, our preferred choice remains the Gen 9 due to its cost-effectiveness and superior battery duration. The Gen 9 offers a remarkable 13-15 hours of battery life whereas the Gen 10 model, gives around 8-10 hours, which is still decent.

The keyboard is an unusual design, combining aspects of a low-travel chiclet keyboard, like those on a MacBook, with a tactile mechanical keyboard, making it a very satisfying typing experience. What’s more, the keys are ergonomically shaped with perfect size and spacing to minimize typing errors. The trackpad is also of high quality. The entire laptop is built to military standards, featuring a MIL-STD 810G certified chassis, making it robust enough to endure drops, shocks, and extreme temperature variations, perfect for traveling with.

Other features include an InfraRed webcam with Windows Hello, Kensington lock, fingerprint sensor, and TPM 2.0 data encryption for your files and ThinkShield software – ideal for business users dealing with sensitive documents. You get a decent array of ports and sockets, including an HDMI port and an optional Nano SIM slot, plus an RJ-45 Ethernet port in some models.

This isn’t a nice-looking laptop, unless you’ve got a thing for retro utilitarian business computers. Additionally, the asking price can still be a bit steep, although you do get quality for your money. You could also however, also consider the cheaper ThinkPad E14 G3 , another 14-inch option that sacrifices some features such as speaker and webcam quality but retains the advantages of a matte screen, rugged design, security features, and an excellent keyboard.

Best 2-in-1 laptop for travel

Intel Core i5-1135G7 / i7-1185G7

13-inch, 2280 x 1920 pixels, 120Hz

128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB SSD

Touchscreen?

2x USB-C with Thunderbolt 4, Surface connect port, Headphone jack

• 2-in-1 functionality
• Sharp 120Hz screen with great sRGB color replication
• Solid speakers
• Good build quality
• Now available for a reasonable price
• No USB-A ports
• Optional keyboard & stylus/pen can get pricey

The Microsoft Surface Pro series is a leading line of ‘convertible laptops’ or ‘2-in-1 laptops’ that are popular with business people – essentially devices that combine the functionality of both a laptop and a tablet. Unlike most 2-in-1 laptop designs where the bottom section hinges back around to create a tablet form factor, the Surface Pro more closely resembles a tablet with a detachable keyboard that clips magnetically to the bottom and also has an in-built kickstand for propping up the screen. Compared to the majority of ‘full’ tablets that are Android-based, the Surface series uses the Windows operating system, giving users a laptop-like experience while offering touchscreen functionality, stylus/pen support, and tablet-like portability.

The model we’ve selected is the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 , which isn’t the latest model in the Surface Pro lineup (that would be the Surface Pro 9 ) but it is the one that makes the most sense for most consumers. The design between these two generations is very similar, with the only big difference being the choice of CPU. The Surface Pro 9 is equipped with options for either Intel 12th-gen CPUs or Microsoft SQ3 processors. In contrast, the Surface Pro 8 features Intel 11th-gen CPUs, but offers better value for users who don’t necessarily require a powerful CPU for their daily work; the available RAM is often more critical for web browsing and general productivity.

Both models come with two USB-C ports and a headphone jack, as well as a 13-inch, 2280 x 1920, 120Hz display. The resolution and pixel density (267ppi) are quite high for a 13-inch device. The screen’s brightness peaks at around 330 nits, which is sufficient, and it covers over 100% of the sRGB color space with a color accuracy of around 1.24 (average deltaE*00), making it suitable for light and accurate color workflows. One drawback is the lack of a USB-A port, but you can address this by purchasing a separate USB hub to connect to one of the USB-C ports.

One final note: make sure your model comes with an included keyboard and pen/stylus, should you want these features. These can often add to the cost substantially, which is annoying, but there are some good deals out there.

Best affordable laptop for travel

Dell xps 13 (intel i5-1135g7).

Intel Core i5-1135G7

Intel Iris Xe

256GB/512GB SSD

13.3”

• Good quality keyboard & trackpad
• Decent to great battery life, depending on the model
• Looks great
• Terrific overall build quality
• Micro SD card reader
• Overall port coverage could be better
• Newer models can be pricey

The Dell XPS 13 range covers different generations of laptops that are all great-looking, slimline, well-made devices that seek to offer a Windows alternative to the MacBook series. Although they don’t always quite manage to achieve this aim, they’re definitely quality machines and any one of them you pick, whether it has newer-gen tech or is an older model, will do great as a travel laptop, particularly the more compact 13-inch models

In terms of our specific pick though, we’ve selected one of the slightly older models with an 11th-generation Intel processor as it still offers plenty of power for general productivity but is now available for a very reasonable price. By contrast, the newer models can be quite a bit more pricey, and the upgrades they bring are fairly unnecessary for most consumers.

All versions of the XPS series offer an aesthetically pleasing design. The peak brightness of the display might not quite match that of the MacBooks, but still exceeds the typical brightness levels of Windows laptops in the same price range. The keyboard and trackpad quality are both impressive, although the port selection can be somewhat limited (usually USB-C only), you can always expand this with a USB port hub, should you need to.

Best gaming laptop for travel

Asus rog zephyrus g14 (2023).

AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS / 9 7940HS

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 / 4070 / 4080 / 4090

16GB/32GB/64GB DDR5

512GB/1TB/2TB SSD

14.3″

• great gaming performance for a smaller laptop
• great response time
• 16:10 screen gives more vertical space
• great color replication
• superb peak brightness
• great trackpad
• good battery life
• good array of ports, including MicroSD slot
• decent speakers
• keyboard build quality and backlighting could be improved
• no ethernet caps your internet to 1Gpbs
• difficult to navigate onboard software

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 has consistently been one of the best gaming laptops year after year. Since its initial release in 2001, it has remained a top choice for those seeking a great 14-inch gaming laptop, and ASUS continues to make improvements with each new model. Its portability, 16:10 display, MicroSD slot, and fairly bright screen also make it an excellent dual-use machine for general productivity and creative use.

The 2023 edition builds on the strengths of its predecessor, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2022), which we reviewed and tested in-depth . If you’re looking for a more cost-effective solution, the 2022 model is still a superb mobile gaming device, even the 2001 model is still a solid machine. The latest model however, features several improvements, including a higher maximum refresh rate of 165Hz, upgraded Nvidia GeForce 40-series graphics cards, AMD Ryzen 7000 series processors, and various minor enhancements on top of this. It still offers a vibrant 16:10 display with a fast response time, accurate color reproduction, a good selection of ports given its compact size, and surprisingly impressive speakers, which are not commonly found in gaming laptops.

You have the option to choose between the Ryzen 7 7735HS or 9 7940HS processors, which can be paired with an RTX 4060, 4070, 4080, or 4090 GPU based on your desired level of performance and budget. Regardless of your choice, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 remains an outstanding upper mid-range portable gaming laptop that can also handle creative software workflows with ease.

Things to consider before buying a laptop for travel

Have a read of the below points before you pull the trigger on a new travel laptop purchase, just to make sure it’s the right option for you.

Is it better to travel with a laptop or tablet?

Tablets are generally more portable than laptops, however, they do not have the level of functionality you’ll get with a laptop device. As a rule of thumb, if you’re only interested in browsing the web and watching videos on your device, then a tablet is probably the best option to travel with. If however, you plan on working or gaming, or doing anything that requires the use of a keyboard, or you need greater processing power for some sort of creative software or workstation program, then a laptop is the better traveling companion. 2-in-1 laptops / convertible laptops are often a good middle ground, but they’re usually heavier than pure tablet devices.

Best travel laptop FAQs

Should you take a laptop when traveling.

Laptops are obviously expensive devices, so if you’re traveling anywhere where there’s a risk of it getting stolen then you might want to think twice about it. The other risk is the laptop getting damaged when you’re traveling, so we’d suggest a padded case to cover it within your bag, plus you may want to think about a laptop designed with ruggedness in mind (we have one such selection in our guide).

If you’re doing a regular, safe commute though then a laptop can be very useful indeed to maximize your flexibility and the efficiency of your working time.

What is the lightest laptop for travel?

The lightest laptop for travel would be a 12-inch device, though this is usually too small a display for most people’s needs.

The 13.3-inch MacBook Air is a definite contender, however, certainly in terms of being the best light laptop for travel, weighing a mere 2.7 pounds or 1.24kg. Lighter devices do exist but we wouldn’t recommend them over this one.

Best travel laptop 2024: Final Word

We trust you are now fully up to speed on what is the best travel laptop for your needs. Do be sure to have a look at some of our other guides if you’re still not sure, such as our best laptop under $1,000 guide, and our best gaming laptop guide.

Aaron Ritchie

Trusted Source

WePC’s mission is to be the most trusted site in tech. Our editorial content is 100% independent and we put every product we review through a rigorous testing process before telling you exactly what we think. We won’t recommend anything we wouldn’t use ourselves. Read more

Best OLED laptop in April 2024 for creatives, gamers & more

Best AMD Ryzen 7000 series laptop

Best Intel 13th gen laptop in 2024 – gaming & productivity

Best AMD Ryzen 8000 series laptop models currently available

Project Untethered is reader-supported. When you buy using our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more .

7 BEST travel laptops for digital nomads 2024 (+ SAVINGS TRICKS)

A portable laptop for travel is a digital nomad’s best friend.

Most normal travelers can get by without packing a computer, but not digital nomads. (After all, it’s called the “laptop lifestyle” for a reason!)

And not only do you need a laptop, but you need the right kind of laptop.

The best laptops for digital nomads have some unique characteristics (which we’ll get to in a sec), and a budget laptop for working from home may not cut it.

If you buy a crappy non-portable laptop, digital nomad life isn’t gonna be fun.

Since you will be using it on a daily (or almost daily) basis to earn a living while traveling , it’s an investment you’ll want to take seriously.

Let me tell you from experience…it’s no fun having your travel laptop poop out on you in the middle of nowhere, then having to throw down big bucks to get a whatever type of emergency replacement is available (Long story short, Day now works with a Thai keyboard…)

A quality laptop is a must. 

And after nearly 50 hours of research (plus quite a bit of first-hand experience), I’ve narrowed it down the list of best digital nomad laptops to 7 rock-solid options in 2024.

Now, since every digital nomad’s needs are different, the best laptop for you might not be the best laptop for me. 

That’s why in this list, I’ll break up each recommendation based on what type of traveler you are, and what you will use your travel laptop for.

Whether you’re looking for the cheapest possible option, the most ultraportable and lightweight laptop, or the most powerful high-end computer…I’ve got you covered.

We’ll start with what to look for when comparing laptops for digital nomads. Next, we’ll take an in-depth look at each of the top picks. And finally, I’ll share some tips on how to save money when buying your travel laptop and building your digital nomad office setup . 

Let’s dive in!

Important: Even with the absolute best laptop for digital nomads, you’re not going to get far without a reliable internet connection you can take on the go. For that, check out these handy mobile wifi hotspots for digital nomads that you can fit in your pocket. You’ll also want some sturdy anti-theft digital nomad luggage to protect and carry your laptop.

Table of Contents

TL;DR: The Best Travel Laptops for Digital Nomads

Laptop vs. tablet for travel (or both), 1 –  macbook air (best all-around portable laptop for travel and work), 2 – macbook pro (best laptop for photographers and youtubers), 3 – apple ipad pro (best travel tablet for digital nomads), 4 – dell xps 13 (best apple alternative laptop for digital nomads), 5 – acer spin 5 – (best value travel laptop), 6 – lenovo flex 5 14 (best budget travel laptop), 7 – lenovo yoga c940 (best 2-in-1 laptop for travel), how to save money on your travel laptop, recap: what’s the best laptop for travel and work, frequently asked questions.

Macbook Air (M2) – Best portable laptop for MOST digital nomads Macbook Pro 13 (M2 ) – Best laptop for travel professionals who use heavy graphics Ipad Pro – Best travel tablet Dell XPS 13 – Best Apple alternative travel laptop (for Apple-haters) Acer Spin 5 – Best value digital nomad laptop Lenovo Flex 5 14 – Best budget travel laptop Lenovo Yoga C940 – Best 2-in-1 laptop for travel

What to Look for in a Digital Nomad Laptop

Lightweight : Most of the laptops on this list are under 3.5 pounds. You want something compact that won’t weigh your backpack down (and break your back), and ideally something that is usable in tight spaces like airplanes. Your best bet is a 13” screen laptop that weighs less than 3.5 pounds. But keep in mind, the lighter you go, the more sacrifices you’ll have to make in other areas.

Sturdy : As I mentioned, replacing a laptop for remote work while you’re traveling is not fun. You want something that’s not going to snap in half when you’re on some remote tropical island. It’s easy to feel the difference between a quality piece of equipment and a chintzy one.

Accessible Parts and Repair : If your laptop does run into a technical glitch while traveling (and you can’t fix it yourself), having access to repair centers and computer parts is a life-saver. Luckily, most countries have authorized repair and service providers for brands like Apple and Dell.

Fast/Reliable : You are making a living from this machine. If you buy a crappy laptop, work will be miserable. The best laptop for digital nomads will have an i7 chip or better. Apart from the chip, the higher the clock speed (usually stated in GHz or MHz) and number of cores, the better.

Ports: To keep travel laptops portable and lightweight, you might have to sacrifice some ports. If you find a laptop with all the ports you need, consider it a plus. But if there are limited ports, it’s not the end of the world. You’ll get used to carrying around an adaptor. That said, ideally your choice will have at least a USB-C port, as they are the “ports of the future”.

Memory: Memory (or RAM) is the short-term storage in your computer that allows it to access information and run quickly. 8GB should cover most digital nomad needs. But if your digital nomad job involves editing 4k video, 3D modeling, or running tons of apps at once, then 16GB might be a better option. Keep in mind that some laptops have upgradeable memory, while others do not (i.e. you’re stuck with whatever you buy).

Battery Life: Sometimes outlets are few and far between when on the road, so long-lasting batteries are a must. A good travel laptop should have at least 8-hours of battery life. I recommend looking for 3rd-party reviews when researching battery life, as the manufacturers tend to exaggerate.

Brightness: If you dream of working from a hammock out in the sun, you’ll need a bright display. Shoot for a minimum of 400 nits.

Storage: Running out of storage on the road SUCKS. This happens fast if you’re taking lots of videos (especially 4k). 256GB should be enough for normal people. But if you work with a lot of images and videos, you’ll want more. Keep in mind that some storages (like Macbooks) are not expandable. So if you don’t get enough when you buy, you’ll need to end up using external drives (which isn’t the end of the world—this is what Day does).

Note for online teachers: If you work as an online teacher while traveling, check out these best laptops for teaching online as well. Most digital nomad laptops should do the trick, but since online teachers have specific needs, it’s nice to have options.

For the past five years, I’ve traveled with just a laptop. Now that I’m turning into a bit of a slower traveler—setting up shop for several weeks at a time (or more)—I was delightfully surprised when Day bought me this entry-level iPad .

At first I thought I wouldn’t use it much, but it’s turned out to be the best travel gift ever!.

I love using it as an extra monitor so I don’t have to keep switching tabs as I work on a small laptop screen. I realize you can do this cheaper with a lightweight portable external monitor (like the ASUS ZenScreen ). But I have a rule that if something takes up space in my backpack, it better have multiple uses. (Plus I LOVE drawing on it and making graphics for the blog, and it’s way more comfortable to use on planes, trains, and buses).

You definitely don’t need both, but it can make your digital nomad setup more productive. 

Also, if you like the idea of both a laptop and a tablet, but don’t want to carry around two separate devices, I’ve included some awesome 2-in-1 laptop/tablet combo options on this list. That way, you get the best of both worlds!

Recommended articles: How to become a digital nomad (complete blueprint) How to make money living in a van (10 epic van life jobs)

Dimensions (H x W x D): 0.44” x 11.97” x 8.46” (11.2 x 304 x 215mm) Weight: 2.7 lb (1.24 kg) Storage: Up to 2TB SSD (non-upgradeable) RAM: Up to 16 GB (soldered) Processor: 3.49 GHz Apple M2 chip Ports: Thunderbolt 4 USB-C (x2) Battery Life: Up to 18 hours

The new Macbook Air with the Apply M2 chip is a super lightweight laptop for digital nomads that you really can’t go wrong with. It won’t blow you away with high-tech features, but it’ll do everything you need it to (and do it well). 

In the past, it was more for casual users who didn’t work on their computer for a living. But after recent upgrades, it’s now a powerful machine that can handle most tasks.

I say most because if you’re looking to do graphics-intensive work like editing 4k video, you’ll probably want to choose something on this list with a bit more power (but that’s not to say it’s impossible !)

The Macbook Air is one of the lightest and most compact travel laptops on this list, weighing in at just 2.7 pounds (1.24 kg), it won’t take up much space in your carry-on bag (and is comfortable to use on a plane). 

The base model comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage, which is plenty for the average user. And if you think you’ll need more, you can soup it up even further (but at that point, you might be better off just getting the Macbook Pro).

Best of all, the new M2 chip boasts a whopping 18-hour battery life. This is clutch for remote working in places without outlets.

✅ Lightweight, ultraportable laptop with incredible battery ✅ Unlike older models, recent upgrades make it powerful enough for most digital nomads ✅ Apple products are built to last ✅ Super convenient if you already use an iPhone, iPad, etc. ✅ Thousands of Apple service centers worldwide if repairs needed

❌ Not as powerful as Macbook Pro for things like video editing ❌ Limited ports ❌ Doesn’t have some cool feature that other non-apple laptops have in this price range ❌ Can’t do aftermarket upgrades

Who It’s Best For: The Macbook Air is best for digital nomads who like/already use Apple products, don’t need to do a lot of graphic-intensive work, and don’t care about touchscreen or tablet capabilities.

Dimensions (H x W x D): 0.61” x 11.97” x 8.36” (15.6 x 304 x 212mm) Weight: 3.0 lb (1.4 kg) Storage: Up to 2TB SSD (soldered) RAM: Up to 16 GB (non-upgradeable) Processor: 3.49 GHz Apple M2 Chip Ports: Thunderbolt 3 (x2) Battery Life: Up to 20 hours

When it comes to the new Macbook Pro, the latest model comes with the new Apple M1 chip. Compared with the previous M1 chip, the M2 is not only 1.4 faster, but it also takes up less power, so for most digital nomads, this is the best choice.

The Macbook Pro is about the same size as the Air, but at 3.0 pounds, it’s just a teensy bit heavier. That said, the performance packed into those 3.0 pounds is far FAR from teensy.

I’ve been traveling with a Macbook Pro for the past 5 years, and it’d be hard to convince me to use something else. For most people, the Macbook Air might be sufficient. But if you’re going to be editing videos, you’ll want the power of the Pro.

The downside of using a Macbook Pro as your travel laptop is obvious—It’s expensive. And you’ll always have to worry about it getting damaged or stolen on the road. (A Pacsafe gives me a little peace of mind, though).

That said, if you’re going to be using it to make a living, spending long hours behind it—you’ll thank yourself for choosing quality. 

It’s also reassuring to know that these things were built to last (and hold their value). I gave my 2009 Macbook Pro to my brother, and it’s still kicking just fine. A few months ago my wife sold her 2013 Macbook Pro to another traveler for $250, which we used towards her new one. These things last.

Basically, the Macbook Pro is like the Air on steroids. It has much more processing power, a bigger trackpad, louder speakers, a better display, and more customization options. To top it off, it can get up to TWENTY hours of battery life. That is unheard of!

The question is—how important are those things to you?

If they’re important, choose the Pro. You will not be disappointed.

If they don’t matter much, save your money and stick with the Air (or other non-Apple choice on the list, which have some pretty sweet features not found on Macs).

✅ Enough power to crush any task  ✅ Plenty of expandability options ✅ Insane battery life ✅ Similar dimensions as Air (and only slightly heavier) ✅ Last a LONG time (in our experience) ✅ Thousands of Apple service centers worldwide if repairs needed

❌ Expensive (compared to Windows laptops with similar specs) ❌ Can’t do aftermarket upgrades ❌ Lacks some cool features that non-Apple products in this price range have ❌ Touch bar is stupid and annoying

Who It’s Best For: The Macbook Pro is best for those who prefer/already use Apple products, need a lot of power, want something that stands the test of time, and don’t care about touchscreens or tablet options.

Dimensions (H x W x D): 11-inch model (0.23” x 9.74” x 7.02”); 12.9-inch model (0.25” x 11.04” x 8.46”) Weight: 11-inch model (1.04 lb / 0.47 kg); 12.9-inch model (1.42 lb / 0.68 kg) Storage: Up to 2TB RAM: Up to 16 GB (non-upgradeable) Processor: Apple M2 chip Ports: Thunderbolt 3 / USB (x1) Battery Life: Up to 10 hours; up to 9 hours for WiFi + Cellular models

While not an actual laptop, the Apple iPad deserves to be on this list. If you go with the latest iPad Pro and connect it to a magic keyboard, you can do almost the same (and sometimes more ) than most laptops on this list. 

However, there are some drawbacks…

• The keyboard is small, so typing isn’t quite as comfortable as a normal laptop
• Some apps still don’t have cursor support (but that will probably improve)
• Multi-tasking is easier on a laptop (but might be good enough on the iPad)
• There’s only one USB-C port, so connecting multiple devices is complicated
• Editing apps are limited (and some aren’t even available) on the iPad

That said, if none of these are deal-breakers for you, the iPad Pro might be just what you’re looking for.

This is especially true for artists, as drawing on the iPad is AMAZING (and addicting!).

You also have the option of buying a celular-equipped iPad, which lets you use a SIM card to stay connected.

If none of that bothers you and you prioritize saving space, then this might be the option for you.

So, depending on what your needs are, it’s possible you can nix the laptop altogether, do everything you need to do with an iPad, and travel super light.

