Shopping for Laptop

The Top 10 Best Laptops

Shopping for a laptop is a pretty daunting task. The sheer number of laptop systems available online or in a store's electronics section is enough to make your mind spin. Most people have a general idea of what their laptop should look like and what they want in terms of features, but are often intimidated by the choices available. That's where we come in, with the 10 best laptops on the market today.

The first thing you need to consider is what you need in the laptop. Are you looking for something to compete on the gaming grid? Then a discrete graphics card and big screen are necessary components in the laptop you choose. Are you on a limited budget? Then be on the lookout for anything under $500 that offers at least a Core i3 CPU and 4GB of memory. If a business system is what you need, then security measures like a fingerprint reader and a TPM module are must-haves. For those who spend a lot of time on the road, then an ultrabook or an ultraportable will keep back and shoulder strain to a minimum. For those who need a system meant for watching movies, a Blu-ray player is a must-have feature. And last but not least, ask yourself if a touch screen is important to you. With the advent of Windows 8 and 8.1, touch-screen functionality has become a significant factor to consider when buying a laptop.

The editors of PCMag.com test hundreds of systems each year to help you find the best laptop. There are a lot of laptops out there, from the large-screen desktop replacements to the lightweight ultraportables, and even laptop/tablet convertibles, but all share common features. In this story, we help you narrow your choices by collecting the top 10 laptops on the market .

Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (2013)

$1,999 list
$1,899.00 at Amazon With an updated Intel processor and speedier Flash Storage, the MacBook Pro 15-inch (2013) leapfrogs over the competition with workstation-class performance and a nine-hour battery life.

Acer Aspire S7-392-6411

$1,449.99 list
$1,299.99 at Amazon If you're looking for a svelte laptop to show off, yet still be able to do real work in Windows 8, the Acer Aspire S7-392-6411 is the ultrabook you want at the top of the list. It's the current pinnacle of the ultrabook trend and shows the brilliance that the PC makers can return under Intel's increasingly stringent standards for ultrabooks.

Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (2013)

$1,299 list
A$1,599.00 at Apple Store The Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (2013) uses Intel's Haswell-based Core i5 processor to give power users a system that can last over 11 hours under continuous use and still process graphics and scientific tasks quickly. It's $500 less expensive than last year's model, yet more than earns its title as our latest Editors' Choice for high-end ultraportable laptops.

Asus Transformer Book T100TA (64GB)

$399 list
$439.99 at Amazon For a sub-$400 price, the Asus Transformer Book T100TA is a fully functional Windows 8.1 hybrid tablet, and the natural successor to the netbook ideal from a few years ago. It gives you a bright, usable PC an affordable price. Plus it avoids all of the compatibility issues that plague tablets running mobile operating systems like iOS, Android, or Windows RT.

HP ZBook 14

$2,399 list
$2,171.85 at Amazon Power, battery life, a gobsmackingly nice screen, and a good price all combine to earn the HP ZBook 14 ultrabook our latest Editors' Choice for mobile workstations.

Acer C7 Chromebook (C710-2055)

$279.99 list
£239.45 at Amazon Marketplace The new version of the Acer C7 Chromebook is faster, longer lasting, and better all around. All this and its very low price tag makes it the best inexpensive Chromebook on the market.

Dell Inspiron 14R-5437

$649 list
$649.99 at Dell Ten hours of battery life in a well-equipped, affordable 14-inch desktop replacement laptop. That's the Dell Inspiron 14R-5437 in a nutshell.

Lenovo G580

$479 list
$479.00 at Lenovo With its class-leading performance and admirable feature set, the Lenovo G580 is an excellent value with an affordable price tag that gives users plenty of bang for their buck.

Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E431

$484.10 list
$527.12 at Lenovo We recommend small business owners buy a true business PC like the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E431 rather than trying to repurpose a consumer budget laptop. It will pay off in comfort, performance

Lenovo IdeaPad U430 Touch

$699 list
$559.00 at Lenovo With very few compromises and all-day battery life, the Lenovo IdeaPad U430 Touch is the entry-level ultrabook to get.