Finding the best Windows laptop in 2026 is no simple task: What size is best? Should I get a touchscreen? Intel or Snapdragon CPUs? Nvidia or AMD GPUs? Dual screen? There's a lot of deciding to do, but it's this wide variety that also makes picking a machine all the more exciting.
Windows laptops now cover far more than the everyday notebook, from slim machines built for commuting and study to powerful models for gaming, creative work and demanding multitasking. The challenge is working out which features are worth paying for — and which will only add cost, weight or complexity.
We’ve tested Windows laptops across the categories that matter most to help you find the right fit. The Dell XPS 14 (2026) is our top pick for most people, while the Dell XPS 13 (2026) offers strong value; there are also specialist choices here for premium performance, gaming, dual-screen productivity and creative workloads. For our top recommendations worth your money, follow this guide to find the right Windows laptop for you.
I've tested my fair share of laptops, and many of my favorite machines have all been Windows. There are so many different types that suit everyone's needs, and I've seen them soar throughout the years thanks to the latest chip and graphics card advancements from Intel, AMD, Qualcomm and Nvidia. But what's best for you? That's what my team of computing experts and I are here to help you with.
The best Windows laptops you can buy right now
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Best Windows laptop overall
"The Dell XPS 14 (2026) is a true return to form. Like many others, I wasn’t exactly enthused when the company decided to rebrand its iconic laptop line as “Dell Premium.” Thankfully, it didn’t take long for the company to rethink its strategy. XPS is back, and arguably better than ever."
I have an easy time recommending the Dell XPS 14 as the best Windows laptop for most folks because it sports a new design that ditches many of the controversial parts of prior models. It also packs a serious punch thanks to its Intel Core Ultra 3 Panther Lake chip.
It's no coincidence that this XPS takes design cues from MacBooks, with the chassis featuring softer, rounded corners and the machine clocking in at a light 3 pounds. We also get the return of physical function keys and a haptic touchpad with clearly identifiable boundaries.
Then there's the gorgeous 2880 x 1800 InfinityEdge tandem OLED touch panel. Thanks to it, you get incredible contrasts, vivid colors, and vibrant HDR that makes other panels look dull in comparison.
Performance is just as impressive thanks to Intel’s Panther Lake architecture. Built on the 18A node, this chip delivers strong performance for everyday work and even gaming. The latter is especially noteworthy for a laptop featuring an integrated graphics card. You get the best of both worlds here.
For all these reasons and more, this is the Windows laptop we recommend most often to those in the market for a new notebook for work, school or play. Now, if you're after an even bigger display to get more out of Dell's marvelous OLED, the Dell XPS 16 (2026) is well worth your time.
- Read our full Dell XPS 14 (2026) review
Best value Windows laptop
"The Dell XPS 13 (2026) is the best budget Windows laptop right now. I knew someone would eventually come to challenge the MacBook Neo, but I didn't expect it to happen this fast or this well. By bringing the finest aspects of the XPS laptop line to an affordable laptop, Dell has delivered a winner. For $699, this is a laptop that's hard to deny."
It’s outstanding what Dell has managed with the XPS 13 (2026) for well under $1,000 — a slim, 2.2-pound laptop with battery life that lasted 14 hours and 29 minutes in our test. Right out of the box, the XPS 13 feels like a true travel companion: slim, durable and light enough to disappear in a bag, so you’re never weighed down on the move.
Inside, you get practical specs that hit the sweet spot for everyday tasks. The Intel Core 5 320 Wildcat Lake processor and 8GB of RAM (configurable up to 32GB) handled our typical workload, up to 15 Chrome tabs and a background YouTube video, without a hitch. Storage starts at a fine 512GB, so you’re not pressed for space even if you work with lots of documents, photos or class projects.
What pushes the XPS 13 ahead of most value laptops is its touchscreen display. Our reviewer, Tony, found touch controls as responsive as the touchpad’s, with every gesture registering instantly. That's a rare win at this price. Whether you’re scrolling through spreadsheets or swiping between windows, it just works, and helps the XPS 13 feel more modern than most sub-$1,000 competitors.