The other, not-so-light option would be to do what I do and use an entry-level iPad (which is WAY cheaper than the Pro model) in addition to my Macbook. It fits right alongside my Macbook in my laptop case and works as the perfect second monitor for maximum productivity.

✅ Allows you to travel super light ✅ Easy to use in small spaces like airplanes ✅ 5G celular models can stay connected with a data SIM ✅ Touchscreen, drawing, and notetaking is awesome

❌ See bullets in description above

Who It’s Best For : The iPad Pro is best for ultralight and carry-on only travelers who don’t mind the limitations of not having a normal travel laptop. It’s also great for people who love art. 

Dimensions (H x W x D): 0.55” x 11.6” x 7.8” (14 x 296 x 199mm) Weight: Touch: 2.8 lb (1.27 kg); Non-touch: 2.64 lb (1.22 kg) Storage: Up to 1TB SSD RAM: Up to 32GB (soldered) Processor: Up to 12th Gen Intel i7 1250U Ports: Thunderbolt 4 USB-C (x2), (USB-A 3.0 and USB-C headset adaptor also included) Battery Life: 12+ hours

The Dell XPS 13 is one of the best laptops for travelers for those who aren’t tied to Apple.

In fact, some would say it even outshines the Macbook in a few different areas. 

For one, it’s even lighter and more compact than the Macbook Air, making it the most ultraportable travel laptop on this list.

It comes in three different options: a regular clamshell laptop, a touchscreen laptop, or a 2-in-1 laptop.

The XPS 13 also boasts a 12+ hour battery life (some tests even show 15 hours). This is longer than Macbooks with the Intel chip, but can’t quite compete with the Apple M1 chip battery life. That said, how often do you actually need more than 15 hours of battery without charging?

You have the option of choosing between a Full HD screen (1920 x 1200) or 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2400), but with a 13” laptop, all you really need is Full HD (this will also extend your battery even longer).

As far as tech specs go, you can build it out exactly as you need it. Choose from an 12th-gen i5, or i7 processor, beef the RAM up to 32GB, or expand the hard drive up to 1TB—there’s a customization option for every need.

Similar to Macbook laptops, you’re stuck with only a couple USB-C ports. But really, it’s a small price to pay for such a lightweight and portable travel laptop. Plus, unlike Apple, they’re nice enough to include a USB-C to USB-A adaptor in the box.

✅ Compact and powerful ✅ Quality materials and slick looking ✅ Great battery life ✅ Tons of customization options to suit your needs ✅ Can upgrade hard drive later if you need more space

❌ Lack of ports ❌ Adding specs to base model can get pricey ❌ Poor quality webcam

Who It’s Best For : The Dell XPS 13 is the best lightweight laptop for travelers who aren’t tied to Apple’s ecosystem.

Dimensions (H x W x D): 0.67” x 12.3” x 8.6” Weight: 2.9 lb (1.31 kg) Storage: Up to 1TB RAM: Up to 16GB Processor: 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1260P Processor (Up to 4.7GHz) Ports: Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C (x2), USB 3.2 A (x1), SD card reader, HDMI, SD card reader, HDMI Battery Life: Up to 12 hours

If you can’t justify plopping down over a grand for a new digital nomad computer, the Acer Spin 5 might be right up your alley.

And as you’ll see, even at a lower price point, it has some pretty awesome features not found on the more expensive models we’ve covered so far. 

The first of which is that it’s a 2-in-1 laptop. That means you can:

• Use it as a regular “clamshell” laptop
• Fold the screen backward into a screen stand (perfect for movie-watching in tight spaces)
• Fold it completely backwards to use as a tablet

That said, the 2-in-1 option does come with a downside:

The Acer Spin 5 is a bit bulkier and about a pound heavier than some of the other options on this list. But unless you’re traveling carry-on only and counting every ounce, are you really going to tell a one pound difference?

That’s for you (and your budget) to decide.

It’s good to know that the weight is put to good use, though, with the base model boasting some higher specs than other laptops costing several hundred dollars more. Also, with a bigger laptop also comes more space ports (yay!). 

A rechargeable stylus is also included with the Spin 3, so if you like to draw or take digital notes (and don’t want to fork over several hundred dollars for an iPad and Apple Pencil), this is a great alternative.

Overall, this is one of the best budget laptops for remote work.

✅ Impressive value for the price ✅ 2-in-1 flexibility ✅ Extra ports ✅ Good battery life

❌ No USB-C ❌ Heavier and bulkier ❌ Awkward keyboard

Who It’s Best For : The Acer Spin 3 is the best computer for digital nomads looking for the best value for their money. If you can get over the fact that it’s slightly heavier, it’s a great bang for your buck.

Dimensions (H x W x D): 0.7” x 12.32” x 8.85” Weight: 3.42 lb (1.55 kg) Storage: Up to 1TB SSD RAM: Up to 16GB Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 7730U (2.00 GHz up to 4.50 GHz) Ports: USB-A (x2), USB-C (x1), HDMI, SD card reader Battery Life: Up to 15 hours

If you’re looking to get a quality travel laptop as cheaply as possible, you can’t go wrong with the Lenovo Flex 5 14.

In many ways it is similar to the Acer Spin 3, though not quite as powerful. You’re not going to want to edit photos and videos on this bad boy, but it’s perfectly fine for most tasks.

With the Flex 5 14, you get the flip-around screen with stylus. So despite it not being the smallest laptop on the list, the tablet mode makes it portable enough for flights and other cramped spaces.

It also boasts a surprising 16GB of RAM, which is more than what you’d expect for a digital nomad laptop at this price point.

And, while chunkier than some of the other ultraslim laptops on this list, at least you’ll enjoy a dongle-free experience as it comes with two USB-A ports, a USB-C port, HDMI port, and SD card reader.

You might consider this a “starter” laptop for digital nomads. But other than being slightly heavier and having a not-so-bright screen, this laptop is perfect for those on a tight budget.

✅ Super affordable ✅ Converts into tablet with stylus ✅ Lots of ports

❌ Not a bright enough screen for extended outdoor use ❌ Heavier and bulkier than more expensive options

Who It’s Best For : The Lenovo Flex 5 14 is the best portable laptop for digital nomads who are on a tight budget, have a little extra space to spare, and don’t plan on spending too much time working outside.

Dimensions (H x W x D): 0.6” x 12.6” x 8.5” Weight: 3 lb (1.4 kg) Storage: 512GB SSD RAM: 12GB Processor: Intel 10th Gen Core i7-1065G7 1.3 GHz Ports: USB-A (x1), Thunderbolt 3 USB-C (x2) Battery Life: Up to 15 hours

So far we’ve covered a couple different 2-in-1 laptops for digital nomads. They’re both great bargains that’ll get the job done. But there’s only so much you can expect at those lower price points.

If you love the idea of a 2-in-1, but want something lighter with top-of-the-line specs, the Lenovo Yoga C940 is exactly what you’re looking for.

Weighing in at 3 pounds, it’s lighter than the other bulkier 2-in-1s on this list. It also boasts a whopping 15 hour battery life (with the FHD screen)—perfect for those travel days where it’s hard to find a place to charge.

And if you want to draw or take notes, the included stylus has a nice handy storage slot in the back.

The Yoga C940 also has one of the most bumping sound systems on this list. It makes the perfect mini entertainment system for netflix binges when you need a break from all that hard digital nomad work.

You’re also covered with both a USB-A and two USB-C ports, so you can ditch those pesky adaptors and save space in your backpack.

Overall, the Lenovo Yoga C940 is a super versatile pick and is a great choice for those looking for the best laptop for travel and work.

✅ You can feel the quality ✅ Powerful enough for pretty much anything ✅ Bumping sound system ✅ Super long battery life ✅ Lighter than other 2-in-1s

❌ Pricey ❌ Still heavier than other ultralight weight models on this list

Who It’s Best For : The Lenovo Yoga C940 is the best laptop for digital nomads who love the 2-in-1 concept, aren’t on a tight budget, and are looking for the best quality.

The best time to buy a travel laptop is when you don’t need a travel laptop. That way, you have the flexibility to shop around for deals.

Here are some top tips for making your money stretch as far as possible:

Compare cost of third-party upgrades. If the laptop you choose is upgradable, it may be cheaper to buy the cheapest base model and upgrade it yourself (vs. buying it with top specs out of the box). You can learn how to do anything with Youtube these days!

Only buy what you need. Just because you see everyone else with their fancy Macbook Pros doesn’t mean you need one too. Remember, the best travel laptop for writers won’t necessarily be the best travel laptop for video editing and other “heavy” jobs. If you’ve got money to blow and want the absolute best (or you do a lot of photo and video editing like we do), then go for it. You won’t be disappointed. But other than that, it’s probably overkill. 

Consider a fast SSD external hard drive. If you’re buying a non-upgradable laptop (like Macs), it may be cheaper to buy a fast SSD external hard drive than buying a laptop with a bigger hard drive. This is what we did when we bought our emergency laptop in Thailand. It’s kind of a pain to have to plug in all the time, but it also adds flexibility to your setup. 

Research the cheapest countries to buy in. Speaking of Thailand, laptop prices vary from country to country (and Thailand is NOT the cheapest…at least for Apple products). If you do buy abroad, remember that you can usually get reimbursed for taxes when you leave the country. This usually only works if you are flying out though. We learned the hard way that you can’t do it at land border crossings.

Buy refurbished. Before buying anything new, check for Amazon Renewed products or the Apple Refurbished pages. You might be able to save a couple hundred dollars and still get a “good as new” digital nomad laptop with a warranty.

Wait for holidays. If you’re able to wait until Black Friday (or at least the next big holiday of the year), you’re bound to find cheaper prices.

Open a rewards credit card. Whenever I’m planning to make a big purchase, I always open a new rewards credit card. For example, if you open the Chase Sapphire Preferred and spend $4000 within the first 3 months, you get a 60,000-point sign-up bonus (at the time of writing). That’s equivalent of $750+ in flights. So if you think about it, it’s kinda like getting a $750 discount on your computer…just in the form of flights. A lot of these credit cards also will double the laptop’s manufacturer warranty, so you won’t have to pay for an extended protection plan.

Even if you find a great deal on a digital nomad laptop, it can still be stressful traveling with expensive equipment. If you’re worried about your equipment, it might be worth buying travel insurance that covers your lost or stolen electronics (make sure to read the conditions though).

The best laptop for travel and work really comes down to your needs, budget, and desired features.

If you are just starting out and don’t have an extra grand (or more) to plop down on one of the top laptops for travel, then a budget option like the Lenovo Flex 5 14 is a great starter option.

But if you are able to free up some budget for a more powerful machine, look into either a Macbook (for Apple lovers who want incredible battery life) or the Dell XPS 13 (for Windows lovers who want one of the smallest, lightest travel laptops on the market).

In the end, the simplest way to determine the best digital nomad laptop for you is to:

Step 1.) List out all the laptops that fall in your budget Step 2.) Circle the laptops that have the “dealbreaker” features you want your computer to have Step 3.) From the laptops you circled, choose the most powerful, highest quality option

As a digital nomad, you won’t regret investing in the best equipment that your budget allows. You’ll be using this machine to earn a living for years to come, and the better the machine you have, the easier (and more enjoyable) the experience will be.

Traveling with a laptop is safe if you take the proper precautions. Be careful about where you pull it out, always have a place to lock it up, and consider buying travel insurance that covers your laptop. 

The best travel laptop depends on your specific needs and priorities. If you have no operating system preference, the best overall travel laptop for most people is the Dell XPS 13.

Fifteen-inch laptops get a bit bulky when it comes to traveling light. That said, I’ve seen many digital nomads using them. If your work requires extra screen space, you have plenty of room, and you don’t mind the extra weight—go for it!

You can protect your laptop while traveling by only taking it out in safe places, getting it covered by insurance, buying a Pacsafe to keep it secure in your room, and making sure you have a way to protect it from water (e.g. a backpack rain cover)

Bringing too many laptop accessories when traveling can be tricky. So it’s best to stick with the essentials like your charger, external hard drive, or laptop sleeve. If you have enough room, you can always throw in an ergonomic mouse or portable keyboard.

Mitch is your typical nomadic backpacker. Or at least, he was . But after stopping in Colombia to take “one week” of salsa lessons, his life took a sharp left turn. He met a cute Colombian girl in dance class, fell in love, and got married. Over half a decade has passed since he left his career to travel the world as a digital nomad, and he’s never looked back.

Nowadays, he’s the blogger behind Project Untethered — where he runs an awesome email newsletter and Youtube channel teaching adventure-craved wanderlusters how to escape the rat race, earn money from anywhere, and build an “untethered life”.

His advice has been featured in Forbes, USA Today, Yahoo, MSN, Reader’s Digest, Condé Nast Traveler, and more.

Mitch's Travel Recommendations: Travel Planning Resources - Everything you need to plan your trip on one convenient page. Going Cheap Flights Newsletter - Get flight deals from your airport up to 90% off sent straight to your inbox. Safetywing Insurance - This cheap travel insurance has saved me over $15,000 in medical bills. Booking.com - Book accommodation without adding your credit card (in case you need to cancel). Trusted House Sitters - Take care of pets in exchange for free (sometimes luxury) accommodation. Flexjobs - Find remote jobs without having to sift through crappy ones. Skillshare - Free trial to take unlimited classes that teach digital nomad skills. Wise - Send and receive money abroad cheaply (great for freelancers).

Sunday 14th of February 2021

i was just planning to buy a laptop !! I really liked the Acer Spin 3, the design looks so good. Keep it up!

Monday 15th of February 2021

It's definitely a great bang for your buck! Let me know which one you end up going with and how you like it!

Monday 8th of February 2021

Do you think that the MacBook Air is the best laptop for writers? Because I heard their keys are very good for typing for long periods of time. Which makes it seem like a good laptop for writers by default, if that's the case.

Wednesday 10th of February 2021

It's definitely a good choice if you can afford it. In the end, it comes down to your budget. If you have the budget, you won't be disappointed. But if all you're doing is typing in a doc all day, you can certainly survive with something cheaper.

By signing up, you'll also be added to my legendary email list and receive exclusive travel lifesyle tips I don't share anywhere else.

Discover how to travel FOREVER

Grab this "Cheat Sheet" to discover the tricks full-time travelers use to slash their costs to practically nothing.

EVERY DIGITAL NOMAD SHOULD BE USING

Plus get access to my travel lifestyle newsletter.

You're Seconds Away...

What to expect:

• Bonus guides, ebooks, and other freebies

By signing up, you'll be added to my legendary email list.

• Realistic advice on setting up life on the road (no hype)
• Cool travel hacks that'll save you money
• Direct access to me for questions

From learning exactly how to travel the world full-time, earn money from anywhere, and live a completely "untethered" life.

Where should I send your itinerary PDF?

By signing up, you'll also be added to my legendary email list and receive handy travel lifestyle tips and inspiration I don't share anywhere else.

Where should I send your packing checklist?

By signing up, you'll also be added to my legendary travel lifestyle email list.

What are you looking for?

12 best travel laptops you can buy in 2024 [for all budgets].

Bradley and I have been digital nomads for around 5 years now.

And one of the most important things we’ve invested in is our laptops. 

They are what we use to run our business and if they didn’t work well, then we’d be in trouble!

Over the years, we’ve used a number of brilliant laptops for travel, and we thought it would be a good idea to give you some guidance on the best travel laptops on the market this year. 

We’ve done a lot of research, and we’ve included all the best ones we’ve found, including the laptops we currently use, and laptops we have previously used. 

So, if you’re in search of a laptop to suit your travel needs, then look no further. We’ve got you covered!

Want a quick answer? Our top pick is the Asus Zenbook 13 .

Travellerspoint

Quick roundup of our top picks

What to look at when choosing a travel laptop

The best laptops for travelers excel in many or all of the following categories ...

Before actually thinking about the features and specs of the laptop, make sure you know your budget. It’s also worthwhile to compare laptops on a similar price point so you can choose the best one, without spending more than you should.

2. Weight and Size

The portability of a laptop matters too, especially for travel. Is it lightweight and small enough to make it convenient to travel with? Would it need a suitcase to fit? How heavy is it to lug around on a two-week backpacking trip ? Can it breeze through airport security?

These are just some questions to consider in terms of your laptop’s weight and size. It helps to know what you need!

3. Battery Life 

Longer battery life typically correlates with a higher price tag, but if you’re working on the road, having a long battery life can make your life so much easier!

Even if you’re stuck on a long flight or train journey where you can’t plug your laptop into a power source, a powerful laptop means you can still work.

4. Storage Space 

Again, you’ll pay more for more storage, but think of this as a long-term investment. Storage is especially crucial if you create content such as videos and photos, as they take up more space than mere word documents.

An option is to buy an external hard drive to expand your storage capacity. It can be a great alternative if you don’t have the budget to buy a higher storage capacity to begin with.

5. What RAM do you need?

RAM (Random Access Memory) is where your laptop stores data before processing them, and its size affects how well your laptop can handle “multi-tasking”.

Imagine editing photos on Lightroom, then writing a blog article on Google Docs, and then watching a YouTube video ( p.s. Check out our channel ). Having a large RAM lets you switch between tasks smoothly.

Here’s a quick summary of the most common RAM sizes:

• 4GB: Great for general browsing, word editing software, and writing emails.
• 8GB: Everything above, plus video calls and light photo editing. If you’re running a simple blog without doing anything too heavy, 8GB of RAM should be enough.
• 16GB : You’ll need at least this amount for editing up to 4K videos and photos while multitasking. It’s the minimum RAM size for digital nomads. Trust us, it will make your life (and travel) much easier!
• 32GB: Usually used in gaming laptops or heavy video editing, and by that we don’t mean travel or Youtube videos, we’re talking movie quality stuff!

Of course, the more RAM, the more expensive the laptop, so it’s important to strike a balance between what you need your laptop to do, and your budget. 

6. Processing Power 

If you are running editing programs and high-resolution videos, you should also prioritize the processing power. Trust us, this will make working on your laptop so much more enjoyable.

The CPU is like the heart and brain of your laptop. For high-power activities like video editing, you need to go for at least an i7, although the i9 is now on the market and the most powerful.

We opted for high processing power as Adobe Premier Pro can be very demanding for video editing, especially during the rendering process. Cloud/browser based video editors like Clipchamp may be less demanding for laptops with lower processing power.

i5 will work for a travel laptop if you’re not doing anything too heavy, or don’t mind editing at a buffering pace and have a lot of patience. However, anything less than an i5 processor (i3) will not be suitable as a travel laptop unless you just plan on answering emails and surfing the internet.

A separate graphics chip allows gamers, 3D designers, and high-res video editors to run their programs without taking up a ton of RAM and slowing the overall performance of the computer.

I use an i7 CPU and this allows me to edit video footage, including 4k very easily, and I can edit on Lightroom, Photoshop, and After Effects without any issues. It can also perform multiple of these tasks at one without crashing, which is a real testament to the quality! 

7. Do you have a software preference: Windows vs Apple vs Chrome OS?

Apple may seem like the quintessence of all technology brands, but if you don’t already use their products or like the Apple software system, there is no point in getting an Apple laptop. 

But if you already use Apple and want easy integration with their other products, then it would make sense to choose one of their laptops. 

For us, we don’t like Apple products and opt for Windows instead. It has never let us down so far, and there are so many more options to choose from!

Pros of Windows Operating System

• Excellent compatibility with Microsoft software
• Easier to upgrade
• Familiar interface, even for non-techy users
• More budget and model options

Cons of Windows Operating System

• More vulnerable to virus and hackers
• Windows updates may feel disruptive
• The huge range of options can be overwhelming

Pros of Apple Operating System

• Seamless integration with other Apple devices
• Feels premium and very durable
• Excellent for video, photo, and audio editing

Cons of Apple Operating System

• Extremely pricey and limited choice
• Few options for hardware
• May need to buy tons of adaptors

Pros of Chrome Operating System

• Feels fast compared to Windows laptop of the same price
• Easy set-up and usage 
• Chromebooks have great battery life

Cons of Chrome Operating System

• Cannot run Windows software
• Most web-based apps won't’ work without connection
• Weaker build, screen and audio quality

The 12 Best Travel Laptops

1. asus zenbook 13 - best overall travel laptop.

Weight: 1.11 kg

Battery Life: Up to 13 hours

Specs: Intel® Core™ i7-1165G7 Processor, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD

Display: 13.3", Full HD 1920 x 1080p

Operating system: Windows

In terms of weight, size, power and price, we decided that the ASUS Zenbook 13 comes out top as the best travel laptop you can currently buy.

It's not the most powerful on this list, but it is still an absolutely amazing piece of kit and is the exact laptop I have been suing since late 2018 on our trip to Sri Lanka .It is still working 100% the same as it did when we first bought it and I have used it to run our website for more than 3 years now.

It does everything most travelers could possibly need, and more; and costs roughly 40% less than it's slightly more powerful counterparts (the DELL XPS 13 and Apple MacBook Air 13 - both discussed below).

Battery life is also a key component of any great travel laptop and the ASUS Zenbook 13 boasts up to 18 hours of battery life, which in addition to its compact and ultralight design, makes it perfect for travelling.

Plus, the Zenbook 13 is the world’s thinnest 13” laptop that still has complete I/O ports, including USB-A and HDMI. It's small enough to even fit in my Loctote Flak Sack , which is testament to it's power-to-size ratio.

If you like having a number pad but don’t want to carry large laptops around, the innovative ASUS ScreenPad 2.0 will excite you! You can activate this feature and watch the touchpad light up.

