Club Benefits
15 inches is still alive and kicking! And the best 15-inch laptops you can buy today prove it. I know, with 14- and 16-inch machines stealing the limelight, it's harder to find that classic size that's equal parts portable and practical with a big display, but I'm here to tell you that they're still out there — and better than ever.
With the hundreds of laptops my team of computing experts and I have tested throughout the years, we're slowly seeing the decline of the 15-inch form factor. But not completely, and the ones we do see tend to knock it out of the park when it comes to what's important: design and performance. Oh, and a fantastically well-sized display, of course.
And the 15-inch MacBook Air, now with M5, is a fine example. Sleek, thin and rocking enough space to make the most of its gorgeous display, it shows that 15 inches flourishes. It's not the only one we recommend (in fact, Lenovo has plenty of amazing 15-inch machines worth grabbing), so if you've got a 15-inch laptop in your sights, scroll on down to find the perfectly sized machine that fits your needs.
Darragh here, Buying Guide Editor at Tom's Guide, and 15-inch laptops will always hold a special place in my heart. To this day, they strike a fine balance between portability and size to make the most of a display, something professionals and gamers can take advantage of. Being someone who fits into both those groups, I'm always on the lookout for the next 15-inch notebook worth recommending (with testing to back it up, of course!).
We have an all-new 15-inch gaming laptop coming onto the scene. We've gone hands-on with the new Alienware 15 (2026), a budget-friendly machine with ample performance to play the latest PC titles without burning a massive hole in your wallet. That's timely, especially with RAMageddon going on. Right now, we've only seen the pre-production model, but once we fully test the final model, we'll let you know if it's worth your money.
The best 15-inch laptops you can buy today
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The best 15-inch laptop overall
The 15-inch MacBook Air was already the best laptop of its size for the money, but Apple keeps this machine updated anyway, now sporting an M5 chip for greatly improved performance across web surfing, video editing and gaming. It's just too bad that it now starts at $1,299, a $100 bump over its M4 predecessor.
But with that price hike comes worthwhile updates, including Apple's N1 wireless chip for faster Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, higher 512GB base storage and longer battery life at a whopping 15 hours and 30 minutes. Otherwise, this is the same MacBook Air we've applauded, but that's no bad thing considering its perks.
The lovely 15.3-inch (2880 x 1864) Liquid Retina display is as bright and colorful as ever, and with the extra screen space, the sharp, detailed visuals are even more appealing. And, at 13.4 x 9.5 x 0.4 inches and 3.3 pounds, it gives you more room to type comfortably on its roomy keyboard.
The star of the show is M5, flying past its M4 predecessor and even beating Intel's strong Panther Lake chips in performance. So, expect this machine to juggle multiple tasks at once, take on heavy-duty tasks, render video and even play demanding PC titles like Resident Evil 4 Remake at a rock-solid 60 FPS. Just note that it's only a nominal upgrade over the M4 model, so I wouldn't recommend rushing for an upgrade if you already own Apple's older Air. If you're after the finest 15-inch laptop around, the MacBook Air M5 15-inch should be your top choice.
Read our full MacBook Air M5 review.
The best value 15-inch laptop
It's remarkable what the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x can achieve for $749 (or less on sale), showcasing what you can get out of a fittingly slim, well-built 15-inch laptop. If you're more of a Windows user and prefer to save your pennies, then Lenovo's notebook is tough to beat.
By no means perfect, due to its low brightness and dim colors on its otherwise detailed (and nicely sized) 15.3-inch (1920 x 1200) 60Hz IPS touch display, along with its quiet speakers. But you'll find it impresses far more in other departments.
I mean, having over 16 hours of battery life not only surpasses the MacBook Air, but it also lands it as one of the best laptops for battery life. Throw in its brilliantly sleek design with a satisfying keyboard (number pad included) and decent performance from its Snapdragon X chip, and you've got yourself a reliable 15-inch machine for work and casual use.
Don't expect to play games on this laptop, as it's more for basic everyday tasks like web browsing, replying to emails and watching shows on Netflix, but if that suits your fancy, you'll find a lot of value in Lenovo's IdeaPad Slim 3x.
Read our full Lenovo IdePad Slim 3x review.
The best premium 15-inch laptop
For a while, the MacBook Air was just about as premium as you could get in the realm of 15-inch laptops. That's now changed with the arrival of Lenovo's latest Yoga Pro 7i Gen 11 Aura Edition, boasting all the premium trimmings you could need. For a very costly price, as you might expect.
Whether it be blazing through basic tasks, storming through video edits or playing the latest PC titles, the Lenovo Yoga Pro 7i Gen 11 Aura Edition comes equipped with the right specs to handle it all. That includes a powerful combination of an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H and RTX 50-series GPU, with that 32GB of RAM keeping multitasking handled.
Leave it to Lenovo to build a sturdy, minimalist laptop that's both stylish and compact to take around, with a satisfying keyboard that's almost typical of the company's laptops these days. But the crème de la crème is easily the gorgeous and sizeable 15-inch 2K (2560 x 1600) OLED touchscreen with a 165Hz refresh rate, with outstanding colors, crisp details and smooth visuals. That's great for both creative work and gaming.
At over $2,000, though, the price is through the roof, so best to grab this when it's on sale. And don't expect this 15-inch to last long, with a dire sub-7 hours of battery life. In any case, if there's one 15-inch laptop to invest in, it's the Lenovo Yoga Pro 7i Gen 11 Aura Edition.
Read our full Lenovo Yoga Pro 7i Aura Edition review.
The best 15-inch gaming laptop
Think 15-inch gaming laptops are reserved for budget options? Well, the Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 10 just proved us all wrong, because this machine boasts an absolutely stunning 15-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) OLED display.