Compared to competitors like the Dell XPS 14 or the Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Ultra, the XPS 13 is both more affordable and easier to carry. You’ll give up some extras (no OLED panel, fewer ports, and a less powerful CPU), but you’re saving hundreds of dollars.
You will have to live with just two USB-C ports and no headphone jack, and the webcam is merely passable for video calls. But if you want the best blend of price, portability and proven all-day performance, the Dell XPS 13 (2026) is the value pick we’d recommend for work, school, or everyday use.
- Read our full Dell XPS 13 (2026) review
Best premium Windows laptop
"Last year, I said the Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro was good when it needed to be great, and it feels like Samsung has largely met that challenge with its 2026 lineup. The Galaxy Book 6 Ultra didn’t change the basic recipe for success, but it spiced things up with dramatic performance improvements, upgraded speakers, the new anti-reflective display coating, a full-size SD card slot, and longer battery life."
The Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Ultra stands out for its dazzling 16-inch AMOLED display, top-tier Intel Panther Laker processor and optional RTX 50-series GPU, which easily puts it in the upper echelon of premium Windows laptops. That said, it also has the price to match.
In typical Samsung fashion, the gorgeous anti-reflective (2880 x 1800) OLED touchscreen delivers deep blacks, intense colors and makes every on-screen detail pop. Even better, it's made for gaming, too, with a variable refresh rate scaling between 30Hz and 120Hz.
Sporting an Intel Core Ultra 7 356H CPU (up to a mighty Intel Core Ultra X7 358H), you can expect desktop-class speed on even the most demanding creative or professional workloads, something that even puts the MacBook Pro on notice. Even when we stress-tested RAM performance by loading up 45 Chrome tabs and running heavy photo edits, the system never stuttered. It's an ideal pick for multitaskers and power users who can't afford slowdowns, and that 15 hours of battery life is the cherry on top.
Beyond sheer performance, the Galaxy Book 6 Ultra's chassis impresses with its minimalist, slim profile and premium materials that feel satisfying to type away on, even if it's a tad on the heavier side at over 4 pounds (but still lightweight for a 16-inch laptop). The speakers surprised us: audio is full and punchy, with crisp highs and enough bass to make music and calls genuinely enjoyable. That's a rarity in Windows ultrabooks, and a highlight if you care about sound quality.
The biggest trade-off here is the preinstalled Samsung bloatware. While it doesn't cripple performance, the extra apps and utilities clutter the otherwise clean Windows experience, and you'll likely spend time uninstalling or disabling what you don't need. But that's just one blemish on an otherwise polished premium package.
This is one pricey machine, but if you're after one of the finest Windows laptops that will last you for years to come, the Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Ultra is well worth the investment.
- Read our full Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Ultra
Best Windows gaming laptop
"Building on the strengths of its predecessor, the RTX 50-series really unlocks some big performance gains that truly shine on that crispy OLED display. And provided you’re always somewhere that has a plug or two (pricing in that battery life) you’re guaranteed a great time with this."
This one is still hard to top. The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) doesn't need another yearly update, even if we were expecting it, as it already boasts some of the strongest specs you'll find in a gaming laptop of this size and price.
To get its problem out of the way, battery life isn't this laptop's strong point, with under two hours when gaming, and around six hours for general use. But really, that can be said for all Windows gaming laptops. Other than that? It's a triumph.
From its beautiful 14-inch (2880 x 1800) OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and speedy 0.2ms response time to its mighty Nvidia RTX 50-series performance (all the way up to an RTX 5080), this laptop will conquer the visuals, speeds and demands of the most demanding PC games on the market. That's also backed by its AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU, up to 64GB of RAM and 2TB for previous storage.
From Cyberpunk 2077 to Black Myth: Wukong at their highest settings, you can expect to reach 50 frames per second (FPS). Oh, but that's with Nvidia's DLSS turned off. Really, expect frame rates to reach 150 FPS and higher, depending on the games you play and the settings you tweak.