Pros of the ASUS Zenbook 13

• Excellent battery life of 18 hours
• Ultra-thin design but still complete I/O ports
• Unique NumberPad 2.0 technology

Cons of the ASUS Zenbook 13

• Fan is easily triggered, which can be a bit loud
• You can’t upgrade RAM after purchasing
• Extra function keys may make keyboard feel cramped

2. Dell XPS 13 - Most powerful 13 inch travel laptop

Weight: 1.27 kg

Battery Life: Up to 4 hours

Specs: 11th Generation Intel Core i7-1195G7 Processor, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD

Display: 13.4", Full HD 1920 x 1080p

I would say that the DELL XPS 13 is definitely my second top pick for travel laptops.

Perfect for those of you that need a slightly more powerful laptop that the ASUS Zenbook 13 and are happy to pay the higher price tag.

But why is it better than the XPS 15? (discussed below).

Well, it’s not quite as powerful, but has a lower price tag, smaller screen size, weighs less, and is absolutely perfect for 90% of travellers. It’s what we would travel with if we didn’t need the video editing capabilities of the XPS 15.

At only 1.27 kg, it can easily fit into your backpack and you won’t even remember it’s there! Perfect if you’re moving around a lot and don’t want a heavy laptop. (On that note, be sure to check out the range of digital-nomad-friendly backpacks from Solgaard ).

The Dell XPS 13 has an Infinity Edge screen that is nearly borderless, so you can still enjoy beautiful colors on this display. Whether it’s for watching films or editing videos, a large screen can be very useful!

Moreover, it features the Killer 1535 Wireless-AC card , which means you will get impeccable Wi-Fi performance. It can be a lifesaver if you are travelling and working somewhere with limited connection.

Pros of the Dell XPS 13

• Extremely sleek and portable
• Infinity Edge Display with anti-glare finish
• Killer Wi-Fi performance, literally (Killer AX 1650 WiFi 6)

Cons of the DELL XPS 13

• Only one USB-C port
• No USB-A port
• Awkward camera angle

3. Dell XPS 15 - Best travel laptop for video editing

Weight: 2.05 kg

Battery Life: Up to 13.5 hours

Specs: Intel Core i7-10750H Processor, 8 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD

Display: 15.6", Full HD 1920 x 1200p

If you’re a video editor, then you can’t go wrong with the Dell XPS 15 . It’s the one we currently use and has proven to be absolutely amazing.

You can edit 4K videos without lagging and multitask with no problem. In fact, it’s probably one of the best laptops on the market today.

It is pretty thin and easy to store in a van (as we are currently travelling in), but it’d be excellent to travel with even if we were still using a backpack.

With incredible performance and storage space, the Dell XPS 15 is a great choice if you need a high-performance laptop and aren’t too bothered by its relatively heavier weight.

One minor issue is that this laptop overheats easily. While this doesn’t actually shut down the system or affect its running, you can feel it get super hot, which is quite uncomfortable.

Top tip: If you are editing a lot, and want the extra screen space, I have been using the Duex Max Portable Screen Monitor . You plug it in via the USB port and it's a convenient way to have some extra woring space.

Pros of the DELL XPS 15 

• Super fast performance, excellent for travel vloggers and bloggers
• High-resolution screen for editing photos and watching films
• Excellent battery life, even when doing heavy work

Cons of the DELL XPS 15

• It may feel a little too heavy for backpackers
• The price can be an investment 
• It can overheat easily

4. MacBook Air M1 - 13 inch - Best Apple travel laptop

Weight: 1.29 kg

Battery Life: Up to 18 hours

Specs: Apple M1 chip and Octa-core Processor, 8 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD

Display: 13.3", Quad HD 2560 x 1600p

Operating system: MacOS Big Sur (11.0)

Maybe Windows isn’t your thing, and you prefer using Apple OS for your travel laptop. In that case, our top recommendation would be the MacBook Air M1 . It’s thin, premium-looking, and incredibly fast.

And because it's so slim and lightweight, it can even fit in most decent camera backpacks ; great if you already carry lots of tech with you when travelling.

Obviously, the new Apple M1 chip offers astounding performance. It’s 3.5x faster and has excellent thermal efficiency. There is no fan inside the machine so it operates silently.

Better yet, it can perform heavy tasks without using up too much battery, which means you can use this laptop for up to 18 hours! We cannot stress how life-changing this can be, especially for a digital nomad who moves around a lot.

There are also additional features such as the Retina Display screen, True Tone technology , and massive 512 GB solid state drive for instantaneous loading. Plus, the updated Touch ID sensor ensures all your data is secure while you’re on the road.

Pros of the MacBook Air 

• Excellent battery life lasting whole day (18 hours)
• M1 chip is incredibly fast and powerful
• Inclusive built-in software like iMovie and GarageBand can be useful

Cons of the MacBook Air

• Limited connectivity with only two ports 
• Doesn’t support multiple screen displays
• No embedded 4G/5G option

"The MacBook Air M1 is the latest MacBook series with a custom Apple designed processor in it, tuned for the efficient execution of MacOS applications compared to the old ones. The design is thin and lightweight, similar to a ChromeBook but has the processing power of a high end laptop making it a perfect choice for travelling.

I used to travel with my ChromeBook, but it was not sufficient for travel content creation applications, whereas the MacBook solves this problem. All the Adobe applications (Lightroom, Photoshop and Illustrator) as well as Davinci, designed for video creation, work smoothly on this laptop with efficient battery usage.

This laptop is a perfect combination to go with the latest Iphone 12 Pro as your blogging camera and have all your travel content easily accessible to share on social media on the same day. MacBook Air M1 is certainly an optimized laptop from Apple with user experience in mind, perfect for travellers, due to its weight and content creation capabilities."

5. MacBook Pro 13 Inch - Most powerful Apple travel laptop

Weight: 1.4 kg

Battery Life: Up to 20 hours

Specs: Apple M1 chip and Octa-core Processor, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD

Again, if you're an Apple-fan and want the most powerful travel laptop you can get, look no further than the MacBook Pro 13” . It’s a true workhorse that can handle any intensive tasks while on the go.

Its M1 chip is obviously an advantage, but we also love that it features the Magic Keyboard. With a redesigned scissor mechanism and 1 mm of key travel, as well as an integrated Touch Bar, you can now streamline your workflow and make it super effective.

And if you thought the MacBook Air has a great battery life, then the MacBook Pro 13” is exceptional. Imagine having up to 20 hours of playback when using Apple TV, or 17 hours of wireless browsing !

It’s slightly heavier, but at 1.4 kg this is still a lightweight travel laptop that can easily fit in your backpack.

Our only complaint would be the low standard of 256 GB SSD, which despite being quite large, is still only half of most laptops nowadays. Considering the steep price tag, it’s also disappointing that the MacBook Pro 13” doesn’t come with a 1080p webcam.

Pros of the MacBook Pro

• Has one of the longest battery life for a laptop
• Fast and powerful performance from M1 chip
• Touch Bar and Touch ID fingerprint sensor
• Features Magic Keyboard for the best typing experience

Cons of the MacBook Pro

• Lower storage standard at 256 GB SSD
• Webcam is only 720p, which is mediocre for its price
• Only two Thunderbolt or USB-C ports

"I took my 13 inch Macbook Pro around the world for 14 months and couldn’t have been any happier with it. Its fast graphics performance, large storage, long lasting battery and retina display made video and picture editing a breeze. I also love the thin sleek look of it.

The 13” Macbook Pro is on the high end of laptops for price, however it’s worth the splurge if you plan to use large programs for video or picture editing on your travels. The 13” size and 3 lbs weight also make it easy to store and carry around in your backpack."

6. HP ENVY 13.3" Laptop - Intel® Core™ i5 - Best HP travel laptop

Weight: 1.3 kg

Battery Life: Up to 9.5 hours

Specs: Intel® Core™ i5-10210U Processor, 8 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD

The HP Envy 13.3” laptop offers a stylish design and powerful performance, while its relatively affordable price tag makes it the perfect go-to laptop for those on a tighter budget.

It’s the first travel laptop we ever bought and is what we used for our first ever 4 month backpacking trip around South America.

We personally feel that this laptop could be the best laptop for travel photography, mainly because of its incredible performance. The NVIDIA GeForce MX450 graphics also lets you edit videos with relative ease, though you can still expect a certain degree of buffering.

The HP Envy has a screen with 400 nits, which is pretty bright and useful for working in bright spaces. Some might find the reflective screen a little distracting, but we don’t think it should be a problem for most.

Even better, you can get the model which supports a 4K display for stunning graphics and accurate colors. You can use this to view mesmerizing images at 8.2 million pixels!

Pros of the HP Envy

• Fast performance that is useful for editing high-quality images
• Bright display of 400 nits
• Powerful and excellent speakers

Cons of the HP Envy 

• Shorter battery life compared to other travel laptops
• No HDMI and Thunderbolt 3
• Reflective screen makes it harder to see in outdoor work spaces

7. ASUS C223 11.6" Chromebook - Best budget travel laptop

Weight: 1 kg

Battery Life: Up to 10 hours

Specs: Intel® Core™ Celeron N3350 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 32 GB eMMC

Display: 11.6", HD Ready 1366 x 768p

Operating system: Chrome OS

Those on a budget would love the ASUS C223 11.6" Chromebook , which in our opinion is probably the best budget travel laptop on the market today.

It’s extremely lightweight and has a thin profile (this is one of the thinnest Chromebooks). In addition to the 10 hour battery life , it really is an excellent travel companion.

However, this laptop is only suitable for basic functions like writing blog posts and basic internet browsing. It’s not capable of heavy tasks such as video or intensive photo editing. 

If all you need is a laptop to stream Netflix, Facetime your friends, reply to emails, and other less demanding tasks, this Asus Chromebook is perfect.

And coming in at under $200, it's even a viable gift for backpackers .

Pros of the Asus Chromebook

• Very affordable, especially considering its fast performance
• Lightweight and thin, so it’s easy to carry around
• High-definition images for watching films and videos

Cons of the Asus Chromebook

• Not suitable for heavy and intensive tasks
• Limited RAM of only 4 GB
• You can only use Microsoft products through subscription

8. Microsoft Surface Pro 7 - Best laptop for business travellers

Weight: 0.77 kg

Battery Life: Up to 10.5 hours

Specs: Intel® Core™ i5-1035G4 Processor, 8 GB RAM, 128 GB SSD

Display: 12.3", Quad HD 2736 x 1824p

The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 may not be the best choice for creative workers, including graphic designers and video editors, but it excels for business functions.

This 2-in-1 model which combines a laptop and tablet into one device is perfect for the travelling businessman or entrepreneur. 

In terms of versatility, it’s an absolute dream! You can use it in Tablet, Laptop, or even Studio Mode, depending on what you need at the moment. Unfortunately, you have to purchase the keyboard and pen separately, and the extra costs can add up.

However, this makes room for plenty of personalization as you can choose any color or design you want for each of the accessories.

The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is also very lightweight, at just 0.77 kg. Meanwhile, the high-resolution PixelSense Display and Dolby Audio Premium ensure you can enjoy a good movie comfortably.

Pros of the Microsoft Surface Pro 7

• Extremely lightweight and portable
• Switch between Laptop, Tablet and Studio Mode
• Sharp display and crisp images

Cons of the Microsoft Surface Pro 7

• Keyboard and pen are sold separately
• No Thunderbolt port
• No fan means performance can drop when used for long

9.  LENOVO IdeaPad Flex 5 - Best notebook for travel

Weight: 1.5 kg

Battery Life: Up to 10 hours battery life

Specs: Intel® Core™ i5-1035G1 Processor, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD

Display: 14", Full HD 1920 x 1080p

Compared to a laptop, a notebook is essentially its smaller, cheaper, and less powerful counterpart. But don’t worry, that doesn’t mean it’s bad!

In fact, if you’re looking for a more portable and versatile option for non-intensive tasks, then you might be better off buying the LENOVO IdeaPad Flex 5 . It’s not the lightest 2-in-1 laptop, but the design is still slim enough to fit in your laptop backpack .

This model is also something of an in-between. It’s both a laptop and tablet, while the touch screen and 360-degree hinge let you switch between modes easily.

You can be writing articles one second, scrolling through images the next, and catching up on your favorite show after that.

Also, the 10-hour battery life is pretty impressive. You can easily take only the IdeaPad to a nearby cafe or local library, and you won’t need to charge it the whole day!

Pros of the LENOVO IdeaPad

• 2-in-1 design with touch screen
• Durable, soft, and stylish chassis
• Privacy shutter for webcam

Cons of the LENOVO IdeaPad

• Relatively heavy for a 2-in-1 model; not the most portable
• 250-nit display is quite dim
• 4GB RAM is unsuitable for heavy multitasking

10. HP Spectre x360 i7

Battery Life: Up to 19.5 hours

Specs: Intel® Core™ i7-1065G7 Processor, 8 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD

The HP Spectre x360 i7 has a 16:9 aspect ratio, which makes it excellent for streaming your favorite films and shows. Not to mention that the near borderless display is stunning too.

Aside from that, you can use this laptop to work on almost anything. It has a pretty powerful processor and 8GB RAM so you can multitask and handle heavy tasks comfortably.

However, the true charm of the HP Spectre x360 is in its exterior. It has an exquisite gem-cut design that feels premium, while the all-aluminum body is both durable and beautiful.

This HP laptop has some excellent security features too, including a fingerprint reader and privacy switch for the camera.

Lastly, true to its name, you can easily flip the screen 360-degree to get the desired viewing angle. It also works well on Tent mode for viewing texts or watching.

Pros of the HP Spectre x360

• Excellent and fast performance
• Great security features (fingerprint and face recognition
• Beautiful gem-cut design with all-aluminum body

Cons of the HP Spectre x360

• Overheats quite easily
• Fan noise can be loud and distracting
• Maximum volume may produce harsh audio

"I love my HP Spectre 360 i7 because of its top-of-the-line quality, while still being light and small enough to bring along without it being a hassle. It fits easily in my carry-on or day pack without taking up needed space.

I find that flipping between laptop and tablet modes is helpful when trying to get some work done or entertain myself, in smaller spaces such as during a train ride, on an airplane, or in the back seat of the car.

When you are a travel writer, you need to be able to easily get work done on the go. The touch screen is helpful as well when you cannot have a full desk setup. It is one of the best ultra-portable travel laptops I have had, without having to sacrifice power or usability."

11. DELL Inspiron 13

Battery Life: Up to 17 hours

Another excellent travel laptop to consider is the DELL Inspiron 13 . This is another versatile model that you can use in Laptop, Tablet or Tent Mode.

Like the IdeaPad Flex, you can use the DELL Inspiron 13 in different viewing modes and fold the screen into Tablet Mode. However unlike the Microsoft Surface laptop, you cannot actually detach the monitor from the keyboard.

Moreover, it has spectacular battery life of up to 17 hours. This is truly incredible, considering the powerful performance it also offers. With 16 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD, you can use this laptop for editing or even gaming.

You’ll also love the Windows Hello feature , which uses the webcam to automatically unlock the computer. Additionally, you can use the privacy shutter to feel more secure when browsing.

Pros of the Dell Inspiron 13

• Excellent battery life
• Incredible performance for a 2-in-1 model
• Full HD screen with touchscreen or Active Pen support

Cons of the Dell Inspiron 13

• Onboard memory cannot be upgraded
• Few ports and limited connectivity options
• On the heavy side for a 2-in-1 model

12. HP 14a 14" Chromebook

Weight: 1.46 kg

Specs: Intel® Celeron® N4020 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB eMMC

If you’re looking for a budget Chromebook to bring with you on your travels, the HP 14a 14" Chromebook is a brilliant choice.

We recommend this for simple tasks that can be done easier on a laptop than a smartphone. From researching or planning your journey, to streaming blockbuster films, and catching up on social media.

Plus, the virtually borderless Full HD screen is great if you’re planning to watch lots of movies or shows on the road!

Not to mention that it offers high-quality audio , thanks to the custom tuning by experts over at Bang & Olufsen.

One of the biggest drawbacks of using the HP 14a, much like other Chromebooks, is that you cannot run desktop-based software. This includes Microsoft Office, Photoshop and any graphics-intensive game. Instead, you can run them on a browser, but this will limit the functionality.

With that said, you can access Google Play, which means you will have a pretty much endless choice of apps for your every need. It’s great if you prioritize user-friendly interface and convenience over powerful performance.

• Affordable Chromebook for travel
• Large 14-inch screen for comfortable viewing
• Limitless app choices for everything
• May not be the best for demanding tasks
• You can’t run desktop-based software
• Not suitable for offline work

Other things to consider when buying a travel laptop

1. Do you need your laptop for work-related purposes?

If your job requires the use of a laptop and you’re planning to work while travelling, it’s a good idea to invest more and buy a higher-grade laptop. This is especially important if your work is related to your travels, for example if you’re a travel blogger or vlogger .

It’s better to spend more in the beginning than getting a bargain and discovering later that you can’t work because your laptop is unreliable!

2. What else will you use your laptop for?

Are you going to use your laptop just for entertainment on long journeys? Watching Netflix and browsing the internet in the evenings? For planning your travels? Editing photos and videos?

It’s great to know what you’ll be using your laptop for so you can buy accordingly, as some laptops are better suited for certain tasks.

For example, if you’re going to be editing, you might want a laptop with excellent colors and fast performance. Alternatively, for watching films, it’s nice if your laptop has high-quality audio and resolution.

If you solely want it to help plan upcoming trips , booking accommodation and finding what to do, then something more basic will be fine.

3. How light and portable do you need your laptop to be?

Travelling with a backpack immediately reduces the size and weight of the laptop you should buy. After all, you wouldn’t want your laptop to take up half the capacity of your bag.

If you plan on traveling with a larger suitcase, you might have more room for a larger laptop when packing for your trip . This also means you can enjoy more flexibility in terms of price. If you want a recommendation for a great laptop backpack, check out our Matein review .

4. What are your budget constraints?

Just like buying any gadget or electronic device, you should only buy a laptop within the price range you’re comfortable with. Our top tip is to set a budget before even starting your research. 

It will help you stick to it and not be enticed by the latest technologies and cool features which you might not necessarily need. Plus, it helps to be realistic of what a certain price point can get you.

After so long spent saving money for your travels , you don’t want to blow too much on an unnecessarily high performance laptop.

Reasons why you should travel with a laptop

If you’ve been pondering over the idea of whether getting a laptop for travel is the right choice for you. Let’s delve into some of the top benefits and reasons why getting a laptop for your travels is an awesome decision. 

1. You’re more productive 

Yes, phones have become extremely powerful and practical that you can probably perform most simple computing tasks on it. But working on a laptop is much easier and more motivating.

Even with things such as replying to emails, writing blog posts, or editing travel photos , you’ll find that a laptop allows you to do them faster. If you’re a creative individual, you may find it impossible to function on the road without a laptop.

2.  Better access to entertainment

Imagine being stuck in a hotel room with poor WiFi, or on extremely long train journeys with nothing else to do. A good laptop equals an excellent source of entertainment, whether that’s video games or watching downloaded movies.

Sure, you can do all these on a phone, but any film or TV show will surely seem more exciting on a laptop screen! Additionally, it is easier to play games together on a laptop than on a phone.

3. Easier to backup photos and videos 

If you take a lot of photos and videos throughout your travels, investing in a laptop can be worth it. It’s especially true for individuals who create for a living and might be worried about losing your content.

There are more ways to backup files on your laptop than on a phone. This includes an external hard drive, on the laptop itself, or cloud services - more options, more security!

4. Travel planning is much easier

Finally, a laptop can make planning your travels infinitely easier! It’s much simpler to book hotels, train tickets and flights, as well as map your journey on a laptop interface.

There is quite literally more space to search, open multiple tabs and plan your route, which can be frustratingly difficult on a small screen. You’ll be more efficient, which can probably save money. 

Travel laptop FAQs

What is the best travel laptop for blogging .

The Dell XPS 13 would be a good option for blogging because it’s lightweight and perfect for running all aspects of a blog.

We personally use the XPS 15, but that’s because we like the bigger screen for video editing. If you’re like us and “vlogging” as well as blogging, then the XPS 15 would be a better investment. Otherwise, the XPS 13 should be enough!

What is the best cheap laptop for travel? 

Chromebooks offer the best value for money. Out of the two listed above, we recommend going for the HP Chromebook , simply because the software in HP laptops works well. We have also used HP in the past and have never had any issues with it.

What is the lightest travel laptop? 

Strictly speaking, the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 , weighing just 0.77 kg, would be the lightest travel laptop around. But it’s a 2-in-1 tablet and laptop that is more suitable for business purposes and lightweight functions. But if you’re planning on doing more intensive tasks, the ASUS Zenbook would a better bet.

Is a tablet a better option than a laptop?

Not if you’re planning on working remotely. This includes running a business, blogging, vlogging, or anything that requires heavy work, even editing pictures. A smaller laptop would still be a better investment than a tablet.

But if you simply want to stay connected on a bigger screen, watch Netflix, or reply to emails and do meetings, then a tablet would work perfectly. It’s much lighter, smaller, and more portable than even the most lightweight laptop.

Which travel laptop is right for you?

As you can see, there are a LOT of fantastic options out there.

Ultimately, which travel laptop you go for depends on …

• What you plan on using it for
• How often you travel
• How much space you have
• Your budget

Regardless of which sort of traveller you are, you should be able to find the perfect laptop from the list above.

Now, over to you …

Which laptop do you think you will go for?

Do you have any other ideas that aren’t on this list?

Just drop a comment below and let me know!

Other gear guides you might like:

• Best portable power stations
• Best GoPro alternatives
• Best travel drones

Leave a comment

Let us know what you think.

5 million people can't be wrong

Best Travel Laptop in 2023: Portable & Powerful

Need a laptop that’s good for travel? Something small and lightweight, but which is still powerful enough that you can perform your everyday tasks on it? Perfect – that’s exactly what I will be talking about in this review!