We've rated it as one of the best gaming laptops for value, and you'll see why with the power it packs for $1,249/£1,151 (or less, especially when Lenovo has a sale). Along with its stunning visuals with a smooth 165Hz refresh rate, you're getting enough power to play the latest AAA games.
That's thanks to its Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX CPU paired with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 GPU, along with its 16GB of DDR5 RAM and 1TB SSD (going up to 32GB and 2TB, respectively, if you're after ever greater performance). For 1080p gaming, it's a beast, but it still manages to pull off superb details at 1600p, with colors that pop and stunning HDR quality.
Throw in its reliable keyboard and tactile touchpad, and you've got yourself a winning 15-inch laptop for gaming and productivity, with the components this machine packs. It's not perfect, as its battery life is poor, and fans can get real loud when put under pressure. Regardless, the Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 10 has value written all over it.
Read our full Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 10 review.
The best 2-in-1 15-inch laptops
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x is a step up over the value-friendly Slim 3x in almost every way, but it sticks with what's important: a fine 15-inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200) touchscreen that turns this 2-in-1 into an affordable productivity machine for work — with a side of entertainment, of course.
At $849, there's a lot you can get out of the IdeaPad Slim 5x, and that's mostly thanks to the efficient performance from the Snapdragon X2 Plus chip onboard. From daily work tasks such as writing up articles, browsing the web, managing spreadsheets and juggling multiple tabs, this laptop can handle it without breaking a sweat. That said, don't expect the type of performance to deal with video edits or gaming, as our reviewer, Dylan Haas, found.
Along with its super slim, compact design, its display is also quite the looker, with a smooth, responsive touchscreen that makes scrolling through spreadsheets and navigating around a breeze. That also means you can use this as a tablet of sorts, one boasting a sizeable 15-inch panel. It's only made better with the fine details and rich colors it offers, even better than a MacBook Air in our testing!
This is no powerhouse, and it's let down by a grainy 1080p webcam and crackly speakers, but for under $900 (or less during a sale), this trusty machine is a great shout for students or on-the-go professionals in need of a wallet-friendly 15-inch 2-in-1 laptop.
Read our full Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x review.
Also tested
At Tom's Guide, we test dozens of the latest laptops that arrive on our desks, and even today, we're seeing more 15-inch laptops to check out (ones that aren't just from Lenovo or Apple). Many are still worth putting on your radar, even if they didn't score the highest marks. So, if you're looking for more options to consider buying, here's a look at other 15-inch laptops to keep an eye on.
How to choose the best 15-inch laptop for you
Performance: If you only need something to get work done and watch videos on, don't bother shelling out for one of the laptops on this list with a discrete graphics card. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x is plenty good enough, along with the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x for an extra boost. But if you want something with more power, you can do everything you need to on the MacBook Air M5 or the Lenovo Yoga Pro 7i Aura Edition.
Graphics and gaming: Most mainstream 15-inch laptops feature integrated graphics, which can handle lightweight titles such as Minecraft and Overwatch but aren't ideal for graphically-intensive games or heavy visual work. For that, you'll want a laptop with a discrete graphics card, such as the RTX 50-series graphics card you get with the Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 10 or Lenovo Yoga Pro 7i Aura Edition.
Screen quality: More and more 15-inch laptops are shipping with high refresh rate screens or OLED display options, though you may need to pay extra to get one. If you plan to play a lot of games on your laptop, it's a good idea to get one with a high-refresh screen, like the Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 10. But if you want something crisp and easy to see, the MacBook Air M5 actually offers a brighter screen than anything else on this list. Whichever system you decide on, you may also want to pick up the best mouse for your particular work situation.
Battery benchmarks: comparison
Being the middle ground between ultraportables and desktop replacements, 15-inch laptops offer enough room to deliver ample battery life while still bringing great performance. In fact, a few are among the best laptops for battery life that we've tested, but some aren't exactly battery champs.
We see how long each laptop lasts on a full charge before it shuts down through our battery test. While this gives us a good idea of just how much stamina these machines have, keep in mind that real-world use may vary, depending on what you use a laptop for.
In any case, here's how long our pick of the best 15-inch laptops lasts.
Battery life benchmarks
In our battery test, we set the laptop's display to 150 nits of brightness and have it endlessly browse the web via Wi-Fi until it runs out of juice.
Battery life (hh:mm:ss)
| Product | Value |
|---|---|
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x (Snapdragon X) | 16.483333333333334 |
| MacBook Air 15-inch (M5) | 15.5 |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x (Snapdragon X2 Plus) | 15.4 |
| Lenovo Yoga Pro 7i Aura Edition (Intel Core Ultra 9 386H) | 6.933333333333334 |
| Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 10 (Intel Core i7-13650HX) | 4.083333333333333 |
How we test the best 15-inch laptops
To find the best 15-inch laptops on the market today, we put each machine through tests and benchmarks, along with real-world handling, to check out each key aspect of a laptop.
We measure the average brightness and color quality of each laptop's display using our in-house light meter and colorimeter. For general performance, we run our machines through tests that include Geekbench 6 (CPU performance), as well as various 3DMark tests to measure graphics capabilities (GPU performance).
We also run a file transfer test to measure how fast a machine's hard drive is, and a custom battery test that has the machine browse the internet over Wi-Fi until it runs out of juice.
To check a laptop's graphics performance, whether it be from a dedicated or integrated GPU, we run benchmarks for popular games such as Cyberpunk 2077, Black Myth: Wukong, Forza Horizon 6, Red Dead Redemption 2 and more.
For more information on our testing process, check out our guide to how we test products at Tom's Guide.
