The best Windows laptops in 2023

The best Windows laptops are light enough to carry all day, powerful enough to tackle your daily workload without lag, and power-efficient enough that you don't need to worry about unplugging to get work done on the go.

We have our full list of the best laptops overall, which includes MacBooks and Chromebooks, but those who prefer Windows 11 should stick with this list. At Tom's Guide we review dozens of laptops from the top manufacturers every year. We evaluate every system in the testing lab and in the real world, running benchmark tests, display tests and battery life tests. And only the very best Windows laptops are recommended here.

Based on our testing, these are the best Windows laptops you can buy, and you can read our full review of each machine to help you make a buying decision. 

If you're looking for more options, check out our best Chromebooks page and best MacBooks list!

Written by

Written by

Alex Wawro

Alex Wawro is a lifelong journalist who's spent over a decade covering tech, games and entertainment. He oversees the computing department at Tom's Guide, which includes managing laptop coverage and reviewing many himself every year.

The quick list

In a hurry? Here's a brief overview of the laptops on this list, along with quick links that let you jump down the page directly to a review of whichever laptop catches your eye.

The best Windows laptops you can buy right now

The best Windows laptop overall

The Dell XPS 15 OLED isn’t an innovative or revolutionary laptop. Aside from its updated internals, the 2023 model is virtually identical to its predecessor. But while this machine isn't shaking things up, it's still one of the best laptops you can buy.

The refreshed Dell XPS 15 offers the latest 13th Gen Intel Core CPUs and Nvidia GeForce RTX 40-series laptop GPUs. You can also get one configured with an Intel Arc graphics card, and all models come equipped with Windows 11. As with earlier models, Dell offers a 3.5K OLED touchscreen that makes this 15-inch laptop feel premium.

Not only is this a stellar laptop for everyday use, it’s also a competent gaming machine when kitted out with high-end internals — though that's admittedly pricey, and the XPS 15 OLED we reviewed lasted a disappointing 9 hours in our battery life test.

Even if it isn’t shaking up the computing world with never-before-seen features, the XPS 15 remains an all-around solid machine that offers versatility and style in a range of prices. Now if only Dell could ditch the grainy 720p webcam!

Read our full Dell XPS 15 (2023) review.

The best value

The AMD-equipped Asus Zenbook 13 OLED is an excellent value, offering an eye-catching 1080p OLED display and exceptional battery life in a slim, lightweight package for less than a thousand bucks.

Sure, the speakers aren't amazing, the webcam leaves something to be desired, and there's no headphone jack, but these are stumbling blocks you can work around. If you need a zippy little Windows ultraportable with a great screen that will last you all day long, you can't do better than the OLED-equipped Asus Zenbook 13 at this price.

Read our full Asus Zenbook 13 OLED review.

The best 2-in-1

The Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 ($1,249 to start) is an ultra-thin 2-in-1 laptop that's tailor-made for people who are always on the go. Like its siblings the Book Pro 360 and Book 3 Pro 360, this iteration features a gorgeous AMOLED screen that's perfect for media consumption. It's also ideal for work thanks to its speedy performance.

Though a Windows laptop at its core, the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 comes loaded with a slew of Samsung software. This could be good or bad, depending on how invested you are in the Samsung ecosystem. If you are, then you'll find that this 2-in-1 pairs nicely with your Samsung tablets and phones. Otherwise, all of these applications are effectively bloatware.

Despite the middling webcam and Samsung bloatware, the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 has a lot going for it and is a 2-in-1 we highly recommend to those who are in the market for a powerful, portable laptop that pairs nicely with Samsung devices. While Samsung has since released a successor in the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 (farther down this list), its upgraded CPU is a little anemic and it actually has worse battery life than its predecessor. Both are great, but we still like to recommend the Book2 Pro 360 since it's such a standout performer and now often available at a deep discount. 

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 review.

The best dual-screen 2-in-1

The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i could start a trend for 2-in-1 laptops. Uniting two 13.3-inch OLED displays in one device, the Yoga Book 9i offers a bevy of different usage modes meant to boost your productivity. This notebook can function as a traditional Windows 11 laptop or tablet, plus it can go into tent mode for presentations.

Thanks to the included folio kickstand, you can use the Yoga Book 9i with two displays stacked on top of each other or spread the two panels side by side. If you’re not keen on typing on a touchscreen, you can use the included attachable Bluetooth keyboard.

The Yoga Book 9i is a Swiss Army knife of a laptop given all its modes. Though it’s expensive at $1,999, it offers enough singular value to be included in this list.

Read our full Lenovo Yoga 9i review.

The best laptop for DIYers

The Framework Laptop is the anti-MacBook, a modular laptop that promises to let you customize, repair, and upgrade it to an unprecedented degree, all while remaining affordable and ultraportable. Each laptop Framework ships comes with a screwdriver so you can crack open the case and swap out parts yourself, and everything from the memory to the screen bezel to the mainboard is user-replaceable.