I will show you 10 excellent laptops for travel, in all different price ranges. From $200 Chromebooks to Mac and Windows laptops that cost well over $1000 – whatever it is that you are looking for, I’m sure you will find something suitable right here!

At A Glance: Our Top Travel Laptops

• best lightweight travel laptop Dell XPS 13 UHD InfinityEdge Jump To Review
• BEST WINDOWS TRAVEL LAPTOP Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Jump To Review
• BEST APPLE TRAVEL LAPTOP Apple MacBook Air 13” Jump To Review
• BEST CHROME OS TRAVEL LAPTOP ASUS C302CA-DHM4 Chromebook Flip 12.5” Touchscreen Jump To Review
• best budget travel laptop Lenovo 11.6" HD IPS Touchscreen 2-in-1 Chromebook Jump To Review

I’ll start you off with some portable Windows laptops, and then I will move on to the MacBooks and Chromebooks. So, scroll down to your preferred operating system to find the best laptop for travelers and digital nomads!

Top Product Overview

Best travel laptops, dell xps 13 uhd infinityedge.

If you’re okay with  Windows 10 Home , then you’ll really like this laptop. This Dell XPS 13 has  a 13.3” 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) display,  which is amazing for any graphic work.

And not to mention that you’ll have an amazing experience watching movies and TV shows on this Dell.

There are  two storage options on the Dell XPS 13– one includes a 512 GB SSD, and the other one includes a 1 TB SSD .  The difference between the two is only $100, so I would definitely recommend you go for the 1 TB device.

Both storage space options feature  16 GB of RAM,  so you will easily be able to multitask on this laptop. The Dell XPS 13 version here features an i7 processor , so you can be sure that it will easily handle any task you throw at it.

But it is not all great with this Dell XPS. This lightweight laptop has a camera at the bottom of the display, which could be an issue if you’re not used to it. It is a really weird angle, so you might want to go for a different laptop if you spend a lot of your time video chatting.

And then there’s the battery life, which varies significantly depending on how you use it. The 4K resolution is quite demanding, so  if you spend a lot of time watching 4K videos, the battery won’t last too long .

However, if most of your day includes web browsing and emails, this could almost get you through the workday on a single charge. Which is pretty great.

Another thing worth mentioning is that the Dell XPS 13 laptop is recycle-friendly. Around 90% of its parts can be reused or recycled, and the packaging trays it comes with are 100% recyclable. It’s not a very important feature, but it’s always a plus in my book when companies care about the environment.

• High resolution touchscreen display
• Very powerful computer
• Recycle friendly
• No HDMI port
• Battery life could be improved

Product Information

• Display: 13.3'' 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) Infinity Edge touch display
• Processor: 4 GHz Intel Core i7
• Dimensions: 7.84” x 11.88” x 0.46”
• Weight: 2.67 lbs

Microsoft Surface Book 2

By now, you should be familiar with the Microsoft Surface computer. The Microsoft Surface Book is the most powerful lightweight laptop out of the bunch, and it’s  an amazing all-in-one machine . What makes it one of the most popular travel lightweight laptops is the (only 3.62 lbs), versatility, functionality, and amazing battery life.

You can easily get  over 10 hours of battery life with normal use in laptop mode, which is pretty good. However, if you want to use it only as a tablet, you will need to keep the charger handy. The battery life is nowhere near as good when you detach the actual batteries from the display –  you could get some 3-4 hours at best.

The detachable display of the Microsoft Surface is amazing for on-the-go, and it is a great option for people who spend most of their time drawing. It allows you to leave the keyboard part of the laptop at home and shed even more weight.

Make no mistake, this is a powerful machine, with some specs only seen in gaming laptops. With16 GB of RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 GPU, and Windows 10 Pro preinstalled, this is capable of handling pretty much any task you can throw at it, including some demanding PC games.

And the one thing that truly pains me is that you will still experience the usual Windows glitches on this. It’s a lightweight laptop made by Microsoft, so you would expect that Apple level of hardware/software compatibility. But, they never cease to surprise us.

The one upside is that the Microsoft Surface Book 2  wonderfully takes advantage of the fact that Windows 10 was designed for both laptops and tablets.

• Very powerful machine
• Detachable display and 360 hinge
• Long battery life in laptop mode
• Battery life in tablet mode is disappointing
• Not as slim and lightweight as other options
• Pretty pricey
• Display: 13.5" 3000 x 2000 PixelSense Display,
• 1.9GHz (Up To 4.2GHz) Intel Quad-Core i7-8650U4 GHz Intel Core i7
• Dimensions: 2.44” x 13.86” x 10.63”
• Weight: 3.62 lbs

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

If you’re a hardcore Windows user, then you have several amazing options – the X1 Carbon is one of those. It’s an amazing travel laptop that just so happens to be very portable, because of its lightweight. At less than 2.5 lbs, this one of the lightest laptops in this entire review.

The X1 Carbon comes with  16 GB of RAM, a 512 GB SSD storage space , and a stunning 14” touchscreen display. Don’t let the small size fool you – this is a very powerful machine that is capable of handling nearly every task.

You get  up to 15 hours of battery life  on the X1 Carbon, depending on how you’re using it. And with Lenovo’s Rapid Charge technology, you can juice up your laptop to 80% battery in just one hour. Which is pretty insane.

One thing I absolutely adore about this laptop is that it has an integrated ThinkShutter – a cover for the webcam . If you’re as paranoid as me and tend to cover up the webcam on all your laptops, you will love this feature.

There are two USB 3.0 ports, two USB C ports and an HDMI port on this thing. And the laptop also has  a fingerprint reader,  which allows you to log in in a matter of seconds.

The X1 Carbon comes with  Windows 10 Pro (64-bit) preinstalled,  so no surprises there. If you’re a business user looking for the perfect Ultrabook, I think this might just be the best laptop out there for you.

• High resolution touchscreen
• Rapid Charge technology
• Fingerprint reader
• Not the best option for gaming
• Heats up easily and the fan is loud
• Display: 14" FHD Touchscreen Display
• Processor: 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8650U Processor
• Dimensions: 12.7” x 0.6” x 8.6”
• Weight: 2.49 lbs

Dell Latitude 7370 12.5” FHD

If you want a really good Windows laptop for your life as a digital nomad, but can’t afford a really expensive one, this is a good option. The catch is that  it is a refurbished laptop , but it works and runs like new.

Plus,  the price tag is pretty amazing,  especially when you take a good look at all the specs of this Dell laptop .

It has  16 GBs of RAM and a 256 GB SSD storage space ,  so it will be able to handle anything you throw at it. The high amount of RAM also makes it an excellent option for multitasking , especially if you’re one of those people that always have 20+ tabs open in Chrome.

The laptop comes with Windows 10 Professional preinstalled (64-bit), which is great. The (touchscreen) display is Anti-Glare,  so you should be able to use these even in sunlight.

In addition to that, this laptop also features  a backlit keyboard,  which is awesome.

One downside is the battery life.  It’s nowhere near as great as with most other laptops I’ve shown you. In fact, it’s exactly what you’d expect from an older, used Windows laptop –  some 3 hours on average.

But if that is okay with you, then by all means take a really good look at this laptop.

The price point is really good for the performance you get. Plus, it is small and lightweight, so it’s a really great option for travel. As long as you’re okay using this plugged in most of the time, you will really enjoy the Latitude 7370.

• Great price point
• Backlit keyboard
• Anti-glare touchscreen display
• A refurbished computer
• Battery life is not great (some 3 hours)
• Display: 12.5 Inch FHD (1920 x 1080) Anti-Glare Infinity Edge Display
• Processor: Intel Core m7-6Y75 (Dual Core, up to 3.10 GHz)
• Dimensions: 12” x 8.3” x 0.56”
• Weight: 2.5 lbs

Apple MacBook Air 13”

The MacBook Air is a classic, so you bet it’s going to be at the top of our list. It’s the perfect laptop for those who are always on the go because  it is reliable, lightweight and has a monster M1 chip and battery life.

One of the reasons to get the latest M1 Macbook Air from 2020 and beyond is the new M1 chip from Apple. This chip is a game-changer, and not in the way that Apple or other computer companies usually say. It is fast, powerful and does not suck the life out of the battery. I ran a video compression tool recently that used to take 1 minute per minute of video, and it compressed an hour in 5 minutes!!!

So, if you do any heavy-duty work on your computer like gaming or video editing then this will change your life, seriously! Bonus tip: You can check out Veed – a powerful video editing software that works on your Mac computer, with no software download or plugin required.

The 13 inch Macbook Air also has a Retina display, with a much higher native resolution than the previous model. And Apple has solved that pesky butterfly keyboard issue from a few years ago.

You will have zero issues with a light workload – if it’s mostly replying to emails and writing, you won’t ever hear your computer operating (there is actually no fan), and your battery will last you a long time (18 hours according to Apple, but in reality less).

But if you’re looking for Apple’s best portable laptop, then you’ve found it – the Macbook Air. It  weighs less than 3 lbs, the display is just the right size that you can do anything on it  – from watching Netflix or gaming to editing videos and programming – and the battery can last you a really long time, depending on what you’re using the computer for.

I have had my original Macbook Air 13 inch for nearly 6 years. And sure, the battery does not last like it used to, but it’s still one of the lightest and best machines I have seen amongst other travelers.

• Insane M1 processor
• Top-notch battery life
• Very reliable
• Lightweight and portable
• Not cheap by any means
• Can’t go higher than 16 GB RAM
• Display: 13.3-inch (Retina display)
• Processor: M1 from Apple
• Dimensions: 11.97 x 0.63 x 8.36 inches”
• Weight: 2.8 pounds (1.25 kg)

Apple MacBook Pro 13"

The MacBook Pro was never really considered a portable machine. But that was in the days of yore when it was still a fat, heavy laptop. Nowadays ,  the smallest Pro is as light as the MacBook Air, and it is the perfect option for all of you who need an incredibly powerful travel laptop.

It  weighs only 3.02 lbs , so the difference between it and the Air is almost negligible. Especially when you consider just how much more powerful this machine is; if you consider yourself a Pro user, then this is definitely the travel laptop you should be getting.

There are two versions of the 13” Macbook Pro to consider – the one with the Touch Bar and the one with the regular F keys.

If you are old-fashioned like me,  go for the older Macbook Pro model – not only does it look exactly like a laptop should, but it is also about $400 cheaper.  And if you like trying out new things, go for the Touch Bar version – it is a convenient feature for people that edit a lot of videos or photos.

The Macbook Pro that I am talking about here comes with 8 GB of RAM, and there are two SSD options – 256GB and 512GB storage space . It has four USB-C ports  and  a battery that can last up to 10 hours,  depending on what your workload looks like.

Overall, if you’re looking for an Apple laptop that’s portable but still capable of handling even the most demanding software, the 13” Pro is undoubtedly the right option for you.

• Insanely powerful
• Excellent battery life
• Quite pricey
• Butterfly keyboard issue possible
• Display: 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit Retina display
• Processor: 2.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 4.1GHz)
• Dimensions: 11.97” x 8.36” x 0.59”
• Weight: 3.02 lbs

Apple MacBook 12”

Size-wise, this is probably the best macOS laptop you can get. It’s the  smallest Apple laptop that exists these days, since the 11” Macbook Air was discontinued a while ago. It is a pretty powerful laptop, and it will be able to handle most of the tasks that you throw at it.

But what makes the regular MacBook one of the best travel laptops that exist is its portability. Out of all the laptops in this review, this is easily the lightest one, as it weighs in at mere 2.03 lbs (1 lb lighter than the Macbook Pro) .  It will fit into your every backpack and purse, and you will barely feel that it’s there.

Now, there are two types of the MacBook to choose from. There’s the  256 GB SSD model, which comes with an Intel m3 processor, and a 512 GB model that features the Intel i5 processor.  The two CPUs are very different, so you should choose the model based on what you tend to do on your laptop.

Go for the m3 version if you spend most of your time editing videos or gaming – this is the one area where this CPU really outshines the i5. However, the i5 is the better choice in all other areas – it is faster and more efficient.

The MacBook has  a great battery life of up to 10 hours and a stunning Retina display  that really allows you to enjoy videos, even when you’re watching them on a really small display.

• Extremely lightweight and portable
• Powerful laptop
• Very pricey
• Rose Gold option is discontinued (RIP)
• Display: 12-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit Retina display
• Processor: 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Core m3 with Turbo Boost up to 3.0GHz
• Dimensions: 7.4” x 11.04” x 0.52”
• Weight: 2.03 lbs

ASUS C302CA-DHM4 Chromebook Flip 12.5” Touchscreen

The C302 Chromebook by Asus is a great option if you’re looking for  a portable and affordable laptop . It currently costs less then $450, which is a pretty great price point for a laptop. And it is  very lightweight, at only 2.65 lbs.

The  battery can last you up to 10 hours , which is pretty great. But, you’re only getting  64 GBs of SSD storage space,  and that is quite disappointing. The good news is that this Chromebook  supports a microSD card, and you can add up to 256 GBs to it . Plus, SD cards are usually cheaper than external hard drives, so you will save some money there as well.

The  360 hinge allows you to use this laptop however you want , which is very convenient. You can play Android games on it in tablet mode, and then reply to emails and do some light work in laptop mode.

However , the 4 GBs of RAM are a little bit disappointing.  Especially because most smartphones these days have at least 8 GBs. But it’s a completely different processor, so it should be  enough for a light workload .

Keep in mind that you can’t really run any demanding software on this and that you are limited to apps like Google Docs, Gmail, etc.

Overall, if you’re in need of something affordable and efficient, this laptop is a good option for you. Especially if you like the idea of being able to use it as both a tablet and a laptop.

• Supports microSD card up to 256 GB
• In the pricier range of Chromebooks
• Only 4 GB of RAM
• Display: 12.5” Full-HD touchscreen
• Processor: 2.2 GHz Intel Core m3
• Dimensions: 8.3” x 12” x 0.5”
• Weight: 2.65 lbs

Lenovo 11.6" HD IPS Touchscreen 2-in-1 Chromebook

If you’re on a really tight budget, I suggest you check out this Lenovo Chromebook . It is  one of the most affordable laptops in this review , with a price tag that is under $250. Yes, for a laptop – I don’t think you can even get a smartphone for that amount of money these days!

This laptop is a good option for you if most of the work you do is online and you don’t need a lot of storage space. You can watch movies on Netflix, and do pretty much anything in Chrome. However,  it only has 32 GBs of eMMc storage,  which is just too little these days.

Another thing to consider is that it has  eMMc storage, which is slower, less reliable and efficient than an SSD . But it is also  a lot cheaper,  hence that super attractive price tag on this Chromebook.

You also get  4 GBs of RAM,  which hurts my heart a little bit. But, I consider myself a pretty heavy user – if you’re not,  4 GB should be plenty for light web browsing and work.

The Lenovo laptop features a 360 hinge, which means you can use it both as a laptop and a tablet. And honestly, when you look at its storage specs, it is a pretty decent tablet. If you’re okay with mostly being in touchscreen mode, you will really like this computer.

One issue I have with this laptop is the size of those bezels. It’s 2019 – haven’t we moved on from those thick nasty bezels? They are a bit of an issue, especially considering how small this laptop is – the actual screen is even smaller than that.

• Very affordable
• Only 32 GB of eMMc storage
• Very thick bezels on the display
• Display: 11.6" HD (1366x768) IPS touchscreen display
• Processor: MediaTek MT8173C Quad-Core Base Clock Speed 1.3 GHz (Maximum Boost Speed 2.16
• Dimensions: 11.7" x 0.8" x 8.1"

Samsung Chromebook 3, 11.6"

Samsung’s Chromebook 3 is one of the most affordable laptops in this review. It is small, lightweight, and pretty efficient for people who are comfortable with chromeOS. It does not have a touchscreen, so keep that in mind.

One interesting thing to note is that I am talking about the most expensive Chromebook 3 here – the one with  4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of eMMc storage . There are two options with less storage, which are even cheaper than this one.

Samsung claims you can get up to 11 hours of battery life from a single charge, which sounds a bit optimistic. But you can get  some 9 hours of light use  without any issues, and that is still pretty good.

Another cool thing about this laptop is that it has  a water-resistant keyboard.  So if you’re anything like me and you tend to spill stuff a lot, you will find that pretty convenient. Especially if you’re always eating or drinking something while using your laptop.

This is a great option for people who don’t need a powerful machine. If you’re happy with Google’s apps, Play Store, and the 11.6” anti-reflective display, you will find that this laptop is a good fit for you. Plus, it is so small and lightweight that you can carry it wherever you want, and you will barely feel its weight.

• Small and portable
• Water-resistant keyboard
• No touchscreen display
• 64 GB of storage is maximum option
• Display: 11.6” HD anti-reflective Display
• Processor: 1.6 GHz Intel Celeron N3060 Processor
• Dimensions: 11.37” x 0.7” x 8.04”
• Weight: 2.54 lbs

What To Look For In A Travel Laptop

There are lots of options and specs when it comes to laptops, so it pays to know what you want, more or less, before you start. The following will help you find the perfect laptop, to go in that handy travel backpack along with your travel router !

Size And Weight

Obviously, choosing the best laptop for travelers is going to involve finding one that is lighter and smaller than your favorite 17” machine. Because of that,  I’m only showing you laptops up to 14” in this review.  I know, there are some 15” laptops that are pretty lightweight and portable, but they just didn’t make the cut.

A 13-14” laptop is just  easier to carry around , you can’t argue with that. It will  fit into most backpacks and purses,  and it is almost always going to be lighter than anything larger.

Plus, if you just can’t live without a large display,  you can always get yourself  a portable monitor .

Operating System – Windows, Mac or Chromebook

I will show you three types of laptops here – Windows laptops, Apple laptops and Chromebooks.  And it is important to know what you can expect from each of them.

If you’re already a Windows user, then you’re probably looking for a Windows laptop for travel. You will see several excellent options here, from the best manufacturers .  If you’re considering getting a Windows laptop for the first time, you should know that it is  a full-grade OS , which is capable of pretty much anything.

The same cannot be said for Chromebooks – even though they are perhaps the best travel options because they are cheap and lightweight , they are not capable of much. The  ChromeOS on these laptops is designed around Google’s browser . So, you can’t run any demanding software on these laptops – forget about Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, and even Microsoft Word. Instead, you will need to make due with various online programs – Google Docs, Pixlr or even Microsoft Office Online.

Some of the newer Chromebooks can run many Android apps, so they’ll be great for playing the casual phone game . In general, these are a great option if you want something inexpensive, which you can use to reply to emails, browse the Internet and watch a movie on Netflix.

If you’re an Apple user, then you already know exactly what to expect from macOS.  It’s a full grade operating system with a  remarkably simple and intuitive UI . It is also more reliable and efficient than Windows, in terms of bugs, RAM usage and energy impact.

Price Range

Laptops are not cheap toys, and I think you know that. So, I will try to show you options for different budgets – from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars.

Here’s the thing – if you want a cheap and portable travel laptop and you want it now, go for one of the Chromebooks. They will get the job done if you need something for simple tasks and the occasional movie, and they’re usually in the $300-500 range.

The Apple and Windows laptops are going to be a lot more expensive than that. You will rarely see anything below $1000, with a few exceptions of course.

But if you’re looking for a full-grade OS in a portable and travel-friendly machine, that’s the amount of money you will need to cough up for it.

Best Laptops For Travelers: Our Favorites

Not sure which is the best travel laptop to pick up? Go for one of our favorites – they are the best value for money in each category!

If you want a Windows laptop, I’m recommending the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon . It is an amazing laptop –  slim, lightweight, and incredibly powerful.  It will be able to handle any task you throw at it, so it’s a good option regardless of what you primarily use your laptop for.

It has  a great battery life, a built-in fingerprint reader, and a very inviting keyboard that makes replying to emails an enjoyable task. The Dell XPS 13 is also a popular option, but I prefer the Lenovo.

• Brand Lenovo, Model 20KH002JUS
• Product Type: Ultrabook, Processor Manufacturer: Intel, Processor Type: Core i7, Processor Generation: 8th Gen, Processor Model: i7-8650U, Processor Speed: 1.90 GHz, Processor Core: Quad-core (4 Core), Standard Memory: 16 GB, Memory Technology: LPDDR3, Solid State Drive Capacity: 512 GB, Screen Size: 14", Display Screen Type: LCD,

If you’re looking for an Apple laptop, then the MacBook Air is probably the best option. It is really good value for money. But you’re sacrificing that Retina display, which won’t really be that big of an issue.

This is a  thin and lightweight laptop that you fit into almost any backpack and purse, and that has amazing battery life. The Macbook Pro is obviously way more powerful, but it’s just too heavy for travel.

• 1.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 Processor
• Turbo Boost up to 2.9GHz

And if you are a very light user and just want something cheap and efficient, go with the ASUS C302 Chromebook . It’s one of the best Chromebooks you can buy, and it’s actually a solid laptop.

The 360 hinge allows you to use it as both a laptop and a tablet,  while the backlit keyboard lets you work in the dark. It’s  one of the few Chromebooks that features an SSD,  so you know it will be fast and reliable.

• The flexible 360 Degree hinge and 12.5 inches full HD touchscreen lets you use the C302 in tablet or laptop mode
• Intel Core Processor with 64GB storage and 4GB RAM for fast and efficient performance with a bright backlit illuminated keyboard

Head over to Amazon to see the prices of all of these laptops, and see all of the configurations that are available.

Check out our related posts to get some other gear for that travel laptop you choose!

