Laptops

57 expert reviews6 scoredChecked 1 Nov 2026

Laptops for everyday work and study, judged on performance, battery life, screen and keyboard.

Quick answer

The best laptop, according to professional reviewers, is the Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5): critic score 88 out of 100 from 7 reviews, 7 of them positive. Most praised: performance and picture quality.

Reviews checked 1 Nov 2026
  1. 1Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5)7 reviews · agreement high88
  2. 2Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)6 reviews · agreement high87
  3. 3Apple MacBook Neo20 reviews · agreement high86
  4. 4Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition)5 reviews · agreement low85
  5. 5Dell XPS 14 (2026)7 reviews · agreement high82
  6. 6Asus Zenbook A1410 reviews · agreement high81
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The critics' pick

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5)

7 professional reviewers tested the Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5), and 7 recommend it. Most praised: performance and picture quality.

The catch: It lacks Wi-Fi 7, and memory and storage upgrades are costly.

Critic agreement: High Scores run from 83 to 902 printed scores, 5 estimated · printed scores only: 90

5 of these 7 outlets print no score. We estimated theirs from the review text and corrected for the known tendency of estimates to run high.

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Other laptops

Not the Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5)? Pick by situation

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Best overall Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)87 6 reviews · agreement high
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Best budget pick Apple MacBook Neo86 20 reviews · agreement high
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Best for Windows on Arm Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition)85 5 reviews · agreement low
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Best Intel Windows pick Dell XPS 14 (2026)82 7 reviews · agreement high
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Best for travel Asus Zenbook A1481 10 reviews · agreement high

How do they compare?

ProductScoreReviewsAgreementBest for
Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5)887HighBest for creative work
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)876HighBest overall
Apple MacBook Neo8620HighBest budget pick
Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition)855LowBest for Windows on Arm
Dell XPS 14 (2026)827HighBest Intel Windows pick
Asus Zenbook A148110HighBest for travel

Not scored yet

We publish a score only once at least 4 professional reviews of the exact model exist.

Common questions

What is the best laptop?

The Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5), with a critic score of 88 from 7 professional reviews. Most praised: performance and picture quality.

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5) vs Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4): which is better?

Critics score the Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5) 88 and the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) 87. We list the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) under “Best overall”. Its main drawback: it has only two USB-C ports, and upgrades cost a lot.

Which laptops do critics disagree on?

The Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition) (scores from 66 to 100).