Best Windows laptops in 2022

There are thousands of models of Windows laptops to choose from. Trying to make sense of which are the best and which are best avoided can take hours of research. Some are made for productivity, others are designed for gaming, and there are lines specifically for customers who are minding their budget. The best Windows laptops offer a combination of all of these specialties. So, which is the best one for you?

When you’re choosing a device you’ll likely spend hundreds of hours with; there are many things to balance. Finding something that will fit your budget but also meet your needs is the hardest step for most people. The best laptops aren’t cheap, but they don’t have to be the most expensive either.

The best way to find the laptop for you is to narrow down the most important aspects of its design. Do you care more about portability, productivity, gaming, or price? Is screen size and resolution vital to you? These are all things to consider when choosing a Windows laptop. You may also consider what kind of keyboard is built into your new computer. And what kind of hinge or lid materials are you more interested in?

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If you’re ready to upgrade your home workstation or need a reliable on-the-go rig, we’ve got your back. Check out our top picks for the best Windows laptops of 2022.

Best Windows laptop overall: Dell XPS 17 9710

The XPS 17 9710 is Dell’s top-of-the-line laptop for content creators. It’s been updated for 2021 with Intel’s 11th Generation Tiger Lake processors and Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 30 Series GPUs. At $1,549 starting price, it might seem a little pricey, but it’s well worth the investment. This machine is packed with power. It features a Core i7-11800H CPU and GeForce RTX 3050 graphics chip (or optional RTX 3060). It strikes a great balance between performance and energy savings. Plus, its modern chassis and gorgeous 4K display make it an excellent choice for anyone looking for the best laptop.

Regrettably, the XPS 17 lacks when it comes to portability. It’s not overly heavy, but a 17-inch screen might make it unwieldy for some. This is more of a desktop replacement, not something to take with you on a trip. Because it has that big screen, battery life is average as well. Also, the AC adapter for this laptop looks like it connects via regular USB-C. However, it’s actually a semi-proprietary charger. It supplies more power than a standard USB-C can. So, you can charge it with any USB-C adapter. But, don’t expect it to charge quickly or charge while using it without using the included adapter.

This is more of a jack-of-all-trades device. It does everything a person could want out of a PC well without being the best in any one category. Those that want all the features and performance of the XPS 17 in a slightly smaller package can check out the XPS 15.

Best Windows laptop for gamers: Razer Blade 14

The Razer Blade 14 is the best laptop for gamers who need a powerful machine that they can take with them on the go. Its thin and light design makes it easy to carry around, while its powerful GeForce RTX 3080 graphics processor ensures that you’ll be able to play even the most demanding games. It’s also the only model Razer produces that features the AMD Ryzen 5900HX CPU, which is one of the most powerful mobile processors available. So whether you’re playing games or doing work, this laptop can handle it all.

While its compact size may affect performance, the Razer Blade 14 is the perfect laptop for gamers who want a powerful machine that doesn’t look like a traditional gaming laptop. The sleek, all-black design is complemented by the Razer logo backlight, which gives it a bit of understated flair. However, the small chassis might negatively affect heat dissipation, causing the hardware to throttle. The 14-inch QHD screen features G-Sync and a 165Hz refresh rate that does a great job of utilizing the speedy GPU. However, like most gaming laptops, don’t expect it to last long on battery under load. You can only hope to get around an hour and a half when gaming on a full battery.

Best Windows ultrabook: Dell XPS 13 (9310)

If you’re looking for a super thin-and-light laptop that you can take on the road and complete most productivity tasks with, the Dell XPS 13 (9310) is the laptop to get. It offers a razer-thin design, along with a stunning OLED display (if you buy that upgrade), and more than enough performance chops for most.

The base model doesn’t offer all the bells and whistles as some of the others, but it’s still pretty solid. On it, you’ll get an 11th-generation Intel Core i3 processor, coupled with 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and a 4K 13.4-inch display. It can be upgraded, however, to an Intel Core i7 chip, with 16GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and a 3.5K OLED display. Of course, you’ll pay a pretty penny to get those upgrades — but at least they’re available.

So what are the downsides to this laptop? Well, the added features and different configurations can get a little pricey. Also, the webcam isn’t that great, and the OLED display can shorten the battery life. Still, no matter what configuration you get, you’ll love the Dell XPS 13.

Best Windows 2-in-1: HP Spectre x360 14T

If you’re looking for a laptop that you use like a tablet, then the HP Spectre x360 14T is probably the way to go. Using the device in tablet mode isn’t necessarily as easy or intuitive as something like an iPad, but for occasional tablet use it will absolutely get the job done.

Despite being more versatile than many other laptops, the HP Spectre x360 14T is still as powerful and as impressive. This particular model of the laptop comes with an Intel Core i7 processor, coupled with 32GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. That should be easily powerful enough for all productivity-type tasks. It’s not a gaming or video editing machine, but most users won’t need that anyway.

The display on the HP Spectre x360 14t looks great too. The base configuration is a standard 13.5 1920 x 1280 display, but you can upgrade it to offer a 13.5 3000 x 2000 OLED display. The only downsides? The device is expensive, especially if you upgrade away from the base model.

Best budget Windows laptop: ASUS ZenBook 13

The Asus ZenBook 13 has been completely redesigned for 2021! It now comes with the latest AMD Ryzen 5000 series processors and a full HD OLED panel for stunning visuals. Plus, the Radeon graphics give you good (not great) performance and vibrant colors. However, the lack of Thunderbolt 4 support and headphone jack means it’s not quite perfect.

You might think that the Asus ZenBook 13 is a bit pricey for a “budget” laptop at $899.99, but that’s a bargain for what you get. An OLED display is unheard of for laptops in this price range, and its i7-1165G7 is very competitive. Sadly, there is a significant drawback to this laptop. The ZenBook 13 only comes with 8 GB of RAM at the base price point. This wouldn’t be a big deal if you could expand it later. But, the memory is soldered to the motherboard, and there is no slot for an extra stick. We consider 8 GB to be the absolute bare minimum RAM a laptop should have, and you’ll notice some sluggishness outside of basic tasks. However, every budget laptop makes some sort of compromise, so those wanting to get one cheap should be prepared to be disappointed in some aspect.