RELATED POSTS SWISS GEAR 1900 VS. 1923 BEST PORTABLE MONITORS IN 2019

• Overview Guide
• 1 Week Itinerary
• Train Journeys
• Epic Drives
• Stunning Lakes
• Historic Castles
• Lauterbrunnen
• Grindelwald
• Chocolate Tours
• Swiss National Park
• Majestic Mountains
• Spectacular Waterfalls
• Famous Things
• Tasty Fondue
• 10 Day Itinerary
• Cherry Blossoms
• Tokyo Shrines
• Dos and Don’ts
• Osaka Guide
• Osaka Itinerary
• Osaka or Kyoto
• Kyoto Day Trips
• Matsumoto Castle
• Tokyo Luxury Hotels
• Island Hopping
• Best Campsites
• Driving Tips
• Beaune, France
• Barcelona Itinerary
• Spain Itinerary
• Greece Itinerary
• Italy Road Trips
• Berlin Day Trips
• Norway Northern Lights
• Netherlands National Parks
• Mostar, Bosnia
• Best Airlines
• Midwest Ski Resorts
• Florida RV Parks
• Washington RV Parks
• Oregon RV Parks
• Utah Camping
• Texas Camping
• Chicago National Parks
• East Coast National Parks
• Colorado National Parks
• Joshua Tree
• Yellowstone
• Alberta Hikes
• Flashlights
• Water Filters
• Sleeping Pads
• Solar Lanterns
• Tent Brands
• 4-Person Tents
• 4 Seasons Tents
• Backpacking Tents
• Beach Tents
• Cabin Tents
• Multi-room Tents
• Pop-up Tents
• Truck Bed Tents
• Underwear (Men)
• Backpacks Under $100
• Microspikes
• Boonie Hats
• In The World
• New Zealand
• Hardisde Luggage
• Lightweight Luggage
• Luggage Sets
• Spinner Luggage
• Durable Suitcases
• Duffel Bags
• Kids Luggage
• Teen Luggage
• Space Saving Luggage
• Business Carry-Ons
• Garment Carry-Ons
• Suitcases Under $50
• Travel Briefcase
• Zipperless Suitcases
• Rolling Briefcase
• Luggage Straps
• Luxury Brands
• American Tourister
• AmazonBasics
• Delsey Chatelet
• Anti-Theft Backpacks
• Backpacks Under $50
• Baby Carrier Backpacks
• Cooler Backpacks
• Backpacking Backpacks
• Climbing Backpacks
• Backpacks for Back Pain
• Beach Backpacks
• Hiking Backpacks
• Business Travel Backpacks
• Laptop Backpacks
• Backpacks for Tablets
• Commuter Backpacks
• Travel Backpacks (Men)
• Travel Backpacks (Women)
• Waterproof Backpacks
• Wheeled Backpacks
• Down Jackets
• Down Parkas
• Fleece Jackets
• Hardshell Jackets
• Rain Jackets
• Softshell Jackets
• Eco Friendly Jackets
• Gore Tex Alternatives
• Heated Jackets
• Lightweight Jackets
• 3-in-1 Waterproof Jackets
• Parajumper Jackets
• Rain Poncho
• Ski Jackets
• Travel Hoodies
• Travel Jackets
• Winter Coats
• Helly Hansen
• Mammut Jackets
• Patagonia Nanopuff
• Survival Jackets
• Flower Captions
• Waterfall Captions
• Tree Captions
• Sunset Captions
• Sunflower Captions
• Rainbow Captions
• Paddle Boarding Captions
• Hot Air Balloon Captions
• Kayaking Captions
• Airplane Captions For Instagram
• Forest Captions

• Electronics

The Best Laptops

By Kimber Streams and Dave Gershgorn

Smartphones and tablets may have taken over much of people’s screen time, but there’s still a need for a real computer sometimes—and for most people, that means a laptop. For school and office work and tasks like creating spreadsheets and editing video, there’s no good substitute for a decent keyboard and a big screen. But exactly which laptop you should get depends on how often you’ll use it, what you’ll use it for, and (of course) how much money you can afford to spend on it.

We regularly test the most promising laptops, from sleek ultrabooks to cheap Chromebooks to massive gaming laptops and beyond. Here are the best models you can buy in every category, along with advice on how to choose which type of laptop is right for you.

The research

Mac or windows (or something else), for most people: the best ultrabook, the best mac laptop, the best business laptop, the most repairable laptop, the best cheap ultrabook, the best chromebook, the best budget windows laptop, the best macbook for photo and video editing, the best windows laptop for photo and video editing, the best cheap gaming laptop, frequently asked questions.

If you’re already familiar with macOS or Windows, the easiest choice is to buy a computer that runs that operating system. Or if you already have an iPhone, a MacBook will let you send texts with iMessage, make FaceTime video calls, and access your iCloud photos. That said, macOS and Windows have never been more similar, and most popular apps work just as well on either platform (or at least have alternatives that work similarly). If you’re interested in switching, it isn’t as big a deal as it used to be.

If you’re not tied to a platform, the biggest factor is how easily you can get support. Do you have an Apple Store nearby? Do your most tech-savvy friends use Windows? Does your school or job provide tech support? If you’re not a self-sufficient techie and want the best service for your computer, buy a Mac, because you can take it to any Apple Store to get it fixed. No other computer maker provides that level of support. (If you’re self-sufficient, go with what you like.)

Alternatively, since more tasks can be accomplished in a browser, without your downloading and installing any apps, you might not even need a traditional operating system—a Chromebook may be all you need.

HP Spectre x360 13.5″

The best ultrabook.

The Spectre x360 offers excellent battery life, a tall touchscreen, and a reliable keyboard and trackpad. It’s also thin and light enough to slip in a bag and take anywhere.

Buying Options

Recommended configuration

Who these are for: Ultrabooks are the best laptops for most people, including college students, writers, office workers, and commuters. They have great keyboards, screens, and battery life; they offer enough power to do everything most people need a computer for; and they’re thin, light, and portable. You should expect to pay between $900 and $1,300 for a great Windows ultrabook that will last you at least four years.

Where they fall short: Great ultrabooks can cost more than many people want to spend on a laptop, even if these models provide a better experience and last longer than cheaper alternatives. Ultrabooks also lack the processing power to play high-end games or handle demanding tasks such as professional video editing or 3D modeling. If you need a cheaper laptop or a more powerful one, check out our other picks below.

Why we like this one: The HP Spectre x360 13.5″ has the best combination of what makes an ultrabook great : It offers fast performance, all-day battery life, a tall and spacious screen, a quality keyboard and trackpad, and an excellent webcam. The Spectre x360 also has a 360-degree hinge that lets you flip the touchscreen all the way around, and some models come with an active stylus. Our pick isn’t as light or compact as some other Windows ultrabooks—though at 3 pounds it’s certainly not heavy, either. And it ships with too much bloatware, all of which you should uninstall when the laptop arrives.

Read more about the HP Spectre x360 13.5″ and our other picks in our guide to Windows ultrabooks .

Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022, 13-inch)

A better macbook.

The MacBook Air has a comfortable keyboard, great performance, and a reasonable amount of storage—things that haven’t always been offered in previous MacBook Airs.

With delayed shipping (limited colors)

Who these are for: If you prefer macOS or need great tech support, a MacBook is a safe bet; the 13-inch models usually offer the best combination of size, weight, and speed. They’re great for writers, office workers, commuters, and college students. Apple’s newest MacBooks also include new Apple-designed processors that help them run cooler and quieter than most laptops and give them exceptionally good battery life. Expect to pay at least $1,000 for one with good enough specs and storage to last you at least four years.

Where they fall short : MacBooks are even more expensive than Windows ultrabooks, especially if you want to upgrade the memory or storage; Apple’s SSD upgrade prices are so high that we usually recommend looking into cloud storage or an external SSD instead. And as with Windows ultrabooks, our recommended MacBook configuration for most people lacks the processing power to play demanding games.

Why we like this one: The 13-inch M2 MacBook Air delivers strong performance and fantastic battery life at a reasonable price. And the Air’s keyboard is actually good, since Apple traded out the shallow and failure-prone butterfly switches under the keys of 2018- and 2019-era MacBook Airs for springier and more satisfying scissor switches. Like Apple’s other laptops, the Air has only a few ports (in this case, two Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports, which may require you to use a hub or new cables ). But the Air’s light weight, solid construction, and industry-leading support make it a great laptop, especially if you also own an iPhone or other Apple devices.

For more on the MacBook Air, take a look at our full guide to MacBook models .

HP EliteBook 840 G9

For the corporate world.

The EliteBook 840 is slim while staying repairable and has a nice selection of ports, good battery life, and an updated webcam. It’s also easier to upgrade than a typical ultrabook.

Who these are for: Most people don’t need a business laptop, and those who do will probably get one from their IT department. But there are a few great reasons to choose a business laptop, even if you’re paying for it yourself, including better long-term durability, easier serviceability and upgrades of the RAM and storage, and more plentiful and varied ports than you get on an ultrabook. Our main picks typically cost between $1,200 and $1,400.

Where they fall short: Ultrabooks are a better option than business laptops for most people because ultrabooks are thinner and lighter, and they offer similar performance for less money. The majority of people don’t upgrade or repair their own laptops, and if you really need business-centric features like smart-card support and vPro, your employer has probably already issued you a laptop that supports them. Dongles and docks, while inconvenient, can make up for some ultrabooks’ limited port selection.

Why we like this one: The HP EliteBook 840 G9 is slim, repairable, and has a bunch of useful ports. This new version upgrades nearly all the things we didn’t like about the EliteBook 840 line last time we tested them, including a better 5- megapixel webcam, redesigned keyboard, and larger 16:10 display. The laptop is nearly entirely repairable if any part breaks, and HP’s PartSurfer site makes it easy to find a part number and order a replacement directly. (We did find a few parts were backordered, but you’ll at least have a correct part number to find on eBay or other resellers.) HP also has a detailed service guide that serves as a manual for how to repair the laptop.

Check out our full guide to business laptops to learn more.

Framework Laptop 13 (AMD)

A repairable and upgradable option.

The Framework Laptop is the best—and so far only—option if you want a laptop you can easily upgrade and repair. And it’s a great ultrabook, too.

Framework Laptop 13 (Intel)

The Intel version of the Framework Laptop 13 has shorter battery life, but it’s otherwise identical to the AMD model.

Who these are for: Most modern laptops aren’t designed to be repaired or upgraded by just anyone with a screwdriver. Even if you do manage to get past the screws and the difficult-to-pry-open chassis, you might have access to the SSD, but the memory is likely to be soldered, and you certainly can’t upgrade the processor. When something breaks out of warranty, when the battery wears out, or when you’re ready to upgrade after five or six years, you have to recycle or dispose of the entire laptop—even if some of its parts are still perfectly good. If you want the ability to upgrade and repair your laptop yourself and make it last longer without replacing the whole thing—which theoretically can save you money and create less e-waste over the years—our repairable pick is for you.

Where they fall short: The availability of parts and upgrades for the Framework Laptop 13 is entirely dependent on the laptop’s manufacturer. If Framework goes under or it decides to stop designing and selling upgrades, this laptop will end up just like any other—when the computer breaks or outlives its usefulness, you’ll have to replace the whole thing. Other companies have attempted to make upgradable laptops in the past and have failed to follow through on the promise.

Why we like this one: Every part of the Framework Laptop 13 (AMD) is super easy to repair and upgrade . Each part is helpfully labeled with handy QR codes that direct you to step-by-step replacement guides and links to the exact parts you’ll need. You can add more memory and storage , replace or upgrade the battery , upgrade the mainboard with a new processor , and repair anything else if it breaks—the display, the fingerprint reader, the keyboard, the hinge, you name it.

The Framework Laptop 13 is an excellent computer, too. It’s sturdy and surprisingly thin and light for how modular its design is, and it has a reliable keyboard and trackpad plus a bright and spacious display. The AMD Ryzen 5 model has battery life in line with our top pick, while the Intel version’s battery life is around an hour less. But the ability to upgrade and repair this laptop down the line depends on the company continuing to exist and to supply parts. So far the company is off to a great start: Every year since it launched in 2021 the company has introduced upgraded parts.

We recommend adding another 8 GB of memory to the base-model Framework Laptop. If you want the full experience of putting your laptop together , you can choose from a wider variety of parts by purchasing the DIY Edition instead.

Read more about our repairable pick in our guide to Windows ultrabooks .

Budget pick

Asus Zenbook 14″ OLED (UM3402YA-WS51T)

The best value.

The Zenbook 14 is the best laptop you can get for the price. But its build quality isn’t as nice and it won’t perform as well in a few years as our top picks.

You save $123 (18%)

Asus Zenbook 14″ OLED (UM3402YA-WS74T)

This version of the Zenbook 14 performs just as well as our top pick, but it costs a couple hundred dollars more than the base model.

Who these are for: Most Windows computers priced around $500 or less are large and heavy and saddled with poor battery life—among other flaws—but a bit more money can buy you an ultrabook that’s almost as good as much more expensive options. Budget ultrabooks are ideal for students as well as for anyone who can spend around $800 on a laptop.

Where they fall short: Compared with more expensive ultrabooks, cheap models tend to have less memory and storage, as well as bigger, creakier bodies and worse build quality; they can also have less responsive keyboards and trackpads, dimmer and less accurate screens, or fewer ports. But if you can find one that makes as few of those compromises as possible, you may be able to save a few hundred dollars.

Why we like this one: The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED is a fantastic value. The base model with 8 GB of memory won’t perform as well as our top picks for as many years, but the version with 16 GB of memory will, if you can spend a little more. Compared with the HP Spectre x360 13.5″, the Zenbook 14 is bulkier and feels cheaper—though it doesn’t feel as flimsy as other budget ultrabooks—and its webcam isn’t as high quality. But the Zenbook 14 is still portable, and its battery will last through a full day of work or classes. In addition, it has a fingerprint reader and comes with a USB-C charger, and its touchpad can double as a number pad—all nice bonuses for a cheap ultrabook.

Read more about the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED and how well it compares to our other picks in our full guide to ultrabooks .

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus

Reliable performance, a spacious touch display, and long-enough battery life for a full workday make the Flex 5i the best Chromebook for the price. But it is a bit heavy.

Who these are for: Chromebooks are ideal for students and kids, but you should also consider one if you spend most of your computer time in a web browser, if you’re on a tight budget, or if you already have a decent desktop PC. A good Chromebook can do almost anything a regular laptop can do , including document work, video calls, and streaming video—as long as it’s possible in a web browser or in Android apps. And $500 Chromebooks tend to be faster, lighter, and sleeker than $500 Windows laptops. Plus, Chromebooks are secure and easy to maintain .

Where they fall short: Chromebooks can’t run Windows-specific games or particular programs you might be used to on your Mac or Windows computer. But if you use web-based email, if you can get by with Google’s office web apps or Office 365 and Android app alternatives, and if you stream your music and movies over the internet, a Chromebook should do just about everything you need it to.

Why we like this one: The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is an excellent laptop, with the best combination of features and price of all the Chromebooks we’ve tested. It has fast performance, a reliable keyboard and trackpad, a spacious touchscreen, surprisingly good speakers, and long-enough battery life to last a full day of work or classes. Even though we wish it were lighter—at 3.6 pounds, it’s heavy for a 14-inch laptop—it’s the best option for most people’s needs.

For more, read our full guide to Chromebooks .

Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 (A3SP14-31PT)

The best windows laptop under $500.

Unlike most cheap Windows laptops, the Aspire 3 Spin 14 is fast, compact, and light, and it has a decent 1080p touchscreen and good battery life.

Who these are for: If you need a Windows laptop for home, work, or school—and you can’t afford to spend a lot—you can find a decent one for less than $500. These computers are ideal for grade-school and middle-school students, people on a strict budget, and those who use their computers mostly at home in the evenings for doing schoolwork, browsing the web, managing a budget, or watching Netflix. Cheaper, lighter laptops tend to be too slow for everyday tasks, while faster, sleeker ones usually cost too much.

Where they fall short: To get a laptop that doesn’t feel slow for a decent price, you have to make a lot of compromises. Most budget laptops that are fast enough tend to be bulky, heavy, and saddled with short battery life. They also tend to have low-resolution, low-quality screens that are unpleasant to look at. You have to be especially vigilant when shopping for a laptop in this price range to avoid slow or old processors, insufficient memory, and sluggish storage.

Why we like this one: The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 (A3SP14-31PT) in any of our recommended configurations— 37NV , 38YA , or 32M6 —is fast enough to meet most people’s computing needs. Plus, it has a tall, 14-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen and a 360-degree hinge, and its keyboard and trackpad are accurate and reliable. The Aspire 3 Spin 14 is also more compact and offers better battery life than most bulky Windows laptops in this price range.

The Aspire 3 Spin 14 ships with Windows 11 S mode, which allows only apps from the Microsoft Store and limits you to Microsoft Edge for web browsing. But you can switch it to Windows 11 Home for free to install any program you need. It also comes with a ton of bloatware; we recommend following these steps to get rid of it.

Choosing a budget laptop is tricky because you can find hundreds of variations. Their prices fluctuate constantly, too, and companies release and discontinue models with no warning. If our pick isn’t available, check our full guide to budget laptops for other options, as well as advice on how to shop for a budget laptop that doesn’t suck.

For additional details, read our full guide to budget laptops .

Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch)

The best for editors on the road.

The 16-inch MacBook Pro is faster than any other laptop we’ve tested for photo or video editing, and it has truly impressive battery life, to boot.

Who these are for: Photo and video editors need an extremely color-accurate screen, the processing power to work with 4K footage or to batch-edit hundreds of photos, and a battery that will last through an entire day’s work. These professional-grade laptops are more costly than ultrabooks, ranging from $2,000 to $2,500, but they offer desktop performance away from the desk. Our testing for this category included both Windows laptops and MacBooks, and we found that right now Apple is making the best laptops for creative professionals. That’s a boon for those who are already comfortable with macOS or are willing to make the switch, but we have a recommendation for a Windows machine, too.

Where they fall short: Laptops with color-accurate screens and enough power for creative professionals are expensive, and even more so with add-ons like extra storage and memory. Editing laptops also tend to be larger and heavier than ultrabooks, with most weighing more than 4 pounds. The powerful processors in editing laptops generate lots of heat, as well, so some can get too hot to use comfortably on your lap, though our top pick stayed cool even under the heaviest workloads. In addition, the MacBook Pro is impossible to service on your own, but Apple provides excellent support.

Why we like this one: The 16-inch MacBook Pro was unrivaled in all of our editing, color-accuracy, and battery tests, easily taking the crown as the best laptop for creative professionals. Its screen is large enough for anyone to comfortably edit video and accurate enough to match professionally calibrated displays. This MacBook’s M2 Pro processor allowed it to edit 4K footage with ease, and Apple's new M2 Pro processor is up to 30 percent faster than the previous M1 Pro. The laptop politely sipped on its battery, resulting in a 14.5-hour battery life. It even has a variety of ports, including three Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, an HDMI port, an SD card reader, a headphone jack, and a MagSafe charging port. However, the main components on this laptop are nearly impossible to upgrade or repair on your own; if you want a more user-repairable machine, check out our recommendation for a Windows editing laptop below.

Read more about the 16-inch MacBook Pro in our full guide to pro laptops .

Dell XPS 15 9530

The best windows alternative for creative professionals.

The XPS 15 has a sharp 3.5K display and a ton of processing power. It’s also more repairable and upgradable than its MacBook equivalent.

Who these are for: If you’re a creative professional and you prefer Windows to macOS, don’t want a Mac, or are required to use Windows for compatibility reasons, this is your pick. Typically these laptops are slightly cheaper than MacBooks, easier to repair, and—of course—equipped with the Windows operating system. If you need a specific port or feature, you’re also more likely to find it on a Windows laptop than on a Mac, simply because the Windows world has more manufacturers and variety compared with Apple’s one model of MacBook.

Where they fall short: As a whole, Windows laptops didn’t perform as well in our tests as the 16-inch MacBook Pro. Typically, their screens were less accurate, they were a bit slower, and they got hotter underneath, where the processor was located. However, the MacBook set a high bar to clear, and our top Windows pick still performed admirably in these tests.

Why we like this one: Made with visual professionals in mind, the Dell XPS 15 9530 is a well-built laptop that offers a beautiful OLED display and serious computing power. It also has a comfortable keyboard and a notably large trackpad, both of which make working on the laptop more enjoyable and less cramped. Its port selection is fairly simple, consisting of two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, a non-Thunderbolt USB-C port, an SD card reader, and a headphone jack.

The configuration we recommend will serve most on-the-go editors’ needs, especially when coupled with a portable SSD . But if you want to upgrade the RAM or storage down the line, the XPS 15 9520 makes those components easily accessible—all you have to do is remove the laptop’s bottom case housing with a Torx screwdriver.

Read more about this option in our full guide to pro laptops .

Gigabyte Aorus 15 (BMF-52US383SH)

The best gaming laptop under $1,500.

This laptop has the newest generation of hardware, and performs better than some of the most expensive models we tested. It maintains great frame rates for smooth gameplay, and stays quiet and cool to the touch.

Who these are for: If you want to play games but also need an affordable laptop for school or work—and your top priority isn’t playing the newest games at maxed-out graphics settings at QHD or 4K resolution—a cheap gaming laptop is for you. Nowadays, a gaming laptop that costs around $1,500 can play most new games on high settings or better at 1920×1080 resolution above 60 fps. Even cheaper models that cost around $800 are ideal for classic games and less-demanding modern titles, and they will play most new games on at least medium settings. You don’t need to spend $2,000 on a more powerful gaming laptop to get great performance.

Where they fall short: Every affordable gaming laptop we’ve tested has had at least one serious flaw. Some get way too hot, others have poor build quality, and some have dim screens with poor viewing angles. And compared with more portable options, such as ultrabooks, all gaming laptops are large, heavy, and saddled with short battery life.