It's also a beauty to look at, with its CNC-milled aluminum chassis, glass-topped trackpad and chiclet keyboard. Its design isn't screaming that it's a gaming laptop, either, and it's nicely compact to take with you wherever you go.
For gamers after a reliable, portable gaming machine, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 continues to be our champion that doesn't disappoint.
- Read our full Asus ROG Zephryus G14 review
Best 2-in-1 Windows laptop
"I don’t want the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H to overshadow the fact that this is a great dual-screen notebook that brings the idea of two panels on the go much more into the mainstream. The Zenbook Duo has gone through a thoughtful glow-up, given two glorious OLED panels and ergonomic uplifts that make it a thoroughbred of a productivity machine."
We're at a point where dual-screen laptops have become mainstream, and the Asus Zenbook Duo (2026) is the best of its class. This really puts the "two" in 2-in-1 laptops, as this gorgeous machine gives you a variety of ways to use it. Even better, thanks to its mighty Intel Core Ultra X9 388H CPU, it can be used for just about anything.
This one is pricey at $2,099, but what you get in return is a premium-built, powerful laptop boasting dual 14-inch 3K OLED touch displays with a 120Hz refresh rate. As you can imagine, the display is a feast for the eyes (as our reviewer rightfully puts it), with impressive brightness and color coverage for those rich, deep visuals.
Its premium-feeling form factor (although on the thicker side, understandably) can be easily utilized to swap between a normal clamshell laptop and an amazing dual-screen setup, with a movable keyboard deck that feels great to type on. So, that makes it ideal for productivity, but it's also a fine machine for creative work and gaming.
Think playing Cyberpunk 2077 at over 60 frames per second (with Intel's integrated XeSS 3 tech), and breezing through multiple apps and tabs. Despite its dual screens, this laptop also comes with a long 14 hours of battery life, too.
If you've got the money to spend, the Asus Zenbook Duo (2026) aims to last you for years to come. Plus, you won't need to hand over an extra bit of cash for a second monitor, and this one comes with you on the move.
- Read our full Asus Zenbook Duo (2026) review
Best Windows laptop for creators
"The move to Strix Halo has liberated this 13-inch machine from bad battery life and turned it into a serious portable creation station. And looking past the lack of a full-size SD card slot and the weird StoryCube and MusTree apps, this has the chops to really power through your workload. As someone who daily drives a MacBook Pro for all my video, music, and graphic design work, a few weeks with this have shown me that there is a world outside of Apple where I can get things done."
I mean, if you're partnering up to make a GoPro-ified version of a laptop made for creators, it better hit the mark. Thankfully, that's exactly what the Asus ProArt GoPro Edition (PX13) does, so much so that our reviewer even states that it's the "true Windows MacBook Pro."
Now, that also means it has the price to match, at $2,999. What do you get in return? An absolute powerhouse with an uber premium, sharp-looking design boasting a 13-inch 3K OLED touchscreen. That's an important factor for creative work on the move, as the screen here offers up high visual details and accurate colors, with zero latency on touch response.
Powering it all is the mighty AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 CPU, delivering strong performance for 4K photo and video edits. Thanks to the integrated Radeon 8060S graphics, this will shine bright for 3D creative work (and plenty of demanding gaming), so rest assured, this ProArt has the chops to take on all manner of multitasking. And that 128GB of DDR5X RAM? Insane.
Plus, it has ample battery life for what it offers, coming in at over 11 hours, which means getting creative on the move. It's a shame there's no full-size SD card, but at least there's a microSD card slot for those who do have a GoPro. And really, don't bother with the Asus-exclusive AI apps.
If you thought MacBooks were the only reliable laptops for creators, the Asus ProArt GoPro Edition (PX13) has now proved us wrong.
