Which laptops best buys: HP Spectre x360 14 review: the best Windows 2-in-1

HP Spectre x360 14 review: the best Windows 2-in-1

I have used a heck of a lot of laptops in the past year, and some of them are quite nice. MacBooks have nailed the “premium” look and feel for years, and I’ll never waste an opportunity to gush about the build quality of Dell’s XPS line. 

But I’ve never touched a consumer laptop as gorgeous as the Spectre x360 14. The new Spectre’s sturdy black body, lustrous accents, and boldly sharp edges would make it a standout among convertible laptops across the board, even if it didn’t have a slew of other excellent qualities — which, from its 3:2 screen and packaged stylus to its stellar performance and battery life, it absolutely does.

With a starting MSRP of $1,299.99 ($1,589.99 as tested) the Spectre x360 is easily my new favorite 2-in-1 laptop. Today’s market is full of capable convertibles that look good, work well, and do certain things really well. But while the Spectre x360 14 isn’t a perfect laptop, it tops the pack in almost every area. It’s a stylish chassis, premium panel options, stylus support, a powerful processor, and fantastic battery in one. It’s proof that you can have it all — for a price. 

9Verge Score

HP Spectre x360 14

$1159.06

The Good

• Beautiful design
• Great battery life
• 3:2 display with OLED and 1,000-nit options

The Bad

• It’s not cheap
• Touchpad is a bit stiff
• Comes with some bloatware

$1160 at HP

How we rate and review products

The HP Spectre line is second to none when it comes to design, and this latest model is no exception. Like its 13-inch predecessor, the Spectre x360 14 is made of CNC-machined aluminum. Also like its siblings, you can get the 14 in “nightfall black,” “Poseidon blue,” or “natural silver.” Take a look at some pictures before selecting your color because they each have pretty different vibes. The nightfall black option has a sophisticated, svelte aesthetic that looks tailor-made for a boardroom. Poseidon blue is friendlier and probably the one I’d go for myself. 

The accents, though, are what make the Spectre stand out from the legions of other black laptops out there. Lustrous trim borders the lid, the touchpad, and the deck. The hinges share its color, as does the HP logo on its lid. It’s bold without being obnoxious. The two rear corners are diamond-shaped, and one of them houses a Thunderbolt 4 port on its flat edge. (On the sides live an audio jack, a USB-A, a microSD slot, and an additional Thunderbolt 4, which is a decent selection — gone is the trapdoor that covered the USB-A port on the 13-inch model.) And the edges are all beveled, making the notebook appear thinner than it actually is (it’s 0.67 inches thick). Careful craftsmanship is evident here — I’m not exaggerating when I say this Spectre feels like artwork.  

Take it in.

And, as the “x360” moniker implies, the Spectre is a 2-in-1. At 2.95 pounds, it’s a bit heavy to use as a tablet for long periods, but it’s smooth and easy to fold and the hinges are quite sturdy. Unlike with many convertibles, there’s barely any wobble when you use the touchscreen. The display is also stylus-compatible; the Spectre ships with HP’s MPP2.0 pen, which attaches magnetically to the side of the chassis.

Despite its design similarities, this Spectre looks noticeably different from its ancestors, and that’s because of the screen. The new model has a 3:2 display, which is 13 percent taller than the 16:9 panel on last year’s device. (It’s kept the same 90 percent screen-to-body ratio.)

There’s barely any wobble when you use the touchscreen

Microsoft’s Surface devices have been using the 3:2 aspect ratio for years, and I’m glad that the Spectre line is finally making the switch. If you’re used to using a 16:9 display (which many modern Windows laptops have) and you give a 3:2 a shot, you’ll see what I mean. You have significantly more vertical space, which means less scrolling up and down and less zooming out to fit everything you want to see. It makes multitasking significantly easier without adding much size to the chassis.  

This 3:2 panel can come in a few different forms. My test unit has an FHD option that HP says should reach 400 nits of brightness. I measured it multiple times, but it only reached 285 in my testing — which is dimmer than I’d hope to see from a device at this price point. I’ve reached out to HP to see what’s up and will update this review if it turns out to be a bug. (Of course, 285 nits is still more than enough for indoor office work.) 

The OLED panel is certified for “low blue light.”

In addition to the FHD display, you can opt for a 3000 x 2000 OLED panel (HP didn’t provide a brightness estimate for this one; LaptopMag measured it at 339 nits) or a 1,000-nit option with HP’s Sure View Reflect technology, which makes the screen difficult to read from the sides. This will mostly be a benefit for business users.