It's not for everyone, but if you're the DIY type and love the idea of being able to tinker with your laptop's innards this is the best laptop for you. The Framework laptop is currently only available for purchase from the Framework website, and the price tag starts at $1,099 — though you can pay as low as $849 for the DIY Edition if you're willing to assemble your laptop yourself and provide your own memory, storage, operating system, and Wi-Fi card.

The best gaming laptop

One of the trickiest challenges gaming laptop manufacturers face is creating a machine that packs in enough power and cooling for true gaming performance, yet is also actually slim and light enough to be easily transported around and used on your lap. In this respect, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 really shines; it achieves a great balance between power and portability by making use of the AMD Ryzen 9-4900HS processor, a new laptop-grade CPU that comes with AMD’s latest tech to efficiently deliver power. Add-in the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q GPU and you’re looking at a very powerful 14-inch laptop. 

It delivers the goods when you're gaming but also delivers over 10 hours of battery life when you’re not, making this a decent workhorse machine as well. And at a price that ranges from $1,049 and ranging up to $1,999, the ROG Zephyrus G14 is pretty affordable depending on the spec you opt for. Even when it's fully kitted out, it’s still cheaper than many other gaming laptops. 

Read our full Asus ROG Zephryus G14 review.

The best 13-inch Windows laptop

Judging by the name, you might think that the Dell XPS 13 Plus is a bigger version of Dell’s iconic laptop. But it’s actually quite the opposite. This is as minimalist a design as we’ve ever seen from Dell.

There’s just two ports. There’s no headphone jack. And Dell even took away physical function keys, replacing them with a capacitive row. There’s not even lines to denmark the touchpad; the entire area beneath the keyboard is one smooth piece of glass.

But the XPS 13 Plus isn’t just a design statement. Dell managed to pack a 28W 12th gen Core i7 processor into this sleek 2.7-pound machine. And the result is a system that can outperform even the mighty MacBook Pro M2 on some tests. However, the short battery life and capacitive function row will give some pause. We also found the bottom gets a bit toasty when running at full power, so keep that in mind to avoid a scorched lap!

Read our full Dell XPS 13 Plus review.

The best 14-inch Windows laptop

The Acer Swift 5 (2022) packs a lavish new design with golden trim plus a powerful 12th-gen Intel Core i7 chip, a gorgeous 14-inch display, and a startlingly swift 1TB SSD onboard. It’s also cheaper than rivals like the Dell XPS 13 when comparably equipped. There are a couple of caveats to consider, but the latest Acer Swift 5 is a very strong overall pick given its $1,499 price tag.

It's a great Windows laptop that offers plenty of power for everything save serious gaming. And while the speakers and pre-installed bloatware leave room for improvement, the striking 16:10 1600p display and the power of Intel's Core i7 chip make this a great (and great-looking) Windows laptop for getting things done on the go. 

Read our full Acer Swift 5 (2022) review.

The best 15-inch Windows laptop

The Surface Laptop 5 is a solid 15-inch laptop that won't get in the way of you getting things done. If you're in the market for a 15-inch Windows laptop and don't like the Dell XPS 15 for some reason, this is a solid alternative that's a bit cheaper. 

The 15-inch 3:2 display is tall and wide, making it great for working with text or code, and the newly-added Thunderbolt 4 support is welcome, especially if you like to use external displays. The speakers are also surprisingly good for a laptop, in part because Microsoft claims they're designed to bounce sound up from beneath the keyboard, off the screen and around your head.

While it's a bit of a lackluster effort for Microsoft's flagship line of laptops, the Surface Laptop 5 remains a 15-inch workhorse that will get you through a day at the office or writing in the coffee shop with aplomb.

Read our full Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 review.

The best 16-inch Windows laptop

The Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Ultra is a powerful laptop that’s capable of handling everyday computing tasks, video editing and high-end gaming. In addition to its impressive performance, this notebook also packs a gorgeous 16-inch OLED display that makes viewing content and playing games a pure joy. On its own, it’s a fantastic Windows 11 laptop.

But like the Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360, you won’t be able to make use of features like Samsung Multi Control if you don’t own the latest iterations of the company’s smartphones. The number of pre-installed Samsung apps is effectively bloatware for those not invested in the company’s ecosystem. As I said, this is a great Windows laptop. But some of its appeal is lost when you remove its interoperability with Samsung devices.

The biggest rival to the Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Ultra is the MacBook Pro 16-inch. Samsung’s laptop is remarkably lighter, has a full-size USB port and offers a more colorful (albeit dimmer) OLED display. Plus, the Book 3 Ultra is a better choice for gamers due to its Nvidia GTX 4050 GPU and Windows ecosystem. However, the MacBook Pro offers much longer battery life and has better performance for video editing.

Overall, the Book 3 Ultra isn’t a MacBook Pro killer per se, but it is a killer 16-inch Windows laptop and is deserving of the Ultra name.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Ultra review.

The best light 16-inch Windows laptop

There’s three things that really stand out with the LG Gram Style, and two of them are really good. The first thing is just how light this laptop is. At just 2.76 pounds, this is the lightest laptop I’ve ever tested with a big 16-inch display. The second thing is its stunning design. The Gram Style has an iridescent finish that shifts colors in the light, and there’s a seamless touchpad that stays hidden until you touch it.

