Best laptop for 2021

 Best laptop 2021: our pick of the 15 best laptops you can buy this year

If you're on the hunt for the best laptops of 2021, then we can help. On this page we've ranked the latest and greatest laptops money can buy right now, and no matter what kind of laptop you're after, or what your budget is, we're certain you'll find the best laptop for your needs on this page.

Picking the best laptop for you means considering other factors beyond the price. Power – or rather the power you need to see through your daily tasks – as well as battery life, portability, display, keyboard and trackpad, and other features matter as well.

1. Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

The best laptop of 2021

CPU: Apple M1Graphics: Integrated 7-core /8-core GPURAM: 8GB – 16GBScreen: 13.3-inch (diagonal) 2,560 x 1,600 LED-backlit display with IPS technologyStorage: 256GB – 2TB SSDDimensions: 11.97 x 8.36 x 0.63 inches (30.41 x 21.24 x 1.61cm; W x D x H)

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+Silent to use

+Amazing battery life

-No new design

-Fanless design could impact performance

Even if you've only ever used Windows laptops before, the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) is well worth getting and making the jump to macOS. Yes, it really is that good.

Read the full review: MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

Shop all the latest MacBook Air deals and sales available now

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Dell XPS 15

(Image credit: Dell)

Dell XPS 15

(Image credit: Dell)

Dell XPS 15

(Image credit: Dell)

Dell XPS 15

(Image credit: Dell)

2. Dell XPS 15 (2020)

The best Windows laptop

CPU: 10th-generation Intel Core i5 – i7Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics - Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 TiRAM: 8GB – 64GBScreen: 15.6" FHD+ (1920 x 1200) IPS - UHD+ (3840 x 2400)Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD

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+Fast performance

+Eye-catching design

-GTX 1650 Ti is a little weak

-15-inch screen might be too large for some

2. HP Spectre x360 (2021)

This year's model is a brilliant 13-inch lapto

CPU: 11th-generation Intel Core i5 – i7Graphics: Intel Iris Xe GraphicsRAM: 8GB – 16GBScreen: 13.3" FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS BrightView micro-edge WLED-backlit multitouch – 13.3" diagonal 4K (3840 x 2160) UWVA BrightView micro-edge AMOLED multitouchStorage: 256GB – 2TB SSDp 

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Best laptop 2021: our pick of the 15 best laptops you can buy this year

By Matt Hanson 10 days ago

Our picks of the latest models from the top brands to help you find the best laptop for your needs

best laptops

You’ll find the best laptop for your needs on this list. (Image credit: Future)

If you're on the hunt for the best laptops of 2021, then we can help. On this page we've ranked the latest and greatest laptops money can buy right now, and no matter what kind of laptop you're after, or what your budget is, we're certain you'll find the best laptop for your needs on this page.

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Want the very best laptop right now? Then look no further than the MacBook Air (M1, 2020). Apple has given its laptop a huge overhaul when it comes to hardware (thanks to the new M1 chip it designed itself), and manages to offer best in class performance, along with a stunning slim and light design and a reasonably affordable price tag as well.

However, even this early into 2021, we've also seen some brilliant Windows 10 laptops come along, so if you'd rather stick with a Windows 10 laptop, or you want a more affordable device like a Chromebook, then you've got plenty of brilliant choices as well.

Picking the best laptop for you means considering other factors beyond the price. Power – or rather the power you need to see through your daily tasks – as well as battery life, portability, display, keyboard and trackpad, and other features matter as well.

So let’s get right into it. From the latest and greatest laptops from the likes of Apple, Dell, HP and Lenovo, our best laptops guide will have the perfect device for you. Here are our top picks.

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The best laptops 2021

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Best laptop: MacBook Air

(Image credit: Apple)

Best laptop: MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

(Image credit: Apple)

cheap MacBook price sales deals

(Image credit: Apple)

1. Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

The best laptop of 2021

CPU: Apple M1Graphics: Integrated 7-core /8-core GPURAM: 8GB – 16GBScreen: 13.3-inch (diagonal) 2,560 x 1,600 LED-backlit display with IPS technologyStorage: 256GB – 2TB SSDDimensions: 11.97 x 8.36 x 0.63 inches (30.41 x 21.24 x 1.61cm; W x D x H)

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+Silent to use

+Amazing battery life

-No new design

-Fanless design could impact performance

The new Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020) isn't just the best laptop Apple has ever made, it's the best laptop money can buy right now. This is the first time a MacBook has topped our best laptops list, but the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) is worthy of this spot. Thanks to the revolutionary ARM-based Apple M1 chip that powers the new MacBook Air (Apple has ditched Intel for these new laptops), this is a stunning achievement: a thin and light laptop that offers great performance, even with 4K video editing, while also offering incredible battery life. Easily managing over 11 hours on a single charge, this is a laptop you can easily carry around with you at work or school, and its price is incredibly competitive compared to Windows 10 rivals like the Dell XPS 15 (below). Running both new and old Mac apps, the new MacBook Air can now also run iOS apps for iPhone and iPads, giving it access to hundreds of brilliant mobile applications and games as well.