In terms of other specs, the base model pairs the 400-nit screen with a Core i5-1135G7, 8GB of memory, and 256GB of storage (plus 16GB of Intel Optane). Then, there are a few upgrades you can go for. My test unit, priced at $1,589.99, keeps the base model’s screen but has a heftier processor (the quad-core Core i7-1165G7) and double its RAM and storage. I think this model is a good option for most people — it gets you a top processor and a good amount of storage without too stratospheric of a price tag. If you want to get fancier, you can get the OLED screen and 1TB of storage (plus 32GB of Intel Optane) for $1,699, or the Sure View screen and 2TB of storage for $1,959.99.  

Of course, laptops aren’t just for looking at, but you’re not compromising on performance to get this build quality. The Spectre is verified through Intel’s Evo platform, which means that it offers a number of Intel-selected benefits including Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 6, all-day battery life, quick boot time, fast charging, and reliable performance. In my testing, it more than surpassed those standards. 

There’s a single USB 3.2 Type-A port on the left.

On the right: two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, one audio jack, one microSD card slot.

The system handled my heavy workload of Chrome tabs, downloads, and streams speedily with no issues. Battery life was excellent; I averaged 10 hours of continuous use with the screen around 200 nits of brightness. That means if your daily tasks are similar to mine, the Spectre should make it through your workday with no problem. (You’ll likely get less if you opt for the OLED panel.) The processor also includes Intel’s Iris Xe integrated graphics. While you wouldn’t want to use those for serious gaming, they’re capable of running lighter fare. 

Elsewhere, I have almost no complaints. The backlit keyboard is snappy with a solid click — it’s easily one of my favorites. The speakers sound good, with very audible bass and percussion. There’s a fingerprint sensor to the left of the arrow keys and a Windows Hello camera, neither of which gave me any trouble.

I have almost no complaints

Apart from the dimness, there are only two things about this laptop that I’m not in love with. They’re both minor; the fact that I’m even mentioning either of them in this review is a testament to how excellent this device is. 

The first is the touchpad. It’s quite smooth and roomy (16.6 percent larger than that of last year’s Spectre x360 13) and handles scrolling and gestures just fine. But it’s noticeably stiffer than some of the best touchpads on the market. The press required to physically click is firm enough that I ended up doing it with my thumb most of the time. On the likes of the Dell XPS 13 and the MacBook, clicking with a finger is much less of a chore. When I first clicked with the integrated buttons, I also had to overcome some initial resistance to hit the actuation point (put plainly, every click felt like two clicks). This issue resolved itself during my second day of testing, but it’s still a hiccup I generally only see with cheaper items. 

My complaints are minor — this is almost perfect.

Secondly, bloatware. There are a number of junk programs preloaded onto the Spectre and several pinned to the taskbar. Dropbox, ExpressVPN, McAfee, and Netflix are all on here, and I got all kinds of notifications from them. This is an oddity at this price point, and seeing cheap McAfee alerts popping up on the Spectre is like seeing really ugly bumper stickers on a Ferrari. This software doesn’t take too long to uninstall, but I’m disappointed to see it nonetheless. 

But those are really the only two complaints I have, and neither of them should stop you from buying this laptop. It’s beautiful to look at and a dream to use. I found myself using it in my free time instead of my personal device (which almost never happens with review units — I really like my products). 

Agree to Continue: HP Spectre x360 14

Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them, since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate.

To start using the HP Spectre x360 14, you’ll need to agree to the following:

• A request for your region
• A request for your keyboard layout
• License agreements for Windows, HP, and McAfee
• PIN

You can also say yes or no to the following:

• Wi-Fi
• Microsoft account (can be bypassed if you stay offline)
• Windows Hello fingerprint recognition and face recognition
• Privacy settings (speech recognition, location, Find My Device, sharing diagnostic data, inking and typing, tailored experience, advertising ID)
• Customize your device for gaming, schoolwork, creativity, entertainment, family, or business
• Sync an Android phone
• OneDrive backup
• Office 365
• Allow Microsoft to collect and use information for Cortana’s personalized experiences and suggestions, including: location and location history, contacts, voice input, speech and handwriting patterns, typing history, search history, calendar details, content and communication history from Microsoft services, messages, and apps
• Provide your name, region, and contact information to HP
• Allow HP to use information about your system to provide customer support, and enable your PC to show HP contact options, warranty information, and support messages
• Allow HP to use information about your system to improve HP products and services
• Allow HP to use your contact details and information about your system to send personalized news and offers

That’s six mandatory agreements and 20 optional agreements to use the Spectre x360 14.

When we’re evaluating a convertible laptop at the Spectre’s price point, the big question is how it compares to the gold standard of Windows convertibles, the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1. The XPS has a few advantages: it’s a bit thinner and lighter, its touchpad is less stiff, and it has a more modest look that some users might prefer. 