And now the third thing: price. The 16-inch version of this laptop starts at $1,799 and our review unit costs $1,999. That’s MacBook Pro M2 Pro territory, and the 13th gen Intel Core CPU inside this notebook trails Apple silicon and competing Windows machines.

However, the Gram Style’s beauty is more than skin deep. You get an expansive and vibrant OLED display, very good battery life and plenty of ports. This laptop doesn’t quite have the stuff to make our best laptop list, but it is one of the best Windows laptops for those who are looking to make a statement.

Read our full LG Gram Style review.

The best 17-inch Windows laptop

The LG Gram 17 Pro ($1,999 to start) is a low-key beast of a laptop, which is what you hope to get from LG's decision to slip a 13th Gen Intel CPU and Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card into the thin black chassis of the 17-inch Gram. Put simply, no other laptop crams this much power into such a lightweight (at 3.2 pounds it's lighter than the smaller Dell XPS 15) big-screen machine.

Adding that kind of graphical horsepower gives the Gram a bit more muscle, allowing you to get more demanding work done and play many of the best PC games, though you'll need to dial down the settings if you want to achieve the high framerates this laptop's 144Hz display can deliver. 

While it still can't match the best gaming laptops in terms of power, the LG Gram 17 Pro is lighter and won't look as out of place in a coffee shop or conference room. The full keyboard and large display make working and browsing the web feel comfy, and when you want to unwind the screen and speakers make movies look and sound great. The 12 hours of tested battery life is nice to have, too.

Read our full LG Gram 17 Pro (2023) review.

The best Windows tablet

The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is virtually the same as the Microsoft Surface Pro 8. We don’t have a problem with iterative releases, but we hoped Microsoft would do something to make the latest edition of their flagship Windows 11 tablet more exciting.

The most interesting thing about the Surface Pro 9 is that it comes in two distinct flavors. There’s a version packing a 12th-gen Intel Core CPU and another with the new Microsoft SQ3 ARM processor. That latter model also offers 5G connectivity, which is a first for the Surface line. And, at least based on what Microsoft showed at its Microsoft Surface event, the 5G model is the only one taking advantage of new neural processing unit (NPU) features.

The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 isn't a bad or worthless machine. It's powerful enough to handle everyday computing tasks, has a decent screen for watching videos and is lightweight enough to comfortably take wherever you go. If you want a great Windows tablet that doubles as a decent laptop, this is for you.

Read our full review of the Microsoft Surface Pro 9.

The best business laptop

When we hear a laptop is incredibly thin and light, it makes us worry about how long it can last on a charge. But there's nothing to worry about with the shockingly light 2-pound Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano, which lasted 12 hours on our battery test, making it competitive with some of the very best Windows laptops on the market today. 

Lenovo didn't sacrifice on performance or usability, as the X1 Nano's Intel 11th Gen Tiger Lake processors provide the speed you need for tons of productivity. Plus, the keyboard provides a snappy and comfortable typing experience that lives up to the ThinkPad brand. If you absolutely must have the lightest Windows laptop this is a great choice; you just might need to pack a USB-C hub, as this ultra-light ultraportable is a little light on ports.

Read our full Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano review.

How we tested these laptops

How we test the best Windows laptops

The best Windows laptops rise to the top in our lab tests, in which we run every machine through a rigorous suite of benchmarks and real-world tests to gauge how it will perform during everyday use. 

For example, we carefully measure the average brightness and color quality of each laptop's display using our in-house light meter and colorimeter. To evaluate overall performance we run our machines through tests that include Geekbench 5 (CPU performance), as well as various 3DMark tests to measure graphics capabilities. 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.

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, such as Assassin's Creed Odyssey 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.

How to choose the best laptop for you

How to choose the best Windows 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 i3 processor and 4GB of RAM. Most of the laptops we've suggested here can't be bought with anything less than a Core i5, so we recommend you check out our guide to the best laptops under $500 if performance isn't your priority. But if speed and performance are important to you, pick a laptop with starting specs such as a Core i5 CPU, 8 to 16GB of RAM and at least a 256GB to 512GB SSD.

Size: Consider how mobile you want your Windows machine to be. Notebooks like the Dell XPS 13 and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano are incredibly light and slim, while gaming-focused laptops like the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 and Alienware m15 R4 have real weight to them — but offer real power in exchange.

Flexibility: The 2-in-1 category of Windows laptop is a relatively new but 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 Lenovo Yoga 9i or HP Elite Dragonfly are a great choice.  

Graphics and gaming: Most Windows laptops feature integrated graphics as part of the CPU, which means they can handle old or undemanding games like Minecraft or World of Warcraft, but they won't be great at running the latest games or any intensive graphics applications (think: photo and video editing). For that, you'll want a laptop with a discrete graphics card, like Nvidia's RTX 30-series or AMD's Radeon RX 5000 series cards.

Whatever system you choose, it's always a good idea to complement it by investing in the best mouse for your particular work situation.