Even if you've only ever used Windows laptops before, the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) is well worth getting and making the jump to macOS. Yes, it really is that good.

Read the full review: MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

Shop all the latest MacBook Air deals and sales available now

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Dell XPS 15

(Image credit: Dell)

Dell XPS 15

(Image credit: Dell)

Dell XPS 15

(Image credit: Dell)

Dell XPS 15

(Image credit: Dell)

2. Dell XPS 15 (2020)

The best Windows laptop

CPU: 10th-generation Intel Core i5 – i7Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics - Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 TiRAM: 8GB – 64GBScreen: 15.6" FHD+ (1920 x 1200) IPS - UHD+ (3840 x 2400)Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD

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+Fast performance

+Eye-catching design

-GTX 1650 Ti is a little weak

-15-inch screen might be too large for some

The Dell XPS 15 ticks pretty much every box when it comes to what we want from a laptop. The end result is that the Dell XPS 15 (2020) is about as close to perfect as a laptop can get and one of the best Dell laptops to date; there's really not a lot we can fault it for. It's got some of the latest, and best, mobile tech from Intel, and can even be configured with a discrete GPU, making it adept at images and as for video editing software, and even a spot of light gaming.

It also features one of the finest designs we've seen in a laptop, and is arguably the most stylish Windows 10 laptop on the market right now. Battery life is also phenomenal, and the price, while high, isn't that bad considering what you get. If the 15-inch screen is a little too big, then the Dell XPS 13 (also on this list) is worth considering, as is the MacBook Air above.

Read the full review: Dell XPS 15 (2020)

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the best laptop: HP Spectre x360

(Image credit: HP)

the best laptop: HP Spectre x360

(Image credit: HP)

the best laptop: HP Spectre x360

(Image credit: HP)

3. HP Spectre x360 (2021)

This year's model is a brilliant 13-inch laptop

CPU: 11th-generation Intel Core i5 – i7Graphics: Intel Iris Xe GraphicsRAM: 8GB – 16GBScreen: 13.3" FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS BrightView micro-edge WLED-backlit multitouch – 13.3" diagonal 4K (3840 x 2160) UWVA BrightView micro-edge AMOLED multitouchStorage: 256GB – 2TB SSD

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+Gorgeous design

+Excellent battery life

-Fans can get noisy

-Pricey

The HP Spectre x360 has been one of the best laptops for years now, and the 2021 model is no different. Now coming with 11th-generation Intel Core processors, which offer a decent performance boost, and feature better integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, the HP Spectre x360 (2021) is better than ever.

It still features the impeccable 2-in-1 design and pristine gem-cut chassis that these laptops are known for, meaning that the HP Spectre x360 (2021) is one of the best looking 2-in-1 laptops ever made, and when it comes to build quality, it's rivalled only by the excellent MacBook Air (M1, 2020), which is at the top of this best laptop guide.

While it's certainly pricey, you're getting some excellent extras, such as formidable security features and Bang & Olufsen speakers. If you care about aesthetics as much as you do performance and overall quality, this is the laptop for you.

Read the full review: HP Spectre x360 (2021)

Today's best deals on all HP Spectre x360 models

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Dell XPS 13 (Late 2020)

(Image credit: Dell)

Dell XPS 13 (Late 2020)

(Image credit: Dell)

Dell XPS 13 (Late 2020)

(Image credit: Dell)

Dell XPS 13 (Late 2020)

(Image credit: Dell)

Dell XPS 13 (Late 2020)

(Image credit: Dell)

4. Dell XPS 13 (Late 2020)

Dell does it again

CPU: Up to 11th Generation Intel Core i7-1165G7Graphics: Up to Intel Iris Xe GraphicsRAM: Up to 32GB 4267MHz LPDDR4xScreen: 13.4" FHD+ (1920 x 1200) InfinityEdge Non-Touch Anti-Glare 500-Nit – 13.4" UHD+ (3840 x 2400) InfinityEdge Touch Anti-Reflective 500-Nit DisplayStorage: Up to 2TB M.2 PCIe NVMe

₹1,42,000