But for me, the ball game is close but clear. The Spectre x360’s meticulous craftsmanship, classy aesthetic, and 3:2 screen put it over the top. It also edges out the XPS in a few key areas: the keyboard is more comfortable, the battery life is better, and Dell’s closest-priced configuration to this unit only has half its storage. The Spectre’s smaller amenities that the XPS lacks — like the bundled stylus, the USB-A port, the blue color, and the OLED option — are icing on the cake. 

If you’re looking for a premium Windows convertible with a classy aesthetic, that makes the Spectre a no-brainer purchase. This is HP at its best; it’s a luxury laptop in pretty much every area. I can’t imagine that it won’t be the next laptop I buy. 

Photography by Monica Chin / The Verge

Best Laptop Deals | PCMag

If you’re currently locked to the nearest outlet because your old battery no longer holds a charge, many laptops on the market (especially lightweight Chromebooks) can last a full day or more on a single charge. If your old machine still has an old-school spinning HDD, you’ll love an upgrade to a solid-state drive. And if you’re in a lot of video conferences, pick a machine with a 1080p webcam—you’ll look better than anyone who’s still using a 720p lens.

Are all your old peripherals connected via USB-A? If so, note that most machines now offer USB-C ports for the most part, so you might want to add a USB hub to your order.

Apple aficionados have a multitude of choices, from multiple MacBook Air notebooks powered by M1 and M2 chips up to a variety of MacBook Pros. If you’re living life outside the Apple ecosystem, though, powerful Windows PCs abound, from brands including Acer, Lenovo, Dell, HP, and more—many of which can match Apple’s performance without matching the price.  

The Best Traditional Laptop Deals

Our current traditional laptop deal picks include the Dell Inspiron 15 3520 with an Intel i3 processor, 256GB SSD, and 8GB of RAM for those looking for an affordable casual-use configuration; the Acer Swift 3, with a stunning 2.8K OLED screen and 12th Gen Intel Core H-series processor, for a more premium experience; and the Apple MacBook Pro M2 Pro, for those who work from home and conduct business on the go.

• Dell Inspiron 15 3520 Intel i3 256GB SSD 15.6″ Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $299.99
  
  (List Price $429.99)
  

• Asus Chromebook Intel Celeron 17.3″ 1080p Laptop
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  for
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  (List Price $389)
  

• Dell Inspiron 15 3520 Intel i7 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 15.6″ Laptop
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  for
  $599.99
  
  (List Price $749.99)
  

• Dell Inspiron 14 5425 Ryzen 7 512GB SSD 16GB RAM Laptop
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  for
  $499. 99
  
  (List Price $799.99)
  

• Asus VivoBook 16X Ryzen 7 512GB SSD 12GB RAM 16″ Laptop
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  for
  $479.99
  
  (List Price $749.99)
  

• Apple MacBook Air M1 Chip 256GB SSD 13.3″ Laptop
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  for
  $749.99
  
  (List Price $999)
  

• Dell XPS 13 9315 Intel i7 512GB SSD 8GB RAM 13.4″ Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $899.00
  
  (List Price $999)
  

• Acer Swift 3 Intel i7 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 14″ OLED Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $899.99
  
  (List Price $1,199.99)
  

• Dell Inspiron 16 5620 Intel i5 512GB SSD 16GB RAM FHD+ Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $529.99
  
  (List Price $749.99)
  

• Apple MacBook Pro M2 10-Core 512GB SSD 14.2″ Laptop (2023)
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $1,799.00
  
  (List Price $1,999)
  

• Apple MacBook Pro M1 Pro 14″ 1TB SSD Laptop (2021)
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  for
  $1,998. 99

• Dell XPS 17 9720 Intel i7 RTX 3060 512GB SSD 16GB RAM Laptop
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  for
  $1,899.00
  
  (List Price $2,799)
  

*Deals are selected by our commerce team

Best 2-in-1 or Touch Laptop Deals

If you need a budget touch 2-in-1 laptop, look no further than the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 with a Ryzen 7 processor and 16GB of RAM, which works well for daily use. Our midrange deal pick is the Dell Inspiron 16 5630, which is competitively priced for an Intel i7, 1TB SSD, and 16GB of RAM. Our premium deal pick is the 2-in-1 Dell Inspiron 16 7620; with a 16-inch OLED display, 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, and MX550 graphics card, it’s suitable for graphic designing.