- Read our full Asus ProArt GoPro Edition (PX13)
Best Windows laptop for battery life
"The Dell 14S does a solid impression of the XPS 14 at a more affordable price, and that’s no simple feat. Dell made the necessary upgrades to justify its price increase over last year’s 14 Plus, particularly given the general inflation in tech pricing this year. Largely matching the look and feel of the XPS, while still delivering solid performance and otherworldly battery life at this price point, is what makes this such a compelling laptop for students."
The Dell 14S stands as the longest-lasting Windows laptop we’ve tested, clocking 20 hours and 41 minutes of battery life in our continuous web surfing test. That’s actually the exact same time as the non-OLED Dell XPS 14 (2026). The difference? The Dell 14S has a marvelous OLED touchscreen, which is an impressive feat.
Battery isn't its only highlight. The Dell 14S' Intel Core Ultra 7 355 processor we tested handled heavy multitasking with ease: we kept dozens of Chrome tabs open and even streamed a 4K YouTube video in the background without a stutter or battery anxiety. If you need to work untethered all day, this is the Windows machine that won’t quit.
The 14S also comes with a comfortable keyboard and a stylish, compact 14-inch design that's easy to carry around and take out at a coffee shop or while you're traveling, and its battery life means you can continue to use it all day without having to worry about charging it constantly. It's a true on-the-go laptop for professionals and students.
MacBooks tend to be among the best laptops for battery life, but just to compare the 14S to the MacBook Air M5, you’ll get a clear stamina win — the Dell goes a full five hours longer on a charge — plus the bonus of a sharp OLED touchscreen and a generous array of ports, something MacBooks still can’t match.
While it's affordable enough for what it offers, it's still not a powerhouse like the XPS 14 and XPS 16 siblings, nor is it cheap enough to fit all budgets. But if you're looking for one of the longest-lasting laptops on the market right now, the Dell 14S is it. It's only made better with its sharp OLED touchscreen and solid all-around performance.
- Read our full Dell 14S review
Best Windows laptop for productivity
"At just $849, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x Gen 11 is an excellent productivity laptop, especially amongst rising tech costs and shortages. It boasts impressive performance and makes great use of the Snapdragon X2 Plus chip, solidifying it as a reliable machine that nails the basics. Aside from performance, you’ll get a device that’s built to last, not just because of its thoughtful design, but also its surprising 15.5-hour battery life that rivals big competitors like the M5 MacBook Air."
Many of us are just looking for a laptop to get things done, without having to pay for all the premium flair that will largely go unused. If that's the case, let me introduce you to the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x, boasting exceptional battery life and an efficient Snapdragon X2 Plus processor for a price that won't break the bank.
Just how long can this laptop last? In our lab tests, it ran for an impressive 15 hours and 24 minutes on a full charge — meaning you can leave your charger behind for all-day meetings or travel without fear of running out of juice.
Drafting articles, firing off emails, organizing spreadsheets, and juggling web tabs all felt zippy and responsive, thanks to the big performance from the Snapdragon X2 Plus chip inside. It's the kind of performance you want when your workflow can’t afford those annoying slowdowns or stutters, especially for more everyday tasks.
That 0.61-inch-thin chassis also makes this one of the most portable 15-inch laptops around — perfect for commuters or anyone who regularly sets up shop in different locations. Plus, connectivity is another strong point: two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports (including DisplayPort support), HDMI 2.1, a headphone jack and a microSD card reader — pretty much all you could want.
Still, it’s not perfect. Video calls are a weak spot, as the built-in webcam delivers grainy, laggy images in every app our reviewer, Dylan, tried. If crystal-clear conference calls are critical for your work, you might need to budget for one of the best webcams (we highly recommend it). And for power users, this won't be able to keep up.
Prefer reliability and versatility over flashy extras? The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x is the Windows laptop we'd recommend most, especially at this sub-$900 price.
- Read our full Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x Gen 11 review
Performance test results
CPU speed isn't everything, but putting a number on it can go a long way towards helping you understand exactly how fast a laptop is in relation to the rest of the options available to you.