Why we like this one: The Gigabyte Aorus 15 (BMF-52US383SH) provides great gaming performance for the price. It can play most of the newest titles at high and ultra settings, maintaining excellent frame rates while doing so. It also keeps its most-touched surfaces cool during long gaming sessions, and it comes with nice extras, such as a comfortable RGB keyboard and a high, 144 Hz refresh rate screen. But with only 6 GB of VRAM, it may not be able to play the most intensive games coming out in the coming years, and as of 2023, we’re seeing some AAA games (like Starfield ) start to recommend 8 GB of VRAM.

You can read more about our pick in our full guide to cheap gaming laptops .

This article was edited by Signe Brewster and Arthur Gies.

Which laptops last the longest?

Depending on what you buy and how you use it, a good laptop that’s well cared for should last at least four years, ideally longer—but most modern laptops are not designed with repairability or upgradability in mind. A good ultrabook , a business laptop , or a MacBook will feel sturdier, last longer, and perform better than a cheap sub-$500 laptop with a mostly plastic frame and a basic processor. And a laptop that you primarily use around the house will last longer than one that you travel with frequently. Some business laptops and photo and video editing laptops allow you to upgrade their memory and storage to extend their useful life, and we have a repairable pick that’s specifically designed to make any part (not just the memory or storage) easy to upgrade and repair.

Should I buy a MacBook or a Windows laptop?

If you already use Macs or Windows computers and you like them, stick to the software you’re used to—don’t force an unfamiliar operating system on yourself unless you need to. Otherwise, if you have an iPhone or iPad that you like, a MacBook will work with the same Apple services, including iCloud Photos and iMessage. Windows laptops are better if you want something more affordable, if you want plenty of ports for connecting accessories, or if you want to play games. And if you want an even less-expensive laptop that's easier to use and harder to break, consider a Chromebook.

What is a good price for a laptop?

For general tasks—editing documents and spreadsheets, browsing the internet, doing homework, and communicating using apps such as Slack or Zoom—a cheap but usable laptop should cost between $400 and $600, a good laptop should be $700 or $800, and a great laptop should cost at least $1,000. More powerful, specialized laptops, such as gaming notebooks or laptops for professional photo and video editing , start in the range of $1,000 to $1,500 and go up from there. If you have $500 or less to spend, Chromebooks tend to look, feel, and run better than equivalently priced Windows laptops. If you’re looking for a Mac, expect to pay at least $1,100 (or $1,000 with an educational discount) for our recommended MacBook Air configuration . Keep an eye on our Deals page if you’re able to wait for a better price on a specific laptop.

How much RAM do I need?

In 2023, you need a minimum of 8 GB of memory, which should be enough for web browsing, document and spreadsheet editing, light gaming, and occasional basic video and photo editing. But since a great laptop should last at least five years and you can’t add more memory to most laptops after you buy them, we recommend starting with 16 GB if you can. And you should consider 32 GB if you regularly use high-end applications like Adobe Photoshop or Premiere, if you play visually demanding games, if you’re doing 3D drafting, or if you work in web and app development.

Meet your guides

Kimber Streams

Kimber Streams is a senior staff writer and has been covering laptops, gaming gear, keyboards, storage, and more for Wirecutter since 2014. In that time they’ve tested hundreds of laptops and thousands of peripherals, and built way too many mechanical keyboards for their personal collection.

Dave Gershgorn

Dave Gershgorn is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter. He’s been covering consumer and enterprise technology since 2015, and he just can’t stop buying computers. If this weren’t his job, it would likely be a problem.

Further reading

The Best Things to Get for Your New Laptop

by Haley Perry

From laptop bags to headphones to chargers to dongles galore, here are the essential accessories to help you use your new laptop.

Accessories for Your USB-C Laptop

We've tested the best cables, hubs, and dongles to help you connect your all your peripherals to your new laptop, even if it has only USB-C ports.

How to Clean a Laptop

by Thorin Klosowski

It’s easy to forget that your laptop needs to be cleaned. Thankfully, it’s not hard to clean out dust and stray crumbs.

The Best Laptop Under $500

by Kimber Streams

If you’re on a budget, these are the best cheap Windows laptops and Chromebooks we recommend after extensive research and hands-on testing.

Best Laptops for Travel in 2024

G oing on a trip with the right travel partner can transform your experience, and when it comes to tech, nothing beats the perfect travel laptop. There are many laptops for every type of traveler, from digital nomads to busy professionals. Finding a laptop with good performance, portability, and long battery life is important for a better travel experience. So, if you're getting ready to travel, you'll want to check out our expertly curated selection of the best laptops for travel.

Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 Gaming Laptop

Msi raider ge78 hx 17.3 gaming laptop, alienware x14 r1 gaming laptop, asus tuf f17 gaming laptop, razer blade 18 gaming laptop (rtx 4090), hp victus 15, choosing the ideal travel laptop.

When selecting a laptop for travel, consider these essential factors:

• Portability and Weight : Lighter laptops make travel more comfortable without sacrificing screen size or quality.
• Battery Life : Long-lasting battery life keeps you going with productivity and entertainment throughout long flights or layovers.
• Durability : A strong build can handle the challenges of travel, including airport security and bumpy rides.

Choosing the best laptop for travel sets the stage for work and enjoyment on the move. But pairing it with the right accessories can further improve your experience. Discover the best wireless mice for laptops , designed for easy connectivity and portability, ensuring your setup is as mobile as you are.

The Best Gaming Laptops for 2024

Game rant's best laptops for travel.

The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 16 Gaming Laptop comes packed with features including a Mini-LED 2K display, the best Intel laptop CPU money can buy, and plenty of storage and RAM in a neat 16-inch package that still allows you to get the performance you need versus competing 17-inch laptops.

Operating System Windows 11 Pro

CPU Intel Core i9-13980HX

GPU RTX 4090 Laptop GPU

Storage 2TB (1+1TB in RAID 0 config)

Battery 4 cell 90WHr Battery

Display (Size, Resolution) 2K (2560 x 1600), Mini-LED, 240Hz

Camera 720P Camera

Speakers 4 Speakers

Memory 32GB DDR5

Ports USB-C, USB-A, Thunderbolt, Ethernet, Headphone Jack, HDMI 2.1

Network Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, 2.5G Ethernet

Dimensions 13.94" x 10.39" x 0.89"

Weight 5.73 lbs

Brand ASUS ROG

Power 330W AC Adapter

• Intel Core i9 for high-end performance
• Stunning 2K Mini-LED 240Hz display
• Dual 1TB SSDs in RAID 0 for speedy storage
• Heavier laptop for carrying around
• Premium price point

The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 16 tops our list as the best overall laptop for travel. It has the latest Intel Core i9 processor and RTX 4090 Laptop GPU in a travel-friendly 16-inch size. Its 2K Mini-LED display at 240Hz makes everything look amazing on your trips. Also, with 32GB DDR5 RAM and two 1TB SSDs, you get plenty of storage and speed to handle any task.

Its size and weight might challenge some carry-ons, but paying for such high-end specs is often worth it for those needing exceptional performance on the go. Given these considerations, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 16 secures its position as the best overall laptop for travelers, especially for gamers and creators who demand no compromise on performance and quality during their travels.

The MSI Raider GE78 HX 17.3-inch Gaming Laptop is one of the best all-around RTX 4090 PCs players can currently grab with the top-of-the-line Intel Core i9 processor, the RTX 4090. It also has an excellent display coupled with plenty of RAM and SSD space.

Operating System Windows 11 Home

GPU RTX 4090 16GB GDDR6 175W

Storage 2TB NVME SSD

Battery 4-Cell 99 Whr Battery

Display (Size, Resolution) 2K (2560x1600) 17.3'', 240Hz

Camera 1080P 30FPS

Speakers 2x 2W Speakers, 4x 2W Woofers

Colors Core black

Ports USB Type-C, USB Type A, SD Card, HDMI, Ethernet

Network Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, 2.5G Ethernet

Dimensions 380 x 298 x 23 mm

Weight 6.8 lbs

Form 17.3''

Power 330W AC Power Adapter

• Stunning 2K 240Hz display
• Massive 2TB NVMe SSD storage
• Flexible 32GB DDR5 RAM
• Heavy 6.8 lbs build
• Expensive price tag

The MSI Raider GE78 HX is our top choice for a gaming laptop suitable for travel. It's a high-performing machine specifically crafted for gamers who are frequently on the move. This model is powered by the latest Intel Core i9-13980HX processor and an RTX 4090 GPU, delivering uncompromised gaming performance in terms of both speed and graphics quality.

The Raider GE78 HX impresses with its excellent specifications and surprising portability, featuring a durable build and a long-lasting battery. Whether gaming in a hotel room or editing videos on a flight, this laptop is the best gaming laptop for travel, offering a perfect blend of high performance and easy portability.

The Alienware X14 R1 is a super lightweight and ultra-thin gaming laptop with a clean white case. Powered by NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, 16 GB of RAM, and a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700H, gamers can expect decent specs despite the impressively compact packaging. Weighing just over four pounds with a thickness of only 0.6 inches, this laptop is one of the thinnest and lightest gaming-specific laptops on the market.

Operating System Windows 11

CPU Intel Core i7-12700H

GPU Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060

Storage 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD

Display (Size, Resolution) 14-inch, 1920 x 1080

Dimensions 12.7 x 10.3 x 0.6 inches

Weight 4.1 pounds

Brand Alienware

Connectivity Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2

• Ultra-slim 0.6-inch profile
• Powerful Intel i7 and RTX 3060 combo
• Exceptional portability at 4.1 pounds
• Limited upgradability due to compact size
• High performance can lead to heat build-up

The Alienware x14 R1 stands out as the best lightweight laptop for travel on our list, offering powerful gaming capabilities in a sleek, thin design perfect for on-the-go gaming. Equipped with an Intel Core i7-12900HK processor and an NVIDIA RTX 3060 graphics card, it effortlessly manages the most demanding games, making it an excellent choice for traveling gamers. The 14-inch FHD display delivers vibrant visuals, while the 16GB RAM and 512GB NVMe SSD ensure fast performance and ample storage.

Even with its powerful hardware, the x14 R1 maintains a remarkably light and slim profile, which is uncommon among gaming laptops. While some may find the keyboard space a bit limited, the superior build quality and gaming experience it provides are second to none. For those who prioritize gaming performance as well as travel convenience, the Alienware x14 R1 is an unparalleled choice, standing out as the best lightweight laptop for travel without any compromise on performance or portability.

Read the full review here.

The ASUS TUF F17 is a laptop powered by an Intel Core i5-11400H processor with six cores and a boost speed of up to 4.5 GHz. It features an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card with 4 GB of GDDR6 RAM. The display on the laptop is a 17.3-inch Full HD (1920x1080) IPS panel with a refresh rate of 144 Hz.

As part of the TUF Series, this laptop is designed for durability and meets the MIL-STD-810H military standard. It uses a dual-fan system for cooling.

CPU Intel Core i5-11400H Processor

GPU NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4GB GDDR6 Graphics

RAM 8 GB DDR4 3200MHz

Storage 512 GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD

Memory Memory Speed 4.5 GHz

• Fast Intel Core i5-11400H processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050
• Impressive 17.3-inch FHD 144Hz IPS display for vibrant visuals
• 512 GB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD and 8 GB DDR4 RAM
• Larger size may not be ideal for portable needs
• 8 GB RAM might need upgrading for intensive multitasking

Meet the ASUS TUF F17, our top pick for the best mid-range laptop for travel. It's an outstanding choice for those who seamlessly blend travel with work. Equipped with an Intel Core i5 processor and a GeForce RTX 3050, it guarantees that users won't have to compromise on work or enjoyment, even while traveling. The 17.3-inch screen vividly brings every detail to life, enhancing the travel experience with more colorful and enjoyable visuals.

While it offers exceptional performance, the ASUS TUF F17 is big and heavy, which might not be ideal for those who want portability. But its durability and specs make it an excellent choice. For a travel laptop that strikes a balance between performance, durability, and visual excellence, the ASUS TUF F17 stands out as the best mid-range option.

The Razer Blade 18 Gaming Laptop is a laptop that pushes the boundaries of what people can genuinely call a gaming laptop (but in a good way). Razer has no qualms about it, calling it the ultimate desktop replacement with a feature-packed offering that also comes with some of the most premium pricing on the market.

• Desktop-grade performance in a portable design
• 240Hz 2K display for stunning visuals
• 32GB DDR5 RAM for superior multitasking
• High price point
• Shorter battery life under heavy use

The Razer Blade 18 Gaming Laptop is the best high-end option for those seeking to merge top-tier performance with portability. Equipped with an Intel Core i9-13950HX 24-core processor and an NVIDIA RTX 4090 GPU, it delivers desktop-like performance, making it an excellent choice for both gamers and professionals. Its 240Hz 2K screen offers stunning visuals, elevating gaming and content creation to an immersive experience.

The Razer Blade 18's premium price reflects its exceptional build quality and advanced components, often matching a desktop's performance and setting a high standard among Windows laptops. Its powerful features and solid build may exceed the needs of regular users, and its larger size could be a factor for those who prefer more compact travel options. However, for those who prioritize exceptional performance on the go, the Razer Blade 18 is unrivaled, making it the best high-end travel laptop, catering to those who refuse to compromise on power and quality while traveling.

With a decent Intel Core i5 12th generation processor and a GTX 1650 GPU powering it, the Victus 15 isn't the fastest laptop, but it does offer decent pricing, a 144Hz display, and a healthy slew of ports.

CPU Intel Core i5-12450H

GPU GTX 1650

Storage 512 GB NVMe SSD

Battery 52.5 WHr

Display (Size, Resolution) 15.6", 1080p, 144 Hz

Camera 720p

Colors Mica Silver

Memory 8 GB DDR4 3200 MHz

Ports 1 USB Type-C, 2 USB Type-A, Ethernet, HDMI 2.1, SD Card Reader

Weight 5.06 lbs

• Powerful 12th Gen Intel Core i5 performance
• Amazing 15.6" 1080p 144Hz display
• Plenty of storage with 512GB NVMe SSD
• 8GB RAM may need upgrading for heavy multitasking
• Larger design compared to ultraportables

For budget-conscious travelers seeking a combination of affordability, performance, and portability, the HP Victus 15 emerges as the best choice. It is equipped with a 12th Gen Intel Core i5-12450H CPU and NVIDIA GTX 1650 GPU, making it adept at handling both work related tasks and entertainment needs while traveling. The laptop's fast display enhances the smoothness of visuals, perfect for photo editing or enjoying games during layovers.

While the HP Victus 15 features a sturdy design and a comprehensive selection of ports for added versatility, travelers should consider its noise level and battery life. Even with these factors in mind, the overall value of the HP Victus 15 is exceptional, making it an outstanding choice for travelers seeking the best budget laptop at an affordable price.

Best Laptops for School in 2024

Final thoughts on choosing your travel companion.

Picking the best travel laptop is all about finding the right balance between its specs and what fits your travel style and needs. When considering purchasing a laptop for travel, don’t forget about three, very important concerns. These are portability and weight, battery life, and durability.

Portability and Weight

The ideal travel laptop should be your go-to gadget without being too heavy. Look for models that balance lightweight design and screen size perfectly, so you don't sacrifice usability for portability.

Battery Life

Long flights and travel layovers require a laptop that can keep up. Choose laptops with extended battery life to make sure you are still working or enjoying entertainment, no matter how far off from home your travels may take you.

Travel can be unpredictable, so your laptop should be designed to handle some rough and tumble. Durable materials and a solid design can protect your laptop from bumpy rides, airport security, etc.

Q: How important is a laptop's durability for travel?

Extremely important. Travel laptops should have a solid body to handle the challenges of moving from place to place, offering peace of mind on your trips.

Q: Can travel laptops handle demanding tasks like video editing?

Many travel-friendly laptops have high-performance specs that can handle demanding tasks like video editing and gaming and offer a great balance of power and portability.

Q: How do I secure my laptop while traveling?

Look for laptops with advanced security features like fingerprint readers or facial recognition to keep your data safe while traveling.

The best travel laptops

With the best travel laptops, you can work, play, stream content and more, wherever you are.

Now lockdown is becoming a distant memory, the best travel laptops are firmly back on our radar. Handy for everything from short train rides to transatlantic flights, and everythig in between, these laptops allow you to do everything you can do at your desk while you're on the move.

The best travel laptops are small, light and easy to carry, but still packed with enough power to do everything you need while you're away. We've gathered our favourites together in the article below, covering a variety of budgets and a range of capabilities. If you're not sure what you're looking for, though, first read our section on how to pick the best travel laptop .

Looking for some more specific? Then you might also want to check out our roundups of the best laptops for graphic design or the best laptops for programming . Meanwhile, for some extra help planning a trip, also see our guides to the best travel accessories for designers .

The best travel laptops available now

Why you can trust Creative Bloq Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test .

01. Dell XPS 13 (2022)

Specifications, reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

Nice and compact, and weighing just 1.17 kg (2.59 lbs), the Dell XPS 13 (2022) offers an exceptional combination of portability and power, along with great battery life. In our eyes, that makes it the perfect travel companion.

The screen can give out just under 450 nits of brightness, so even bright daylight shouldn't be an issue. The inclusion of Intel 's 12th-gen U-series chips means everything runs super-fast, and it's powerful enough to run creative software like Photoshop . It stays cool and quiet in use, and you can expect around 13 hours' battery life with light use. 

On the downside, the webcam is only 720p, which is okay for Zoom calls but not the best picture quality. You're limited in the number of devices you can connect, with just two Thunderbolt 4 ports in total. But as long as those aren't deal breakers, we reckon the Dell XPS 13 offers better value overall, making it our pick as the best travel laptop of 2022.

02. MacBook Pro 13-inch (M2, 2022)

Weighing just 1.4 kg (3 lbs), this latest version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro is perfect for travel. Showcasing the high build quality you'd expect from Apple , this thin and light laptop touts the latest M2 chip, a beautiful 13.3-inch Retina display and that convenient Touch ID. Our tests showed that it's great for multitasking, handles creative software like Photoshop very well, and lasted 15 and a half hours in our battery test, which involves playing a looped 1080p video.

On the downside, the webcam is just 720p and as far as connectivity goes, you're limited to just 2x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) slots and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Plus you're tied into Apple's ecosystem, which may be a good or bad thing, depending on where you stand. For more details, see our full MacBook Pro 13-inch (M2, 2022) review .

03. PixelBook Go

The diminutive sibling to Google's higher-end Pixelbook , the Pixelbook Go is truly great value for money. For sheer class and ease of use, due the stellar components that you get, this is a great bargain, and one of the best entry level Chromebooks out there for travel. 

Of course, being a Chromebook , this will work on Google Chrome OS operating system, running cloud-based applications and storing a lot of data online, so a solid internet connection for its user is essential. And of course, you won't be able to run any Windows or macOS software you're used to. 

More generally, its design is slim and light, its frame made from magnesium alloy with a matte finish, and it weighs in at 2.3 pounds and is 0.5-inches thin. On top on that, it offers a back-lit keyboard, and a 1080p front-facing camera; two elements that you won't find on most of the laptops here.

04. HP Spectre x360 (2021)

When you're travelling, particularly if you're jammed into tight spaces on planes, trains and automobiles, you need to be flexible. Helpfully, the HP Spectre x360 (2021) has a hybrid design so you can switch between, for instance, working in traditional laptop mode, playing games in tablet mode and streaming your favourite shows in tent mode.

More generally, it's gorgeous, with its elegant gem-cut design that will be the envy of everyone on your holiday. It offers a fair number of ports, so you can connect lots of devices: a USB-A 3.1 port, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a microSD card reader and a combi audio jack. And it also boasts great Bang & Olufsen speakers, an exquisite touchscreen display and a whopping 12-hour battery life. 

05. Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 13.5-inch

The Surface Laptop 4 continues Microsoft’s tradition of crafting excellent portables. This thin and light laptop comes fitted with 11th-generation Intel Core processors, plenty of memory for most computing needs and decent storage options. It delivers such an excellent performance, and boasts Microsoft’s impressive keyboard and trackpad as well. 

As with most ultrabooks, there's a lack of ports: just one USB-C, one USB-A, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and Surface Connect port for power. However, at under 1.27 kg, this is lighter than most of its 13-inch rivals. So if weight is a top priority for you, this must be at the top of your list of options. For more details read our Surface Laptop 4 review .

06. Razer Blade Stealth 13

Razer is no stranger to excellent gaming laptops that boast mind-blowing power, but it’s the Razer Blade Stealth 13 that’s really impressed us. While most gaming laptops are big and bulky machines, this 13-inch model has fitted all that gaming prowess in an Ultrabook laptop, so you can play all those latest games smoothly at 1080p while on the go. It’s not just for games, mind you – it can handle creative tasks like photo and video editing as well. There’s even a 4K option for an even better image quality. And the sophisticated and sleek non-gaming aesthetic is a bonus.

07. Lenovo Flex 5 14

The Lenovo Flex 5 14  may be a couple of years old now, but it remains a great laptop for when you're out and about, serving brilliantly as a secondary travel laptop if you want to leave your heavy duty work horse in the office. 

It's a 2-in-1 device, which makes it that little bit more, well, flexible. You can fold the screen back to use it as a supported tablet, ideal if you want the screen only to watch media on long journeys. And with its 14-inch, FHD (1920 x 1080) resolution display, the image is crisp and clear. And, it's specs include an impressive 16GB RAM, and a super fast and stable 256 solid state drive – perfect for when TV shows turn into a work project on the move, as it'll run the most common creative design software without breaking a sweat. With the Lenovo's Active Pen Stylus, digital artists should be happy too. 

Add to that a nice array of ports, including a USB-C and two USB-A ports, plus an HDMI port in case you want to connect to an external monitor, and this is a fantastic allrounder at a affordable price.