• Dell Inspiron 14 7425 Ryzen 7 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 2-in-1 Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $499.99
  
  (List Price $949.99)
  

• Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Intel i5 512GB SSD 15.6″ Touch Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $419. 99
  
  (List Price $629.99)
  

• Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga Gen 2 Ryzen 5 Pro 512GB 2-in-1 Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $599.99
  
  (List Price $899.99)
  

• HP Pavilion x360 Intel i5 256GB SSD 15.6″ 2-in-1 Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $529.99
  
  (List Price $799.99)
  

• Dell Inspiron 16 7635 Ryzen 5 512GB SSD 16″ 2-in-1 Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $649.99
  
  (List Price $799.99)
  

• Dell Inspiron 16 5630 Intel i7 1TB SSD 15.6″ Touch Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $799.99
  
  (List Price $1,099.99)
  

• Dell Inspiron 14 7435 Ryzen 7 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 2-in-1 Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $799.99
  
  (List Price $949.99)
  

• HP Envy Ryzen 7 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 15.6″ 2-in-1 Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $799.99
  
  (List Price $1,049.99)
  

• Dell Inspiron 16 7620 Intel i7 MX550 512GB 2-in-1 Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $1,099. 99
  
  (List Price $1,549.99)
  

• Asus ZenBook Pro 15 OLED Intel i7 RTX 3050 Ti 1TB Touch Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

   for
  $999.99
  
  (List Price $1,499.99)
  

*Deals are selected by our commerce team

Best Gaming Laptop Deals

Our current pick for a midrange gaming PC deal is the Asus ROG Zephyrus with a Ryzen 9 processor and RTX 3060 graphics card. This configuration is powerful enough to run modern-day titles at their highest settings, and the 16-inch 1,080p display has a 165Hz refresh rate, which renders gameplay in crisp, tear-free high definition. If you need more power, our premium deal pick is the Alienware m18 with a 13th Gen Intel i9 CPU, RTX 4080 GPU, 1TB SSD, and  32GB of RAM, which will run modern titles in ultra settings without issue and handle content creation as well. Budget gamers should look at the MSI Cyborg with an RTX 4050, which is entry-level for the 40-series GPUs but still capable of high fidelity gaming.

• Asus ROG Zephyrus Ryzen 9 RX 6800S 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 14″ Laptop
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  for
  $1,199.99
  
  (List Price $1,899.99)
  

• Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 Intel i7 RTX 3060 512GB 16″ Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $1,099.99
  
  (List Price $1,649.99)
  

• Alienware m17 R5 Ryzen 7 RTX 3070 Ti 512GB SSD 17.3″ Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $1,349.99
  
  (List Price $2,149.99)
  

• MSI Cyborg Intel i5 RTX 4050 512GB SSD 15.6″ 144hz Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $799.99
  
  (List Price $999.99)
  

• Gigabyte Aorus Intel i5 RTX 4050 512GB SSD 15.6″ Laptop
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  for
  $899.99
  
  (List Price $999.99)
  

• Gigabyte G5 Intel i5 RTX 4060 512GB SSD 8GB RAM 15.6″ Laptop
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  for
  $999.99
  
  (List Price $1,099.99)
  

• Dell G16 Intel i7 RTX 3050 Ti 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 16″ Laptop
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  for
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  (List Price $1,249.99)
  

• Dell G15 Intel i7 RTX 4060 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 15.6″ Laptop
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  for
  $1,349.99
  
  (List Price $1,549.99)
  

• Acer Nitro 16 Ryzen 7 RTX 4060 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 16″ Laptop
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  (List Price $1,399.99)
  

• MSI Crosshair Intel i7 RTX 4070 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 16″ Laptop
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  (List Price $1,699.99)
  

• Alienware x14 R2 Intel i7 RTX 4060 512GB SSD 14″ Laptop
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• Alienware m18 Intel i9 RTX 4080 1TB SSD 32GB RAM Laptop
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  (List Price $2,899.99)
  

• Asus ROG Zephyrus Ryzen 9 RTX 3060 512GB SSD 15.6″ Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

   for
  $999.99
  
  (List Price $1,619.99)
  

*Deals are selected by our commerce team

(If you don’t need a mobile PC, check our list of the best desktop deals out there today. )

Traditional Laptop Deals

(Credit: Dell)

Dell Inspiron 15 3520 Intel i7 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 15.6″ Laptop

Inspiron is one of Dell’s most well-known lines and includes laptops, desktops, and all-in-one computers. This Dell Inspiron 15 3520 is a 15.6-inch laptop with a 1,920-by-1,080 resolution display and is suitable for daily use. The snappy 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor will blaze through tasks, and the 16GB RAM is capable of multitasking multiple browser tabs as well as running more intensive programs. You also get a spacious 1TB solid state drive, which will hold tons of files and photos.