We use Geekbench for these tests, as it assigns each laptop a score for its performance in single-core workloads and multi-core workloads. The single-core score is often a little more meaningful because not all apps are optimized for multi-core performance, but many are, so it's good to consider multi-core performance as well.
I know. Windows 11 isn't in the best spot right now, especially when it comes to bringing performance down (thanks to Copilot AI). However, it is getting better, so it's only up from here (fingers crossed).
Best Windows Laptops Performance Test Results
Slide through to see our Geekbench test results
for each laptop
Geekbench 6 (single-core)
| Product | Value |
|---|---|
| Dell XPS 14 2026 (Intel Core Ultra X7 358H) | 2867 |
| Dell XPS 13 2026 (Intel Core 5 320) | 2684 |
| Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Ultra (Intel Core Ultra X7 356H) | 2852 |
| Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 2025 (AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370) | 2929 |
| Asus Zenbook Duo 2026 (Intel Core Ultra X9 388H) | 3031 |
| Asus ProArt GoPro Edition PX13 (AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395) | 2932 |
| Dell 14S (Intel Core Ultra 7 355) | 2704 |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x (Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Plus) | 3299 |
Battery life benchmarks
One of the most important aspects of any laptop is its battery life, and you'll be happy to know that many of the Windows laptops we recommend are among the best laptops for battery life. As in, the current winners, the Dell XPS 14 (2026) and Dell 14S, last close to a literal 24-hour day.
We run every laptop through our battery test, which consists of setting a laptop's display to 150 nits of brightness and having it endlessly browse the web via Wi-Fi until it shuts down. Of course, this isn't generally how one would use a laptop, especially when working in different apps, streaming shows or playing games.
However, this gives us a good idea of how long a laptop can last while running continuously and shows just how far you can go with one before reaching for a charger. Check out our results below.
Best Windows Laptops Battery Life Results
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 |
|---|---|
| Dell XPS 14 2026 (non-OLED) | 20.683333333333334 |
| Dell XPS 14 2026 (OLED) | 12.383333333333333 |
| Dell XPS 13 2026 | 14.483333333333333 |
| Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Ultra | 15.2 |
| Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 | 5.5 |
| Asus Zenbook Duo 2026 | 14.383333333333333 |
| Asus ProArt GoPro Edition PX13 | 11.2 |
| Dell 14S (OLED) | 20.683333333333334 |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x | 15.4 |
Also tested
We test and review dozens of Windows laptops every year, and our top recommendations will show you the best you can buy right now. If you're looking for other options, I've gathered all the great laptops we've tested that have their quirks but are still good alternatives worth considering if they meet your unique needs, or if you can't find your first choice on sale.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much RAM do I need for a Windows laptop?
For most people buying a new Windows laptop, 16GB of RAM is the sensible target. It gives Windows 11 room for everyday multitasking, such as working across browser tabs, documents and video calls, and should be more useful over the life of the machine than an 8GB configuration.
You can still get by with 8GB for light browsing, writing and streaming, as the Dell XPS 13 (2026) demonstrates, but it is more limiting when multitasking. Consider 32GB or more if you play demanding games, edit high-resolution video, work with large files or regularly run specialist creative software.
Do I need a dedicated graphics card in a Windows laptop?
No, most people do not need a dedicated graphics card. Integrated graphics are sufficient for web browsing, office work, streaming, video calls and lighter games. But also heavier games now, thanks to Intel Panther Lake CPUs and the upcoming Nvidia RTX Spark. They can also make for thinner, lighter laptops with better battery life, as shown by the Dell XPS 14 (2026), which we recommend for everyday work and even some gaming.
A dedicated GPU is worth paying for if you want to play demanding modern games at higher settings, or if 3D work, video editing and other graphics-heavy creative tasks are central to your workload. It normally means a higher price, more weight and shorter battery life, so choose it for a clear need rather than as a default.
Is a 2-in-1 or dual-screen Windows laptop worth it?