How to pick the best travel laptop

Not every laptop can be a good travel laptop. Some are powerful yet too heavy to go traipsing around with, while others just aren’t powerful enough to be reliable, especially for digital nomads whose computing demands are more intensive than that of regular users.

The best travel laptops must combine portability with power and durability. They must be thin and light so you can easily slip them in your backpack or carry-on, and not have to worry too much about the added weight. Anything under 1.59kg (3.5lbs) is ideal. After all, traveling as light as possible is one of the key things for a more relaxing – and cheaper – trip.

They must also be powerful enough to handle your needs, whatever those may be. If you’re just looking to do travel research, stream movies and chat with friends, a less powerful laptop will do. However, if you’re planning on working while traveling, not just any laptop will do. Luckily, there are excellent mobile workstations out there that are fitted with powerful processors and plenty of memory.

The best travel laptops must also be extremely durable, robust enough to not only handle hard bumps, but also accidental drops. MacBook Pros, for example, are tough enough to survive a high fall.

A long battery life is also extremely useful. While most cafes, airports, stations, trains and planes provide outlets for laptop users, a portable that will last you a while on a single charge is preferred in case you find yourself stuck in a place where charging just isn’t possible. It wouldn’t hurt to have plenty of storage space, either – although Cloud storage and best external hard drives are readily available, if upgrading to a bigger storage space proves too pricey for you.

Related articles: 

• The best art books
• The best laptops for photo editing
• Cheap Apple Pencil deals

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Get the Creative Bloq Newsletter

Daily design news, reviews, how-tos and more, as picked by the editors.

Tom May is an award-winning journalist and editor specialising in design, photography and technology. Author of the Amazon #1 bestseller Great TED Talks: Creativity , published by Pavilion Books, Tom was previously editor of Professional Photography magazine, associate editor at Creative Bloq, and deputy editor at net magazine. Today, he is a regular contributor to Creative Bloq and its sister sites Digital Camera World , T3.com and Tech Radar . He also writes for Creative Boom and works on content marketing projects. 

• Matt Hanson

Related articles

Before you go...

Check out today's top deals.

Plus, get free shipping and easy returns.

HP TECH TAKES /...

Best laptops for travel this holiday season

Table of Contents

How to choose the best laptop for travel

Top travel laptop recommendations, safety and security.

The importance of portability and weight

Durability and build quality, connectivity and mixed-use features, entry-level travel laptop options, victus by hp gaming laptop (15z-fb100): best entry-level travel laptop.

• Processor: AMD Ryzen™ 5 7535HS (Base)
• Display: 15.6" diagonal, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) (Base)
• Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2050 Laptop GPU (Base)
• Memory: Up to 16GB DDR5-4800 SDRAM
• Storage: Up to 1TB PCIe® NVMe™ TLC M.2 SSD
• Weight: 5.06 lbs
• Dimensions: 14.09 x 10.04 x 0.93"
• Battery recharge time: approximately 50% in 30 minutes

Mid-range travel laptop options

Hp envy laptop (17t-cw000): best mid-range travel laptop.

• Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-13700H (Base)
• Display: 17.3" diagonal FHD (1,920 x 1,080) (Base)
• Graphics: Intel Iris® Xe Graphics (Base)
• Memory: Up to 32GB DDR4-3200 MHz RAM
• Storage: 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
• Weight: 5.5 lbs
• Dimensions: 15.59 x 10.18 x 0.77"

High-end travel laptop options

Hp spectre x360 2-in-1 laptop (14-ef2047nr): best high-end travel laptop.

• Processor: Intel Core i7-1355U (Standard)
• Display: 13.5" diagonal WUXGA+ (1,920 x 1,280) (Standard)
• Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics (Standard)
• Memory: 16GB LPDDR4x-4266 MHz RAM
• Storage: 1TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe TLC M.2 SSD
• Weight: 3.01 lbs
• Dimensions: 11.73 x 8.68 x 0.67"
• Battery recharge time: approximately 50% in 45 minutes

Bonus: HP Spectre Foldable (17-cs0097nr) 3-in-1 Laptop: Best new laptop for travel

• 12th Generation Intel Core i7 processor
• Intel Iris Xe Graphics
• 16GB memory and 1TB SSD storage
• 17" diagonal 2.5K touch display
• Switch easily between laptop, extended screen, tablet, or desktop modes
• Includes HP Rechargeable MPP2.0 Tilt Pen
• AI Privacy Alert blurs screen when someone is detected behind user
• Walk away screen lock and wake on approach

Important security features on HP travel laptops

Tips for keeping your data safe with public wifi, about the author.

Dwight Pavlovic is a contributing writer for HP Tech Takes. Dwight is a music, gaming, and technology writer based out of West Virginia.

Popular articles

• 10 Best Minecraft Seeds for 2024
• How to Screenshot on HP Laptop or Desktop Computers
• How to Enter BIOS Setup on Windows PCs

How Do I Fix a Laptop that Won’t Turn On?

3 Different Ways to Charge a Laptop without a Charger

• How to Boot from a USB Drive on Windows 10 PCs
• 7 Ways to Improve Your Computer Performance
• 10 Best Minecraft Shaders for 2024
• How to Turn Keyboard Lighting On / Off
• Lag! Top 5 Reasons your Ping is so High

Related tags

• laptops for travel
• onthego laptops
• travel laptops

Article archives

• 2023 Articles
• 2022 Articles
• 2021 Articles
• 2020 Articles
• 2019 Articles
• 2018 Articles

Recommended articles

How to Clean Your Laptop Screen

What is a CMOS Battery? How to Remove and Replace One in a Laptop

Laptop vs Notebook: What is the Difference?

Top 25 Best HD Wallpapers for Laptops

10 Surprising Things You Can Do with a Chromebook

How to Rotate (or Flip) PC Screen in Windows

How to Factory Reset a Windows Laptop

How to Download Netflix on a Laptop and Watch Movies

How to Fix a Laptop That Won't Charge

How to Upgrade Your Laptop

Do It Yourself Laptop Screen Repair

Why is My Laptop so Slow and How Can I Fix It?

How to Set Up a Portable External Monitor for Your Laptop

• HP Fraud Alert
• Spectre Laptop
• ZBook Studio
• Hybrid Laptop
• Ultrabook i5
• Laptop Backpack for Women
• Laptop Bags for Women
• Laptop Car Charger
• Universal Laptop Docking Station
• Best Laptops for Accountants
• Best Laptop for Autocad
• Laptop for Cad Software
• Laptop for Network Engineering
• Lightest Ultrabook
• Light Gaming Laptop
• Best Lightweight Laptops
• Lightweight Touchscreen Laptop
• Microsoft Gaming Laptop

Disclosure: Our site may get a share of revenue from the sale of the products featured on this page.

FREE shipping & Easy returns

Order by Phone 877-203-4758

Student discounts

HP for Business

Offers subject to change, not combinable with all other offers, and exclusions may apply, while supplies last. HP may impose a purchase quantity limit (for example, 3 units per order). Taxes, shipping, and other fees may apply as applicable. HP reserves the right to cancel orders arising from pricing or other errors. Prices, specifications, availability, and terms of offers may change without notice. Price protection, price matching or price guarantees do not apply to Intra-day, Daily Deals or limited-time promotions. These terms apply only to products sold by HP.com; reseller offers may vary. Items sold by HP.com are not for immediate resale. Orders that do not comply with HP.com terms, conditions, and limitations may be cancelled. Contract and volume customers not eligible.

HP’s MSRP is subject to discount. HP’s MSRP price is shown as either a stand-alone price or as a strike-through price with a discounted or promotional price also listed. Discounted or promotional pricing is indicated by the presence of an additional higher MSRP strike-through price.

Microsoft and Windows are US registered of Microsoft Corporation. Ultrabook, Celeron, Celeron Inside, Core Inside, Intel, Intel Logo, Intel Atom, Intel Atom Inside, Intel Core, Intel Inside, Intel Inside Logo, Intel vPro, Itanium, Itanium Inside, Intel Evo, Intel Optane, Iris, Itanium, MAX, Pentium, Pentium Inside, vPro Inside, Xeon, Xeon Phi and Xeon Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Not all features are available in all editions or versions of Windows. Systems may require upgraded and/or separately purchased hardware, drivers, software or BIOS update to take full advantage of Windows functionality. Windows is automatically updated and enabled. High speed internet and Microsoft account required. ISP fees may apply and additional requirements may apply over time for updates. See http://www.windows.com.

Earn HP Rewards on select products from the following categories: Laptops, Desktops, Printers, Business PC’s, select Accessories, and select Ink, Toner & Paper. Exclusions apply, and program membership required. See details HP Rewards

The personal information you provide will be used according to the HP Privacy Statement

*America’s most trusted printer brand: Based on 2022 semi-annual internal brand surveys commissioned by HP.

*2 years of ink included with the best print quality every time: Based upon 150 and 200 pages per month of HP Smart Tank customers’ usage. Actual yield varies considerably based on content of printed pages and other factors. Average yield based on ISO/IEC 24711 or HP testing methodology and continuous printing. Some ink from included bottles is used to start up the printer. For details, see: www.hp.com/go/learnaboutsupplies. Print quality tested on everyday paper. Compared to the majority of in-class, 3:1 and 4:1 duplex, wireless A4 ink tank printers under $552 USD. Printers selected by market share as reported by IDC Quarterly Hardcopy Peripherals Tracker – Final Historical CYQ2 2023. Claim based on publicly available information as of September 2023 and Keypoint Intelligence hands-on testing and study in September 2023 commissioned by HP. Details: www.keypointintelligence.com/hpbesteverydayprintquality.

**Copilot in Windows (in preview) is available in select global markets and will be rolled out to additional markets over time. See microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-specifications for more information.

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?

ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.

When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.

ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form .

The best lightweight laptops you can buy: Expert tested

Why you can trust ZDNET

ZDNET's reviewers spend weeks to months testing each laptop on this list, using it for both everyday tasks like browsing, streaming, and gaming, to more performance-intensive work like photo and video editing. We aim to give you a view into how each laptop could actually fit into your life and workflow, and the pros and cons of their various features like performance, display, and battery life.

What to Consider

Whether your laptop is your ultimate workstation or source of entertainment, its design, display, and even portability determines how you interact with the unit.

Performance

For many, laptops are essential for workflow and communication. The best laptops promise efficient speed and performance, powered by the best and latest chipsets (like the Apple M2 Max).

Storage and RAM

It's likely you'll use a laptop to store key documents or memories and the best models have plenty of room for you to do so.

We strive to answer the question, "what laptop should i get if ___" as we know you have different workflow and entertainment needs and preferences, from graphic design to gaming.

The best laptop can be a pricey investment, so we considered qualities that assure you'll get your money's worth.

As laptop technology continues to advance, we're seeing huge upgrades in terms of portability. It's almost impossible to imagine now, but Apple's first laptop, the Macintosh Portable weighed a hefty 16 pounds. Today, we have machines that weigh little more than two.

The laptops included on this list are all extremely portable, and were chosen as the best lightweight machine for their particular use cases. These are laptops you can throw into a backpack and hardly notice, while still providing powerful performance that justifies using a laptop in the first place (as opposed to a tablet or Chromebook). With so many laptops on the market today, the margins between what is considered "lightweight" and "average" are becoming more and more thin. However, all of the laptops on this list are undeniably light, none weighing more than 3.3 pounds.

Also: The best laptops you can buy: Expert tested

What's the best lightweight laptop right now?

Our overall top pick for the best lightweight laptop has to go to the Apple MacBook Air M3 . In terms of portability, sleek form factor, a solid battery life, and AI-capabilities, the MacBook Air M3 reigns supreme among the lightest of the light. It might not be the best pick for you, however, so we included other options that round out the spectrum of most common use cases.

The best lightweight laptops of 2024: Expert tested

• Powerful and portable
• High-end form factor and design
• Upgraded neural engine
• Support for two external monitors
• The LCD display isn't as impressive as OLED competitors
• 8GB of RAM on base model is limiting
• Built-in speakers could be stronger

Apple MacBook Air M3

Best lightweight laptop overall.

The resounding success of Apple's M2 MacBook Air was only improved upon with its successor, the M3 MacBook Air, and is our pick for best overall lightweight laptop. Available in a 13-inch and 15-inch display size, the MacBook Air is thin, light, and incredibly compact for the amount of power it has. At just barely over three pounds, the MacBook Air can be slipped into virtually any bag and go with you wherever you go.

The M3 MacBook Air is also as versatile as it is portable, with the ability to support two additional monitors with the lid closed (using an Apple Studio Display lets you connect directly with a Thunderbolt port), and act like a desktop. 

It's also no secret that the M3 lineup was designed to handle AI workloads, and the MacBook Air is no exception. With a 16-core Neural Engine (along with accelerators in the GPU/CPU for improved on-device machine learning) the M2 MacBook Air can run various AI models and is future-proofed for the inevitable deluge of AI applications coming.

Review: M3 MacBook Air review: Apple's AI computer for the masses has arrived

Apple MacBook Air M3 t ech specs:  8-core CPU with 16-core Neural Engine | 8GB, 16GB, or 24GB of unified memory with 10-core GPU | 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage | LCD, 60Hz refresh rate, 500 nits max | Up to 18 hours of battery life | 13-inch: 2.7 points; 15-inch: 3.3 pounds 

• Ready for AI
• Impressive performance
• Solid battery life
• Generic design

Acer Swift Go 14

Best lightweight ai laptop.

The Acer Swift Go 14 is one of the first portable laptops to come with Intel's new "Meteor Lake" processor, which has a dual-core neural processing unit (NPU) designed to take on AI workloads. This makes the Acer Swift Go 14 well-positioned to handle AI technology as it becomes increasingly more ubiquitous, giving it an edge that makes it our pick for best lightweight AI laptop.

AI is here, it's only a matter of time before the platforms and operating systems we're using now are powered by AI functionality, and for users that want to be ahead of the curve, the Acer Swift Go 14 provides portability and forward-thinking in a future-proof design. 

Review:  I tested Acer's $799 AI laptop for a week and there's one feature I can't give up

Acer Swift Go 14 t ech specs:  Intel Core Ultra 155H, two-core NPU | Intel Arc GPU | 16GB memory, 1TB SSD | 14-inch touch display; 400-nit brightness | Up to 19 hours of battery life | 2.87 lbs 

• Sleek form factor
• Powerful hardware
• Gorgeous OLED display
• Adaptable and office-ready
• Compact size means it can run hot
• Comes pre-loaded with bloatware

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14

Best lightweight laptop for gaming.

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is a solid gaming machine in its own right, but it's the combination of power and portability together that make it our pick for best lightweight gaming laptop.

The hardware in this laptop is no slouch; its AMD Ryzen 9 8000-series processor delivers a powerful baseline of performance, while the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU completes the package as a graphics card that can gaming with ease. This isn't necessarily the best gaming laptop on the market, but it is perhaps the most portable, particularly when it comes to this amount of power in a compact, clean form factor.

The Zephyrus G14 isn't necessarily pigeonholed into being a gaming laptop, either. This is a machine that will do just as well in the office as it will handling heavy workflows with creative software such as video editing or animation. If you do take it to the office, you'll notice it comes stacked with practical ports: you have two each of USB-A and -C, HDMI, headphone jack, and a microSD slot. 

In addition, the battery lasts surprisingly long for a machine with this level of hardware and an OLED display. Most people will be able to get an entire workday plus a little more out of just one charge, even while performing demanding tasks.

Review: Asus' new laptop is a solid MacBook alternative that's better in several ways

Asus ROG Zep hyrus G14 tech specs:  AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS | Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, 8GB | 32GB memory, 1TB SSD | 14-inch OLED display | Up to 12 hours of battery life | 3.3 lbs 

• Incredibly light form factor
• Impressive battery life
• Design tradeoffs for ultra portability

LG Gram Pro 17

Best lightweight laptop with a 17" display.

The LG Gram Pro 17 takes portability to the extreme. At just half an inch thick and weighing barely over three pounds, the Gram Pro 17 not only holds a Guinness record, but achieved something that at one time was thought to be impossible for a 17" laptop.

Its portability is matched by a suite of powerful hardware, including an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, 32GB hard drive with 2TB of storage, and even a solid video card. This is a machine designed with work in mind, but it could handle some light gaming with this configuration.

Speaking of work, the LG Gram Pro 17 is light enough to go wherever you go, and brings a powerful enough battery to back it up. Battery life times depend on how hard you're pushing the machine, but expect to get well over a day's work on one charge, even taking into account strenuous workloads such as video editing or image rendering.

The LG Gram Pro 17 is the definition of portability, so this is the laptop for someone who is committed to that idea, as there is a cost associated with this level of innovation.

Review: LG's 17-inch Gram Pro laptop's best feature isn't its extreme portability

• Durable, well-designed, and user-friendly
• Stunning display
• High-end webcam
• Battery life is not the best

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

Best lightweight laptop for work.

Lenovo's ThinkPad laptop series has been popular with professionals seeking durable Windows machines for years now, and the X1 Carbon is no exception. This is an elegant, lightweight workhorse of a laptop designed with the working professional in mind, and comes with a host of powerful hardware to back it up. 

The 12th-Gen ThinkPad X1 Carbon offers some small improvements on the eleventh-generation laptop from the same series, which was actually ZDNET's pick for the best Lenovo laptop . One of those improvements is the display, which is equipped with a 14-inch 2.8K resolution OLED that delivers bright, vivid color as well as an anti-glare coating.

It also comes with an 8MP webcam that can shoot in 4K, perfect for presenting a high-quality image on videoconferencing. The spacious trackpad features the ThinkPad's signature three-button design, and a functional keyboard is comfortable enough to support extended typing and work sessions. The X1 Carbon's elegance is ultimately expressed in its functionality, as this is not the flashiest laptop, but it is one of the most well-designed.

Review: Lenovo's latest ThinkPad has new features that will make professionals jump for joy

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon t ech specs:  Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor | Integrated Intel graphics card | 16GB memory, 1TB SSD | 14-inch OLED display | Up to 8 hours of battery life | 2.47 lbs 

What is the best lightweight laptop?

The best lightweight laptop in 2024 is the Apple MacBook Air M3 . Portable, powerful, and with a long-lasting battery, the MacBook Air M3 is a versatile workhorse that you can throw in a bag and take with you anywhere you go. The M3's 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU is armed to take on almost anything you throw at it, and the entire package weighs just 2.7 pounds.

Which is the right lightweight for you?

The best lightweight laptop for you depends on what you want to get out of it. Laptops packed with powerful gaming hardware like the Asus Zephyrus G14 are going to weigh a little more, while extreme lightweight machines like the LG Gram Pro 17 will have some design tradeoffs that go along with their compact size.

Factors to consider when choosing a lightweight laptop

These laptops all offer solid performance in their own right, but paired with their lightweight design, bring a new level of convenience with their portability. Keep in mind that the differences in their weight here are broken down to tenths of a pound, while most people won't even notice much of a difference between two and three pounds. These other factors went into the decision making process: 

• Display: All of the laptops evaluated here are the 14" versions, except the Gram Pro 17 of course, which is 17-inches and still one of the lightest.
• Battery life: In order to be considered for this list, I considered machines with better-than-average battery life. This is one metric that will vary significantly based on use case, but all of these laptops will easily last an entire workday (eight hours) on one charge, even while undergoing demanding workloads
• Price: Cost is an important factor and will make or break many consumers' choices. The reality is that ultraportability does come at a cost, as none of these laptops would be considered "budget" by any rate. The Acer Swift Go 14, however, is still quite affordable, starting at $800, though upgrades will move that number more in line with the others on this list.

How did we choose these lightweight laptops?

I chose these five laptops because they offer the greatest amount of value relative to their extremely light weight. Besides the LG Gram Pro 17, they may not be the absolute lightest laptop that exists on the market, but they are the lightest to offer this amount of performance in a compact form factor.

Why does having a lightweight laptop matter?

The answer to this question is simple: laptops are made to be carried around, and no one wants to carry a heavy computer. Having a thin, lightweight machine opens up its usability and lets you take it places you normally wouldn't consider possible.

Ultraportability does come with tradeoffs, however, both in terms of design and cost. When talking about design, the constraints on manufacturers to squeeze value out of every square inch of space in the laptop means that certain elements may be smaller, lighter, or in non-conventional locations. This especially refers to the laptop's battery, its display, or the laptop's keyboard. 

In terms of cost, ultraportable laptops are often made with high-end, special lightweight materials that are going to cost more to produce and manufacture than simple plastic or aluminum. All of the laptops on this list were chosen for their well-designed, functional form factors and use of lightweight materials.

Which operating system should you choose: Windows, MacOS, Chrome OS, or Linux?

While every computing platform has its loyal supporters, most people end up using a particular operating system because of key applications running on it, employer preferences, or budgetary constraints. Windows, which ranges from budget to premium, and Apple's MacOS, which is exclusive to premium devices, cover a broad spectrum. Chrome OS is mostly limited to mid-range devices.

Also:   Comparing the best Macs: Is a MacBook or Mac Studio right for you?

All Windows devices listed here meet the requirements for Windows 11. If you purchase a device with Windows 10 installed, you will be able to upgrade to Windows 11 if you choose to do so. Note that after October 14, 2025, Windows 10 support will end, and there will be no further security patches or feature updates.

Are there alternative lightweight laptops worth considering?

Laptop technology is getting better all the time, and manufacturers are pushing the limits to what is not only possible, but accessible and affordable. As such, there are quite a few alternative options out there for lightweight laptops that weren't included on this list, but need to be mentioned.

ZDNET Recommends

• GTA 5 Cheats
• What is Discord?
• Find a Lost Phone
• Upcoming Movies
• Nintendo Switch 2
• Best YouTube TV Alternatives
• How to Recall an Email in Outlook

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

The 6 best tablets for travel in 2024

With the world opening up once again for tourists, you’re going to want to buy a tablet to beat the boredom of long flights and waiting times. Not all models will be able to serve this purpose though, so to help you decide what to purchase, we’ve rounded up our recommendations for the best tablets for travel. We acknowledge that there are different types of travelers, so we picked devices that will cater to each of them, while considering a specific set of criteria when making our selections.