• Dell Inspiron 15 3520 Intel i7 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 15.6″ Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $599.99
  
  (List Price $749.99)
  

(Credit: Amazon)

Apple MacBook Air M1 Chip 256GB SSD 13.3″ Laptop

This 2020 Apple MacBook Air is still a fantastic option for those with existing Apple ecosystems. The 8-core M1 Chip is quick and powerful, but that doesn’t mean battery life suffers; and the 256GB SSD offers enough storage space for your files and photos. Measuring 0.63 by 11.97 by 8.36 inches and weighing only 2.8 pounds, this laptop can go wherever you go.

• Apple MacBook Air 13.3″ Laptop With M1 Chip, 256GB SSD
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $749.99
  
  (List Price $999)
  

(Credit: Best Buy)

Acer Swift 3 Intel i7 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 14″ OLED Laptop

The Acer Swift 3 features a gorgeous 14-inch, 2.8K OLED display that provides stunning image quality no matter what kind of content you’re viewing. This laptop is powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor with the Intel Evo platform to make the most of battery life and responsiveness. The PC’s 16GB of RAM is suitable for multitasking as well as for more resource-heavy applications, and the 1TB SSD is large enough to store a multitude of files.

• Acer Swift 3 Intel i7 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 14″ OLED Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $899. 99
  
  (List Price $1,199.99)
  

(Credit: Dell)

Dell XPS 13 9315 Intel i7 512GB SSD 8GB RAM 13.4″ Laptop

The XPS line is Dell’s answer to Apple’s popular MacBook; it features a thin and lightweight build, a gorgeous display, and long battery life. The XPS 13 9315 has a 13.4-inch, 1,920-by-1,200 display and is powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor. The aluminum chassis measures .55 by 11.63 by 7.86 inches and weighs less than 3 pounds, making this sleek laptop very portable.

• Dell XPS 13 9315 Intel i7 512GB SSD 8GB RAM 13.4″ Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $899.00
  
  (List Price $999)
  

2-in-1 and Touch-Screen Laptop Deals

(Credit: Dell)

Dell Inspiron 16 7620 Intel i7 MX550 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 2-in-1 Laptop

The Inspiron 16 7620 features a 16-inch OLED touch display with 3,840-by-2,400 resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. The 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor is snappy and can easily handle day-to-day tasks such as document processing, checking email, and web browsing. 16GB of RAM are substantial enough for resource-intensive programs, and the Nvidia GeForce MX550 GPU gives content creators that extra edge.

• Dell Inspiron 16 7620 Intel i7 MX550 512GB 2-in-1 Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $1,099.99
  
  (List Price $1,549.99)
  

(Credit: Best Buy)

Asus ZenBook Pro 15 OLED Intel i7 RTX 3050 Ti 1TB SSD 16GB RAM Touch Laptop

With a gorgeous 15-inch OLED display, an RTX 3050 Ti GPU, and an Intel i7 CPU, the Asus Zenbook Pro is ready to take your productivity to the next level. Speedy and powerful, it easily handles resource-heavy programs like Photoshop and makes multitasking a breeze. The 1TB SSD has plenty of space for all your documents and files.

Recommended by Our Editors

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• Asus ZenBook Pro 15 OLED Intel i7 RTX 3050 Ti 1TB Touch Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

   for
  $999. 99
  
  (List Price $1,499.99)
  

(Credit: Best Buy)

HP Envy Ryzen 7 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 15.6″ 2-in-1 Laptop

This HP Envy 2-in-1 perfectly marries the portability of a tablet with the computing power of a laptop. The AMD Ryzen 7 7000 series packs a lot of performance while also sipping power, making it a great match for on-the-go usage. Add to that 16GB of RAM, and you can multitask effortlessly.  The 15.6-inch, 1080p screen is ample enough that you might not have to worry about hooking up your laptop to a secondary screen. 

• HP Envy Ryzen 7 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 15.6″ 2-in-1 Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $799.99
  
  (List Price $1,049.99)
  

(Credit: Best Buy)

Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Intel i5 512GB SSD 8GB RAM 15.6″ Touch Laptop

With an 11th Gen Intel i5 processor, a 512GB SSD, and 8GB of RAM, this Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is a cost-effective option for those who need a laptop to handle day-to-day tasks. The 15.6-inch touch display has a 1,090p resolution for crisp visuals, and the 512GB solid-state drive is plenty to hold all your files.

• Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Intel i5 512GB SSD 15.6″ Touch Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $419.99
  
  (List Price $629.99)
  

Gaming Laptop Deals

(Credit: Best Buy)

Asus ROG Zephyrus Ryzen 9 RX 6800S 120Hz

There’s a lot of AMD power in this laptop, including a Ryzen 9 6900HS CPU and Radeon RX 6800S GPU, which will handle all of your AAA gaming needs. The 14-inch display features a 2,560-by-1,600 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, all but eliminating screen tear and lag. The 1TB SSD can hold dozens of titles and boots up quickly, so you’re never out of the game for long.

• Asus ROG Zephyrus Ryzen 9 RX 6800S 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 14″ Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $1,199.99
  
  (List Price $1,899.99)
  

(Credit: Best Buy )

MSI Cyborg Intel i5 RTX 4050 144Hz 

The MSI Cyborg runs on an RTX 4050 GPU, which takes full advantage of its 15. 6-inch 1080p display. And the 144Hz refresh rate keeps even the most action-packed scenes tear-free. The RTX 4050 is the entry level for the 40-series GPUs and is the equivalent of the RTX 3060, so expect similar performance. The only drawback is that this configuration has only 8GB of RAM, but that can easily be rectified by adding on to a maximum of 64GB.

• MSI Cyborg Intel i5 RTX 4050 512GB SSD 15.6″ 144hz Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $799.99
  
  (List Price $999.99)
  

(Credit: Dell)

Alienware m17 R5 Ryzen 7 RTX 3070 Ti 480Hz

This Alienware m17 R5  has a Ryzen 7 6800H processor, a RTX 3070 Ti graphics card, a 512GB SSD, and 16GB of RAM. The 17.3-inch display has a 1,920-by-1,080 FHD resolution and a blistering-fast 480Hz refresh rate to keep the on-screen action tear-free. And the quad fan technology keeps your hardware cool no matter how hard it’s working. The striking RGB lighting can be tailored to your liking in the Alienware Command Center, which includes game profiles, convenient overclocking options, and power management modes tailored to suit different game needs.

• Alienware m17 R5 Ryzen 7 RTX 3070 Ti 512GB SSD 17.3″ Laptop
  (Opens in a new window)

  for
  $1,349.99
  
  (List Price $2,149.99)
  

(Credit: Dell)

Dell G15 Intel i7 13th Gen RTX 4060 360Hz

The Dell G15 gaming laptop has a 15.6-inch display with 1,920-by-1,080 resolution and a 360Hz refresh rate, delivering high-definition gaming free of screen tearing and lag. Powered by the latest 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and an RTX 4060 graphics card, this configuration can run modern titles with ease; and the 16GB of RAM ensures you have enough bandwidth for multitasking programs and performing resource-intensive tasks such as photo and video editing. The 1TB SSD will hold tons of games, so you have your library at your fingertips.

• Dell G15 Intel i7 RTX 4060 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 15.6″ Laptop
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  for
  $1,349.99
  
  (List Price $1,549.99)
  

FAQ

What’s the best low-priced laptop? 

PCMag’s current top-rated budget laptop is the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2. It doesn’t reinvent the original, but some minor upgrades and a new CPU put this affordable, stylish notebook back among your best budget options for 2022.

Which is the best site for buying a laptop? 

The usual suspects when it comes to buying a laptop are Amazon and Best Buy, but you can often snag a deal at Newegg and Walmart, too, or direct from PC makers like Dell and HP. They all want your money, so they’ll often price-match each other if a rival is having a sale. Use a price-comparison app to compare prices and read PCMag’s reviews to make sure you’re really getting a deal.

What is the most reliable laptop to buy?

The HP Pavilion Plus 14 is our current favorite among general-use Windows laptops. This laptop merges high-quality hardware and design with a surprisingly low starting price, bringing very capable computing power to more people than most flagship models. For those set on Apple, you can save some money and still get a powerful, long-lasting laptop by picking up the M1-based 2020 MacBook Air—otherwise, the pricier 2022 model is also a safe choice.

Which laptop is best in 2022?

Laptops come in many flavors. Do you need a gaming PC? A portable, convertible 2-in-1? Maybe you’re a macOS fan. We have top-rated laptops in each category, but our top-rated overall laptops include the HP Pavilion Plus 14 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14 mentioned earlier, as well as the 2022, M2-based Apple MacBook Air.

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Laptop 2023 – how to choose a good laptop for different purposes

General characteristics

• Classic

  These laptops are available in a standard design, equipped with a conventional or touch screen, touchpad and keyboard. In such a case, there can be a very powerful “stuffing”.

• Ultrabooks

  Devices that combine the qualities of a classic laptop and tablet. They have less weight and are able to take the form of an open book.

• Transformer

  Laptops that can change their geometry and take the form of an unfolded book or tablet. They are equipped with a touch screen with a mechanism that allows you to rotate the display to the desired angle.

