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PCMag supports Group Black and its mission to increase greater diversity in media voices and media ownerships. Before I joined the tech-journalism ranks, I wrote on topics as diverse as Borneo's rain forests, Middle Eastern airlines, and Big Data's role in presidential elections. A graduate of Middlebury College, I also have a master's degree in journalism and French Studies from New York University. All of the ruggedization makes the Toughbook 40 heavy and expensive, of course. Expect to pay north of $4,000 for this 7-pound brute if you're buying a single laptop.
Unless you have specific Windows software you know you need then don't let Chrome OS scare you off. Chrome is less processor intensive, which is great for some of these lower-powered laptops and delivers everything that most users need for typical computing tasks like web surfing, content consumption or light productivity work. Technology advancements offered the opportunity for some pretty great notebook products in 2016, whether you’re looking for something sleek and stylish, a workhorse device or a beastly desktop replacement gaming machine. To that end, here's a round-up of what I feel are some of the best of each breed in the market currently. Though some of these are likely due for an Intel Kaby Lake refresh, even in their current incarnation, they’re all fantastic laptops worthy of your consideration...
Top 6 Laptops for Working from Home
Every manufacturer and reseller has different standards for refurbishing previously used laptops. A slight discount on a rigorously tested MacBook Pro that Apple sells with the same warranty as a new one might be worth the cost savings, while a laptop refurbished by a third party you’ve never heard could be chancy. It’s best to buy any refurbished machine directly from the manufacturer’s online store as opposed to from a reseller, especially a reseller that may be hawking refurbs from “marketplace" sellers or third parties on its platform. The latest Wi-Fi standard is 802.11ax (also dubbed “Wi-Fi 6”), and is a good feature to look for in a premium machine to ensure the fastest Wi-Fi connectivity in the future. The older 802.11ac, though, is just fine for mainstream and budget systems. Steer clear of the older 802.11b/g/n standards that are still available on some budget machines, if you can, as those can result in lower throughput speeds and less reliable connections.
There are 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage that will keep you going for a long time. There are also several ports on this computer, including an SD card reader, HDMI output, three USB Type-A ports and a headphone jack. There's a lot to like here, but don't plan on doing anything more than the basics on this laptop. Its combination of performance, lightweight, and budget price is very hard to beat, making it an excellent choice for those on a budget who only need a laptop to handle the basics and enjoy some content. The HP Envy 13 is the best laptop for under $1,000 and one of the best 13-inch laptops on the market. While it still has a plastic touchpad, the Envy 13 is a fantastic value if you want the best laptop for less than four figures.
The Best Laptops for 2022
Now that you know which specifications to look for, we hope that parsing the good from the bad will be much easier. We update our top picks frequently, and you can find our current favorite laptops below. If video output matters to you, check for a dedicated port like an HDMI connector, especially if you plan to connect your laptop to your TV, desktop monitor, or a lecture hall A/V system. Sometimes video outputs are implemented on laptops as micro HDMI or mini DisplayPort connectors to save space. You’ll need a special cable to use these, which may or may not be included in the box.
Even a budget gaming GPU will offer an immense advantage over an integrated graphics processor when it comes to playing 3D games. To take advantage of the touch-screen support present throughout Windows and Chrome OS, you’ll want to seek out a touch-enabled laptop, and perhaps even a digital stylus to write or draw on it. Some Windows laptops come in both touch- and non-touch versions, so check the specifications on what you’re buying carefully. Glossy screens typically feature touch support, while most matte screens designed to filter out glare from ambient lighting do not. For the crispest text and most brilliant colors, you can go higher than full HD. Many high-end laptops now have displays with 4K native resolution as standard or optional extras.
Microsoft Surface Pro 8
Available in an entry-level configuration with an Intel Core i5-1035G1 processor and 8 GB of RAM, and a high performance configuration with a Intel Core i7-2640M processor and 32 GB of RAM. This computer is perfect for anyone working in any part of your life. But finding the best computer and printer at the right price for your home office can be overwhelming given the large number of options. Using Consumer Reports’ 2016 Buying Guide, this list narrows down the options by showing the top-scoring desktop and laptop computers and all-in-one and regular printers that are recommended by this trusted source. The new MacBook's trackpad also supports Apple's new "Force Touch" feature that detects how hard you're pushing down and reacts accordingly. The mass appeal for this new $2000 ThinkPad laptop might be more limited than Lenovo’s other Yoga products, but that doesn’t make the X1 Yoga any less spectacular of an achievement.
Some of these resellers or their third parties will rate their refurbished stock with a grade. It’s generally up to the reseller what the grade means, and thus it can vary from seller to seller. We’re wary of machines graded this way and strongly recommend insisting on an ironclad return policy in the case of purchases like these, if you decide to roll the dice. You could end up pleasantly surprised, but usually, a refurbished-laptop deal that looks too good to be true...is.
Last year, Apple updated its MacBook Air to add new fifth-generation processors from Intel, which means the Air is capable of lasting even longer on a single charge than it was in the past. Most business PCs come with integrated graphics chips, which are a lightweight graphics-acceleration solution that's part of the main CPU. These integrated GPUs are usually fine for business laptops, since you won't be playing 3D games on a computer meant for work. Mobile-workstation-class laptops will usually come with some sort of discrete graphics, either for their 3D capabilities or to drive multiple monitors. That said, we're huge fans of solid-state boot drives, and almost all business laptops have moved over to them at this point.
I’ve evaluated the performance, value, and features of hundreds of personal tech devices and services, from laptops to Wi-Fi hotspots and everything in between. I’ve also covered the launches of dozens of groundbreaking technologies, from hyperloop test tracks in the desert to the latest silicon from Apple and Intel. There are instances when the logic board or the display—the most expensive parts of a laptop—fail, and while rare, such a catastrophe can cost you half of what the laptop is worth in repair costs.
The Flex 5 Chromebook is perfect for productivity work because the keyboard will have you flying through any word-processing tasks with rhythmic speediness. But this device’s transformative capability isn’t its only alluring feature — the Lenovo Chromebook Duet lasted almost 13 hours on our battery test, which beats the 10-hour average runtime for Chromebooks. The price is another big selling point of the Lenovo Chromebook Duet. For under $300, you can own a lightweight machine that can endure all your intensive web multitasking. So that wraps up my short list but make sure to keep an eye out for CES 2017 coverage.
After reviewing dozens of value-priced systems, the best laptop under $500 is the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5. This outstanding 2-in-1 Chromebook earned 4.5 out of 5 stars and an Editor's Choice award from us on the strength of its gorgeous OLED display and over 13 hours of battery life. If Chrome OS isn't your thing, we have some cheap Windows laptops to recommend as well. The best laptops under $500 are cheap laptops that shouldn't leave you feeling like you dug them out of the bargain bin.
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