While you can also use your smartphone during your trips, the larger screen of tablets will help provide more amusing entertainment when you need it. The best tablets for travel will let you catch up on work, watch streaming shows , check social media, and whatever else you may think of doing while you’re on the way to your destination, or while you’re taking a break from all the sights and sounds. Read onward to figure out the best tablet for travel for you, then go ahead and purchase it so that the device will be ready and waiting for your next adventure.

The best tablets for travel in 2024

• Buy the if you want the best overall tablet for travel.
• Buy the if you want a tablet for travel that will keep you productive.
• Buy the if you want a tablet for travel to watch streaming content and play mobile games.
• Buy the if you want to get your child a tablet for travel.
• Buy the if you want a tablet for travel that’s extremely portable.
• Buy the if you want a tablet for travel for an affordable price.

Apple iPad Air 5th Gen

Best tablet for travel for most people.

• The best iPads in 2024: the 5 best ones you should buy
• Best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 deals: Grab the foldable phone for $700
• Best Samsung tablet deals: Discounted tablets as low as $184

It’s not a surprise that our top choice among the best tablets is also the first tablet for travel that we recommend. Simply put, the fifth-generation Apple iPad Air is that good. Performance is amazing with Apple’s M1 processor, as you wouldn’t want to get even more frustrated when you’re already dealing with the stress of travel. The tablet also features a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, which is bright and colorful to help you better enjoy your favorite content.

The Apple iPad Air 5th Gen will take advantage of the features of the iPadOS 17 , which is the latest version of Apple’s operating system for tablets. It’s slim and light so it’s easy to bring with you during your travels, it comes with a USB-C port for wide compatibility, and it works with the Apple Pencil 2 and the Magic Keyboard as extra accessories for additional input options.

Microsoft Surface Pro 9

Best tablet for travel for professionals.

For those who are planning to work even while they’re traveling, the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 will make sure that you’ll remain productive. It runs on Windows 11 Home , so you’ll be able to use it with the most popular productivity apps — Microsoft Office — and it will make sure that you can get all your tasks done quickly with its 12th-generation Intel Core i7 Evo processor and 16GB of RAM.

As a tablet, the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 offers a 13-inch PixelSense touchscreen with a 120Hz refresh rate, and you can prop it up using its built-in kickstand. However, it transforms into a laptop using the Surface Keyboard that comes bundled with it, in case you need to respond to an email or make a quick report. Some people prefer bringing their work with them on their trips, but that’s why the Microsoft Surface Pro 9  is one of the best tablets for travel — it will help you get back to your vacation as soon as possible.

OnePlus Pad

Best tablet for travel to watch movies and play games.

The OnePlus Pad sits on top of our rankings of the best Android tablets , and that’s partly because of its sharp and vibrant 11.6-inch LCD touchscreen. With 2800 x 2000 pixel resolution and an up to 144Hz refresh rate, it’s an excellent display for watching streaming content and playing mobile games because you’ll be seeing sharp images and smooth movements. The tablet also supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos to enable a personal cinema, and the viewing is even more immersive because of the narrow bezels surrounding the screen.

Adding to the reasons why the OnePlus Pad is one of our best tablets for travel are its slim and lightweight design with a thickness of just 6.5 millimeters and weight of 552 grams, its smooth CNC aluminum unibody, and an all-day battery life that will go from zero to full charge after just over 60 minutes of being plugged in.

Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro

Best tablet for travel to keep your children entertained.

If you want to keep your children busy during your travels, giving them a tablet is one of the easiest options, and the Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro will be your best bet. It’s not the most powerful device out there with just 3GB of RAM, but it will be more than enough for your children as they play games and watch videos on its 10.1-inch touchscreen with Full HD resolution, and they’ll be kept busy with its 13-hour battery life.

The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro is great for children because it comes with a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+, which offers age-appropriate books, games, videos, and apps. It’s also bundled with a kid-proof case to keep the tablet safe from damage, though it features a two-year worry-free guarantee — if the tablet breaks within that period, it will be replaced for free.

Apple iPad Mini 6th Gen

Best tablet for travel that’s easy to carry.

If you want to make sure that you won’t have trouble finding a place for your tablet in your luggage, get something compact like the Apple iPad Mini 6th Gen . It’s very portable with its 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display and weight of just below 300 grams. However, despite its small size, it offers fast performance for your apps with Apple’s A15 Bionic chip and 4GB of RAM, which is the same configuration that you’ll find in the iPhone 13 .

The Apple iPad Mini 6th Gen is compatible with the Apple Pencil 2 if you’re thinking about using it to take notes or draw sketches of the places you visit, and it may be upgraded to iPadOS 17 so that you have access to the operating system’s latest features. It’s also equipped with a USB-C port for charging and other accessories.

Lenovo Tab M10 Plus 3rd Gen

Best tablet for travel with a cheap price.

For those who just need a simple tablet for their travels, the Lenovo Tab M10 Plus 3rd Gen is an affordable but decent option. Its display is relatively large for a budget device at 10.6 inches, and it’s bright and sharp enough for most purposes. The tablet also features a quad-speaker system with Dolby Atmos, so that you can better enjoy watching streaming shows and the videos that you’ll take with it.

The Lenovo Tab M10 Plus 3rd Gen is equipped with an all-day battery so it can keep you company throughout your trip, and it’s protected by a durable aluminum chassis that keeps the tablet light at 465 grams. Book lovers can activate the device’s Immersive Reading Mode to make the screen easier on the eyes, which will be helpful if you’ll be stuck on a plane or train for hours.

How we chose these tablets for travel

Not all tablets are excellent choices as travel companions, and to determine which ones are, we came up with this set of criteria that we followed to narrow down our choices for the best tablets for travel. While certain characteristics will be more important for different types of travelers, you generally want a tablet that will check all these boxes so that you won’t find it lacking once you’re already on your trip.

Portability

The first thing that most people will think about when choosing a tablet for travel purposes is whether the device will be portable. While tablets with larger screens will need a bit more effort if you want to make space for it in your luggage, they may still be considered portable if they’re slim enough to easily slide into your bag. As an electronic device, you wouldn’t want to have your tablet placed somewhere that’s going to be out of your sight, so it’s important that the device you buy will fit into the hand-carry bag that you always bring with you during your travels.

In selecting the best tablets for travel, we chose devices that maintain portability even if they have relatively large displays, though of course, that will still depend on the biggest device that you’ll be comfortable bringing with you.

Versatility

While you may have a specific purpose in mind for your tablet while you travel, it would be better if the device is versatile enough to handle different kinds of activities. For example, if your tablet is primarily for browsing the internet, it should still have a display with decent resolution in case you decide to watch a video. If you think you’re going to be playing mobile games most of the time on your tablet, you should still think about having enough storage space left over when you need it to take footage of anything awesome that you come across in your trip.

Some tablets have accessories, either bundled with the device or requiring a separate purchase, that will give you extra options. A stylus will help you pass the time by drawing the sights that you see, while a keyboard will make it easier to compose emails or write on your travel blog. This versatility helps make the best tablets for travel very valuable companions.

Compatibility

If you use a specific set of apps for work and play, or if you have accessories that you can’t leave home without, you better make sure that they will work with the tablet that you buy. The best tablets for travel are widely compatible with all of the popular apps and accessories, as they’re powered by top operating systems and they come with a complete set of ports.

We made sure to select tablets that will work with everything that you usually use, which means going for trusted brands that have taken this into consideration when building their devices. Whether you’re an iPadOS or Android fan, there’s something for you in our list of the best tablets for travel if you want to stick to the ecosystem that you’re used to back home.

Traveling requires a lot of movement, which will possibly expose your tablet to much more wear and tear compared to using it at home. We chose devices that are relatively durable because you wouldn’t want to go home with a broken tablet, which will be an additional expense to repair or replace. Tablets with built-in protection for their touchscreens and made with tough materials are excellent choices as travel companions.

For the more adventurous travelers, you may want to buy a rugged case or something similar for your tablet so that it will better withstand potential damage. This is partly why we chose some of the most popular models for our list of the best tablets for travel, as there will surely be rugged cases and similar accessories available for them.

Value for money

Last but not least, we believe that you should receive fantastic value for money with every purchase, and getting a tablet for travel is no exception. Whether you’re on a tight budget or you’re willing to make a significant investment, the device that you buy should make you feel that you paid more than what it cost you.

Affordable tablets should still provide decent performance, and premium tablets should pack all the latest features. It would be a good idea to set a maximum budget for your purchase to further narrow down your options, but no matter what, you won’t regret spending your cash on any of the best tablets for travel that we’ve highlighted above.

This article is managed and created separately from the Digital Trends Editorial team.

Editors' Recommendations

• 3 foldable phone deals you should seriously consider today
• Best refurbished iPhone deals: Get an iPhone 14 for $513
• Best Verizon new customer deals: Galaxy S24, iPhone and more
• Best Samsung Galaxy S22 deals: Save big on unlocked models
• Best iPhone deals: Save on iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro Max and more
• Best Products

Aaron received a NES and a copy of Super Mario Bros. for Christmas when he was 4 years old, and he has been fascinated with tech ever since. A gamer at heart, Aaron believes that while the tech industry is often dealing with side quests and boss fights, it always remains on track with the mission to save the world.

There are lots of different types of ring lights, but they all have the same primary purpose -- provide a steady light source that will illuminate your subject, whether that's an object, another person, or yourself. If you need a ring light for your phone, there's also an overwhelming number of options, so to help you out, we've rounded up the best ring lights for phones right here. We're going to take you through our recommendations, their advantages over other ring lights for phones in the market, and our selection process that resulted in our top five choices below.

Whether you're a travel vlogger, a video game streamer, or any other kind of content creator, and you prefer using your phone over a dedicated camera or webcam, then you should check out the best ring lights for phones that we've gathered here. Even if you're only going to use it for your personal photos and videos, it's always better to have nice lighting that will simply make everything look nicer, especially in low-light environments. Not everyone needs a ring light for their phone, but for those who do, read on to determine the one that would be perfect for you. The best ring lights for phones in 2024

Buying the best tablet for business isn’t quite as simple as just buying something from our look at the best tablets. Business users have specific needs which mean they don’t have to worry so much high-end gaming performance or a particularly sharp and speedy display. Instead, it’s mostly about strong number crunching ability, plenty of storage, good cameras for calls, and those kind of responsible considerations.

That’s why we’ve specifically picked out the best tablets for business below. Further down, we’ve also gone into greater depth about how we came to our decisions but rest assured, we’re experts in the field and know exactly what a business user needs from a great tablet. For some of you that may mean one of the best iPads but for others, it means an Android device or even a hybrid laptop/tablet setup.

The Google Pixel lineup includes phones, smartwatches, and more. It offers a range of nifty devices that compete with Apple, Samsung, and other top electronics brands, and in the opinion of many it outperforms other ecosystems when it comes to the onboard software. The Google Pixel phone is often in contention to be among the best Android phones, but the Pixel lineup in general has a lot to offer. Right now that includes savings, as there are a lot of Google Pixel deals worth shopping. We’re seeing some impressive phone deals, headphone deals, and smartwatch deals out of the Pixel lineup, and we’ve rounded up all of the best Google Pixel deals below. If you’re in the market for a great device to carry or wear, read onward for more details on how to save. Google Pixel Buds Pro -- $178, was $200

If you need new wireless earbuds, you should check out the various models of the Google Pixel Buds, particularly the Google Pixel Buds Pro currently discounted. They offer long battery life, and while they're at their best when you're connecting them to another Pixel device or an Android-powered smartphone, you can also use with with iPhones or other Bluetooth-enabled gadgets.

• The Inventory

The Best Gaming Laptops You Can Buy in 2024

Gaming-capable laptops have come a long way, and there’s probably a portable pc to fit your particular budget..

The age of gaming laptops has truly come into its own. In the last few years, the biggest PC makers have managed to get their gaming-minded brands to such a state you can probably find a good-quality portable gaming machine for almost any budget (so long as you don’t mind spending close to $1,000 or likely much more than that). Sure, you can pick up a lightweight, regular laptop , but you shouldn’t feel bad turning an eye toward some of the more heavy-duty and inevitably more expensive gaming machines just in case you like a little spice to the old humdrum work device. And hell, if you’re still looking for a laptop that will cost you a little less and still meet or exceed performance, we already have you covered.

Related Content

The best gaming laptop must do more than pack the best specs into a big aluminum box. It can’t just be a vehicle for taking a high-end GPU on the road. It needs to keep cool, sound, and look good, and still clicky and fun even if you expect to plug in an extra mouse. It can’t be the most expensive, nor can it feel cheap. Beyond all that, it should still be portable. It’s a laptop, for heaven’s sake. If it wasn’t portable, what would be the point of spending all that extra money when a desktop with decent specs could cost a fair bit less?

Compromise is inevitable, but where a PC compromise is important. You have machines like the Dell XPS 14 with its option for a discrete Nvidia RTX 4050 laptop GPU and the XPS 16 that can get an RTX 4070, but you won’t exactly feel comfortable with the WASD on those space-less keyboards. Similarly, there are plenty of devices out there that promote their access to cloud gaming services . However, unless they have a very good display and strong WiFi connectivity, you’re much better off with a device with quality, dedicated gaming hardware.

In that way, we found the best gaming laptops don’t feel like a compromise. They manage to push hardware to a fair margin but rely on quality builds, great screens, and the omnipresence of AI upscaling tech like Nvidia’s DLSS or AMD’s FidelityFX to get as good an experience as a desktop, but from practically anywhere.

Best Overall Gaming Laptop

Lenovo legion pro 7i.

When you have to decide on a gaming laptop, you expect that—most likely—you’ll hang out with a thick, slightly cumbersome, and expensive device that blows a lot of hot air around your desk and won’t work long without a power cable nearby. The funny thing is that everything remains true with the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i . And despite all that, it’s a Santa’s sack of goodies, crammed in with as much capability as possible in a 16-inch design. It’s hard not to come away impressed. It sports a full-sized keyboard with a numpad and the per-key RGB lighting you expect from gaming-minded machines. It has ports on both the sides and back edge on top of the thermal shelf, and it can max out at an Intel Core i9-14900HX and a Nvidia RTX 4090 laptop GPU. All that, and it still doesn’t go above $4,000. The latest version of the 7i sits at $3,640 for all that and 32 GB of RAM.

There are problems. The interior shelf is a little bit too squishy, though not enough. You’ll see it sag under the weight of your writest. The keyboard and trackpad are just alright, and the 2560x1600 resolution screen is fine if there is nothing to write home about. It also doesn’t pack anywhere near a great battery life for a laptop, lasting only a few hours on balanced power mode when away from an outlet. Still, what you get for the price is incredible, allowing it to take a prime spot on the list. However, you can still consider cheaper, smaller options that may be more worth it for gamers on a budget.

Best Mid-Range Gaming Laptop

Alienware m16 r2.

Sometimes, the best laptops are the ones that go back to basics. Alienware’s latest redesign of its laptops, which managed to nix the thermal shelf, is a strong contender for one of the most comfortable gaming laptops I’ve used this year. The keyboard is weighty with fair travel and comfort. The trackpad is also smooth, and the bonus of a lighting zone makes it a bit easier on the eye. The shelf is comfortable and grippy while still feeling sturdy. All that, and it will fit into the laptop holder in your backpack.

The m16 R2 has access to an Intel Core Ultra 9 and an RTX 4070 GPU, which, while not the top of the line in terms of hardware, will still net you fair frames in most games for a little under $2,100. It starts at $1,500 for the version with a Core Ultra 7 and RTX 4050, but with a base 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB SSD, it’s a relatively fair price. That’s especially true in stock with a 240 Hz refresh rate display. It’s not the prettiest 2560 x 1600 screen out there, but at the price, it does the job adequately. It can get extra hot, even when the fans are going at their peak, which could impact performance, but for most use, the Alienware m16 R2 still manages to beat the competition in terms of raw comfort.

Best 14-inch Gaming Laptop

Asus rog zephyrus g14 (2024).

Asus already had a winner on its hands with the previous G14 laptops , so when the company decided to reinvent the small-form laptop with the 2024 edition of the G14 , we were curious to see just how much an improvement a few millimeters shaved off its overall size would be. It turned out quite a bit when we discovered the new Zephyrus, which was easily the best 14-inch gaming laptop around and, incredibly, one of the best laptops you could get for its size, period. It’s small and surprisingly light despite managing to pack up to an RTX 4070 and an AMD Ryzen R9-8945HS. That’s a slightly worse top-end GPU than previous generations, but the system still benchmarks pretty well thanks to the latest AMD CPU and a helping hand from DLSS. It feels sturdy and features a great keyboard and fair trackpad. The back features a customizable light strip that can be as loud or low-key as you might want in case you want to stay stealthy in a Starbucks. It also packs a bright and beautiful OLED screen with thin bezels, making staring at your content a fine treat.

The laptop costs $1,600 but can top off at around $2,000 MSRP when you use more RAM and a better GPU. Since the laptop has soldered-on memory, you’ll likely need to opt for the more expensive version if you expect to keep gaming with it after a few years.

Best Deluxe Gaming Laptop

Razer blade 16 (2024).

You’ve probably heard it a million times, but the Razer Blade 16 is still one of the best gaming laptops if you don’t mind spending any expense to have a portable gaming rig capable of slipping into your backpack. The 2024 refresh added a new OLED screen, and while it’s not the brightest on the market, it’s also blisteringly fast at 240 Hz. It’s not light by any stretch of the imagination, but that’s because it’s packing an RTX 4090 laptop GPU at the top end and a 14th-gen Intel Core i9 14900HX. The laptop feels solid and comes with all the ports you’ll probably need for gaming and a fair bit of graphical work. The main issues with it are the keyboard and trackpad. The former is simply fine, though not the pinnacle of laptop design. The latter is very annoying, especially the abysmal palm rejection.

If you want to push every game in your Steam library to the absolute limit, Blade 16 can. However, that access doesn’t come cheap. It starts at $3,000, but you could easily look at a $4,000+ laptop for the higher configurations. That’s enough to stretch anybody’s budget and likely turn off a huge segment of the buying public. Thankfully, there are a fair few quality budget gaming PCs you should turn to instead.

Best Budget Gaming Laptop

Acer nitro v15.

The hard part about judging a “budget gaming laptop” is that so many machines out there could be slapped with the “budget” sticker even though they’re still far outside the realms of what some can afford. Anything below $1,500 could be considered cheap for a gaming PC in laptop form. Still, it becomes a question of how far back you can scale the CPU and GPU before it doesn’t perform well enough on today’s moderately demanding games.

Acer does have a pretty solid lineup of cheaper gaming laptops. Their Nitro lineup of laptops, including the likes of Nitro V15 , are pretty damn solid, considering they start at below $1,000. It packs an excellent 144 Hz display that can push a 165 Hz refresh rate if you spend extra cash. At base, it uses an Intel Core i5-13420H and an RTX 4050. You can upgrade to an RTX 4060 if you’re willing to spend a bit more than $1,000, and there’s also a 32 GB RAM configuration for those willing to put down $1,200.

You’ll get pretty good performance out of the machine overall, but what it does in terms of raw power is lacking in terms of usability. It has an average keyboard and a trackpad that feels more like rough leather than smooth glass. Its display quality is merely okay and has a really poor battery life. That being said, if all you want is framerates, it’s hard to knock the V15 for what it can do for its price point.

Best Laptop for Cloud Streaming

Acer chromebook 516 ge.

“Gaming Edition” Chromebooks promise a lot just by their title, but despite the name, they’re a system built first and foremost for cloud gaming. Their promise beyond your average handheld system or even phone is that you get access to the full laptop setup without paying the price for a gaming PC.

What the Acer Chromebook 516 GE manages to pull off is making you feel to some extent like you’re a gamer without breaking the bank past its $650 starting price point . It has a 120 Hz display (enough for either Xbox Game Pass or GeForce Now) and an RGB light-up keyboard that epitomizes the gaming laptop experience.

In the meantime, you should explore several other options for cloud gaming. The expansive selection of Steam Deck -like handheld consoles offers an excellent choice for cloud gaming if you prefer a controller setup. Then again, your phone might also work just as well. Hell, most laptops with strong WiFi connectivity will suffice. Consider all that before jumping for the chromeOS-based devices that might not give you everything you want compared to a Windows setup.

Best Mac to Get if You’re Desperate to Run Some Games

Macbook pro 16 with m3 max.

Macs still don’t have nearly the same gaming capabilities as Windows machines, though with new options like a Windows-like game mode and a push to add more big-budget titles to macOS native, there are a few options for those wanting to push gaming on Apple’s platform.

If you had the choice, you would want to opt for the MacBook Pro 16 with an M3 Max chip . This is Apple’s big, ultra high-end laptop that’s meant for those doing intensive graphical tasks, and the CPU packs a 40-core GPU compared to the lower configurations with far fewer graphical capabilities. For the available games, such as Resident Evil 4 or Baldur’s Gate III , you should expect to play everything on its highest settings without breaking below 90 FPS. You damn well should expect that kind of performance, considering a laptop with 36 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD will still set you back $3,500.

It’s Apple, so everything you expect will work with the MacBook Pro 16 . However, you’ll still find yourself pining for games to play natively or at least more titles that can push the hardware to its limit. In that case, check out places like r/macgaming , which has spent years collecting the resources to transport some titles to the Mac ecosystem. No, gaming on Windows or Linux-based systems won’t be as easy, but it is still doable for those dedicated enough.

Advertisement