Choosing a laptop by size

The size of the screen is as important as the hardware. If a person uses several programs during the working day, works with text, numbers, photos, then you should focus on devices with a screen diagonal of 14.1. The best option is 15″ or 17.3″ .

Notebooks from 10.1″ to 14.1″ are classified as travel devices. Their compact size allows you to take them with you even on a plane or put them in a small bag if you have a long trip. Such devices, as a rule, have a little less weight.

Choosing a laptop by weight

Don’t count on a lightweight laptop if you’re looking for a device for gaming, photo or video editing. The better the technical “stuffing”, the greater the weight. It can reach 4 kg or more if two hard drives, a powerful video card, large RAM, and a large screen size are installed.

• The best option if you need to take your laptop with you every day to lectures, seminars, field briefings.

• 1 to 3 kg

  This range has the widest selection of laptops in various configurations. You can choose the operating system, any type of drive, up to 32 GB of RAM and “core” – all kinds of processors are available.

• > 4 kg

  This category contains top performance professional devices. True, their price is much higher due to the perfection of the models. These laptops are suitable for gamers and can replace a desktop PC.

Determine the number of cores

The number of cores affects the performance of the laptop. The more of them, the more physically complex the architecture of the “stuffing” and the more breakdown by task. Performance and response speed are increased due to the fact that the system divides all requests into several threads, and this allows you to work in multitasking conditions. Even if the user is just listening to music or typing text, the laptop performs several tasks at once: for example, antiviruses, archivers, encoders, defragmenters are launched.

• 2 cores

  These laptops are quite suitable for home use. The device has enough strength and capabilities to ensure listening to music, playing videos, launching Skype, aimless “walks” on the Internet space.

• 4, 6, or 8 cores

  These laptops don’t just share tasks, they provide and support system multithreading. There will definitely be no problems with launching video editors, games, powerful applications. It remains to make sure that there is enough RAM and hard drive resource.

What about the hard drive?

If we talk about drives, then SSD drives have unconditional advantages. Sometimes, due to financial constraints, buyers prefer HDDs, and rightly so. But as long as there are no higher expectations regarding the speed and performance of the laptop. HDD drives are quite capable of handling typical tasks, so only those who work with maximum memory consumption decide to upgrade the device.

Battery capacity

If the laptop is used exclusively in home or office environments, there is direct access to the socket near the table, in this case the battery capacity is not important. You can save by choosing a model with a capacity of up to 60 Wh.

If the user often works remotely in an open space, in a car, at outdoor events, if it is necessary to take a laptop on a business trip or to a meeting with a client, in this case, special attention should be paid to the capabilities of the battery. Savings in this case should not be a priority.

• up to 60 Wh

  Battery capacity up to 60 Wh – does not greatly affect the weight parameters of the laptop and allows you to work without connecting to the mains for 1-2 hours.

• up to 80 Wh

  Battery capacity from 60 Wh to 80 Wh allows you to do more when you’re offline. The best option, if you need to work on an airplane, car, is to present a company presentation on the road.

• from 100 Wh

  Battery capacity from 100 Wh. Such laptops, as a rule, weigh more than 2 kg and are more oriented towards stationary use. They are able to work more than 2 hours without recharging.

Additional Options

Above, we looked at the key parameters that you should pay attention to when buying a laptop. But that is not all. There are little things that greatly simplify the work with a laptop, make it more pleasant and convenient.

• Notebook key backlighting

  Older models rarely had this option, but modern devices with a tilting screen and a touch display in most cases have key backlighting. The function greatly simplifies the use of a laptop, and this can be seen in poor lighting conditions, when watching a video in a dark room, when typing on the road.

• Fingerprint reader

  A feature that allows user identification and access to software by a scanned fingerprint. To log in, there is no need to enter a password and specify a username – the system will automatically determine it and immediately launch the “desktop”.

• IPS panel

  Provides perfect white color and eye protection. There is no flicker, which means that you can forget about eye fatigue and weakening of visual functions.

• Connectors

  High-speed USB 3.0 ports are installed in the latest notebook models. But many manufacturers have gone further, and today you can already find devices with version 3.1 Type-C connectors. You should pay attention to this parameter if the user often uses remote storage, works with flash drives, auxiliary hard drives, and peripherals.

For the convenience of choosing laptop models, the CITILINK website provides an advanced filter.

You can choose a device by any parameter, by options and technical characteristics, as well as by price. For each model, detailed information and a photo carousel are presented. Finding and selecting a laptop has never been so easy and fast!