A 2-in-1 or dual-screen Windows laptop is worth it if its extra flexibility will improve how you work, but it is not the best value choice for everyone. Convertible designs are useful if you want to use the touchscreen as a tablet, while dual-screen models can offer more room for documents, communication apps and creative tools without carrying a separate monitor.
The Asus Zenbook Duo (2026) is our pick for this type of machine because its two 14-inch OLED touch displays and removable keyboard support both conventional laptop and dual-screen use. The trade-offs are a higher price and a thicker chassis, so a standard clamshell remains the simpler choice if portability and value matter most.
What accessories are worth buying for a Windows laptop?
The best Windows laptop accessories are the ones that address a limitation in your setup, rather than extras bought by default. A comfortable external mouse (check our best mouse guide) and a laptop stand can make a desk setup more practical, while a USB-C hub is particularly useful for thin models with few ports.
Check the connections on your chosen laptop before buying a hub, monitor or storage device. For example, the Dell XPS 13 (2026) has two USB-C ports and no headphone jack, so a hub or USB-C audio adapter may be useful if you need older USB accessories, an external display or wired headphones. Frequent travellers may also value a compact charger or protective sleeve.
Should I get Windows 11 Home or Windows 11 Pro?
Windows 11 Home is the right choice for most personal laptop buyers, while Windows 11 Pro is mainly worthwhile for people who need its additional security, management or business features. Everyday work, school, web browsing, gaming and media use do not require Pro.
Choose Pro if you specifically need features such as BitLocker drive encryption, Remote Desktop hosting or tools used to manage a work device. Before paying more, check your employer’s requirements and whether the laptop’s configuration already includes the edition you need. If you use encryption, keep your recovery key somewhere safe, since it can be required to regain access to your files.
How to choose the best laptop for you
- Performance: If performance isn't important to you, say because you only need a laptop for browsing the web, you can save a lot of money by choosing a cheap Windows laptop with an Intel Core 5 processor, like the Dell XPS 13 (2026). But if speed and performance are important to you, pick a laptop with starting specs such as a better CPU, 16-32GB of RAM and at least a 1TB SSD, like the Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Ultra.
- Size: Consider how mobile you want your Windows machine to be. Notebooks like the Dell XPS 14 are incredibly light and slim, while gaming-focused laptops like the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 have real heft to them but offer real power in exchange.
- Flexibility: The 2-in-1 category of Windows laptops is an exciting market of devices with hinges capable of rotating all the way around to lay the screen flat on the back of the laptop, turning it into a Windows tablet. If the idea of having a laptop that doubles as a tablet is exciting to you, Windows notebooks like the Asus Zenbook Duo are a great choice.
- Graphics and gaming: Most Windows laptops feature integrated graphics as part of the CPU, which means they can handle games like Minecraft or World of Warcraft. But with Intel and AMD's latest offerings, these are now able to play AAA games like Cyberpunk 2077 at high settings! And yes, that means these are now good for more video editing and creative work. For more power, though, you'll want a laptop with a discrete graphics card, like the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14.
How we test the best Windows laptops
To determine which laptops deserve to be counted among the best Windows laptops, we run every machine we review through a rigorous suite of benchmarks and real-world tests to gauge how it will perform during everyday use.
These tests cover the speed and capabilities of the laptop, as well as its display capabilities. We carefully measure the average brightness and color quality of each laptop's display using our in-house Klein K10-A light meter and colorimeter.
To evaluate overall performance, we then run our machines through tests that include Geekbench 6 (CPU performance), as well as various AI-focused tests and some 3DMark tests to measure graphics capabilities. We also run our own custom 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.
When testing all laptops, we benchmark gaming performance running Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm. For testing dedicated gaming laptops, we also run benchmarks for a number of other popular games, including Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2.
All of these lab tests are complemented by our hands-on review process, in which reviewers spend time putting each laptop through its paces while working, watching movies, listening to music, and playing games.
For more information on our testing process, check out our guide to how we test products at Tom's Guide.