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How to choose a laptop

To how to choose a laptop: a step-by-step guide

Laptops have long been an irreplaceable thing. At home and in the office, on a business trip and on vacation – literally everywhere and everywhere they accompany a modern person. But their wide variety always puts the buyer in front of a difficult choice. What should you start from, what parameters should you pay attention to and where to make a purchase in Bishkek? Let’s try to understand this difficult situation step by step.

Step 1. Manufacturer Rating

Any product has its author. Entire teams of specialists work on laptops. You can understand how conscientious and inventive they are only by their popularity. More and more little-known brands are trying to gain a foothold in the technical market. As a rule, they attract buyers with low prices and, at the same time, rather high technical parameters. But, as they say, the miser pays twice, if not thrice. Therefore, the manufacturer’s rating is the first thing you should pay attention to when choosing a laptop.

There are a number of trade brands that have long established themselves on the positive side. The products of these companies are the perfect balance between price and quality. According to the unanimous opinion of buyers, Asus takes the first place in this branded line. Behind him in terms of performance and relative durability are Acer and Lenovo. A well-deserved third place is given to three brands at once: Samsung, Dell and Toshiba. Reviews about them are varied, often there is a lower quality than that of their predecessors.

Sony and Apple stand apart. It should be remembered that these are rather venerable technical brands. Therefore, the cost of their products includes the so-called “brand fee”. And this is extra money for the buyer. In addition, impeccable reliability is just a marketing myth. Branded laptops, as a rule, are aimed at those buyers who want to emphasize their status.

Step 2. Laptop type

The purpose of using the laptop is the next step. Here it is important to clearly define what you will work with: simple or professional programs, heavy games, the Internet, etc. It is a mistake to choose according to the principle: “The higher the price, the better the quality. ” The cost consists of several points: brand, processor power, functionality, memory size, type of video card, case material, screen diagonal. Think about whether all these characteristics should correspond to the maximum? Yes, expensive models are usually quite powerful. During operation, they heat up great, which inevitably promises a trip to the service center. But you can buy a quite affordable, but high-quality laptop that will serve you smoothly for many years.

To make the choice more obvious, it is worth getting to know the types of laptops. They will help to compare expectations with technical possibilities.

• Ultrabooks, or high-end laptops. Light, elegant, powerful and quiet. Among the minuses: the lack of a DVD-drive, fragility and high price. Ultrabooks are good for people who value their image. Experts advise avoiding buying expensive and powerful ultrabooks with a TDP processor (above 17W) and a discrete graphics card.

• Sensory, or “transformers”. This is a new technical development that manufacturers have been actively promoting since the beginning of 2016. Its feature is the touch screen. At the same time, they have a rather tangible weight and low performance. As a rule, there is a great demand for touch laptops from teenagers and people who just want to look original.

• Gaming – the most powerful among laptops. They create ideal conditions for any game, but are noisy and heat up quickly. Therefore, they require additional means of cooling.

In addition, there are budget and universal laptops. They are similar in functionality and some technical characteristics, are almost silent in operation and easily cope with specialized programs. The only difference is that the latter support mid-range settings games.

Step 3. Specifications

At this stage, the buyer should not only evaluate the external data of the laptop, but also look under its case.

• Processors. The first thing to look at is the processor. It is perhaps the most important element of any computer. It depends on the speed and performance of the device. Upgrading the processor in a laptop in the future is a rather difficult task, so it must immediately meet the stated requirements.

When choosing, you need to pay attention not only to the frequency, but also to the size of the cache, or fast memory. The larger it is, the more productive the processor. As for the number of cores, then you should start from the tasks of use. For office work, a laptop with one core is enough. Working with graphics will require two or more. Ultrabooks tend to run on Intel Core M.

• Next in importance is the graphics card. It can be built-in or discrete. The first one partially uses RAM during operation. Suitable for simple programs and watching videos. For games and heavy applications, it is better to use a discrete graphics card.

• An important role in the laptop is given to RAM. It has two DDR2 standards, DDR3 and DDR4 (faster). Modern operating systems such as Windows 7 take up part of the “RAM”, so the ideal amount here would be from 4 GB and above.

• The hard drive is simple. The larger its volume, the better. Laptops with solid state drives (SSDs) are becoming more and more popular. They provide high speed when writing / reading information, silent, energy efficient and reliable in operation.

• Finally, you need to check that all ports, connectors, camera and microphone are present. Also pay attention to the body material. Aluminum with high-quality plastic inserts are considered more durable and popular. Do not ignore the description of the screen. Ideal parameters: brightness from 200 cd/sq.m and viewing angles over 170/160. Some models also have a built-in card reader and a fingerprint scanner. Of course, additional interfaces are reflected in the price of the product.